Crowd

The next seven days went by very quickly.

Every day, Jun and Aito would train in the garden. The latter was still learning the 'big lungs' technique, so Jun helped him out while practicing his new jutsu at the same time. Now and then, Akane and Nozomi would come along to practice. Although the change of house was startling at first, they quickly got used to it.

Occasionally, Jun would catch Ren observing them from afar. He tried to invite him a few times, but Ren would run off as soon as he was discovered. Apart from him, Mikoto would also visit from time to time, just to chat.

Overall, it was quite a productive seven days.

Now, the day of the third round had finally arrived. Jun made his way to the stadium, accompanied by Aito, Akane, Nozomi, and Mikoto. Once they reached the entrance, he could already hear the public.

"Well, this is where we split. Make sure to cheer us on!" Nozomi smiled as she punched the air with determination. She was ready to show the results of her training.

"Aniki, Nozomi-san, you can do it!" With an excited expression, Aito clenched his fists. He couldn't wait for the main event to start... he was going to watch his brother in action!

Affectionately wrapping an arm around Aito, Akane also smiled and gave them a thumbs up. "Break a leg out there!"

"You don't have to tell me, hehe!" Nozomi chuckled, walking towards the participant's entrance. Following her, Jun took one last look at Aito and spoke a few words. "Aito, make sure to observe. It'll be beneficial for your training."

"Mm!" Nodding his head, Aito waved his hand as Jun entered the building.

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As Jun and Nozomi entered the participant's area, they noticed that they weren't the first ones to arrive. Rasa, Fuguki, Kushimaru, Ren, and Hiashi were all either sitting or with their back against the wall, waiting for the proctors.

Watching Jun walk in, Rasa sent him an intense glare. His opponent had arrived.

'I'm starting to like this ...' Jun's lips curled up into a smile as he crossed his arms. The tension in the room was so thick he could practically feel it prickling his skin.

"Yo! You guys made it!" Next to them, a familiar voice sounded. Walking up to them, Minato had his typical, ever-present smile. "How'd the last two weeks treat you?"

"Minato!" Meeting his gaze, Nozomi smiled with joy. "Heh, you'll see it soon enough! What about you, how did your training with Jiraiya-sensei go?"

"It was quite hard, but I learned a new jutsu. I'll show you if we get the chance." Laughing awkwardly, Minato recalled what happened in the last two weeks. Jiraiya hadn't gone easy on him at all.

"That opponent of yours strikes me as the vicious type. Are you ready?" Smiling, Jun turned towards Fuguki. Following his gaze, Minato had a determined look. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"..."

"All of you... Follow me into the arena." Interrupting their conversation, Shigeo walked into the room, not sparing any of the participants a look. To him, all of this was just a huge hassle.

"Looks like it's time!" Clenching his fists with excitement, Minato smiled and followed Shigeo outside, his comrades in tow. Finally, the tournament would start.

Once they got out of the room, they were greeted by the massive arena. The crowd's cheers reverberated across it, sending chills down their spines. The atmosphere was incredible.

"Remember... Important figures will be watching this event. If you want to help your country out, make sure to put your all into it." As they walked, Shigeo spoke calmly and concisely, almost as if the audience didn't exist.

Lining up in the middle, the contestants were on full display, for everyone to see. Noticing them, the crowd went crazy as a cacophony of cheers resounded throughout the arena.

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Special thanks to Frozoka Swaggins, God Erebos, and Daniil!

Don't forget to drop some stones!

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