Kaelen lay inside the damp, shadowy cave, clutching his wounded leg. His breathing was shallow, his heart pounding like war drums in his chest. Blood had soaked through the cloth he had tied around the wound. The forest around him growled with unseen dangers—his senses heightened, and every snap of a twig made him flinch.
"I can't stop here…" he whispered to himself, staring at the faded map the old man had given him. The sun was already dipping low in the sky—he had only a few hours left to complete the course and return to the hut.
Forcing himself up, he winced with pain but gritted his teeth. He ripped a strip from his shirt and tightened it around the wound, using a nearby stick as a crude crutch. The test wasn't just about speed—it was about willpower, strategy, and heart. And Kaelen had all three.
---
As he limped deeper into the forest, the traps grew more cunning. Camouflaged pits, flying kunai, pressure-triggered logs—all designed to slow him or break him. But Kaelen was learning. His instincts sharpened. He began predicting the trap patterns, sensing the hidden chakra triggers, and avoiding them just in time.
His eyes flickered with a faint glow—something unusual was awakening inside him.
As the sun dipped lower and the shadows lengthened, Kaelen came across a wide gorge with only a broken rope bridge swaying in the wind. He paused.
"There's no way I'll make it across with this leg…"
He closed his eyes, calming his breathing. Then, as if guided by something deep inside, he focused his energy into his feet. The faint thunder energy he'd sensed during the power test surged within him. The rope bridge crackled with a flicker of static as Kaelen stepped on it, balancing perfectly despite his injury.
Halfway across, a section of the bridge snapped. Kaelen jumped, lightning pulsing through his legs to push him farther—and landed safely on the other side, rolling to absorb the impact.
He lay there for a moment, gasping.
"I don't know what's happening to me… but this power... it's different."
---
By the time Kaelen finally saw the small hut through the trees again, the sun was just about to touch the horizon. His body was battered, but he kept moving, one painful step at a time.
He collapsed at the hut's door just as the last rays of sunlight hit the treetops.
The door creaked open. The old man stood there, arms crossed, a calm expression on his face.
"You passed."
Kaelen looked up, exhausted but proud. "I… did?"
"You didn't give up. That's what matters. You showed heart, instinct, and a spark of something else."
"What… what is this energy inside me?" Kaelen asked.
The man knelt beside him and placed a hand on Kaelen's chest.
"Something ancient. Something hidden. Maybe… even forgotten by time. But one thing is sure."
He looked Kaelen in the eyes.
"You're not just a Thunder user. There's something more inside you. A legacy."
Kaelen's eyes widened. "Please… tell me your name now."
The man smiled.
"You may call me Razen. S-rank ninja of the Ancient Masters—and once, a comrade of your ancestors."
Kaelen's heart skipped a beat. "You knew my ancestors?"
Razen nodded. "And if you're ready… I'll help you unlock what they left behind."
Kaelen looked into the twilight sky, a storm of questions and hope inside him.
This was just the beginning.
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