Amusement Park * Arena Match

Izuna tidied up the files on the table and then stood up.

"I'll be going now, Hikaku. Thank you for your hard work today."

"Please take care, Lord Izuna."

The setting sun bathed the corridor in a warm orange hue. Hikaku bowed slightly, watching Izuna's figure disappear into the warm light.

As Izuna walked down the streets of Konoha, some passersby nodded in greeting, some whispered among themselves, and a few bolder children ran over to say hello.

"Lord Izuna! We'll be there to cheer you on in tomorrow's Arena Challenge!"

Izuna freed one hand and chuckled as he ruffled the hair of the child closest to him, "You'd better speak louder, or I won't hear you."

The children ran off laughing and giggling.

He continued walking forward, and as he passed through the Commercial Street, he saw a familiar ramen stall with a queue that was neither too long nor too short.

Ichiraku Ramen.

Izuna was taken aback. So this is when Ichiraku Ramen appeared?

It felt like witnessing history.

With a devout heart, Izuna passed by the bustling ramen stall.

The gates to the Uchiha Clan Compound unfolded before them.

As he walked through the clan's territory and passed Setsuna's house, he heard the sound of bowstrings—it was Shūichi practicing.

Izuna quietly climbed up the wall and peeked out.

Dolp!

Alright! Go, Fifth Ring Road! Keep it up Shūichi- yi!

Izuna silently gave Shūichi a thumbs up in his heart, then jumped off the wall and strolled leisurely towards his own yard.

Ban hasn't returned yet.

Izuna took a bath, changed into comfortable clothes, and sat on the veranda, lost in thought.

The evening breeze rustled through the old tree in the yard.

There were some Tamagoyaki left over from this morning... I'll eat those for dinner.

I wonder when Ban will be back.

He glanced down at the Crow Netsuke he had left on the table while changing his clothes.

It has the texture of Black Peach Wood, the eyes of a ruby, and Pentagram engraved on the bottom.

Izuna Netsuke in his palm and stared at the crow for a moment.

"What kind of magic do you possess?" he murmured to himself.

Netsuke, of course, wouldn't answer him.

A gentle evening breeze blew by, and the wind chimes jingled, their gentle tinkling quite pleasant.

Izuna Netsuke on his knees and looked up at the darkening sky.

From the moment he sensed the White Zetsu, he felt a vague unease.

He had a feeling that something was going to happen, but he couldn't know in advance what would happen.

This sense of the unknown has been lingering in my chest since yesterday, like a wisp of fog that won't dissipate.

Is it Black Zetsu?

Or something else?

In short, take a look at the map.

The map is centered on Konoha and expands outwards.

Everything is normal in the village.

Everything was normal within the tribe's territory. Some little ones had just finished their work and were returning home, and they were a couple with another little one. There were also two or three little ones walking home together, and those were close friends.

The dot representing Hashirama at the Hokage Building is still in the same spot, apparently still reviewing documents.

The dots representing Tobirama and Madara are in the direction of the Amusement Park.

They appeared to be directing the Amusement Park staff to make final preparations, and there were several other people busy around the Dueling Arena, seemingly setting up the venue.

Izuna's eyes darted around. "Hiss... shouldn't he be the one to do this? I'll go check on him later."

Further out--

Inside the Delegation's hotel, representatives from various countries seemed to be talking with their confidants. Izuna recognized several familiar names; he must have seen them on the registration form.

Looks like we'll see each other in the Arena later.

Continue outwards.

Some small streets and villages outside Konoha, the Capital of the Land of Fire.

Then--

He can no longer see.

Izuna frowned slightly.

The map outside the Land of Fire is still there, but the markers for the key figures have disappeared, except for Black Zetsu's marker which is still prominently displayed.

"Have we reached the edge of exploration?" Izuna muttered to himself.

He zoomed in on the map, unwilling to give up, but it remained the same.

Izuna pursed his lips. Oh well, whatever. We'll deal with whatever comes our way.

