In the Region of Lightning, names such as A, Morokaseti resounded throughout the land.
In the Region of Water, Yagura and Hozuki Ranzuki were the ones making waves.
In the Region of Earth, Kitsuchi and Rinto were the names that dominated discussions.
And in the Fire Region, Koizumi and Nakekawa Nosuke were among the most talked-about prodigies.
One after another, these names echoed across their respective regions, marking their rise to prominence.
With the eyes of the entire world upon them, the second round of selection had finally concluded.
Now, a period of two months lay ahead, allowing the finalists to undergo final preparations before the main tournament.
During these two months, every single contestant had a chance to improve themselves.
It all depended on how well they utilized this time.
The leaders of each region also provided support to their respective champions, whether it was training resources, specialized guidance, or techniques, every effort was made to ensure their representatives were as strong as possible.
Without a doubt, every contestant would see some level of growth during these two months.
…
Time passed in an instant as the contestants pushed themselves to the limit.
The two-month period quickly dwindled to just a few days before the main tournament.
Now, the strongest young shinobi from across the world began their journey to Hidden Sage Village.
They entered the teleportation arrays, departing from the five major regions and making their way to Hidden Sage Village.
For many contestants, this was their first time setting foot in Hidden Sage Village, and upon arrival, they were immediately shocked by what they saw.
However, there was no time for sightseeing.
With the final days before the tournament upon them, they focused entirely on last-minute training and refining their techniques.
…
The day of the tournament had finally come.
A colossal arena, packed with over 100,000 spectators, was now the epicenter of the world's attention.
Though Hidden Sage Village still bore the title of a "village", in reality, it had already grown into a city-sized metropolis, with a permanent population exceeding a million.
With the constant influx of visitors, a 100,000-person audience was hardly surprising.
Across the world, in the central villages of the five major regions, massive screens had been erected in their public squares.
The broadcast had begun.
This was the first-ever live broadcast in the history of the Sage Shinobi World.
And the very first event to be streamed was a world-level tournament.
Millions of shinobi crowded into the squares, staring intently at the gigantic screens.
Every single match in the Hidden Sage Village finals would be a global spectacle.
For many of these young warriors, this was their once-in-a-lifetime chance.
A chance to rise to fame in a single battle.
A chance to become a legend known across the world.
A chance to be idolized as a hero of the new era.
This stage was a dream for countless people.
This stage was one of glory, opportunity, and unimaginable rewards.
In the Hidden Sage Village spectator stands, a group of young shinobi-in-training sat together, their eyes filled with admiration with faint glimmers of ambition.
"One day, I will stand on that stage!"
One young shinobi couldn't hold back his excitement, his face full of determination.
It was Sarutobi Asuma.
At just ten years old, he was already filled with burning ambition.
"Hmph, I won't just stand on the stage, I'll make it onto the Elite Youth Ranking! I'll be one of the Top 30!"
Hearing Asuma's bold claim, Uchiha Obito immediately shouted back, his imagination already painting a future where he stood atop the rankings, worshipped by countless.
However, Asuma's expression suddenly froze.
He had only said he wanted to compete, but Obito already declared he'd make the Top 30?
"Tch. I will be the Number One on the Elite Youth Ranking! Just wait and see!"
Asuma retorted confidently, his gaze turning provocative as he challenged Obito.
Obito's face darkened instantly.
"Pfft, you? Number One? Hah! That's mine!"
Obito snorted, refusing to back down.
"What a joke. You? Please."
"Damn it, are you asking for a fight?!"
As they argued, their foreheads nearly collided, and their glares sparked like flint striking steel.
"You two are seriously arguing over this?"
A voice interrupted them, carrying a hint of exasperation.
Both Asuma and Obito froze for a moment, before simultaneously turning to glare at the speaker.
"What's it got to do with you?!"
They snapped in unison.
The one who had spoken was Shiranui Genma.
Shiranui Genma shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Forget Kakashi, even Gay would wipe the floor with you two."
This statement made both Asuma and Obito's faces darken, especially Asuma's.
A few years ago, he had competed with Kakashi for the title of strongest in their generation. Though he had lost, at least he had been number two.
