Unlike Jet's advice, Fang Yuan did not join Wilderness Survival and chose combat class. reason was simple that unlike cassia and sunny who he could get information of thanks to the time he got in the cafeteria nephis was not a part of his circle and approaching her would seem suspicious thanks to his flaw so he choose to observe her and learn about her aspect through it.his only reason for joining the classes would've been to know more of the three persons related to his fate but his flaw made it nearly impossible for him to approach them without being a suspicious character which he did not wanted to be. but that didn't mean he left all three of them alone, he made friends with cassia despite his flaws limitations by cheering her up in the cafeteria and meeting her a few times by coincidence since they came here they formed a good bond between them unlike Sunny who purposefully ignored or stayed away from him which he could only curse at because of his appearance but still he confirmed two peoples abilities while staying with them only nephis was a mystery to him now.The dojo hummed with energy as the combat trials kicked off. Sleepers were here today, each eager to show off their prowess. But Fang Yuan? He stood in the back, leaning casually against the wall, his expression neutral, appearing no more extraordinary than the average participant. After all, he had no intention of drawing attention to himself although the subtle glances from the female participants made it increasingly hard to do so.Despite being a Sleeper with great power, Fang Yuan knew better than to show it off. His flaw made it too dangerous to reveal anything about himself prematurely. His emotions were too easy to read, and if someone caught a glimpse of the power he was hiding, it could make him a target.And there were people who were far more dangerous than most of the other Sleepers. He needed to stay under the radar, especially with the three people most relevant to his future goals.Cassia, Sunny, and Nephis.He had already interacted with Cassia in the cafeteria, and though she was emotional and open, Fang Yuan had managed to gain a basic understanding of her abilities. Sunny was easier to read, but his actions was weird. Nephis, on the other hand, was a mystery.And this, Fang Yuan decided, was the perfect time to learn everything he could about her. He had to do so cautiously, without tipping his hand, without revealing too much.Today's test was simple: strike the machine and show your strength. Nothing too complicated for someone like him, but he was careful with his movements. His strike was a calculated ten, just enough to show competence, but not a hint of the power he could truly unleash.The results were predictable: most people got scores between ten and fourteen, some reaching as high as fifteen or sixteen. But none of it mattered to him. It was just a warm-up.When it was Nephis's turn, Fang Yuan's attention snapped to her. She walked up to the machine with an air of serene confidence, as if she had already won.The impact of her strike was sharp and clean, the plate vibrating with her power. The machine displayed sixteen—respectable, but nothing spectacular for someone with a True Name.Fang Yuan made a mental note: Nephis was certainly strong, but her abilities lie elsewhere, not just in brute strength, flames and light are obvious but to what extent and in what way they work, her flames feel refreshing yet deadly could she have an aspect with healing and damage dealing? a potential divine aspect huh!.But it was him being close to her that was important, he knew his attribute and innate ability will soon help him gain an intuition about her powers like he got with cassia on their 2nd day.quite frankly speaking he was terrified when he understood that cassia can look into his runes but held himself back because of him not knowing the extent of her ability and he too felt a frown on her face which he knew came because his [lesser demonic physique] helping him hide his runes.*****"Two volunteers!" Instructor Rock called, his voice booming across the dojo.Nephis didn't hesitate. She stepped forward, a quiet confidence radiating from her. Fang Yuan's gaze sharpened as he silently observed. His goal was simple: to understand Nephis's true ability.Her opponent was a tall, muscular man—clearly someone who relied on raw physical strength. As soon as the bell rang, he charged at Nephis, throwing a powerful kick in her direction.But Nephis didn't flinch. She didn't even seem to react to the man's move at first. Then she sidestepped.It wasn't even a dodge; it was more like she had already seen his attack coming, predicted the movement before he made it. She effortlessly evaded the strike, the heavy