"Even you can only place fifth?"
Tsunade stared at Minato as if she had misheard him.
Under normal circumstances, that result would have been unthinkable. In Konoha's collective understanding, Minato was the embodiment of efficiency and inevitability—if he chose to win, then the only variable was how fast.
Minato could only smile wryly. "The Genius Arena clamps everyone's chakra to Chunin-level capacity. Once I consume a bit, Flying Thunder God becomes unusable."
He spoke evenly, but the frustration was unmistakable.
"No summoning techniques. No Spirit Bones. Weapons can't be carried—only chakra-constructed ones are allowed. And the arena itself offers almost no room to maneuver."
He paused briefly, eyes darkening as memory resurfaced.
"Under those conditions, I couldn't beat Yagyito, Gao Feng, Feng Xiaotian, or Huo Wu."
Tsunade's brows knitted together. "Yagyito already used the Chakra Condensation Pill?"
"Yes." Minato nodded. "He condensed his core directly into his body. On the Douluo side, they call that a Spirit."
Even now, recalling the match left a lingering pressure in Minato's chest.
"When he goes all out, the condensed core pushes his physical attributes past a qualitative threshold. Add Lightning Release: Chakra Mode on top of that…" He exhaled slowly. "In a closed arena, with no spatial anchors and no teleportation, there was simply no opening to exploit."
The result was absolute.
Yagyito now sat firmly at the top of the rankings.
Tsunade felt a thread of tension tighten in her chest. "Then what about the temporary event?"
Minato's gaze sharpened instantly. "The restrictions are much looser."
His voice carried unmistakable confidence now.
"This time, Gao Feng and the others won't be obstacles."
Tsunade finally let out the breath she had been holding, one hand pressing unconsciously against her chest. "Good… that's good."
Shikaku, who had been quietly observing the exchange, raised an eyebrow. "Hokage-sama," he asked mildly, "how much are you planning to bet this time?"
Tsunade slammed her palm onto the table without hesitation. "Everything. I've already exchanged all my savings for sacrificial coins."
Minato's confidence faltered for the first time.
"Lady Tsunade," he began carefully, "perhaps you should—"
Before he could finish, Shikaku shook his head.
"There's no reconsidering this."
Minato turned, startled.
"This isn't a personal wager," Shikaku continued calmly. "It's a confrontation between two Worlds. As representatives of the Ninja World, Konoha must lead."
"Even if the second match has no chance of victory, we still bet everything."
Minato frowned. "No chance… in the second match?"
"None." Shikaku answered immediately.
He unrolled a scroll and spread it across the table.
"We've collected intelligence from the trade plaza. On the Douluo side, there are at least a hundred Spirit Beasts whose combat power rivals that of Tailed Beasts."
Minato's expression stiffened.
"And that's only part of it," Shikaku continued. "They also possess dozens of Spirit Masters at the Titled Douluo level. Taken together, their high-end combat strength alone approaches two hundred."
Silence fell.
"That much force," Shikaku said quietly, "is enough to crush the Allied Ninja Forces outright."
He lifted his gaze.
"And almost all of them can fly."
The implication was devastating.
"Even those who can't fly can rely on flying Spirit Beasts. Absolute air superiority." Shikaku shook his head slowly. "In that environment, every tactical plan we've drafted becomes meaningless."
Minato stood frozen, absorbing the information piece by piece.
He had been too focused on the rankings—too consumed by climbing—to notice how wide the gap had grown.
"So…" he said slowly, "…everything hinges on the third match?"
Tsunade's expression darkened further. "That's exactly why I called you here."
She straightened, her tone turning decisive.
"From this moment on, Konoha is in your hands. Shikaku, the other Kage, and I are heading to the Land of Whirlpools."
Minato's pupils contracted sharply. "To train Kaguya?"
"Yes."
The word landed heavily.
"The opponent also has a god-level existence," Tsunade said in a low voice. "And unlike Kaguya, that one has extensive combat experience."
Shikaku added quietly, "According to Black Zetsu's intelligence, his mother has never truly fought anyone worthy of being called an opponent—aside from the Sage brothers."
Minato's throat tightened.
"So her practical combat experience is… almost zero."
The realization sent a chill down his spine.
"If we lose one to one in the first two matches—" Minato began.
Shikaku cut in, voice heavy. "Every Ninja can only bet on the Ninja World. And the Five Great Villages must lead by example."
"One win and one loss will push all expectations onto the third match."
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Tsunade stood abruptly, eyes blazing. "Then we cannot lose."
She swept the documents off the table and shoved them toward Minato.
"Prepare everything."
"We leave immediately."
On the Douluo Continent, the tension was no less suffocating.
Ning Fengzhi studied the assembled figures, his expression grave.
"The situation isn't ideal," he said calmly. "We hold an advantage in the second match, but the first is unfavorable. As for the third—its outcome cannot be predicted."
"The Lord will not lose." Ditian cut in sharply.
Ning Fengzhi did not argue. He simply continued.
"Battles at that level are beyond calculation. Our only reliable leverage lies in the first match."
He met Ditian's gaze evenly.
"The opponent has special existences known as Jinchuriki. Even without access to their Tailed Beasts, their individual strength remains formidable. At present, the top-ranked genius in the arena comes from the Ninja World."
The implication was clear.
"What do you propose?" Ditian asked.
Ning Fengzhi's answer came without hesitation. "Concentrate everything on the seven elite participants. Win the first two matches."
"Even if the third fails, we still take the overall victory."
Hime's voice rang out sharply. "The Lord cannot lose!"
"I understand," Ning Fengzhi replied evenly. "But wouldn't it be better to win all three?"
He looked around slowly.
"This is not just a contest of resources. Millions across both Worlds will be watching. Honor itself is at stake."
Silence followed.
Then Ditian nodded once.
"Then we go all out," he said decisively. "No matter the cost, the Spirit Beast clan will bear it."
In this moment, race no longer mattered.
Only Worlds.