As the days rolled into weeks, Lennox found himself immersed in relentless practice, his focus unbroken by the absence of Theo, Kira, or Nadia. Their visits had become sparse, leaving him to hone his skills alone, a routine that had become second nature. Solitude was his constant companion, a familiar echo from his past, yet he had grown accustomed to relying solely on himself, gradually shedding any dependence on others.
With each morning, Lennox stirred from his slumber, grappling with the persistent thought of when he could depart. However, his departure hinged on Nadia's approval, a belief that weighed heavily on his mind. Despite pushing himself to the brink in training, his strength seemed to level, his power stagnating between five hundred and seven hundred dots.
In the midst of his contemplation, a voice pierced through the silence of his thoughts, and he turned to find Nadia standing behind him.
As the days slipped into weeks, Lennox found himself engulfed in the solitude of relentless practice, his determination unwavering despite the absence of his usual companions. Each morning brought with it a renewed sense of purpose, a silent promise to push himself beyond his limits.
Yet, amidst the quiet intensity of his training, a nagging doubt lingered in the depths of his mind, a whispered question that refused to be ignored. Was he truly ready to face the challenges that awaited him beyond the confines of the training grounds?
Nadia's voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade, drawing Lennox's attention away from his inner turmoil. "Lennox, how are you feeling today?" she inquired, her gaze piercing through his defenses.
Lennox met her gaze with a determined nod. "Good," he replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within him. "But I can't shake the feeling that there's more I could be doing, more I could be learning."
Nadia's expression softened, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. "It's natural to feel restless, especially when you're on the brink of something greater," she reassured him.
Lennox nodded in understanding, grateful for her unwavering support. "So, do you believe you're ready to face a higher-grade opponent?" Nadia pressed, her tone gentle but insistent.
"Ready or not, I need to find out," Lennox declared, his resolve firm as steel. "I can't keep standing still while the world moves on around me."
Nadia stepped aside, offering him a path forward. "Well said. Kira and Theo await you at the training area."
"Thank you," Lennox expressed his gratitude before darting past Nadia, his heart pounding with anticipation. As he sprinted through the forest, leaving Nadia's training room behind, excitement coursed through his veins. He longed to reunite with Kira and Theo.
Arriving at the training area, Lennox caught sight of Kira and Theo engaged in conversation. With a burst of energy, he called out to them before leaping onto the stage.
"Kira, Theo!" he exclaimed.
Lennox and Theo approached each other, sharing a brief embrace before Lennox extended his arms to pull Kira into a hug.
"How are you guys doing?" Lennox inquired.
"Good," they both responded in unison. "We heard you've been undergoing secluded training," Kira added.
"Yeah... What have you two been up to during the week?" Lennox asked, curious about their activities.
"Pretty much the same... you do feel much stronger, though," Theo remarked, slinging an arm around Lennox and Kira's shoulders.
As they conversed, Lennox questioned their choice to meet in the arena rather than somewhere more relaxed for a chat.
"Well, since we're all here, why not test our improvements with a friendly duel?" Theo suggested.
Agreeing with a nod, they prepared for their friendly duel . Lennox and Theo decided to go first, opting for a match without their personal weapons, relying solely on their elemental abilities. Lennox recalled their previous draw, realizing Theo had been holding back.
"I hope you won't hold back on me this time," Lennox stated seriously.
"Okay, but I hope you do the same," Theo replied, matching his seriousness.
As the two squared off, their intense exchange didn't go unnoticed. Spectators from around the training ground, including other Nexus students, began to gather, eager to witness the impending battle.
"Something's happening on the training ground. Looks like they're about to fight," one student observed.
"It's Lennox and Theo again. Remember when they drew before?" another remarked.
"Yeah, but this time might be different," a third student added.
Lennox's eyes gleamed with determination as he sidestepped, his mind racing through the possibilities of attack strategies. He needed something new, something unexpected, to catch Theo off guard.
