Alex stood in the center of the Universal Mindscape, arms folded and face scrunched in deep thought. The shimmering void around him pulsed gently, as if reacting to his frustration. Aang stood nearby, spinning his glider like a bored staff, while Master Oogway sat atop a floating rock, sipping tea from a cup that hadn't existed a second ago.
"I feel like I've hit a wall," Alex said. "Like… I'm learning how to fight, sure, but if I'm supposed to survive in a ninja world, I need more than footwork and palm strikes. I need something… stronger."
"Then we must go deeper," Oogway said calmly.
"Yeah, but how? I can't just train harder. I'm maxed out at punching rock-people and not crying."
Aang gave a small chuckle. "Maybe it's time to expand your training circle."
"Expand it to who?" Alex asked.
System pinged.
New Synapse Spark Detected
Fusion: Hunger for Power + Combat Urgency + Fictional Respect
Analyzing...
Compatible Mentors Located:
– Combat Experience: Extreme
– Teaching Ability: High
– Narrative OP Factor: Yes
Optimal Selection: Vergil – Son of Sparda
Status: Ready to Summon
Warning: May cause existential dread, motivational spikes, and spontaneous sword envy.
Alex blinked. "Wait… Vergil? Like that Vergil?"
A rift tore open in the void, slicing sideways like a blade cutting paper. From within, he stepped forward—tall, silver-haired, coat flowing like a banner, katana sheathed at his side.
Vergil.
His presence was overwhelming. Cold. Precise. Focused. He didn't even look at Alex for a moment—just took in the space with narrowed eyes.
"So this is the place," Vergil said. His voice was deep and calculated. "A void, yet full of potential. Tolerable."
Alex waved awkwardly. "Uh, hi. I need help. Like… fighting help. Ninja world stuff. Please don't stab me."
Vergil turned his gaze to him. "You seek power. That much is clear. But you lack direction, discipline, and conviction."
Alex nodded. "Yeah, that's why you're here."
"Very well." Vergil stepped forward, unsheathing Yamato with one smooth motion. "Then I will train you. Not to protect. Not to save. But to become strong. Unshakably strong."
System pinged.
New Mentor Acquired: Vergil – Combat Style: Precision Strikes, Spatial Manipulation, Unrelenting Offense
New Objective: Survive the Introduction
Vergil vanished.
And reappeared behind Alex.
"Lesson one," he said, voice like a whisper next to Alex's ear, "never blink in combat."
WHAM.
Alex went flying, body flipping three times before skidding across the glowing floor.
Aang winced. "He's fast."
Alex groaned, clutching his ribs. "That—was not—okay…"
"Again," Vergil said, now standing ten feet ahead, blade resting against his shoulder. "You will learn spacing, reading intent, counterplay. No wasted motion. No hesitation."
The next hour—if you could call it that—was a gauntlet.
Vergil trained with ruthless precision. He struck without mercy, demanding focus and absolute presence. Every movement from Alex had to be clean. No flailing, no panic. Just intent and control.
He learned spacing—how to stay exactly one step outside an opponent's reach.
He learned counter-movement—how to sidestep a slash by inches, not yards.
He learned control—how to punch once and mean it, not swing wildly.
Vergil's style was sharp and unrelenting. He expected mastery, not mediocrity.
Alex fell. Got up. Fell again. Got up again.
And each time, something inside him adapted.
System Alert:
Synapse Fusion Triggered: Spatial Awareness + Muscle Memory + Panic Reflex
Result: Passive Skill Gained – "Instinctive Evasion"
Description: When under high-speed attack, user gains a brief window of precognition to dodge. Cooldown: 10 seconds.
"Not bad," Vergil murmured, as Alex ducked a blade without thinking.
Oogway smiled in the background. "He is growing."
Aang nodded. "He's starting to move like he means it."
Alex, panting hard, grinned between gasps. "This is insane. I love it."
Vergil pointed Yamato forward. "Then stop thinking like a civilian. And move like a warrior."
They resumed.
Clashes. Dodges. Redirects. Counterstrikes. More than a training session—it was transformation. Alex's body was beginning to understand how to fight, not just what to do. He wasn't just reacting—he was anticipating.
Another clash.
Another dodge.
Another strike.
Then…
System Alert:
Major Synapse Spark Detected
Fusion: Physical Mastery + Combat Drive + Emotional Anchoring + External Power Source
WARNING: System Threshold Crossed
Unlocking New Skill Tree Branch…
[Echo Drive: Proto-Form 1 Unlocked]
User can now enter a temporary enhanced state derived from fusion core residue. Speed, strength, and reflexes drastically improved for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 6 hours.Note: Stability… questionable.
Alex's eyes widened as his limbs sparked with residual energy. His breathing slowed. His stance corrected on instinct. For ten seconds, he moved like lightning.
He ducked a slash from Vergil and countered with a palm strike that forced the swordsman to step back.
Vergil's eyes narrowed. "Now that… was acceptable."
Alex's heart thundered. "Holy crap. Did I just—did you just—what was that?"
System Response:You tapped into the Echo Drive. A fragment of Cataclysm Echo's true form. Use sparingly. Train endlessly.
Alex stood tall, shoulders straight, heart pounding with pride and a little bit of fear.
He was changing.
He was growing.
And the Mindscape? It had only just begun to show him what he was capable of.