Ryuji had barely recovered from the Dragon's Gate when Lyra led him to the Crimson Arena, a colossal battleground where the clans tested their strongest fighters.
"Today, you will face warriors from every major clan," Lyra explained. "It's the Tournament of the Clans. Only by fighting the best can you understand the true power of the Dragon within."
Ryuji's heart raced. Arena battles. Clans. Rivals. The Dark Cloud Sect might be lurking too.
As he entered, the crowd erupted. Fighters from the Iron Tiger Clan, Shadow Moon Clan, and even Celestial Dragon Clan elites were already preparing.
Then he saw him. Kael, smirking, arms crossed.
"You're here," Kael said. "Let's see if the Dragon actually makes you stronger, or if you're still just a weakling."
Ryuji clenched his fists. The golden energy flared around him, bright and alive.
The first round began. Kael attacked like a storm, his strikes fast and brutal. Ryuji blocked, dodged, and countered. Each clash sent shockwaves across the arena. The crowd gasped.
Ryuji's Dragon energy pulsed. He could anticipate Kael's moves, his reflexes enhanced beyond normal limits. But he wasn't in full control yet—the energy was raw, wild.
Kael grinned. "Not bad… but can you handle this?"
A flurry of strikes, faster than the eye could follow, rained down. Ryuji felt the Dragon inside him roar. He clenched his fists, golden light exploding outward.
With a sudden surge, he channeled the Dragon fully, moving in a blur. Kael's attacks were blocked, parried, and finally, Ryuji landed a decisive strike. Kael stumbled back, shocked.
The crowd erupted into cheers. Ryuji's first victory. But even as he stood there, golden aura shimmering, a shadow loomed in the distance: a Dark Cloud Sect assassin, watching silently, waiting for the perfect moment.
Ryuji's journey had just escalated. The tournament was only the beginning. Stronger opponents, deadly clans, and the Dark Cloud Sect awaited.
And the Dragon inside him whispered: "This is just the beginning… fight, or be destroyed."