No matter who Black Zetsu finds, they can't beat Hashirama and Madara, so what's there to worry about?

In any case, the most important thing now is tomorrow's Arena Challenge.

I'll go check out the venue and pick up Brother Ban to go home together.

The next morning, Konoha was bustling with activity.

A long queue formed at the entrance of the Amusement Park, with men, women, and children of all ages, most of whom were dressed in their own Ninja costumes.

Some were proper combat suits, while others were clearly hastily put together, with masks, knee pads, and armor, giving them a particularly stereotypical look.

But whether they were Ordinary People or Ninjas, everyone was excited and couldn't wait to go inside and experience it for themselves.

Admission is half price! Please queue in order! Do not crowd!

The staff member maintaining order at the entrance had a somewhat hoarse voice.

Izuna stood in the access control room at the entrance of the Amusement Park, looking out at the bustling crowd outside through the window.

He was dressed very simply today.

He wore a black combat suit with a dark blue Haori over it, and a white rope around his waist.

Her hair was still in a low ponytail, just like always.

"Izuna." Madara's voice came from behind.

Izuna turned around and saw Madara holding two cups of tea.

"Brother, aren't you going to go check out the front?" Izuna took the teacup and took a sip.

"What's so interesting?" Ban walked over, stood beside him, and looked out the window at the bustling scene outside. "A bunch of rabble."

"You can't say that," Izuna laughed. "There might really be a master inside."

Ban glanced at him. "A master? In front of you?"

Is this a compliment?

"State the facts."

Izuna chuckled, "Madara, you're so arrogant! By the way, where's Hashirama?"

"He's receiving the Daimyo and his Daimyo." Madara's expression was strange. "They actually listened to you and got a set of Ninja clothes, though they're a bit ugly."

"A little ugly?"

"Hooded and all in black," Ban said disdainfully, "So tacky."

Izuna couldn't help but laugh, "Aren't we all dressed in black?"

"That's different," Madara curled his lip, "Our Uchiha clothes are never ugly."

"That's true."

Izuna placed the teacup on the table beside him.

"Then I should go get ready." He cracked his neck, making a snapping sound. "Brother, do you want to come watch?"

"Of course," Madara said, "if you lose—"

"Hey!" Izuna interrupted him, "I already said it's impossible! Honestly, even Madara is saying that."

"It's a Wheel matches after all," Madara said worriedly. "Even though you've scheduled a halftime break, it's still a full day of fighting..."

Izuna couldn't help but laugh, "Playing for a whole day is too much of an exaggeration. There are very few people signing up this time; everyone's gone to Ranking Matches. After all, you won't get any rewards for playing against me."

Ban recalled the densely packed names on the three sheets of paper he had seen last night, and his face showed embarrassment.

Really? Then there must be at least a hundred or so names, right? Excluding those from abroad, there must be at least seventy or eighty.

Izuna knew, however, that those names actually came from the children.

These kids knew they wouldn't rank high in the Ranking Matches, so rather than getting beaten up by randomly matched adults, they decided to come and play with him.

This way, it's safe and secure, and you can also feel a sense of participation.

Well, I can't exactly refuse, can I?

Upon arriving at the venue, a large crowd had already gathered around.

The sign outside the venue says that the Arena start at 1 p. m. and continue until 5 p. m. every day. As for the Ranking Matches, they won't start until tomorrow because there are too many applicants.

So, apart from elderly people who have no real interest in amusement park rides, children and young people all went to try them out.

Laughter and screams filled the Amusement Park.

It looks like everyone will have a lot of fun.

Time quickly passed to afternoon, and everyone gathered in the Dueling Arena.

The Arena in the center of the field was temporarily constructed using Earth Release; it was square and about half the size of the playground.

Thick hemp ropes were strung around the Arena, with an open space outside the ropes leading to the audience seating area.

Rows of wooden benches, from low to high, were placed on the high stands, which were already full of people.

When Izuna stepped onto the Arena, the surrounding chatter noticeably intensified.

