Chapter 8 - New Bond
The afternoon sun cast long shadows as Asura stepped out of Lysaria's hidden shop, the scent of incense and divine energy still clinging faintly to his clothes. He walked the winding roads of the beginner village, passing stone homes and thatched stalls where Natives bartered over fruits, cloth, and small magical trinkets. Despite his composed demeanor, his mind reeled from what had just occurred—the transformation, the eight tails, the bond.
But there was no time to dwell. The world outside was moving, and with each step, his role in it deepened.
Asura wandered farther than he intended, his feet carrying him beyond the familiar market square and toward the outer edges of town. A cool breeze stirred the trees, their leaves whispering secrets to anyone willing to listen. Just ahead, nestled between a grove of ancient pines and a half-cracked stone path, stood a large wooden building with curved eaves and weathered banners.
A dojo.
He frowned. That hadn't been here before—or at least, not during his last life. Not like this. It stood tall, quiet, proud… but worn. The kind of place that had once thrived and then been forgotten.
Before he could step closer, a shout cracked through the air.
"Old man, you're a month late! Again! We're done waiting!"
Asura's gaze snapped to the left, where a group of rough-looking thugs—loan sharks by the look of them—were surrounding a hunched elder just outside the dojo's entrance. The man's robes were patched, his posture fragile, but there was something dignified in how he faced them. He didn't beg. He didn't flinch.
Asura's boots echoed as he approached.
"Back off," he said, voice low but sharp enough to cut.
The thugs turned. The leader—a broad-shouldered brute with a chipped fang and knuckle tattoos—scowled.
"And who the hell are you?"
Asura didn't answer. He took a single step forward, and the aura around him shifted—pressure slamming into the group like a wave.
[Asura Aura – Passive Activated]
The thugs staggered, their bravado cracking beneath the weight. One of them backed away. The others hesitated.
"I won't ask again," Asura said.
They fled.
The old man exhaled and bowed slowly. "Please, traveler… I beg of you. Help us."
Asura stepped closer, cautious but listening. "Help you with what?"
The man straightened. His eyes, though aged, still held the fire of someone who remembered what honor once felt like.
"This dojo… it belonged to the Tsuyoi Clan. Once, we were protectors of this region. Respected. Strong. But when the Moon Curse struck, we lost everything. Title, recognition, our right to stand among the great names."
Asura's brows furrowed.
The Moon Curse again.
The old man's voice grew quiet. "Now, they want to take what little remains. This land, our name… it will all vanish. I cannot stop them alone. But if you would help us restore our honor, the Tsuyoi will stand again."
He held out a small, glowing token—etched with lunar patterns and bearing a dormant sigil that pulsed softly in response to Asura's aura, as if awakening to his presence. Though unassuming at first glance, a closer inspection revealed hints of forgotten power—engraved runes buried beneath the surface and the unmistakable shimmer of a legacy waiting to be reawakened. The old man repocketed the token away into his robes.
"This place—this legacy—has waited long for a worthy soul. One who carries strength… and the spark of destiny. Please, take this."
Hidden Quest: Echoes of the Tsuyoi
New Feature Discovered: CLANS
You've uncovered the long-lost history of the Tsuyoi clan and the ancient structure of clans. Unlike guilds, clans may claim land, establish bloodline legacies, and influence noble circles. Their recognition carries far greater weight in the eyes of nations.
Quest Activated: Save the Tsuyoi Clan from extinction
Restoring this fallen clan will earn the loyalty of moon-bound warriors and lost experts from across the land.
This quest will unfold in phases as you secure the dojo, recover ancestral heirlooms, and prove yourself to remaining clan descendants.
Phase I – Rekindling the Legacy
Objective: Defend the Tsuyoi dojo from loan sharks and obtain the Lunar Crest Token.
Outcome: Unlock the Clans feature. Gain the old master's trust and learn about the clan's fall due to the Moon Curse.
