The tremor grew stronger, and Yuto's senses flared. He could feel the energy around him vibrating, almost as if the very air was charged with impending danger. The cultivators in the hall began to move quickly, some retreating to the back while others gathered around the central table, preparing for what seemed to be an impending battle.
"What's happening?" Yuto asked, his voice tight with anxiety.
The silver-haired woman, still calm but with a glimmer of concern in her eyes, turned to face him. "The Darkness," she said, her voice low and ominous. "It has found us."
A deep rumbling echoed from outside the hall, followed by the sound of something massive dragging itself across the ground. The ground trembled beneath Yuto's feet, and he instinctively took a step back, his hand resting on the energy he could feel pulsing in his body.
"Who or what is this Darkness?" Yuto demanded. His mind raced, the weight of this sudden revelation sinking in. What was hunting him, and why?
"The Darkness is an ancient force," Karun spoke from beside him, his voice grim. "A force that seeks to devour all light and life. It is not a singular entity, but rather a manifestation of a curse that plagues worlds. For centuries, it has remained dormant, but now it stirs once more."
Yuto's gaze flicked to the others in the room—each one preparing themselves, standing with a kind of focused resolve. He was the outsider here, but now, it felt like his very presence was tied to this looming catastrophe.
"I don't know how to fight this," Yuto said, his fists clenched at his sides. "I'm just… a guy from another world who happened to wake up with a tail and some strange powers."
"Your power is not an accident," the silver-haired woman said. She stepped toward him, her eyes locking with his. "The Saiyan bloodline runs deep, Yuto Akiyama. You have the potential to wield the might of an entire race, and it is this power that may be our salvation. But you must learn to control it. Quickly."
Before Yuto could respond, the doors to the hall burst open with a deafening crash. A dark, oppressive energy flooded into the space, swallowing the light. Standing in the doorway was a towering figure, its face obscured by a hooded cloak. It was humanoid but grotesquely distorted, its body covered in spiked armor, and its eyes—glowing a sickly green—pierced through the darkness.
"The Darkness has come," the figure said in a voice that sent a chill through Yuto's spine. "And with it, your doom."
Without warning, the figure lifted its hand, and the entire hall trembled. The air grew thick with malevolent energy, and cracks appeared in the stone around them. The cultivators moved into position, their weapons drawn, but Yuto could feel that this was no ordinary battle. This being was not of this world, and its power was unlike anything he'd ever felt before.
"Stay back," the silver-haired woman ordered, stepping forward. "This fight is not for the untrained."
But Yuto felt the familiar surge of energy within him. His palms tingled, his body humming with a strange, uncontrollable force. He couldn't stand by and do nothing. His instincts screamed at him to fight, to protect these people—even though he had no idea how.
"I'm not going to just stand here," Yuto muttered under his breath. He clenched his fists, his mind flashing back to the fight with the Flame Tiger, to the strange energy he'd used to destroy it. He could feel it rising within him again.
The Darkness being laughed, its voice a low, menacing sound. "Fool. You think you can stop me? You're nothing but a lost child playing at power."
Yuto gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know who you are, but I'm not going down without a fight."
The silver-haired woman's eyes widened as Yuto stepped forward. "Wait! You—"
But it was too late. In an instant, the energy within Yuto surged, and a brilliant blue light exploded from his palms. The force of the blast sent shockwaves through the hall, momentarily blinding everyone in the room. When the light dissipated, Yuto stood at the center of the chamber, his body glowing with energy, his fists crackling with blue sparks.
The Darkness being staggered back, its hands raised to shield itself from the attack. Its eyes flickered with rage. "Impossible. You… You are far stronger than I anticipated."
Yuto's breath was shallow, his body pulsing with raw power. He could feel the energy inside him—the same energy he had used to defeat the Flame Tiger—now running through his entire being, magnified. It was as though his body was a conduit for this world's very essence.
"Get ready," Yuto muttered, his voice low and determined. "This time, I'm finishing this."
With a roar, he charged at the dark figure, his feet barely touching the ground as he moved with the same speed he had felt when dodging the tiger's attack. The Darkness being swung its arm in a wide arc, but Yuto easily sidestepped, his movements almost instinctual. He lashed out with a punch, the force of his blow sending a shockwave through the air. But the creature was resilient. It parried the attack with its own spiked armor, and the impact sent a ripple of pain through Yuto's arm.
The beast grinned, showing teeth like jagged blades. "You're strong… but not strong enough."
Before Yuto could react, the creature's other arm lashed out, sending a blast of dark energy straight toward him. He barely managed to raise his hands in time to block it, but the force of the explosion sent him crashing into the stone wall behind him.
"Damn it…" Yuto muttered, pushing himself to his feet. His body ached, and his mind raced. What was he missing? He had to tap into something more, something beyond what he had already used. His hands crackled with energy, but it felt different now—familiar yet untapped, waiting to be unleashed.
Then, it hit him.
A memory from the voice in his head, the one that had whispered about the Saiyan bloodline. Something about a power… a transformation. Was that what he needed to do?
"System," Yuto whispered, his voice full of desperation. "Help me."
The voice from the system returned, echoing in his mind. "Saiyan transformation detected. Power levels approaching threshold for Ascension."
Yuto's heart raced as he focused. He didn't know exactly what this transformation would look like, but he could feel it deep within him, a wave of energy just waiting to explode.
The Darkness being recoiled, sensing the change in the air. "No… You cannot—!"
But Yuto was already moving. His body glowed brighter than before, a golden aura surrounding him as his muscles grew, his power skyrocketing. The transformation was painful, but it was also liberating. This was his true strength.
With a roar, he launched himself at the creature once more, his speed and power multiplied beyond anything he had ever experienced. The battle for this world had only just begun.