"Lost? Just like that?"
"What happened? Isn't that Shinnosuke the Hokage's son?"
"Even a tiger can sire a dog—"
"It feels like that Hidden Mist Village genin barely even tried."
The ordinary spectators at the scene could not make sense of it. They only felt that Shinnosuke Sarutobi was pathetically weak!
Konoha, the greatest in the world—yet they had suffered such an unfavorable start?
Although there were also many knowledgeable ninja present who could tell that it was not Shinnosuke Sarutobi who was weak, but that Karatachi Yagura of the Hidden Mist Village was simply too strong, that changed nothing.
After all, Karatachi Yagura was only twelve years old. Even if the others were willing to hear their explanations, they could not explain why the gap between peers was so enormous.
"Third, your son performed rather well too. Unfortunately—" Tora deliberately spoke up at that moment.
He was not only mocking Hiruzen Sarutobi, but also trying to draw resentment toward Karatachi Xuancang.
However, Sarutobi merely kept a stern face and said, "As a ninja, he still lacks many things. Strength is merely the least significant of them."
"The Third is too modest. At his age, his strength is already quite acceptable. As for Karatachi Yagura—he is completely unlike a ninja of his age. Even if I returned to that age, I'm afraid I still wouldn't be able to defeat him." Ōnoki praised both sides at this moment.
His approach was simple: offend no one except the Mizukage.
Meanwhile, Shinnosuke Sarutobi on the field could no longer hold on. One of his joints had been locked down, leaving him completely unable to move.
Fortunately, Karatachi had some martial virtue and did not press the attack.
"Shinnosuke Sarutobi is eliminated. The current champion remains Genin Karatachi Yagura. Anyone wishing to challenge him—"