The second day of the Land of Fire Youth Ninja Competition dawned bright and sharp, the arena already brimming with energy. Villagers, nobles, shinobi, and dignitaries from across the Land of Fire filled the stands, their voices blending into a low hum of anticipation.
The host's booming voice rose above it all, echoing across the grounds like a war drum.
"Yesterday, three promising heirs met defeat and were eliminated from the competition: **Shigeki Kohaku of the Kohaku Clan, Kaito Mitokado of the Mitokado Clan, and Ayame Kurama of the Kurama Clan! Their efforts were commendable, but only the strongest may advance!"
The crowd murmured, buzzing with excitement and speculation. Whispers of the Hagoromo heir's storm-like strength and the Yamanaka heir's cold, ruthless efficiency still lingered like sparks in dry grass.
The host raised his hand, silencing the arena. His voice boomed again, filled with ceremony and promise:
"The first round will span two days—today and tomorrow! Across these days, there will be four matches, and the eight victorious contenders shall move on to the Quarterfinals! The Quarterfinals will last two days as well, leaving us with four champions who will battle in the Semifinals! Both the Semifinals and the Finals shall take place on the same day! And on the day after the Finals, the grand Closing Ceremony of the Land of Fire Youth Ninja Competition will be held!"
The announcement sent a roar through the arena. Civilians shouted with glee, nobles leaned in with sharp eyes, and shinobi clans braced themselves. Every match from here on would reshape reputations, alliances, and perhaps the very balance of the Land of Fire.
Then came the moment the Uchiha stands had been waiting for.
"Now! To begin the second day of competition—the first match will feature the Uchiha heir, Keiji Uchiha… versus the Aburame heir, Sho Aburame!"
The roar from the crowd was deafening.
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The Contestants Enter
From the east gate strode Keiji Uchiha. His black hair swayed faintly in the breeze, framing sharp features and eyes that gleamed with quiet confidence. His battle armor, polished and emblazoned with the Uchiha crest, caught the sunlight. At his hip rested the urumi, the flexible whip-blade coiled like a serpent, radiating danger.
Above him floated his shiny Gengar, its eerie grin stretched wide as shadows flickered unnaturally around it. The crowd shivered at the sight, whispers rippling:
"That ghostly creature… is it a summon?"
"No—it moves like something else entirely…"
"What is the Uchiha heir hiding?"
From the west gate came Sho Aburame. His pale skin contrasted with his black Aburame robes, the clan's crest stitched across his chest. His face was hidden by dark glasses, his posture calm, his steps measured. The faint hum of kikaichū echoed from within his robes, a chilling reminder of his power.
"Aburame heir… their control of insects is terrifying."
"He won't be easy prey, even for the Uchiha."
Both competitors met at the center of the arena. Neither spoke.
The proctor raised his hand.
"Begin!"
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Shadows vs. Insects
Sho's hands moved first, sharp and deliberate. Black swarms burst from beneath his robes, flooding the air with a storm of kikaichū. The insects spread in a living wave, their droning hum oppressive, their hunger for chakra palpable.
"Kikaichū no Jutsu!"
The arena filled with buzzing darkness. Civilians shuddered in their seats. Even some shinobi leaned away, unsettled by the sheer volume of living weapons in the air.
Keiji stood calm, his Sharingan flaring alive—three tomoe spinning, every movement of the swarm magnified in his vision. The world slowed. He saw the trajectory of every insect, the flow of chakra that tethered them back to Sho like threads of silk.
With a faint smirk, he uncoiled his urumi blade.
"Urumi Dance: Serpent Fang."
The steel whip snapped outward, infused with lightning chakra. Sparks crackled as it slashed through the swarm in wide arcs, shredding hundreds of insects in an instant. Lightning discharged across the field, insects burning midair before collapsing to the ground.
Sho remained unreadable, though his insects immediately reformed their assault. His voice was calm, almost monotone.
"Surface strength… but shallow."
He thrust both hands forward. The swarm shifted, encircling Keiji in a dome.
"Insect Sphere Formation."
The living barrier tightened, a buzzing cage designed to suffocate and drain his chakra dry.
Keiji's Sharingan whirled. His hands flew into seals.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"
Flaming projectiles erupted from his mouth, spiraling outward in chaotic patterns. The flames struck the dome, searing through swathes of insects. Ash and smoke filled the air as the sphere collapsed, holes burned into its form.
