The sky stretched wide and unforgiving above the tournament coliseum. Pale clouds drifted over as if blind to the blood that had dried on the arena's stone floor.
Kai Jin stood at its center, breath steady, mind fraying.
Across from him stood Shao Wu—broad-chested, flame-clad, armored in Qi, his eyes burning with mockery.
"This won't take long," Shao growled, voice like thunder wrapped in fire.
Kai didn't answer. Not out loud.
*Long? You think time scares me?*
He flexed his fingers once. His body ached. Skin torn, ribs sore, knuckles still swollen from the last fight.
But pain was familiar.
And familiarity... was fuel.
**The bell rang.**
Shao moved with terrifying speed for someone his size. Like a boulder hurled by the gods. His first punch cracked the air—it grazed Kai's cheek, even as he twisted.
*Too slow. Too slow—why does he move like he's wearing wind?*
A spinning kick followed. Kai blocked, but the shockwave lifted his feet. He hit the ground, rolled, regained balance.
Crowd noise vanished in his ears.
Just heartbeat.
Breath.
And the voice inside his head.
*You're holding back. Stop that. Show him what lives in your spine.*
Another rush.
This time, Kai struck first. A low dash forward, ducking beneath Shao's hook, driving a fist into his ribs.
*Impact. Solid.*
But Shao barely flinched.
His elbow came down—slammed into Kai's shoulder. Kai stumbled.
Shao laughed.
"Frail. You're nothing but a name on the roster."
Kai grit his teeth. Blood touched his tongue.
"I've been nothing before," he muttered. "Didn't like it then, either."
They clashed again—punches like thunderclaps. Shao's movements were relentless. Each strike laced with flame-touched body Qi. Each block shook Kai's bones.
*What's wrong with your timing? He's not even that fast. Or is your body... slowing down?*
*No. Focus. Breathe.*
Shao feinted, then landed a brutal knee to Kai's stomach.
He doubled over—eyes wide—breath gone.
The crowd gasped.
Kai fell.
---
*Black edges. No breath. Can't breathe. Can't think.*
Inside him, something thrashed.
A scream without sound. A beast in his blood.
*GET. UP.*
He blinked. Rolled. Felt warmth pool in his mouth.
The world tilted.
But so did his thoughts.
*What if you just stayed down? Let go. Sleep. Just sleep.*
He laughed—low, broken. A laugh only he heard.
"No rest. No peace. Not for me."
---
He stood.
Shao paused. "Still got legs?"
Kai's voice rasped: "You haven't hit anything important yet."
A flicker of annoyance crossed Shao's face.
"Then let me fix that."
Shao dashed in again. But Kai… didn't dodge this time.
He stepped into it.
Took the hit to his ribs—and countered with a savage elbow into Shao's throat.
Shao gagged—staggered.
Kai pressed in. Fists flew—fast, brutal, raw.
Left jab. Right cross. Body blow. Rising knee.
He didn't care about form anymore.
He fought like an animal. A mindless, raging storm.
But even as he fought...
*You're unraveling. You're not fighting him—you're trying to kill something inside.*
His vision blurred. The blood in his veins boiled.
And then—
**CRACK.**
Shao's punch hit his jaw full-force.
Kai's head snapped back.
He collapsed—again.
The arena shook.
---
*This is where you die. On your knees. Like always. Just like before.*
*Like when you were left behind.*
*Like when you begged for power, and no one answered.*
He felt cold.
And then…
A warmth.
Not from outside. Not from Yue's presence.
But from deep inside his bones.
A pulse. Then a throb. Then a roar.
*BREAK.*
His chest convulsed.
Then his back arched violently as if something exploded within.
Shao took a step back, eyes wide. "What…?"
Kai's body steamed.
Cracks rippled through his skin—lightless cracks, like the husk of something about to molt.
The crowd stood.
Yue covered her mouth.
"Is he… ascending?"
From the Imperial pavilion, the cloaked envoy gripped the rail.
"Now it begins."
---
Kai stood. But he wasn't breathing hard.
His stance had changed.
No longer ragged.
It was still.
Centered.
A force gathered beneath his skin—a presence that wasn't visible, but **felt**.
He raised his head.
His left hand clenched.
His knuckles realigned. Bones that had been broken were now whole.
Then—
He charged.
One final strike.
Not with anger.
With *intent*.
He ducked Shao's flame punch, slid past his guard, and hit his sternum with an open palm—*just once*.
The sound was muted. Like stone cracking.
Shao staggered. Looked down.
Then collapsed, unconscious.
Kai's hand hung, slightly smoking.
---
Silence.
Then—
**"WINNER: KAI JIN!"**
The arena burst with noise.
But Kai didn't hear them.
His body was buzzing.
Inside, the voice whispered:
*You opened the gate.*
*You weren't supposed to… but you did.*
*You belong to me now.*
---