"They're here! They're here!"

"That's Uchiha Izuna?"

"She looks so young..."

"Don't be fooled by his face. He's the guy known as the Perfect Ninja. How could someone like that be weak?"

"Perfect Ninja? Really?"

"Fine, don't believe me then."

Izuna stood in the center of the Arena, looking around.

Most of the people in the audience were still sitting with their families, but some close teams would sit away from their families.

Hikaku sat in the first row, with Tadayo and Setsuna sitting next to him. All three of them had a serious expression on their faces.

Izuna didn't stop and looked behind him. Among the layers of Ordinary People and strangers, some familiar faces came into view.

The young actors in the Theatre Troupe openly crowded together and waved at him.

Each of them held a Gunbai in their hand, and when they saw him looking over, they all waved them excitedly.

Izuna couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" A staff member stood beside the Arena, holding a paper tube rolled up into a megaphone shape, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "The Arena Challenge is about to begin! I'll repeat the rules one more time!"

"The defending champion Uchiha Izuna! There is no limit to the number of challengers, nationalities, or identities! There is only one rule: surrendering or losing the ability to fight constitutes defeat! The defending champion will not pursue surrendered opponents! During the challenge, any weapon, any Ninjutsu, any Taijutsu, and any Genjutsu can be used! There are no restrictions!"

"But there's one thing!" The staff member, or rather, the Uchiha Clan member, flashed their Sharingan and said, "If we discover that anyone has intentionally murdered the defending champion, they will bear the consequences!"

These words were spoken with a menacing tone.

There was a moment of silence in the audience, then the buzzing of discussion resumed.

Izuna stood on the Arena, his expression unchanged.

"Then— the Arena Challenge shall begin!"

No sooner had the staff member finished speaking than a commotion arose in the audience.

"The first challenger is Ninja from the Land of Birds! Ansen!"

A burly man pushed his way out of the crowd and Earth Flow the Arena.

Izuna glanced at him.

The man was in his early thirties, wearing a gray-black combat suit and a Rock Ninja Forehead Protector tied around his forehead.

He was carrying a Short Sword, its blade gleaming coldly and appearing very sharp.

"Uchiha Izuna?" The man grinned. "I've heard of you; I've been wanting to meet you for a while now."

Izuna nodded. "Nice to meet you."

Ansen gripped the Short Sword tightly, leaning forward slightly, like a beast ready to pounce.

"Then I won't be polite!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already shot out like a cannonball.

The Short Sword was thrust straight at Izuna's throat.

It's very fast.

But it was still too slow for Izuna.

He sidestepped, and Ansen's Short Sword grazed his collar without touching a single hair.

Before Ansen could stop, Izuna's hand was already on his wrist, giving it a gentle twist.

"Ah--!"

Ansen cried out in pain as the Short Sword slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. Izuna pushed him away, and An Ansen staggered back several steps before landing hard on his backside.

The entire room fell silent.

From the Ansen made his move to the moment he fell to the ground, it took only two breaths.

His speed wasn't slow; most Ninjas wouldn't be able to dodge such a thrust, but Izuna not only dodged it but also caught it and subdued the enemy.

"Shall we continue?" Izuna asked.

Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!

Ansen's right arm, from shoulder to fingertips, was instantly covered with a layer of gray-black rock, and his entire arm swelled up a full size.

He flipped over and leaped up, slamming his right fist hard into Izuna's face.

The enormous rock fist whistled through the air, making Izuna's clothes flutter wildly.

Many people in the audience leaned back instinctively, as if the punch had been aimed at them.

Izuna did not dodge.

He raised his hand, spread his five fingers, and met the rock-covered fist head-on.

"Smack!"

A muffled thud.

Where fists and palms collided, pebbles flew everywhere.

Ansen's Rock Fist stopped in Izuna's palm, unable to advance even an inch further.

The flying pebbles hit the ground with a soft "pitter-patter" sound, but Izuna's body remained completely still.

