Ryuji wiped the sweat from his brow. Another swing. Another failure.
"Why can't I get it right?!" he shouted, slamming his wooden sword into the training post. Splinters flew.
He was small. Weak. And everyone in the Celestial Dragon Clan knew it.
A cold wind brushed past him. Strange. His chest burned. A tingling ran through his arms. Something inside him… was waking up.
"Ryuji…" a voice said. He turned. An old master stood there, eyes shining like molten gold.
"You've been chosen," the master said. "The Dragon inside you awakens. Whether you're ready or not."
Before Ryuji could speak, screams cut through the morning air. Smoke curled above the village. Dark figures in black armor stormed the streets—the Dark Cloud Sect.
Ryuji's heart raced. Fear. Anger. Excitement. All at once. He ran toward the village, feet pounding the dirt path, hands glowing faintly.
"Time to see what I'm made of," he whispered.
A surge of golden energy burst from his fists. The ground trembled. Rocks flew. Trees bent.
The first Dark Cloud warrior reached the village gates. Ryuji clenched his fists.
"This… is just the beginning."
And in that moment, the journey to master the Inner Dragon began.