The Crimson Stage
The sky was aflame.
Crimson streaks of sunset spilled across the vast arena, painting the earth in molten gold and shadow. The roars of thousands faded into a reverent hush as two figures stood at opposite ends of the battleground—symbols of two ancient legacies now colliding.
The referee's hand cut through the air.
"Second Match of the Semifinals—Keiji Uchiha versus Daigo Hagoromo! Begin!"
At once, chakra exploded.
Daigo Hagoromo surged forward, his golden-silver armor gleaming, his aura a storm of ancient power. The Bashōsen swung in his grip, summoning a roaring inferno of Fire Release that swept across the field like a tidal wave.
Keiji's crimson Sharingan spun, tracking every ember, every ripple of chakra within the flames. He inhaled once—steady, calm.
"Water Release: Flowing Wall!"
Water spiraled up in a coiling vortex, clashing with the oncoming fire. Steam engulfed the arena, shrouding both heirs in a fog of chakra and heat.
A single hiss, then—
Crack!
From within the mist, the flexible blade of Keiji's urumi sliced outward, glimmering with lightning.
"Lightning Style: Whip Fang Slash!"
The attack lashed across the space between them, twisting like a serpent of light. Daigo raised the Shichiseiken, deflecting the strike with sparks that scattered through the mist.
"Not bad," Daigo growled, his voice deep and edged with pride. "But let's see if that calm of yours survives a god's power!"
---
The Treasured Tools Unleashed
Daigo slammed his foot into the earth. The Bashōsen flared—this time with Wind Release.
Vacuum blades howled from the fan's surface, slicing through rock and air alike. The entire ground was torn apart as the Uchiha heir leapt, twisting midair to avoid the barrage.
Keiji's Sharingan whirled, reading the angles. He flicked his fingers, forming seals even as he descended.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
Dozens of small fireballs burst forth, each imbued with tracking chakra. They curved through the battlefield, surrounding Daigo in a web of crimson flames.
But Daigo smirked and swung the Bashōsen again—
Water Release: Great Torrent!
The flames were consumed in a surge of water that exploded outward, quenching everything in a single breath.
The crowd gasped at the sheer scale of his control. The elders in the Hagoromo stands looked on with proud, stoic faces.
"Perfect synchronization with three of the Sage's tools," murmured one. "Daigo truly bears the will of our founder."
But in the Senju stands, Mito Uzumaki's crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "No… it's too much power. Even for him."
---
The Silent Counter
Keiji landed gracefully, steam rising around him like a shroud. His Sharingan flickered as he observed.
He's using all three tools in rhythm — the Bashōsen to control elements, the Shichiseiken to mark chakra signatures, and the Benihisago to seal anyone foolish enough to speak their name aloud.
He smirked faintly. So, silence it is.
Daigo's Shichiseiken pulsed, writing kanji in the air, glowing with holy fire. The sword hummed with ethereal resonance, ready to trap any name uttered within its range.
"Keiji Uchiha!" Daigo roared, driving the sword downward. The Benihisago's mouth glowed blood-red, ready to seal.
The air trembled.
But the Keiji in front of him flickered—
—and vanished.
Daigo's eyes widened.
From the shadows behind him, a voice whispered coldly. "Wrong one."
The real Keiji emerged, urumi blade snaking around Daigo's leg, sparking with lightning chakra. He pulled, sending the Hagoromo heir crashing backward.
Keiji didn't stop there. His hands blurred through seals.
"Lightning Release: Arc Flash!"
The ground erupted in a net of electricity, forcing Daigo to roll aside. The blast sent his treasured tools humming in discord.
From the Uchiha stands, Madara watched silently, his eyes gleaming with pride. "He doesn't attack recklessly. Every move tests, reads, adjusts. Good… very good."
Tajima Uchiha chuckled softly beside him. "Reminds me of you when you still believed in patience."
Unohana smiled faintly, folding her arms. "And a hint of my precision, perhaps?"
Madara's smirk twitched. "Perhaps."
---
Mid-Battle
Daigo rose, his chakra flaring brighter than ever. The Bashōsen's five elemental seals began to glow simultaneously—fire, water, wind, lightning, earth—blending into a blinding golden radiance.
"Triple Tool Synchronization—Sage's Wrath!"
The ground beneath Daigo shattered. Pillars of elemental force erupted from his position, spiraling upward like divine storms.
The entire arena trembled. Lightning tore through the sky, water and wind fused into whirling cyclones, and molten earth splashed like liquid gold.
The audience screamed in awe as the combined elemental attack surged toward Keiji—a cataclysm of the Six Paths themselves.
Keiji's Sharingan burned, three tomoe spinning faster until they seemed to merge. He lowered his stance, breathing slow and deep.
"Gengar."
From his shadow, the familiar, eerie giggle echoed.
"Finally," said the shiny Gengar, phasing into view beside him. "Was wondering when you'd call me in, partner~."
