Ranking Matches * Chunin Ninja Exams

Ranking Matches?

This concept was completely foreign to the three people in the Office.

Hashirama tilted his head, his face showing an expression that said, "I don't understand, but it seems really impressive."

Tobirama frowned, clearly not understanding what this meant either.

The man with freckles raised his eyebrows.

The only person here who understood this word, besides Izuna, was him.

"Ranking Matches?" Hashirama asked. "What's that? It sounds like some kind of competition?"

"Yes, it's a competition. The Theatre Troupe has been working on it for a while now, didn't you know?"

Hashirama shook his head. Tobirama appeared expressionless, but he was also staring intently at him.

Izuna paused, glanced at them, and said with a subtle expression, "... You guys really don't pay any attention to what young people are up to."

"Ahem," the thirty-year-old Hashirama coughed lightly, "I've been too busy lately."

"Busy scheming against me," Izuna added expressionlessly.

Thirty-year-old Hashirama: "..."

Tobirama skillfully changed the subject. "So what exactly is this Ranking Matches?"

Simply put, it's like Arena.

Those who want to challenge for a higher ranking can challenge someone ranked ahead of them. If they win, their rankings switch; if they lose, they have to wait for the next opportunity.

"However, there are some limitations compared to a regular Arena."

"Each person may only use the prescribed Taijutsu and three Ninjutsu. As for the effects of the Ninjutsu..."

He paused, turned to look at the three of them, and said with a slight smile, "It was all simulated by Genjutsu."

Tobirama's eyes widened slightly.

"Genjutsu simulation?"

"Yes." Izuna nodded. "Thanks to Elder Naoaki, this Ninjutsu Recognition System has been separated from the entire Genjutsu system."

"As long as the person on the stage makes the corresponding hand gestures and seals, the Genjutsu Formation will automatically trigger the corresponding Ninjutsu effects. Fireballs, Water Dragons, Earth Style Walls... it can simulate anything, and—"

He emphasized, "It won't hurt anyone at all."

The air in the Office fell silent for a moment.

Hashirama's eyes began to glow.

Tobirama's brow furrowed even more. "You mean, using Genjutsu to simulate Ninjutsu duels? Can that simulate a realistic battle?"

"Of course!" Izuna said confidently. "The guys in the Theatre Troupe are having a blast. There were a few problems at first, like some people subconsciously using their real abilities, or the Genjutsu not triggering in time, but now it's basically perfected."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, precisely because it's Genjutsu simulation, it can do many things that are impossible in reality."

Well, we'll see when the time comes.

Tobirama fell silent.

He was considering the feasibility of this plan.

Hashirama immediately became excited. "That sounds so interesting! Is this Ranking Matches still being held within the Theatre Troupe? Can I go and watch it too?"

Izuna looked at him strangely, "The Theatre Troupe disbanded a long time ago, and the whole of Konoha is working non-stop right now. Putting aside the adults, the children have all been conscripted. How could they possibly have time to fight?"

Hashirama: "..." He sounded a little aggrieved.

Ban hadn't spoken until now, but he finally did. "So, why do you want to bring up Ranking Matches now?"

Izuna met his brother's gaze and became serious.

"Amusement Parks and Ninja Academy."

"What does Amusement Park need? It needs attractions, things that can excite visitors. Ninja Duel show would definitely be a great attraction."

"Ninjas ' battles rely on information asymmetry to maximize their effectiveness; constant performances won't cut it. Ninjas win through infiltration and surprise attacks. We do have frontal battlefields, but those battles are usually fraught with danger; bringing them to the open would easily turn them into gladiatorial combat."

Izuna's expression was serious. "This is the only thing we need to avoid."

Hashirama nodded. "Indeed. So what does this have to do with limiting techniques? Wouldn't more techniques make the battle more exciting?"

Izuna laughed, "Do you know what restricting techniques means, Hashirama- kun?"

What does that mean?

"This means that all of your moves will be completely predictable by your opponent if they are willing to, and all battles will be head-on confrontations."

"A head-on confrontation is always exhilarating, and limiting one's moves means that strategy will prevail."

Tobirama instantly understood what Izuna meant.

