The whistle blew.
Explosions of chakra erupted from both sides as the second match of the Exchange Event began. Compared to Grade 1, the shift in power was instant. Every movement carried more weight, every jutsu had evolved into something sharper, faster, and far deadlier.
Grade 2 was not just a step up—it was a transformation.
From the moment Class A hit the field, it was clear: this was their match to win.
Katakuichi stood at the center of his team, his face unreadable. His aura remained calm, but shadows bent unnaturally around his body. With a flick of his hand, he disassembled a shadow-based projectile midair using his will alone. His incorruptibility wasn't just defense anymore—it let him sever the chakra link behind dark-style attacks.
He didn't flinch, didn't speak—he moved like inevitability.
Nozomi, by contrast, was a streak of motion and light. Her upgraded technique—"Pulse Mirage"—allowed her to clone her movement at high speed, confusing her opponents and attacking from angles they couldn't track. Her fists glowed with energy-enhanced strikes, knocking out her opponents with both precision and flair.
"Woooo! That's two down!" she called mid-spin, landing next to Kimikage with a grin. "You keeping up, shadow boy?"
Kimikage, panting slightly, smirked. "I'm the one cleaning up after you."
Unlike before, his shadow style had matured—now able to absorb kinetic force into his cloak-like veil and redirect it. He used it like a trap, allowing Class B to strike first before flipping the damage back onto them. His balance of strategy and instinct made him unpredictable—and dangerous.
The audience roared as the scoreboard ticked another point in favor of Class A.
Meanwhile, Class B struggled to keep up. Their movements, while sharp, lacked the synergy and polish of Class A. Their coordination broke under the speed, their jutsu misfired under pressure.
A team composed of powerhouses was nothing if not synchronized. And Class A—under Sensei Shidou's brutal yet brilliant training—was a machine of destruction.
As the dust settled, Katakuichi stood above the final Class B member, his foot pressed on the shadow-cage he'd collapsed.
With a quiet, almost bored tone, he muttered,
"Match over."
The whistle blew again.
Victory: Class A.
2 - 0.
And as Class A regrouped, Nozomi pumped a fist into the air.
"We're unstoppable!"
Kimikage smiled.
"For now."
Katakuichi didn't say anything.
But deep inside, something stirred.
Not fear. Not pride. But a question.
"Is this what strength is?"
The celebration was in full swing.
Class A—Grade 2—walked off the field, basking in the glory of their 2-0 victory. Cheers still echoed behind them, but the trio had their minds on something else: food, rest, and a few well-earned pats on the back.
As they made their way toward the exit of the training grounds, a familiar voice called out.
"Heeey buddy! Glad to see you hereee!"
Kimikage waved excitedly.
Standing at the edge of the courtyard was Haru, beaming as he approached. His blue eyes shimmered with childlike joy.
Nozomi grinned and ruffled his hair.
"Aww, look at you, cheering us on like a proud momma goose."
Haru laughed, then turned to Katakuichi—his eyes locked onto him with admiration. Without hesitation, he ran up and threw his arms around him in a warm hug.
"Katakuichi! You were the coolest one out there! The way you fought with your shadow chakra—so calm, so strong—and that shadow shield? Whoa! You've gotta teach me sometime!!"
Katakuichi blinked, caught slightly off guard.
"…Sure."
He returned the hug awkwardly but didn't pull away. Everyone around smiled—just a group of friends enjoying a rare moment of peace.
But something deeper stirred.
As Haru hugged him tighter, a faint ripple of energy passed between them—subtle, nearly imperceptible. A flicker of black mist, so thin it could be mistaken for dust, passed from Haru's body into Katakuichi's back.
And just like that…
Chernobog had changed vessels.
There was no sound. No light. No grand display.
No one noticed.
Because that was the point.
Chernobog had never intended for Haru to be permanent. He had used the boy since birth—a wandering shell, an empty lantern to carry the spark of godhood—until a worthy vessel could be found.
And now, after years of waiting…
He had found him.
Katakuichi.
The boy immune to corruption.
The boy whose potential stretched across futures yet unwritten.
The Singular Shadow.
As the group walked off together, none were the wiser. Haru, now emptied of the darkness within, smiled brighter than ever. He finally felt free—lighter, happier. He didn't understand why, but he felt… new.
Meanwhile, Katakuichi's eyes faintly pulsed as he stared ahead, unaware of the entity now dormant within his soul—silent, watching, waiting.
Chernobog had found his kingdom.
And the world had just taken one step closer to the end.