The cool morning breeze seemed to wash away the events of the night.
But Arata was still restless. What had happened last night—the strange power that burst from his body, those masked men, and most of all… that man.
That same man now stood before him—Ryoujin Kaze.
Tall, confident, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Come on, kid," he said with a smile. "From today, your real life begins."
---
### The Training Ground
Ryoujin took Arata far from the city, to the ruins of an abandoned temple.
Surrounded by dense forest, the place was silent—but the air felt heavy, as if the ground itself was filled with power.
"This place is ancient," Ryoujin said. "Great clans once trained here. It's the perfect place to awaken your blood."
Arata asked nervously, "My blood…? What exactly do you mean?"
Ryoujin smiled.
"You're not an ordinary human, Arata. You are a descendant of the Ashura Bloodline. The blood flowing through your veins is connected to ancient gods. And that's what makes you different from everyone else."
Arata stood stunned.
*So that's why… I've always felt different?*
---
### The First Trial
Ryoujin snapped his fingers.
*Snap!*
From the ground before them, three massive stone warriors emerged, their eyes glowing with red light.
"Your first trial," Ryoujin said. "Control your power. If you panic, these statues will crush you."
Arata trembled.
"This… isn't a joke!"
Ryoujin laughed.
"Life isn't a joke, kid."
---
### The Surge of Power
As the stone warriors advanced, the red mark on Arata's hand glowed again.
His heart pounded violently.
*No… I can't be afraid.*
He raised his hand—and suddenly, silver flames burst from his palm, crackling like lightning.
He struck.
BOOM!
The first statue shattered into pieces.
But the other two lunged at him. Arata staggered. The power inside him went wild, bursting out uncontrollably.
From the side, Ryoujin watched with a smile.
"Not bad… but you need to learn to control your blood as much as you release it. Otherwise, that same power will devour you."
---
### The Warning
After a hard struggle, Arata managed to defend himself. Exhausted, he dropped to the ground, breathing heavily.
Ryoujin walked over to him.
"Well done. You have potential. But remember—the organization that attacked you last night… their goal is to resurrect the ancient god Naraksha. And if they succeed, the entire world will fall into darkness."
Arata looked up at him.
Fear still lingered inside him—but a new fire had ignited as well.
"If that's the truth… then I'll fight. No matter what."
Ryoujin laughed.
"That's exactly the spirit I need."
---
⚡ **To be continued…**