[[Location: European City - Advanced Training Zone]] [[Elapsed time since arrival: 02:30]]
Mark and Kilian stood at the center of a massive circular hall, surrounded by statues of warriors carved directly into the stone. This training zone was one of the most advanced in the European City, designed to simulate realistic battles and push fighters to their limits.
The torches flickered as the training parameters synchronized with their current levels. A charged tension hung in the air, every fiber of their bodies preparing for the intensity of what was to come.
— "Let's test our limits, Kilian. I feel like we can push even further."
Kilian stretched his arms and tightened his grip on his massive sword, Abyss Fang.
— "I was waiting for you to say that. Let's see what this place has in store for us."
With a simple motion, Mark activated the maximum difficulty setting for the training. The combat simulations came to life. Around them, humanoid figures of pure light materialized, each wielding different weapons, ready to challenge every inch of their abilities.
Mark burst into motion, his fists crashing into the first line of enemies. His body vibrated under the power of the Shattered Titan Bloodline, each impact sending shockwaves through the air. The simulacrums were sent flying from the sheer force of his blows, but he knew he could do better. He pushed harder, surpassing his own limits, feeling his muscles contract and expand with every strike.
Kilian, on the other hand, showcased a completely different combat style. His massive sword, despite its weight, moved with flawless fluidity. Each strike was calculated, his attacks precise, exploiting every opening in his opponents. He wasn't just strong—he was strategic, dodging counters and striking with surgical efficiency.
The waves of enemies kept coming, each one stronger than the last. The simulacrums began adapting, employing different tactics to try and break through their defenses. Mark took the opportunity to test new attack combinations, blending speed and raw power, while Kilian refined his counterattacks, predicting enemy movements with uncanny accuracy.
The battle raged for hours. Mark no longer felt fatigue in the same way. His body burned, his muscles screamed under the strain, but an untamed force surged within him. He felt the adrenaline and the Lotus Stance amplifying his power with every exchange.
Each time a simulacrum fell, another appeared, faster and more resilient. Kilian seemed almost to dance with his sword, his body reacting before his mind could even process it. He was perfecting his technique, tracing deadly arcs through the air, slicing through the simulacrums with deadly precision.
The walls of the hall trembled under the intensity of their battle. Cracks began forming on the ground, proof of the sheer magnitude of their attacks. But neither Mark nor Kilian slowed down. They knew this was just the beginning.
Then, suddenly, the simulacrums synchronized and launched a coordinated assault. Mark barely had time to raise his arms before a series of synchronized blows struck him head-on, sending him skidding backward several meters. Kilian barely managed to parry a vertical strike before retaliating with a sweeping blow that shattered an opponent into fragments.
The fight escalated when the simulacrums adopted more sophisticated tactics. Some tried to separate Mark and Kilian, while others focused their strikes on specific weak points. The difficulty increased exponentially, forcing the two warriors to adapt on the fly.
Mark felt his muscles scream in protest, but he refused to slow down. Every punch, every dodge, every movement became more fluid, more instinctive. He was learning how to channel his brute strength with precision. Kilian, meanwhile, began predicting enemy attacks with almost supernatural intuition, as if the fight itself was revealing hidden truths about him.
The arena shifted once more. The walls expanded, and a deep rumbling echoed throughout the space. A new wave of enemies appeared—larger, faster, as if the training program sought to utterly break them. Mark and Kilian exchanged a glance, and without a word, launched themselves back into the fray.
After a moment of silence, Kilian took a deep breath. The energy coursing through his body was burning, almost unbearable, but he refused to yield.
— "I didn't know what to think at first, but I feel like my strength and perception of battle have evolved. This bloodline... it seems to be guiding my movements, as if I instinctively understand how to use my sword more effectively."
Mark nodded. He knew that bloodlines had varied effects on their wielders and could manifest in different ways. But what intrigued him most was the new notification he had received.
— "Partial Bloodline Transfer..." he murmured. "Xi, explain exactly what this means."
The system responded in its usual cold and neutral tone.
— "Partial bloodline transfer allows a bloodline wielder to pass a portion of their essence to another individual. The efficiency of the transfer depends on the compatibility between bloodlines and the donor's power. The recipient undergoes physical and spiritual modifications tailored to the nature of the received bloodline."
Mark frowned. This meant he could share a part of his own bloodline with Kilian, helping him evolve faster.
— "Kilian, do you want to try something?"
His friend raised an eyebrow but immediately nodded.
— "Why not? I'm always up for getting stronger."
Mark placed his hand on Kilian's shoulder and closed his eyes. He focused on the link connecting him to his Shattered Titan Bloodline, feeling the raw and untamed energy flowing through his veins. He sensed the heat of his own blood intensifying, the primal fire of his lineage roaring like a beast struggling to break free. Carefully, he tried to extract a fraction of it.
A golden glow surrounded his hand, and a hot, intense energy slowly flowed toward Kilian. The latter gritted his teeth as an overwhelming force invaded his body. His muscles trembled as if they were reinforcing themselves, and a crimson spark flashed across his skin.
A new bloodline had just fused with his own.
Titanic Knight Bloodline
Kilian gasped, struggling to stabilize this new force burning inside him. His hands clenched around the hilt of his sword as a wave of power coursed through his body. He could feel every muscle fiber hardening, every bone becoming denser. A sensation of solidity and increased endurance took hold of him, as if he had become a living fortress.
