The mountain trembled under the Shadow Beast's fury. Taki crouched, breathing heavily, the Dawn Blade glowing faintly in his grip. The whispers had intensified, filling his mind with light and shadow in equal measure.
"Rise… or be consumed…"
Taki's vision blurred, then sharpened. Every movement of the Shadow Beast slowed, as if time itself bent around him. His muscles no longer ached; they moved with a precision and strength that felt otherworldly.
"This… this power…" he whispered.
The silver-haired girl stepped beside him, her voice steady. "It's not just the blade, Taki. It's you. The Dawn doesn't just give strength. It awakens the soul."
The Shadow Beast roared, swinging its massive chain-like arms. But this time, Taki didn't dodge—he moved through it. Light surged from the Dawn Blade, carving arcs of golden energy that sliced through the Beast's flames without resistance.
Taki felt a strange warmth in his chest—the sigil pulsing like a heartbeat, syncing with his own. His mind cleared; every fear, every doubt, every memory of failure dissolved into purpose.
"This is my path," he thought.
"I will protect. I will fight. I will rise."
With a yell, he leaped forward, leaving a trail of golden light. The Dawn Blade struck the Shadow Beast directly at its core.
The Beast howled, the chains snapping, flames exploding outward. But the impact didn't just wound—it transformed. Black fire became golden, the shadows retracting as if the sun itself was burning them away.
Taki hovered for a moment, chest heaving, as the Shadow Beast collapsed, no longer a monster, but a lifeless, blackened husk.
The girl smiled faintly. "You've done it. But… this is only the first trial. There are others waiting. Greater than this. Darker than this."
Taki looked at the Blade of Dawn, its glow now steady and pure. "Then I'll face them. Whatever comes. I won't run anymore."
The girl faded into the mist, leaving only a whisper:
"Remember… the Dawn chooses its bearer… but the darkness will always come."
Taki stood alone on the cliff, the wind whipping around him. The sun rose fully, illuminating the valley below. For the first time, Taki Runcandel felt truly powerful.
But even as he raised the Dawn Blade to the sky, a shadow lingered at the edge of the horizon—a storm of darkness, waiting, watching.
And somewhere far away, Madara Jin smiled.