Dark clouds rolled low over the mountains surrounding Kumogakure.
The academy training valley had been rearranged again.
Not scattered this time.
Organized.
Intentional.
Several sparring rings stood in a straight line across the field.
One after another.
A path.
Students gathered along the edges, voices low.
Something felt different.
Heavier.
Instructor Takeshi Aran stepped forward.
"Today's exercise is the Instructor Gauntlet."
A ripple moved through the crowd.
"You will face multiple opponents in sequence."
He gestured toward the line of rings.
"Each match begins immediately after the previous one ends."
Daigo blinked.
"…No breaks?"
Aran looked directly at him.
"Correct."
Daigo groaned.
Akari smirked.
Aran continued.
"In real missions, you rarely face a single opponent."
His voice carried across the valley.
"You fight until the objective is complete."
A pause.
"This exercise teaches endurance."
"And adaptation under pressure."
Names were called.
Students stepped forward.
Some eager.
Some tense.
Then—
"Raizen Tenrai."
The crowd leaned in.
Raizen stepped into the first ring.
Calm.
Focused.
The whistle blew.
The first opponent rushed immediately.
A grappler.
Heavy stance.
Explosive forward movement.
Raizen didn't meet him head-on.
He shifted.
Step.
Angle.
The charge redirected.
The grappler stumbled past—
Tap.
Raizen's training blade touched his back.
"Match."
No pause.
The second opponent stepped in instantly.
A spear user.
Long reach.
Wide arcs.
The weapon cut through the air.
Raizen switched.
Kunai.
Short blade.
Clash.
Steel met wood.
He didn't fight the range.
He erased it.
Step inside.
Close distance.
The blade stopped at the shoulder.
"Match."
No pause.
The third opponent entered.
Faster.
A taijutsu specialist.
Strikes came in combinations.
Fluid.
Relentless.
Raizen adjusted again.
No weapons.
Movement.
Redirect.
Turn.
Counter.
A sweep broke the rhythm.
The opponent hit the ground.
"Match."
No pause.
The fourth opponent stepped forward.
By now—
Raizen's breathing had changed.
Not strained.
But heavier.
Inside his mind, Astra spoke.
"Heart rate elevated."
"Energy expenditure increasing."
Raizen slowed his pace.
Controlled it.
Efficiency mattered now more than speed.
The fourth match ended quickly.
Clean.
Minimal movement.
No wasted energy.
Then—
The fifth opponent stepped forward.
The crowd quieted.
Not a Seven Star.
Not a leader.
But known.
Quietly.
A tall boy.
Calm posture.
Two short blades at his waist.
He bowed slightly.
"Kenji Sato."
"I've been waiting for this."
Raizen drew his sword.
Kenji moved first.
Two blades.
Not separate—
Connected.
Left.
Right.
Forward.
The rhythm didn't stop.
Steel collided instantly.
Kenji's style was different.
Not just fast.
Not just aggressive.
Relentless.
Pressure without pause.
Raizen adjusted.
Step.
Turn.
Guard.
But the pattern was harder to read.
Inside his mind, Astra reacted.
"Dual-weapon coordination: high synchronization."
Raizen narrowed his focus.
Kenji's movements—
Fluid.
Predatory.
Like something that hunted.
The next exchange hit harder.
Both blades crossed.
Trapping.
Raizen's sword slipped free—
Barely.
For the first time in the gauntlet—
He stepped back.
Two full steps.
The crowd felt it.
Kenji smiled.
"Finally."
He moved again—
"Enough."
Instructor Aran's voice cut through the arena.
Both fighters stopped instantly.
Silence settled.
Aran stepped forward.
"This is not a tournament."
Kenji lowered his blades.
Raizen lowered his sword.
The fight ended—
But not finished.
As the crowd began to disperse, Kenji walked past Raizen.
"You're good."
Raizen nodded.
"So are you."
Kenji's smile returned.
"We'll finish that later."
He walked away.
Daigo approached immediately.
"Yeah… that guy was different."
Akari nodded.
"He doesn't stop attacking."
Raizen watched Kenji disappear into the crowd.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
That evening, Raizen stood on the balcony again.
The academy rested below him.
Quiet.
Still.
Inside his mind, Astra spoke.
"Endurance evaluation complete."
Raizen folded his arms.
"Results?"
"Performance within optimal range."
Raizen exhaled slowly.
Good.
Because the gauntlet revealed something important.
The Seven Stars weren't alone.
Not at the top.
Not anymore.
There were others.
Growing.
Waiting.
Sharpening themselves in silence.
And that meant one thing.
The storm inside Kumogakure—
Was only getting stronger.