The wyvern stood only a few meters away from Isshin, its massive body still as its golden eyes scanned the area. Its wings folded slowly, its attention shifting between the surroundings and the missing egg.
The air felt heavy.
But Raijin remained calm.
A small form of him appeared beside Isshin, no longer just a presence in his mind. It was a miniature version of himself, limited by Isshin's current state.
The wyvern noticed immediately.
It didn't attack.
It understood.
Raijin's presence wasn't threatening, but it carried something far beyond the creature. Something higher. That alone was enough to stop it.
"I'll help you get your egg back," Raijin said. "But in return, you help us."
The wyvern stayed still, listening.
"Isshin needs to cultivate here. The Thousand-Strike Thunder."
There was a pause.
Then the wyvern let out a low sound.
Agreement.
With one movement, it took to the sky, disappearing into the clouds above, watching from a distance.
Isshin didn't waste time.
He moved deeper into the ruins.
It didn't take long before he found them.
Two men.
The egg was beside them, wrapped in cloth.
"Hey," Isshin said as he walked toward them. "You guys doing alright?"
They turned immediately.
"Idiot! Hide! There's a wyvern here!" one of them snapped.
Isshin kept walking. "I'm just trying to find my way—"
He moved.
His sword flashed with thunder qi, cutting toward the first man's neck.
The man reacted fast, forming a shield. The blade cut through, but not fully.
The second man attacked at the same time, aiming for Isshin's side.
Isshin stepped back with flash step, lightning spreading across the ground.
His Thunder Domain expanded.
The space around them filled with pressure.
The two men didn't hesitate.
They attacked together.
Isshin met them directly.
His sword clashed with one, lightning exploding outward as he used Sword of Raijin: One Slash.
At the same time, the other struck with his palm.
"Eight Trigram Palm!"
Isshin countered with Thunder Palm.
For a moment, everything held.
Then the pressure increased.
They were both at his level.
Two against one.
He started losing ground.
Then—
The wyvern returned.
It crashed down behind Isshin, shaking the entire area.
Fire burst from its mouth, engulfing one of the men completely. His defenses broke instantly.
Isshin didn't waste the chance.
He turned and struck.
His blade cut clean across the second man's throat.
The fight ended.
Silence followed.
The egg was still there.
Isshin picked it up and stepped back.
His eyes moved to the bodies.
The robes.
Wudang Sect.
He frowned slightly.
They were supposed to be righteous.
But the technique he saw earlier wasn't fake.
He didn't think about it for long.
The wyvern returned, taking the egg carefully and placing it back in its nest.
"I will help you," it said. "As promised."
It looked at Isshin.
"The thunder will come in one week. At the center of this place. Be ready."
Isshin nodded.
"Do you have a name?" he asked.
The wyvern lowered its head slightly. "We don't take names until we reach human form."
Isshin didn't expect that.
Before leaving, the wyvern spoke again.
"My child will hatch soon. I want the Celestial One to bless it."
Raijin nodded. "When the time comes, I will."
Isshin turned and walked deeper into the ruins.
His thoughts stayed on a few things.
The Wudang Sect.
The thunder that was coming.
And what he needed to do next.
One week.
That's all he had.