The atmosphere at the training ground was eerily silent. Even the wind seemed to stop, amazed by Tora's transformation into a white ape. The man's body was no longer that of an ordinary human—he had transformed into a white ape demon, towering in height with muscles taut like steel. His body was covered in silvery white fur, and his eyes glowed red, radiating an aura of dominance.
"Amonan… this is his true power," whispered Yamile, eyes wide with shock at the drastic change.
Zhao gripped his sword tighter, his body tense, breath uneven. "If he's serious, we might really die here."
But Yamile didn't retreat. She stood firm, though her knees still trembled. Something inside her burned—a mix of anger, vengeance, and a desire to become stronger. She couldn't stop now. They knew that even greater demonic forces were poised to destroy the world.
Tora raised his hand and pointed at Yamile and Zhao. In an instant, he disappeared from their view and resurfaced right before Zhao.
Zhao didn't have time to think. He immediately swung his sword, but Tora dodged it effortlessly. Tora then struck Zhao's face with his left hand, sending him flying five meters into a tree.
"Zhao!" Yamile screamed, rushing toward him.
But Tora didn't let her act freely. He smashed the ground with his fist, sending cracks in all directions. The earth exploded, and shards of rock shot toward Yamile like bullets.
With quick reflexes, Yamile formed a water shield in the shape of a circular barrier. Yamile momentarily blocked the attack, but the impact still pushed her back several steps.
"Come on, Yamile! Use your anger! Use your guilt!" shouted Tora as he walked closer. "Show me how strong your resolve is!"
Yamile's face now burned with emotion. She bit her lip, then raised her trident high. From its tip, water gathered and formed a translucent dragon that coiled in the air.
Tora paused, observing the power. "Such an incredible strength."
Yamile then lunged forward. The water dragon followed, heading straight for Tora's body, which stood defiantly. But just before it hit him, Tora swung his mace hard. The collision erupted.
A massive explosion shook the ground, swaying the surrounding trees and sending birds flying in panic. Tora also appeared slightly unsteady, seemingly feeling threatened for the first time.
Meanwhile, Zhao, frustrated by the earlier blow, quickly rose to fight back.
He jumped high into the air, focusing all his energy and anger into his black sword. A dark aura radiated from it. Zhao slashed downward with all his might, releasing a massive and powerful attack.
Tora smiled at Zhao's display of power. He didn't run or dodge; instead, he prepared to receive the attack with his mace. As the slash approached, Tora struck with his mace to deflect it. The impact cut through dozens of trees, slicing them cleanly.
"Such tremendous power!" said Tora, impressed by the strength of Zhao's black sword.
Then, Tora accelerated forward with the speed of a lightning bolt. In an instant, he was in front of Zhao, who had just landed. Tora grabbed Zhao's arm and slammed him to the ground. Zhao's body rolled several times before crashing hard into the earth.
"Arrgh!" Zhao groaned in pain.
Tora looked at Yamile. "You're stronger than I thought. But you still haven't fully understood your power."
Yamile bowed her head, breathing heavily. Her legs trembled, but she didn't give up. She got even more serious—water spiraled around her, stronger and larger. The vortex formed an even bigger dragon.
Tora chuckled softly. He then raised his hand as a sign to stop. "That's enough for today. You both passed the first stage."
Yamile and Zhao looked at each other, still gasping for breath.
"What! Don't just end the fight on your own," Yamile shouted angrily.
"We'll continue training tomorrow. For now, rest," said Tora, returning to his human form.
"I think I'm starting to dislike you," Zhao grumbled, still in pain from Tora's beating.
"My apologies!" Tora said casually, extending his hand to help Zhao up.
The three of them returned to the wooden house. Tora helped Zhao walk, while Yamile walked ahead on her own.
"Sorry, I just wanted to show you the power of the awakened demon so you'd understand what kind of enemy you're up against," Tora explained to Zhao.
"Yes, I get it. From now on, I need to grow stronger," Zhao replied.
After a while, they arrived at the house. Uncle Marco greeted them warmly, already having prepared a delicious-smelling dinner—spicy grilled meat.
The aroma made Yamile and Zhao instantly hungry.
"Come on, let's eat!" Marco called out.
Accompanied by the sound of insects, the three of them ate together. Marco urged Yamile and Zhao to eat plenty since they'd need the energy for tomorrow's intense training.
"How was training today? Was Tora too rough?" Marco asked with a warm smile toward Yamile and Zhao.
"He beat me up, Uncle. My whole body hurts now," Zhao complained.
"You're just weak. That little bit already hurts?" Yamile teased.
Zhao glared at her. "I ought to stuff your mouth with this spoon," he said, lifting it menacingly.
Tora and Marco laughed at the sibling-like bickering. It was an unusual sight—what was once a quiet house was now lively thanks to Yamile and Zhao.
"But Uncle, why are there so many bananas here?" Zhao asked, noticing the massive pile in one corner of the house.
"Those are mine," Tora answered.
"That many?" Zhao asked again, puzzled.
"Yes!" Tora replied.
Yamile and Zhao were both confused. Eating that many bananas seemed absurd.
"You see, when a human awakens demon powers, they often start to behave strangely. Especially those like me and Zhao," Marco said.
"What do you mean?" asked Yamile.
"Demon power awakens when a human and a demon merge or form an alliance. That grants immense strength but also imparts the demon's traits," Marco explained.
"Tora has the power of a white ape demon, which is why he behaves like an ape—including his love for bananas."
"Yamile, I bet you're the same now."
"She likes eating flowers now," Zhao said casually.
"What!" Tora and Marco shouted at once.
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