Kazaf: The upside down

---

Kazaf stared at his mother, determination burning in his eyes. "Then train me."

Alaca held his gaze for a long moment before nodding. "We don't have much time, but if you truly want to survive in the cultivator world, I'll push you beyond your limits."

Cholo folded his arms. "I hope you know what you're signing up for, bro. Your mom isn't the type to go easy."

Kazaf smirked. "That's exactly what I need."

Alaca stepped forward. "Very well. Training begins now."

Without warning, she flicked her wrist, sending a wave of force crashing into Kazaf's chest. He barely had time to react before he was flung backward, slamming into the dirt with a grunt.

Cholo whistled. "Yeah… she's not playing around."

Kazaf coughed, struggling to his feet. His ribs ached, but he forced himself to stand tall. "You could've warned me."

Alaca's expression remained cold. "In a real fight, no one warns you before attacking. Lesson one—always be prepared."

Kazaf wiped the dust off his shirt. "Noted."

Alaca advanced toward him. "Lesson two—your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness. You're half-human, Kazaf. That means you don't have the same foundation as pure cultivators. But you also have something they don't."

Kazaf frowned. "And what's that?"

"Unpredictability."

Before he could respond, Alaca lunged at him.

Kazaf barely had time to dodge as her palm shot toward his shoulder. He twisted his body, avoiding direct impact, but a sudden gust of force sent him stumbling back again.

"Too slow," Alaca said. "You rely too much on instinct. That won't work against trained cultivators."

Kazaf gritted his teeth. "Then teach me how to fight like them."

Alaca's lips curled into a smirk. "With pleasure."

The Training Begins

For the next several hours, Kazaf endured a brutal training session unlike anything he had ever experienced.

Alaca didn't hold back. She attacked relentlessly, forcing him to react faster, think smarter, and push his limits beyond what he thought possible.

Each time he hesitated, she knocked him down. Each time he made a mistake, she punished him for it.

By the time the sun began to set, Kazaf was drenched in sweat, his muscles aching from exhaustion.

Cholo, who had been watching from the sidelines, shook his head. "Man, I don't know if I should be impressed or scared for you."

Kazaf panted, hands on his knees. "I… I can keep going."

Alaca raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Kazaf straightened his back. "Yes."

Without warning, Alaca vanished from his sight.

Kazaf's instincts screamed at him to move, and he barely managed to sidestep as she reappeared behind him, her fist cutting through the air where his head had been.

"Better," she said. "But not good enough."

Kazaf spun, throwing a punch, but she caught his wrist with ease and twisted it behind his back, forcing him to his knees.

"Still predictable," she said. "You think like a human. That won't work against cultivators."

Kazaf growled in frustration. "Then tell me what will."

Alaca released him, stepping back. "You need to stop reacting and start anticipating. Cultivators don't just rely on strength—they use their energy to read their opponent's movements before they happen."

Kazaf exhaled sharply. "And how do I do that?"

Alaca knelt beside him. "You need to awaken the part of you that's been dormant all these years. Your cultivator bloodline."

Kazaf's eyes narrowed. "I thought I wasn't strong enough for that."

"You weren't," Alaca admitted. "But now… things have changed."

Unlocking the Power Within

Kazaf sat cross-legged as the night air grew colder around them. Alaca stood before him, her presence calm yet powerful.

"Close your eyes," she instructed. "Feel the energy within you."

Kazaf did as he was told, focusing on the strange sensation in his chest. He had always known he was different, but he had never truly tapped into his full potential.

Alaca's voice was steady. "Cultivators channel their energy—what we call essence—through their bodies. You have that power, Kazaf. You just need to learn how to control it."

Kazaf focused, searching deep within himself.

At first, he felt nothing. Just silence.

Then, something stirred.

A warmth spread through his veins, slow at first, then growing stronger. It pulsed beneath his skin like a second heartbeat.

He gasped as a surge of energy erupted from within, sending a shockwave through the ground beneath him.

Cholo stumbled back. "Whoa!"

Kazaf opened his eyes, his vision sharper than ever before. Colors were brighter, the wind felt more alive, and for the first time in his life… he felt truly awake.

Alaca nodded in approval. "Good. You've taken the first step."

Kazaf clenched his fists, feeling the power coursing through him. "What now?"

Alaca smiled faintly. "Now… we see just how strong you can become."

---