He deeply understood the human heart's reverence for and pursuit of the strong.

Regardless of location, people are often deeply interested in power, Strength, and conflict.

This fascination with the struggle for power has been a topic of much discussion throughout history.

Any subtle change or unexpected turn in a thrilling battle can spark endless imagination and discussion.

If both sides survived the battle, some people seeking the bizarre might be disappointed.

But most people will start discussing who won and who lost.

Moreover, even Ordinary People can quickly understand the performance and nature of these Ninjutsu, so they can also talk about them to some extent.

Furthermore, with the restriction of Ninjutsu, battles will inevitably move towards strategic planning.

Even the slightest whimsical idea or minor mistake is enough to make viewers ponder and engage in various hypothetical thinking.

In other words—if only it had been then...

For example, the epic battle between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju remains a popular topic of conversation even today.

It's true that Madara lost, but his Big Brother was also having a tough time. The reason Big Brother was able to stay standing was because they had absolutely no intention of continuing the fight.

What if Madara really fights to the death to kill his Big Brother?

Tobirama suddenly paused, a smile appearing on his lips.

Wow, you've made me start thinking about this so quickly.

There's going to be a good show to watch from now on.

"As for the Ninja Academy..." Izuna continued, a hint of helplessness in his voice, "You want me to teach there? Fine, I'll teach. But how many can I teach by myself? Ten? Twenty? And what about the rest?"

He looked at the three of them and said, word by word, "Everyone wants me to teach, but I can't possibly take on dozens of disciples at once."

"Ranking Matches are great. Kids who want to learn from me should start with Ranking Matches. They'll be ranked by Strength, and the top players can learn from me for a period of time."

He spread his hands. "This way, I won't need to teach everyone myself. I'll only teach the top-ranked elites. The rest of the children will receive targeted training from other teachers based on the weaknesses they revealed in the Ranking Matches."

"Moreover," he added, "Ranking Matches themselves are the best Training Ground. To climb the ranks, kids will proactively study their opponents, develop new moves, and improve their weaknesses. This intrinsic motivation is far stronger than us forcing them to train."

A long silence fell over the Office.

Hashirama opened his mouth, then closed it again, then opened it again, finally managing to squeeze out, "Izuna... when did you come up with these ideas?"

Izuna blinked. "Probably... just now?"

Hashirama: "..."

Tobirama: "..."

Madara chuckled softly, "As expected of my younger brother."

Izuna blushed, scratched his cheek with his finger, coughed twice, and steered the conversation back on track.

"Furthermore, Ranking Matches has another advantage."

"About the Hyuga Clan."

"I'm sure some Hyuga the Hyuga clan will be unhappy," Izuna said with a slight smile. "They think I'm too strong, and that being defeated by me is nothing. Fine, let them send their kids to compete in the Ranking Matches. Winning or losing will depend entirely on their skill."

"If the child wins, it proves that the Hyuga Clan truly has Strength."

"If the child loses... that's even better. If they lose to another child, how will they have the face to stick to the old rules?"

Izuna grinned like a villain, "Go and learn Archery from Setsuna obediently."

Tobirama suddenly spoke up, "You said that Genjutsu simulations won't hurt anyone, but there are definitely rival families participating in the Ranking Matches. What if they lose control of their emotions during the competition and use their real abilities..."

"There is a solution," Izuna replied calmly. "The Theatre Troupe did have this problem at first, but we added a rule later."

"Anyone who uses real Ninjutsu in violation of the rules during the competition will be disqualified immediately and will be banned from participating in any Ranking Matches challenges for one week."

"A week?" Tobirama raised an eyebrow.

"For them, not being able to play Ranking Matches for a week is more severe than any other punishment," Izuna laughed. "Now they're all behaving very well. Because they want to win fair and square, to climb the rankings fairly and squarely."

Ban added coolly, "Then I'll fight you fair and square."

Izuna blinked. "Well, that's one of the reasons."

"Speaking of which, there should be some rewards for Ranking Matches, right?" Izuna stroked his chin. "Any of you interested in being the Final Boss?"

"Boss?"

"It means someone who can be challenged after winning first place."

Hashirama strangely, "Ah, is this considered a reward?"

