Shinobi Trial's 'Long Night Cup' Set for November 21 — Britan's Entry Request Deferred to Next Season

The Patrol Guild officially announced on the 28th that this November's Shinobi Trial "Long Night Cup," whose entry list was reported on October 7th, will be held on November 21st, at the usual bayside riverbank course. The nighttime obstacle event, which scores speed and the rarity of triggering presence detectors together, will keep its usual policy of not explaining the rules in detail.

■ Britan's Entrant Deferred This Season

Regarding the request to compete from a person claiming to represent a group equivalent to covert patrol work in Britan, first reported on October 7th, the Patrol Guild formally decided on the 28th to defer participation this season. Guild chief Soichiro Koka, 64, previously reported, explained, "I've said that accepting too hastily and refusing unconditionally both go against the guild's way. This time we avoided the former." Since no screening framework yet exists, he said, "Rather than welcome our first overseas competitor under a half-formed set of rules, we'd rather work it out properly toward next June's Short Night Cup." The guild said it has sent the Britan group a written explanation of the deferral.

■ Kiryu Aims for a Third Title

Two-time defending champion Iori Kiryu, 29, of the Iga lineage, who will now compete in a field of domestic athletes only, said, true to her catchphrase that it's her job not to be heard, "Whether a foreign competitor comes or not matters less to me than how I run my usual night course this time." Touching on the previously reported rivalry between the Patrol Guild and the Sword Bearers' Association — described as "day and night" — she added with a laugh, "Their autumn Five-Match Series is close in timing, on November 8th. They always get the attention, as usual, but we'll quietly deliver results of our own."

■ Carried Over to Next Season

The guild said it will now focus in earnest on drafting screening rules for foreign competitors ahead of next June's Short Night Cup. "My way has always been to say don't call us ninja while always answering questions from the press — but this time, the conclusion rested on the single fact that no rules exist yet. The substantive discussion is still ahead," Koka said. Whether Britan's group will reapply remains undecided.

■ A Gap With the "Ninja" Coverage Abroad

As previously reported, covert patrol officers have become famous abroad as "ninja," with a Britan magazine once calling them "Tokei's quietest civil servants." Koka explained again, "We've always turned down every overseas request just to observe. This was the first time anyone asked to compete as an athlete. Being famous and having proper rules in place are two different things — and precisely because we're famous, the thing we most wanted to avoid was welcoming someone carelessly and running into trouble later." Within the guild, the decision is expected to kick off work on a framework for screening rules toward next June's Short Night Cup starting early next year.

■ The Rivalry With the Sword Bearers, Again This Season

As previously reported, the Sword Bearers' Association and the Patrol Guild are spoken of as "day and night," and articles comparing their spectator numbers appear every year. With Shido Swordplay's Round 4 confirmed for November 8th, reported on the 23rd, Kiryu said with a wry smile, "Their schedule always gets fixed first, and ours trickles out slowly afterward. Looks like that order hasn't changed this year either," adding, "But the Long Night Cup isn't a contest over spectator turnout, so it doesn't bother me."

■ What Comes Next

The November 21st Long Night Cup will be contested by domestic athletes only, centered on Kiryu as previously reported. Spectator arrangements and detailed match-ups are expected to be announced in early November.