The form of the beast began to emerge, its shifting mass coalescing into something tangible. Kenshiko had expected a beast—a creature of primal instinct, an extension of Ash's will shaped by his Ki. But what emerged from the swirling darkness was something entirely different.
A towering figure took shape—an Oni Wraith, standing nearly twice Ash's height. Its form flickered between solid and ethereal, as if it existed between two worlds. A horned, demonic mask sat upon its featureless face, its expression shifting from neutral to a cruel, unreadable grin. Jagged plates of shadow-plated armor clung to its massive frame, resembling the battle-worn armor of an ancient samurai, though incomplete and fractured. Its clawed hands stretched unnaturally, wreathed in black mist, while a massive void-forged blade flickered in and out of existence within its grip. The air around it pulsed with raw energy, an ancient and primal force that refused to be tamed.
Kenshiko's data streams fluttered with unread signals—uncertainty, an anomaly she had not calculated. "This… this is not a beast," she murmured, more to herself than to Ash. "You have shaped something else entirely."
Her artificial consciousness processed the implications. Ash had not simply conjured an extension of his Ki—he had given form to something deeper, something from the core of his soul. The Oni Wraith was not a mindless beast. It was something intelligent. Something dangerous. From the swirling darkness, a towering figure took shape—an Oni Wraith, standing nearly twice Ash's height. Its form flickered between solid and ethereal, as if it existed between two worlds. A horned, demonic mask sat upon its featureless face, its expression shifting from neutral to a cruel, unreadable grin. Jagged plates of shadow-plated armor clung to its massive frame, resembling the battle-worn armor of an ancient samurai, though incomplete and fractured. Its clawed hands stretched unnaturally, wreathed in black mist, while a massive void-forged blade flickered in and out of existence within its grip. The air around it pulsed with raw energy, an ancient and primal force that refused to be tamed. It was massive, its silhouette reminiscent of a great hound, but its body remained fluid, shifting between form and formlessness.
Then, the mistake happened.
A single moment of doubt, a flicker of uncertainty buried deep within his mind. And the wraith sensed it.
The shadows lashed outward like blackened tendrils, surging toward him with unnatural speed. Ash barely had time to react before an invisible force struck him square in the chest, launching him backward. He crashed onto the wooden floor, the impact jarring his entire body.
The wraith's eyes gleamed in the dim light, cold and unfeeling. It no longer awaited his command. It moved of its own volition.
Kenshiko's voice cut through the haze of pain in Ash's mind. "Rise! You do not submit to the shadows; they submit to you!"
Ash clenched his teeth, pushing himself to his feet. The wraith circled him now, its predatory gaze unrelenting. The air around them crackled with raw energy, and Ash could feel the tension building within the dojo walls. The spirits of the past warriors who had trained here seemed to whisper, watching his trial unfold.
With renewed determination, he reached deep within himself, past the doubt, past the fear. He focused only on the truth—the power was his to command. He would not be ruled by the darkness.
He thrust his hands forward, channeling every ounce of willpower into the connection between him and the beast. The shadows wavered, resisting him at first, but he did not falter. He forced his Ki through them, bending the energy back under his control.
The beast snarled, its form flickering, distorting, until finally, it lowered its head. A sign of submission.
Ash's breaths were ragged, his muscles trembling from the sheer exertion of the struggle. But he had won. The wraith was his.
Kenshiko's voice softened, approval lacing her tone. "You are learning. But this is only the first step. Control can be fleeting. You must ensure it remains yours."
Ash met the beast's gaze, feeling an unspoken understanding pass between them. This was no mere weapon—it was something far greater. And as he stood within the sacred halls of the Shirogiri dojo, he knew that his training had only just begun.