In the spectator's section, Jasper and Zachry's knees buckle under the weight of the golem's etheric pressure. A bead of sweat runs down Jasper's face as he regains his composure.
"Such an immense amount of pressure couldn't possibly be coming from a Page rank," Zachry says, "Even for a Squire rank, that's still too much."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Jasper asks excitedly.
"RECONSTRUCTION COMPLETED. PROFICIENCY INCREASED TO KNIGHT RANK."
'So it deemed him strong enough to fight a Knight rank. Considering his skillful usage of his aura element and his ability to use ambient aether manipulation it has all rights to deem him worthy. Interesting, to think someone with no academic background could be so able. With just a little guidance toward the right path, another genius can be born. But that all depends on his mindset.' Void visualizes.
'So this is etheric pressure of a being ranked Knight huh? I have to say it's impressive but it's still lacking in a few aspects. If I don't get serious as well then funs gonna end.'
August rips off part of his sleeve and ties his hair into a ponytail of sorts. He reveals his face to them which has a slight cut under his left eye. The golem takes a single step toward August and its etheric pressure drastically increases. The pure pressure it is releasing pushes August back a bit.
August sees this as a form of disrespect and his ego won't let him take it lying down. He releases his etheric pressure as his entire body is covered in a ferocious red aura.
Etheric pressure is the physical force produced when one releases the condensed aether within their body. When two or more of these forces clash oftentimes they will cancel each other out. But in certain cases when one force exceedingly overpowers the other, the owner of the weaker one will be rendered unconscious or unable to move.
The two opposing forces clash and after some time they cancel each other out. The state of the hall returns to normal as the golem and August stare each other down. Liquid metal begins profusely leaking out of the golem's left hand and hardens into a huge hammer.
"TARGET ACQUIRED. ELIMINATION… IMMINENT."
"Oh really?" August says with gleaming eyes.
They waste no time as they swiftly approach each other. August swings his glaive upwards as the golem brings down the hammer. The two weapons clash violently and cause a shockwave.
The size and weight of the golem's hammer would normally shatter any blade it clashes with. But the blade of August's glaive is still intact because of the ferocious red aura reinforcing and enhancing its capabilities.
The golem holds the hammer with both hands and applies more pressure. August's knees buckle slightly under the unrelenting force behind the hammer.
"That's the spirit. You should be putting your all into this fight." August begins to say as his aura starts to flare up, "Because if you don't you'll be broken beyond repair!"
August uses all his might and knocks the hammer away. It staggers backward giving August just enough time for a follow-up attack. He withdraws his glaive and prepares for a thrust attack. His muscles bulge and tear his remaining sleeve to pieces as he focuses his aura on the blade's tip.
He thrusts the glaive at the golem. However, before it reached its destined target, the golem created a wall of aether and lessened the force of the attack.
"What?!" August pauses for a second.
The golem takes advantage of this and swiftly moves to the right of August. It hits him with the hammer and sends him flying across the hall. He miraculously lands on his feet but the golem doesn't let up.
It lets loose a flurry of aether blasts. August swiftly evades the incoming blasts and unleashes a wave of aura at the golem. The golem once again erects a wall of aether to halt the incoming attack. But August was betting on that, the wave of aura colliding with the wall exploded, creating an adequate smokescreen.
August appears behind the golem and thrusts at its head, but it leaps into the air and slams down the hammer on him. He barely manages to roll out of the way and evade the attack. As the golem swings the hammer at him again, he gets to his feet. He flips back and jams the end of the glaive into the ground.
The golem attempts to attack him again. But the moment it takes a step, the ground beneath its foot begins glowing red and explodes. The explosion sends the golem tumbling across the hall.
"Don't get cocky you damn golem, your attacks are lukewarm." He says as he removes the glaive from the ground.
"Wow. He's able to stand toe-to-toe with a Knight ranked." Zachry says surprised.
"That just makes me want to fight him even more!" Jasper yells with an elated expression.
"Is there anybody you don't want to fight?"
