At the same time, the observing Jōnin noticed something unexpected—the Mizuki Ryosuke team, which had disappeared for a long time, had suddenly reappeared on the water curtain.
This time, they had not only cleared the first two stages but had somehow bypassed them entirely, arriving directly in the Land of Cats!
"What's going on here?"
A murmur of suspicion spread through the gathered Jōnin.
Some voices in the crowd immediately questioned whether Ryosuke's team had cheated.
Even Kuroshima Morita and the other Jōnin who were unaware of the details were momentarily at a loss. They had no idea how to justify what had just unfolded before their eyes.
Maeda Yuanshi frowned.
A moment later, as if receiving a silent message, his expression eased.
Then, he turned toward the crowd and announced,
"According to intelligence…
"There is no issue with Squad Ryosuke's progression."
The gathered Jōnin looked at him in surprise.
Maeda Yuanshi proceeded to explain that Ryosuke's team had completed a top-secret mission inside the cavern, a matter of such high confidentiality that the Cat Clan had personally intervened to guide them forward.
Hearing this, the Jōnin turned their attention to the state of the Ryosuke team.
Takeda Yoichi had fully recovered. Terumi Mei, though still somewhat pale, bore obvious signs of having suffered serious injuries.
Such wounds couldn't be faked.
It was clear that Ryosuke and his team had been through an intense battle, one that had earned them the recognition of the Cat Clan.
Though some Jōnin still harbored doubts, they were forced to set them aside for now.
With Maeda Yuanshi's endorsement, they could only suppress their suspicions.
And so, the examination continued.
However, each Jōnin had formed their own evaluation of the three squads' performances thus far.
The Land of Cats
After reporting the situation in the misty caverns to Elvis, the Cat Boss returned to Ryosuke with new information.
The third phase of the assessment would be conducted simultaneously for all squads.
However, since the other teams had yet to clear the first two stages, Ryosuke's team had no choice but to wait.
This delay, however, provided them with a rare opportunity to recover.
Three days passed in a flash.
Thanks to her resilient shinobi constitution and Ryosuke's constant care, Terumi Mei's injuries healed swiftly.
During this time, an unexpected development occurred—Mizuki Hidero's squad successfully cleared the assessments before the notoriously powerful Hōzuki Mangetsu's team.
It was revealed that Mizuki Hidero's advantage had extended beyond the first-level labyrinth. Even in the second stage—the treacherous mountain climb—his team seemed to have prior knowledge.
They had taken an obscure, secret passage, encountering no major obstacles, and reached the midpoint of the mountain with suspicious ease.
By all logic, Mizuki Hidero's squad should not have met the conditions required to enter the Land of Cats.
Yet, through unknown means, they had managed to pass the second test and gain entry.
In stark contrast, Hōzuki Mangetsu's team, who had climbed the mountain through conventional methods, faced relentless trials.
Along their ascent, the Hōzuki squad encountered numerous bizarre challenges, set forth by the feline ninja:
• Time-based combat trials: Defeat a blocking ninja cat within a set period.
• Mystery-solving challenges: Collect scattered clues during the climb and decipher a riddle posed by a ninja cat.
• Sacrificial trials: One particularly audacious ninja cat demanded that a team member leap from a sheer cliff.
Despite these absurdly rigorous tests, the Hōzuki team passed them all.
Their perseverance impressed many of the observing Jōnin in Kirigakure.
Hōzuki Mangetsu, known as one of the most gifted swordsmen of his generation, had showcased not just his strength, but also unwavering resilience and tactical prowess.
His team's struggles had, ironically, won him widespread recognition.
As for Mizuki Hidero…
Though his squad had technically advanced, the fairness of their progress was evident in the minds of the Jōnin.
They were not blind.
Thus, when the Hōzuki team finally arrived in the Land of Cats, the third phase of the assessment was set to begin.
The Colosseum of the Cat Clan
By this time, Terumi Mei's injuries had healed significantly.
Finally, on this decisive day, all three squads were summoned by messengers of the Cat Clan.
Each team was led through separate entrances into the belly of the mountain.
Emerging from the tunnels, they were greeted by a vast, open space—
A colosseum carved into the heart of the mountain.
On either side, thousands of ninja cats perched upon the rocky ledges, their piercing gazes fixed upon the three squads that stood at the arena's center.
Ryosuke's keen eyes quickly scanned his surroundings.
A rough estimate told him that at least several thousand ninja cats had gathered.
The sheer numbers and discipline displayed by the Cat Clan's warriors stunned him.
The strength they exhibited was on par with a mid-tier ninja village—a force far greater than most shinobi would expect.
It was at this moment that Ryosuke fully realized—
Among all the summoning clans, the Cat Clan stood just beneath the Three Great Summoning Clans—Mount Myōboku's toads, Ryūchi Cave's snakes, and Shikkotsu Forest's slugs.
The expressions of the twelve participating shinobi varied, but all shared the same understanding—
The final trial was about to begin.
Their respective squad captains—Mizuki Ryosuke, Hōzuki Mangetsu, and Mizuki Hidero—locked eyes for the first time since they had left Kirigakure.
After three days of recuperation, Ryosuke's squad looked composed and refreshed, showing no outward sign of their past hardships.
Mizuki Hidero's team, similarly, appeared well-rested.
In contrast, Hōzuki Mangetsu's squad bore clear signs of their grueling struggle.
Among them, one shinobi stood out—Kabutowari's wielder, Kusa Wildbait.
One of his arms was bandaged and slung around his neck, an obvious result of the brutal mountain trials.
As the three squad leaders exchanged glances, Hōzuki Mangetsu's gaze locked onto Ryosuke.
His sharp, battle-hungry eyes radiated an unmistakable intent—
He wanted to fight.
Ryosuke, however, merely offered a polite smile, before turning away indifferently.
As for Mizuki Hidero, he wore an expression of forced indifference.
Yet beneath his composed façade, his clenched fists trembled with frustration.
His eyes burned with resentment.
"Just wait… you two…," Mizuki Hidero thought, his face subtly contorting.
"I, Mizuki Hidero, will claim the final victory."
By this stage of the exam, each of the three squads had formed their own interpretations of the assessment.
From an outsider's perspective, Ryosuke still held the greatest advantage.
In terms of raw squad strength, Mangetsu and Hidero's teams were stronger.
But Mangetsu's squad had been significantly weakened by the trials they had endured.
At this moment, the three squads stood on eerily equal footing.
Under the watchful eyes of thousands of ninja cats, two feline figures emerged from opposite ends of the colosseum and stepped toward the center.
The first was a familiar face—the Cat Boss, a towering elder known as the "Demon Muscle Cat."
The second was a slender, razor-sharp feline, its movements sleek and precise.
If the Cat Boss embodied raw strength, this cat represented speed and coordination taken to the extreme.
The fact that the two stood together signified their equal status within the Cat Clan.
At last—
The third phase of the Mizukage assessment was about to begin.
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