Chapter 103: Chaos Unleashed

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The explosion rocked the arena, a deafening roar that sent a shockwave of dust, smoke, and debris across the field. For a moment, everything stopped. Time seemed to freeze as fragments of the shattered environment rained down, and the acrid scent of burning wood and stone filled the air.

Two lifeless bodies lay motionless amid the rubble, and the metallic taste of blood mingled with the choking dust. As the smoke began to clear, the scene was one of sheer devastation, and the reactions of those left standing revealed their raw emotions.

Shinji Karatachi's eyes darted frantically across the chaos, his usual confidence replaced with a mixture of shock and dread. His fists clenched involuntarily, small shards of coral forming on his knuckles as his instinct for self-preservation kicked in.

"What just happened?" Shinji muttered, his voice barely audible over the din. The sight of his fallen comrades and the crumbling arena brought a lump to his throat.

Nearby, Ren crouched low, his sharp gaze fixed on the epicenter of the explosion. His mind raced. Two dead… who planted the explosive? Was this planned? He glanced at the figures of the ANBU lingering on the sidelines, their postures tense. I don't remember anything like this happening in the canon. Could my presence have created a butterfly effect? A cold realization gripped him. No… this might have been omitted because it wasn't considered significant. He allowed himself a brief, grim smirk. An unforeseen twist, Shibuki… this just got more interesting. But I have to be cautious. Even the ANBU seem caught off guard… could this have been orchestrated from higher up?

Yukiko Yuki's breath hitched as she observed the chaos. Her eyes narrowed, and she instinctively summoned a shard of frost to her fingertips, ready to defend herself. Stay calm. Assess. Control.

Her gaze shifted to Kurara, who moved with calculated precision along the wall, her Kurasagima anchoring her movements as she maintained her balance. Yukiko's icy fingers tightened into fists. She had to act quickly.

Kurara staggered, coughing as she swiped at the smoke in front of her. "What… what the hell was that?" she gasped, her weapon trembling in her hands. Her normally composed demeanor was slipping, but her determination remained unbroken. She glanced at Yukiko, who nodded sharply. The unspoken agreement was clear: stay together, stay alive.

Jun'ko Tsuki was uncharacteristically quiet, her usual quips lost in the chaos. Her eyes darted around, trying to discern illusion from reality. Is this part of the test? No. This… this wasn't planned. She shuddered but kept her stance low, ready to weave a Genjutsu at a moment's notice.

Aoi Kaito had frozen in place, his glasses reflecting the glow of embers still lingering in the air. His scientific mind clung to logic, but logic failed him now. This wasn't supposed to happen. The structure of the explosion, the dispersal of debris… this wasn't a simple trap. Someone… someone planned this.

From their vantage point, Fujimoto-sensei and the other instructors stood grim-faced. Fujimoto's hands tightened into fists as his sharp eyes tracked the ANBU near the edge of the field. Two of them were already poised to intervene, but a third appeared suddenly, whispering into their ears. Whatever was said made the two freeze in their tracks.

Fujimoto's brow furrowed, skepticism plain on his face. Just how far are they willing to take this? His sharp gaze returned to the field, scanning for signs of further danger. These students are being used. This has to be some higher-level decision…

The other instructors exchanged uneasy glances, but none moved to act. The unspoken order was clear: observe but do not interfere.

From the settling dust emerged a figure, his silhouette jagged and menacing. Yuzu Tokinaga, a repeat student with a notorious reputation, stood with an unhinged grin plastered across his face. In his hands was Shibuki, the explosive blade of the Seven Swordsmen. Its lethal edge gleamed ominously in the dim light, the rows of explosive tags embedded along its length threatening chaos.

"YOU'RE ALL USELESS!" Tokinaga bellowed, his voice ragged with mania. He swung Shibuki in a wide arc, scattering students who scrambled to keep their distance. "I'LL SHOW YOU! I AM YUZU TOKINAGA, THE NEXT SWORDSMAN OF THE MIST!"

His words sent chills through the onlookers. Shibuki was a weapon of destruction, and in the hands of someone like Tokinaga, it was a disaster waiting to happen. Students backed away cautiously, their instincts screaming to avoid him at all costs.

Across the battlefield, Hiroshi's focus remained fixed on Shinji. The two had squared off before the explosion, and Hiroshi's fiery determination had not dimmed.

"Hiroshi," Shinji said, his voice steady despite the chaos. "For now, maybe we should focus on that guy with Shibuki. What do you think?"

Hiroshi sneered, his body partially liquefying as he prepared his next move. "Sure. Right after I've had my rematch."

"Idiot," Shinji muttered under his breath, readying himself to face Hiroshi. This is not the time for petty grudges.

Tokinaga let out a guttural laugh as he swung Shibuki downward, the embedded tags crackling ominously. His wild swings kept the students at bay, each arc of the blade creating gusts of wind and small explosions that rattled the field.

"COME ON! SHOW ME YOUR WORTH!" he screamed, his eyes wild. As he prepared to deliver a fatal blow to a cowering student, his manic expression shifted to confusion. His feet had begun to freeze, frost creeping up his legs with an eerie determination.

Yukiko stood several meters away, her hands extended and her gaze icy. "You talk too much," she said, her voice as cold as the frost she wielded.

Tokinaga's grin faltered, replaced by a snarl. He roared, swinging Shibuki with enough force to shatter the frost around his feet. The explosion sent shards of ice scattering, but Yukiko held her ground, her face betraying no fear.

As Tokinaga surged toward Yukiko, explosions punctuating his every step, she retaliated with a flurry of ice darts, each one sharper and faster than the last. Her control, more precise than ever before, seemed to catch even herself by surprise. But Tokinaga, seasoned and battle-hardened, was faster. With Shibuki in hand, he detonated the darts mid-air, one by one, the resulting shockwaves shaking the battlefield.

"You think that's enough to stop me?" Tokinaga taunted, his grin widening as he closed the distance between them.

Just as Shibuki's devastating strike was about to land, a metallic sound rang out. Kurara's Kurasagima had coiled around Tokinaga's ankle, yanking him off balance and diverting the blow. The explosion missed Yukiko entirely, though the concussive force shattered the ice barrier she had hastily erected. The shards cut into her skin, but the damage was far less severe than it could have been.

Tokinaga's expression twisted into rage as he spotted the chain binding his foot. With a roar, he channeled an explosion down the length of the Kurasagima, the blast sending Kurara tumbling from her precarious perch on the wall. She flailed desperately, her footing precarious but not yet lost. The water loomed below her like a dark void, the realization dawning that a fall would mean disqualification. Her fingers clawed for purchase, the Kurasagima still dangling in defiance.

Not far from her, Tokinaga's grin widened, his eyes locked onto her vulnerable form. His steps continuing through the field as he began to close the distance, Shibuki raised high and ready to strike. The clash of ice and explosions had subsided, leaving only the chilling sound of Kurara's labored breaths and the ominous thuds of Tokinaga's advance. The battlefield held its breath, the water below shimmering under the eerie glow of Shibuki's explosive tags.

[ Hi there! Ito-kun here ^.^ 

Thanks everyone specially Jayroy_63 , BagusPardana, akari_000, Acnol, Overlord_Of_KARMA,Cordell_Clinton, Ian_Clark_6978, DaoistAZmi17, Kay_smiles101, Strandarn, AKIB19, ERRO4004, DarkGambit,Diegoa, Desert_Dust0 , Daoist0thxiB, and Miguel_024!

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