Silence.
Deathly silence.
As if they were in the Konoha Library instead of at the Chunin Ninja Exams.
If everyone had been able to easily understand that Pakura's instant victory over her opponent came from the power of her Kekkei Genkai, then now the entire arena was shrouded in a strange atmosphere of "absurdity" and "terror."
Countless spectators, audience members, and shinobi from the various villages—including the chief examiner, Umino Ikkaku, standing in the middle of the field—all seemed frozen in place, their minds blank.
What had happened?
No one had seen.
Or rather, nothing had happened at all.
No Hand Seals. No Taijutsu clash. No weapons thrown.
Hiroki had simply stood there, and then—
And then—
The Iwagakure Ninja named Taiseki had fallen over the instant the examiner announced the start.
If it had happened only once, everyone could have assumed it was an illness or some sudden mishap—
But Taiseki's teammate, who'd charged forward to challenge him, hadn't even finished speaking before he fell in the same way, following his companion.
It was as if—as soon as the match began, some supreme god had already written their names down and stripped them of the right to stand.
Impossible to understand. Incomprehensible—
"Taiseki! Mahiru!" The last remaining Iwagakure contestant let out a terrified cry, but his legs went weak, and he didn't dare take another step forward.
In the highest viewing box, the Third smiled faintly as he watched the other two Kage.
—
The other two Kage didn't care in the slightest that the Third was right beside them.
They knew full well that this was the Third's way of warning them.
"Ōnoki."
The Third Kazekage's voice was more solemn than ever. He furrowed his brow. "Did you see what happened?"
"..."
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, didn't answer.