Ansen's eyes widened in surprise.

His Rock Fist once smashed through a stone wall on the battlefield, denting the chest of a Jonin.

But now, that punch has been blocked by someone with their bare hands.

Izuna's five fingers gripped Akaiwa's fist tightly, like an iron clamp.

"Not bad strength," Izuna said, then he squeezed hard, digging his fingers into the rock, and twisted his arm.

Ansen was spun around halfway, instantly losing his balance.

Before he could react, Izuna's other hand was already on his back.

Thump.

Ansen knelt on one knee, his right hand bound behind his back, unable to move.

From the moment the Rock Fist struck to the moment he was subdued, only two breaths had passed.

The audience was silent for a moment, then erupted in deafening cheers.

"Lord Izuna!"

"That's incredible!"

"Is this the Perfect Ninja?!"

Ansen knelt on the ground, panting heavily.

His Rock Fist had been dispelled, and his right arm had returned to normal.

"Shall we continue?" Izuna released his grip and took a step back.

Ansen was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"I'm not playing anymore." He stood up and stretched his numb wrists. "I'm way off. Thanks for the advice."

As Ansen stepped off the Arena, a sparse ovation rang out from the audience.

It wasn't disrespectful, but rather that everyone was still reeling from what had just happened.

"Next!" the staff member's voice rang out again, "Ninja from the Land of Lightning, Chekku!"

A low murmur arose from the crowd.

Land of Lightning. Kumogakure.

If the previous Ansen, Anjou, was just Ninja from a small country, then this one is a genuine ninja from the Land of Lightning, one of the Five Great Nations.

The atmosphere in the audience changed noticeably. There was curiosity, anticipation, and a hint of tension that was hard to define.

Have the Delegation finally decided to make their move?

A tall figure stood up from the back of the audience.

The man was wearing a white short-sleeved combat uniform, revealing two strong arms with sun-tanned skin.

He had short, blond hair that stood on end like a hedgehog, and a small tuft of beard on his chin, making him look about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

He had a Short Sword hanging at his waist, but what was most striking was a strange object he carried on his back.

Two thick metal rods.

"Excuse me, excuse me." The blond man grinned as he squeezed through the crowd, waving to the surrounding spectators as he went. "Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, I'm just here to have some fun."

His tone was flippant, but his blue eyes were anything but.

Izuna noticed.

Those eyes had been fixed on me ever since I stood up.

It possesses the focused concentration of a hunter upon spotting its prey.

Chekku jumped onto the Arena, and deliberately stomped his foot when he landed, kicking up dust from the Arena surface.

"Oh dear." He clapped his hands and grinned at Izuna. "It's an honor to meet you, Uchiha Izuna. I'm Chekku, a Jonin from Kumogakure. I'm here with the Delegation to broaden my horizons."

Izuna nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"Sure, sure." Chekku cracked his neck, making a snapping sound. "Then I won't stand on ceremony?"

Before he finished speaking, he vanished.

Only a faint afterimage remained in the center of the Arena, while the real body had already circled around to Izuna's right side.

A gasp rippled through the audience.

Wow, so fast!

Izuna did not turn his head.

He simply turned his body slightly to the side, raised his right hand, and placed his elbow directly in the path of Chekku's fist.

"Bang."

Their fists and elbows collided, producing a dull thud.

Chekku's eyes lit up.

"Not bad reaction." He withdrew his fist, and in another flash, he appeared behind Izuna.

He was even faster than before.

His feet made almost no sound as he stepped onto the Arena, and he moved around Izuna like a golden lightning bolt.

The audience could only see a series of golden afterimages spinning rapidly around the black figure in the center of the Arena.

But Izuna stood still, motionless.

His head didn't turn, nor did his eyes follow Chekku's figure; he simply stared intently ahead.

The instant Chekku made his third move, Izuna shifted his body half a step to the left.

Chekku's fist grazed his right shoulder, and then Izuna reached behind him with his hand outstretched.

