Low thunder rolled across the mountains surrounding Kumogakure.
Gray storm clouds drifted above the academy training complex, casting the combat arena in shifting shadows.
Nearly every elite student stood around the circular stone arena.
Watching.
Waiting.
Today—
The Black Storm Evaluation truly began.
At the center platform stood Instructor Takeshi Aran.
His presence alone silenced the crowd.
"The first phase of the Black Storm Evaluation," he said evenly,
"is the Lightning Gauntlet."
Students leaned forward instinctively.
"Each of you will face an opponent selected by the instructors."
His gaze swept across the group.
"We are not only evaluating victory."
A pause.
"We are evaluating how you fight."
The message landed.
Clear.
Reckless aggression meant nothing.
Cowardice meant less.
The Match Board
A large projection seal activated on the arena wall.
Lightning-shaped characters burned into the stone.
MATCH ORDER — LIGHTNING GAUNTLET
Students immediately surged with quiet reactions.
Eyes scanning.
Calculating.
Akari stood beside Raizen and Daigo.
"…They're starting with mid-tier matchups."
Daigo stretched his shoulders.
"Good."
He smirked.
"Let everyone else burn out first."
Raizen remained still.
His eyes moved slowly across the board.
Inside his mind, Astra spoke:
"Opponent pairing logic detected."
Raizen responded mentally.
"…Instructor-controlled contrast?"
"Confirmed."
Opponents weren't random.
They were designed.
To expose weaknesses.
The First Matches
Two students stepped forward.
The signal flag dropped.
The fight began instantly.
Metal rang.
Feet shifted sharply against stone.
One student swept low—
The other countered high—
Fast.
Tight.
Controlled.
Thirty seconds.
Forty.
A misstep—
A slip—
"Instructor decision — eliminated."
The crowd murmured quietly.
These weren't playground fights.
Every movement mattered.
Rising Intensity
More matches followed.
Each one different.
Each one revealing something.
Speed fighters darted in and out.
Defensive types absorbed pressure.
Precision fighters waited for openings.
A few students reinforced their strikes with faint Lightning Release—
Small sparks flickering across their fists.
Nothing excessive.
Nothing wasteful.
Efficiency.
Raizen watched everything.
Inside his mind, Astra continued:
"Five dominant combat archetypes identified."
"Speed. Defense. Precision.
Aggression. Deception."
Raizen's eyes shifted slightly.
"…Which one wins most?"
"Data insufficient."
Raizen didn't respond.
Because the board changed again.
A Seven Star Steps Forward
New names formed.
The reaction was immediate.
"Look—"
"Next match—"
"Seven Star—"
Akari read it quietly.
"…Rei Kurogane versus Shun Takeda."
Daigo grinned.
"Oh yeah."
"…This one matters."
Rei vs Takeda
Shun Takeda stepped onto the platform first.
Tall.
Solid.
Grounded.
A defensive fighter.
Rei walked up moments later.
Relaxed.
Loose.
Dangerous.
The flag dropped.
Takeda moved first.
Lightning flickered across his forearms.
Basic reinforcement.
Clean.
Effective.
He drove forward with a straight punch.
Rei slipped.
Effortless.
Takeda followed—
Low kick.
Rei stepped back.
Reset.
Then forward again.
Faster.
Takeda blocked the first strike—
Barely.
Rei shifted angles instantly.
Elbow toward the ribs.
Takeda absorbed it.
Countered with force.
Rei slid back across the platform.
The crowd reacted.
Takeda pressed.
Two strikes.
Then another.
Rei dodged.
Blocked.
Adjusted.
But—
He was being pushed.
Akari narrowed her eyes.
"…Takeda's controlling space."
Daigo nodded.
"Yeah…"
Then smirked.
"…But not the tempo."
The Turning Point
Takeda lunged again.
Wide hook.
Rei stepped inside.
Close.
Too close.
Pivot.
Low sweep.
Takeda's balance broke—
Just for a second.
That was enough.
Rei struck.
One palm—
Second strike—
Forward pressure—
Takeda stumbled.
Boundary line.
Too close.
Too late.
"Instructor decision — eliminated."
Silence—
Then murmurs.
Rei stepped off calmly.
Like nothing had happened.
The Crowd Feels It
"…That speed…"
"…He changed rhythm mid-fight…"
"…He didn't overpower him…"
Akari nodded slightly.
"…He reads timing."
Daigo crossed his arms.
"…Second fastest in the academy."
He glanced sideways.
Raizen didn't respond.
Across the arena—
Rei turned.
Their eyes met.
A grin.
Small.
Sharp.
The message was clear.
I'm ready.
The Board Changes Again
The projection seal flickered.
Lightning surged across the surface.
New names appeared.
The reaction was immediate.
Louder.
Heavier.
Because this time—
Everyone recognized it.
Akari read it quietly.
"…Raizen Tenrai."
The arena shifted.
Students leaned forward.
Some stepped closer.
Others went silent.
Daigo smirked.
"Well…"
He cracked his neck.
"Time for the First Star."
Raizen stood.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Inside his mind, Astra spoke:
"Opponent data loading."
Raizen stepped toward the arena.
The air changed.
Not louder.
Not chaotic.
Focused.
Because now—
The number one-ranked student was stepping into the Gauntlet.
And everyone in the academy wanted to see—
If the storm was real.