The sun had barely risen when Ryuzen stepped outside.
His training clothes were still damp from yesterday’s sweat.
The weighted whip rested across his shoulder.
He looked toward the forest.
For the first time, he wasn’t looking at it as the place where he trained.
He was looking beyond it.
Valtara.
A kingdom he had only heard about.
A kingdom famous for warriors.
A kingdom where strength mattered more than bloodline.
Ryuzen adjusted the whip.
“So we’re really going?”
Eldran locked the door to his house.
“Yes.”
“How long will we stay?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether you can behave.”
Ryuzen frowned.
“I always behave.”
Eldran looked at him.
Ryuzen looked away.
“Most of the time.”
Eldran started walking.
“Come.”
Ryuzen followed.
They traveled along a narrow path through the wilderness.
The forest between Kryptoria and Valtara was much larger than Ryuzen had realized.
Tall trees blocked the sunlight.
Rocky hills rose in the distance.
Occasionally, they passed old stone structures covered in moss.
Ryuzen noticed several abandoned roads.
“Why are there so many old paths here?”
“Because this region used to be heavily traveled.”
“Used to?”
Eldran nodded.
“Before the monsters became too dangerous.”
Ryuzen looked around.
“So people stopped coming here?”
“Most did.”
“Then why are we here?”
Eldran smiled.
“Because most people aren’t me.”
Ryuzen laughed.
“You really think you’re special.”
“I know I am.”
After several hours, they reached a small settlement.
It was not yet Valtara’s main territory.
It was a frontier village built near the kingdom’s border.
The moment Ryuzen entered, he noticed something different.
Warriors were everywhere.
Some carried swords.
Others had spears.
A few were practicing their Inner Beast abilities in an open training field.
One young man transformed his arm into something resembling stone and smashed a large wooden target.
BOOM!
Ryuzen stared.
“Everyone here trains.”
Eldran nodded.
“Valtara respects strength.”
Ryuzen looked at his own hands.
For years, he had been called weak because of his Electric Eel.
Here, nobody knew who he was.
Nobody knew he had once been a prince.
Nobody knew his family had rejected him.
For the first time…
He was simply Ryuzen.
A boy with an Inner Beast.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
A group of young warriors walked past.
One of them noticed the whip on Ryuzen’s shoulder.
“Hey.”
Ryuzen turned.
The warrior pointed at it.
“That’s an unusual weapon.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“I’m still learning how to use it.”
The warrior laughed.
His companions laughed too.
Ryuzen’s expression remained calm.
He had heard worse.
One of them looked at Eldran.
“Old man, is he your student?”
Eldran nodded.
“Unfortunately.”
Ryuzen turned.
“Hey!”
The warriors laughed again.
But this time, one of them stepped closer.
“What’s your Inner Beast?”
Ryuzen hesitated.
“Electric Eel.”
The laughter stopped.
The warrior looked surprised.
Then he smiled.
“Interesting.”
He didn’t laugh.
Instead, he held out his hand.
“I’m Daren.”
Ryuzen shook it.
“Ryuzen.”
Daren looked toward the training field.
“Want to spar?”
Ryuzen looked at Eldran.
The old wizard shrugged.
“Your choice.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“Sure.”
The training field quickly attracted attention.
Daren stepped into the center.
“What realm are you?”
Ryuzen didn’t know how to answer.
“I’m still learning.”
Daren laughed.
“Fair enough.”
He activated his Inner Beast.
A powerful aura surrounded him.
His arms became covered in thick stone-like armor.
“Stone Rhino.”
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
Daren charged.
Ryuzen jumped backward.
BOOM!
The ground cracked where Daren had struck.
Ryuzen swung his whip.
CRACK!
The weighted tip struck Daren’s shoulder.
Daren barely moved.
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
“That’s hard.”
Daren grinned.
“Your turn.”
He charged again.
Ryuzen moved sideways.
The attack missed.
Ryuzen swung the whip around his body.
This time, blue thunder traveled through it.
CRACK!
The thunder struck Daren’s chest.
He stumbled backward.
The crowd became quiet.
Daren looked down at his chest.
A small burn mark remained.
He smiled.
“Not bad.”
Ryuzen tightened his grip.
The fight continued.
Daren had greater physical strength.
Ryuzen had greater speed and flexibility.
Neither could easily defeat the other.
Eventually, Daren raised both arms.
Stone armor covered his entire upper body.
“Let’s finish this!”
Ryuzen breathed heavily.
His arms were beginning to ache.
He remembered Eldran’s training.
Don’t force your thunder.
Ryuzen lowered the whip.
Daren charged.
Ryuzen watched his feet.
His shoulders.
His breathing.
Then—
He moved.
The whip wrapped around Daren’s ankle.
Ryuzen pulled.
Daren lost balance.
He fell heavily onto his back.
THUD!
The crowd erupted.
Daren stared at the sky.
Then began laughing.
“You got me.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“You were too strong to beat directly.”
“So you used my strength against me.”
Ryuzen nodded.
Daren stood and offered his hand.
“I like you.”
Ryuzen shook it.
“Thanks.”
Daren looked at Eldran.
“Where did you find this guy?”
Eldran answered calmly.
“He found me.”
Ryuzen smiled.
“That’s actually true.”
Later that afternoon, Ryuzen and Eldran continued toward Valtara.
As they approached the border, Ryuzen saw something enormous in the distance.
A massive stone wall.
Behind it stood towers, buildings, training grounds, and countless warriors.
Valtara.
Ryuzen stopped.
“So that’s it.”
Eldran nodded.
Ryuzen looked at the kingdom.
Something inside him felt different.
He didn’t know it yet, but Valtara would change his life.
It would be the first place where people would judge him not by his family…
Not by his title…
Not by the Inner Beast he was born with…
But by what he could actually do.
Suddenly—
ROOOAAAR!
A monstrous roar came from behind them.
Everyone on the road froze.
Ryuzen slowly turned.
The trees shook.
Birds exploded into the sky.
Eldran’s expression became serious.
“That isn’t a normal monster.”
Ryuzen reached for his whip.
“Is it the creature from the forest?”
Eldran shook his head.
“No.”
The ground began trembling.
“Something else.”
A massive creature burst through the trees.
Its body was covered in metallic scales.
Six legs slammed into the ground.
Electric sparks jumped between its horns.
A Valtaran warrior shouted:
“THUNDER SCORPION!”
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
The monster charged toward the road.
People screamed and scattered.
Ryuzen stepped forward.
Eldran looked at him.
“Remember what I taught you.”
Ryuzen raised the weighted whip.
Blue thunder began crawling along its length.
“Control first.”
The Thunder Scorpion roared.
Ryuzen smiled.
“Then let’s see what this training can really do.”
And he ran toward it.