JR.GOD

Shan sat cross-legged, meditating, his face scrunched in concentration. After ten minutes, a sharp pain began pounding in his head. He clenched his fists, refusing to stop. The pain intensified, feeling as if his head might explode, but Shan pushed through. Moments later, his body gave out, and he collapsed, unconscious.

Hearing the thud, his mom rushed in, panic etched on her face. "Shan! Shan! What happened?!" she cried, shaking him. Shan faintly heard her voice echoing in his ears before everything went black.

When he woke up, he found himself lying in bed. His mom was slumped in a chair beside him, fast asleep. He groaned, "Mom… Mom…"

She stirred awake. "Oh, you're up! How are you feeling?"

"What happened to me? I was meditating, right?" Shan asked, rubbing his forehead.

"You passed out," his mom said, her voice soft with worry. "You've been unconscious since last night."

"Oh yeah, I remember now. But my head doesn't hurt anymore," Shan replied, sitting up.

"That's good! I'll make you breakfast," his mom said, relieved.

But Shan shook his head. "No time, Mom! I have to go for training!"

Before she could protest, Shan bolted out the door. "Shan! Shan!" she called after him, but he was already gone.

As Shan dashed through the bustling market, weaving between stalls and people, a shop owner narrowed his eyes. A rope was tied across the front of his stall, holding up some banners. Just as Shan was about to pass, the owner yanked the rope to adjust it.

Thud! Shan tripped spectacularly, landing face-first in a pile of fruit.

"Ouch! Why did you do that?!" Shan groaned, spitting out a piece of squished mango.

The shop owner crossed his arms. "Stop running in the market! People are walking here, not sprinting marathons!"

Shan got up, brushing bits of fruit off his clothes. "Ahhh, I hate advice!"

"You little—" the shop owner began, but Shan had already started running again, yelling, "Don't beat me!"

Finally, he reached the riverside on time. His master raised an eyebrow. "What a miracle—you're actually on time today."

Shan grinned confidently. "This is just the beginning. You'll witness my true power now!"

He sat down to meditate, closing his eyes with determination. Fifteen minutes passed, and his master, impressed, walked closer to check. But as he leaned in, he saw Shan softly snoring.

Annoyed, the master delivered a sharp slap to Shan's back. "Ouch!" Shan yelped, jolting awake. "I was in deep meditation!"

"Deep meditation?" his master scoffed. "Meditate properly, you fool!"

As Shan began meditating, a sharp pain throbbed in his head. It felt as though his skull might burst, but he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "I won't give up!" he shouted, forcing himself to concentrate through the agony.

The pain intensified, but Shan refused to back down. Suddenly, a faint glow surrounded him, and golden rings began to form, spinning rapidly. With a deafening crack, the rings shattered, releasing a wave of energy.

His master, watching from nearby, gasped. A curse?! Someone sealed his powers… That's why he's been struggling so much with Stage 1.

Shan slowly opened his eyes, panting but smiling. "Did I… did I do it?"

His master hesitated for a moment before nodding. "You did well, Shan. You've finally completed Stage 1. You're eligible for Stage 2 now."

"YES!" Shan leapt to his feet, punching the air in excitement. "I'm on Stage 2 now! Take that, kids!"

His master, however, wasn't celebrating. His brow furrowed as he stepped closer, gently placing a hand on Shan's head. His expression darkened as he felt it—two more seals still remained.

So, the seals on Stage 2 and Stage 3 powers are still in place… Whoever did this really wanted to hold him back. I feel for the boy, the master thought, a wave of sadness washing over him.

Shan tilted his head. "Master? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the master said, forcing a smile. "You've earned this, Shan. Go home and celebrate. You deserve it."

Shan beamed, bowing quickly. "Thanks, Master! I'll make you proud!" He bolted from the riverside, his excitement lighting up the entire way home.

The master watched him leave, a mixture of pride and worry in his eyes. He has no idea what he's up against… But I'll help him break through it.

The other trainees at the riverside stood frozen in shock. Shan—after years of struggling—had finally completed Stage 1. Whispers of disbelief spread among them as Shan, grinning from ear to ear, dashed toward his home.

The market came into view, and Shan ran with the same reckless speed as always. The shopkeeper noticed him from afar and muttered under his breath, "Still running through the market, huh? How many times do I have to tell him?"

As Shan passed, he waved enthusiastically. "Shopkeeper Tilat, guess what! I've completed Stage 1!"

Tilat froze, his eyes wide. "You… completed it? For real?"

Shan nodded proudly. "Yep! Took me a while, but I did it!"

Tilat, suddenly smiling, grabbed a small bag of cookies from his counter. "Here, take this! My treat—congratulations, Shan!"

Shan's eyes lit up. "Cookies? Thanks, Tilat! You're the best!" Grabbing the cookies, he resumed his sprint home, barely able to contain his excitement.

At home, his mom looked up in surprise as Shan burst through the door. "You're back so soon! What's the rush, Shan?"

Shan nearly tripped over himself as he blurted out, "Mom, I did it! I finally completed Stage 1!"

Her face lit up with joy. "That's my boy! I knew you could do it. You'll become a god one day—I'm so proud of you!"

Grinning, Shan held up the cookies triumphantly. "Look, Mom! Tilat gave me these as a gift!"

She took the bag, inspecting it with a smile. "Tilat, huh? That's wonderful, Shan. You're already becoming popular!"

Shan scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "Hehe… Of course, I am!"

Shan puffed out his chest proudly. "I'll complete Stage 2 in no time, just watch!"

His mom clapped her hands with a smile. "That's the spirit, my boy! You can do it!"

But just as Shan struck his determined pose, his stomach let out a loud growl, betraying his hunger. He blinked and quickly pivoted toward the kitchen. "Uh… where's my breakfast, Mom?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "Some things never change with you, Shan."

Walking into the kitchen, she handed him a plate of food. "Here, eat up, champion."

Shan grinned as he dug in. "Thanks, Mom! I'll conquer Stage 2... right after this!"