Clash of Powers

The day had grown heavy with tension. The air was thick with the smell of rain, and the sky was bruised with dark clouds. Kael stood in the clearing, his body still buzzing with the aftereffects of the Oblivion Stone Fruit. Despite his newfound power, he felt unbalanced—like an untrained beast ready to explode.

The old man stood across from him, his eyes calm. "Are you ready to begin?"

Kael nodded, sweat trickling down his face. "I've trained my body for years. I can handle it."

"Armor is not like a blade you can swing, boy," the old man warned. "It requires focus, patience, and understanding. Without those, even the strongest will fall."

Kael clenched his fists, his mind racing. Patience—he had none of that. All he wanted was to control his power, to be able to stand tall against anyone.

"Then teach me," he demanded.

The old man raised his hand, and the world around Kael seemed to shift. He could feel an invisible force forming around the old man, like a shield—an aura of power that radiated from him.

Kael could almost see the Defense Armor in action. It was a shimmering aura, faintly colored with a deep blue hue that seemed to reflect the old man's willpower.

"Focus on yourself," the old man instructed. "The power is inside you. Let it flow."

Kael closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He focused. He could feel the chaotic energy of the Oblivion Stone Fruit, a torrent of destructive power deep within him. He focused on it, trying to control it, but—

A crackling explosion of force erupted from him.

Kael's body was thrown backward, his mind overwhelmed by the sheer power coursing through him. Trees splintered, rocks shattered beneath the force of the blast. His body slammed into the ground, and for a moment, everything went black.

"Focus, boy," came the old man's voice. "That's power, but it's uncontrolled. You are like a storm in a cage. Let go of the chaos, and find the calm within."

Kael groaned, his body sore, but he forced himself to stand. His heart pounded in his chest as the old man continued his lecture.

"You must understand the balance," the old man continued. "You have the potential to level entire cities with that power, but you must learn control. Without control, you'll become just another threat to the world."

Kael's fists tightened. He had to master it.

As the old man prepared to continue, the ground suddenly trembled. Kael froze.

Someone was approaching.

In the distance, a figure appeared—tall and imposing, cloaked in a heavy red cloak that billowed around them like a dark storm. Kael's instincts flared.

"Who is that?" Kael asked, his voice low.

The old man frowned. "Trouble."

The figure stopped just outside the clearing, their eyes glowing with an unsettling red hue. The air around them felt… wrong—as if the very atmosphere was charged with malice.

"You've found the boy," the figure spoke, their voice deep and cold. "I was hoping you'd let me have him."

Kael stepped forward, his body brimming with untested energy. "Who are you?"

The figure slowly removed their hood, revealing a face Kael instantly recognized—a former mercenary from his past, known as Vorran the Ravager, a man Kael had once fought alongside.

But now, Vorran's eyes were no longer human—they glowed with a fierce, fiery red, and his body rippled with dark energy.

"You should have stayed out of this forest, boy," Vorran sneered. "But now that you've consumed the fruit, you're a threat. One I'll gladly eliminate."

Kael's heart skipped a beat. Vorran had eaten an Elohim Fruit, but Kael couldn't tell which type. Whatever it was, the man was clearly more powerful than he remembered.

The old man stepped in front of Kael, his voice steady. "Vorran, you've made a mistake."

Vorran laughed darkly. "A mistake? No. This is fate. And you, old man, won't stop me."

Without another word, Vorran surged forward, his body moving with incredible speed. Kael barely had time to react before the ground beneath him cracked open with a burst of flame. The mercenary's fist came down, sending shockwaves through the air.

The old man intercepted the blow with ease, but it was clear—this was not a fight Kael was ready for.

Vorran's power was overwhelming.

Kael's mind raced. This was his first test, his true trial.

"Focus," the old man's voice echoed in his head. "Focus on controlling the power, boy. You are the storm—be the calm within it."

Kael closed his eyes for a second, drawing deep from the well of energy inside him. His body burned, his skin crackling with raw power, but now, he could feel something different—a stillness within the chaos.

He opened his eyes, now filled with resolve. He would control this.

Without hesitation, Kael stepped forward, his hand outstretched. The ground beneath him shattered as he thrust forward, releasing a wave of dark energy toward Vorran.

The attack was wild—untamed—but it was powerful enough to send the mercenary stumbling back. Kael's control was still in its infancy, but it was a start.

Vorran grinned. "Interesting," he muttered. "But not enough to stop me."

The battle was just beginning, and Kael realized that the path to true mastery was far more dangerous than he had ever imagined.