Juichi's body lay sprawled across the forest floor, chest rising shallowly, breath ragged. Leaves rustled in the wind around him, the canopy above casting shifting shadows over his unconscious form. Nearby, Sakata Buddha stood like a silent sentinel, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. The usual grin that shaped his carefree persona was absent. In its place was quiet calculation… and a trace of concern.
When Sakura was taken—dragged away by the elite retrieval squad of the Harasen Clan—Juichi's spirit had broken before his body did. The fight had been brief, one-sided, and humiliating. Renji had vanished ahead, chasing after his sister. Juichi had stayed behind… until his knees buckled, crushed beneath the weight of failure.
"You damn fool…" Sakata muttered, kneeling beside him. "You're carrying more than you realize."
He lifted Juichi gently, then vanished into the shadowed woods—taking the boy far into the depths of Thalorine Vale, away from prying eyes and spies in noble colors. But still, Juichi didn't stir. His breathing slowed. His presence flickered like a candle struggling against a storm.
Sakata had seen this before—when a soul brushed against the edges of another world.
And he knew exactly where Juichi had gone.
---
Yūgen no Sekai.
The Realm of Profound Spirit.
A place beyond time. A realm beyond life.
The shift came like a breath caught in the throat—a flicker, a pull, and then...
Silence.
Juichi opened his eyes.
Above him stretched an endless twilight sky, neither day nor night. No sun. No moon. Just a swirling mist of silvery light. Below, the ground was smooth, black, and reflective—like standing on a mirror that shimmered with every breath.
His body felt strange. Lighter. Stronger. Unbound.
And across from him stood Sakata—not the slouching monk with crude jokes and easy smiles, but something ancient. Something awakened. His eyes glowed with restrained power, his stance radiated calm force.
"This is Yūgen no Sekai," Sakata said. "A spiritual crossroads. Only those nearing true awakening can walk here."
Juichi's gaze narrowed. "How... did I get here?"
"You collapsed. Your soul didn't sleep—it searched. I brought you here to finish the journey."
Sakata began circling slowly, sandals whispering against the mirrored ground. "Time flows differently here. You could train for years and return a second later."
Juichi's fists clenched. "Then let's not waste time. I want to get stronger."
"No hesitation," Sakata said, nodding. "Good."
And then—he vanished.
A flicker. A shift.
A fist.
Juichi felt it before he saw it—a brutal impact in his gut, like getting hit by a mountain. He flew backward, tumbling across the ground, skidding to a stop with a grunt.
Sakata stood nearby, arms crossed again. "Lesson one. Power means nothing if you can't sense it coming."
Juichi staggered up, fire flashing in his eyes. "I wasn't ready!"
"Neither are your enemies," Sakata replied.
Juichi lunged, slashing wide—only for Sakata to pivot, grab his wrist, and slam him flat.
"Lesson two," the monk said, voice calm. "You rely too much on brute force. You have power—but no mastery."
Juichi gritted his teeth, rage bubbling. "Then teach me!"
Sakata raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the one holding back."
His palm opened—and a wave of golden spirit energy blasted forward like a storm. Juichi raised his arms, Martial Aura flaring just in time to withstand it.
The light faded. Smoke curled off Juichi's shoulders. He stood tall, defiant, even as his limbs shook.
Sakata smiled faintly. "That's more like it. Again."
---
Time blurred.
Sakata became storm and sword. Each clash, each fall, revealed flaws in Juichi's form, his footwork, his flow.
Juichi pushed harder. His mind sharpened, his instincts honed.
Until something inside cracked.
During a clash, Juichi ducked, feinted, and finally landed a clean punch on Sakata's shoulder.
But the moment contact was made—his body ignited.
A burning, unnatural heat surged through his core. He stumbled back, gasping.
"What the hell…?" he choked.
Sakata's expression shifted. Curious. Knowing. "So it begins."
Juichi collapsed to one knee. His mind spiraled inward—and he saw it.
Chains.
Spiritual, ancient, wrapped tightly around a glowing core pulsing at the center of his soul. Runes flickered along the links, old as time.
One of the chains… trembled.
Then cracked.
A surge of elemental energy burst from Juichi's soul—shattering the ground, splitting the sky. His body glowed, a storm of red, blue, green, and gold.
He screamed—not in pain, but in release.
Sakata stepped back. "Multiple Elemental Essences… sealed inside one host. I thought so. Someone bound this power to protect you—or the world from you."
Juichi panted, the burning inside him fading to a steady flame. He opened his hands—flames curled around his fingers. Ice danced across his forearm. The wind moved at his call.
And somewhere deep within… a dragon's growl rumbled.
He stood. Stronger. Taller. Changed.
Sakata exhaled, nodding. "Looks like the real training begins now."
Juichi raised his fists, eyes glowing. "Then let's go."
Sakata's grin returned, fierce and wild. "Now you have to be ready."
And the next blow he threw—was real.
---
To Be Continued…