The Night Before the Tournament

Eleven days passed in the blink of an eye.

It was now the night before the inaugural [Ninja Way Tournament] began.

The Hokage Building was still brightly lit.

Even much of Konoha was bustling with activity, its streets crowded and lively.

In just these few days,

more than a thousand ninja and nearly a hundred thousand visitors and merchants from various countries had flocked to Konoha from all corners of the Ninja World.

That was only natural.

Even an ordinary Chunin Ninja Exam could attract a large audience.

And this was a grand Ninja Way Tournament held on a scale that encompassed the entire world.

It was simply too popular.

Although the other three great hidden villages had already been destroyed, the combined number of ninja from all the small countries and villages was still considerable.

Moreover, this Ninja Way Tournament was unlike any other ninja exam. Aside from most of the spectators who had come for the excitement, the vast majority of the ninja were participating with all kinds of motives.

Some hoped to make a name for themselves with a single fight; some wanted to join Konoha; others coveted the tournament's prizes. There were also those who wanted to test Konoha, along with quite a few remnants of the three destroyed villages plotting to sabotage the event... and so on.

All of this added up to an astonishing number of people.

And that wasn't all.

The Daimyo and nobles of various countries were also secretly fearful and anxious, worried that Konoha, with no one left to keep it in check, might suddenly become a force above all the nobility.

It was fair to say

that the entire Ninja World was watching with curiosity and concern, wondering what the now-dominant Konoha would do next.

This sudden [Ninja Way Tournament],