Whoosh!

The inferno that erupted from Daichi's outstretched hands momentarily bathed the ruined temple chamber in a blinding orange light. It seemed as though the boy's defiance had ignited a cataclysmic force, threatening to consume everything in its path. Yet, just as abruptly as it appeared, the inferno began to retract, swirling inwards like a vortex of flames drawn back towards its source.

"W-what's happening?" The Rice Guru stammered while shielding his eyes from the intense heat.

The swirling flames converged upon Daichi, drawn into his open mouth as if he were a living furnace. With each gulp, the inferno diminished until only wisps of smoke and embers danced around the boy's form. Then, a transformation began.

Boom!

Daichi's body contorted and expanded. His youthful features was morphing into something fierce and powerful. His skin took on a reddish hue, and cracks appeared, revealing glowing veins of molten lava that pulsed beneath the surface. His arms, now four in number, elongated and thickened, each one sizzling with a mixture of wind and fire. Four flaming swords, dripping with molten rock, materialized at his waist.

Moments later, standing where the boy once stood was a fearsome Titan Avatar, eight meters tall with a demonic visage that radiated power and fury. This was the Ashura Titan, a being of dual elements, a manifestation of Daichi's unwavering resolve and his newfound connection to the forces of Air and Fire.

The Ashura Titan's body was a mesmerizing fusion of fire and wind. Its torso was sculpted from hardened magma, its surface cracked and glowed with an inner heat. Its legs were like pillars of swirling flames, leaving trails of embers with each step. Its four arms, each ending in claws that popped with wind and fire, were capable of unleashing devastating attacks. And the four flaming swords at its waist promised to cleave through flesh and bone with ease.

"Woah! Is this my Titan Avatar? Master Sorah look…" Daichi's voice, now amplified and distorted by the transformation, boomed through the chamber, shaking the very stones of the temple. He looked to his master excitedly for appraisal but then remembered that he was winded.

“Hmm? That brat!”

The Cerberus and the Eden Ryuu Titan Avatar watched from a distance, their initial shock giving way to a grudging respect. This boy, this mere child, had defied all expectations. He had actually awakened not one, but two elemental affinities, and he had summoned a Titan Avatar of formidable power.

"Kuhahah! This is indeed Interesting..." Kahless glanced at Warden Poah briefly then turned his attention back to Daichi, who was now standing before them with his four arms raised and his flaming swords drawn. "Boy, you have impressed me. But do you truly believe you can defeat us? We are Titan Avatars, beings of immense power and elemental mastery. You are but a fledgling, a newborn babe in the world of the elements."

Daichi retorted, "I may be a fledgling, but I am not afraid of you. I will protect my master, and I will defeat you!"

“Kuhahaha! You are but a needle compare to me, brat. What do you hope to do?”

“Just watch!” Daichi's four arms blurred into motion. He slashed the air with his flaming swords, unleashing a torrent of wind and fire that shot towards the Eden Ryuu and Cerberus Titans simultaneously like a blazing tornado.

Whoosh!

"Soaring Wind Flame!"

The attack was a mesmerizing spectacle, a whirlwind of fire and wind that danced excitedly. The air around it shimmered with heat, and the ground beneath it scorched and blackened.

"Tsk, such arrogance!" Poahf snarled as she commanded the Cerberus Titan to retaliate.

The two-headed beast opened its maws, unleashing a barrage of Kana Beast Bombs that collided with Daichi's Soaring Wind Flame. The explosions rocked the air, creating shockwaves that rippled outwards, shattering the remaining windows of the temple and sending debris flying in all directions.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Kahless watched the exchange with a smirk. "He's skilled, I'll give him that," he thought, observing Daichi's movements. “But he's still too inexperienced. He's wasting his energy with those flashy attacks."

He raised his hand, and the Eden Ryuu Titan Avatar responded with a might of its own. The dragon's body glowed with an intense emerald light as it unleashed a torrent of earthen energy that formed into a massive fist, aimed directly at Daichi's Ashura Titan.

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Whoosh!

"Earth Dragon Fist!"

"Look out, Daichi!" The Rice Guru warned. He was barely perceptible above the roar of the wind and the explosions.

After witnessing Daichi's concerning transformation he understood that the boy possessed a raw talent, an innate connection to the elements, but he also understood the dangers of wielding such power without proper training and guidance.

'He's pushing his limits,' the Rice Guru thought, watching as Daichi struggled to maintain his Ashura Titan form. 'He's burning through his Aether Steam reserves too quickly. He won't be able to sustain this for long. Five seconds at best.'

“Huh?” Sensing the approaching fist, Daichi reacted instinctively. He crossed his four arms before him, creating a barrier of wind and fire that met the Earth Dragon Fist head-on.

Boom!

The impact caused the ground to crack and buckle. Daichi's Ashura Titan was thrown backwards, skidding across the dusty surface until it came to a stop near the edge of the platform.

