Konoha Stadium.
That was right—the name had been coined by Masahiko.
It was a building similar to the venue for the Chunin Exams in later generations, only much larger. At Masahiko's suggestion, ninja aged ten and above would undergo rank assessments here, while all ninja under ten would have to enroll in the Konoha School, which would soon be established, for further education.
After discussion, they decided to divide ninja ranks into nine levels. Naturally, they would not simply be called Level One through Level Nine.
From lowest to highest, they were: Genin, Chunin, Elite Chunin, Special Jonin, Standard Jonin, Elite Jonin, S-Rank Ninja, S-Rank Ninja, and S+ Rank Ninja.
Three Genin could form a squad and complete C-rank missions under the leadership of a ninja ranked Elite Chunin or above. Three Chunin could complete B-rank missions, while an Elite Chunin could independently complete B-rank missions or lead a Genin Squad on C-rank missions.
A Special Jonin was a Chunin who possessed Jonin-level ability in a particular field. They could form a team and complete A-rank missions under the leadership of an Elite Jonin, while a Standard Jonin could independently complete A-rank missions. Elite Jonin and S-Rank Ninja were the village's absolute main force. The Peak Jonin of the Warring States era would ultimately be assigned to these two ranks, and the village's S-rank missions would be handled by them.
As for why there were no D-rank missions, in this era, no civilians dared ask ninja lords to babysit or find cats for them.
There were not many people in the final two ranks, even in present-day Konoha. S-Rank Ninja represented Clan Head-level powerhouses from the Warring States era, such as the Nara Clan Head. Only four people were S+ Rank Ninja: Tobirama Senju, the Hatake Clan Head, Hyuga Tenin,