Four Weeks Later
Elijah was drenched in sweat, surrounded by the remnants of a slightly destroyed forest. Tall trees with thick canopies loomed overhead, their leaves forming a dense green ceiling.
Sunlight filtered through the foliage, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor, which was littered with broken branches and scorched patches of earth. The air was filled with the earthy scent of moss and the distant calls of forest creatures.
He stood in a small clearing, where the signs of his intense training were evident. Several tree trunks were split in half or had deep gashes, and the ground was uneven, marked by the impacts of powerful blows. 'I'm not strong enough,' he thought, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Nearby, Kai was lying on a tree branch, a katana resting on his shoulder, watching Elijah with a curious expression.
"Elijah, why are you fighting yourself?" Kai asked, breaking the silence.
"Huh?" Elijah paused for a moment and replied, "I want to improve my basics, and this is the only way I can think of."
Kai nodded, still looking curious. Elijah noticed and asked, "What's on your mind?"
"It's just that the martial art you just used is a combination with a sword art, right?" Kai inquired.
"Yes, I learn almost every weapon to the novice level with Miss Amy and Ava, so I know sword arts as well," Elijah answered with a smile.
"MMM, why not focus on a single one?"
"It's better to know a little of everything than nothing at all, and I also need to specialize in one thing," he explained. Kai kept a neutral expression, contemplating something.
Elijah stopped training and said, "You know, I'm getting bored with this routine of training and fighting."
Kai, who had closed his eyes, opened them in shock. "So, after we reach rank 500, we must explore this galaxy and see the wonders the universe holds, and also fight some powerful people along the way."
Kai calmed down and smiled, taking a moment before responding. "Then what's the plan, leader?" he asked, lying on the ground and enjoying the sun.
"Let's first reach above rank 500 to acquire the right to undertake some quests." Elijah had reached rank 520 and Kai rank 523, but they still had a long way to go.
Their opponents ranged from (E-) to (E+), making the challenges tremendous and educational.
No matter how much Elijah loved fighting stronger opponents, he wanted something more, though he couldn't understand what at the time. He soon realized he sought to see different worlds and places in the galaxy.
His current goal was to break through to E rank, but it seemed more difficult than expected.
Even when his strength doubled, he saw that he wasn't even close to E rank—it was the wall he was facing.
"How about a spar, Kai?" Elijah suggested.
"No, I'm good," Kai replied.
"Why?"
"Because I will lose," Kai answered, standing up. Elijah showed a dejected expression.
"Anyway, our money is about to run out. How about—"
Before Kai could finish, Elijah was already ready. "Let's go, Kai! It's time to beat those beast asses," he shouted, making Kai chuckle a little.
Elijah appeared in front of Kai out of nowhere, launching a powerful punch. Kai, reacting in the nick of time, raised his scabbard to block the attack but was pushed back by the force.
Elijah didn't let up, dashing towards him with a kick enveloped in a silver glow. Kai quickly unsheathed his sword, managing to block the glowing kick and regain his footing.
"What was that for?" Kai shouted, his voice tinged with annoyance.
Elijah's response was a silent smirk. "HYYYYYY, Elijah, can't you hear me? Sometimes you are a damn idiot. Why did you attack me anyway?"
Elijah's smirk remained, and as Kai locked eyes with him, a realization dawned. He stretched his neck, his expression turning serious. In an instant, both of them vanished in a blur of motion.
In those fleeting moments, gauntlets appeared on Elijah's hands, distinct from his previous ones. These were adorned with blue scales, remnants of a beast he had conquered.
The two combatants clashed at superhuman speeds, the metallic clang of their weapons echoing through the air. Kai's sword, now shrouded in dark energy, slashed forward, releasing a crescent-shaped arc of power.
Elijah met the arc head-on with his gauntlet, dispersing its energy. A silver glow enveloped Elijah's body, while a purple aura surrounded Kai. Their battle intensified, their movements a blur.
Though Elijah's speed was superior, their strength was equally matched. Utilizing his Flash Step technique, Elijah's speed became a blur, too swift for Kai to counter.
He landed a kick to Kai's face, sending him tumbling backward. Mid-air, Kai twisted, regaining his balance as dark armor like a samurai's encased his body, boosting his speed and strength.
He narrowly evaded Elijah's relentless strikes, his own attacks parried with ease.
"Flash Step," Elijah intoned, vanishing and reappearing behind Kai, who spun around just in time to counterattack.
"Iron Body," Kai declared as his katana connected with Elijah's skin, producing a metallic resonance.
Ting.
"You are enjoying this… huh," Kai said, his armor disappearing.
"What's wrong with enjoying a good fight?" Elijah inquired.
"Nothing, but what are your thoughts?" Kai asked.
"I think we can better understand each other now, even if we didn't use our full power," Elijah commented, to which Kai just smiled.
"It wasn't a death match, but still, I wanted to go all out," Elijah said as they started walking out of the forest.
"We shouldn't repeat the same mistake as before," Elijah said, remembering when they tried fighting a beast and failed to coordinate their attacks.