Outside Konoha.
The newly built Arena was already packed.
Nobles, merchants, and commoners from across the Land of Fire filled the stands. Shinobi from the Great Shinobi Villages had been assigned separate sections, with clear boundaries between them.
At the very top of the Arena were seats reserved for the leaders of each village.
Tsunade sat in the center.
Beside her sat the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, who rarely appeared in public anymore.
He wore the Hokage Ceremonial Robe, his hands resting on the railing as his aged eyes swept across the field below.
Farther to either side sat the Fourth Kazekage, the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi, the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, and the Fourth Raikage A.
The Kage of all Five Great Ninja Villages were present!
Such a gathering was exceedingly rare, even in the history of the Joint Chunin Exams.
Security inside and outside the Arena was tighter than ever.
Shinobi from the Sarutobi Clan and the Shimura Clan maintained order, with guards stationed at nearly every passage.
Other ANBU were scattered throughout the stands, the VIP Section, and the Arena's perimeter.
No irregularity could escape their surveillance.
Behind Tsunade, a shinobi wearing an ANBU mask stood quietly.
On the surface, he was merely an ordinary ANBU assigned to protect the Hokage.
In reality, the man behind that mask was Shisui Uchiha.
With Shisui's Body Flicker Technique and Mangekyō Sharingan, he could get Tsunade away in an instant if anything happened in the VIP Section.
Of course.
The person truly responsible for keeping the entire venue under control was Uchiha You, who would serve as referee for the final matches.
Uchiha You stood in the center of the Arena, casually sweeping his gaze across the leaders' seats.
Mei Terumi looked relaxed.
The Fourth Raikage sat with his arms folded,