The courtyard slowly emptied after the announcement.
Students scattered across the academy grounds in small groups, voices echoing along the stone paths.
Everywhere—
The same words repeated.
"Black Storm Trial."
"Final rankings."
"Elite combat."
Excitement mixed with anxiety.
For some—
It was pressure.
For others—
Anticipation.
Training Grounds
By late afternoon, the academy training fields were packed.
More than usual.
More focused.
Kunai struck wooden targets in constant rhythm.
Sparring rings formed across the dirt.
Even students who usually avoided combat drills had joined in.
The atmosphere had changed.
Sharper.
More competitive.
The academy no longer felt like a school.
It felt like preparation.
The Mizuta Twins
Near one of the outer training circles, Daigo wiped sweat from his forehead after another spar.
"…Okay."
He exhaled heavily.
"That guy definitely got better."
His opponent laughed, rubbing his shoulder.
"You hit like a hammer."
Daigo grinned.
"Good."
A few meters away, Akari stood beside a row of targets.
Three arrows rested between her fingers.
She drew.
Release.
Release.
Release.
Three arrows struck the target in rapid succession.
All within a tight circle.
She lowered the bow calmly.
Daigo glanced over.
"…You're doing that on purpose now."
Akari shrugged.
"Consistency matters."
Raizen's Focus
Raizen stood at the edge of the field.
Watching.
Not training.
Observing.
Inside his mind Astra spoke:
"Training intensity increased by forty-two percent."
Raizen nodded faintly.
Fear and ambition.
Both pushed people forward.
Students sparred aggressively nearby.
But Raizen wasn't interested in random fights.
His focus was clear.
Opponents.
Rei Kurogane
Across the field, a crowd had formed around another sparring ring.
Lightning flickered inside.
Rei moved.
Fast.
Explosive.
His opponent attacked—
Too slow.
Rei slipped inside instantly.
A shoulder strike.
Impact.
The opponent stumbled.
"Match."
Rei stepped back calmly.
No wasted motion.
No extra energy.
Students whispered around the ring.
Even simple sparring felt dangerous around him.
Daigo stepped beside Raizen.
"…He's faster."
Raizen watched.
Inside his mind Astra analyzed:
"Speed: high."
"Aggression: elevated."
"Combat efficiency: strong."
Raizen answered quietly.
"…Expected."
Rival Awareness
Rei glanced across the field.
Their eyes met.
Raizen.
Rei.
No words.
No gestures.
Just understanding.
Soon—
They would fight.
Rei turned away first.
Daigo stretched.
"…So he's number one."
Akari answered.
"Right now."
Daigo looked at Raizen.
"You gonna change that?"
Raizen didn't respond immediately.
He watched the field.
Every movement.
Every flaw.
Then—
"…Rankings don't matter."
Daigo blinked.
"…What?"
Raizen turned slightly.
"What matters…"
A pause.
"…is who wins when it counts."
Akari smirked faintly.
She understood.
Instructor Perspective
From above, on the balcony—
Kaito Ren leaned against the railing.
"They're pushing themselves."
Beside him, Takeshi Aran watched silently.
The academy had changed.
Ren pointed toward the field.
"This class is different."
Aran's gaze moved.
Raizen.
Akari.
Daigo.
Then—
Rei.
Ren noticed.
"You see it too."
Aran finally spoke.
"…Possibly."
Ren smiled.
"Another strong generation?"
Aran didn't answer immediately.
"…We'll see."
Evening Calm
As sunset approached, the training fields emptied.
Lights flickered on across Kumogakure.
A cool wind moved through the mountains.
Daigo stretched.
"…Alright."
"Food."
Akari nodded.
They both looked at Raizen.
He was still watching the field.
Inside his mind Astra spoke:
"Preparation window: three days."
"Recommendation: optimization."
Raizen turned.
"…We'll be ready."
The Coming Trial
Across the academy, students prepared in different ways.
Training.
Studying.
Worrying.
Waiting.
But one truth remained.
In three days—
The Black Storm Trial would begin.
And when it ended—
The academy would know exactly who stood at the top.