Chapter 50: Finals
The Leaf Village buzzed with citizens delving through the streets.
Today was the day of the Chūnin Exams finals. All roads led towards the towering structure at the heart of the village—the Stadium.
Outside, it was the unofficial pre-match betting floor. Vendors offered trinkets and snacks, their voices yelling over the crowd's enthusiastic chatter. Groups were huddled around stands, pouring money like it was nothing.
"Ten thousand ryō on that Alex kid!" a portly man bellowed with excitement. "That prodigy from the Hyūga clan's got fire in his eyes! Can't imagine anyone else taking this!"
"You're crazy," a wiry woman scoffed. "Sasuke's been training with Kakashi himself! Ya hear? The Kakashi Hatake who fought in a war!"
"Kakashi or not?" another man chimed in. "My money's on that Jasper kid. He's been making a name for himself, but nobody likes him. But who knows what kind of power he's got to make that happen?"
Groups of citizens continued to shuffle their way past the gambling tents and into the Stadium.
Meanwhile, within the confines of a high-rise overlooking the village, two solitary figures stood gazing at the bustling scene below.
"Are you sure this is the only way?" one man murmured to the other.
"Yes... We'll need to make an example in front of everyone."
Elsewhere, sunlight filtered through the cracks in Arthur's window.