The days under Sogen Shihan were merciless. Dawn to dusk, the brothers trained until their muscles screamed and their lungs burned.
Sogen Shihan (barking): "Again! Stance before strike! Control before power!"
Doraibu's fists bruised against oak dummies, every blow enhanced by the faint shimmer of his Overdrive Nexus. Supira practiced weaving spirals in the air, his energy arcs growing steadier with each attempt.
But Kaosu… Kaosu struggled.
Every time he tapped into the Chaos Nexus, reality bent. Stones shattered without reason, the air warped, even the dojo walls groaned as if alive.
Kaosu (panting, clutching his head): "Tch… damn it! Why can't I control this!?"
Sogen Shihan (sternly): "Because you do not wish to. Power without balance invites ruin. And in your case… worse."
Kaosu froze, his chest tightening.
Kaosu: "…What do you mean 'worse'?"
Sogen's eyes narrowed.
Sogen Shihan: "Inside you lurks something not entirely your own. Push beyond your limit, and it will answer."
The Breaking Point
That night, during an exercise in channeling Nexus into the body, Kaosu pushed too far. The dojo trembled, cracks forming along the floor.
Supira (alarmed): "Kaosu, stop! You're going too far!"
Doraibu (stepping forward): "Brother, calm down before—"
It was too late.
A dark laugh spilled from Kaosu's throat, but the voice wasn't his. His hair darkened, his eyes turned crimson spirals of madness.
Kudosudo (grinning): "Finally… freedom."
The village alarm bells rang as chaos spread. Vortexes of disorder ripped through homes, twisting wood and stone into unnatural shapes.
Villager screams: "It's the end! A demon walks among us!"
The two brothers stood in his way, fear in their eyes but resolve in their stance.
Doraibu (slamming his fists together): "I don't care if you're my brother or not—I won't let you destroy our home!"
Supira (energy spirals wrapping his arms): "If it means protecting Atheris… I'll fight you, Kaosu."
Kudosudo tilted his head, mocking.
Kudosudo: "So the little gnats think they can sting? Very well… entertain me."
The Brothers' Stand
The battle was brutal. Doraibu darted at lightning speed, fists glowing with Velocity Breaker, but his blows only grazed the shifting distortions around Kudosudo. Supira's spirals expanded, energy twisting into an Infinity Spiral that clashed with chaotic storms, but each time his control slipped, the spiral unraveled.
Doraibu (panting, battered): "Damn it… he's too strong."
Supira (gritting his teeth): "No… he's too unstable. If we can hold out—"
Kudosudo's laugh echoed.
Kudosudo: "Pathetic. Children playing gods."
With a wave of his hand, the ground erupted, flinging both brothers into the dirt.
They had lost.
The Legend Intervenes
A sharp clap cut through the destruction. From the shadows of the dojo, Sogen Shihan stepped forward, his eyes calm, his presence overwhelming.
Sogen Shihan (firmly): "Enough, child. Your fight is with me."
Kudosudo's grin widened.
Kudosudo: "The legend himself… how amusing. Show me why they fear your name."
The clash shook the village. Fists met with blasts of pure energy. Chaos storms swallowed spiral strikes, only to be redirected with Sogen's masterful counters. Every move, every stance Sogen made seemed impossibly precise—like water flowing against the tide of madness.
Kudosudo (snarling, launching a distortion wave): "You can't cage chaos!"
Sogen Shihan (dodging gracefully): "Perhaps not. But chaos without a vessel… is nothing."
He closed the distance in a blink, palm striking Kaosu's chest. The seal burned bright, glowing with ancient script. Kudosudo roared in defiance, his form twisting, struggling to remain.
Kudosudo (fading): "No… I am… freedom itself—!"
With one final burst of will, Sogen forced the alter ego back, sealing him within Kaosu's body.
Kaosu collapsed, gasping, his eyes returning to normal.
Aftermath
The brothers rushed to his side.
Doraibu (shaking him): "Kaosu! Damn it, wake up!"
Kaosu (weakly opening his eyes): "…I… hurt them, didn't I?"
Supira's gaze was sharp, but softer than before.
Supira: "Not you. It was something else. But if you don't master it… it will destroy everything you care about."
Sogen Shihan stood over them, arms folded.
Sogen Shihan: "Now you understand. Your Nexus is not a gift… it is a curse. If you truly wish to walk this path, you must learn discipline greater than any mortal. Otherwise…"
His eyes bore into Kaosu's.
Sogen Shihan: "…Kudosudo will walk in your place."
Silence fell, broken only by the crackle of ruined buildings. For the first time, Kaosu felt true fear—not of gods, not of enemies, but of himself.
And that fear would shape the path ahead.