leg missing her by inches. Nephis moved with such fluidity, it was like watching a predator stalk its prey.Her opponent was stunned for a split second, giving Nephis the perfect opportunity. She countered with a strike that sent him crashing to the ground in a heap, wide-eyed and speechless."Next!" Instructor Rock called, barely acknowledging the fallen fighter.One by one, the opponents fell before Nephis's calm, practiced moves. They came at her with everything they had—strength, speed, technique—but it was all futile. No matter the approach, she predicted their movements and responded with minimal effort, always a step ahead. She wasn't simply defeating them; she was dismantling them psychologically.Fang Yuan observed, impressed but cautious. Nephis wasn't relying on raw strength. She was reading her opponents' movements with terrifying accuracy.It wasn't just her combat skills that were impressive—it was the way she controlled the flow of the fight, as though she knew the outcome before it had even begun. There was no hesitation, no wasted energy. Every move was calculated, every strike placed perfectly.As he watched, Fang Yuan found himself growing more and more intrigued. Nephis's ability wasn't just physical but tactical and strategic. She was always ahead of the game. It was like watching a chess master, not just a fighter. Although Fang Yuan was realms above her in terms of hand-to-hand combat but he still felt interested in seeing her fluidity and intricacy and the way of using her body.But there had to be more. He couldn't believe that this was all she had—there had to be a hidden depth to her style. The way she controlled the fight, the calm demeanor with which she crushed each opponent... there had to be something more. '' shes not showing her true combat art huh''Fang Yuan's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar gaze—Sunny. He looked up to see his classmate watching the sparring, from the shadows. fang yuan only gave it a side glance before seeing the fights .Sunny's power was nothing like Nephis's. He was good,but unlike nephis whose ability seemed to be linked with destruction his seemed to be linked with hiding and trechery, just like Fang Yuan himself. Sunny didn't show his true potential either. But today wasn't about Sunny—this was about understanding Nephis. Understanding how far she could go.As Nephis continued her silent massacre, Fang Yuan found himself wondering— why did weaver added light , shadow and fate in the same place and since cassia represented fate then what was he?Eventually, it came time for Nephis to face another opponent, and the rounds continued, one after another. Sleepers with varying levels of strength tried their best, but none could land a blow. Nephis's defensive strategy was flawless. Each time she anticipated their moves with precision, never overexerting herself, always calculating the easiest path to victory.But this was where Fang Yuan's careful planning came into play. While Nephis had the upper hand in combat, Fang Yuan wasn't looking to challenge her physically. He needed to understand how her abilities worked—the limits of her prediction, the constraints of her movements.And as the sparring went on, he saw cracks in her control. Every so often, after facing multiple opponents in quick succession, Nephis's focus would flicker. It was brief, imperceptible to most, but Fang Yuan caught it.She was faltering.His smile was subtle, barely there, but it was enough to indicate that he was on the right path. The game had just begun.As the rounds progressed, it became clear that no one could touch her. One after another, Nephis dispatched her opponents with an eerie calm, her strikes always landing with precision. Each one tried to overpower her, only to be swept aside as if they were children trying to stand up against a seasoned warrior.Fang Yuan crossed his arms, watching intently. His eyes narrowed as he tried to gauge the limits of her physical abilities.Nephis's abilities were complex, and there was an underlying dangerous calm about her—she never showed frustration, never hesitated. It was as though the fight itself was merely a game to her, a test that she knew she would win before it had even started.That was when he noticed Caster stepping forward.Fang Yuan's eyes snapped to him, his mind racing. Caster had not participated in the earlier tests, but Fang Yuan was aware of his ability—he'd already seen Caster's strength, that twenty-one score on the strength plate. This would be the moment to assess Nephis's true abilities, to see how she reacted when faced with a foe who might match or exceed her in some way.Nephis didn't flinch when Caster bowed, his expression serene and unperturbed."Lady Nephis." His