"How is this possible?" Ao stared blankly at Sora, spitting out a mouthful of blood as his vision blurred.
How could a child not even ten years old possess such enormous chakra?
Even now, Ao could still see that dazzling chakra shining brighter than the sun. Among everyone here, even the Five Kage paled in comparison.
Seeing Ao's stupefied expression, Sora quickly left the arena, fearing Ao's stupidity might somehow be contagious.
Meanwhile, the spectator stands exploded into uproar.
"Who would've thought Lord Sora was this powerful? He defeated an elite Jonin with just one move!"
"Yeah, that Ao didn't even get a chance to react before being severely injured!"
"He looked down on Lord Sora before the match—now he's learned his lesson!"
The people from the Land of Fire sighed in relief, feeling proud that Sora hadn't embarrassed them, speaking louder and with more confidence.
This naturally upset spectators from other nations, who had been hoping to see Sora humiliated—but instead, he scored an instant victory.
"This Sora kid has some skill, but he's nowhere near the other Kage-level ninja. He can only bully some Jonin."
"Exactly. Among the sixteen Kage-level competitors, he's probably the weakest. He won't stand a chance."
"How shameless are you, celebrating a Kage-level ninja beating a Jonin so ruthlessly?"
These provocative remarks made the Land of Fire citizens grind their teeth angrily, eager to slap their critics in the face.
"You're talking nonsense! Lord Sora will definitely achieve great results!"
"Even if not this time, in a few years, who in your villages could possibly stand against Lord Sora?"
"You're just jealous! The Land of Fire is superior—deal with it!"
Despite their bold words, even these spectators didn't fully believe Sora could defeat the other Kage-level fighters. Right now, they were just stubbornly protecting their pride.
Tension flared between the Land of Fire's audience and those from other countries, as both sides glared at each other, refusing to back down.
In the VIP area, where the Daimyōs of the five major nations sat enjoying fresh fruits served by attendants, the Fire Daimyō pretended to complain, "Look at this—Konoha has become so powerful that I hardly have any say left!"
But his expression was full of pride, clearly boasting about his country's strength.
Though annoyed, the other Daimyōs had no choice but to swallow their frustrations. After all, they were the ones who had pressured the Fire Daimyō to return their citizens. Now that he had the upper hand, what could they say?
"Hmph, don't get cocky. That Sora kid is just showing off now. When he faces real Kage-level opponents, he won't last a single round!" scoffed the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning disdainfully.
"Then shall we place a bet?" The Fire Daimyō toyed with the jade ring on his thumb, smiling mockingly. "Let's bet a hundred million ryō on whether Sora wins his next match."
His provocative tone instantly infuriated the other four Daimyōs.
"I'll take that bet! He won't win!"
"Me too!"
"Count me in!"
"And me as well!"
For these Daimyōs, a hundred million was trivial, and they'd gladly spend it to defend their dignity.
With sharp senses, Sora heard clearly what tens of thousands were discussing. Before he could react, young Uchiha Itachi hurried over and angrily declared, "Lord Sora, they dare talk about you like that? You must defeat them all and claim first place!"
Itachi's earnest anger nearly made Sora laugh aloud.
Ever since Sora had improved relations between the Uchiha clan and Konoha, Itachi had grown up without any shadow of darkness, remaining an innocent child. Now, besides being a proud member of the Uchiha clan and Konoha, he was Sora's most loyal little fanboy.
Although Sora's match had sparked heated arguments among the spectators, it didn't affect the following battles.
After Sora left the stage, the subsequent matches proceeded smoothly, quickly determining winners and losers. Each time a competitor from their respective nations appeared, cheers erupted passionately.
Yet no Jonin managed any significant upset afterward, somewhat disappointing the audience and making them anticipate tomorrow's battles even more.
Though several shinobi secretly considered killing their opponents, residual hatred from past wars was still strong. However, with the five Kage jointly presiding over the event, none dared to act recklessly.
All five Kage were wise enough to understand that now wasn't the time to ignite conflict. Moreover, grudges often stemmed from practical interests; even losing competitors could be beneficial in reducing their villages' resource burdens.
They tacitly maintained an atmosphere of stern silence, each displaying a cold, distant expression to deter trouble.
Sora, bored and waiting for the day's end, suddenly saw Terumi Mei approach him flirtatiously.
"Little brother, why not join our Hidden Mist Village? Whatever you desire, your big sister can provide~" Ignoring Ao's desperate, warning looks as Tsunade healed him, Mei winked playfully at Sora.
"Hmph!" Tsunade immediately tossed the nearly-recovered Ao aside and stepped decisively between Sora and Mei, blocking their line of sight.
Sora was Konoha's treasured gem. For this woman to attempt seducing him away was simply unforgivable!
Kushina swiftly joined Tsunade, standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they fiercely glared at Mei.
"Sora is perfectly happy in Konoha. Instead of wasting your time here, why not think about finally getting married?" Tsunade folded her arms confidently, casting a disdainful glance at Mei's chest.
Mei was indeed attractive, but compared to Tsunade, she still fell short.
Flames instantly ignited above Mei's head, teeth grinding in anger. "What did you just say, you old hag?"
"Oh, I'm old? You're just a desperate spinster no one wants to marry!"
Sora helplessly glanced between the two, pretending to sigh heavily, then sat back comfortably to enjoy the spectacle.
Watching two women fight—wasn't this the best possible entertainment?
Especially when both were such top-tier beauties, missing it would be a huge loss!
As for the ongoing tournament—what tournament? He had no idea.
"No, no, this isn't good! I'll step in and mediate once I've seen enough. I'm a righteous youth of the new generation, after all!"
Though he thought this way, his eager expression left those around speechless. Was this really just a child?
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