The forest had gone quiet again.
Not peaceful.
Watching.
Distant metal clashes echoed through Thunder Basin—
brief, sharp, then gone.
Raizen's squad remained on the ridge.
From here, the basin unfolded below them.
Paths.
Movement.
Hunting patterns.
Daigo adjusted the banner across his back.
"…So what now?"
Akari didn't look away from the tree line.
"Now everyone understands what this exam really is."
Raizen stayed silent.
Inside his mind—
Astra spoke:
"Battlefield activity increasing."
"Multiple squad convergence detected."
Raizen nodded.
The easy fights were over.
The Basin Awakens
Movement spread across the forest below.
Three squads.
Then five.
Then more.
Some moved carefully.
Others ran like prey.
The trial had shifted.
Now—
everyone was hunting.
Daigo leaned forward.
"…We go after them?"
Raizen shook his head.
"No."
Akari understood immediately.
"We move, we lose the ridge."
Raizen nodded.
"Exactly."
Here— they controlled the field.
Anyone who wanted the banner— had to climb.
Astra's Warning
Astra's tone changed.
"New movement detected."
"Speed: high."
Raizen's focus sharpened.
"…Direction?"
"Southwest."
Akari saw it next.
Branches snapped.
Fast.
Too fast.
Daigo frowned.
"…That's not a normal squad."
Lightning Arrival
A figure burst from the trees—
Then another.
Then a third.
They climbed like the terrain didn't matter.
Akari's eyes narrowed.
"…Rei."
Rei Kurogane moved like a strike of lightning.
Chakra flickered along his arms.
Controlled.
Violent.
Behind him—
two elite-level teammates.
He stopped halfway up the ridge.
Eyes locked on Raizen.
"…Found you."
First Rival Clash
The air tightened.
No one moved.
Akari held aim.
Daigo stepped forward.
Rei tilted his head.
"…You've been busy."
Raizen answered:
"…You too."
Rei moved first.
Explosion.
Distance erased instantly.
Daigo met him.
Fist—
Collision.
The impact cracked through the ridge.
Daigo slid back—
grinning.
"…Okay."
"That was real."
Split Battle
Rei's teammate broke right—
toward Akari.
She fired.
Two arrows.
Forced movement.
Controlled space.
The second attacker slipped through—
too close.
Raizen moved.
Panther Entry.
Inside the guard.
Palm strike.
Clean.
"Eliminated."
Lightning vs Storm
Rei was already there.
Closing.
Target: Raizen.
Lightning flared—
Strike.
Fast.
Raizen shifted.
Silver Step.
Miss.
Barely.
Rei smiled.
"…Nice."
He pressed harder.
Faster.
Stronger.
Raizen matched.
Not speed.
Control.
Angles.
Timing.
Their movements blurred.
Exchange after exchange.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
No advantage.
Astra's Read
Inside—
Astra processed rapidly:
"Opponent speed: extreme."
"Pattern detected."
"Attack rhythm consistent."
Raizen understood.
Rei wasn't chaotic.
He was structured speed.
And structure—
could be read.
Raizen waited.
Interruption
A horn split the battlefield.
Loud.
Sharp.
Final.
Everything stopped.
From above—
Kaito Ren's voice echoed:
"Phase One checkpoint."
"All squads hold position."
Silence returned.
Rei stepped back.
Lightning faded.
He looked at Raizen—
smiling slightly.
"…Next time."
Raizen answered:
"…We'll see."
Rei turned.
Gone within seconds.
Aftermath
The ridge quieted.
Daigo rolled his shoulders.
"…Yeah."
"That guy's a problem."
Akari lowered her bow.
"He's fast."
Raizen didn't respond.
He watched the forest.
Where Rei vanished.
Inside his mind—
Astra spoke:
"Opponent profile updated."
Raizen nodded.
"…Good."
Because next time—
there would be no interruption.
No reset.
No pause.
And deep within Thunder Basin—
the real Black Storm Trial
had finally begun.