Sure enough, Ryan's world continued to be at the top of the list.
After witnessing such a staggering score, the sentiment among the Hokage was unanimous: when it came to innovation and development, Ryan's world reigned supreme. Time after time, no matter the ranking event or the reward session, he was always the first to break through the ceiling, setting new standards before the rest could even catch up.
Everyone remembered the first time a world had broken the 1,000-point threshold. That milestone? It belonged to Ryan. And when someone finally surpassed 2,000? Again Ryan. Now, for the first time, a world had crossed the 3,000-point mark… and, predictably, it was his.
The score was more than a personal triumph. It shattered records and elevated the entire group's reward tier, unlocking access to the Second-Level World Prize Pool once again. That realization sparked a wave of murmurs and excited speculation around the grand roundtable.
"Another second-tier prize pool," Minato said with a knowing smile. "He's making this a habit."
"Well, we've seen it a few times now," Kakashi added, glancing up from his corner. "But it still feels like cheating when he does it."
Tsunade leaned in, fingers steepled. "Let's ask the real question: when do we unlock the third-level prize pool?"
That earned a few raised brows. Until now, the third tier had been more myth than goal, requiring a daunting 10,000 points. Most had written it off as unreachable, at least shortly.
But after seeing 3,000 fall this quickly, a shift settled over the group. The impossible didn't seem quite so far anymore.
Tobirama frowned, deep in thought. "The pace is accelerating. We barely had time to stabilize at 2,000 points… now we're leaping past that."
"It's not linear anymore," Obito said quietly. "He's creating a snowball effect."
No one disagreed. The growth was exponential, and with it came the uneasy feeling that Ryan's world might leave the rest permanently behind. Still, amidst that competitive tension, there was also admiration.
More than once, Ryan's progress had pulled everyone forward, elevating the prize pool, resetting standards, and indirectly helping every Hokage in the group.
Hashirama chuckled and finally broke the reflective silence. "Honestly, we should be thanking Ryan. If it weren't for him, our lotteries wouldn't be this good."
"The last few second-tier rewards?" he added, smiling warmly. "All thanks to him."
"And if we ever hit the third-tier prize pool," Madara said, nodding thoughtfully, "it'll be because he broke the wall for us again."
The sentiment was unanimous. Ryan wasn't just competing; he was lifting the entire system with him. Even Tobirama, ever the skeptic, couldn't deny the results. His innovations, the speed at which he returned with materials, and the sheer scale of technology in his world. It was changing the tempo of the entire multiverse.
As the discussion died down, the air around the roundtable shifted. Excitement gave way to quiet anticipation. Everyone's eyes turned toward the floating light curtain above.
It was time.
Second place will be announced next.
And though they'd never admit it aloud, any of them was hoping, just maybe, they were next in line.
At this point, with Ryan already confirmed as the top scorer, the mood around the celestial round table shifted.
Everyone else except Ryan was tense. Understandably so.
The Fourth Hokage of that advanced world had already secured first place, and with it, the luxury of calm anticipation. He could sit back, fully aware that his rewards were guaranteed to be nothing short of incredible. But for the remaining Hokage, the competition for second place had reached its boiling point.
Everyone understood exactly what was at stake. Second place didn't just mean glory; it meant choice. While not as extravagant as first place, which offered three selectable rewards, second place still granted two. And if chosen wisely, those two rewards could shift a shinobi's standing overnight.
After all, they'd seen it before.
Kakashi from the Third Hokage world had once languished in the lower half of the rankings. Competent, yes, but not particularly threatening compared to the others. Then he received a high-tier reward. Practically overnight, his strength skyrocketed. He vaulted up the ranks, shocking even the more senior Kage.
No one had forgotten that transformation.
Though Kakashi remained characteristically quiet about it, his swift rise had left a mark. It became a reference point, proof that with the right rewards, a Hokage's world could be reshaped, reforged into something formidable.
And now, with second place about to be revealed, the atmosphere was electric.
Several Hokage believed no, and hoped that this time it might be them. Their worlds weren't developing slowly. Quite the opposite: the past three months had seen a frenzy of progress. Entire civilizations were being reorganized at a breakneck pace. Some had poured every resource, every waking moment, into dragging their world toward the next tier.
But there could only be one second place.
The screen shimmered, signaling an announcement. Every pair of eyes locked onto the screen. Then, at last, the chat group's automated voice rang out:
[Selection Complete.]
