"I'll head to the library first," Shi Yan said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Maybe I can find something there that'll help you guys get stronger—and fast."
"Sounds good," Kellan replied, nodding thoughtfully.
"Big Bone, maybe we should train together, get a feel for each other's strength."
Big Bone scratched his head, looking a bit hesitant.
"You're one level above me right now, Kellan. I'm only at the second level of the Blood Solidification Realm."
"I'll keep my spiritual energy at the second level too," Kellan assured him.
"Alright then," Big Bone said, his face brightening.
"Actually, my dad gave me these gauntlets for protection. He says they're a family heirloom, though he didn't explain why."
He raised his fists, showing off the black gauntlets on his hands. They looked a bit worn, but there was no rust on them—just a faint, mysterious sheen.
Kellan felt a strange pull from the gauntlets, like they were drawing him in, though they didn't emit any spiritual energy. He blinked and snapped himself out of it.
"Let's go out to the back," Big Bone suggested, nodding toward a clearing beyond the house.
"We can spar there."
Kellan nodded. Together, they made their way to the clearing, where trees had been cut down to leave an open space, perfect for training.
Kellan unsheathed two dark daggers, trophies he'd taken from the Nightshade Clan members he'd fought.
The blades had a faint black hue and seemed to pulse with spiritual energy.
"Nice blades, Kellan. Guess I don't need to worry about hurting you too much."
Big Bone chuckled, but his expression turned serious as he sized up his friend.
Without warning, Big Bone dashed forward, concentrating dark gray spiritual energy into his fist.
The air cracked as his punch rocketed toward Kellan.
Kellan barely had time to activate his temporal qi, slowing his perception just enough to sidestep the blow, but the shockwave from the missed punch sent him stumbling.
"What the hell, Big Bone? Are you trying to kill me?" Kellan shouted, half-laughing, half-serious.
Big Bone looked a little embarrassed, scratching his head sheepishly.
"Sorry! Sometimes I get too into it and can't hold back."
Kellan shook his head, smiling.
"You don't have to hold back. Let's go for it!"
Big Bone's face broke into a grin, and he lunged again, his fists surging with dark gray energy as he aimed a powerful punch at Kellan's torso.
Kellan activated his temporal qi once more, slowing his perception so that Big Bone's movements seemed almost leisurely.
He dodged to the side and delivered a quick slash with one of his daggers, aiming for Big Bone's side.
But Big Bone's reflexes were sharp. He swung his arm up to block, and Kellan's dagger glanced off the gauntlet, sending a small shower of sparks into the air.
Kellan's eyes widened as he realized how sturdy the gauntlet was—it had absorbed the strike without so much as a scratch.
"These gauntlets… they're stronger than they look!" Kellan muttered.
Big Bone grinned, clearly enjoying himself.
"Told you, my dad wasn't kidding when he said they were something special!"
Big Bone countered with a quick jab aimed at Kellan's ribs. Kellan ducked, dodging the punch, but Big Bone immediately followed up with another punch that forced Kellan back.
The ground trembled from the blow's impact, sending small pebbles skittering across the dirt.
Kellan steadied himself, realizing he couldn't rely on dodging forever.
He took a deep breath, letting his temporal qi flow more freely through his body, enhancing his perception to its fullest.
The world around him slowed even further, each movement of Big Bone's appearing almost like molasses.
Taking advantage of the slowed time, Kellan dashed forward in a blur, slashing his daggers in a rapid series of strikes aimed at Big Bone's arms and legs.
Big Bone grunted, feeling the sting of each cut, but his aura pulsed as he focused his spiritual energy, reinforcing his skin to dull the blows.
Big Bone swept his arm out, catching Kellan off guard with a surprise strike.
Kellan barely managed to jump back as Big Bone clasped his fists together and brought them down in a hammer-like strike that shook the clearing, leaving a small crater in the ground where he'd hit.
Kellan knew he had to end this quickly.
Channeling every ounce of his temporal qi, he zipped around Big Bone, slashing with precision at every exposed spot.
Big Bone staggered, his spiritual energy flickering, and just as he turned to face Kellan, he felt the cold edge of a dagger resting lightly against his neck.
"You got me," Big Bone said, catching his breath with a wide grin.
"But next time, I won't make it that easy."
Kellan lowered his blade, equally breathless but smiling.
"Best fight I've had in a long time. Those gauntlets really are something special."
Big Bone held up his gauntlets, admiring them.
"Maybe I should check the family vault, see if there's any record of their history. I get the feeling there's more to them than meets the eye."
The two friends, bruised and exhausted but exhilarated, exchanged a firm handshake.
They both knew they were one step closer to being ready for the tournament.
"Hey, Big Bone, what do you think of the Shi Clan?" Kellan suddenly asked.
"What do you mean?" Big Bone replied.
"Like, do you enjoy staying here?" Kellan said.
"Yeah, I have to take care of my dad, become a hunter, have a family,"
Big Bone replied thoughtfully.
"Maybe even become the leader of the hunting party." Big Bone laughed sheepishly.
"Oh." Kellan looked up at the sky, his expression contemplative.
"For me, I… I think I want to leave the clan someday."
"What? Why would you do that?" Big Bone looked shocked.
"Well, don't you feel like we're just… stuck in this small place?" Kellan looked at Big Bone earnestly.
Big Bone looked a bit confused.
"What do you mean? I think the Clan is pretty big, no?"
Kellan shook his head, recalling his encounter with the Frey Clan members and the stories Shi Yan had told him about the outside world.
The gap in their strength and knowledge was clear, and he felt a growing urge to explore beyond the Shi Clan's borders.
"It's just… I think the world is a lot bigger than what we can even imagine here in the Shi Clan," Kellan said.
"Thinking about stuff like that makes my head hurt," Big Bone said, scratching his head.
"I don't really have any grand dreams or aspirations. I just want to repay my dad for everything he's done for me. That's all."
"Yeah, I understand," Kellan said, smiling slightly.
"Never mind. There's probably something more important we should focus on, anyway."
"Yeah. If we don't secure a spot in the inter-tribe Trial by Fire, all of this will be for nothing," Big Bone agreed.
"I wonder who we need to look out for in the tournament," Big Bone mused aloud.
"I heard Shi Lin is almost at the fifth level of the Blood Solidification Realm. A lot of the elders have high expectations for him."
Kellan remembered the days when he, Shi Lin, Shi Yan, Big Bone, and Alice would play together, pretending to fight monsters in the Mystfall forest. He sighed, feeling a pang of nostalgia.
Kellan sighed, shifting his gaze to the sky. He asked, "Do you think I can beat Shi Lin at my level, Big Bone?"
Big Bone laughed, looking a bit carefree. "Only one way to find out, right?"