[Thank you everyone for your contributions,we've finally reached 50 powerstones,so there'll be an extra chapter today]
The sprawling sparring arena buzzed with electric anticipation. Hundreds of first-year students from Tenkai stood around the circular battlefield, their crackling Jinki energy painting the air with sparks.
Denki, Hinari, Denji, and their classmates were about to face their first real test — lightning sparring against each other. The energy was thick with rivalry, camaraderie, and nerves.
---
### Battle 1: Hinari vs. Kojiro
Hinari adjusted her gloves, violet lightning shimmering along her arms. Across the circle stood Kojiro — tall, wiry, his hair a wild spike of electric blue.
"You ready to get shocked, Hinari?" Kojiro smirked.
Hinari grinned back. "Only if you can catch me first."
The referee shouted, "Begin!"
---
Kojiro dashed forward like a lightning bolt, feet barely touching the ground. He unleashed a torrent of thin lightning needles, firing them like arrows toward Hinari.
"Thunder Jaguar!" Hinari called, summoning a massive spectral jaguar crackling with purple energy.
The jaguar leapt forward, intercepting Kojiro's needles with fierce swipes, each spark lighting up the arena.
Hinari's eyes flickered. "Thunder Panther, flank him!"
A sleek panther of blazing violet lightning surged from the shadows, moving faster than the eye could track.
---
Kojiro grinned, dodging the jaguar's claw swipe and backflipping away from the panther.
"You're flashy, but I'm precise."
He formed a set of twin lightning daggers, crackling intensely. With a roar, he dashed in, blades aimed at Hinari's sides.
Hinari parried with her crackling scythe, sparks flying as they clashed.
"Speed isn't everything!" she shouted, summoning a storm of lightning arcs swirling around her—her **Storm Veil** technique.
The air filled with electricity, the arcs snapping dangerously close to Kojiro.
Kojiro gritted his teeth. "I need to break that shield."
He vanished in a burst of light, reappearing above Hinari, then dived down in a devastating lightning spear strike.
Hinari barely rolled aside, the spear digging into the earth with a thunderous crack.
She spun and slashed with a bolt-charged sword strike—her **Thunder Slash** technique adapted for lightning.
The clash of power sent crackling shockwaves across the arena.
Kojiro grunted, stepping back. "You've got guts, Hinari."
Hinari wiped sweat from her brow. "You're tough too. Let's finish this!"
Their eyes locked as lightning arcs danced around them—two storms ready to collide.
Kojiro lunged again, twin daggers crackling with raw energy. Hinari summoned the jaguar and panther, their forms merging into a towering lightning beast roaring overhead.
With a shout, Hinari launched herself forward with **Thunder Beast Fury**—her ultimate technique combining beast summons and a lightning-charged slash.
Kojiro met her charge with a focused lightning blast.
The two attacks collided, the shockwave throwing dust and sparks in every direction.
When the dust settled, Kojiro was on one knee, breathing hard but smiling.
Hinari stood tall, glowing faintly from the energy coursing through her.
"Good match," Kojiro said.
Hinari nodded. "You too."
---
Denki, watching from the sidelines, let out a whistle.
"That was insane."
Shinji cheered quietly, feeling the lightning spark inside.
---
The crowd's roar from Hinari's battle still echoed faintly as the electric dust settled on the sparring arena. Some students stretched, others retreated to the sidelines, and a few simply sat, lost in thought. The arena itself still hummed with residual Jinki energy, crackling lightly like static on a summer's night.
Shinji stood just outside the circle, hands tucked into his sleeves, watching Hinari wipe sweat from her face. The violet lightning that had danced around her moments ago now dissipated into soft sparks fading away.
Denki was leaning lazily against the edge of the arena, grinning. "Man, Hinari really lit that up, huh?"
Hinari offered a tired but proud smile. "I had to. Kojiro's precision made me push harder than usual."
The students around them began to discuss the match excitedly. Some praised Hinari's technique, others analyzed Kojiro's strategy. But beneath the surface of their chatter was an unspoken awareness: the real challenge had only just begun.
Shinji shifted, feeling a knot in his chest. He was watching the others excel, their lightning mastery flowing effortlessly. His own struggles with fire felt like a distant storm he couldn't yet summon.
Hinari caught Shinji's gaze and approached him.
"Hey," she said softly, "you okay? You seemed kind of quiet."
Shinji rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, just... thinking. Your fight was amazing. Lightning's so fast and sharp. I wish I had that control."
Hinari shook her head. "Don't sell yourself short. We all have our own paths. Lightning isn't the only way to win."
She looked around at the other students gearing up for their next fights.
"I'm sure your time will come."
Denki sauntered over with his usual grin. "What's this, Shinji? Getting soft watching Hinari get all poetic?"
Shinji rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Denki."
Denki laughed. "Come on, you're better than this. Remember what Tora said? The fire that doesn't burn bright today will roar tomorrow."
"Yeah, yeah," Shinji muttered. "I just wish I knew how to make it roar sooner."
Nearby, Denji paced, hands clenched. He was already shifting into focus mode. His usual calm replaced by a rare seriousness.
Hinari noticed and called out, "Denji! You ready to show us what silent lightning really means?"
Denji smirked. "Just wait. This one's gonna be different."
Shinji wandered away, eyes on the sky. The clouds drifted lazily overhead, patches of blue between them. He thought of his father, of Sepal, of the fire that refused to come.
He clenched his fists.
"I can't give up. Not now."
Denki caught up to Shinji, dropping down beside him.
"Hey, don't let those thoughts weigh you down. You're not alone."
Shinji looked over, surprised.
Denki's smile softened. "We've all got our own fires to fight for. And hey, if your flames don't come yet, I'll carry you through."
Shinji laughed. "You're full of it."
Denki grinned. "Maybe, but you can count on me."
Hinari joined them again, wiping her brow. "You know, controlling lightning isn't just speed. It's rhythm, focus, even flow. Maybe there's something in your fire that's the same?"
Shinji looked at her curiously.
"You ever tried to think of your fire like music? Like a beat you have to find before the flames dance?"
Shinji frowned. "I don't know if I can."
"Try listening," Hinari said, "to your heartbeat. To the wind. To the energy around you. Maybe that's the rhythm your fire wants."
---
Suddenly Denji stood, eyes gleaming.
"I'm going in soon. Wish me luck."
Shinji nodded. "Good luck."
Denki slapped Denji's back. "Show 'em how silent thunder strikes."
As Denji took his place at the center of the arena, the crowd hushed.
Shinji, Denki, and Hinari stood together, their breaths visible in the crisp air.
Shinji's hands clenched again, the embers inside whispering.
The next storm was coming.