"I'll even fight a god if I get the chance."
The golem stands back up as if nothing happened.
'It's still not down for the count? Its durability is nothing to scoff at.'
He closes the gap between them in an instant and attacks the golem. But the attack is once again blocked by a wall of aether.
'Dammit…!'
The translucent wall begins ripping apart as the tendrils wrap around August.
"Wha-" August says as he tries to get away and fails.
The tendrils completely wrap around and trap him in a small sphere. August tries to break free of his spherical prison to no avail. With a squeezing gesture of the golem's hand, the sphere gets smaller and smaller giving August no room to move.
The golem holds its hammer aloft. Aether begins circulating the head of the hammer as its size begins to increase. The hammer falls to the ground now five times as large and racks the ground beneath it. The golem takes a step back and prepares to swing the hammer.
'Well, I'm fucked.'
The hammer smashes through the sphere and sends August flying upward. His back slams into the ceiling as the air gets forced out of his lungs. As he falls, gasping for air the golem sets up a volley of aether blasts.
'I should've ended it when I had the chance...'
The blasts begin flying at August the moment he gets in range. He wraps his glaive in his aura and releases wave after wave of that ferocious red aura. The crimson waves fall from high as they clash with the pure white blasts rising from the depths.
Zachry's face contorts in such a manner that the thoughts running through his head are laid bare. 'Is this what a fight between two entities who hold the rank of Knight?'
"Of course, this is a battle of two Knight ranks." Void answers his question without him asking, "While the gap in strength and technique between someone ranked Page and someone ranked Squire is substantial. The difference between Squire ranks and Knight ranks is similar to that of heaven and earth."
'That just makes me want to fight him even more!' The corner of Jasper's lips curl to his ears as a look of frenzied delight spreads across his face. His breath becomes heavy and his pupils dilate.
Zachry who's standing beside him notices the sudden change in Jasper's demeanor. He turns his head and looks at him with eyes filled to the brim with disappointment.
Back to the clash between red and white. The power, speed, and overall technique of August's attacks are improving by the second as he gradually gains the upper hand. If this fight goes on any longer the winner will undoubtedly be August and the golem has realized this.
'He's getting stronger over time, huh? He's truly the honored one. A physique that is balanced in all factors, superhuman spatial awareness, and the ability to raise those factors to godly heights. But all those precious gifts would be wasted without the proper mindset. And don't even get me started on those eyes of his…'
Void looks closely at August's eyes. Eyes that are moving around so swiftly and taking in the entirety of the hall. He's constantly updating the information in his mind. And don't think for a moment that he's not focusing on his opponent just because his eyes are not on them. All is laid bare before him.
The golem's attacks cease as the waves of aura rain down upon it like hellfire and brimstone. The training hall floor begins cracking under August's unrelenting barrage of attacks. But then a lone beam resembling that of a divine light pierces the crimson rain.
"MAXIMUM AETHER OUTPUT. GRAND AETHER CANNON."
Smashing through all the waves of aura it makes its way to August. He follows suit and stops his flurry of attacks, he focuses everything on the blade of the glaive and swings it down on the golem's beam to put an end to the fight.
'The end is near… I can feel it.' Jasper stares unblinking, not wanting to miss even a second of the scenery that's unfolding before his eyes.
The scenery unfolding before their eyes is the embodiment of pure martial might, an acquired beauty. August clad in crimson flames with a dark tint falls from the sky resembling a shooting star. While the divine light halting his descent is being torn asunder.
"Glorious…" Never in his eighteen years of living has Jasper ever witnessed such a beautiful event.
And with his landing, August concludes the match between him and the golem. His blade slices through all the golem have to offer and shatters any hope it had of winning. He stands over the destroyed body of the golem panting heavily as he gazes at it.
'Simply outstanding. It was the right choice to come here after all. If this is the kind of practical training they do here I might finally end up finding 'them' here.'
"MATCH OVER. WINNER AUGUST STRIDE RANKED KNIGHT."