Chapter 14: Advice 

Chapter 14: Advice 

I nodded, gripping Ruyi Jingu tightly in my hands. This time, it felt right. I had no doubts. No hesitation.

Mori twirled his staff, spinning it in one hand before planting it in the ground. The earth trembled slightly from the force of the gesture, as if acknowledging the weight of the legendary weapon.

Without warning, he dashed forward, his speed blurring the distance between us. I barely had time to react as his staff came down toward me, aiming for my shoulder with a force that could shatter bone. 

But my instincts kicked in, and I swung Ruyi Jingu upward to meet his attack.

The clash echoed through the forest, the force of the impact sending vibrations through my arms. 

Mori didn't relent, spinning his staff with blinding speed as he unleashed a flurry of strikes. Each blow was precise, calculated, yet there was a weight behind them—almost like a test.

I blocked, parried, and dodged, my mind in sync with my movements. I could feel the weight of the staff shift with each swing, and could feel it becoming an extension of my body, just like Mori had taught me.

"Focus on your intent!" Mori's voice cut through the chaos. "Don't just react. Control the flow!"

I gritted my teeth, trying to keep up with his pace. My body was drenched in sweat, muscles screaming from the exertion. But there was something building inside me—something that had been growing ever since I had started training with him.

My intent.

I wasn't fighting just to survive anymore. I wasn't swinging Ruyi Jingu aimlessly. I had a goal. A purpose. 

I wanted to prove that I could wield the staff, that I could stand toe-to-toe with someone like Mori Jin.

With every strike, that intent grew stronger.

Mori leaped into the air, his staff spinning above him before coming down in a crushing overhead strike. 

I raised Ruyi Jingu to block it, bracing myself for the impact. The moment our weapons connected, I felt it—a surge of energy rushing through me.

"Expand, Ruyi Jingu."

The words left my lips before I even realized it, and in an instant, the staff in my hands began to grow. It extended, doubling in size within seconds, the weight shifting as it surged forward to meet Mori's strike. 

For a split second, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a deafening crack, our staff collided, the force of the impact splitting the air around us. 

The ground beneath me trembled, and the sheer energy released from the clash sent a shockwave rippling outward, shaking the trees and scattering leaves into the wind.

Mori's eyes widened, just for a moment, as he felt the sudden surge of power from Ruyi Jingu. 

Yet he effortlessly adjusted his staff to deflect the attack.

I stood there, panting heavily, staring at Ruyi Jingu in disbelief. It had actually responded to me. It had extended—doubled in size, just like in the legends.

Mori straightened himself, brushing off some dirt from his sleeve, his usual grin returning. "Well, well. Looks like you've finally done it."

I could barely comprehend what had just happened, but Mori's words brought me back to reality. I looked at him, feeling the weight of the staff in my hands, its power still humming in the air around me.

"Does this mean…?" I asked, still catching my breath.

Mori nodded, that same approving smile on his face. "Yep. Your trial is over."

The realisation hit me like a wave. After everything—after all the pain, the struggles, and the endless days of training—I had finally completed the first trial. Ruyi Jingu recognized me. I had earned its power.

"You've proven your intent," Mori continued, walking toward me slowly. 

"Ruyi Jingu isn't just a weapon. It's a part of you now. It responds to your will, your purpose. You're starting to understand what it means to wield the staff of the Monkey King."

I looked down at Ruyi Jingu, the staff shimmering faintly in the fading light. It no longer felt like just a staff in my hands. It felt alive, as if it had accepted me as its wielder.

Mori stopped in front of me, his expression serious now. "But don't get cocky. You've passed this trial, but there's still a long road ahead. The nightmare spell isn't done with you yet."

I nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. I wasn't naive enough to think this was the end. It was just the beginning.

Mori clapped me on the back, his usual grin returning. "Still, not bad for a mundane guy. Maybe you'll actually survive the next trial."

I couldn't help but laugh, though exhaustion was quickly taking over. "Thanks… for everything."

Mori waved me off. "Don't thank me yet. The bastards watching, and your next trial will be even harder. But for now, rest. You've earned it."

Hearing Mori mention the Weaver, a chill ran down my spine. The idea that someone—or something—had been watching me this whole time made my stomach knot in unease. Sweat began to bead on my forehead. I wiped it away, trying to steady my nerves, but the weight of his words lingered.

"I will stop suppressing the bastard's influence now," Mori Jin said, his back turned toward me, his voice full of his normal playfulness. "Any last questions?"

I hesitated, thinking of all the mysteries that still surrounded this world, the trials, the power I was slowly beginning to understand. But there was only one question that truly mattered to me at this moment.

"Do you have any advice for me?" I asked, my voice almost tentative, not entirely sure I wanted to hear the answer.

Mori didn't respond right away. For a moment, the silence between us felt heavy, as if the entire world was waiting for his answer. I stood there, staring at his back, my heart pounding in anticipation.

Then, just as my vision began to blur, his voice cut through the haze.

"Do whatever the hell you want!"

His words hung in the air, a strange mixture of reassurance and something else—something deeper. And before I could fully grasp their meaning, my vision went completely dark. 

The world around me disappeared, swallowed by the abyss.

As I drifted through the void, enveloped by an all-consuming darkness, a strange sensation of weightlessness and detachment began to take hold. 

The world around me was gone, replaced by a formless expanse. It felt as though I was suspended between reality and dream, the boundaries of my existence dissolving into the abyss.

 A haunting, ethereal voice began to resonate through the emptiness, weaving through the void with an almost palpable weight. It was both foreign and intimate, carrying the gravity of ancient knowledge and the chill of forgotten power.

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