Supira stood frozen, Spiral Staff still in his grip, his breath steady but his eyes wide. The figure at the edge of the forest finally stepped forward, revealing himself in the moonlight. He wasn't a monster, nor a void soldier.
He was… a man.
Clad in a traditional dojo uniform, his presence radiated discipline and raw power. Supira squinted, studying the stranger cautiously as the man stopped a few feet away.
"Who are you?" Supira demanded, voice firm, though his heart raced.
The man smirked faintly. "My name is Taiyo. My Nexus… is Lightning."
He reached into his robe and tossed something toward Supira. It landed at his feet with a soft thud. Supira bent down, picking it up, and realized it was a folded dojo uniform. Across the back, stitched in gold thread, were the words:
NEXUS TRAINING DOJO.
"If you want to get stronger," Taiyo said, his voice sharp as thunder, "follow me."
Supira blinked, then chuckled to himself. "A dojo, huh? It's been a while since I heard that word." He unfolded the uniform and shook his head, laughing softly as he slipped it on over his shoulders. "Alright then, Lightning Nexus… but who's the teacher?"
"Come and see," Taiyo replied simply, turning on his heel.
With curiosity burning in his chest, Supira followed.
The path opened to a wide training ground hidden deep within the forest. And there, in the center, Supira saw something that made his jaw drop.
An old man stood in the middle of a wide arena, surrounded by fifty Nexus users of varying abilities. They lunged at him from every side, blades and blasts of energy crashing toward him.
But the old man didn't flinch.
With a single fluid motion, he parried a dozen strikes, his movements precise and unshakable. His hand lashed out, his aura exploding, and ten men went flying at once. Another group charged, only to be swept aside by a strike that was almost too fast for Supira to follow.
One by one, every opponent fell until the battlefield was silent, bodies groaning in defeat. And at the center, the old man stood tall, barely winded, resting calmly atop the pile of unconscious men as though it were a throne.
Supira's lips curled into a grin. "Heh. Now that's exciting."
Beside him, Taiyo nodded with pride. "Strong, isn't he? They say he's been carrying this dojo alone ever since his brother died."
Supira froze, his grin fading slightly. "…Wait. What's his last name?"
"Seishin," Taiyo answered. "Seishin Shidan."
The name struck Supira like a thunderbolt, sending a rush through his chest. He stepped forward instinctively as the old man finally turned to face them.
"Taiyo." The master's voice was firm yet warm, echoing across the dojo. "Welcome back." His eyes shifted to Supira, studying him like one studies a flame. "And you've brought me a visitor."
Supira straightened his posture, bowing respectfully. "Supira. I want strength. Can you make me stronger?"
Seishin smirked, still sitting atop his defeated challengers like a lion resting on prey. "Why not? But I warn you… the path will not be easy."
Supira's smirk returned, his Spiral Staff tapping against the ground. "I don't want easy. I want power."
The old master's eyes gleamed. "Good."
Taiyo stepped forward, crossing his arms with a grin. "And me, old man? Don't leave me out of the fun."
Seishin laughed, the sound deep and commanding. He rose to his feet in a single smooth motion. "Of course, Taiyo. You're both here now… so let us begin."
The dojo's air thickened with energy as the true training arc of Supira — and his unexpected ally — was about to commence.
To be continued…
Supira's Training
At the dojo, Supira stood bruised and battered, yet unbroken. Day after day, Seishin Shidan threw him into battles against waves of opponents, testing not just his strength but his resolve. Taiyo sparred alongside him, his lightning-fast strikes pushing Supira to sharpen his Spiral Staff into an extension of his soul.
"Again!" Seishin's voice boomed, as Supira struggled to rise. His clothes torn, sweat dripping, his spirit burned hotter than ever.
Every clash refined his focus. Every failure sharpened his will. And in those moments of exhaustion, he began to feel it — the Spiral energy flowing more fluidly, his strikes carving through the air with newfound precision.
Seishin watched with a faint smile. He's learning faster than I expected… but does he have the heart to endure what's next?