Part I: Storm-seed awakens
The moment Kaito chose Storm-seed, the point he'd earned was absorbed like lightning striking a rod. A surge of energy rippled through his chest, not painful, but sharp—like clarity being injected into muscle and memory.
Storm-seed didn't just enhance speed. It refined it.
His reflexes sharpened. His perception of movement slowed, allowing him to read angles mid-motion. His footwork became lighter, more precise. The world didn't slow down—but his ability to respond accelerated.
Then came the memories.
An old man stood before him in a rain-soaked courtyard. His voice was calm, his posture rigid. Kaito remembered the man's name only as "Master Jigoro Kuwajima,"
"Thunder Breathing is not just speed," Jigoro Kuwajima, had said. "It is rhythm. It is prediction. It is the art of striking before thought."
Kaito remembered the drills. The pain. The repetition and the next two forms.
Third Form: Thunder Swarm. A flurry of rapid strikes in multiple directions, designed to overwhelm a single target or multiple attackers. It required precision and stamina—each strike had to land with intent.
Fourth Form: Distant Roar. A long-range dash followed by a delayed strike, where the blade's momentum carried the force forward even after the user had moved past the target. It was deceptive, elegant and devastating.
Kaito practiced the motions slowly beneath the trees. His body remembered the timing. His breath synced with the rhythm. The sword moved like a conductor's baton, slicing through air with purpose.
Storm-seed had awakened not just power—but memory.
He wasn't just borrowing this body.
He was becoming it and the mountain was watching.
Part II: The Branches of Storm-seed
As the energy settled, Storm-seed revealed its structure.
Three branches unfolded like glowing paths in his mind's eye. Each one required 3 Demon Points (DP) to unlock. He had none. But he could see them—feel them—study them.
Branch 1: Arc Pulse
Description: Enhances Thunder Breathing forms with electrical aftershocks. Each strike leaves a residual pulse that can stun or disrupt demon movement.
Tactical Use: Ideal for crowd control and interrupting regeneration.
Drawback: Requires precise timing—misfires can leave the user exposed.
Branch 2: Flash Reversal
Description: Grants the ability to reverse direction mid-strike, allowing for unpredictable counters and evasive manoeuvres.
Tactical Use: Perfect for duels and tight terrain.
Drawback: High stamina cost—overuse leads to delayed recovery.
Branch 3: Tempest Frame
Description: Temporarily boosts reflexes and movement speed beyond normal limits for 10 seconds.
Tactical Use: Ideal for blitz-style engagements or escaping ambushes.
Drawback: Cool down period of 5 minutes. Cannot be stacked.
Kaito studied each carefully.
Arc Pulse appealed to his analytical mind—disruption and control. Flash Reversal matched his instinctive footwork—fluid, reactive. Tempest Frame offered raw power—but at a cost.
He couldn't choose yet.
He needed 3 more points.
But now he had a goal.
Each demon slain wasn't just survival—it was progress. Currency. A step toward mastery.
Storm-seed wasn't just a skill tree.
It was a philosophy.
Speed with purpose. Precision with consequence.
Kaito stood, sword humming faintly.
The mountain wouldn't wait and neither would he.
Part III: Lunch and Eastward
By midday, Kaito had caught two more fish from the stream using the same technique Rengoku had taught him. He cleaned them with practiced efficiency, skewered them over a small fire and ate slowly—mind focused, body recovering.
He boiled water using a metal cup he'd scavenged from a ruined camp nearby. It wasn't much, but it was enough to stay hydrated.
After lunch, he repacked his gear—minimal, silent and efficient. He wrapped his sword in cloth to reduce shine, adjusted his robe for mobility and checked the terrain map he'd sketched from memory.
East.
Rengoku had said more demons gathered there.
More danger.
More points.
More answers.
As the sun dipped slightly, Kaito began his trek eastward, feet light, senses sharp.
Storm-seed pulsed quietly in his chest.
The hunt had resumed and the next kill would bring him closer to unlocking the storm.
100 PS =1 NEW CHAPTER
200 PS = 2 NEW CHAPTER