The wind howled once more.
Ryuji stared at his doppelgänger—his dark reflection—standing just a few feet away. Every movement was eerily familiar, every breath perfectly synchronized. Yet, there was something deeply unsettling in those silver eyes—something wrong.
His counterpart tilted his head, smirking. "You look surprised."
Ryuji tightened his grip on his sword. "What are you?"
The other Ryuji chuckled. "I'm you. The real you. The part you try so hard to bury." His voice was smooth, mocking. "All your rage, your doubt, your fear. I am everything you refuse to accept."
A shiver ran down Ryuji's spine. He had faced strong opponents before, but this was different. This wasn't just a battle of skill—this was something far deeper.
Raiden stood in the distance, arms crossed, watching in silence.
"This is your final trial," he said. "You must conquer yourself, or you will never wield the full power of the storm."
Ryuji's grip tightened. He couldn't afford to hesitate.
His doppelgänger smirked, raising an identical sword. "Enough talk."
Then he moved.
Clash of the Storms
Ryuji barely had time to react before his double was upon him.
CLANG!
Their swords met in a violent explosion of wind and lightning. Sparks crackled through the air as shockwaves erupted from the clash, sending dust and debris flying. Ryuji gritted his teeth, pushing forward, but his dark counterpart matched him strike for strike.
A sharp kick struck Ryuji in the ribs.
BAM!
He staggered back, coughing.
His double smirked. "Pathetic. You call yourself a warrior?"
Ryuji wiped blood from his lip, steadying himself. He wouldn't let this thing get inside his head.
Without warning, his reflection shot forward again. A blur of movement—too fast! Ryuji barely dodged, twisting to the side. But his double anticipated it, spinning mid-air and bringing his blade down with terrifying precision.
SLASH!
Pain erupted across Ryuji's arm. Blood splattered onto the cracked ground.
His counterpart landed smoothly, eyes gleaming. "You hesitate. That's why you're weak."
Ryuji growled, gripping his sword tighter. He had to change his approach. Fighting this thing like a normal opponent wasn't working.
His mind raced.
What did Raiden say? You do not command the wind—you become it.
Ryuji took a deep breath.
He let go.
The wind surged around him, no longer just an external force but a part of him. His heartbeat synchronized with the storm itself.
And when he moved—he disappeared.
The Storm Unleashed
For the first time, his doppelgänger's smirk faded.
Ryuji reappeared behind him in an instant, blade flashing like a streak of lightning.
SLASH!
His double barely blocked in time, sliding back from the sheer force of the attack. But Ryuji didn't let up. He moved like a phantom, attacking from every direction, his strikes weaving through the air like the winds of a hurricane.
His counterpart struggled to keep up.
Then—
Ryuji feinted left, but instead of attacking, he became the wind, twisting behind his double and driving his knee into his gut.
BAM!
His reflection choked, staggering back.
Ryuji didn't stop. He slashed downward, and this time—his blade connected.
SLASH!
A deep cut tore through his counterpart's chest. The storm around them crackled violently as his double stumbled, gripping the wound. His silver eyes flickered, no longer mocking—now desperate.
Ryuji pointed his sword at him. "You are not stronger than me." His voice was steady, certain. "You are just the weight I've been carrying all this time."
His counterpart scowled. "You think you can erase me?"
Ryuji shook his head. "No."
Then he plunged his sword straight into his double's chest.
WHOOSH!
The figure convulsed. Cracks of golden energy spread across his body as the storm roared around them. His form flickered, breaking apart into streams of wind and lightning.
As the energy dissipated, only Ryuji remained—stronger than before.
Raiden watched, nodding in approval. "You have passed."
Ryuji exhaled, lowering his sword.
He had conquered himself.
And now, he was truly ready for the battle ahead.