Making a Name in the First Battle at Thunder Harbor, the Cloud Gorge Trial Begins

The sea breeze at the Land of Lightning's harbor carried the scorched scent of electricity. Three Earth Flow techniques spread across the ground in an instant, blue-green currents darting toward Su Ye and the others like venomous snakes. Su Ye's eyes narrowed. As his Rinne Sharingan turned, pale purple chakra gathered beneath his feet in a pattern of glowing lines. The moment the currents touched the pattern, their direction twisted against their will, and they flowed through gaps between the harbor rocks into the sea, sending up a spray of water sparkling with electricity.

"Lightning Release is all about conducting electric charges. Change the flow of energy, and you can counter it." Before Su Ye had finished speaking, the lead Lightning ninja leaped forward with Thunder Fang in hand. High-density Lightning Release chakra coiled around the blade as he brought it down toward Sasuke. Sasuke advanced instead of retreating, a Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword forming in his palm. Crimson-gold flames collided with blue-green lightning. Amid a sharp crackle, the flames burned through the current on Thunder Fang, driving it back inch by inch.

"What is that flame?" The Lightning ninja stared in astonishment. He had never seen flames capable of countering Lightning Release. Sasuke sneered and turned his wrist, sending the flames racing along the blade toward the ninja's face. Just then, the other two Lightning ninjas simultaneously unleashed Lightning Release: Lightning Ball. Two basketball-sized spheres of lightning hurtled toward Sasuke's back. Seeing this, Naruto erupted with golden chakra and entered Nine-Tails Mode. A Tailed Beast Bomb began to form in his palm, and he struck the lightning spheres with pinpoint accuracy, blasting them into a shower of sparks.

Su Ye appeared behind the lead Lightning ninja in an instant. Pale purple chakra gathered in his palm, which he gently pressed against the man's shoulder. The power of the Rinne Sharingan flowed along the ninja's chakra pathways, instantly blocking the flow of his Lightning Release. Thunder Fang clattered to the ground, and the ninja dropped to his knees, unable to move. "We haven't come to provoke the Thunder Clan. We only want to take the Thunder God Trial and obtain the Thunder God Pearl." Su Ye's voice carried an undeniable force. "If you insist on stopping us, you'll only give the remnants of the 'Shadow of the Ancient God' a chance to take advantage of the situation."

The Lightning ninjas exchanged uncertain glances. Their leader struggled to his feet and looked at the three of them with a complicated expression. "My name is Darui, and I serve as a personal guard to the Raikage. Your strength is impressive, but the Thunder God Trial is a secret of the Thunder Clan. I must report to our clan leader, Lord Thunder Fang, first." With that, Darui took out a communications scroll and quickly recorded what had happened. He activated it with Lightning Release chakra, and the scroll turned into a streak of lightning that flew toward Cloud Thunder Gorge.

Half an hour later, hurried footsteps came from outside the harbor. A burly man approached, his whole body wreathed in wild Lightning Release chakra. He wore a Raikage's hat, and distinctive markings of the Thunder Clan were etched across his face. It was none other than the Thunder Clan's leader, Thunder Fang. "Are you the ones who want to take the Thunder God Trial?" His voice boomed like thunder, making the harbor rocks tremble. His Byakugan—Thunder Fang was a hybrid of the Thunder Clan and the Hyuga Clan, and possessed some Byakugan abilities—swept over the three of them. When he saw Su Ye's Rinne Sharingan, a trace of wariness flashed in his eyes.

"The Six Paths Secret Record says the Thunder God Pearl is one of the five Bloodline Treasures. Now that the 'Shadow of the Ancient God' is on the verge of revival, we must gather the treasures to prevent a catastrophe." Sasuke held the Six Paths Secret Record out to Thunder Fang. The passage about the Thunder God Pearl glowed red on the page. Thunder Fang read the record, his brows gradually drawing together. "I've heard the legends of the 'Shadow of the Ancient God,' but I never imagined they were true. The Thunder God Trial is perilous, though. In the past hundred years, fewer than ten members of the Thunder Clan have passed it."

