one step away from reality to dream

The air was thick with tension as Ravihiro and Haruno stood facing each other in the clearing, their gazes locked. The sun was setting behind them, casting long shadows across the landscape. A perfect moment for a duel that would shake the very ground beneath their feet. Ravihiro's calm demeanor stood in contrast to Haruno's fierce determination, her excitement palpable.

"I won't go easy on you, brother," Haruno said, her voice laced with the challenge she had thrown.

Ravihiro gave a small smirk. "I expect nothing less."

With a flash of energy, Haruno unleashed her martial soul, the Spider Demon Queen. Her body shifted, spider legs sprouting from her back, sharp and lethal, her eyes glowing with a faint purple hue. Her six soul rings appeared around her, glowing in sequence—each one a testament to her hard-fought progress.

Ravihiro remained still, his eyes narrowing in anticipation. The Spirit within his ring murmured in surprise. "Be on your guard. She's strong."

Haruno wasted no time. With a swift motion, she activated her first soul ring ability—String of Poison. Threads of shimmering green silk shot out from her fingers, wrapping around Ravihiro with lightning speed. Each string was laced with deadly venom, designed to immobilize and poison him in one strike.

But Ravihiro's reaction was instant. He raised his hand, and with a flicker of light, Kageha, his martial soul, manifested. The sword hummed with an otherworldly glow, slicing through the threads with ease. The venomous strings disintegrated in the air, unable to touch him.

"Not bad," Ravihiro said, gripping Kageha tightly. "But you'll have to do better than that."

Haruno gritted her teeth and, with a sharp cry, activated her second soul ring—Cry of Fear. A piercing scream echoed across the clearing, the sound waves crashing into Ravihiro with the force of a tidal wave. The air itself seemed to vibrate, and for a split second, Ravihiro's vision blurred, his mind filled with a disorienting fog.

But Ravihiro planted his feet firmly, focusing his energy into the ground beneath him. In a swift motion, he raised his hand and activated a formation, one of his most powerful defenses. The ground lit up with intricate symbols, surrounding him in a protective barrier of light, shielding him from the worst of the attack.

"Impressive," Ravihiro said, his eyes flashing with excitement. "But this is just the beginning."

He raised his hand again, and this time, the ground beneath Haruno trembled. Formation of Poison—a trap he had set before the duel—activated, causing tendrils of dark energy to erupt from the ground. They snaked towards Haruno, aiming to drain her energy and weaken her.

But Haruno was ready. Her fourth soul ring ability—Danger Detection flared up, alerting her to the incoming threat. With a swift leap, she dodged the tendrils, her spider legs propelling her into the air. From above, she spun her third soul ring ability—Net of Hypnosis. A massive web shot down, shimmering with a hypnotic glow, aiming to trap Ravihiro in its clutches and cloud his mind.

Ravihiro's eyes narrowed as the web descended on him. He slashed Kageha upward, but the web was more resilient than the previous threads. As it wrapped around him, he felt the edges of his mind begin to blur, the world spinning slightly.

But Ravihiro wasn't done. With a shout, he summoned his energy, focusing on the techniques he had cultivated for years. Channeling his Qi, he gathered it into his hands. "Let's see how you handle this!" he yelled, and in one fluid motion, he unleashed a devastating energy blast( Kamehameha blast.)

A brilliant beam of pure energy shot out of his palms, cutting through the web like a knife through butter. The blast roared toward Haruno, who had mere seconds to react. She crossed her arms, summoning her fifth soul ring ability—Army of Spiders. Hundreds of tiny spiders erupted from the ground, forming a protective wall between her and the incoming blast.

The beam collided with the spiders, incinerating many but slowing the attack enough for Haruno to dodge to the side. She landed on her feet, her eyes wide with shock.

"You almost got me," she muttered, her heart racing.

Ravihiro smiled, but he wasn't done yet. "Almost isn't good enough."

Suddenly, Haruno activated her sixth soul ring ability—1000 in One Spider. Her body began to shimmer, merging with the spiders around her. In moments, she transformed into a colossal spider-like beast, towering over Ravihiro, her eyes glowing with malevolent power.

"This is my true form, brother," Haruno said, her voice echoing from her new, terrifying form. "Let's see how you handle this!"

