---
The storm was gone.
What remained was silence.
Squad 7 crossed through the shattered basin of the Lightning Spire and returned through the teleport gate, leaving behind the guardian, the glowing sigil, and the ancient whispers that still echoed through the cracks in the mountain.
As they stepped into the plaza of Shrek Academy, all eyes turned toward them.
No words were needed. The Storm Roc that circled above said everything.
---
šļø The Weight of Eyes
Students stared.
Instructors whispered behind closed doors.
The headmasters watched from the tower.
> "That boyā¦ did something impossible," said one.
> "And something impossible always comes with a price," said another.
But Kiyanotoka Ash paid no mind.
His coat was torn. His hair wind-whipped. Blood dried along his sideābut he stood taller than he ever had.
Behind him walked Maya, Riku, and Fuyue. None of them spoke. They didn't need to.
Even if they couldn't explain what happened on that ridgeā¦
They knew something had changed forever.
---
šļø Spiritwood Chamber
The High Seer sat alone in the Spiritwood Chamber, awaiting the one she had seen in visions for months now.
The door opened. Kiyanotoka entered, steps silent.
"You returned alive," she said. "Good."
Kiyanotoka bowed slightly.
She looked at him, blind eyes shimmering with strange light.
"You carry the mark now, don't you?"
He hesitated.
"ā¦Yes."
The Seer smiled. "Then it has begun again."
---
š Forgotten Power: Body Cultivation
She gestured to a stone slab beside her.
Etched into it was a diagramāpart anatomy, part sigil. Arrows showed the flow of energy within a human form. Points along the body were marked with ancient characters.
> "Before spirit beasts ruled the world," she began, "there was only one path. The Path of the Body."
> "Humans once trained their inner vesselsātempering bones, blood, and breath to channel power directly from nature."
> "But when the first Spirit Gates opened, the Beast Bonds replaced that path. Easier. Faster. Stronger."
> "Body Cultivation became myth. Or so they thought."
She turned her gaze toward him.
"But the Guardian you metā¦ was a remnant of the old world. And it gave you more than a trial."
> [ SYSTEM: New Thread Detected ā "Primordial Flame Physique" ]
You have unlocked Body Cultivation ā Stage 0 (Dormant)
Would you like to initiate Inner Flame Awakening?
Kiyanotoka didn't hesitate.
> "Yes."
---
š„ The Flame Awakens
A surge of heat ignited in his chestānot from the outside like beast bonds, but from deep within his very bones.
His skin flushed red. Muscles twisted under tension. Nerves screamed, then rewrote themselves.
He didn't collapse.
He gritted his teeth, focused, endured.
> [ BODY LEVEL 1: Flame-Rooted Physique ]
Vitality +1 | Strength +1 | Fire Affinity +2
Trait: Inner Heat ā Passive resistance to thermal damage and spirit overload.
Core Stage: Embers Formed
His heart beat onceātwice.
And when it did, the glowing lines on the Seer's diagram lit up exactly where the mark on his chest pulsed.
"You've opened the gate," she whispered.
> "But this path is harder than beast-taming. There will be no shortcuts. No partner to protect you."
> "You will bleed. Break. Reforge."
He nodded.
"Good," she said. "Because there are othersā¦ already walking this forgotten path. And they do not walk it with peace in mind."
---
š§ Meanwhile ā Underground Arena
In the shadows of the city below, far from the lights of the Academy, a fist struck steel.
The entire ring shuddered.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
A figure stood in the center of a cracked combat pit, breathing hard, fists bloodiedābut smiling.
Kale Drayven. No beast. No crest. Just raw power.
> "Body Level 2," he muttered. "Still not enough."
A girl in the shadows called out, "You'll kill yourself at this pace."
Kale grinned. "Then I'll die as a human who didn't need a beast to matter."
> "Let them have their spirit contracts and dragon wings. I'll climb with fists and fire in my veins."
---
š Kiyanotoka's Reflection
That night, Kiyanotoka stood at the edge of the cliffs behind the academy. The moonlight washed over him. The Storm Roc rested above. Thamuz lay nearby. The Sylph-Hare shimmered like a ghost on the grass.
Three beasts bound to his soul.
And nowā¦ a fourth powerāhis own body, burning like a quiet star.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the weight of power from within.
> Even if all my beasts fallā¦ even if I'm left alone againā¦
> This time, I will still stand.
---
š End of Chapter 14
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š§ Chapter Highlights
Element Description
Body Cultivation Introduced Ancient human path, older than Beast Taming
System Unlocks New Path "Primordial Flame Physique" awakened
Body Level 1 Achieved Passive bonuses and flame affinity gained
Lore Revealed by the High Seer Spirit beasts replaced body training centuries ago
New Rival Introduced Kale Drayven, a rogue body cultivator with no spirit beast
Dual Path Begins for Kiyanotoka Beasts + Body makes him a potential world-shaking force
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