voice was calm. "Please excuse me in advance."Fang Yuan's eyes followed the two as they stepped into the ring. What would happen now?And then the battle began.It seemed like Caster suddenly ceased to exist.However, it was only an illusion. The truth was that he was just moving so fast that the human eye wasn't able to keep up with his movements. If it wasn't for the special properties of his Sight, fang yuan wouldn't have been able to perceive anything either.then, he noticed caster streaking through the air.In a fraction of a second, Caster covered the distance between him and Nephis and delivered a devastating blow. However, despite his astonishing speed, she somehow managed to react in time, slightly turning her body to deflect the strike.But it still wasn't enough. Although Nephis had managed to avoid being hit squarely in her center of gravity, Caster's fist ended up connecting with her shoulder, sending the girl into a spin.Not wasting any time, Caster disappeared again. His plan was very simple: while Nephis was still under the impression that the enemy was in front of her, he was going to use his unnatural swiftness to circle around and attack from the back.The young man appeared behind the oblivious girl, ready to finish the fight with one decisive strike. Just as he planned, she seemed to be preparing to attack in the direction he had been seen just a split second ago. Gratified, Caster shifted his weight, putting it all into his fist.However, at the last moment, Nephis suddenly changed her stance and threw her elbow back with frightening force.Caster's eye widened. It was all a feint!And now that he had committed to a strike, there was no simple way to stop. No matter how fast he was, he was still subject to the laws of inertia. The elbow was approaching his face with a profound feeling of inevitability.And yet, Caster still managed to avoid it, even if it was just by a hair's breadth. His speed advantage was just too big.He then proceeded to trip and push Nephis, sending her flying to the ground. However, just before she was about to his the mats, the young man carefully grabbed the collar of her dobok and gently pulled, slowing down the fall and allowing Nephis to land on the floor without any impact.Lying on her back, the girl blinked a couple of times and looked up at him. The whole altercation lasted no more than two seconds.unlike nephis casters abilities came in whole view to fang yuan as he understood his intensions as well''ascended aspect related to burst of explosive speed and overall increase in speed huh, but he has malicious intensions towards her how interesting''Instructor Rock grunted and gave Caster a nod. Nephis slowly rose to her feet.The rest of the Sleepers were gawking at the young man with reverence, whispering among each other in hushed tones. It seemed that his performance left them with a deep impression.However, Caster himself wasn't very elated. He glanced at Nephis with an unreadable expression.That was because, unlike the rest of them, he came to a certain realization. The truth of the matter was known only to him, Nephis, Instructor Rock... and fang yuan, who was very observant and quickly picked up on such things.The thing that Sleepers failed to notice was that Nephis did not use her Aspect Ability when facing Caster. In fact, she had not used it at any point during today's testing. No one even knew what her Ability was.And yet, despite his powerful Aspect, Caster barely managed to clutch a victory against her.'What a talent,' he thought.**After that, the introductory combat class was over. Sore from the beating they received, Sleepers headed for the showers.Fang Yuan wasn't very interested in watching a bunch of teenagers changing clothes, but there was a slight possibility that Caster would either comment on his duel with Nephis or answer some questions about his incredible Aspect Ability.Just as he had expected, the young man was surrounded by a group of newly converted fans. They were congratulating him on his victory, full of adoration and excitement. However, Caster himself seemed to be in a bad mood. His expression was somber, and there was a grim heaviness in his eyes.In fact, his face grew darker with each praise he received."Caster, that was incredible!""You Aspect is overpowered, am I right?""That Nephis girl stood no chance at all!""True Name? Who needs that? She's just a wanna-be!"Finally, Caster raised his head and pierced the last boy who had spoken with a cold look. That boy, just like him, was one of the few Legacies in their batch of Sleepers. He frowned, surprised by Caster's rection."What is it?"Caster gritted his teeth."I might have expected such behavior from them, but you should know better."The other