"Gah!" Daichi groaned, feeling the strain on his body and spirit. Moments later, Aether Steam began to ooze of his mouth as the Ashura Titan's form was quickly evaporating out of existence.

"Pathetic," Kahless scoffed. "Is that all you've got? A mere ten seconds of Titan Avatar transformation?" His Eden Ryuu Titan Avatar prepared to unleash another devastating attack.

"This time, I will crush you like an insect."

"No!" Daichi yelled defiantly. He would not give up. He would not let these tyrants win. He would avenge his master.

Like a madman he began scraping the air with his hand, sucking and swallowing the dissipating infernal Aether Steam. He gathered his remaining strength and focused his dual-elemental powers into a final, desperate attack.

“Inferno Tempest!"

Whoosh!

A swirling vortex of wind and fire developed around Daichi's disappearing Ashura Titan, crunching with force and spreading outward until it engulfed the entire remnants of the temple. The vortex continued to spin faster and faster, blending into a frenzied dance of flames and wind blades along its edges.

"What the..." Kahless gasped in surprise as he witnessed the spectacle. He had never seen anything like it before, a technique that combined the raw power of fire with the unpredictable nature of wind. This caused the flames to be extremely amplified.

“Howl!” With its tails tucked between its legs and its two heads moaning, Poahf's Cerberus Titan retreated.

Boom!

The Inferno Tempest exploded outwards, engulfing the lower half of Eden Ryuu Titan Avatar in a torrent of fire and wind. The dragon roared in pain as its rocky hide was scorched and its wooden scales were ripped away. The attack was so powerful that it even managed to push back the Cerberus Titan, sending it tumbling across the courtyard.

"GRAAAAH!" Kahless’s Titan Avatar was wounded, which caused him to hollered at Daichi, “Damn you! You... you little..."

But before he could finish his sentence, Daichi's Ashura Titan vanished completely. The boy's Aether Steam reserves were depleted, and he could no longer maintain the transformation.

"No..." Daichi whispered, feeling his strength waning. "I... I can't..."

The Ashura Titan dissolved into a cloud of Aether Steam, revealing Daichi in his human form, his body trembling and his face pale with exertion.

Thud!

He collapsed onto the platform, landing beside the Rice Guru and Sorah's semi-unconscious body.

“You did well, my boy.” The Rice Guru whispered in acknowledgement.

“Kyuuu! Kyuuu!” Woodworm chirped as if to say, “Daichi… you were amazing…”

Daichi smiled faintly, but his eyes were filled with sadness and regret. "I... I tried."

“Evaporate!”

Whoosh!

Kahless emerged from his Titan Avatar form with anger radiating from his body as he surveyed the scene. The boy had impressed him, much like the old man. But he had also failed. He had been unable to defeat himself and the Warden.

“You’re one persistent brat.” Kahless said to Daichi while walking closer. "You possess a rare gift, boy. A power that could make you a valuable asset to the Dune Empire." He paused and added with a smirk, "Or a dangerous enemy."

He raised his hand, and a swirling mass of TerraFlow Kana materialized around his fist. "But your defiance ends here. You will come with me, boy. You will serve the Dune Empire, whether you like it or not. And for your master… his head shall be mine."

“No! I’ll never serve you! You’re a monster! You destroyed my home! You kidnapped my friends! You…” Daichi’s voiced cracked as he remembered Master Sorah’s injuries.

He glanced over at Sorah, whose body lay motionless on the platform. His heart ached with sorrow and guilt. "Master Sorah..." he whispered.

With anger flaring from his chest, Kahless pointed a finger at Sorah’s body and said, "That old man... he is the one who truly defied the Dune Empire. He is the one who freed the Aerithran prisoners. He is the one who must be punished."

He turned to Poahf, who was standing nearby in her human form. "Warden Poahf, prepare a transport carriage. We're taking the old man's head back to the Capital."

“As you command, Vice-Marshal Commander.”

Poahf responded with a malicious grin. She was eager to see the old man suffer, to witness his demise.

Kahless then turned his attention back to Daichi. "As for you, boy," he said with a smirk, "You will come with us. You will witness the consequences of defiance. And then... we will see about harnessing your... unique talents."

Kahless reached out and grabbed Daichi by the arm, pulling him to his feet.

"No!" Daichi struggled against his grip, but it was futile. Kahless's strength was overwhelming.

"Let him go!" The Rice Guru tried to intervene with his arms spread wide, but Poahf stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"You stay out of this, scarecrow. Before you taste death as well.”

“Kyuuu!” Woodworm screamed as it ran towards Kahless and began pounding on him with its tiny legs as if saying, "Let him go! You're a meanie!"

“Huh, what’s with this overgrown worm? Piss off!” Kahless swatted the worm away like a fly and dragged Daichi closer. He then shouted fiercely for his men to assemble, and a short while later, Kratos and Rhamus were seen rushing up the slope towards the crumbled temple.

“You called for us, sir!?”