The appearance of Hui caused the entire arena, the entire Hidden Sage Village, and even the entire world to erupt in deafening cheers.
"Sage! Sage! Sage!"
Countless people chanted the word "Sage," their eyes burning with fervor.
This was the influence of Hui, an unparalleled presence in this world.
With a simple gesture to quiet the crowd, the deafening noise instantly faded.
Hui spoke.
"Youth is the vital force of a world, the backbone of its future.
"Youth is also the most dynamic and energetic driving force behind the development of a nation, a village.
"The hope for progress lies in youth, and the future of the world rests on youth.
"Our Sage Shinobi World is home to many outstanding young talents. And among them, the most exceptional 180 individuals are seated here today.
"They are about to partake in an extremely important competition. In this tournament, I hope that every outstanding youth will not only showcase their skills but also demonstrate their spirit, their unique style, and their unwavering resolve.
"Let us all look forward to their performances. Let us compete together and see who will earn their name on the Outstanding Youth Ranking.
"Now, I officially declare the commencement of the First Sage Shinobi World Elite Youth Tournament!"
As Hui's words fell, the entire arena erupted once again, their cheers echoing to the heavens.
This thunderous response stirred excitement among the 180 young elites seated in the contestants' section.
Today was the day they would make their names known throughout the world!
As the crowd roared in celebration, a figure suddenly appeared in the arena.
A young man, seemingly in his twenties, with a handsome face and a tall, imposing stature. Simply standing there, he exuded an indescribable aura.
For a moment, the entire audience fell silent.
And then—
"AHHHH!!! THE TREE GOD?!"
A piercing scream shattered the silence, reigniting the frenzy.
Clearly, the crowd recognized this man.
Nawaki, one of the Four Deities of the Sage Shinobi World.
The youngest among the Deities.
"I am Nawaki Senju, today's chief referee. I will oversee the tournament's officiation."
Nawaki spoke, stepping into his role. If he couldn't participate as a contestant, then he would simply find another way to be part of the event.
How could he possibly miss out on the chance to make an entrance in a grand moment like this?
"My god, the Tree God is acting as the referee?!"
"The Sage himself is here in person, and now the Tree God is the referee? The scale of this competition is insane!"
People couldn't help but exclaim in awe as they gazed at the stage, filled with envy.
If only they could stand on such a grand stage and "perform", what an incredible honor that would be!
"If the other two Deities showed up too, then this would truly be..."
Before the person could even finish speaking, their eyes widened in shock.
"Wha—?! THEY REALLY APPEARED! THE UCHIHA GOD AND THE UZUKI GODDESS!!!"
As if responding to the hopeful murmurs of the crowd, two figures suddenly descended from the sky, landing in the two vacant seats beside Hui.
One was clad in black, Uchiha Madara.
The other was long in white robes, Otsutsuki Kaguya.
They had come to witness the tournament as well.
At that moment, all four Deities of the Sage Shinobi World were present.
This tournament's significance had just skyrocketed to the highest level imaginable.
Forget ordinary spectators, even the 180 contestants couldn't contain their excitement.
The Four Deities were personally overseeing the event!
The prestige, the honor of just being a part of this tournament would be a lifelong achievement worthy of boasting!
Hui was not surprised by the arrival of Madara and Kaguya.
After capturing Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, he had informed them about the events of the Pirate World.
After all, once this tournament concluded, some individuals would be entering that world. There was no need to hide it from them.
Moreover, with the existence of the Pirate World, Hui believed that the Sage Shinobi World would eventually connect with even more worlds in the future.
He continued speaking.
"After the preliminary rounds, 180 contestants have advanced to the main tournament.
"Now, I will announce the official tournament rules.
"The main tournament is divided into a Winners' Bracket and a Losers' Bracket.
"In the first round, all contestants will face off in randomly drawn one-on-one matches. The 90 winners will advance to the Winners' Bracket, while the 90 losers will enter the Losers' Bracket.
"In the second round, both brackets will have another set of one-on-one battles, determining 45 winners.
"The 45 contestants who lose in the Winners' Bracket will drop into the Losers' Bracket.
"The 45 contestants who win in the Losers' Bracket will advance to the next round.
"One contestant in the Winners' Bracket will randomly receive a bye to the next round.
"In the third round, one-on-one battles will take place again.
"22 contestants from the Winners' Bracket will advance, while the 22 losers will drop into the Losers' Bracket.
"These 22 losers will join the 45 winners from the Losers' Bracket, as well as the contestant who received the previous bye.
"In the fourth round,
"The 22 remaining contestants in the Winners' Bracket will battle again.
"The 68 contestants in the Losers' Bracket will also continue their matches.
"The 11 winners from the Winners' Bracket will immediately secure a spot on the Outstanding Youth Ranking.
"The remaining 11 losers from the Winners' Bracket will drop into the Losers' Bracket, where they will join the 34 winners from the Losers' Bracket for the next round.
"One contestant from the Losers' Bracket will receive a bye to the next round. The remaining 44 contestants will engage in one-on-one battles, with the 22 winners advancing.
"Again, one contestant will receive a bye, while the remaining 22 contestants will battle each other.
"The 11 winners will secure a place on the Outstanding Youth Ranking.
"The 11 losers, plus the contestant who had a bye, will proceed to the next round.
"The final 12 contestants will face off once more in one-on-one battles. The 6 winners will earn a spot on the Outstanding Youth Ranking.
"For the final two spots, the remaining six contestants will enter a seventh-round free-for-all match. The last two standing will qualify for the Outstanding Youth Ranking.
"If no clear winners emerge, then the 29th and 30th positions on the Outstanding Youth Ranking will remain vacant.
"In this tournament, all jutsu and standard weapons are permitted.
"These are the complete rules for the tournament. Have you all understood?"
Nawaki spoke, explaining the rules in full detail.
After hearing the tournament structure, some contestants let out a sigh of relief, while others felt a tightening pressure in their chests.
The rules seemed simple: to enter the Outstanding Youth Ranking, the shortest path required winning just four consecutive matches.
However, for those who took the long route, the number of battles required would be much higher.
Conversely, elimination could happen in just two matches, if a contestant lost their first match and then lost again in the Losers' Bracket, they would be immediately eliminated.
And once in the Losers' Bracket, the margin for error was razor-thin. One more loss, and it was over.
Clearly, staying in the Winners' Bracket was the safest path. The chances of qualifying were significantly higher.
At that moment, all contestants began strategizing, preparing themselves for the battles ahead.
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