The stillness that followed the fall of the Flame Tiger was almost eerie. The air was thick with the residual heat from the beast's fiery form, and Yuto stood amidst the smoldering crater, his chest heaving from the exertion. The ground around him was scorched black, and tendrils of smoke rose into the sky, carried by the wind. For a moment, everything seemed suspended in time, as though the world itself was holding its breath.
Yuto took a slow step back, feeling the aftereffects of his attack reverberating through his body. Despite the overwhelming strength he had just unleashed, something inside him was still unsettled. He had barely understood how to control the power coursing through his veins, yet here he was, standing victorious over a creature far beyond the level of any normal beast.
The group of cultivators had fallen silent, their eyes wide with disbelief as they gazed at the young man who had just single-handedly defeated the Flame Tiger. Even Elder Ren, who had maintained his composure throughout the journey, stood frozen, his mouth slightly ajar.
"Did you... did you just kill it?" the younger cultivator, the one who had initially tried to challenge Yuto, asked in a hushed voice. His arrogance from earlier had vanished, replaced by something that bordered on fear.
Yuto glanced at the fallen beast, still alive but severely weakened. Its fiery mane flickered like a dying flame, and it lay motionless in the crater, its chest rising and falling with labored breaths. He wasn't sure what to make of it. It had been stronger than him in the beginning, but something had shifted inside of him—something that let him overcome the creature.
"I didn't kill it," Yuto replied, his voice calmer than he felt. "Just... incapacitated it."
Elder Ren approached cautiously, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion. "Your power... I've never sensed anything like it before. It's as though it's not just from this world." His voice trailed off as he glanced at the other cultivators, who still looked at Yuto with a mixture of awe and apprehension.
The older man took a step closer to Yuto, his eyes now filled with curiosity. "We will need to return to the sect immediately. The elders may have insight into what you truly are, and perhaps how you came to be here."
"Yeah, sure," Yuto agreed, feeling the pressure of their stares. His mind was still buzzing with questions, but the only thing that mattered right now was getting answers.
He couldn't explain it, but something about the Golden Dragon Sect intrigued him. It felt as though this place—these people—might hold the key to understanding what had happened to him.
With a final glance at the injured Flame Tiger, Yuto turned and followed Elder Ren and the others as they made their way back to the sect. The journey was quiet, save for the distant rustle of wind and the occasional mutterings from the cultivators around him.
Yuto kept his senses sharp, feeling the unfamiliar energy in the air. The aura of the land was alive, dense with Qi that pulsed like a heartbeat. It was unlike anything he had encountered back on Earth. Every step felt heavier, as if the world itself was pressing down on him. His body seemed to resonate with the energy, responding to it on a primal level. But the question lingered in the back of his mind: why had he been brought here, and why did his power feel so... foreign yet familiar?
After what felt like hours, the group finally arrived at the sect's gates. Towering stone walls surrounded the complex, and the entrance was marked by two enormous statues of golden dragons, their eyes gleaming with an ethereal light. The air was thick with spiritual energy, and Yuto could feel the weight of it pressing in on him as they approached. The gates opened with a low groan, revealing a sprawling courtyard filled with lush gardens, serene ponds, and ornate pagodas that reached toward the sky.
"This is the Golden Dragon Sect," Elder Ren said, his voice filled with pride. "The heart of cultivation in this realm. It is here that the strongest rise, and the weak are left behind."
Yuto couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he took in the sights. This place was nothing like anything he had ever seen—an ancient, mystical world filled with power and wonder. But more than that, it felt like a place where he could belong.
As they walked deeper into the sect, Yuto noticed that the cultivators here were unlike those in the plains. They moved with purpose, their expressions calm and collected. Some trained in the open areas, practicing martial arts and spiritual techniques, while others meditated in the corners, their bodies surrounded by soft glowing lights. The energy in the air was palpable, and Yuto felt a strange pull toward it, as though it was calling to him.
"You'll be tested," Elder Ren continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "The elders will decide whether you are fit to join the sect. We cannot afford to allow just anyone to become a member. You must prove your worth."
Yuto nodded, understanding the weight of his words. If he was to survive in this world, he needed to adapt quickly. Cultivation, power, and strength were the currencies here, and without them, he was nothing.
They finally arrived at the central hall, a massive structure made of jade and gold. It gleamed in the sunlight, and the air around it hummed with energy. As they entered, the atmosphere shifted—heavier, more oppressive. Yuto's senses tingled, and he instinctively clenched his fists. This was a place of power, and everyone who resided here carried it with them.
Inside, the halls were lined with towering bookshelves, ancient scrolls, and statues of long-forgotten deities. At the far end of the hall sat three figures, their eyes closed in deep meditation. As Elder Ren approached, he lowered his head respectfully.
"Elders," he said. "I bring before you a young man of strange origin. His power is unlike anything we have seen before."
The three figures slowly opened their eyes, and Yuto felt their gazes bore into him. The weight of their attention was like a physical presence, and Yuto resisted the urge to flinch.
The first elder, a woman with long silver hair and piercing blue eyes, spoke. "You are not of this world, are you?" Her voice was soft but carried an air of authority that made it clear she was not asking a question—she was making a statement.
Yuto took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I'm not sure. I woke up here just a short while ago. But whatever I am, I need answers."
The second elder, an older man with a long white beard and sharp features, studied Yuto with interest. "You carry the bloodline of the Saiyan. The power that you possess comes from a source far beyond this realm. You have been chosen for a reason."
Yuto felt his heart skip a beat. "Saiyan? What does that mean?"
The third elder, an ancient-looking man with eyes that seemed to glow faintly, finally spoke. "The question is not why you are here, but how you will wield the power that is within you."
Yuto's mind raced. He had been right to come here. These elders knew something—something that could finally answer the questions that had plagued him since his arrival. But they weren't going to give him answers without a price.
"Prove your worth, young one," the first elder said. "Only then will we reveal the truth."