But Sho was already adapting. His lips moved in a whisper only the swarm could hear.
"You burned the sky. But the ground is mine."
From beneath Keiji's feet, insects erupted. They swarmed his ankles, climbing rapidly, engulfing him in a tide of black.
For a moment, the crowd gasped—was this the end?
Keiji didn't flinch. His Sharingan tracked every movement. His urumi sword crackled, surging with lightning.
"Chidori Current: Urumi Lash."
The blade snapped outward, discharging a storm of electricity. The current raced across the swarm, electrocuting thousands of insects at once. The arena lit with crackling arcs as smoke rose from the twitching remains.
Sho's body stiffened. His chakra reserves faltered as his colony screamed in silent agony. Yet his expression remained unchanged behind the glasses.
He adapted again. Hands flashing through seals, he extended both arms.
"Insect Clone Jutsu!"
Two identical replicas of Sho emerged, their bodies formed entirely of kikaichū. They rushed forward from opposite sides, kunai drawn, moving in perfect sync with their master.
The crowd murmured:
"Which is real?"
"Can the Uchiha heir see through it?"
Keiji closed his eyes for a breath. Then opened them.
The Sharingan spun with merciless clarity.
A genjutsu ripple pulsed outward. The clones froze mid-step, faltering, their synchronization unraveling.
Keiji's voice was calm, almost mocking.
"Your insects obey chakra… and chakra obeys me."
He blurred into shadows—Eidolon Technique: Shadow-Walk.
Sho's senses faltered. His insects twitched, confused, unable to locate the Uchiha heir. The Aburame heir's posture stiffened—too late.
Keiji reappeared directly behind him. The urumi blade coiled around Sho's torso, sparks of lightning dancing along its steel.
"End of the match."
With a sharp tug, Keiji slammed Sho to the ground. The lightning backlash surged through his body, paralyzing him instantly. The kikaichū scattered helplessly, severed from Sho's will.
The proctor stepped forward, hand raised high.
"Winner: Keiji Uchiha!"
---
Reactions
For a heartbeat, the arena was silent. Then the explosion of applause shook the stands.
"Unbelievable!"
"That sword—it moves like a serpent!"
"Those techniques… where did he learn them?"
Keiji stood calmly, Sharingan fading back to onyx, urumi sheathed with a metallic hiss. His shiny Gengar floated above him, laughing softly, its shadow twisting unnaturally across the arena floor.
From the Uchiha seats, reactions rippled.
Madara's eyes gleamed with approval, his lips curving into a faint, knowing smirk.
Izuna chuckled under his breath, arms crossed. "Little nephew's full of surprises."
Tajima, however, frowned. Pride flickered in his gaze, but so did unease. That blade… that style… it was unlike anything in the shinobi world.
Unohana's lips curved into a rare smile, her sharp eyes softening with quiet pride.
The nobles of the Land of Fire whispered amongst themselves. The Daimyō leaned forward, eyes fixed on Keiji, while the Merchant Association leaders exchanged calculating glances.
Among the other clans, disbelief simmered.
Butsuma Senju's gaze narrowed, wary of the unorthodox style.
Hashirama, by contrast, grinned wide. "That was amazing!"
Tobirama's eyes were cold and analytical, dissecting every detail.
Even the Uzumaki—Mito, Ashina, Asahi, and Sayaka—watched in sharp silence. Their expressions betrayed a mix of astonishment and unease.
The question echoed in every mind present:
Where had Keiji Uchiha learned such a style?
For centuries, shinobi had honed ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, yet this urumi art stood apart. Too fluid. Too alien. Too foreign.
It was as though it came from another world entirely.
And that question would haunt the clans long after the cheers subsided.
The host's voice boomed again, rallying the crowd for the next match. But Keiji, as he walked back toward his clan's seats, felt eyes boring into him from all directions. Allies, rivals, strangers—everyone demanded an answer he could never give.
His shiny Gengar leaned close, whispering in its eerie tone:
"They'll wonder. They'll suspect. But they'll never know. This blade is ours alone."
Keiji smirked faintly, but deep in his chest, he felt the weight of the truth. The more he fought, the more this world would question him. And suspicion could be as deadly as any kunai.
The proctor raised his hand again, voice cutting through the lingering whispers:
"Prepare yourselves—the next match begins shortly!"
The crowd roared anew. But beneath the cheers, the question still lingered, echoing like a phantom:
Where did Keiji Uchiha's blade come from?
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End of the Chapter
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