Legacy raised an eyebrow."Why? Is there something special about that peasant girl?"Caster's eyes widened."Peasant... peasant girl? Do you really not know who she is?"Caster opened his mouth several times, as though not sure what to say. Finally, he shook his head and answered:"She is Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan."As soon as he said that, the arrogant Legacy became deathly pale. Not paying him any attention, Caster continued."I trust that I don't need to tell you about her grandfather. Her parents were Smile of Heaven and Broken Sword."fang yuan felt his eyes widening.Even he knew who Immortal Flame and Broken Sword were. The former was the first human to conquer the Second Nightmare and become a Master. The latter — the first one to conquer the Third Nightmare and become a Saint.They, as well as their companions, were among the most famous heroes of the human race, someone who had managed to change history with their own two hands. If what Caster said was true, then Nephis wasn't just an aristocrat... she was royalty!No wonder he addressed her as "lady". But that did make sense!pulling him from his thoughts, the pale-faced Sleeper asked in a trembling voice:"Then why... why is she so..."Caster sighed."Because they're all dead. The Immortal Flame clan is long gone."For a few moments, the locker room was completely silent. Caster looked down."She's the only one left."***Late at night, when everyone was already asleep, Sunny furtively entered the dojo. Looking around, he made sure that no one was there and then curiously approached the ring where Nephis and others had been tested earlier. He stopped at the center of the ring and stood there for a while, remembering how she had dealt with dozens of Sleepers of their batch before being defeated by Caster."Monsters... both of them are monsters !but least that bastard is only for looks and not a good fighter he got down in just 7 moves." he mumbled, bitter and disheartened but at the same time happy and content.Shaking his head, Sunny left the ring and then he looked at his shadow."Do you agree?"The shadow hesitated for a few seconds, then stuck out its chest and crossed its arms, trying to appear cocky, disdainful and unperturbed. However, its act wasn't very convincing."Yeah, you're right. Exactly! What's the big deal anyway?"Both Immortal Flame and Broken Sword, Nephis's father and grandfather, were as monstrous in terms of power as one can get. But they still failed to protect their family from being eviscerated. So, power wasn't that important in the end.Even royalty was not safe from the cruelty of the world.Sunny sighed and proceeded to the measuring machine. Making a fist, he swung it and delivered his best punch. The machine hummed for a few seconds and then displayed a single number.Nine."Oh, come on! I deserve a ten, at least!"Feeling very indignant, he struck the plate again, almost hurting his fingers. However, the result was the same."Damn it!"Sunny paced for a bit, trying to control his anger. It seems he was destined to be a weakling. After all, the force of the strike depended on mass and acceleration. Acceleration could be improved with technique and exercise, but mass was something he had little control of.He was already done growing, and his height was not going to drastically increase in the future. No matter how hard Sunny trained, he was always going to be a lightweight.'How is this fair?'Suddenly filled with resentment, he punched the plate again, putting all of his frustration into this one strike.At that moment, a strange instinct suddenly awakened in Sunny's mind.Following the command of this instinct, his shadow flowed up and wrapped itself around his hand, sticking to it like a black glove. In the next moment, the punch connected.The machine trembled from the force of the strike. Sunny's yelped in pain and took a step back, cradling his bruised fist. After a while, the result was displayed. However, it wasn't a nine anymore.It wasn't even a ten.It was eighteen.He looked at the displayed number for a long time, expressionless.Then, a wide grin slowly appeared on Sunny's face."I see. So that why. Of course!"He clenched his fist again, looking down at the black, shadowy glove.Ah, what an invaluable helper indeed."Now we're talking!"***********AUTHORS NOTE:- phew 3k+ words damm ik ik you all don't want academy arc but its the only buffer time our lord has to understand his abilities and by logic he needs a few chapters to understand the fated ones value in the future and their abilities and danger levels so bear with it ;)
oh btw fang yuans punch score will be mentioned in first nightmare
plz leave some comments and how you like the chapter
give some power stones as well~~~~~~