Thunder Basin had changed.
The forest no longer felt scattered.
It felt… tight.
Like something was closing in.
Where earlier there had been isolated clashes— now there was pressure.
Movement.
Hunting patterns forming.
Regrouping
Raizen's squad moved nearly a kilometer before slowing.
The forest here was dense.
Light barely touched the ground.
Shadows stretched long between the trees.
Daigo leaned against a rock.
"…I'm officially done fighting instructors."
Akari didn't look at him.
"You don't get that option."
Daigo sighed.
"…Figures."
Raizen stood a few steps away.
Still.
Watching.
Inside his mind—
Astra spoke:
"Instructor pursuit probability reduced."
Raizen nodded.
For now—
they were safe.
But safety didn't exist here for long.
Tactical Ground
Akari crouched beside a fallen tree.
She sketched quickly in the dirt.
"This is where we came from."
A ridge.
Then a turn.
Then their current position.
Daigo looked down.
"…So we ran."
Akari exhaled.
"No."
She pointed to two narrow paths.
"We repositioned."
Raizen added:
"Two entrances."
Akari nodded.
"Which means controlled access."
Daigo blinked.
"…So we're not running."
Raizen answered calmly:
"We're choosing the battlefield."
The Basin Erupts
A distant explosion cracked through the forest.
Then—
another horn.
Shouting.
Multiple voices.
Akari tilted her head.
"…Three squads."
Daigo smirked.
"They're tearing each other apart."
Raizen shook his head.
"No."
Daigo frowned.
"What?"
Raizen pointed toward the sound.
"They're loud."
Inside—
Astra confirmed:
"Chakra signatures rising."
"High probability of instructor interception."
Daigo's expression dropped.
"…They're bait."
Raizen nodded.
Rei Kurogane
Elsewhere—
Rei stepped over a fallen log.
The distant clash echoed faintly.
One teammate spoke:
"That's a big fight."
Rei didn't slow.
"Good."
"…Why?"
Rei answered simply:
"The loud ones die first."
He continued forward.
But his thoughts shifted—
Raizen.
"…Next time," he muttered quietly,
"…no interruptions."
Watching Above
High above the basin—
Kaito Ren leaned forward.
"They're breaking."
Below— students ran.
Uncoordinated.
Panicked.
Takeshi Aran watched in silence.
His eyes fixed on one section.
Ren followed his gaze.
"…That squad again?"
Aran nodded.
"They're adapting."
Ren smirked.
"That one…"
He glanced toward Raizen's position.
"…doesn't move like a student."
Aran replied quietly:
"No."
Then—
"He moves like someone who's already survived war."
The Chosen Ground
Back in the forest—
Raizen stood at the edge of a narrow valley.
Steep slopes.
Limited visibility.
Only two viable entry paths.
A kill zone.
Akari moved into position above.
Bow drawn.
Hidden.
Daigo secured the banner behind a rock.
"…We're really doing this?"
Raizen nodded.
"Yes."
This time—
they weren't avoiding the fight.
They were building it.
Incoming
Astra spoke:
"Two squads approaching."
"Closing distance: fast."
Raizen's eyes narrowed.
"…Good."
Daigo grinned.
"…Now we're talking."
Akari drew the bowstring slowly.
Silent.
Steady.
Branches snapped.
Voices.
Footsteps.
The first figures broke through the trees.
They didn't know.
Not yet.
That they had just stepped into controlled terrain.
Into layered positioning.
Into a trap.
This wasn't survival anymore.
This was execution.
And in Thunder Basin— the storm was no longer forming.
It was beginning to strike.