Chapter 6.3- One Thousand Hands

“Each task will be a surprise for our dear lovely genin taking part in this exhibition so you can be sure to see the adaptability and genius of our genuine n full display.” He said, getting murmurs from the crowd as they anxiously waited for the commencement of the tasks. The murmurs turned into gasps of surprise as two massive screens were unveiled at each end of the arena.

“Konoha’s sealing corps has crafted a device to ensure that you get to view every second of action from the comfort of your seats without straining your necks. Through groundbreaking algorithms and self matrixes that hurt my head to think of, these screens are going to use small receptors following each team to ensure that we get to see what they’re all up to” His words excited the civilians, but the shinobi began to whisper quietly. Sakumo resisted the urge to smile. Whatever plans the foreigners had were going too be thoroughly derailed by the fact that they’d have eyes on their genin for every step of the process. His fear that this would be used as an opportunity to kill off Konoha’s genin in a series of ‘accidents’ was thoroughly quelled. No shinobi worth their salt would do something so underhanded in front of civilians. One way or another, they all went to the effort of pretending to be upstanding and honourable fellows to their civilian clientele.

Small devices, golden with wings that moved as quickly as a hummingbird’s, flew across the arena attaching themselves to each genin team. Like magic, the screens came to life showing the smiling or scowling or doing nothing at all faces of the various genin. Shorirama waved at his device and his own team’s screen grew to cover most of the screen with the smaller screens being relegated to the side.

“Of course the view will shift over time to give you the best view of the most action” Jiraiya said.

“An impressive device” His taciturn Samurai companion commented.

“Indeed. Konoha’s sealing team is one of the best in the world, after all”

“Moving on to the first task, my companion, Lord Yoroi Musha of Tetsu no Kuni will introduce the first test.”

“The first task is a maze. In a few seconds, the maze will form, covering most of the arena. Around the maze will be clues that you must solve to know the right route to follow. All wrong routes are trapped to high heaven. Only the correct route will be free from traps. The first fifteen teams to make it out of the maze will make it to the next stage.” He delivered his words with a sharp tone that amplified their impact. Even the genin began to worriedly whisper to themselves.

“Of course, any combat is prohibited within the maze. The use of ninjutsu to destroy or affect the maze in any way is also prohibited. Either of which will get you disqualified immediately. We’re watching” At that, he cut off. Then, the ground around the platform the genin stood on began to vibrate.

All around them, walls began to rise from the ground. The civilians gasped at watching the maze form before their eyes. Sakumo knew that it much have been the work of dozens of Earth release masters working in concert towards a single goal. But even that, it was impressive that the maze was being formed in real time. Noticing the pattern in which the maze rose, he changed that impression. The maze had already been formed. It was probably built and kept underground. Now, they just had to lift it back up. Not a small task, by any means, but still less impressive than building a new maze from scratch.

“Above each entrance to the maze lies a number. There are Ninety entrances for the Ninety teams enrolled in the exams. Move to the one that matches your registration number” His team moved to the Forty-Seventh entrance as he watched Shorirama trade barbs with his Uchiha friend, Uzume’s cousin, before the boy left to join his own team. Those two were more suited to the Hashirama and Madara comparisons. Shorirama and Uzume could scarcely spend an hour in each other’s presence before starting up a fight.

“Now begin” Jiraiya’s voice sounded out and each team ran in. He turned to the screen to get a view of his team, the maze was covered from the top, probably to prevent any genius from deciding to jump over the whole thing.

A/N; Now it all comes together.