"Let's dance," Keiji said softly.
---
The Phantom Awakens
Their chakras merged, twisting into a spiral of violet and crimson light. Gengar's ghostly essence wrapped around Keiji's body like a living cloak, their energies fusing in perfect resonance.
"Eidolon Art: Shadow-Walk – Eclipse Form!"
For a moment, Keiji's body flickered—half tangible, half ethereal. His Sharingan glowed with ghostly luminescence, and the temperature dropped several degrees as spiritual energy swept across the battlefield.
Daigo's elemental storm struck. Fire, lightning, wind—all collided with Keiji's form… and passed through harmlessly.
Gasps rippled through the stands.
"He's—he's intangible?!" shouted a Hagoromo clan elder.
"No," Tobirama Senju corrected softly, his analytical gaze unwavering. "He's phase-shifting his body using spirit energy. It's not ninjutsu. It's… otherworldly."
"Unknown chakra," muttered Ashina Uzumaki in wonder. "An energy beyond nature transformation…"
---
The Decisive Strike
Keiji appeared before Daigo in a blur of violet light, his urumi sword now cloaked in both lightning and shadow.
Daigo roared, swinging the Bashōsen one last time in desperation.
"Fire! Wind! Earth! Lightning!"
Four elements crashed down, forming a radiant storm. But Keiji phased through each attack, his eyes glowing like twin crimson moons.
"Your tools are divine," Keiji said calmly, voice echoing with spectral undertone. "But even gods can fall to the void."
He raised his blade.
"Eidolon Technique: Phantom Blade – Nether Fang!"
The strike was silent—too fast, too sharp. The blade sliced through the air and Daigo's armor, disrupting his chakra network. The three Treasured Tools dropped from his grasp, their light fading to dull metal.
Daigo's breath hitched, the ground trembling as his knees struck the dirt.
The audience fell into stunned silence.
Keiji stood before him, calm and composed, his aura fading as the ghostly glow receded.
"You fought with power beyond mortal limits," Keiji said softly. "But uncontrolled strength is nothing without restraint."
Daigo looked up, sweat and pride mixing on his face. "Heh… then I suppose you've already found that balance."
He smiled faintly before collapsing unconscious.
The referee raised his hand.
"Winner — Keiji Uchiha!"
---
The Roar of the Clans
The arena erupted.
The Uchiha clan stands thundered with applause.
Madara stood tall, eyes sharp with approval.
"That's my son," he murmured, barely containing his grin.
Unohana exhaled, a quiet smile curving her lips. "He managed to balance Gengar's ghost energy without losing control. He's grown."
Izuna laughed loudly, clapping his hands. "That kid just outplayed a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths! Hah! Father, we should celebrate!"
The retired patriarch merely nodded, his gaze filled with pride. "He carries the Uchiha name well."
Meanwhile, across the stands, the Senju and Uzumaki clans whispered amongst themselves.
Hashirama rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So that's the boy who defeated Daigo Hagoromo… impressive."
Mito smiled gently. "Not just impressive, Hashirama. Controlled, patient… and compassionate. He spared Daigo unnecessary pain."
Sayaka Senju, her eyes fixed on Keiji, felt something stir in her chest. The glow of the setting sun reflected off his armor as he stood, unmoving, yet resolute.
"He's not like the others," she murmured. "He doesn't fight to prove superiority. He fights… to understand."
Asahi Senju, seated beside her, crossed his arms. "Be careful, Sayaka. That Uchiha isn't one you can predict. Even I can't read him."
Tobirama's cool voice broke through. "Nor can anyone else. His chakra flow shifts like smoke—two energies coexisting. A new frontier of ninjutsu."
Ashina Uzumaki nodded gravely. "Spirit and flesh combined… dangerous, yet promising."
The Senju and Uzumaki elders exchanged glances — half respect, half unease.
The boy they once dismissed as "Madara's son" now stood as something entirely different.
---
Shadows of Fate
As the medics carried Daigo away, Keiji sheathed his blade and turned his gaze upward.
The sun had set completely, and the moon now bathed the arena in silver light. The next battle—the finals—was only a sunrise away.
From the stands, Sayaka caught his eye again. She smiled faintly, her heart pounding.
Gengar materialized beside him, chuckling low. "Well, well… looks like we've got a fan, Keiji~."
"Quiet," Keiji muttered, though the faintest smirk tugged at his lips.
But before he could walk away, the Bashōsen—lying shattered in the dirt—emitted a faint pulse of light.
Keiji froze. His Sharingan flickered involuntarily.
"Did you feel that?" he whispered.
Gengar's grin vanished. "Yeah… something's not done with us yet."
The glow intensified for a moment before fading into darkness.
A chill wind swept through the arena.
Keiji turned his head toward the horizon, where the final match awaited him.
"Tomorrow… the clash between light and shadow truly begins."
The moon hung high, and somewhere within its glow—something unseen—stirred.
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End of the Chapter
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