Beneath the violet-and-gray evening sky, Arthev stood at the edge of the grove, breathing steadily as he surveyed the area. Strange runes covered the trunks of the towering trees, their faint green glow revealing how old the place was.
Ahead, a broken obsidian dome lay half-buried in the ground, its surface covered in thick, thorny vines. A cold, metallic smell drifted from within. Arthev narrowed his eyes and focused on the structure, alert to whatever might be waiting inside.
"This place…" Arthev's voice was low, measured, his eyes narrowing as he studied the dome's jagged silhouette. "It seems alive. Not dead, not sleeping.....just waiting."
His fingers brushed the leather strap of his pouch, a subtle gesture to ground himself as his lips pressed into a thin line of resolve. "And it's calling me. Let's see what you've got."
The words were soft, almost a challenge to the grove itself, spoken with the calm certainty of a man who knew his path. The pulse deepened, as if the earth acknowledged his presence.
Then it stirred.A tremor rippled beneath his boots, faint but deliberate. Arthev's expression remained composed, though his eyes flicked to the ground, calculating.
"Here it comes," he murmured, his voice steady as he shifted his stance, muscles coiling with readiness. The ground quaked violently, splitting with a crack. Roots tore free, vines recoiled, and from the tangled underbrush, something colossal erupted with a hiss that cut the silence like a blade through cloth.
The Serpent Vine Drake emerged into the clearing, its massive body covered in moss-green and bronze scales. Thick vines grew along its spine, twisting and twitching as it moved. It opened its jaws, revealing rows of sharp teeth coated in green ichor. Drops fell to the ground, sizzling on contact.
Its yellow eyes fixed on Arthev, filled with aggression.
Arthev didn't move. He watched the beast carefully, studying its size, movements, and the vines growing along its back.
"A soul beast," he said softly, his voice tinged with respect rather than bravado. "Nearly a thousand years old, must be above 900 by the feel of it. Wild, not bound."
His eyes narrowed, a faint spark of anticipation in their depths. "You're no warden ,just a wild beast. But you're in my way."
The drake's aura pressed against him, a storm of soul power testing his resolve. Arthev's lips curved into a subtle, knowing smile,not cocky, but confident, the look of a man who'd faced death before and walked away wiser.
"Let's see if you can keep up," Arthev said, his voice low and taunting.
His eyes changed. The Two-Tomoe Shinragan activated, its black tomoe spinning within crimson irises edged in silver-white.
The world became clearer. He could see the Serpent Vine Drake's shoulders shift as it prepared to move, its tail twitching behind it, and its chest rising and falling with each breath. Every small movement gave him a clue about what the beast would do next.
Arthev watched closely, beginning to anticipate its movements before it made them.
"Predictable," he whispered, his voice calm but laced with a quiet thrill.
"Let's begin."
The drake lunged. Barbed vines shot toward Arthev, cutting through the air as they swept across the clearing.
Arthev used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished just before they struck. He reappeared on a moss-covered boulder several meters away. Behind him, the vines tore through the ground, ripping up soil and roots.
"Sloppy," he remarked, watching the vines turn toward him.
He drew a kunai and held it between his fingers.
"Let's test your reflexes."
With a quick flick of his wrist, he sent the kunai flying. The blade struck a trailing vine and pinned it against a tree trunk with a dull thunk.
Arthev watched the drake's reaction, waiting to see how it would respond.
The drake roared, a guttural bellow that shook the grove, and tore the vine free, spraying sap that hissed against the bark.
"Sensitive, aren't you?" Arthev remarked, he leapt from the boulder, landing in a crouch.
"Wood Release: Clone Technique."
The earth responded. Bark and roots twisted upward, shaping into a perfect replica of Arthev, its crimson Shinragan gleaming. The clone darted left as the real Arthev flickered right.
"Keep it busy," Arthev ordered.
His wood clone pulled out a handful of shuriken and threw them at the drake. The blades struck its scales, leaving shallow cuts. They weren't meant to cause serious damage, only to draw its attention.
The drake turned on the clone. Its vines lashed out in quick succession, forcing the wooden Arthev to dodge. The clone ducked beneath one tendril, jumped over another, and slid past a third just before it struck.
Meanwhile, the real Arthev moved toward the drake's flank, his Two-Tomoe Shinragan tracking its movements and looking for an opening.
The clone grabbed a broken branch and drove it into the drake's forelimb. The beast snarled and swung its tail in retaliation. The blow caught the clone squarely, smashing it into a shower of wooden splinters.
Arthev barely glanced at the disappearing clone. His attention remained fixed on the drake, particularly the brief opening its counterattack had left.
Arthev quickly assessed the drake's movements, his expression focused.
"Left side's weaker," he muttered.
He tracked the vines as they lashed out again, counting their movements. Three strikes from the vines, followed by a tail sweep on the fourth beat.
"I see you."
A faint smile crossed his face. He had found a pattern, and now he just needed to use it.
"You're strong, but strength alone won't win this."
A vine swept toward Arthev's head. He ducked and rolled aside, avoiding the strike by inches.
"Too predictable."
He used the Body Flicker Technique and reappeared on the drake's back.
"Let's see how you handle this."
