The Clan Tournament (Part One)

The warm morning sunlight lay almost parallel to the village. Colorful rays of dawn leaped over the treetops and spilled across the streets.

The wooden houses stood in neat rows, their gleaming windows reflecting the summer sun. In the distance, white mist among the dense woods and hills slowly dispersed in the wind.

A major clan?

The concept struck Shimura Danzō's young mind like a thunderclap. His preconceptions shattered against reality like ice.

Beyond the towering gatehouse at the Uchiha Clan Grounds, the lively scene before him seemed like a country unto itself.

The white walls were covered with the Uchiha Gunbai crest. On the streets, black-haired Uchiha in long robes pressed shoulder to shoulder, laughing and chatting as they made their way toward the Training Ground.

The only clan more prosperous than the Shimura Clan was the Sarutobi Clan.

Even so, the Shimura Clan was renowned throughout the Land of Fire.

Even after the village had been established, outsiders were still forbidden from entering the various clan grounds in Konoha at will. The secrecy surrounding them made them seem as mysterious as the clans of the warring era.

Clutching the invitation in his hand, Danzō finally had a chance to glimpse the world of the great clans of the Land of Fire. The sight did not disappoint.

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked ahead, cheerfully tugging along one of his clanspeople. The two chatted as they took in the Uchiha Clan Grounds, then suddenly darted over to a stall selling cotton candy.

"Hmph!"

A scornful snort escaped Danzō's tightly pressed lips. He hadn't expected Hiruzen, with his thick brows and earnest eyes, to follow Rikusei's example and buy a girl something.

The girl holding Hiruzen's hand was someone he knew: Biwako Sarutobi. The Shimura and Sarutobi families had been on friendly terms for generations, so he knew everyone of his generation, men and women alike.

As they passed a street corner, he caught a fleeting glimpse of a graceful purple silhouette.

Purple hair stood out far too much among the black-haired Uchiha. He knew who it was without even having to think.

"Why is Naori there? Shouldn't she be getting ready at the Training Ground?" Danzō asked hesitantly, speaking to the two in front of him, who were holding cotton candy.

"Take another look at the sign hanging above the shop on the corner." Hiruzen, who had been surveying their surroundings, handed him the extra piece of white cotton candy and explained.

So it was the Dango Shop.

Danzō took a bite of the cotton candy and nodded as he looked around. This was the food district.

"Where are Rikusei and Kagami?"

"Danzō, you were daydreaming the whole time. You didn't see Kagami grab Rikusei by the hand and drag him out of the Dango Shop, looking furious." Biwako and Hiruzen exchanged a smile, then took turns vividly recounting what had happened.

Danzō sighed helplessly as he watched the people coming and going, unsure what to say. Should he complain about Kagami dragging Rikusei off, or about Naori chasing after them with a box of dango?

"Honestly, Kagami didn't need to rush so much."

Rikusei's right hand was being held in a tight grip. He glanced at the sauce on the girl's mouth beside him, then struggled to pull out a piece of paper with his remaining free hand and offer it to her.

"It's not me who's in a hurry. Lord Hokage and the clan head are here too."

Kagami had run all the way from the Training Ground, and he explained breathlessly.

"True. The only person who could make Teacher change his mind is the Hokage."

Rikusei, who was being dragged along, tapped Kagami's hand to signal that he could let go. The Training Ground was already just ahead.

The raised stands inside the Training Ground were packed with clan members and invited shinobi who had come to watch. As Rikusei followed Kagami into the competition arena, he immediately spotted Hashirama and Madara, dressed in plain clothes with different hairstyles, hiding among the crowd.

Taking advantage of the enhanced vision granted by his Sharingan, Rikusei stayed in the shadows and counted the sea of people packed into the stands. There were nearly half as many as at the Full Clan Assembly.

In an era without much in the way of entertainment, it seemed that an exciting sporting event like the Clan Tournament drew plenty of attention.