"We have to pass." Naruto stepped forward. His golden chakra resonated with the Uzumaki Sealing Stone inside him, and a pale blue light spread from his body. Thunder Fang sensed the stone's power, and surprise flashed in his eyes. "The Uzumaki Clan's sealing power... It seems you really did obtain the Uzumaki Sealing Stone. Fine. I'll give you a chance. The Thunder God Trial at Cloud Thunder Gorge begins in three days. If you pass all three stages, I'll hand over the Thunder God Pearl. If you fail, you'll remain in Cloud Thunder Gorge forever as sacrifices to the Thunder God."

The three followed Thunder Fang to Cloud Thunder Gorge, awestruck by the scenery along the way. Mountains towered into the clouds on either side of the gorge, and dense webs of lightning wound between their peaks, forming a natural barrier. At the bottom of the gorge, a swift river flowed. Its waters carried a faint trace of Lightning Release chakra, and countless rocks glittering with sparks floated across the surface.

"This is where the Thunder God Trial takes place." Thunder Fang pointed to three platforms in the middle of the gorge. "The first stage, 'Power of Thunder,' is covered in Thunder God pillars. You must survive among them for half an hour while resisting their lightning attacks. The second stage, 'Speed of Lightning,' requires you to catch the Thunder God Bird amid the gorge's lightning storms. The third stage, 'Will of the Thunder God,' means facing my full-strength attack and holding out for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the Thunder God Trial began. Su Ye, Sasuke, and Naruto stood on the first platform. The Thunder God pillars around them suddenly lit up, and countless bolts of lightning shot from their surfaces, forming a massive web that enclosed the three of them. "The lightning will grow stronger over time," Thunder Fang called from above the gorge. "If you can't go on, shout that you give up."

Naruto entered Nine-Tails Mode, golden chakra forming a shield around him. Lightning struck the shield and sent ripples across its surface. "Defending like this won't work!" Sasuke shouted. He swung the Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword, creating a wall of crimson-gold flames that burned away every bolt of lightning that came at them. Su Ye, meanwhile, used his Rinne Sharingan to see the energy nodes in the Thunder God pillars. He formed a sword from pale purple chakra and precisely cut down several pillars with the weakest energy flow, opening a gap in the web of lightning.

Just then, a giant Thunder God pillar suddenly rose from the center of the platform. A bolt of lightning as thick as a barrel came crashing down toward Su Ye. His pupils contracted. He teleported beside Sasuke and infused the Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword with the power of the Rinne Sharingan. Crimson-gold flames and pale purple chakra intertwined, forming a beam of light in three colors that split the giant bolt in two. "That lightning's almost as powerful as a Tailed Beast Bomb!" Naruto exclaimed, stunned. He could feel the energy within it continuing to rise.

The half hour dragged by like an ordeal. When the final bolt of lightning faded, all three were panting for breath. Thunder Fang flew down from above the gorge, a trace of approval in his eyes. "You passed the first stage. Next is the second. You have one hour to catch the Thunder God Bird in the gorge. Remember, it flies faster than lightning, and it can release paralyzing bolts. If you get hit, you'll lose the ability to move."

As soon as he finished speaking, a giant bird made entirely of lightning flew out from the depths of the gorge. With every beat of its wings, countless tiny bolts shot toward the three of them. Naruto took off first, Nine-Tails Chakra gathering into a current beneath his feet as his body became a streak of golden light. "Wait for me!" Sasuke infused his legs with the golden Power of the Fire Seed, instantly multiplying his speed as he followed close behind. Su Ye used Space-Time Ninjutsu to teleport repeatedly, trying to close the distance to the Thunder God Bird.

