The once serene forest was now a wasteland of death. Blood soaked the earth, pooling beneath the piles of mutilated bodies-mercenaries, assassins, beasts. All lay slain, their lifeless forms testament to the battle that had raged here. And in the center of it all sat Ravihiro, motionless on a mound of corpses, his eyes dark and distant, as if he was no longer part of this world.
Haruno stood at a distance, her heart pounding in her chest, fear and confusion swirling within her. Her brother-no, this man before her -looked nothing like the Ravihiro who had raised her, protected her. This figure, sitting atop death itself,This figure, sitting atop death itself, was something else entirely.
When does a boy become a man? The question echoed in Haruno's mind as she stared at him, trying to reconcile the person she knew with the terrifying being before her.
Her mind answered, slowly, quietly, as though the answer had always been there.
A boy becomes a man when he no longer hesitates to kill. When the weight of the world doesn't crush him, but forges him into something hard, something ruthless. A man is born the moment he chooses survival over innocence, when he stops asking for mercy and starts demanding power.
And now, staring at Ravihiro, Haruno knew. The brother she once knew was gone. In his place was a man who had embraced the darkness, who had been shaped by blood and death.
Flashback: The Battle
Only hours earlier, the forest had been alive with the sound of battle- steel clashing, roars of beasts, the desperate screams of men facing death. A group of highly trained cultivators had descended upon the forest, hunting for the "beast" they believed was hiding here-Haruno. They were mercenaries, hired for their skill and ruthlessness, their intent clear: to eliminate the threat, no matter the cost.
They didn't expect Ravihiro.
He had appeared before them like a ghost, silent and calm, blocking their path.
"You think you can hunt in my territory?" Ravihiro had asked, his voice cold, as his eyes scanned the mercenaries. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, the kageha, his martial soul pulsing with dark energy.
The leader of the group, a towering man with a wicked scar across his face, sneered. "Step aside, boy. We're here for the beast."
Ravihiro's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his sword. "The only beasts here are you."
With those words, he moved.
In an instant, Ravihiro's sword slashed through the air, too fast for the mercenaries to react. The first man's head was severed from his body before he could even draw his weapon. Blood sprayed into the air, and the others staggered back in horror.
Chaos erupted.
The mercenaries attacked in a frenzy, but Ravihiro was a storm, cutting through them with ruthless precision. His Kageha flickered in the air, the blar' moving like a hadow blade
Precision. His Kageha flickered in the air, the black shadow blade moving like a phantom, slicing through armor and flesh alike. Bodies fell, one after the other, their blood staining the forest floor.
But it wasn't just his sword. Ravihiro's eyes flashed with power, his body surging with the energy he had cultivated. His Ryugan-the legendary eye technique he had mastered-activated, turning his eyes blood-red as he locked onto his enemies. The world around him slowed, every movement of his foes becoming painfully predictable.
With the Ryugan, he predicted their strikes before they even made them, dodging with effortless grace and retaliating with terrifying speed. His sword
retaliating with terrifying speed. His sword cut through the air like a whip, severing limbs, tearing through muscle and bone. Every strike was lethal, every move calculated to kill.
A group of the mercenaries tried to flee, realizing the horror they had walked into, but Ravihiro wasn't going to let them escape. His hand shot out, summoning the Kagega, a shadow blade of pure dark energy, that shot through the forest like a black arrow. It tore through their bodies, leaving only shredded remains in its wake.
He didn't stop. He couldn't stop. The madness had taken over, his mind consumed by the fury of the fight.
Then came the leader. Bigger, stronger than the others, with a bloodlust that matched Ravihiro's. He charged, his blade glowing with intense energy, ready to cut down the demon that had killed his men.
But Ravihiro was faster. His eyes glowed with the Ryugan's power as he dodged the leader's attacks with ease, his body a blur. Then, with a savage roar, Ravihiro unleashed his trump card.
"Shuratsume!" Ravihiro bellowed, his body erupting in an aura of dark flames. The Shuratsume, his ultimate technique, forged from his years of pain and struggle, manifested around him, a towering, skeletal figure made of shadow and trump card.
