The Sand Siblings arrived early. Gaara remained expressionless as usual, while Kankurō and Temari appeared somewhat uneasy—perhaps out of guilt for having stolen a scroll during the Forest of Death. Still, their nerves betrayed the fact that their infiltration hadn't gone unnoticed. On the other hand, Yamaki, bold as ever, showed up as if nothing had happened. Does he not realize he's been exposed? Or is he just that audacious?
Most of the other Genin had arrived with their teachers or teammates, but Haruno Sakura came alone, which was surprising. With Kakashi and Sasuke missing, and Naruto likely running late as usual, it was hard to fault her for showing up solo. She gave Mizuki a brief nod in greeting before immediately scanning the crowd, clearly looking for Sasuke.
In the end, Naruto Uzumaki showed up just before the matches began, still panting from his last-minute sprint.
"Is everyone here? Head on in. Today's your stage—make it count," said Genma Shiranui, the tokubetsu jōnin acting as proctor for the final stage, flipping a senbon between his teeth casually.
"Wait! Sasuke still hasn't arrived!" Naruto protested, glancing anxiously toward the gates.
Genma raised a brow. "We can't delay. This isn't the first round anymore—VIPs are watching, including the daimyō. We can't keep them waiting."
"But what if Sasuke can't make it?" Sakura asked worriedly.
"If he doesn't show before his match is called, he forfeits by default. His opponent will win without a fight."
Sakura and Naruto both looked toward the entrance, silently hoping Sasuke would appear.
"No more stalling. Everyone else, head inside," Genma said firmly, beginning the formal preparations for the tournament.
By the time most of the spectators and Genin had taken their seats, the VIPs had also arrived, including the Kazekage—or rather, the man posing as him.
Only one guard? Mizuki thought, narrowing his eyes at the Third Hokage. Is Hiruzen that confident? Or is he deliberately taking this risk to fulfill his role as Hokage—to show resolve, or perhaps to face past mistakes directly? Maybe he's waiting for Orochimaru to make his move...
Mizuki glanced toward the disguised Orochimaru, now seated beside Hiruzen, but the distance made it difficult to clearly discern his face. As expected, there was little visible security around the Kage of the two major villages—their presence alone served as deterrence.
Standing quietly at the back of the viewing aisle, Mizuki scanned the venue.
Still no sign of Kabuto Yakushi?
Despite searching carefully, he couldn't locate the elusive spy. Mizuki frowned and gave up—for now.
On the field below, the first match had begun: Naruto Uzumaki versus Neji Hyūga.
When it came to raw talent, Neji was arguably the most gifted of the Konoha 12. The only one who might surpass him in intellectual capacity was Shikamaru Nara—not Naruto, the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, or even Sasuke Uchiha, the prodigy and eventual reincarnation of Indra. Shikamaru possessed a strategic mind that outclassed everyone, but his chronic laziness and disinterest in physical training hindered his overall growth.
His Shadow Possession Jutsu was an evolved form of his clan's Shadow Imitation Technique, tailored through his own improvements.
Mizuki couldn't help but feel regret about Shikamaru. His brilliance is wasted on slacking. He over-relies on tactics and avoids any unnecessary effort, but without strength to match his mind, he's bound to hit a wall. His fight with Temari showcased his genius—but also revealed his lack of endurance and offensive power. Sooner or later, that gap will cost him.
Neji, on the other hand, had everything going for him: sharp intellect, intense discipline, and chakra control perfected through the Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist. His Byakugan allowed him near-perfect vision and precision. If not for the emotional and ideological shackles imposed by the Main/Branch House system, he might already stand among the elite.
And if it weren't for Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra, which broke through the chakra point blockade, Neji would've easily won. Aside from Shikamaru, Neji might have been the only Genin to receive promotion.
Despite Neji's early dominance, the outcome was unchanged from the manga. Naruto tapped into the Kyūbi's power, enduring the Gentle Fist's internal damage and turning the tide. His unexpected victory brought loud cheers from the crowd.
For Naruto, this was likely the first time the village publicly acknowledged his strength.
Mizuki observed in silence as the crowd applauded.
Then his eyes caught something—a lone figure in Anbu attire, lurking in the rear of the stands. Suspiciously quiet and tucked into the shadows.
That must be Kabuto Yakushi. When did he slip in?
Even after actively searching for the spy earlier, Kabuto had managed to sneak in unnoticed. Mizuki wasn't surprised—Kabuto was a master of infiltration and disguise, a true deep-cover operative.
But now's not the time to act. Kakashi hasn't returned yet. I can't make a move without backup.
He shifted his attention back to the arena. It was finally Sakura Haruno's turn.
Sakura, who rarely stood out before, walked onto the field alone. No team, no sensei, no cheer squad.
But to Mizuki's mild surprise, she did have supporters. From the stands, Ino Yamanaka stood up and screamed encouragement, ignoring decorum entirely. Moments later, Rock Lee arrived—still injured, hobbling with a cane, yet grinning widely and blowing kisses toward the field.
Mizuki sighed internally. So this is the best the Konoha cheer section can do?
"Kai-sensei," Mizuki muttered as he watched Lee twirl dramatically, "isn't Rock Lee still recovering? Should he be doing that?"
"Don't worry," Kai beamed, giving a thumbs-up that gleamed in the sunlight. "This... is youth!"
Mizuki exhaled. Perhaps it was better to just watch the matches quietly.