At the edge of the stage, the announcer read out the two names for the fourth match, adding a "versus" between them.
"Uchiha Kiyoshi versus Kankuro."
The announcement drowned out the chatter. Every scattered conversation that had just begun fell quiet, leaving none.
On the west side of the stage, Kankuro was already in position. The case sat two and a half paces in front of him, its opening facing outward.
Kankuro reached out and pushed the lid all the way back. Once it reached the end, he withdrew his hand and stepped half a pace back.
The thread hanging beneath the edge of the lid drew taut, then held.
"Go ahead. Inspect it."
His voice was low, but loud enough for the whole arena to hear.
Kiyoshi walked onto the stage from the waiting area, both hands empty.
His footsteps made no sound along the way. The boards swallowed the noise, sending only vibrations up through his soles.
The thing on his back lay snug against him, unmoving.
He walked to a spot just east of center and took his place along the outside edge of the line.
He knew this line. His very first step onto the stage had aligned with it.
Kiyoshi said nothing. He stood there, showing his opponent that alignment.
Usually, he sat in the stands and read the people onstage.
Today, the roles were reversed. The entire arena was reading him.
It was his first time being read like this.
The stage was not like the stands. A wrong reading from the stands could be put behind you. A wrong reading onstage meant facing the consequences.
The hand inside his sleeve hung loose.
It was not its turn yet.
The announcer withdrew to a corner. Only the two of them remained onstage.
The hand