The woods behind the school were unnaturally quiet. Mist clung to the ground, swirling around Noah’s ankles as he walked alongside Luna.

"Hey, Luna," Noah asked, his voice echoing slightly in the stillness. "Are you sure it’s a good idea to be back here alone? It feels... off."

Luna skipped ahead, turning to smile at him. Her eyes were brighter than usual, almost manic. "Why not? You’ll protect me, right?"

"Well, yeah," Noah straightened his posture. "Of course. But I mean..."

"Then don’t worry about it," she laughed. "I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?"

Snap.

Five shadows peeled themselves away from the trees. They were demons—hulking, jagged creatures with skin like obsidian and eyes burning with malice.

"Oh good," the lead demon hissed, smoke curling from its jaws. "You are exactly the one we have been looking for."

They advanced.

Noah jumped in front of Luna. "Luna, get behind me! Alright, you ugly bastards, not any closer or else!"

"Or else what, little boy?" the demon mocked.

"I’m not a boy!" Noah shouted, his voice cracking. "I’m a man, damn it! Come any closer and I’ll show you!"

The demons didn't stop.

"That’s it! I warned you!"

Noah charged. He poured everything he had into a straight right cross aimed at the leader's jaw.

Thud.

His fist connected. The demon’s head didn't even move. It looked down at Noah with boredom.

"Wow," the demon sighed. "After all that bluster... that's all you could do? You weakling."

No! Noah panicked. I'm not strong enough!

The demon grabbed Noah’s wrist. It squeezed.

CRACK.

"AAAAHHH!" Noah dropped to his knees, clutching his shattered forearm.

"Now that that’s taken care of," the demon stepped over him. "Come here, little girl."

I have to do something, Noah thought, vision blurring with pain. They are going to kill Luna because of my weakness.

"Not so fast, you."

Jin dropped from the canopy above, landing softly between the demon and Luna.

"Yeah," Jin smirked, dusting off his shoulder. "I’m not just going to stand by and let you run off with Luna."

"Motozawa, watch out!" Noah gasped from the dirt. "They are super strong!"

"Yeah, I doubt that," Jin chuckled. "It is more like you are really weak, Noah."

Jin walked up to the leader demon. Without breaking stride, he delivered a casual backhanded slap.

SPLAT.

The demon’s head caved in like a rotten pumpkin. It collapsed instantly.

"See?" Jin shrugged. "That wasn’t very hard at all."

Another demon leaped. Before it reached Jin, a streak of pink light obliterated it.

"Wow, Jin," Maya stepped out of the bushes, bow in hand. "You were right. That was easy."

"Like I said, Maya," Jin laughed. "Noah is just really weak."

No way... Noah watched, helpless. This doesn't make any sense. Sure, Motozawa is stronger... but Maya too?

The remaining demons backed away. Suddenly, a figure stepped out of the shadows behind them. It was Leven Soto, wearing a pristine white suit.

"Noah," Leven sneered, adjusting his tie. "I can’t believe you had trouble with these weak-ass demons. Your weakness greatly dishonors the Soto Martial Arts Academy."

When the hell did Leven get so strong? Noah’s mind reeled.

The last two demons turned to run.

BOOM.

One demon's head exploded. The Old Man from the woods stood there, lowering a smoking finger.

The final demon sprinted into the darkness. A scream echoed a second later.

Out of the gloom walked a towering figure. He was muscular, shirtless, with long flowing red hair and a massive sword strapped to his back. In his hand, he held the severed head of the last demon.

"Gabriel?!" Noah gasped. "What? What are you doing here?"

"Well, hey there, baby brother," Gabriel grinned, tossing the demon head aside like trash. "I heard about everything going on. Figured you would need help. Looks like I was right. Poor, poor baby brother. Always the weak link in the family."

"Shut up!" Noah cried, tears stinging his eyes. "No one asked for your help, Gabriel!"

Luna ran past Noah. She threw her arms around Jin.

"Jin! Thank goodness you came!" she swooned. "I don't know what would have happened if you didn’t show up. I can’t believe I trusted Noah to protect me."

"Yeah, Luna," Jin wrapped an arm around her waist. "That probably wasn’t the smartest thing you have ever done. I told you, you can always count on me. Unlike Noah."

