I exhaled slowly, stretching my arms as I muttered, "Alright, that's enough for today, I think."
With a focused gesture, I drew my hands in a smooth arc, and one by one, all my clones dissolved back into the shadows from which they were born. The familiar pull of their essence back into my own being was seamless—I could feel their memories and experiences flowing into me, but thanks to the way I had refined the technique, it wasn't overwhelming. No sudden info dump, no mental chaos. Just calm, structured knowledge transferring neatly into my own mind.
I gave the shadows one last flicker, letting them fade completely, and felt a quiet satisfaction. Today had been productive—I'd tested the limits, explored new possibilities, and even gotten a glimpse of what future development might look like.
Adjusting the weight of the shadow armor remnants around me, I started heading back to the village. The forest was quiet now, the leaves whispering in the evening breeze. The sun had almost set, casting long, stretching shadows across the ground—shadows that felt almost like companions, following me silently.
Every step back was measured and careful; my body still ached slightly from the exertion, but the familiar sense of control and growth settled over me. Ten Shadows had proven itself once again, and I knew this was only the beginning of what we could accomplish.
I glanced up at the fading light and muttered softly to myself, "Tomorrow… we go further. We push limits even more."
The village's lights grew closer, warm and inviting, as I continued my walk home, carrying both the weight of my power and the spark of my ambition.
Then I kept going, and I saw Ashura and Indra on the gate.
"Hey… elder brother Indra, are you going back to the mountains to train? Can I join?" Ashura asked, trying to keep his voice casual, but I could see the tension in his posture.
"You would just slow me down, Ashura," Indra said coldly, his eyes barely glancing at him as he started walking toward the path leading to the mountains.
Ashura's shoulders slumped slightly, but he tried to brush it off. "Yeah… I guess you're right," he said, though the disappointment was clear even if he tried to hide it.
I stepped forward, crossing my arms. "Elder brother, no need to be a jerk about it. You could've just said no." My tone was sharp, and my shadow twitched around my feet, ready to move at the slightest sign of hostility.
Indra stopped abruptly and turned toward me, Sharingan flaring, red and piercing. The wind seemed to still around us, heavy with tension.
Ashura quickly stepped in front of me, holding up his hands toward Indra. "Heh… calm down, elder brother. Elder brother Danava didn't mean that at all," he said, trying to defuse the situation.
Indra let out a sharp hmpf and stared at us for a long moment. Then, without another word, he turned his back and continued walking toward the mountains, his silhouette merging with the shadows of the setting sun.
Ashura exhaled audibly, his shoulders relaxing slightly. I let my shadow settle back to normal, unclenching the energy around me.
"Geez… Sometimes I wonder if elder brother Indra even knows how to talk without being… Indra," I muttered, shaking my head.
Ashura gave a small, rueful smile. "Yeah… maybe one day he'll open up. Until then, we keep moving forward."
I shook my head, feeling the familiar spark of determination. Shadows, training, and my brothers—these were my tools, and I wasn't about to let arrogance or fate get in the way.
"Let's get home," I said, letting the last threads of shadow fade.
"And Ashura, grow a spine," I said with a disappointed face and continued.
"You know what I believe? Give respect, take respect. Anyone who doesn't treat me well, I won't give a rat's ass about him—be it anyone, even Indra himself," I told Ashura firmly, my arms crossed as we walked toward the house.
Ashura, still a little quiet but nodding, looked at me and said softly, "Elder brother… I get it. I'll try… to be stronger. Not just for myself, but… for you too."
I smirked, ruffling his hair gently. "Good. That's the attitude I want to see. Don't let anyone push you around, alright? Not Indra, not anyone."
Ashura straightened his posture a little, his eyes flicking with determination. "Yeah… Elder brother, I won't let him or anyone else intimidate me again."
I nodded approvingly, the wind rustling the trees around us. Shadows from the setting sun stretched long across the path, mirroring the shadows that clung to me subtly, still infused with the remnants of the shadow armor I had practiced with earlier.
"Alright," I muttered to myself. "Time to focus on what really matters—my jutsus, my clones, and making sure I'm ready for whatever Indra decides to throw at me next."
As we approached the house, I could see Shirai waiting near the entrance, arms crossed and brow furrowed. She looked like she was about to scold someone—or maybe just me.
"Danava! What happened to you? You look like you wrestled a bear—or maybe Indra did!" she exclaimed, her tone half-frustrated, half-relieved.
I chuckled, shrugging. "Just a little sparring. Nothing too serious. And yeah… Indra's still as arrogant as ever."
Shirai's eyes softened slightly, but she still had that stern expression she always wore around me. "You need to be careful. You can't just go throwing yourself into fights like that, you know? You'll hurt yourself one day."
I smirked. "Relax. I've got my clones, my shadows, and my training. I'm fine. Besides… I like testing myself."
Ashura stepped beside me, glancing at Shirai with a small smile. "Elder brother Danava's right. He's always prepared. I'll make sure no one messes with him."
Shirai blinked, slightly taken aback by Ashura's confidence. "...Hmph. Good. Someone needs to keep you in check, Ashura."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Looks like the dynamic is shifting a bit. Good. Ashura's growing up, and Indra can stay… well, Indra."
The evening sky was fading into night, stars beginning to twinkle above us. I could feel the calm before the storm—the quiet moments before the training, the battles, and the experiments with my shadows that would shape everything to come.
Behind the mountain, the night was silent except for the faint rustle of leaves. Indra stood before three training logs, his Sharingan spinning faintly as his gaze shifted back and forth.
"Come out already. I can tell you're here."
A shadow slithered across the ground, and a low chuckle followed."Hm… Indra, you've gotten sharp," muttered the black entity as it emerged from the darkness—its form barely human, writhing like ink in moonlight.
Indra narrowed his eyes. "I don't have time for this. Tell me what you want to say."
The entity let out a rasping laugh. "Heheheh… No need to rush. You'll want to hear this."
It tilted its formless head, its golden eyes gleaming."So… Have you gotten used to your eyes yet?"
Indra's brows furrowed, his posture stiffening. "...How do you know about that?"
The entity leaned closer, its voice low, almost whispering inside Indra's mind."Well… I'm the one who awakened those eyes, after all."
Indra's eyes widened, a chill running down his spine.
The black figure straightened, circling him like a serpent. "I think you've already felt it, haven't you? That you are… different. That you are special, Indra."
It moved closer, its face stopping just inches away from his."Danava and Ashura… They don't hold even a candle to you."
Indra's breath caught. He wanted to speak, but no words came out.
The black entity's mouth curled into a malicious grin. "Remember that."
And before Indra could react, the figure dissolved into shadows, slipping back into the night—gone as suddenly as it had appeared.
Indra stood frozen, his Sharingan glowing faintly in the darkness. Alone, surrounded by silence, his mind was racing, the words echoing over and over.
"I awakened those eyes… You are special… Ashura and Danava don't hold a candle to you."
His fists clenched. For the first time, a spark of something new—both fear and ambition—flickered within him.
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Can read up to 11 or 9 chapters ahead. (For now, don't worry; I will increase the chapter count soon, and you can read chapters of Tensura: True Dragon of Sun as well. It has somewhere around 25 or so chapters ahead, maybe? Yeah, but not less than 25, so go ahead.)