Juichi wiped the sweat from his brow, his body aching from relentless training. Across from him, Sakata Buddha's clone stood unfazed, arms crossed and that ever-present smirk plastered on his face. The sparring had been brutal—Juichi had finally begun unlocking something akin to a first-stage transformation, a substitute power mode—but even that left him drained.
"Alright, kid," the clone said, cracking its knuckles. "You're improving. But don't let it get to your head. Again!"
Juichi groaned. "You mean you're still not tired? Damn... You really are a monster, Pervy Sensei."
Just as he prepared to launch himself forward, something shifted.
A heavy presence pressed against the air—familiar, but wrong in this context.
Juichi froze.
Another figure stepped into the clearing.
His eyes widened in shock. "What the hell—?"
It was another Sakata Buddha.
But this one was real.
His robe was torn, bloodied, and scorched in places. Small wounds crisscrossed his limbs, yet he stood tall—his golden eyes burning with fierce resolve.
"I've returned," the real Sakata said, voice calm but tired. "And I see you're still breathing."
The clone tilted its head, grinning. "Took you long enough."
Juichi pointed between them. "Wait, wait—what is happening right now?! Which one is the real pervy bastard? And why does this one look like he just crawled out of a war zone?"
The real Sakata sighed, rubbing his temples. "I was handling something… unexpected. Something I didn't want you involved in."
Juichi's expression darkened. "You mean the Dark Army, right? I'm not stupid, Pervy Sensei."
The clone chuckled. "Told you, kid's sharp."
Sakata nodded. "Yes. Xandros and Tym were both there. But… that wasn't the worst of it."
He paused.
"The Demon Lord… is awakening."
Silence.
Juichi's breath hitched. "...You mean that Demon Lord? The sealed one? The world-ending threat? That Demon Lord?"
Sakata's tone turned grim. "Exactly. And his awakening is why the Dark Army pulled back. They no longer need to fight. Their master stirs."
Juichi swallowed hard. The world suddenly felt heavier.
"So what now?" he asked. "Do we hunt them down? Launch a strike?"
"No," Sakata said, shaking his head. "We're not ready. You're not ready."
Juichi clenched his fists. "Then train me more! If that bastard's coming, I need to be strong enough to stop him!"
Sakata looked at him—not with pity, but with a quiet burden only a teacher could carry. "You're growing stronger. But there's a fine line between evolution and self-destruction. If I push you too far now, you'll break before you bloom."
Juichi's frustration boiled. "So what do we do? Just sit around and wait for the apocalypse?!"
"We prepare," Sakata replied firmly. "And starting today—you begin the next stage of your training."
Juichi blinked. "...Next stage?"
The clone smirked. "Oh yeah. You thought this was hard? You haven't seen anything yet."
Sakata stepped forward and placed a hand on Juichi's shoulder. His touch was firm, but oddly gentle.
"You've unlocked a substitute power," he said. "A fraction of your potential. But now, it's time to awaken what sleeps within you. The truth of what it means to wield a multi-elemental dragon's power."
Juichi's eyes widened. "Wait… are you saying—"
"It's time," Sakata said, a knowing smirk curling his lips. "Time to break the first seal."
The air around them shifted—wind circling, embers crackling faintly.
Something inside Juichi stirred. Not a flicker, but a storm.
The beginning of something vast.
And deep down, he knew—
Nothing would ever be the same again.
---
To be Continued...