The Thunder God Bird noticed its pursuers and abruptly turned around, unleashing a wide burst of paralyzing lightning. Naruto reacted quickly, forming a golden chakra barrier before him, but the lightning still pierced through and left his body slightly numb. Sasuke seized the chance to speed up and slash at the Thunder God Bird's wing with the Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword. The bird flapped its wings to evade the strike, then fired a bolt of lightning at Sasuke. Su Ye teleported in front of him and absorbed the bolt with the power of the Rinne Sharingan. At the same time, he formed a chain of pale purple chakra that wrapped around the Thunder God Bird's claws.

"Now!" Naruto leaped into the air. A Tailed Beast Bomb formed in his palm, and he hurled it at the Thunder God Bird's back. The bird let out a piercing cry as its body gradually vanished, leaving behind a feather etched with lightning patterns. Sasuke reached out and caught it. The Six Paths Secret Record opened by itself, and the feather merged into its pages, revealing a line of text: "Second stage passed. The Will of the Thunder God trial begins."

The three reached the platform for the third stage, where Thunder Fang was already waiting. He removed his hat, and his Lightning Release chakra surged to a frenzy. Even the surrounding air crackled as it became charged with electricity. "My Lightning Style: Lariat has shattered a Tailed Beast's defenses before." Thunder Fang's voice pressed down on them. "Hold out for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, and you'll pass the trial."

Before he had finished speaking, Thunder Fang attacked. His body became a streak of lightning, moving at incredible speed. His fist, wreathed in wild Lightning Release chakra, shot toward Su Ye. Su Ye activated his Rinne Sharingan and barely caught sight of Thunder Fang's trajectory. He teleported out of the way as pale purple chakra formed a shield. With a deafening boom, Thunder Fang shattered it with one punch. Su Ye was knocked back several steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Sasuke and Naruto attacked at the same time, sending the flames of the Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword and a Tailed Beast Bomb hurtling toward Thunder Fang. Thunder Fang didn't dodge. He formed hand seals. "Lightning Release: Lightning Armor!" A layer of high-density Lightning Release chakra covered his body. The flames and Tailed Beast Bomb struck the armor, but neither could damage it. "So this is the Thunder Clan's strongest defense?" Sasuke frowned. He could feel the chakra within the Lightning Armor compressing further and further.

Thunder Fang turned and charged at Naruto, his fist carrying enough force to destroy the heavens and earth. Naruto entered full Nine-Tails Mode, the Tailed Beast Cloak covering his body, and met Thunder Fang's punch head-on. With a crack, pain shot through Naruto's arm. Lightning from the armor spread across his Tailed Beast Cloak, trying to paralyze his nerves. Su Ye teleported behind Thunder Fang and channeled the power of the Rinne Sharingan into his palm, striking at the man's back. Thunder Fang sensed the attack. His Lightning Armor burst outward, sending Su Ye flying.

"This isn't working!" Sasuke suddenly recalled a passage in the Six Paths Secret Record. "The Lightning Armor's weakness is the gaps in its chakra flow! Su Ye, use your Rinne Sharingan to find his chakra nodes. Naruto, use the Uzumaki Sealing Stone to disrupt his chakra!" Su Ye immediately activated his Rinne Sharingan. Its pale purple power pierced through the Lightning Armor, revealing the flow of chakra inside Thunder Fang. "The third rib on his left side—the chakra flow is slowest there!"

Naruto infused a Tailed Beast Bomb with the power of the Uzumaki Sealing Stone. Pale blue sealing symbols wrapped around the golden sphere as he sent it crashing toward Thunder Fang's left chest. Thunder Fang sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but Su Ye had already teleported beside him and used the power of the Rinne Sharingan to restrain his movements. The Tailed Beast Bomb struck Thunder Fang's left chest dead-on, and the sealing symbols erupted, throwing the chakra in his Lightning Armor into disarray.

Sasuke seized the opportunity. He focused the full power of the golden Fire Seed into the Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword. Crimson-gold flames became a blade of light as he slashed at Thunder Fang's Lightning Armor. With a crash, the armor split open, leaving Thunder Fang badly wounded and forcing him back several steps. At that moment, the incense burned down. Thunder Fang looked at the three of them with admiration in his eyes. "You've passed the Thunder God Trial."

