The match between Kurama Byaku and Sarutobi Hoshi left the audience feeling bored, but at the same time, it made them realize just how terrifying genjutsu could be.
After all, Sarutobi Hoshi was no weakling, he was Kage-level in strength, possessing all five chakra natures and capable of using a variety of combined elemental techniques.
His previous battles had been dazzling to say the least, his techniques flowing with incredible finesse.
His performance had stunned spectators, leaving them in awe.
Yet no one could have predicted that someone so breathtakingly skilled would lose in such a silent and undramatic fashion.
Moreover, he had lost without putting up even the slightest resistance.
This was a Kage-level shinobi, and yet he had been "instantly defeated" like this.
Kurama Byaku's display of dominance caught Hui's attention.
He began contemplating whether he should add Kurama Byaku to that list.
…
Returning to the competition, the third major match between top contenders was between Hozuki Ranzuki and Tetsu.
There was no need to introduce Hozuki Ranzuki, he was the genius of the Hozuki clan, a master of the Hydrification Technique, making him nearly invincible.
As for Tetsu, he was a talented swordsman who hailed from the former Land of Iron, which had now been incorporated into the Region of Fire.
Originally, the samurai of the Land of Iron were already renowned for their exceptional swordsmanship. However, after the Land of Iron was merged into the Sage Shinobi Nation, Tetsu gained access to Hui's advanced sword techniques, and that completely transformed his growth.
With his already impressive talent, combined with the opportunity to study these powerful sword arts, Tetsu's strength had skyrocketed.
By the age of twenty-four, he had successfully reached Kage-level in strength.
In both the regional qualifiers and the first round of the main tournament, he had effortlessly dominated his opponents, securing victory with overwhelming swordplay.
Because of this, he was considered one of the tournament's favorites.
Unfortunately for him, his luck was absolutely terrible in this round.
Not only did he run into one of the strongest competitors, but it also happened to be his worst possible matchup.
The Hydrification Technique was considered half-invincible in this world since it completely negated physical attacks.
The only things that could counter it were attacks exceeding its durability threshold or Lightning Release techniques.
Unfortunately, Tetsu had neither.
Thus, he was completely outmatched.
During the battle, Hozuki Ranzuki utterly crushed him, effortlessly neutralizing his sword strikes and securing an easy victory.
Tetsu was eliminated.
Many people in the audience sighed in sympathy.
This match was a perfect example that in battle, nothing was more frustrating than a bad matchup.
That being said, no one felt too sorry for Tetsu.
After all, although he had lost, he was only sent to the losers' bracket.
This meant that while he had lost his chance to secure a guaranteed ranking after four consecutive wins, he still had a path forward.
As long as he fought his way back from the losers' bracket, he could still qualify.
With his level of strength, the only way he would be eliminated for good was if he ran into another stronger opponent who had also dropped into the losers' bracket, and then just happened to face them in the next round.
If such an unfortunate series of events occurred, then it could only mean his luck was just that terrible.
And to be fair, his luck today was already bad enough.
As Tetsu's loss made him a memorable "unlucky contestant" in the eyes of many, he also caught Hui's attention.
Not because of his misfortune, but because of his exceptional talent in swordsmanship.
From Tetsu's swordplay, Hui saw potential. And the young man had will power that far surpassed most of his peers.
Even before today's tournament had concluded, Hui had already placed Tetsu on the list of people he was going to send to the One Piece world.
With Tetsu's extraordinary swordsmanship talent, he would undoubtedly grow tremendously in that world.
At the very least, he would have no trouble becoming a Great Swordsman.
As for how high he could climb in the ranks of the world's strongest swordsmen…
That would depend entirely on his own destiny.
…
The battles between top-tier competitors in the winners' bracket thrilled the audience, filling them with excitement.
Meanwhile, the fights in the losers' bracket revealed something even more moving.
A display of unbreakable determination and raw fighting spirit.
Every single match was a battle fought with everything on the line.
No one held back their strength, not even when facing weaker opponents.
Because in these fights, a single loss meant elimination.
If someone chose to hide their true power and ended up getting defeated by an underdog, that would be a regret they carried for the rest of their life.
Thus, in the losers' bracket, every competitor fought ruthlessly as if it was a true life-or-death struggle.
These battles drew blood.
Many contestants were severely wounded, some even left on the verge of death.
The intensity of these fights made the spectators gradually fall silent, their hearts weighed by the sheer brutality.
Yet, no one found it inappropriate.
Because victory in this tournament was worth fighting for, even at the cost of one's life.
Besides, no matter how serious the injuries, they would be quickly healed. So in the end, no injury was truly fatal.
Some of the more perceptive individuals also began to notice another underlying purpose in Hui's actions.
He was evaluating their willpower.
Since the losers' bracket consisted of fighters of similar strength, their battles were hard-fought clashes, requiring them to give it their all.
These fights were not easily decided.
As the matches dragged on, victory no longer depended solely on strength, it became a test of sheer willpower.
Because of this, the second round lasted far longer than expected.
It began at 10 AM in the morning and only concluded at 3 PM in the afternoon.
…
The second round of matches produced countless memorable battles, leaving the audience with a lasting impression.
Many contestants also left their mark on the world, their names echoing in heated discussions everywhere.
At the same time, some competitors began amassing huge fan followings, attracting a large number of devoted admirers.
Among them,
Minato Namikaze, Hozuki Ranzuki, and Konan were currently the most popular contenders.
Not only were they exceptionally powerful with each considered a major favorite, they were also incredibly attractive, ranking among the top ten most beautiful contestants in the entire tournament.
With both power and beauty, they naturally became magnetically captivating figures, drawing in countless fans.
Of course, they weren't the only ones gaining followers.
Nearly every contestant who had made it this far had garnered a considerable number of admirers.
After all, this was a global tournament, and the entire Ninja World was watching.
With such a massive population, it was only natural that every strong competitor had their own dedicated fanbase.
…
Amid this hype and excitement, the third day arrived.
Today would be the third round of the tournament.
In the winners' bracket, twenty-two competitors would advance to the final round, while the other twenty-three would be sent to the losers' bracket.
Meanwhile, in the losers' bracket, twenty-two contestants would be eliminated for good.
This third round was destined to be even more intense than the second round.
After all, the winners' bracket had been reduced to just forty-four fighters.
Among them, over thirty were considered tournament favorites. Which meant that almost every single match was now a high-profile battle.
These were the best of the best, geniuses who had dominated their way through the competition.
It was impossible for their battles to be anything less than spectacular.
…
At this level, even the competition grounds had changed.
Instead of the previous nine separate battlefields, the tournament officials merged them into just two.
From this round onward, only two fights would happen at a time.
Some uninformed spectators found this strange at first, but as soon as the battles began, they understood why.
These geniuses were no longer just using standard jutsu. Each of them had mastered large-scale techniques capable of reshaping the battlefield itself.
The clashes between them were like natural disasters. The winds howled, the earth cracked, the skies blazed with fire, and the ground was flooded by raging torrents.
Thunder roared, lightning split the air, and towering waves of chakra collided in breathtaking spectacles.
The sheer chaos and destruction left spectators in utter shock, their minds shaken to the core.
This was the first time many ordinary had ever witnessed such overwhelming power.
For the first time, they realized.
Humans could become this powerful.