The preliminaries roared on. The crowd still hummed with chatter over the second match's outcome, the Yamanaka heir's chilling victory still vivid in everyone's minds. But now, the proctor's voice rang out, sharper, more commanding.
"Third match — Ayame Kurama versus Daigo Hagoromo!"
The announcement stirred the stands. Whispers spread like wildfire:
"Hagoromo heir… his presence alone feels like a storm."
"And Kurama heir — illusions so refined they say she can bend reality."
"This one will decide if cunning can stand against brute force."
Keiji sat forward in the stands, Shiny Gengar floating close by, its grin stretched wider than usual. The faint sound of electricity crackled in the air as Daigo stepped into the arena.
Gengar leaned in, voice like silk wrapped in menace: This one… this one will be a show.
Keiji's Sharingan activated involuntarily, his eyes narrowing at Daigo's imposing figure. "He's no ordinary combatant… That lightning chakra—it's refined, precise. Not something you see often."
Gengar's shadow flickered in amusement. Danger likes to parade itself before the storm. Watch closely.
---
The Contestants Enter
Daigo Hagoromo strode into the arena like a living mountain of power. His broad frame radiated strength; lightning danced faintly across his armor. His golden-and-silver battle plate gleamed under the arena lights, and his two black horns made him appear almost divine in stature.
Across from him, Ayame Kurama moved with graceful precision. Her dark hair flowed like liquid shadow as her amber eyes swept over the crowd and her opponent. Her black-and-purple armor gleamed softly, catching the light as if absorbing it. Her presence was calm, almost unnervingly so, like the stillness before a storm.
The crowd fell silent in anticipation.
"Begin."
The proctor's signal was sharp.
---
The Battle Begins — Illusion vs. Lightning
Ayame struck first. Her fingers moved in precise, practiced motions, weaving intricate seals with speed unseen by most.
"Illusion Release: Phantom World."
The air in the arena shuddered. Shadows deepened. The ground seemed to ripple as grotesque silhouettes rose into being—phantoms twisting into monstrous shapes, tendrils of darkness reaching toward Daigo. The audience gasped as the air became thick with fear.
But Daigo only smirked.
Lightning flared across his armor. His breath came steady, controlled, and then—
"Lightning Release: Static Burst!"
Electricity surged across his body, crackling in blinding arcs. The lightning surged outward, a living barrier that shattered Ayame's illusions instantly. The twisting shadows dissolved like morning mist under the sun.
Daigo advanced, each step resonating with power. His fist struck the air with a deafening crack, sending shockwaves through the arena.
The ground beneath him cracked. The stone floor splintered under his power as he moved, his speed that of a predator closing in on prey.
Ayame ducked with fluid grace, her kunai drawn in an instant. She flickered into motion, appearing behind him, poised for a deadly strike to his neck.
But Daigo moved again—faster than her eyes could follow—his body coiling in raw instinct. A crackle of lightning roared in the air.
"Lightning Release: Thunder Fist!"
His arm snapped forward, striking her with a force that sent her staggering. The blow sent her sprawling backward, clutching her side. Blood seeped through her light armor, but her amber eyes burned with defiance.
Ayame did not falter. Clutching her side, she began chanting quickly, seals flashing in her hands. Her aura shifted into something darker, deeper, as her clan's secret technique was unleashed.
"Kurama Style: Mind-Break Mirage!"
The arena dissolved. The spectators gasped as their surroundings melted away into endless plains of fire and heavy iron chains, binding Daigo's limbs. He appeared frozen—caught in her illusion.
A murmur ran through the crowd.
"Has she trapped him?"
"No… he's breathing—look!"
But Daigo's eyes glowed brighter. Lightning surged across his skin, arcs of electricity illuminating his figure like a living storm.
His roar shattered the illusion.
"Lightning Release: Surge Cloak!"
The thunderstorm in his body exploded outward, the power so intense it tore through the genjutsu like glass breaking under force. The arena returned to view, the air shimmering from the aftershock.
Ayame staggered, clutching her side, her genjutsu shattered.
Daigo advanced without hesitation, his steps heavy yet precise. Every movement carried the weight of absolute certainty. Lightning surged across his fists, crackling with deadly promise.
His attacks came in a storm of brutality—palms striking like thunderclaps, elbows smashing with bone-cracking force, each blow exploding with devastating intent.
With a final, overwhelming strike, he sent Ayame crashing into the arena floor. She rolled, unmoving, her body broken under the weight of his power.
The proctor raised his hand, voice echoing.
"Winner: Daigo Hagoromo."
The crowd erupted, half in awe, half in fear. Some cheered his dominance, others murmured in disbelief—such sheer strength was rare in an heir.
---
Keiji's Reflection
From the stands, Keiji Uchiha narrowed his eyes, his shiny Gengar floating silently beside him. The crackling aura that Daigo Hagoromo summoned wasn't ordinary lightning chakra—it was something far more refined, something that reminded Keiji of another Lightning Ninjutsu .
"Lightning Release… Chakra Mode."
The very technique that would one day define the legacy of Kumogakure's Raikage line. Yet here it was—manifested decades before the Hidden Villages existed, long before the art of Lightning Release: Chakra Mode was officially forged—wielded now by a Hagoromo heir, a living testament to a forgotten origin.
Keiji's fists clenched as his mind raced. The implications were staggering. Could it be that the Hagoromo clan, not the Yotsuki, had first pioneered Kumogakure's strength? Could Daigo himself be the true forefather of the Raikage line? And more than that—based on age Daigo could be the grandfather of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, the infamous brothers who would one day bring chaos to the shinobi world?
His system stirred, whispering cold truth into his mind.
> [Affirmative. Your speculation is correct. In the original timeline, Daigo Hagoromo created Lightning Release: Chakra Mode, laying the foundation for Kumogakure's power. He was originally chosen to become the First Raikage, but died mysteriously before taking the mantle. The Yotsuki Clan exploited his death, convincing the Land of Lightning's merchants, nobles, and even the Daimyō that only the Yotsuki line should bear the title of Raikage. After much persuasion, they succeeded—cementing themselves as the "Clan of the Five Great Lightnings" and establishing the Ay tradition, where only Yotsuki could rule.]
The revelation hit Keiji like a kunai to the chest. So the Hagoromo clan had been written out of history, their rightful claim stolen by politics and betrayal.
> [And as you surmised, Kinkaku and Ginkaku rebelled against this order. Dissatisfied with Yotsuki rule, they launched a coup d'état during a peace treaty between the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the Second Raikage—slaying their own leader in defiance. Their reasoning was simple: the Hagoromo clan were the rightful rulers of Kumogakure, not the Yotsuki. And Hagoromo clan played a key role in founding Kumogakure, but the price of it was extension of Hagoromo Clan (during First Shinobi World War).]
Keiji exhaled slowly, his mind reeling. His very presence here was stirring ripples in this timeline, and those ripples could either restore the Hagoromo clan's forgotten legacy… or plunge the shinobi world into an even greater storm.
The proctor stepped forward again, raising his hand to quiet the crowd.
" Tomorrow the First Round Preliminaries – 16 heirs, 8 matches will be continued !"
But before he could speak further, a sudden tremor shook the arena. A deep, resonating hum rolled through the stands—something unnatural.
Keiji's Sharingan flared instinctively. Shiny Gengar hissed softly, its body quivering in warning.
From somewhere deep in the distance, a voice—not human—echoed faintly in Keiji's mind.
"This is only the beginning Keiji."
The arena fell silent, the air thick with unspoken danger.
The preliminaries had just crossed into something far greater.
---
End of the Chapter
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