"You are right, Jin," Luna gazed into his eyes. "That is probably why I am falling in love with you."

"Hey, Luna," Leven stepped up. "You know I helped too. I am always here for you."

"You’re right, Leven," Luna smiled coyly. "I guess I am just going to have to show you both just how much I appreciate it."

She leaned in, kissing Jin deeply, then turning to kiss Leven.

Maya raised her hand from the sidelines. "I got next!"

"LUNA NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Noah bolted upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat. His sheets were tangled around his legs, and his heart was hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.

He looked around his dark bedroom. No demons. No Jin. No Gabriel.

"Damn it," Noah groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Screw you, Dream Jin. You too, Dream Leven."

He sat there for a long moment, the shame of the nightmare lingering.

"Who am I kidding?" he whispered to the empty room. "They were right. I’m way too weak. How am I supposed to protect Luna when it takes everything I have just to land a lucky shot on Jin? How can I protect her from monsters?"

He clenched his fists, knuckles turning white.

"I have to get stronger," he muttered. Then louder. "NO. I will get stronger."

The next day at school, Noah cornered Maya by her locker.

"Hey, Maya," he said, trying to sound casual but failing. "I have a huge favor to ask."

Maya slammed her locker shut. "What’s up?"

"I was wondering," Noah rubbed the back of his neck. "Since you already have a decent grasp on all this Ki stuff... if you might help me train? One on one?"

Maya’s eyes went wide. "Who, me? No! No, no, no, no!"

"But why?"

"Look, Noah," she sighed. "It is nothing against you, okay? But I hate training so, so, so much. Jin already has me drilling three extra hours a day. Now you want extra homework on top of that? Nope. Not going to happen."

"Oh," Noah’s shoulders slumped. "Okay then."

Maya winced. "Aww, don't look like that. You’re like a sad puppy. I feel bad now."

"So will you change your mind?" Noah looked up hopefully.

"Oh no. No no no no no."

"OKAY! I get it! I get it!"

"Why not just ask Jin for one on one?" Maya suggested.

"No way!" Noah scoffed. "Are you crazy? I refuse to give him the satisfaction. He'd just mock me the whole time."

"Well, Noah," Maya patted his shoulder sympathetically. "It isn’t like you have a huge selection to choose from."

Noah watched her walk away to class.

She's right, he thought grimly. I have no options. Which means... I have only one option.

Noah cut his last period, slipping out the back gate of the school. He marched straight to the woods, ignoring the 'No Trespassing' signs and pushing through the dense underbrush.

He wandered for an hour, searching for the clearing where they had met the stranger.

"Hey, Old Man!" Noah shouted at the trees. "Where you at? Come on! I know you are in here! Quit hiding, damn it!"

"Who the hell is making all that damn noise?"

The gravelly voice came from above. Noah looked up to see the Old Man perched on a thick branch, nursing his sake gourd.

"There you are, Old Man," Noah said, planting his feet.

"Oh great," the Old Man grunted, hopping down with surprising grace. "It’s you. The Red Idiot. What the hell do you want?"

"Look here, Old Man," Noah stepped forward. "I’ve been training most of my life. I've fought many powerful people."

"Yeah, so what? You lost to most of them."

Noah ignored the jab. "You are by far the strongest I've seen. I want you to train me. To make me stronger. Like you."

The Old Man stared at him for a second, then threw his head back and laughed. It was a wheezing, hacking sound. "BWAAA HA HA! Yeah right! Like that's going to happen!"

"Come on, Old Man, please!" Noah pleaded, desperation creeping in. "I will do anything you tell me to do. I just desperately need to get stronger."

"Boy," the Old Man took a sip of sake, wiping his beard. "You have a lot of damn nerve. First, you and your dumbass friends come to the place I sleep and start making a bunch of noise. Then you—the little prick that you are—hit me with a sucker attack. And now you come back here asking me to train you? How the hell do you walk around, boy?"

"Sir?"

"With that giant set of balls you have on you," the Old Man shook his head. "It must be hard to get around."

"Look, I’m really sorry for the other day," Noah bowed his head. "I just... I really, really need your help right now."

"What for?"

"I already told you. I must get stronger."