Chekku's pupils contracted.

He immediately changed direction, his body twisting at an abrupt angle in mid-air to barely avoid the hand.

"Oh?" Chekku landed, a serious expression appearing on his face for the first time. "You can see my movements?"

"It's not seeing," Izuna said, "It's feeling."

"You felt it?" Chekku tilted his Sharingan?"

Izuna raised an eyebrow. "Do you see any change in my eyes?"

Chekku paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Amazing! You're the first person to keep up with my speed just by sensing it!" He laughed so hard he almost fell over, leaving the audience looking at each other in bewilderment.

Izuna wasn't in a hurry; he just stood there and waited for him to finish laughing.

"Alright, alright." Chekku wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes. "Then I'll be serious without being polite."

He reached behind him and pulled out the two metal rods.

"These are Lightning Rods." Chekku twirled the two metal rods in his hand, making a buzzing sound. "A special weapon of Kumogakure), capable of transmitting Lightning Release Chakra."

As he spoke, blue electric arcs began to flicker on the surface of the metal rod.

A crackling sound came from the stick.

People in the audience leaned back instinctively.

Izuna was speechless. "They just said it so openly... Oh well..."

Lightning Release: Lightning Release: Lightning Discharge!

Chekku crossed the two metal bars and swung them forward.

A thick bolt of blue lightning shot out from the tip of the staff, heading straight for Izuna's face.

The speed was many times faster than the Taijutsu from before.

Izuna's eyes finally showed a slight change.

He turned to the side, and the lightning bolt grazed his shoulder before striking the ground at the edge of the Arena, creating a crater the size of a washbasin.

Pebbles flew everywhere, and dust billowed.

An uproar erupted in the audience.

"Is this guy serious?!"

"Didn't you say we can't take lives?"

"Is Izuna unarmed?!"

But Izuna remained completely unperturbed.

"Not bad technique," he said, "But couldn't you have been faster?"

Chekku raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How about this?"

He flashed and began to change direction erratically again. Sometimes left, sometimes right, sometimes forward, sometimes backward, like a real golden lightning bolt.

Moreover, the Lightning Rods in his hand was constantly emitting electricity as he moved.

Bolts of lightning shot from his hands, weaving into a blue electric net that enveloped Izuna from all directions.

The audience was stunned.

This isn't a friendly sparring match; this is clearly an all-out battle!

Hikaku's brows were furrowed tightly, and his fingers were already on the Ninja Tool Pouch at his waist.

Tadayo's expression was also not good; he leaned forward slightly, as if he was about to stand up at any moment.

He didn't speak for Setsuna, but he had already taken the bow off his back and placed it on his knees.

Only Izuna's expression remained unchanged.

Faced with the overwhelming electric fence, he remained calm and smiled slightly before suddenly sprinting in one direction.

This is where Chekku will land next!

Chekku's eyes widened.

A fist loomed large in front of him.

Wow, so fast!

Chekku instinctively raised his Lightning Rods to block.

The final, immense force struck, and it felt as if my hands had been smashed by an iron hammer. My thumbs and forefingers went numb, and I almost dropped the Lightning Rods.

Then Izuna's second punch arrived.

"When!"

This time, Chekku's hands went completely numb, and the Lightning Rods flew out of his hands, landing with a clatter on the edge of the Arena.

Chekku staggered backward, and before he could regain his balance, Izuna's hand was already on his shoulder.

The hand was very light, like it was resting on a friend's shoulder.

But Chekku knew that with just the slightest pressure from that hand, his shoulder would shatter.

"Shall we continue?" Izuna asked.

Chekku stared at him blankly.

Then he laughed.

"I'm not fighting anymore." He waved his hand, his tone devoid of any resentment, only pure admiration. "You're too strong. How did you know I'd be there?"

Izuna tilted his head and thought for a moment, "Hmm, intuition, I guess."

Chekku looked unconvinced, but he waved his hand. "Alright, alright, gut feeling, I'm convinced."