Asura stood silent. This… wasn't in the last life. No player had ever mentioned clans—only guilds. Not even the guides from the late-game forums had so much as whispered about it.
Then a memory stirred—Mystique's voice from Star Labs: "If you want to shape the world, you must build a clan, not just a guild. Legacy will matter more than power."
At the time, he'd dismissed it as flavor text. A vague monologue. But now… now it made sense.
This dojo. This old man. This curse. All of it was part of a path players weren't supposed to see.
He clenched his fist. His path forward had changed again.
And it was only just beginning.
""I'll help you restore your clan's honor," Asura said, his tone resolute as his gaze swept over the crumbling structure. "But let's start by handling those thugs. Tell me everything—how deep in debt are you, and how did it come to this?"
The old man bowed deeper this time, gratitude tempered with lingering shame.
"It began thirty years ago," he said. "After the Moon Curse severed our bloodline's connection to the lunar wellspring, our martial arts techniques began to fail. Our disciples lost their power—some even died attempting to cultivate the old ways. We were branded cursed and slowly forgotten."
He motioned weakly toward the dojo. "I've kept the doors open with what little savings I had, hoping that the old masters' legacy wouldn't be completely erased. But the taxes… the interest from loans… they pile higher every season."
Asura crossed his arms, listening.
"Those men," the old master continued, "work for a broker named Yurako. He's a minor noble who buys out dying traditions and turns them into commercial schools for profit. He doesn't care about legacy—only money. He offered to wipe our debt in exchange for ownership of the land and the Tsuyoi name."
Asura's gaze sharpened. "And if you refused?"
"I did. And now he sends men to harass the few students we have left. They've already forced three to leave."
"How much do you owe?"
"…Nine million Myznar." The number left a bitter taste in the air. "I had hoped one of our students would find a way. But they are scattered, and few trust in the Tsuyoi legacy anymore."
Asura nodded slowly. "Then I'll be your answer."
The old master's lips trembled—not in fear, but hope. "Truly?"
"You said the clan fell because its bond to the moon was broken, right? I've met others touched by that curse. But maybe this dojo still holds something they didn't have—something that can be restored."
He paused, then added, "I don't want to just fight off the loan sharks. I want to understand what this place is. If there's still power left in your legacy, I'll find it."
Quest Updated: Echoes of the Tsuyoi – Phase I: Rekindling the Legacy
Secondary Objective Discovered: Investigate the Dojo's Inner Sanctum for lingering moon essence.
Hint: Asura's connection to divine favor may react to areas steeped in lunar resonance.
The old master's posture straightened slightly. "Then come inside, warrior. Let me tell you what remains of our history."
Asura followed him into the quiet dojo, where faded banners still fluttered above the tatami floors. The air smelled of old incense and forgotten pride—but somewhere deeper inside, beneath the dust and silence, something called to him.
Something was waiting.
Asura stepped lightly over the threshold, eyes scanning the cracked tiles and faded murals of moons and flowing stances. He could feel the legacy here, coiled tight in the silence, not quite dead—just waiting.
But the time for history would come later.
He turned to the old man. "You mentioned Yurako—where can I find him?"
The master sighed. "He holds court near the west trading post this time of day. There's a small tea house called White Fang Hollow. He doesn't travel with many guards—thinks no one would dare challenge him in public. He's wrong."
Asura nodded once.
Quest Marker Added: Locate Yurako – West Trading Post | White Fang Hollow
The elder hesitated before speaking again. "Be careful, traveler. Yurako may be a minor noble, but he has connections beyond this village. If you confront him too openly, he might retaliate… not with strength, but with bureaucracy."
Asura smirked. "Good thing I don't plan on being subtle."
He stepped back outside, the dojo's sliding doors creaking shut behind him.
Wind stirred again, carrying the scent of pine and something heavier—anticipation.
The Tsuyoi had guarded something sacred once. Maybe they still could.
But first, Yurako needed a reminder that some legacies don't fade quietly.