Some felt they were all genin, and even if they fought, it wouldn't be very interesting. They thought it better to stay home and rest, as it was quite cold outside in the middle of winter.
This worked out well, as the number of villagers the venue could accommodate was limited; it was impossible for everyone to attend.
Many who found it uninteresting conveniently cleared space for those who genuinely wished to watch.
However, no matter what, the villagers merely viewed it as entertainment, as they couldn't participate themselves.
They could only sit in the spectator stands and watch Konohagakure's burgeoning fighting forces compete.
The major clans, on the other hand, were sweating a little.
There were certainly age-appropriate ninja within each major clan. However, if they sent someone to compete, winning would be good, bringing honor to their family.
If they lost, it would be humiliating, as for many years in Konohagakure, the major clans had never truly been ranked by strength.
But this time, the arena seemed capable of directly ranking them, so every major clan that received the news began to mobilize.
They sought to find talented individuals within their clans who met the criteria and possessed exceptional strength to participate.
Konohagakure, once peaceful and harmonious, suddenly developed a hint of tension.
The major clans valued their reputation; losing a match wouldn't significantly affect them or cause them any physical harm.
However, their pride would suffer, and whenever they had disputes with other clans in the future, there would always be a leverage point held against them.
No clan head would be comfortable with that.
...
Inside the Sarutobi clan compound, Hiruzen was teaching his two sons in the training ground. His eldest son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, was fourteen years old this year.
Sarutobi Asuma, standing beside them, was only five and would be able to enroll in the Ninja Academy next year.
As a child of a major clan, he had already cultivated chakra, which was why he could listen to his father's lessons in the training ground.
"Clan Head-sama! Something major has happened!"
A clan member ran over, speaking breathlessly.
Hiruzen patted his back. "Don't rush, speak slowly. I'm not going anywhere."
"Yes... it's like this, Clan Head-sama!"
He quickly and clearly explained the details from the announcement to Hiruzen.
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen's eyes darted around. The age range was 10 to 14, and his eldest son was precisely fourteen, making him eligible to participate.
What a coincidence; if it were another seven or eight days, Shinnosuke might have missed this competition!
"Alright, you can go rest now."
After the clan member left, Hiruzen turned to Shinnosuke. "You heard it, right? Your Uncle Torifu is hosting this competition. I'm not expecting you to win, but you should at least aim for the top three, shouldn't you?"
Shinnosuke was not the type of ninja to show off his abilities; his personality was similar to Hiruzen's, more on the stable and composed side.
"Father, there are many strong ninja in the village. I can only say I'll do my best."
Hiruzen said nothing about his son's modesty. He recalled that Minato was exactly 15 this year, making him ineligible to participate.
As for Yahiko and Konan, while talented, they were too young, only eleven, a full three years younger than Shinnosuke.
Hiruzen felt his son still had a good chance of winning, even if he might be ridiculed by his old friends for an "inglorious" victory or something similar.
Hiruzen patted Shinnosuke's shoulder. "Good. You just need to do your best. Your ranking doesn't matter. This time, other countries will definitely send ninja, so it won't just be an internal Konohagakure conflict. Try to win a few rounds."
"Understood, Father. I will certainly do my best."
Seeing his father and older brother discussing things he didn't understand, Sarutobi Asuma grew a little unhappy.
"Father, Big Brother, can I participate in that thing you're talking about?"
Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle. "You little squirt, you just learned chakra and you want to compete against the genius ninja of the entire world? While your courage is admirable, you're not eligible yet."
Hiruzen felt his second son was good in every way, except for being a bit too arrogant. He was still nothing, yet always aimed too high with little practical ability, perhaps due to his doting nature.
"This time, you'll watch your older brother compete with me and learn well. When you're old enough and strong enough, if this competition is still around then, I'll definitely let you participate."
Asuma was visibly upset after hearing this, but by the end, his anger gradually subsided.
"Alright, Father, I'll cheer for Big Brother with you."
Shinnosuke laughed heartily upon hearing this. "Then Big Brother will definitely have to try and win more rounds."
Similar scenes to the Sarutobi clan's were playing out in various clans across Konohagakure.
Once a qualified clan junior was found, it was natural to repeatedly caution them. However, as ninja from major clans, they inevitably possessed a degree of arrogance. This arrogance might make them braver, or it might hinder them, becoming a stumbling block on their path to growth.
Therefore, every clan head had earnest conversations with their chosen participants, admonishing them not to underestimate their opponents.
Placing the clan's honor on the shoulders of the younger generation made every clan head feel extremely anxious. This was the first time the clan heads felt that matters were beyond their control.
However, this was also the interesting aspect of the competition. A child's potential was limitless, and keeping them hidden at home wouldn't unleash anything. Only through continuous training could they become true ninja.
Regardless of whether the villagers applauded the news of the competition or found it uninteresting, it had undoubtedly caused a stir in Konohagakure once again.
The streets and alleys were all abuzz with discussions about it, and the enthusiasm was unprecedented.
Idle villagers had already begun predicting who each clan would send to compete, with some even forecasting who would battle their way through to claim the championship.
This was precisely what Torifu hoped to see, as it would ensure the competition had better entertainment value.
At the same time, it would also boost the Spring Festival activities. Holding the Spring Festival directly before the hype of the competition died down would undoubtedly yield excellent results.
Otherwise, Torifu wouldn't have known how to spend these ten-plus days of holiday time.
With several Kage visiting Konohagakure, Torifu couldn't just have them wait idly for eight or nine days, then let them play for one evening and send them home, could he?
There always needed to be some activities or events to entertain them, otherwise, their trip wouldn't be enjoyable.
"Hokage-sama, after the announcement was posted, the village's reaction has been significant. Villagers are actively discussing the competition. When do we plan to start?"
Torifu, who was drinking tea in the courtyard, smiled faintly. "In three days. Over these three days, set up the Konohagakure Chunin Exams arena; the competition will be held there."
Upon hearing this, the secretary immediately accepted the order and went to make the arrangements.