The monitor turned on once again to display the names of the next combatants. Much of the crowd was oblivious to the fighters on screen: "Raidō Namiashi vs. Kotetsu Hagane!"
These were names and faces most hadn't known. However, the moment the crowd saw the familiar Leaf Village insignia attached to their uniforms, interest sparked anew since the Leaf ninjas were proving to enthrall them in every match so far.
The Raikage would soon be seen making his return. Still fuming over his ninjas' lackluster performances, he found that someone had already placed a fresh chair for him. So he plopped down into it with displeasure and a scowl on his expression.
Whatever hopes he had of a proud showing for the Cloud Village hung precariously on the shoulders of his only two remaining fighters: C and Darui. Every other match had felt like a slap in his face.
And when his eyes drifted back to the arena, he felt annoyed at the prospect that the fighters were again from the Leaf Village.
This caused an idea spark in his mind. So he turned to Mei and suggested, "How about another bet, Mizukage?"
Mei's interest piqued. "What's the wager this time?"
"The shinobi with the bandage across his face," he said, pointing at Kotetsu. "I believe he's going to win."
Mei studied the two shinobi with a sharp eye. Only vaguely recalling them, she attempted to make sense of his choice. "You think so? He seems a bit... average, don't you think?"
"Sure, but it's about potential!"
That's when Mei recognized something the Raikage regretted. The other fighter, Raidō, had a scar on his face. That surely had to have meant something. A scar like that could only have been acquired in a serious battle.
"Maybe so," she replied, rolling her eyes. "But I wish that Kotetsu didn't have that bandage on. He could be really handsome under there."
The Raikage raised an eyebrow, but before he could retort, Mei's expression shifted to one of contemplation. Eager to hear her answer, he asked, "So are you saying you're placing your bet on Raidō?"
"Yes," she affirmed. "If I'm right, you have to double the promised resources to the Mist Village."
"And if I win?"
"If you win," Mei replied playfully, "you won't have to give us the tools at all. Deal?"
It was a win-win situation for Mei, and A knew it. If he didn't accept, then she'd decline. But if he did accept and win, he could try to gamble again.
"Deal!" he smirked.
The feudal lords nearby couldn't make sense of these two Kages. They thought that heads from villages had enmity with one another, especially after the Mist Village's rumoured "Blood Mist" era.
Thankfully, their talk was nothing more than friendly competition, not a political one.
Soon, Raidō and Kotetsu faced one another in the center, exchanging friendly glances. Their camaraderie was evident; these two shinobi weren't foes but teammates, part of a respected squad back in the Leaf Village.
"I've been meaning to fight you," Raidō said with a friendly grin.
Kotetsu laughed, "Glad you think I'm worthy of the challenge. Let's give them a good show, shall we?"
Little did the spectators know, Raidō was actually Kotetsu's senior. They had trained together, shared techniques, and connected through comradeship. Those who knew this could tell who was bound to win.
As the announcer signaled the start of the match, the two quickly engaged with one another.
Their taijutsu techniques started cautiously but soon intensified into fast exchanges as they felt the arena's intense cheers.
Spectators noticed that their movements were noteworthy. Yet they lacked the flair exhibited by fighters like Rock Lee or Shira.
Back at the Raikage's corner, he grumbled, "Some shinobi they are."
"Give them some credit," Mei countered with amusement curling at her lips. "Besides, I didn't expect every match to be the same."
Below, Naruto leaned forward, trying his best to catch every move.
"Hey, who are these two guys again?" he asked.
William chuckled heartily. "Seriously, cuz? You don't know? Kotetsu is one of the village guards; he patrols the gate during the day. As for Raidō, he's the Hokage's elite bodyguard. Both of them are actually really skilled."
In truth, both were average-level fighters.
"I knew that!" Naruto smiled, puffing his chest. "I just was just testing you guys."
A couple of his friends barely managed to suppress their laughter, while Iruka wore a bemused expression.