[Second Place: Second Hokage Tobirama's World!]
"Tch... guess it wasn't me after all," Naruto muttered under his breath, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Well, at least it's someone who knows what they're doing."
"Hah! What did you expect? The Second Hokage doesn't mess around," Mianto remarked with a smirk, the faintest hint of respect in his tone. "He's always been a strategist."
"I told you," Hashirama said with a wide grin, clapping his hands together as if it were a matter of course. "My little brother's a genius. No one does logistics and systems like he does! I mean, that's the real key to world development."
Tobirama's lips twitched, not quite a smile, but a satisfied expression. "It's called being efficient. Something you might want to learn, brother." He glanced at Hashirama, his tone as dry as ever. "You rely too much on raw strength. There's no system to it."
Hashirama laughed heartily, brushing it off. "Well, someone has to handle the heavy lifting. Not all of us are blessed with your 'orderly' mind."
"Please, you're one to talk," Tobirama shot back, his voice dripping with exasperation. "Didn't you nearly destroy the village with that 'peaceful' approach of yours?"
"Ha! You just can't let that go, can you, Tobirama?" Hashirama chuckled, waving off the remark. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: without that 'peaceful' approach, we wouldn't have had Hiruzen and Danzo to carry the torch."
Madara's sharp gaze flickered toward Hashirama. "Hiruzen and Danzo, your precious students... how did they turn out? One's a pacifist who will sacrifice others for peace, and the other is a power-hungry warhawk."
Naruto let out a dramatic sigh, resting his chin in his hand. "Man, I really thought I could catch up this time. I've been pushing so hard, trying to get everyone in my world to level up faster. But guess it just wasn't enough." He scratched his head in frustration, a little too loud for his usual calm demeanor.
"Don't worry, Naruto," Obito chimed in with a smirk, leaning back. "It's not about who works hardest, it's about who can actually make the system work for them. Tobirama's always been better at that."
"You're not wrong," Tobirama replied, his voice still as cool and composed as ever. "There's more to victory than brute force or ideals. A good system can achieve far more than simple ambition."
Naruto frowned, but only for a moment. "Yeah, I get it… But I still think my way works better, y'know?"
"Only because you don't know how to manage it yet," Tobirama said, not unkindly. "I'll teach you, if you want."
Kakashi, though trying to keep his usual nonchalance, couldn't help but add, "Second Hokage, it's not just about efficiency. The reward is important too. But you already know that."
"Of course," Tobirama replied, finally giving a faint smirk. "There's no point in working hard if you don't claim what you deserve. But none of this would be possible without proper planning."
Hashirama leaned back, eyes twinkling with amusement. "He's right, though. And I have to admit, it's impressive to see how well he's managed it. I'm proud of you, Tobirama."
Tobirama didn't react to the praise, but there was a flicker of warmth in his eyes. "Don't get too sentimental, Aniki. I'm still your younger brother. You wouldn't know what to do without me."
Minato chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, he's earned that second place. Though, don't think you'll keep it for long, Tobirama. The competition's heating up."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Tobirama replied, the usual competitive edge returning to his voice. "Let's see who can match up to efficiency, then."
Obito grinned, leaning forward. "I'll make sure to keep my eyes on all of you. But for now, well done, Second Hokage. You've earned it."
The Hokage murmured in agreement, though a few couldn't hide their disappointment. Naruto, in particular, frowned and crossed his arms.
He had been confident. After the last rankings, the gap between his world and second place hadn't seemed so great. He'd pushed his people hard, worked tirelessly to streamline development, modernize the village, and implement reforms. He had believed truly that this time, he'd finally close the gap.
But in the end… Tobirama had pulled ahead again.
"I was so close," Naruto muttered, clearly frustrated. "I thought I'd caught up…"
Truth be told, most of them had expected Tobirama to rank high, but second place still left a strong impression. His world had once again done the impossible, outpacing countless others in terms of structured, strategic development.
Meanwhile, the man himself sat with his arms crossed, face composed. If he was proud, he didn't show it. Instead, Tobirama glanced around at the others, voice steady and sharp as ever.
"Hmph. You thought catching up would be that easy?" he said flatly. "I work harder than all of you combined. You don't outpace me by simply trying harder for a few months."
The others winced slightly, but no one argued.
It wasn't arrogance, just a fact.
...
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