Ravihiro felt the ground shake beneath him as Haruno's massive legs struck the earth. But he didn't flinch. His mind was calm, his focus sharp.

"It's time to end this," he said softly.

With a deep breath, Ravihiro called upon his formation techniques once more. He activated Formation of Illusion, casting the area in a disorienting haze of false images and shifting shadows. Haruno's massive form hesitated, confused by the shifting terrain around her.

Then, with a burst of energy, Ravihiro charged forward. Kageha glowed brighter than ever, its blade humming with anticipation. As he approached Haruno, he leapt into the air, the sword raised high.

Haruno tried to strike, but her movements were slowed by the illusions. In that moment of hesitation, Ravihiro unleashed his final attack. Kageha descended with a flash of light, slicing through the illusions and striking Haruno's spider form with immense force.

The impact was deafening, and Haruno was sent crashing to the ground, her massive form dissolving as she reverted back to her human appearance. She lay on the ground, panting, her body bruised but not broken.

Ravihiro landed softly beside her, his sword disappearing in a shimmer of light.

"That was... incredible," Haruno said between breaths, looking up at her brother with admiration.

Ravihiro smiled and extended a hand to help her up. "You've gotten strong, Haruno. But remember, strength isn't just about power. It's about knowing when to strike and when to wait."

Haruno grinned, despite her exhaustion. "I'll get you next time, brother."

Ravihiro laughed softly, looking out at the horizon. "Maybe. But for now, let's celebrate your progress."

As they walked back to their training ground, the spirit in Ravihiro's ring whispered in awe. "That sword of yours... its power is unlike anything I've ever seen."

Ravihiro glanced down at his hand, where Kageha had vanished. "It's a part of me, just like Haruno's Spider Demon Queen is a part of her."

And so, the duel ended, leaving both siblings stronger and more determined than ever. But deep down, Ravihiro knew that their journey had only just begun.

As Ravihiro and Haruno walked back to their camp, the air felt lighter after their intense duel. Haruno, though exhausted, was in high spirits, proud of her newfound strength. Ravihiro, however, was deep in thought, his mind wandering back to the battle. He had held back—more than Haruno could have guessed.

In the quiet of his thoughts, the Spirit's voice echoed in his mind, whispering cautiously.

"You held back against her," the Spirit said, a note of concern laced in its tone. "Even though she's strong, you didn't show your true power. Why?"

Ravihiro's eyes remained fixed on the path ahead, but his mind was clear as he responded silently.

"She's not ready," Ravihiro replied, his tone calm but firm. "If I unleashed everything, it would crush her spirit. Haruno's progress is remarkable, but she still has much to learn. There's no need to overwhelm her now."

The Spirit was silent for a moment, digesting Ravihiro's words.

"She's ambitious. I can sense the fire in her soul. But you…" the Spirit hesitated, choosing its words carefully, "You've grown far beyond what even I expected. You could have ended the battle in moments."

Ravihiro gave a small nod, acknowledging the truth in the Spirit's observation. But his thoughts shifted, and he asked a question of his own.

"How is the gravity formation holding up?"

The Spirit's voice grew more serious, as if trying to gauge the right moment to reveal its answer. "The gravity formation you created… it's been running for over 10 years now. The weight has increased with time. It's now at… 100 times the normal gravity."

Ravihiro's gaze didn't shift, but the weight of that information settled heavily in his mind. "One hundred times," he repeated mentally, his voice steady but calculating. "That's why the beasts have become more restless."

"Yes," the Spirit confirmed, "The gravity has become too much for the weaker creatures in the area. It's affecting the environment. The pressure… it's unbearable for most beings. But you…"

The Spirit's voice trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.

Ravihiro didn't respond immediately, but his mind was already moving ahead, considering the implications of the gravity formation. Haruno had been cultivating under the crushing force of 100 times gravity without even realizing it. Her strength was indeed formidable, but how much further could she go once the full weight of her training conditions was revealed?

A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of Ravihiro's lips. "She'll surpass me one day," he thought quietly to himself. "But not yet."

The Spirit, ever watchful, whispered softly, more to itself than to Ravihiro, "And you… you're holding back something far greater. But why?"

Ravihiro's silence was his only answer as the story slipped into the unknown, leaving readers with the lingering question of just how deep Ravihiro's power truly ran—and what he might be saving it for.