Chapter 5: The Gathering Storm

Swargam ka suraj Crystal Forest ke upar roshni pheka raha tha, lekin har ninja ko ye pata tha ki yeh sukoon bahut der tak nahi tikne wala hai. Shadow Clan ne apne warriors ko mobilize kar diya tha, aur unke movements Swargam ke core cities tak pahuchne lage the. Yeh woh waqt tha jab ek naye era ki shuruaat hone wali thi.

Riku aur Shinro Sensei ki Training

Riku apne Sensei ke sath ek intense training mein busy the. Unhone apne Chakra Peaks ke ek ancient temple mein apne "Pratham Core" unlock kiya tha, lekin ab woh apne agle rank, Praveen, ki taraf badhne ki koshish kar rahe the.

Shinro: "Riku, tumhare andar ek fire hai jo Swargam ke kisi bhi warrior mein nahi hai. Lekin tumhari strength tumhare control ke upar depend karti hai. Tum agar apne curse ko samajh nahi paye toh yeh fire tumhe khud hi consume kar lega."

Riku ek silent aur determined look mein apna meditative pose complete karte hain. Lekin unke chakra ke glow se ek ajeeb aur vibrant black streaks nikalne lagte hain, jo Shinro Sensei ko shock kar dete hain.

Shinro: "Yeh shadow streaks toh..."

Riku: "Sensei, kya ho raha hai? Yeh streaks kyun mere control ke bahar hain?"

Shinro unhe calm hone ke liye kehte hain, lekin andar hi andar woh jaan gaye the ki Riku ke andar kuch darkness activate ho rahi hai—Shadow Clan ki shakti unka peecha kar rahi hai.

Shadow Clan ki Chaal

Shadow Clan ke leader, Varnath the Obsidian, ek secret mission pe nikal chuke hain. Unka aim hai ek forbidden artifact, Ethereal Seal, ko capture karna, jo Chakra Stream ka complete access unlock kar sakta hai. Agar unka plan successful hota hai, toh Swargam ki light permanently shadow mein convert ho jaayegi.

Unka ek spy, Kael the Silent Blade, secretly Riku ke gaon, Chakra Abyss Village, mein infiltrate karta hai. Kael ko ek Shadow Seer se ek prophecy mil chuki hai:

Kael: "Harbinger ka Chakra Core unstable hai. Agar usse Ethereal Seal ke samne rakha gaya, toh uska pura potential unlock ho sakta hai. Aur woh ya toh planet ka rakshak banega ya uska destroyer."

Riku aur Pehli Mission

Riku apne Praveen rank ke trial mein nikalte hain, jo ek ancient tomb mein hota hai. Ye tomb sirf un warriors ke liye accessible hai jo apna true potential unlock karne ke liye tayar hote hain.

Jab Riku apna pehla test complete karte hain, unhe ek vision dikhti hai—Swargam ka suraj dark aur cold ban chuka hai, aur ek shadow warrior unke samne khada hai. Yeh warrior Riku se kuch kehta hai:

"Riku, tum ek battlefield mein janme ho. Tumhare saath jo hai woh Swargam ke balance ko todne ke liye tayar hai."

Cliffhanger

Riku apne Sensei ke paas wapas lautte hain, lekin unhe ek village attack ki khabar milti hai. Shadow Clan Chakra Abyss Village ke secret tunnel ke through attack kar chuka hai. Riku aur Sensei ko gaon ke bachchon ko rescue karne ke liye ek life-threatening fight karni padti hai. Lekin iss fight ke beech, unhone Kael ko dekha—ek shadow ninja jo Riku ko directly target kar raha tha.