After his encounter with the mountain village, Gojo found himself wandering deeper into the untamed wilderness of Earth. It was a world of stark contrasts—advanced cities like West City stood alongside untouched landscapes brimming with mystery. His journey eventually led him to a dense jungle, where the air was thick with humidity, and ancient ruins peeked out from the canopy of trees.
Gojo felt an inexplicable pull toward these ruins. He smirked to himself. "Why not? It's not like I have a schedule."
The locals in a nearby town had warned him: "No one who goes into the Ruins of Shah'dar comes out. They say the Eternal Flame inside is cursed, guarded by spirits from a time long before humans."
"Cursed, huh?" Gojo mused, leaning on the counter of a small inn. "Sounds like fun. So, what's this Eternal Flame thing?"
The innkeeper—a wiry, middle-aged man with a nervous twitch—fidgeted as he spoke. "They say it burns eternally and grants incredible power to anyone who can claim it. But it's just a legend… right?"
"Sure," Gojo said, clearly uninterested in the man's skepticism. "Guess I'll go see for myself."
The innkeeper paled. "Wait—you're not serious, are you?"
But by the time he turned around, Gojo was already gone, the door swinging shut behind him.
The ruins were massive, their stone walls covered in moss and ancient carvings depicting battles between gods and mortals. Gojo stepped inside, his footsteps echoing faintly in the dark corridors. A faint glow illuminated the path ahead, drawing him deeper into the labyrinth.
"Eternal Flame, huh?" he muttered, running a hand along the intricate carvings. "Sounds like something straight out of a fantasy novel."
As he ventured further, he began to sense something unusual—a faint but undeniable presence of energy. It wasn't ki, but it wasn't cursed energy either. It felt… ancient, almost sentient. Gojo grinned. "Now we're talking."
The Guardians Awaken
The room holding the Eternal Flame was vast, with a high domed ceiling covered in glowing symbols. At its center was a pedestal, atop which the flame hovered, burning bright and impossibly still. Gojo approached it casually, hands in his pockets.
"Wow, you're pretty," he said, inspecting the flame. "Wonder what you taste like? Probably spicy."
As soon as he got within ten feet of the pedestal, the carvings on the walls began to shift, the stone twisting and grinding as massive statues came to life. Each one was a towering figure, their forms humanoid but exaggerated—one carried a massive axe, another wielded a bow, and the last held twin swords that shimmered with an eerie light.
"Ah, I was wondering when the boss fight would start," Gojo said, cracking his neck. "Let's see what you've got."
The first guardian—a hulking figure wielding the axe—charged at him, its footsteps shaking the ground. It swung its weapon in a wide arc, the air itself splitting under the force. But Gojo didn't flinch. He simply raised a hand, and the axe stopped mid-swing, inches from his face.
"My turn," he said, activating Cursed Technique: Blue. The gravitational pull ripped the guardian off its feet, slamming it into the wall with enough force to crack the stone.
The second guardian, armed with the bow, fired a volley of glowing arrows that filled the room with light. Gojo dodged effortlessly, his movements a blur. "Nice aim, but you're too slow," he said, closing the distance in an instant. He unleashed a precise strike with Reversal Red, the resulting explosion reducing the bow-wielding guardian to rubble.
The twin-sword wielder was faster, its movements fluid and relentless. It pressed Gojo harder than the others, its blades striking so quickly they seemed to blur. For a moment, it looked like Gojo might actually have to put in some effort.
"Well, aren't you fancy?" he said, dodging another swing. "But I've got places to be, so let's wrap this up."
He combined Blue and Red to unleash Hollow Purple, the devastating attack obliterating the final guardian and shaking the entire chamber.
The Flame's Warning
With the guardians defeated, Gojo approached the pedestal and reached for the Eternal Flame. But as his hand got closer, the flame flared brightly, and a voice echoed through the chamber.
"Are you worthy?"
Gojo raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Talking fire. That's new."
The flame pulsed. "Only one with pure intent may claim the Eternal Flame. Speak your purpose, wanderer."
Gojo considered this for a moment before shrugging. "Honestly? I don't really have a purpose. I just thought you looked cool."
The flame flickered, almost as if it were laughing. "You are an odd one. Very well. You may take my power… but know this: it comes with a price."
"Everything does," Gojo said, plucking the flame from the pedestal. It shrank, coiling itself around his hand before disappearing into his body. For a moment, he felt a surge of power—something primal, untamed, and deeply ancient. But then it settled, and the chamber grew quiet.
"Neat," he said, flexing his fingers. "Guess I've got a new trick up my sleeve."
As he turned to leave, the carvings on the walls shifted one last time, revealing a message in a language Gojo somehow understood: The Flame's power is not yours alone. It will find you when the time comes.
"Cryptic much?" he muttered, but he couldn't deny the faint excitement stirring in his chest. Whatever this Eternal Flame was, it felt like it had just become part of something much bigger.
The jungle gave way to barren wastelands as Gojo continued his journey, now feeling the strange energy of the Eternal Flame stirring within him. He hadn't figured out how to use it yet, but he wasn't in a rush. For now, he was content to see where the winds of fate would take him.
It wasn't long before he found himself confronted by another presence—this one unmistakably hostile. A warrior in ragged armor stepped out from behind a rock, his ki wild and unrefined but potent.
"You're the one who took the Eternal Flame," the warrior growled. "It doesn't belong to you."
Gojo tilted his head, grinning. "Oh, you're here to fight me? Cool. Let's make it interesting."
The fight would escalate into a test of the Eternal Flame's power, pushing Gojo to discover its potential while weaving it seamlessly into the Dragon Ball world. Let me know if you'd like me to expand further!