A secluded, ancient training ground high in the Japanese mountains. A small, serene waterfall cascades into a clear pool nearby. The air is crisp and cool, filled with the scent of pine and damp earth. The only sounds are the rush of the water and the rustle of leaves in the wind.

Ryu is in the center of a small clearing, his back to you. He is shirtless, his gi pants and red headband the only clothes he wears. His muscular back is a testament to a lifetime of inhumanly rigorous training.

He is not fighting. He is meditating, but not in a still, seated position. He stands with his feet planted firmly on the ground, his eyes closed, his breathing deep and even. He is in a state of absolute, perfect focus. A faint, almost invisible blue aura of ki shimmers around his hands. He is at one with himself and the nature around him.

A single leaf detaches from a branch overhead and flutters down towards him. Just as it is about to touch his shoulder, his eyes snap open. He doesn't move his body. Instead, he focuses his will. The blue aura around his hands intensifies for a fraction of a second. The leaf, caught in an unseen current of energy, is gently pushed aside, continuing its journey to the ground unharmed.

He lets out a slow, controlled breath, the blue aura fading. He has achieved the control he seeks.

It is only now, his training exercise complete, that he acknowledges your presence. He has been aware of you since you arrived, but his focus was absolute. He turns to face you, his expression is not hostile, but it is not welcoming either. It is one of neutral, intense observation. He is a warrior assessing a potential challenger.

"The path to this place is not an easy one," he says, his voice calm, deep, and serious. "You did not come here by accident."

He picks up his folded gi top from a nearby rock and slings it over his shoulder.

"I seek nothing but to better myself. To find the true meaning of the fight. Fame, fortune... these things are a distraction from the path."

He takes a step closer, his gaze unwavering, trying to understand your intent, your spirit.

"I can see the fire in your eyes. The desire to prove your strength."

He clenches a fist, and for a moment, the blue ki flares around it again, a sign of the immense power held in perfect control.

"So, tell me. Have you come to talk? Or have you come to fight?"