Grade 3 – Class A vs. Class B
Grade 3 students strode forward with confidence, their movements refined, their shadows long and controlled.
Class A's Meira, a master of Reverberation Shadows, extended her shadow strikes with delayed echo bursts—her attacks followed up seconds after they struck, turning defense into a deadly trap. Raito, her teammate, bent shadows into reverse gravitational anchors, dragging enemies toward points he fixed earlier. Kaen merged his flame-enhanced shadow clones into molten shadow beasts, combining elemental fury with chakra manipulation.
But Class B came prepared.
Their leader, Souta Izanagi, used Illusory Shadows—phantom doubles so real they bled when struck, each hiding explosive traps. Minori, with her Burst Shadow Blink, teleported using flickers of her own shadow—popping in and out unpredictably. And Yurei, silent and spectral, turned sound waves into shadow-laced blades that pierced through barriers before the victim even heard the attack.
In a coordinated maneuver, Class B overwhelmed Kaen's shadow beasts with phantom doubles, while Minori struck Raito before he could shift the gravity field. Yurei silenced Meira, neutralizing her echo attacks.
Class B wins Grade 3 – (2–1)
Grade 4 – Class A vs. Class B
Grade 4—the elite before ascension.
Class A was ruthless. Himari, master of Crystalline Shadow Binding, launched needle-sharp obsidian shadows that pierced and restrained foes mid-air. Rokuro used Chain Phantom Style, dragging enemy shadows through dimensional traps. Takeshi, master of Polar Shadow Steel, could freeze and solidify shadows into indestructible barriers.
But Class B brought raw complexity.
Daiki summoned a Storm Drake Construct made of pure shadow storms, disrupting chakra flow. Mio controlled Time-Fracture Shadows, letting her replay actions from moments before—an illusion and reality mixed. Kazuo, with Echo Clone Style, created copies that adapted and evolved mid-fight.
The match felt like watching time itself fold.
Daiki's drake countered Himari's binding spears. Mio outmaneuvered Rokuro's traps, predicting them from a moment that hadn't happened yet. Kazuo's adaptive clones overwhelmed Takeshi's defensive posture by learning his every move.
Class B wins Grade 4 – (2–2)
Special Grade – Class A vs. Class B
Now came those who surpassed human limitation.
Class A's Special Grades walked in silence, their shadows trailing like sentient beings.
Kanzuro, the Void Shadow Wielder, erased entire techniques with the lift of a finger—his shadow devoured existence itself. Seina, user of Phase Step Shadows, phased through reality using anchored shadows in different dimensions. Hagane, master of Living Shadows, forged weapons from chakra-forged shadow metal that evolved each time they were destroyed.
Class B entered with equal power.
Zuri utilized Singularity Shadow Orbs—pulling enemies into collapsing voids. Raiken created Thunder Veil Shadows, riding blue lightning forged in pitch-black shadow fields. Fumiyo summoned forgotten gods through Ancestral Ink Shadows, their divine limbs flickering from shadow glyphs on scrolls.
The arena shattered with each technique. A single clash between Kanzuro and Zuri forced the barrier sealers to triple their output. Seina walked between Fumiyo's gods, marking them with unstable phasing runes. Hagane shattered Raiken's storm field with a divine blade formed from shadow-forged memories.
At the final bell, the world stood still.
Class A wins Special Grade – (3–2)
Final Result: Class A – Overall Champions
From Grade 1's raw ambition to Special Grades' godlike might, the Exchange Event displayed one truth:
Shadow Style is limitless—if you survive it.
Katakuichi, watching from afar, remained calm. He was not in awe. He was studying.
Chernobog, now dormant inside him, stirred with delight. Yes… you will surpass them all.
The world cheered Class A's victory.
But the shadows beneath whispered of a coming reckoning.