"Shuratsume!" Ravihiro bellowed, his body erupting in an aura of dark flames. The Shuratsume, his ultimate technique, forged from his years of pain and struggle, manifested around him, a towering, skeletal figure made of shadow and fire, its massive arms wielding twin blades of destruction.
The leader barely had time to scream as the Shuratsume swung its swords down with crushing force. The ground shook with the impact, and the leader's body was obliterated, reduced to a bloody smear beneath the weight of Ravihiro's monstrous power.
The rest of the mercenaries, nowterrified beyond reason, turned to flee, but Ravihiro was already upon them. He moved through the forest like a demon, cutting them down one by one, until the last of them lay dead.
Back to the Present
And now here he was, sitting atop the pile of corpses, drenched in the blood of his enemies. His eyes were open, but distant, as though lost in the madness of what he had done.
Haruno, still watching him, felt a shiver run down her spine. This is my brother... but what has he become?
She took a deep breath and steppedforward, her voice soft but steady. "Ravihiro..."
His eyes snapped toward her, glowing with the fierce intensity of the Ryugan. For a moment, he looked at her as if she were an enemy, as if he didn't recognize her.
But then his gaze softened, the red glow fading slightly. He blinked, his focus returning, and for the first time in hours, he looked like her brother again.
"It's over," Haruno said gently, stepping closer. "You don't have to fight anymore."
Ravihiro remained silent, his body still tense, as if ready for another
Ravihiro remained silent, his body still tense, as if ready for another battle. His eyes flickered to the corpses around him, then back to Haruno. "They'll keep coming," he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "More of them. Stronger ones."
Haruno swallowed hard, knowing he was right, but also knowing that the person standing before her was slipping away. "Then we'll fight them together. But not like this, Ravihiro. Not like this."
Ravihiro closed his eyes, his fists clenched. The dark energy that had been swirling around him began to recede, slowly fading into the background.
Just as Haruno was about to reach him, a new presence made itself known. The forest stirred, and the temperature seemed to drop.
From the shadows, a group of figures emerged. But these weren't mercenaries or assassins. They were cultivators-strong ones, 8th stage 7th level cultivators their auras radiating immense power. At the front stood a man, his eyes glowing with dark energy, a twisted smile on his face.
"Well, well," the man said, his voice like a hiss. "I didn't expect to find such a prize here."
Ravihiro's eyes shot open, the red glow of the Ryugan returning in full force. His hand gripped his sword,
Ravihiro's eyes shot open, the red glow of the Ryugan returning in full force. His hand gripped his sword, and the Kageha flared to life once more, flickering with dark energy.
Haruno backed away, feeling the overwhelming pressure of the cultivators' power. "Brother... we need to leave."
But Ravihiro didn't move. His eyes were locked on the leader, his voice low and cold. "Leave? No. I'm going to end this."
The man laughed, stepping forward, his dark aura growing stronger. "Bold words for someone who's about to die."
Ravihiro's lips twisted into a snarl. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."
The air crackled with energy as the two forces prepared to clash. Ravihiro's body surged with power, his Shuratsume flaring up behind him once more. The towering figure of shadow and fire loomed over him, its twin blades ready to strike.
The cultivators charged.
Ravihiro met them head-on, his Kageha slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Blood sprayed as his sword found its mark, cutting down the first of the attackers. But the others were fast, their techniques powerful, and they pushed him to bic limits.
Haruno watched in horror as the battle unfolded, her heart pounding in her chest. Ravihiro fought like a demon, his eyes glowing with the power of the Ryugan, his Shuratsume devastating the battlefield. But the cultivators were relentless, and for every one he killed, two more took their place.
Suddenly, the leader of the cultivators appeared behind Ravihiro, his sword glowing with deadly energy.
"Brother, watch out!" Haruno screamed, but it was too late.
The leader's sword plunged into Ravihiro's back, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze.
But Ravihiro
To Be continued!!!!!!