Shadow Slave: Divergence of Hereos

Chapter 10: The Intent of a King

I knew now that this trial wasn't just about hitting Mori or mastering the staff. 

It was about finding that singular drive—the thing that would push me beyond my limits and make Ruyi Jingu recognize me as its master. 

Something pure, something unshakeable. Like Modret's desire to kill, or Mori's own boundless confidence in his strength.

But what was mine?

Mori Jin stood at the mouth of the cave, his form outlined against the magnificent twilight landscape. 

For a moment, he seemed completely at peace, the world bowing to his presence, as if nature itself knew who he was.

His casual stance, his relaxed demeanour—none of it hinted at the sheer destructive force he held within.

I struggled to keep my balance, my body aching from the gruelling training. 

But there was something in his earlier words, about intent, that stuck with me, even as my mind struggled to grasp its full meaning.

Without warning, Mori lifted his hand, and the staff—the Ruyi Jingu—appeared in his grip once more. 

Its presence was commanding, far beyond the simple staff it seemed to be in my hands. 

Mori turned his gaze to the horizon, his golden eyes glowing brighter, as if the energy of the entire universe swirled within them.

"Watch closely," he said, his voice devoid of any arrogance now. It was a simple statement, yet it carried the weight of a thousand battles, a thousand victories.

He raised the staff above his head, holding it high. The air around us seemed to shift, growing heavier with each passing second. 

A breeze picked up, swirling dust and leaves in spirals around him. The very atmosphere bent to his will. 

Mori Jin's voice echoed through space, as if the sky itself waited in anticipation for his command. 

"Expand, Ruyi Jingu."

The words rolled out of him effortlessly, but the effect was immediate—and overwhelming.

In an instant, the staff in Mori's hand began to extend, shooting upward at a speed I could barely comprehend. 

It didn't just grow—it exploded outward, piercing the heavens with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground beneath my feet. 

The staff expanded without limit, stretching so far into the sky that its golden glint became a mere sliver, far beyond where the eye could follow.

A deafening crack reverberated through the air as the Ruyi Jingu tore through the clouds, splitting them apart like fragile paper. 

The once serene sky was now filled with the booming sound of its growth, thunderous and unstoppable. It was as though the very fabric of reality was struggling to contain the weapon's sheer enormity.

The golden sky turned dark, filled with swirling clouds as the staff continued to grow. It seemed to blot out the sun itself, casting long, jagged shadows across the earth. 

The once beautiful landscape was now draped in chaos. Mountains quivered, the earth shook violently, and the trees bent as if bowing to the overwhelming force of the staff's expansion.

I stared in awe, my mouth dry, heart pounding. 

This—this was what true power looked like. The staff Mori wielded wasn't just a weapon. It was an extension of his will, of his intent. 

The sky cracked open as Ruyi Jingu pierced through it, a monumental weapon that dwarfed everything in existence.

Mori's voice cut through the chaos, steady and calm, as if this was just another day for him.

"Ruyi Jingu isn't just about its size or strength," he explained, his eyes fixed on the destruction above. 

"It's about the will to wield it. The intent to use its power without hesitation, without doubt."

The staff seemed to pulse with energy, glowing faintly against the darkened sky. 

In the distance, entire mountain ranges crumbled, reduced to dust by the mere force of its presence. 

The heavens themselves shook under the weight of Ruyi Jingu's devastating power, and for a brief moment, it felt as though the world might collapse under its force.

And yet, Mori stood there, completely unfazed. The staff obeyed him without question, like an extension of his very soul.

"This is what you must learn," Mori said, his voice still calm amidst the chaos.

"Until your intent is pure, until your desire is singular, Ruyi Jingu will never respond to you like this."

With a flick of his wrist, Mori Jin reversed the command.

"Retract."

The Ruyi Jingu shrank as quickly as it had expanded, pulling itself back down from the sky like a collapsing star. 

In seconds, the world fell silent once again, the staff returning to its simple, unassuming form in Mori's grip. 

The devastation left behind was absolute—mountains flattened, the sky torn asunder, and the very ground trembling from the sheer force of what had just occurred.

He looked at me, his golden eyes meeting mine with a knowing glint. "That's what it means to wield true power. When your intent is strong enough, the world itself bends to your will."

I could barely breathe, my mind still reeling from the enormity of what I had just witnessed. 

Mori Jin's casual display of power wasn't just a lesson—it was a glimpse into the kind of mastery I would need to reach. And it felt impossible. 

The sheer scale of what he had done, the effortless control over a force so vast, so destructive—it was beyond anything I could imagine.

But now, I understand.

It wasn't just about the staff, about technique, or even about strength. 

It was about having a singular intent. One clear goal, one unstoppable drive, and the will to see it through, no matter the cost.

Mori turned his back to the destruction he had wrought, walking away from the cave entrance, leaving me alone with the silence—and the realisation of just how far I had to go.

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