Thunder Fang led the three to a shrine deep in Cloud Thunder Gorge. A bead made entirely of lightning floated above a stone altar at its center. It was the Thunder God Pearl. "The Thunder God Pearl is yours." Thunder Fang handed it to Su Ye. "But I have a request. If you fight the 'Shadow of the Ancient God,' the Thunder Clan is willing to send all our forces to support you." Su Ye accepted the pearl, and pale purple chakra mingled with its lightning to form a dazzling radiance. "Thank you, Clan Leader Thunder Fang. We must protect peace in the Shinobi World together."

Just then, a commotion broke out outside the shrine. Darui came running over in a panic. "Clan Leader, this is bad! The remnants of the 'Shadow of the Ancient God' attacked the Thunder Clan's outpost and took our clan's treasure—the Thunder God Hammer!" Thunder Fang's expression changed abruptly. The Thunder God Hammer was a sacred weapon capable of amplifying the Thunder God Pearl's power. If it fell into the remnants' hands, the consequences would be disastrous.

Su Ye, Sasuke, and Naruto exchanged glances, all three of them tense. "They'd had their eyes on the Thunder Clan from the start." Sasuke gripped the Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword. "According to the Six Paths Secret Record, the Thunder God Hammer and Thunder God Pearl can combine to unleash lightning powerful enough to destroy the heavens and earth. We have to get the hammer back as soon as possible." Thunder Fang nodded and quickly gathered the Thunder Clan's ninjas before hurrying toward the outpost.

By the time they reached the Thunder Clan's outpost, it was already in ruins. Dozens of Thunder Clan ninjas lay on the ground. A man in a black cloak held the Thunder God Hammer and was fighting several Lightning ninjas. When he saw Su Ye and the others, he sneered. "I didn't expect you to pass the Thunder God Trial. No matter. With the Thunder God Hammer, even without the Thunder God Pearl, I can still give Lord 'Shadow of the Ancient God' plenty of power."

The man raised the Thunder God Hammer, unleashing a torrent of lightning toward everyone. Su Ye activated his Rinne Sharingan and formed a pale purple chakra barrier. It blocked the lightning as he teleported behind the man. He channeled the power of the Rinne Sharingan into his palm and struck toward the man's back. But the man had anticipated his attack. He swung the Thunder God Hammer at Su Ye. Unable to dodge in time, Su Ye was struck by the blast of wind and sent flying.

Sasuke and Naruto attacked together, sending crimson-gold flames and a golden Tailed Beast Bomb toward the man. He swung the Thunder God Hammer, and its lightning formed a barrier that blocked their attacks completely. "It's useless!" the man cackled. "The Thunder God Hammer can absorb the lightning in the world around us. The stronger your attacks, the stronger I become!"

Su Ye pushed himself up from the ground, resolve flashing in his eyes. He fused the Thunder God Pearl with the power of the Rinne Sharingan, weaving pale purple chakra and lightning into a sword. "Sasuke, use the golden Power of the Fire Seed to strengthen my sword. Naruto, use the Uzumaki Sealing Stone to restrain the Thunder God Hammer!" Sasuke and Naruto immediately did as he asked, sending crimson-gold flames and pale blue sealing symbols into the blade.

Su Ye leaped into the air and slashed at the man with the sword, which blazed with three-colored power. The man raised the Thunder God Hammer to block. The three-colored power collided with the lightning, shaking the entire Thunder Clan outpost. "Impossible!" The man stared in disbelief as the three-colored power suppressed the lightning on the Thunder God Hammer. Su Ye turned his wrist, guided the blade through a gap in the hammer's defense, and severed the man's arm.

The Thunder God Hammer clattered to the ground. The man screamed and dissolved into a cloud of black mist. Thunder Fang stepped forward, picked up the hammer, and handed it to Su Ye. "Take this hammer, too. Only you can bring out its true power." Su Ye accepted the Thunder God Hammer and felt the lightning within it. A powerful sense of responsibility rose in his heart.

