"Everyone, welcome to the Country of Cats."
"I am the Lynx Elder of the ninja cat clan, and the one beside me holds the same status."
"From this moment onward, we will be responsible for your assessment."
"As long as you pass our trial, you will gain the right to meet our King directly and obtain what you seek."
The tall, slender Lynx Elder narrowed his eyes as he addressed the gathered teams. His voice, amplified by a mysterious technique, resonated clearly throughout the Colosseum, ensuring that every ninja cat in attendance could hear his words.
The ninja cats responded with excited murmurs—an unusual sight for the cat clan, known for their laid-back and playful nature.
At the same time, the Lynx Elder subtly glanced toward Mizuki Hidero, a look that carried unspoken meaning.
No one else seemed to notice this fleeting exchange—except Mizuki Ryosuke. His keen gaze caught the momentary interaction, and a trace of deep contemplation flickered in his eyes.
As he had suspected earlier, something was off about Mizuki Hidero's rapid progress through the first two trials.
By all logical measures, Hōzuki Mangetsu's team should have outpaced Mizuki Hidero's. The Hōzuki Clan was famed for their battle prowess, especially Mangetsu, who had mastered all Seven Ninja Swords. Their state of exhaustion was proof that they had struggled through the trials.
Yet, Mizuki Hidero's team emerged unscathed.
This could not be chalked up to mere "luck."
There was only one possible explanation—external intervention.
If Mizuki Ryosuke had received help from the Cat Boss to overcome certain obstacles, then it stood to reason that Mizuki Hidero had also forged an alliance with someone of influence within the cat clan.
And now, it was evident who that person was—the Lynx Elder.
"This just got interesting…" Mizuki Ryosuke mused, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.
Having received advance notice from the Cat Boss, he already knew the format of the next assessment.
Which meant Mizuki Hidero likely knew as well.
That left only Hōzuki Mangetsu in the dark.
The Lynx Elder continued, "Next, I will announce the specific rules."
"Since you have come to the Country of Cats as teams, we will assess you as teams."
"We will send forth three squads composed entirely of ninja cats to battle against your squads."
"The victorious team will earn the right to challenge either me or the Elder beside me."
"If they succeed, they will be granted an audience with our King."
His words confirmed Ryosuke's expectations.
"To ensure fairness—"
"The battles will be one-on-one."
"Each team member may only fight once."
"And finally, the losing team must reveal their next fighter before the winning team chooses theirs."
The Lynx Elder concluded the explanation and leapt out of the Colosseum with the Cat Boss, leaving the battlefield to the three teams.
Mizuki Ryosuke's eyes gleamed with interest.
This seemingly minor rule could be exploited tactically.
As the two Elders departed, a team of ninja cats used Earth Release techniques to divide the Colosseum into three separate arenas—one for each squad.
From three different entrances, three ninja cat teams emerged.
Each squad radiated a distinct aura, showcasing their unique battle styles.
Yet, the true ingenuity of the cat clan's assessment lay in how the teams were balanced against their human opponents.
Mizuki Ryosuke's squad faced a four-cat team where one ninja cat exuded overwhelming power, while the remaining three were notably weaker.
This mirrored his own squad's composition—one overwhelmingly strong member (himself), supported by three capable but less powerful teammates.
Mizuki Hidero's opponents followed a similar pattern—two elite-level cats and two slightly weaker ones, mirroring the two Jōnin and two Elite Jōnin of his squad.
But Hōzuki Mangetsu's team faced an entirely different setup—all four of their feline opponents were formidable.
The balance was masterful.
It ensured neither raw strength nor numbers alone could guarantee victory.
Tactics and adaptability would determine the winner.
Mizuki Ryosuke chuckled.
He had initially believed this test was purely a battle of combat power.
But the cat clan had crafted an intricate challenge—one that rewarded strategy just as much as strength.
To win, a team needed three victories.
But how they secured those victories was another matter entirely.
The Lynx Elder's voice rang out once more.
"Since everyone understands the rules—"
"Let the battles begin!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Mizuki Ryosuke's opponent stepped forward.
The strongest ninja cat in their group.
A towering feline, brimming with battle intent, locked eyes with him.
Without hesitation, Mizuki Ryosuke stepped forward.
The remaining three members of his squad instinctively stepped back, displaying their unwavering confidence in him.
In Kirigakure, the Jōnin watching through the water curtain leaned in with anticipation.
This was the moment they had been waiting for.
The tedious early trials had served their purpose.
Now, the real battles would begin.
Among them, Maeda Yuanshi's expression remained unreadable as he studied Mizuki Ryosuke's stance.
Few knew that this level of assessment had been orchestrated by him personally.
"One cannot bear the mantle of Mizukage through strength alone."
"Will, conviction, perseverance, tolerance, power, intellect…"
"All are essential."
His gaze remained fixed on the young shinobi.
"Ryosuke… Let me see how far you can go."
At that moment, every Jōnin present received an unexpected document.
"What's this?" one asked, puzzled.
Upon reading it, the answer became clear—
It was a detailed combat analysis of the upcoming matchups, outlining the relative strengths of both the ninja and their feline opponents.
The results were surprising.
Mizuki Ryosuke's team was significantly disadvantaged.
Squad Evaluation Mist Shinobi Country of Cats
Mizuki Ryosuke Strength Rating: S+ Cat Nosuke: Strength Rating: S
Mizuki Mitsuhiko Strength Rating: B+ Cat #1: Strength Rating: A
Terumi Mei Strength Rating: B Cat #2: Strength Rating: B+
Takeda Yoichi Strength Rating: B Cat #3: Strength Rating: B
A Jōnin furrowed his brows.
"This arrangement is unfair to the Ryosuke team."
"There was no way to arrange an opponent equal to Ryosuke within the cat clan," Maeda Yuanshi stated calmly. "This is the best we could do. Besides, his own strength is rated two levels higher than his opponent's."
"But…"
The Jōnin hesitated.
Anyone could see the problem.
Victory required three wins.
Yet, aside from Mizuki Ryosuke, his team was completely outmatched.
Winning would be nearly impossible.
Still, under Maeda Yuanshi's unyielding gaze, no one voiced further complaints.
Instead, their eyes turned back to the water curtain—
As Mizuki Ryosuke and Cat Nosuke squared off in the ring.
The battle had begun.
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