"Yes, but why?" The Old Man’s one good eye bored into him. "There are many routes a man can take to get stronger. But you came back deep into these woods, hunted me down—a man you must have thought would be angry on sight and could easily kill you. So again I ask... why? It is much more than just wanting muscles."

Noah looked at his hands. "Okay. I’m going to level with you. I come from a family of great warriors. My Grandfather was a great soldier. My father is the head of the Protection Force. Heck, even my older brother is a living legend—he is the leader of the Ronin Riders. Gabriel."

The Old Man raised an eyebrow at the name but said nothing.

"Then there is me," Noah said bitterly. "I was born with the short end of the stick. I’m not talented. My body is lanky no matter how much training I do. My Ki sensitivity is high, but my output is garbage. I’m average. And I just can’t be average anymore. Not if I’m going to protect the woman I love."

"Why does she need protecting?"

"Because she does, okay? I can’t go into it, but she is in grave danger every day. Life and death stuff. Demons. I once thought with willpower and determination I could protect her, but I learned real quick how wrong I was. Now that other guy, Jin, is protecting her. And I can barely do anything but stay out of the way."

"Well," the Old Man shrugged. "If he is protecting her, and he's strong... why do you need to get stronger? Just let him do it. Go play video games."

"I can’t do that!" Noah shouted.

"And why not?"

"Because if I relied on another man to protect the woman I love, then I wouldn’t be any kind of man at all!" Noah clenched his fists. "I wouldn’t be able to look her in the face ever again! I have to be the one!"

The Old Man sighed, scratching his belly. "You’re stupid. This whole thing is stupid. Kid, get the hell out of here before I make you leave. I’m tired of looking at you."

"No!"

"No?" The Old Man’s voice dropped an octave.

"That's right. I said no. I’m not moving from this spot until either you agree to train me or you kill me."

"Oh," the Old Man smirked. "Is that really my options, huh?"

He dropped the gourd. The air in the clearing suddenly grew heavy. The Old Man sank into a low stance, and a terrifying green aura began to swirl around him.

"Well," he said. "If you’re not moving... looks like you’re going to have to die."

Noah swallowed hard. His knees shook. Every instinct screamed RUN.

But he thought of Luna. He thought of his nightmare.

He planted his feet. He raised his fists. "I’m not going to move, Old Man. So if I die, I guess I’m dying with honor."

"Ha," the Old Man scoffed. "What a waste."

He began to charge energy into his cupped hands. The pressure was immense—like standing under a waterfall. Leaves were ripped from the trees. The ground cracked beneath the Old Man's sandals.

What the hell is with this guy? Noah thought, shielding his eyes from the blinding green light. I've never seen anything like this. He is like Motozawa times a thousand.

"Well, boy!" the Old Man roared over the howling wind. "I hope you enjoyed your life! Because it ends NOW!"

He thrust his fist forward.

"ARMAGEDDON BULLET!"

A massive beam of green Ki erupted from his fist. It tore through the air with a shriek like a banshee.

Noah squeezed his eyes shut and braced for death. He didn't move.

WHOOSH.

Heat seared his face. The roar was deafening. A tree behind him exploded into splinters.

Noah opened one eye.

He was alive. The beam had missed his head by an inch. A thin cut on his cheek bled slowly.

"Well damn, boy," the Old Man stood up, the aura vanishing instantly. "Don’t ever let anyone call you a chicken shit. A dumbass for sure. But not a chicken. BWA HA HA HA!"

Noah fell to his knees, gasping for air. "What... what was that?"

"That," the Old Man picked up his sake, "was my Armageddon Bullet. Or at least... a warning shot."

"You..." Noah stared at the destruction behind him. "You have to teach me how to do that."

"Ha ha ha!" The Old Man laughed, slapping his knee. "Sure, kid. You’ll be ready for that in about twenty years or so."

"Twenty years?!?"

"Well yeah, what did you think? This was going to be some over-the-weekend montage?" The Old Man scoffed. "I've been training for over sixty years to do that."

"Oh," Noah deflated.

"What?" The Old Man peered at him. "Are you ready to quit already?"

Noah looked up, fire returning to his eyes. He stood up, wiping the blood from his cheek.

"What?!? Hell no! Let's start right now.”