The morning sky was unusually dark.
Thunder Mountain stood before Ryuzen like a giant wall reaching into the heavens.
Its peak disappeared behind thick clouds.
Lightning flashed inside those clouds, illuminating the mountain for only a moment before darkness swallowed it again.
Ryuzen stood at the foot of the mountain, staring upward.
His hand rested on the handle of his weighted training whip.
The twenty-pound weapon felt different now.
Not lighter.
But familiar.
Six years ago, he could barely lift it.
Now he could carry it for hours.
He had learned how to move with its weight instead of fighting against it.
But Thunder Mountain was different.
Even from here, he could feel something.
A strange pressure.
It wasn’t coming from the wind.
It wasn’t coming from the lightning.
It felt as though the mountain itself was watching him.
Ryuzen narrowed his eyes.
“So that’s Thunder Mountain.”
Eldran stood beside him.
His silver-white hair moved gently in the cold wind.
For several moments, the old wizard said nothing.
Then he turned toward the road behind them.
Ryuzen noticed.
“Master?”
Eldran began walking.
Ryuzen blinked.
“Where are you going?”
“Valtara.”
Ryuzen stared at him.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
Ryuzen quickly followed a few steps.
“You’re not coming?”
Eldran stopped.
He looked over his shoulder.
“No.”
Ryuzen’s expression changed.
“But you said the mountain would test me.”
“It will.”
“And the sword?”
“You will retrieve it.”
Ryuzen looked toward the enormous mountain.
“Alone?”
Eldran nodded.
“Alone.”
Ryuzen was silent.
He had expected Eldran to accompany him at least part of the way.
After everything they had been through, leaving him here felt strange.
“Why?”
Eldran’s eyes softened.
“Because this is something you must do yourself.”
Ryuzen frowned.
“You’ve trained me for six years. Why leave now?”
“Because training you and walking your path for you are two different things.”
Ryuzen didn’t answer.
Eldran continued.
“There will come a day when I am not beside you.”
Ryuzen looked down.
“You mean because you’re old?”
Eldran smiled faintly.
“Do not mistake age for weakness, boy.”
Ryuzen almost smiled.
“You’re the one who keeps reminding me I’m getting older.”
“I remind you because you keep forgetting.”
The smile disappeared from Ryuzen’s face.
He looked toward the mountain again.
“Is this part of my training?”
“Yes.”
“To climb a mountain?”
“Not exactly.”
Eldran stepped closer.
“To make decisions without waiting for someone else to tell you what to do.”
Ryuzen’s eyes lowered.
During his years with Eldran, the old wizard had always been there.
When Ryuzen collapsed, Eldran treated his wounds.
When Ryuzen lost control of his thunder, Eldran stopped him.
When Ryuzen didn’t understand something, Eldran explained it.
When monsters appeared, Eldran taught him how to survive.
But this time…
There would be no one.
Ryuzen looked at the mountain.
“What if I fail?”
Eldran answered immediately.
“Then you learn why you failed.”
“And if I get hurt?”
“Then survive.”
Ryuzen looked at him.
“And if I can’t?”
Eldran’s expression became serious.
“Then you will have to discover how badly you want to continue.”
The wind grew stronger.
Ryuzen’s clothes moved around him.
Then Eldran reached into his robe and pulled out a small piece of cloth.
He handed it to Ryuzen.
Inside was a small amount of dried food and medicine.
Ryuzen looked at it.
“That’s all?”
“You’re strong enough to hunt.”
Ryuzen sighed.
“You really aren’t coming.”
“No.”
Eldran turned toward the road.
“How long will you be gone?”
Ryuzen asked.
Eldran stopped.
“That depends on you.”
Ryuzen frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I will not return for you.”
Ryuzen’s eyes widened slightly.
Eldran looked back at him.
“I am going to Valtara.”
He pointed toward the distant road.
“I have business there.”
Then he looked at Thunder Mountain.
“And I expect you to return to me with the sword.”
Ryuzen stared at him.
“You really believe I can do it?”
“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t.”
Ryuzen’s fingers tightened around the cloth.
For years, Eldran had rarely praised him directly.
But those few words were enough.
Ryuzen smiled.
“Then I’ll bring it back.”
Eldran nodded.
“I know.”
He started walking.
Ryuzen watched him.
“Master!”
Eldran stopped but didn’t turn around.
“Thank you.”