His boots barely touched the beast's scales before it began thrashing. The drake bucked hard, twisting its body as its vines curled toward him.
Arthev jumped clear, but one tendril caught his shoulder, tearing through his clothes.
He landed in a crouch and glanced at the damaged fabric. His expression tightened for a moment before he looked back at the drake.
He'd found an opening, but getting close enough to exploit it was proving more difficult than expected.
"Close," Arthev muttered, brushing dust from his torn clothes.
"Wood Binding Roots!"
Thick roots burst from the ground and coiled around the drake's limbs. They tightened, pinning the beast in place as it struggled to break free.
"Stay put."
Arthev poured more soul power into the roots, forcing them to hold. The drake roared and thrashed, its vines whipping wildly as toxic sap dripped from its scales.
One vine suddenly tore through the bindings and lashed toward him.
Arthev tried to move, but he was a fraction too slow. The tendril cut across his side, tearing his clothes and opening a shallow gash.
"Tch."
He staggered back and pressed a hand against the wound. The cut burned, but it wasn't serious.
His gaze returned to the drake. The irritation on his face faded, replaced by a sharper focus.
"That was a mistake," Arthev said, his voice low and steady.
He ignored the burning pain in his side and moved forward, keeping his eyes on the drake. He couldn't afford to hesitate now. Every exchange gave him a better understanding of the beast's movements and pushed him to use his soul power more efficiently.
The energy within him grew stronger with each clash. He could feel the grove's power around him, but he kept his focus on the fight.
"Almost at Level 10," Arthev muttered, keeping his eyes on the drake. "This is the key. I know it."
The drake tore through the remaining roots and reared back, opening its jaws. A cloud of acidic mist burst from its mouth, eating through the ground wherever it landed.
Arthev leapt away and sprinted along the edge of the cloud. His Two-Tomoe Shinragan tracked the mist's movement, helping him find a safe path around it.
"Clever," he remarked as he circled toward the drake's flank.
Soul power gathered in his right hand, forming a spinning orb.
Rasengan.
Arthev held his position, waiting for the right moment to strike. The drake thrashed about, its movements becoming increasingly erratic as its vine tendrils lashed in every direction.
"Come on," Arthev muttered. "Show me what you've got."
The drake lunged at him, snapping its jaws shut, but Arthev had already moved. He dodged its attacks, keeping just out of reach.
"Wood Release: Clone Technique."
A second clone emerged and charged straight at the drake.
"Bind its face," Arthev ordered.
Roots burst from the clone's arms and wrapped around the drake's jaws, forming a tight wooden lattice that forced its mouth shut.
The drake thrashed violently, trying to break free. Its tail swept through the grove, smashing into trees and sending splintered wood flying in every direction.
"Hold it," Arthev said, keeping his eyes on the struggling drake.
He rushed forward, the Rasengan spinning in his hand. The drake's yellow eyes fixed on him as it twisted its body, preparing to strike.
Arthev's Two-Tomoe Shinragan followed every movement, tracking the tension in its muscles. He saw the lunge coming before the drake moved.
"Now."
He shifted aside and drove the Rasengan into the drake's ribs.
The impact shook the grove. Scales cracked, vines snapped, and the force sent the drake crashing backward into the dome. Stone and tangled vines collapsed around it as its howl echoed through the trees.
The drake fell still, its body twitching weakly. The aura surrounding it began to fade.
"Down," Arthev muttered as he landed in a crouch.
He took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. Blood ran from the wound in his side, but he kept his eyes on the fallen drake.
"Not dead. But you're finished."
Then his vision blurred. It wasn't the pain. Something was changing.
The grove's low hum grew louder as the energy around him surged. Arthev felt soul power rushing through his body, far stronger than before. He dropped to one knee, his back arching as the energy flooded his veins.
He clenched his teeth and tried to steady himself against the sudden surge.
"This is it," Arthev said, his eyes widening as he felt the change.
"Level 10."
Red light burst from his body, and a wave of pressure spread through the grove. The surrounding vines recoiled, and the ground trembled beneath him.
After two years of being stuck at the same level, Arthev had finally broken through. The barrier holding back his soul power was gone.
Soul Power: Level 10.
The world tilted, and darkness swallowed him.
When Arthev opened his eyes, he found himself standing in an endless void. Cold water lapped at his feet, though there was no ground beneath him. A black sea stretched into the distance under a starless sky.
His Two-Tomoe Shinragan glowed faintly, casting a crimson light around his face.
"Where am I?" He looked around, searching for any sign of the grove. "This isn't the same place. Another plane?"
A ripple spread across the water.
Then the sea began to churn. Something was approaching, and its presence weighed heavily on Arthev's soul.
He lowered his stance and narrowed his eyes.
"Something's coming."
A massive figure emerged from the depths. Sand-colored fur covered its body, rough and bristling. Its single enormous tail rose behind it, stirring the air as it towered over Arthev.
Amber eyes fixed on him. The beast's broad mouth twisted into a crooked grin.
Arthev stared up at the creature, remaining on guard.
The One-Tailed Beast. Shukaku of the Desert.
"So..." Shukaku rumbled, its voice carrying across the black sea. "You're the one who's come to wake me up?"
To be continued.....