Suddenly, a notification appeared before them.
[[Bloodline successfully integrated]] [[Physical and spiritual evolution in progress...]]
Kilian dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. An excruciating pain tore through his core as his body fully assimilated the power he had received. His blood felt like it was burning, merging with the new bloodline. Runes appeared on his arms and back, forming a complex pattern of protection and strength. His breathing was ragged, each inhale seeming to feed this internal transformation.
Mark watched, fascinated. He saw his friend evolving before his eyes. Kilian clenched his fist, feeling an uncontrollable power vibrating within him. His sword seemed to resonate with this energy, as if recognizing its master in a new form.
He lifted his gaze to Mark, his eyes glowing with newfound determination.
— "This... is incredible... I can feel your strength, but it's adapting to me. It's like my body immediately understands how to harness this power."
Mark smirked.
— "I think our bloodlines are now linked. That means we'll progress together, and now, you've become a real force I can rely on."
Kilian slowly stood, slightly staggering before regaining his balance. His expression hardened as he raised his sword, observing how his body reacted differently to his grip. A sensation of absolute stability and control flooded over him. He could feel a deeper connection with his weapon, as if it were an extension of himself.
He performed a few test swings, striking at the air. His movements were more precise, more natural. He quickly pivoted, unleashing a powerful slash toward a nearby boulder. The air trembled from the force of the impact, and the rock fractured under the pressure, exploding into fragments. Kilian froze, staring at the aftermath of his strike.
— "This is far more powerful than I expected..."
He placed a hand on his arm, feeling the persistent warmth of the markings now etched into his skin. They pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat synchronizing with his own rhythm.
Mark, on the other hand, was deep in thought. This bloodline transfer wasn't just an enhancement—it was a synergy that far exceeded what he had imagined. He now had a true weapon by his side. Kilian was becoming a titan of combat.
— "Shall we continue training?" he asked with a fierce grin.
Kilian responded with an equally wild smile.
— "We're not at the top yet. Let's push further."
They resumed their positions, ready to push their newfound power to its peak. But this time, something had changed. They were no longer just fighters seeking to improve.
They were on the path to becoming legends.
After a long moment of testing his newfound strength, Kilian let out a deep sigh, his body still pulsing with the raw energy he had just assimilated. His muscles felt denser, his reflexes sharper. He knew this evolution was only a glimpse of the power that awaited him.
— "It feels like I'm rediscovering my own body..." he murmured, clenching and unclenching his fists.
Mark nodded, watching his friend with an approving look. He, too, could sense that something had changed—not just in Kilian, but in himself as well. This experience had taught him that his power wasn't limited to himself. He could extend it, transmit it, and strengthen his allies in ways he never imagined.
But now was not the time to rest.
— "Let's go again. This time, we don't stop until we find our new limits."
Kilian gave a wolfish grin and took his stance, his sword vibrating slightly in his hands as if it were responding to his excitement.
With a swift motion, Mark increased the training difficulty once more. The torches around them flickered as the environment shifted. The ground beneath them opened up, forming a vast arena, and enemy simulacrums materialized at an alarming speed.
But this time, they were different.
Larger, faster—some wielded weapons Mark had never seen before, blades pulsing with dark energy, spears capable of cutting through the air like lightning. They resembled ancient warriors, remnants of long-forgotten civilizations, reanimated by the dungeon's magic.
— "This is serious now." Kilian tightened his grip on his sword.
Mark simply smirked. He could feel his blood boiling with excitement. He hadn't yet tested the full extent of his evolution, and now he was finally going to.
The first assault was brutal.
A spectral warrior lunged at them with incredible speed, its blade etched with ancient inscriptions slashing through the air in a deadly arc. Mark pivoted just in time, dodging by a hair's breadth, then countered with a punch of colossal force. The enemy was sent flying backward, but another immediately took its place.
Meanwhile, Kilian was facing two opponents at once. He parried a lateral strike, spun smoothly, and drove his sword deep into one of the simulacrum's torsos. The arena turned into a battlefield. Every strike echoed through the vast hall, each blow stirring up a whirlwind of dust and raw energy.
Mark no longer held back. His strength had reached a new threshold, and he could feel his Lotus Stance adapting, pushing him even further. His strikes became more precise, his endurance unshakable.
Kilian, too, was adapting naturally to his new bloodline. His movements were smoother, his strength controlled to perfection. He was no longer just a swordsman—he was a living fortress. Every attack from his enemies ricocheted off his sword with a sinister metallic clang.
The battle raged on for a long time. Too long. But they did not falter.
Finally, after one last powerful sweep of his sword, Kilian shattered the final opponent. The arena went still. Only the sound of their ragged breaths filled the now-silent air.
Mark looked around.
They had won.
— "That was... intense," Kilian panted, a satisfied grin on his face.
— "And yet, we still have a long way to go," Mark replied, rolling his sore shoulders.
They had only scratched the surface of their true potential. This was just the beginning.
Kilian stretched and cast a knowing look at Mark.
— "You think we'll be ready for what's next?"
— "No matter what awaits us..." Mark said, clenching his fist. "We'll break through it."
Kilian's eyes gleamed with determination, and with a final burst of laughter, they left the training hall, ready to face whatever the dungeon had in store for them next.