A flicker of flame erupted in Lennox's palm, coalescing into the form of a shuriken. "Inferno Shuriken," he muttered, his voice low and focused. With a swift motion, he swung his arm, unleashing a torrent of Inferno Shuriken Surges. The air crackled with the searing intensity of swirling flames as the projectiles hurtled toward Theo, leaving a blazing trail in their wake.
Among the array of attacks this advanced attack is one he slowly practice in the forest, Lennox had devised a particularly effective on his new attack Heat Seekers. These shurikens locked onto their targets, making evasion a daunting task. Additionally, upon impact with the ground, they exploded, creating pockets of scorching heat that denied Theo easy maneuverability.
Theo, ever vigilant, recognized the imminent danger. With a dancer's grace, he dodged and weaved through the fiery onslaught, narrowly evading each lethal shuriken. Despite Lennox's increased speed and ferocity, Theo managed to anticipate some of the slower-moving shurikens, though the fiery trails they left behind forced him into constant adjustments of his footing and trajectory. Lennox, keenly aware of Theo's vulnerabilities, adjusted the size and trajectory of the shuriken clusters, exploiting every opening.
As Theo found himself increasingly surrounded by flames, Lennox seized the opportunity. 'This is my chance,' he thought. With a surge of air, Theo attempted to quell the encroaching fire, but Lennox was ready, anticipating this move.
Lennox, sensing the need for a shift in strategy, unleashed another of his advanced techniques: the Scorching Mirror Maze. Flames erupted from beneath his feet, connecting with the fiery ground and shooting up to form multiple walls of fire. Mirrors materialized within the inferno, refracting and reflecting the flames, creating a bewildering array of illusions. Theo found himself trapped in a labyrinth of mirrors, each one distorting the image of Lennox attacking him, forcing Theo to dodge blindly, uncertain which reflection was real.
As Theo maneuvered through the maze, attempting to discern the true threat he became more confused even when attack the mirrors with a strong air black it was just absorbed into the mirror, Lennox outside was able to see everything that was happening inside seized the opportunity. Sensing Theo's hesitation, he launched a surprise attack from outside the maze, disrupting the illusions. The mirrors shattered into fiery shards that rained down upon Theo, catching him off guard and leaving him vulnerable to both the shards and the burning ground.
A sharp pain seared through Theo's thigh as a fiery shard pierced his flesh as the fire burn inside his thigh, causing him to grit his teeth against the agony. With Lennox closing in, Theo pushed through the pain, rolling to evade the incoming shuriken. But even as he rolled, he prepared his own counterattack.
Summoning his own advanced technique, the Air Blitz Boomerang, Theo rose to his feet with a powerful spin, unleashing a boomerang with three razor-edged. The boomerangs homed in on Lennox with incredible speed, slicing through the air and executing a flurry of slashes as they closed the distance destroying his shards and shuriken's.
Lennox, quick to react, by erecting his fire shield to block the oncoming assault. The boomerangs collided with the fire shield, their force causing both their elements to gradually dissipate. But Theo wasn't finished yet. With a sudden twist, the boomerangs split into smaller projectiles, two of them veering around Lennox's diminish shield the boomerang hurled toward his exposed neck with lethal intent.
"I lost," Lennox admitted, his voice tinged with disappointment as he watched Theo boomerangs fade away.
Shock rippled through the onlookers, though some had expected this outcome, while some secretly rooting for Lennox's defeat from the start.
"Don't sound like that, you almost had me," Theo reassured Lennox, attempting to lift his spirits that he truly meant if it wasn't for him haven much more combat experience he would have surely lost.
As the elemental disturbances caused by their clash dissipated, the training ground returned to its original state.
"Thanks... I just thought I had you," Lennox replied, mustering a forced smile.
"Well, as a word of advice... No matter how high someone's rank or strength may be, they can still be beaten by a better attack, combatant even someone smarter. That's why you almost had me, because of your tactics," Theo imparted, offering a comforting pat on Lennox's shoulder before strolling off the platform.