Neji shook his head and teased, "Take it easy, Naruto. I think everyone knows you were clueless until now."
"What's the big idea calling me out like that, Neji?" protested Naruto. "You act like I'm Will or Jada."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jada smiled knowingly.
"You guys always seem to know everything about everyone!"
"Maybe you should start taking notes then, Naruto," Margaret joked.
"Hey!"
As the match continued, the group's attention eventually returned to the combatants, who were now trading blows harder than before.
The taijutsu they demonstrated wasn't world-shattering, but it did show how strong the Leaf was. Raidō threw a punch, which Kotetsu evaded with a sidestep. Then the two went back and forth with light jabs, neither yielding.
Sweat glistened on their brows from having exhaustively traded punches and dodges. For a moment, it appeared that they shared a mutual understanding—a celebration of their village's strengths.
Time seemed to drag as the match progressed, with both fighters eventually nearing their limits.
When the announcer looked to the officials monitoring the match, they gave him a head nod.
"That's it!" he boomed in the microphone. "That's it! That's it! Time's up!" The two combatants paused, panting heavily before turning their attention to the announcer. "After careful evaluation, I declare the winner to be Raidō Namiashi!"
The audience celebrated his victory, but the Raikage's face twisted with fury upon hearing the announcement.
Boosh!
Another chair was hurled against the wall with a loud crash.
"I'm going to the bathroom again!" he shouted, storming off as yet another defeat for the Cloud Village weighed him down.
Mei giggled at the spectacle. "Poor man."
Raidō and Kotetsu exchanged appreciation nods before clasping hands in a show of solidarity. Despite the competitive nature of the tournament, their coworker relationship prevailed, and both displayed mutual respect for each other's strength.
"Let's go back to our group," Kotetsu suggested, already drifting off towards the steps. "You know what happens next, don't you?"
"Yeah," Raidō agreed with a genuine smile. "Let's hope we see someone from our group win this whole thing!"
Their short chat ended amicably, with the two comrades navigating away towards where Anko and Ebisu were.
Anko looked at them and said, "That was a great match, you two. Raidō, if you look at the bracket, it should be you and I fighting in the next round."
"Meh, have fun with that," he shot back jokingly. "I'll probably forfeit anyway; I only showed up to see what the hype surrounding this whole tournament was about."
Ebisu blinked at him, shocked. "Wait… you're serious? You're going to forfeit?"
"Yeah, it just feels like the right thing to do. Besides, Kotetsu and I planned this from the start if we had to face each other."
"Wow. That's a bummer," Anko murmured, though she couldn't hide her admiration for his decision. "I won't stop you then, and I appreciate you two escorting us here."
As their exchange ended, Raidō and Kotetsu passed by Naruto's group.
"Hope one of you makes it as a finalist!" Raidō said.
Naruto flashed a big grin. "No way I'm gonna lose. After all, I'm gonna be the Hokage one day!"
"Go get 'em then, Naruto!" Kotetsu called, throwing a thumbs-up. "The same goes for the rest of you guys!"
As the two Leaf shinobi stepped out of the arena, the atmosphere outside felt different, more tranquil compared to the energy they had just left behind.
"I wonder what the true purpose of this tournament was," Kotetsu pondered aloud. "It all seemed different than what I had expected."
Raidō nodded thoughtfully and replied, "Yeah, you're right. There's got to be some deeper reason for holding this. I mean, look at the attention it's gained. Two Kages were here to spectate. That doesn't happen for just any event."
Kotetsu couldn't help but wonder, "You think it's about fostering unity among the villages?"
"Could be. Or maybe they're trying to set the stage for something bigger. With how powerful the Kages are, whoever orchestrated this must be on another level."
Both shinobi fell into a contemplative silence for a moment. They didn't want to think too hard on the matter.
Little did they know that behind the grandeur of the tournament, the orchestration of events lay not in the hands of villages, an organization, or even a group of unfamed feudal lords, but in the hands of a single man.