Konoha, at the heart of the Land of Fire, was the country's busiest transportation hub and the main route connecting north and south. It boasted endless fertile plains, the densest commercial traffic, the most prosperous economy, the strongest military, and the highest prestige.
After the rain cleared, Konoha was even livelier than usual. It was the day the strongest Genin of this generation faced off against one another, a chance to showcase Konoha's military strength. The Land of Fire's ministers, the Third Hokage, and Konoha's most influential figures would all be there.
Most importantly, Konoha Stadium was open to the public. Anyone who could buy a ticket could watch the ninja battles firsthand!
The area outside Konoha Stadium was packed with people, a crowd the likes of which had never been seen before. There were local Konoha merchants, nobles and traders from across the Land of Fire, and even people in all sorts of strange outfits: rough-skinned people from the Land of Earth, dark-skinned people from the Land of Lightning, and people from the Land of Wind wrapped in layers of clothing...
"No wonder it's the most prosperous village in the Land of Fire. This building is magnificent."
"Isn't that obvious? The Land of Fire is the most prosperous of the Five Great Nations. Of course Konoha is the most prosperous village..."
"Hey, the competition doesn't start until after nine. I can barely wait! I wonder how strong the new generation of Genin from Konoha really is. I can't wait to find out!"
The test of Konoha's elite Genin had drawn spectators from many other nations. The residents of the Land of Fire and the people of Konoha took unusual pride in it, sharing a strong sense of collective honor.
Yuhi Kurenai stood amid the crowded throng, looking around anxiously. "Oh, no! Hideaka went outside the village to train two weeks ago, and we haven't heard from him since. Now the competition's about to start, and he still hasn't come back. I'm so worried!"
"Yeah. What if Hideaka got carried away with his training and forgot about today's competition?" Hyuga Ningxiang stood nearby, holding a finger to her lips as she fretted.
"I doubt he forgot. From what I know of him, Hideaka can handle things on his own. He'll remember."
Nohara Rin gently reassured the two girls. Meanwhile, Mitarashi Anko was happily munching on two skewers of dango, her cheeks bulging. She didn't look worried at all...
When Sarutobi Asuma heard the name Sato Hideaka, he nearly threw his head back in disbelief, looking thoroughly unconvinced. Shiranui Genma, a senbon between his teeth, muttered, "The youngest among us, Sato Hideaka, managed to stand out among so many competitors. I never would've expected that!"
Nearly all the students from Yano Koji's class were gathered in this area. In the Forest of Death test, aside from the children of the great clans and a few students who had already graduated, Sato Hideaka was the only one in their class to stand out. It was an honor for them all.
Just then, a handsome young man emerged from the crowd of the Uchiha Clan. He glanced at Sato Hideaka's class and curled his lip. "Hmph. I, Uchiha Kenichi, really misjudged him. I was going to treat that Lava Release freak as a rival, but I never expected him to lack the courage to face a scene like this... What a coward."
"Hmph, you think you can call Hideaka your rival? Beat my brother Ningbo first!" Hyuga Ningxiang glared at Uchiha Kenichi with her pale eyes and shouted.
The commotion drew some of the crowd's attention. People turned to look, which only made Uchiha Kenichi more furious. "Hyuga Ningbo of the Hyuga Clan, huh? This time, the Uchiha Clan will make sure he disgraces himself!"
"Oh? In the Forest of Death, my brother Ningbo beat you so badly you couldn't fight back. I think you're the one who'll disgrace yourself first, you jerk!" Hyuga Ningxiang put a hand to the corner of her right eye, stuck out her bright red tongue, and made a cute, taunting face.
"Damn you, you foul-mouthed brat from the Hyuga Clan! I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents!"
Uchiha Kenichi had never gotten over losing to Hyuga Ningbo. Now that Hyuga Ningxiang had rubbed salt in the wound, he was beside himself with rage. He roared and moved to teach her a lesson.
But at that moment, Sarutobi Asuma, Shiranui Genma, Nohara Rin, Yuhi Kurenai, and nearly all the other students in the class stepped forward at once, blocking Uchiha Kenichi and forcing him to stop!
From within the crowd, Uchiha Obito hurried forward and tried to mediate. "Brother Kenichi, my classmate didn't mean to offend you. Why don't we let it go?"
"Hmph, dead last. You think you can come over here and play peacemaker? I can't understand how someone as pathetic as you could come from Kagami Uchiha's branch of the clan. You're an embarrassment to the Uchiha Clan!" Uchiha Kenichi scoffed. Just like his grandfather, he hated everyone from Kagami Uchiha's line.
But Uchiha Kenichi wasn't stupid. Picking a fight at such a high-profile competition would turn the entire Konoha establishment against him. After all, the main purpose of the event was to show the great nations the strength of Konoha's Genin...
Not to stage a family feud on their own doorstep for foreign spies to watch!
Uchiha Obito's eyes dimmed at Uchiha Kenichi's words. The Uchiha were a clan that prized love, but they were also a clan of fighters. Like all fighting clans, they believed in the strong and looked down on the weak. As the dead last, Obito had always had an awkward place among his own people.
"Uchiha Kenichi, the competition's about to start. Do you really have that much energy to spare? Honestly, how boring. Why not save your strength for the matches?"
A cool voice came from the Uchiha gathering. Surrounded by a crowd of Uchiha youths, Uchiha Kaoru slowly emerged. Her clear eyes, cool as a still pond, swept across the crowd. The noisy chatter around them fell silent at once.
At Uchiha Kaoru's words, Uchiha Kenichi stiffened. He gave Hyuga Ningxiang and the others a cold snort, then obediently turned and went back to the Uchiha crowd. As the people parted, he left with the Uchiha Clan...
"Who's that girl? She has such a commanding presence. Even I, a grown man, feel intimidated by her."
"She's probably the granddaughter of the Uchiha Clan's great elder. The younger generation of the Uchiha seems to look up to her. She must be the strongest talent of their generation to have that kind of influence."
"No wonder the Uchiha Clan is Konoha's leading family. They're born fighters. Apart from the Senju Clan, which is gradually fading from public life, I doubt any clan in the village could match them. They're incredible..."
After the Uchiha Clan left, the spectators turned to their friends and relatives and began whispering among themselves. The Uchiha were in charge of Konoha's Military Police Force, a sign of their strength. They were just as formidable on the battlefield, so it was no wonder people held them in such high regard.
An hour earlier, in a forest about a hundred kilometers from Konoha, birdsong and fragrant flowers filled the pleasant air. But the forest's most striking feature was a massive waterfall...
The torrent thundered down with a deafening roar. Beneath the immense waterfall stood two boys, both under ten. They struggled to hold their ground against the rushing water. Facing its crushing force, they refused to retreat a single step, pushing forward and striking the spray with their fists.
As time passed, the two boys beneath the waterfall slowly ran out of strength. But just then, an astonishing aura suddenly burst from their bodies. It was as if they had regained their strength, and they continued training!
Half an hour later, a blue-haired boy of about six or seven emerged slowly from the river. He dried every drop of water from his sharply defined muscles with a towel, then looked toward Konoha...
His blue eyes seemed to burn with fire, brimming with absolute confidence!