Most of the shinobi from other clans who had been invited to watch were young, too.

After all, in the warring era, the clans had fought one another while carrying out missions. Though they now belonged to the same village, running into old enemies was bound to be awkward. Sending the younger generation, who hadn't lived through the wars, was a good solution.

Once everyone had arrived, Kaku abruptly rose from his chair. He glanced at the Gunbai leaning against the empty seat beside him, then looked inconspicuously toward Madara, who was hidden in the crowd.

Under the gaze of the assembled crowd, he gave the usual speech, thanking the clan members and invited guests for coming, then announced that the competitors would enter.

"There are more competitors than there are students at the Academy," Danzō murmured from his seat as he counted those in the center of the arena.

Hiruzen carefully watched the Uchiha, who had finished their group introduction and returned to the passageway. Then he said to the two people standing in the center of the arena, "It's about to begin."

The Uchiha in the arena began their matches, unleashing Taijutsu and Shuriken until one side was defeated.

"No Ninjutsu or Illusion Techniques," Hiruzen said softly after noticing a pattern in the first few rounds. "Are they going to use a tournament bracket to pick the champion?"

Baru, who had successfully defended his position, raised his right hand to the cheers and stared into the dim passageway, full of fighting spirit.

Don't rush.

Rikusei, it'll be your turn once the Clan Academy matches are over.

They had been scheduled to compete last, of course. Kaku and Setsuna had deliberately arranged the matches that way.

Everyone in the passageway knew it perfectly well. There was no point in complaining—the truth was, they couldn't beat them.

As the tournament continued, each Uchiha who entered drew the crowd's anticipation. When the matches reached their climax, even fiercer battles would surely deliver an even more thrilling spectacle.

And that was exactly what happened.

After Baru, who had successfully defended his position for ten rounds, was defeated by Naka, the quiet arena erupted in cheers.

Then Naka, who had taken his place, was knocked down by Kagami, and the roar of the crowd reached a fever pitch.

The Uchiha students of the Clan Academy now pinned all their hopes on Rai. He might seem gentle and timid, but he wouldn't let them down when it mattered.

But Rai, with all those hopes resting on him, fell to Kagami.

No one blamed him. They could all see how astonishing Kagami's strength was in the match. Compared to his time at the Clan Academy, he was like a completely different person.

In the passageway, Naori smiled sweetly at the boy beside her and gently touched the short sword at her waist. Then she stepped into the sunlight and walked toward the arena.

The purple-haired girl raised a hand to shield her eyes from the dazzling sun and faced the stands, which had erupted into cheers, without a hint of emotion.

"Hey, Second Granduncle, I bet little Naori can take Kagami down in three moves," Chiri said to the absent-minded old man beside her as she fanned herself.

"Mm, sounds about right." Second Granduncle raised his sleepy eyelids and gave a slow reply.

Danzō glanced curiously at the Uchiha Granny beside him, who had delivered her verdict in such a familiar tone. Judging by their clothes, they didn't look like shinobi.

He turned his gaze back to the center of the arena and thought, How could Kagami be taken down in three moves? I've seen his skills for myself at the Ninja Academy.

The sun climbed steadily toward its zenith. Even its scorching heat couldn't help making people restless as they eagerly awaited the spectacle about to unfold.

"One move."

Madara, his long hair covering his right eye, murmured to Hashirama.

Just as he had predicted, an explosive crash sent dust billowing across the ground. The short sword in Naori's right hand came to rest steadily beneath Kagami's chin. The wind caught her purple hair, sending it fluttering wildly like silk ribbons.

Cold sweat trickled from Kagami's temple. A shuddering sense of dread left him acutely aware of the spot where the blade pointed. His skin crawled; it felt as though the slightest wrong movement would make the gleaming sword slice him open.

The bone-deep chill vanished with the clink of the short sword sliding back into its sheath. After forming the Reconciliation Seal, Kagami finally relaxed. Light on his feet, he walked out of the arena.