When the storm of lightning finally ended, the golden barrier around Arata shimmered once—and slowly faded away.
Inside stood Arata, calm and unscathed.
Not a single burn, not a trace of dust.
He looked at Raiya across the ruined battlefield, voice steady but sharp.
"So that's the power of your Thunder Blades? Not impressive."
The taunt hit like a slap.
Raiya's veins bulged with fury.
"You little brat!" he roared.
"Don't get cocky just because you blocked one technique! I'll show you the true power of a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!"
With a snarl, he lunged forward.
Lightning crawled up the twin blades in his hands as he dashed through the mist.
His speed was terrifying—
but in Arata's eyes, it was too slow.
Arata didn't move to dodge. He simply waited.
When their blades finally met—
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Crack! Snap! Boom!
Sparks exploded around them.
Golden and blue lightning intertwined, flashing violently with every clash.
The two figures became blurs in the fog—one wrapped in golden arcs, the other in deep blue thunder.
Every collision sent shockwaves rippling through the ground.
For several minutes, the two traded blows in pure taijutsu, lightning amplifying every strike.
But the longer they fought, the more unsettled Raiya became.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
The boy's movements were sharp—precise—growing smoother with every exchange.
His rhythm adapted, evolved, until Raiya realized with a shudder that Arata was learning from him mid-battle.
"How… how is this possible?" he thought, heart pounding.
"His reflexes, his strength—they're already above mine! The only reason I'm even keeping up is experience!"
Each time their weapons clashed, Arata's eyes sharpened.
He was no longer fighting to survive—he was fighting to understand.
Raiya's breath came faster.
"This kid… he's a monster."
He needed space—distance—to use ninjutsu again.
If he kept fighting up close, he'd lose.
"Damn it… I need to pull back. I can't win in close combat anymore!"
But Arata didn't let up.
His golden lightning made him move like a living storm—every strike faster, heavier, more refined.
Raiya's arms went numb from blocking.
He could barely see Arata's movements now; his eyes couldn't track that speed.
"He's not human…!"
Desperation flared in Raiya's mind.
He grit his teeth, channeling all his chakra into his blades.
"Lightning Release — Thunder Sphere!"
As their weapons locked, Raiya thrust both blades forward, releasing a concentrated orb of lightning right at Arata's face.
BOOM!
The impact was deafening.
A blinding sphere of lightning exploded between them—
—but when the light cleared, Arata was gone.
"What—?!"
The Thunder Sphere shot past and struck a boulder behind him, vaporizing it instantly.
Chunks of molten rock scattered across the ground.
Raiya seized the moment, leaping backward to open the distance he needed.
He landed, breathing hard, and formed seals with shaking hands.
"Let's end this—Lightning Release: Dragon's Cyclone!"
Crackle—!
A colossal dragon of lightning, ten meters long, roared into existence before him.
Its scales shimmered with electric arcs, its body writhing with destructive energy.
The beast lunged forward, shrieking as it tore through the air toward Arata.
But Arata didn't hesitate.
His expression didn't even change.
He brought his palms together—no hand seals, just focus.
"Wind Release — Storm Dragon Tornado."
A violent gust spiraled up behind him, coalescing into a massive dragon of pure wind.
It roared across the sky, meeting the lightning beast head-on.
ROARRRR!
The two elemental monsters collided in midair.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
The battlefield vanished under light and sound.
Shockwaves ripped through the ground. The sky flashed white.
When the chaos settled, the Wind Dragon opened its jaws and devoured the Lightning Dragon whole—
then exploded outward, its body unraveling into a raging cyclone that obliterated everything in its path.
The ground split apart, craters forming where solid rock once stood.
Raiya could only stare.
"Impossible… he's using Wind Release?"
He had watched Arata for days—he'd only ever seen lightning techniques!
"Wind and lightning are both advanced elemental natures—how can he master both?!"
The Wind Dragon wasn't done. Its stormy form twisted, like a living beast with its own will, and dove straight for Raiya.
"No—!"
BOOOOOM!
The impact shook the world.
The explosion carved out a pit more than ten meters wide.
Debris rained down like a meteor shower, and the shockwave sent trees snapping like twigs hundreds of meters away.
When the dust settled, Arata stood silently, golden lightning flickering faintly around him.
He glanced toward the smoking crater and sighed.
"Tch. Not bad for a jōnin… he dodged at the last second."
Far at the crater's edge, Raiya staggered to his feet, half his armor shredded.
His cloak was gone. Blood trickled from shallow cuts all over his body.
His Thunder Blades trembled in his hands.
He looked nothing like one of the Seven Swordsmen now—
just a beaten man facing something he couldn't understand.
"Monster…" he rasped.
"He's not a genin… there's no way."
He could barely breathe.
Even with the legendary Thunder Blades, even as an elite jōnin, he was completely overpowered.
"If this keeps up… I'll die here."
His instincts screamed for him to run.
But Arata didn't attack.
He simply watched. Waiting.
"Why isn't he finishing me?"
Raiya's teeth clenched.
He thought Arata was toying with him.
Humiliating him.
But in truth, Arata was cautious.
He could sense it—Raiya was hiding one last jutsu, a technique he hadn't used yet.
Arata wasn't arrogant; he was careful.
He knew better than anyone that a cornered enemy was the most dangerous kind.
"Show me your last card," Arata murmured quietly.
His voice carried easily through the wind.
And for the first time, Raiya felt fear not as a warrior—
but as prey.
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