After Nagato's battle concluded, Kakashi returned to the first arena to await the start of the second round and observe the ninja there.
Since Kakashi returned late, the first round was mostly over. He only watched a few matches before the second round started.
Kakashi was very calm. Based on his observations from moving around several arenas, the average strength of the youth martial arts conference ninja was actually just Chunin level.
Not to mention them, even Nohara Rin, as long as her luck wasn't too bad and she didn't encounter a ninja like Nagato, could easily enter the elimination rounds.
"It's a bit easier than I imagined," Kakashi thought to himself.
In Kakashi's original conception, the widely anticipated martial arts competition should have been intense, with many young geniuses from the Five Great Ninja Villages participating.
However, the reality was different. Among the more than 200 participating ninjas, those from the Five Great Ninja Villages were actually the minority.
Kakashi was most familiar with Konoha's participants, with a total of eighteen contesting.
From the Hidden Mist side, Kakashi only saw Terumi Mei's team, consisting of six Hidden Mist ninjas.
Kakashi also only saw one team from the Hidden Sand, totaling only four Hidden Sand ninjas.
The Hidden Rock had a relatively larger number. Kakashi roughly estimated that there were about twenty-one participants, making it the Great Ninja Village with the most contestants.
The Hidden Cloud had the fewest participants. Among the competitors, Kakashi only saw three Hidden Cloud ninjas, and he didn't see many other Hidden Cloud ninjas in Six Paths City either.
Kakashi believed there were two main reasons for this situation.
The first is that currently, during war times, the situation is tense, and the Great Ninja Villages cannot send too many young talents to participate in the youth martial arts conference.
The second reason is the lure of the rewards for different ninja villages. Although Fire Dragon Dance now holds the title of the strongest Fire Release, it's still a Fire Release.
For example, in the Hidden Mist Village, there are truly few who use Fire Release, and not all of that small group of Fire Release ninjas can learn Fire Dragon Dance. In this situation, the Hidden Mist can't have much interest in the youth martial arts conference.
Kakashi estimated that the Hidden Mist sent ninjas with the mindset of not being able to use it themselves, but also not letting others take it.
"Well, if a ninja like Killer Bee came, even Guy wouldn't be easy to deal with," Kakashi nodded silently.
Killer Bee was famous in his youth. When Kakashi was still a Chunin, Killer Bee had already gained fame across the Ninja World alongside the Fourth Raikage, A.
Kakashi encountered the new AB combination twice during missions, so he knew a bit about Killer Bee's strength.
"First match of the second round: Number one, Hatake Kakashi versus number three, Kogoya Yuji!"
Hearing the referee's shout, Kakashi pushed down his thoughts and walked up to the battlefield.
Kogoya Yuji sighed and also walked up with a sense of resignation.
Although the battle hadn't started yet, based on Kakashi's performance in the last round, Kogoya's chances of winning were zero.
"Begin!"
"Flash!"
Swish!
As soon as the referee's voice fell, Kakashi immediately concentrated his breathing, then drew his White Fang like lightning and launched an assault.
Kogoya Yuji only saw a blinding flash of electric light; as he had just drawn his kunai, the next moment, the White Fang Short Blade was already at his neck.
Once again, the battle ended incredibly quickly.
Unlike the previous match, this time Kakashi's instant win was without suspense, whereas in the previous match, some people didn't recognize Kakashi.
Those competitors within numbers eight and under all couldn't help but sigh, thinking, how could they fight? It's like a defeat is already pre-determined.
After the battle, Kakashi didn't hesitate and immediately hurried to the sixth arena.
He finished off his opponent so quickly because he was worried he would be late to see Sunagani's battle.
Sunagani was number three, which meant he would be in the first match of the second round.
Fortunately, the pace of the battles in the sixth arena was somewhat slower, and when Kakashi arrived at the sixth arena, the second round hadn't begun yet. They were conducting the last battle of the first round.
Kakashi stood silently in the sixth arena, waiting for the start of the second-round battles.
Since Nagato's number was later, there was no rush to go to the seventh arena.
"Number one, Shuzo, versus number three, Sunagani!"
Seeing Sunagani's opponent, Shuzo, bearing the Grass Village headband, Kakashi was a bit disappointed.
Although the Small Ninja Villages are not without capable fighters, they are very few, and Kakashi estimated he might still not be able to see much of Sunagani's techniques this time.
As Kakashi anticipated, Sunagani used only Taijutsu to defeat Shuzo, not even needing to use techniques like Chakra Lines.
"Second match of the second round, number five, Momochi Zabuza versus..."
Hearing the referee's announcement, Kakashi looked up toward the battlefield.
"If it's that Hidden Mist guy, he should be able to push Sunagani a bit to show some real skills," Kakashi reminisced about his previous battle with Zabuza in his mind.
At the strength Zabuza demonstrated back then, unless he became too complacent over the past two years, he shouldn't be easily defeated with Taijutsu by Sunagani like the Grass Ninja.
Feeling Kakashi's gaze, Zabuza turned to look back at Kakashi.
"Are you here specifically to see my battle? My sword is sharper than it was before."
The strength Kakashi exhibited two years ago during the Chunin Examination to protect and fight for friendship left a lasting impression on Zabuza.
Zabuza had not yet met someone worth using his life to wield the sword for, but he had trained very hard over the past two years.
Not to say he'd defeat Kakashi, but Zabuza felt he could make Kakashi enjoy the battle a bit.
Since there was still some time before Nagato's battle, Kakashi went to glance at the fourth arena, where Nohara Rin was situated.