A small smile appeared on Eldran’s face.
“Don’t thank me yet.”
He continued down the road.
Ryuzen watched until the old wizard became smaller in the distance.
Then smaller.
And smaller.
Until the wilderness swallowed him.
Ryuzen was alone.
He turned toward Thunder Mountain.
The smile disappeared.
The mountain suddenly looked even larger.
A flash of lightning crossed the clouds.
BOOM!
Thunder shook the ground.
Ryuzen raised his head.
“Alright.”
He tightened the strap holding his equipment.
“If that’s what it takes…”
He took his first step.
“I’m coming.”
The first part of the climb was easier than Ryuzen expected.
A narrow rocky path led upward between enormous cliffs.
Trees grew from cracks in the stone.
Their branches twisted strangely, as if the mountain itself had shaped them.
Ryuzen continued upward.
One step.
Then another.
Then another.
The higher he climbed, the colder the air became.
Soon the trees disappeared.
Rock replaced soil.
The wind became stronger.
Ryuzen stopped for a moment and looked behind him.
The wilderness below seemed incredibly small.
The road he and Eldran had traveled along was barely visible.
He could no longer see his master.
Ryuzen turned back toward the summit.
Another flash of lightning appeared.
This time, it struck the mountain.
CRACK!
Ryuzen immediately jumped backward.
The lightning had landed only a few meters away.
Smoke rose from the rock.
Ryuzen stared at the smoking stone.
“That was close.”
Another bolt struck farther up.
Then another.
Then another.
Ryuzen’s eyes narrowed.
The lightning wasn’t random.
It was following something.
Ryuzen slowly raised his hand.
Tiny blue sparks appeared around his fingers.
The mountain reacted.
A deep rumble came from somewhere beneath his feet.
Ryuzen’s expression hardened.
“So you can feel me too.”
He continued climbing.
Far below, hidden among the trees, someone watched the mountain.
Lyra stood beside an ancient stone formation.
Her silver-blue hair moved with the wind.
Her eyes remained fixed on the mountain.
She had come to Thunder Mountain searching for ancient ruins and traces of an old spiritual phenomenon.
But now she had noticed something else.
A young man was climbing the mountain.
Alone.
Lyra watched him carefully.
Then lightning struck beside him.
Her eyes widened.
“What is he doing?”
Another bolt struck.
Closer this time.
Lyra instinctively stepped forward.
The Moon Wolf inside her soul stirred.
“Do you want to get yourself killed?!”
Her voice echoed across the mountain.
The distant figure stopped for only a moment.
Ryuzen had heard something.
He looked down.
But the distance was too great to see who had shouted.
He didn’t answer.
He simply turned back toward the mountain.
Lyra stared at him in disbelief.
“He’s still climbing?”
Another flash of lightning illuminated Ryuzen’s silhouette.
Lyra’s expression became serious.
“Who are you?”
Ryuzen disappeared behind a wall of stone.
Lyra remained where she was.
She didn’t follow.
Not yet.
Ryuzen climbed higher.
The wind struck his face.
Rain began falling.
At first, it was only a few drops.
Then it became heavy.
Ryuzen pulled his cloak tighter.
Lightning continued striking around him.
His blue thunder began reacting.
It crawled across his arms.
His Electric Eel stirred inside his soul.
Ryuzen gritted his teeth.
“Calm down.”
The thunder intensified.
“Not yet.”
He forced himself forward.
One step.
Another.
His muscles burned.
His breathing became heavier.
But he continued.
Hours passed.
Eventually, Ryuzen reached a massive stone platform.
Ancient pillars surrounded it.
Most were broken.
Symbols covered their surfaces.
Ryuzen walked toward one.
The moment his fingers touched the stone—
BOOM!
Blue lightning exploded across the pillar.
Ryuzen jumped backward.
The ancient symbols began glowing.
His eyes widened.
“This place…”
The mountain rumbled again.
Somewhere above him, thunder rolled across the clouds.
Ryuzen looked toward the summit.
He couldn’t see it yet.
But he could feel it.
Something was waiting.
Something ancient.
Something connected to his soul.
He tightened his grip.
“I’ll get there.”
He stepped onto the ancient platform.
The symbols brightened.
And somewhere deep within Thunder Mountain…
A sealed presence slowly awakened.
Ryuzen didn’t know it yet.
But the mountain had finally noticed him.
And the real trial had not even begun.