But as time passed and they grew older, Asuma's ranking slipped. More and more people surpassed him, and in the end, Might Guy overtook him completely, securing the second place spot.
Now, Asuma was just like everyone else, competing somewhere between third and tenth place.
"That bastard Kakashi… One day, I'll surpass him!"
Obito muttered, but there was zero confidence in his voice.
Because, frankly speaking, Kakashi was just too monstrous.
His strength felt like it belonged to an entirely different dimension, far beyond their reach.
Obito couldn't help but wonder, if there were no age restrictions, would Kakashi actually be able to compete in the finals against the strongest from other regions?
And then there was Guy.
That guy… Somehow, he had suddenly become ridiculously powerful, to an extent that was utterly absurd.
"Kakashi, if there were no age restrictions, do you think you could make it to the final tournament in Hidden Sage Village?"
Guy, standing beside Kakashi, couldn't help but ask curiously.
He had been Kakashi's rival for years now.
Since two years ago, he had constantly challenged Kakashi for the number one spot.
But he had never won, not even once.
He had officially become the "eternal runner-up."
What made it even more frustrating was that he had no idea how strong Kakashi really was.
All he knew was that Kakashi was strong, insanely strong, terrifyingly strong, so strong that his true depth was impossible to measure.
Kakashi paused for a moment before replying, "I don't know."
It was the truth.
He was, without a doubt, a genius among geniuses, one in a million.
However, he was still too young, only nine years old.
Even though his body had been nurtured by natural energy from birth, allowing him to step onto the path of evolution at an early age, at the end of the day, a nine-year-old body simply couldn't compare to those of eighteen-year-olds.
That said, he didn't outright deny his chances.
Because aside from his physical disadvantage, Kakashi was already at the level of an Elite Jonin.
In Sage Arts, Kenjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Kakashi had reached incredible heights in each of these arts.
And then, there was his Sharingan…
Right now, Kakashi's strength was already formidable.
But despite that, even he wasn't confident he could make it to the finals in Hidden Sage Village.
Because in this village, every young shinobi was a monster, every single one of them extraordinarily strong.
"I see… What a shame that we're too young. If we were eighteen right now, I know we'd both make it onto the Elite Youth Ranking!"
Guy said with absolute confidence.
He had faith in himself.
His fate was vastly different from what it had been in the original timeline.
In the original story, his father, Might Duy, had been a nobody, a perpetual Genin, someone ridiculed and looked down upon.
As a result, during Guy's childhood, his father hadn't been able to provide him with anything useful.
The only thing Guy had inherited was his unyielding willpower.
In the original timeline, Guy's life-changing moment had come after he graduated from the Academy and accidentally discovered his father's Eight Gates technique.
But in this world, things were different.
Here, Might Duy was no longer a nobody.
His fate had been changed by Hui.
He had been granted abundant training resources, he had received elite-level guidance, and he had been acknowledged by the village as a true Taijutsu expert.
Now, he was one of Hidden Sage Village's most respected martial artists.
With the discovery of the Eight Gates Sage Ascension Technique, Duy's extensive experience in forcefully opening the Eight Gates and his naturally superior control over them allowed him to advance rapidly in his training.
At this point, he had already reached the level of a Sixth-Tier Sage.
In terms of mastery over the Eight Gates Sage Ascension Technique, he stood on par with Uchiha Madara.
With such a powerful father, Might Guy's life had also taken a completely different path.
He was no longer the insecure and self-doubting child from the original timeline.
Instead, he had become a confident, iron-willed, and incredibly talented martial artist.
He firmly believed that if he were given nine more years, he would definitely make it onto the Elite Youth Ranking, and not just that, he would rank among the very best.
"…Maybe."
Kakashi said simply.
Nine years was a long time.
Given how fast things were changing in Hidden Sage Village, who knew what the world would look like by then?
The future was unpredictable.
"It's starting."
Kakashi suddenly spoke, his eyes lighting up.
Because standing in the center of the arena was the person he idolized the most, the one he admired above all others.
The Supreme Ruler of the Sage Shinobi World.
The King of the Sage Shinobi Nation.
The Leader of Hidden Sage Village.
The First Sage, Mochizuki Hui.
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