A few weeks ago, deep in a secluded valley, Kazuki stood face to face with Diablo, his expression brimming with determination. The sun was high, casting shadows over the jagged rocks around them.
"Diablo," Kazuki said firmly, "I want you to teach me some techniques."
Diablo raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by the sudden request. "Huh? What's gotten into you all of a sudden? Normally we'd make plans ahead."
Kazuki clenched his fists. "I heard the Battle of Domains is happening in a few days. I need to get stronger… strong enough to handle anything."
Diablo sighed and folded his arms. "Tch. That's just like you. You'd do anything to crush whatever stands in your way. You're always in a rush. If you keep training relentlessly without any proper breaks, you'll break yourself. You know?"
He looked up at the sky for a moment before speaking again. "There is something I learned when I was a kid. My teacher taught it to me. It's not easy… but I could show you."
Kazuki's eyes widened. "Wait—really?! What is it?"
"It's called Purple Flames," Diablo said with a smirk. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly a burst of roaring purple fire ignited in his palm, radiating intense heat that distorted the air.
Kazuki stared in awe. "That's incredible… Teach me how to do it!"
Diablo closed his palm, extinguishing the flame. "This technique isn't for the weak. You'll need insane stamina and physical endurance. Not just that, you'll need to build up energy as well. If your body isn't strong enough, you'll burn from the inside out."
Kazuki nodded, undeterred. "Tell me what I need to do."
"You've got skill," Diablo said, "but you need to increase your speed and stamina first."
—
An hour Later that day
Diablo hurled fireballs toward Kazuki, who sprinted across the valley, dodging each one with swift reflexes.
"Faster!" Diablo barked. "Don't lose your balance!"
Kazuki dodged, sweat dripping down his face. "How is this helping with the Purple Flames?!"
Suddenly, one fireball clipped him, sending him flying across the valley floor.
As the dust settled, Diablo approached. "If you can't stay focused, you'll never master it. Balance and focus—both are key."
He paused, then added, "You've improved. You're faster and more precise than when we started. You're a fast learner."
Kazuki stood up, brushing himself off. "What else do I need?"
"To master Purple Flames, you need to focus all your energy on a single point… and you'll need a lot of energy to even form it. Don't rush, or you'll hurt yourself."
—
A few hours later
Kazuki stood with his hand outstretched, concentrating hard as energy surged through him. Diablo watched silently.
"Steady," Diablo warned. "Don't lose focus. Picture a flame gleaming purple on your arm. Dont force your imagination too much, but still push it. If you dont have a clear image of anything, you'll get nowhere"
The energy began to condense into his palm, flickering to life as a small flame. Kazuki grinned, pushing more power into it with sweat all over his face. The flame roared with intensity and started to glow… purple.
"I'm doing it!" Kazuki shouted, eyes wide.
But then—"AAAHH!" He screamed, clutching his arm in pain. The skin on his hand had been burned.
Diablo walked over, calm but firm. "I told you. Your energy is enough—but your body isn't ready yet. You got some stamina to help you bring out the flames. But your opponent aint gonna stand there as you charge up a devastating attack that could kill them." Kazuki had a nervous smile on his face "That's a bold move tho.", he said to himself.
Kazuki gritted his teeth. "I thought speed and stamina were all I needed…"
"You also need strength. If your body was like Alex's, this would be easy. Right now, you're not there." diablo said to kazuki.
Kazuki nodded. "Then what do I need to do?"
"Push-ups. Heavy lifting. Strengthen your body."
—
Later that evening
Kazuki was doing sit-ups, his body trembling from exhaustion. Diablo stood nearby, tossing him a bottle of water.
"You've trained enough for today," Diablo said. "Take a break."
"I can't," Kazuki said. "I haven't mastered it yet. The Battle of Domains is only three days away."
Diablo sighed and smiled faintly. "The Purple Flames aren't something you learn in one day, Kazuki."
"I don't care. I'll learn it, no matter how long it takes."
Diablo smirked, seeing Kazuki's determined. "Fine. Then I expect you to have it mastered by the battle. You're talented enough."
He turned and walked off. "Do your best kid. And dont disappoint."
—
Montage: Training Days
Kazuki trained nonstop.
In the forest, he dodged traps he set for himself.
He exercised relentlessly—push-ups, climbs, sprints.
He swung from tree to tree, throwing daggers at moving targets like wild birds and oversized insects.
And at the end of each day, he tried… again and again… to summon the Purple Flames.
—
Day of the Battle of Domains
Back in the valley, Diablo stood at a distance, arms crossed as he watched Kazuki concentrate.
Kazuki focused all his energy into his hand. A violent surge of power condensed, erupting into blazing purple fire.
Then—he dashed forward with lightning speed, aiming the attack straight at Diablo.
Diablo grinned. "Four days… You actually did it."
As Kazuki neared, Diablo raised a single finger—and tapped Kazuki's hand. Instantly, the flames vanished.
"Impressive," he said. "Perfecting Purple Flames in just four days and a couple hours till the battle starts. You've got potential."
Kazuki nodded. "Thanks. I've gotta go. The battle starts soon. Hopefully i get there intime"
A few weeks later, Kazuki stood alone in the same valley. Before him—a giant boulder.
He breathed in, focused his energy… and unleashed a perfected blast of Purple Flames.
BOOM! The boulder shattered into pieces "Looks like I can pull it off like I'm turning up a switch. It works like spiritual explosion and spiritual shuriken attacks now. They activate like extensions of my body, the purple flame didn't work like that at first. But now, I've got it. All I need to do is continuous practice, and I'll become stronger with it. The Purple Flames also increases my speed by far. The more energy I generate, the more I accelerate. Bars!"
Later that night, Kazuki lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I'll keep getting stronger…" he whispered to himself. "I'll catch up to Alex… no matter what."
END OF EPISODE