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On a remote mountain somewhere on the Asian continent, a man in his 30s stood poised, holding a wooden bow in his left hand. Though the bow appeared to be simple in design, it emanated a unique aura, suggesting it was far from ordinary. The wielder, with his short dark hair and unkempt beard, wore loose-fitting clothes that allowed for swift and precise movements. Despite his rugged appearance, the air around him pulsed with authority. To his left stood another man, dressed in worn, shabby clothes. However, the energy he emitted marked him as a Qi soldier, a warrior of considerable strength. Despite this, he kept a respectful distance, clearly deferring to the man with the bow.
The archer gripped the bowstring and pulled it back, yet no arrow was notched. Instead, as he drew the string, five arrows made entirely of Qi materialized between his fingers. The effort etched a slight frown onto his brow as the energy condensed into physical form. With a grunt of exertion, he released the arrows.
THWIP! BOOM!
The arrows shot through the air at impossible speed, striking a massive boulder the size of a small building hundreds of meters away. The impact sent it shattering into countless pieces. But the man wasn't done yet. He extended his hand toward the debris, and the arrows split into dozens of smaller projectiles, striking the airborne fragments with pinpoint accuracy. Then, with another wave of his hand, the smaller arrows converged, fusing into a single, colossal arrow, formed of Qi and rock.
"Be careful, your highness! That technique is dangerous—" the Qi soldier warned, his voice tinged with worry.
"Be quiet," the archer snapped, his focus unwavering. "I'm on the verge of achieving Arrow Intent. Once I do, I'll have the power to lead the Himejima family when my father steps down. And with Hachiman's acknowledgment, no one will stand in my way."
The Qi soldier fell silent, knowing better than to argue.
The archer pulled the massive arrow of rock and energy toward him with a single motion. It stopped before him, hovering in the air like a massive spear. He paced around the arrow, inspecting it with the intensity of a craftsman. After a few moments, he nodded to himself and sat cross-legged on the ground. Closing his eyes, his Qi flared up violently, like a blazing inferno encasing his body.
Suddenly, the sky rumbled.
BOOM!
A massive banner, as tall as a building, descended from the heavens and slammed into the earth beside him with a resounding thud. The Qi soldier's jaw dropped in astonishment, frozen in disbelief at what he had just witnessed. Meanwhile, the man with the bow remained perfectly calm, as though the divine phenomenon were a natural part of his training.
The Qi soldier stared in awe as the banner began to glow, its sacred energy moving toward the archer, swirling around him like a protective shield. His aura, which had raged wildly moments before, now began to stabilize. The once chaotic energy grew controlled, focused, and powerful.
The archer opened his eyes, his face serene. Rising from his seated position, he approached the banner. Its ten-foot-tall wooden pole was embedded firmly in the ground, and atop it, a flag bearing three tomoe flapped in the wind. With a steady breath, he grasped the pole, his fingers curling around the wood. The ground shook as he pulled it from the earth, and as if responding to his command, the banner shrunk, fading into the air like mist dispersing under sunlight.
---
In a distant temple, a towering 10-foot statue stood tall and imposing, its samurai armor gleaming in the faint light. The figure wore an oni mask that covered half its face, revealing only its piercing eyes. A longbow rested in its hand, a quiver of arrows at its waist, and a katana sheathed by its side. This was no ordinary statue—it was the likeness of Hachiman, the god of war.
In the temple's main hall, a group of students of Japanese origin sat cross-legged, listening intently to their teacher's lecture. Suddenly, the teacher stopped mid-sentence, sensing a powerful energy surge. The students, too, felt the sudden shift, their gazes drawn to the statue as a faint warm light began to emanate from it, followed by a deep, low rumble.
The teacher's eyes widened. "It seems someone has received the Himejima clan's heritage and earned the acknowledgment of Hachiman," he muttered in awe.
The students exchanged excited whispers.
"Do you think it's the clan head's genius son?"
"Or maybe the clan head himself?"
---
Thanos hadn't realized how long he had spent in the room with the gauntlets until the door creaked open and Shino walked in, his eyes widening as he took in the scene.
"Those are… Whoa. What are those?" Shino asked, awe lacing his words. "They don't feel like any ordinary gauntlets."
Thanos smiled, looking down at his hands, now encased in the golden armor. "I think I just got the best gift I could've ever asked for."
Shino stepped closer, his gaze never leaving the gauntlets. "They feel ancient… powerful."
Thanos nodded. "Empyrean Golden Gauntlets, forged by Ogun and enchanted by Hanuman." His voice held a reverence he hadn't known he was capable of. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight and energy coursing through them. "I'm not sure if I'm worthy, but they've accepted me."
Shino let out a low whistle. "That's insane, man. If those gauntlets chose you, then maybe you're a lot more than you think."
Thanos chuckled. "Maybe."
"Anyway," Shino began, snapping out of his daze. "We're getting ready to find a place to set up camp. You coming?"
Thanos flexed his fingers, watching as the golden light of the gauntlets shimmered under the room's dim lighting. His heart raced with excitement, but he forced himself to focus. The journey ahead was only beginning.
"Yeah, I'm coming," Thanos said, his voice filled with new determination.
Together, they walked out of the room, Thanos feeling the weight of his new weapon, yet strangely lighter at the same time. For the first time in a long while, he felt like his path forward was clear.
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