"We've collected three of the five Bloodline Treasures." Sasuke opened the Six Paths Secret Record. Information about the final treasure appeared on the page: "The last treasure, the Earth Crystal of the Earth Clan, is hidden deep within Iwagakure in the Land of Earth. According to the record, the Earth Crystal is guarded by the Tsuchikage himself. To obtain it, we must pass Iwagakure's 'Earth Trial.'"

Naruto clenched his fist, determination shining in his eyes. "No matter how many difficulties lie ahead, we have to keep going. The peace of the Shinobi World is in our hands." Su Ye nodded and turned his Rinne Sharingan toward the Land of Earth. He could feel the presence of the "Shadow of the Ancient God" growing stronger. A final battle was about to begin.

Thunder Fang prepared the fastest means of transport for them: a Thunder Hawk. The three climbed aboard and flew toward Iwagakure in the Land of Earth. Along the way, Su Ye continued to refine the power of the Thunder God Pearl and Thunder God Hammer. The power of the Rinne Sharingan and lightning gradually merged, and his strength made a qualitative leap. Sasuke and Naruto also continued to coordinate their abilities, growing ever more adept at combining the golden Power of the Fire Seed, Nine-Tails Chakra, and the Uzumaki Sealing Stone's power.

When the Thunder Hawk reached the skies above Iwagakure, a massive Earth Release barrier blocked their way. A ninja wearing Iwagakure clothing flew out from behind it, holding an Earth Release tool and eyeing the three warily. "Who are you? Outsiders can't just barge into Iwagakure!" Su Ye stepped forward and took out the Six Paths Secret Record and the Thunder God Pearl. "We're here for the Earth Crystal of the Earth Clan. We want to take the Earth Trial." The ninja saw the Thunder God Pearl, and surprise flashed across his face. "I have to report this to Lord Tsuchikage. Wait here." With that, he turned and flew into the depths of Iwagakure.

The three landed on a hill outside Iwagakure and looked toward the village in the distance. Built into the mountains, Iwagakure's houses were all made of stone, and the village radiated a heavy, solid presence. "The Earth Trial must be about defense and strength." Naruto sensed the chakra within him. "With the Nine-Tails' power, I should be able to handle it." Sasuke nodded. The Heaven-Burning Ancient Sword vibrated faintly in his palm, as if eager for a new challenge.

Su Ye closed his eyes and used the power of the Rinne Sharingan to sense the presence deep within Iwagakure. He could feel a powerful Earth Release chakra, steady and weighty, as immovable as the earth itself. "The Tsuchikage may be even stronger than Thunder Fang." Su Ye opened his eyes, worry flashing across his face. "This Earth Trial will be our toughest challenge yet."

Before long, Iwagakure's gates slowly opened. A short, stout man emerged, surrounded by Earth Release chakra. He wore a Tsuchikage's hat, and Iwagakure's markings were etched across his face. It was none other than Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage. "Are you the ones who want to take the Earth Trial?" His voice was stern. "The Earth Crystal is a treasure of the Earth Clan, imbued with the power of the Land of Earth. To obtain it, you must prove that you're worthy of protecting it."

"We passed the Byakugan Trial and the Thunder God Trial, and obtained the Byakugan Glazed Bead, the Uzumaki Sealing Stone, and the Thunder God Pearl." Sasuke took out the three treasures. Their light intertwined, illuminating the entire hillside. Surprise flashed in Ōnoki's eyes when he saw them. "I didn't expect you to have collected three already. Fine. I'll give you a chance. The Earth Trial begins in three days. If you pass, I'll hand over the Earth Crystal. If you fail, you'll remain in Iwagakure forever, becoming part of the earth." With that, Ōnoki turned and walked back into Iwagakure as the Earth Release barrier slowly closed.

The three exchanged glances, determination shining in their eyes. "We have to get the last treasure!" Su Ye tightened his grip on the Thunder God Hammer as pale purple chakra intertwined with lightning. Sasuke and Naruto released their chakra at the same time, crimson-gold flames and golden Tailed...