Izuna, hands on his hips, said, "How can it not count? Being able to fight one of the world's top fighters is invaluable experience for Ninja, isn't it?"

"No, no, no, shouldn't the rewards be something tangible... like Ninjutsu, or a monetary reward..."

"Big Brother," Tobirama glanced at him, "Do you want Konoha to go bankrupt?"

Izuna laughed so hard he almost died.

He leaned on the table, his shoulders heaving, tears welling up in his eyes as he laughed.

Hashirama sat there innocently, completely unaware of what he had said wrong.

"Did I say something wrong? Aren't Ninjutsu and monetary rewards normal?"

Tobirama stared blankly at his Big Brother: "Normal? Do you know the current financial situation of Konoha?"

Hashirama blinked. "Uh... it's pretty good?"

"Pretty good?" Tobirama's tone rose slightly. "The 'pretty good' you're talking about is just that pitiful surplus on the books, barely surviving on the revenue share from the tasks handed over by each clan. Ninjutsu? Which clan's secret techniques can be used as rewards so casually? Money? Giving out too much will bankrupt the village, giving out too little will make no one care."

Hashirama was speechless after being retorted, and shrank back.

Izuna finally finished laughing, straightened up, and wiped away the tears that had welled up in his eyes.

"Tobirama is right, your suggestion is indeed too extravagant." He waved his hand, a smile still playing on his lips. "But the reward is indeed a problem."

He stroked his chin and began to think seriously.

"If it's just playing Ranking Matches regularly, the kids will definitely be motivated by the desire to climb the ranks. But over time, once the novelty wears off, their motivation will drop. Especially those who are stuck at a certain rank and can't go any higher or lower are prone to becoming complacent."

Hashirama nodded. "So, we still need rewards to motivate you?"

"Yes, but we can't give out rewards Tenten." He paused, then snapped his fingers. "How about this, we'll hold a competition."

"The competition?"

"Yes, it's a major tournament held every three months," Izuna said. "The regular Ranking Matches continue, and the rankings keep changing. But only those who achieve good results in the major tournament can receive the real rewards."

Tobirama narrowed his eyes slightly. "You mean, concentrate the rewards into the tournament?"

"That's right." Izuna nodded. "The usual Ranking Matches are for accumulation and training, to keep everyone in top form, to learn from each other, and to improve their Strength. But the major tournaments are where the real results are showcased."

He spoke more and more fluently, and his train of thought was completely open.

"The competition can have several tiers of rankings. The top three will receive prizes, and the top ten will receive participation prizes. Prizes could include Ninjutsu scrolls, Ninja Tools, priority missions, and the opportunity to learn from a strong player for a period of time."

Hashirama's eyes lit up. "This is great! This doesn't cost any money!"

Tobirama glanced at him, his eyes saying, "That's all you've got."

Izuna continued, "Furthermore, to achieve a good ranking in the tournament, you must understand your opponents. In order to win the tournament three months later, the children must work hard to climb the ranks in the regular Ranking Matches, fight against stronger opponents, study other people's moves and tactics, and develop their own strategies."

He spread his hands. "This way, we can maintain our motivation for the regular Ranking Matches."

Tobirama immediately started calculating. "Once every three months, four times a year."

"The reward Ninjutsu can be basic scrolls that each clan is willing to share, or spoils from mission rewards. As for money, a small portion can be taken from the mission commission, plus ticket revenue..."

"Tickets?" Hashirama was taken aback.

"Of course we need to sell tickets for the competition," Izuna said matter-of-factly. "It would be such a shame not to let people see such a great performance."

"Nobles, merchants, and even Ninjas from other villages who want to witness a clash of the young elites of Konoha should simply buy tickets to enter—it's only right."

He paused, then grinned like a sly fox. "Besides, a lively competition means more tourists, which will boost the Amusement Park's business. It's a win-win situation."

Tobirama offered a new suggestion, "What if Ninjas from other countries, not just Konoha, could also register to participate..."

Izuna looked at him in surprise.

Isn't this... the Chunin Ninja Exams?

No, this is an individual competition, and it's more for entertainment.

But the Chunin Ninja Exams are probably not far off.