Time slowly passed, and the date of the tournament drew closer. In the early morning, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees. Suddenly, the crisp sound of a sword echoed, followed by the roar of rushing fists.
In the center of the courtyard, Roy and Veil were locked in a fierce duel. Roy's sword shimmered faintly with lightning, and as he moved, his sword intent swept forward like a violent storm. Veil, on the other hand, radiated a heavy aura, his Giant Intent enveloping him like an impenetrable fortress.
"Take this, Veil!" Roy shouted, planting his feet firmly on the ground before surging forward like an arrow. His sword transformed into a streak of lightning, aimed directly at Veil's chest.
Veil let out a cold snort. "Don't think your sword intent can break through my defense so easily!" Crossing his arms, his muscles swelled, and his Giant Guard activated, covering him with a layer of earthy yellow energy. With a powerful punch, he met Roy's sword head-on.
"Boom!" A thunderous explosion shook the air as the two were forced back several steps by the collision of their power. Roy steadied himself, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Your defense is tough, I'll admit. But let's see how you handle this—Hidden Thunder!"
Gathering all his spiritual energy, Roy's blade crackled with concentrated lightning. With a fierce shout, he unleashed a bolt of sword energy, surging forward like a streak of lightning. The residual thunderous energy hovered unpredictably around Veil.
Veil narrowed his eyes, sensing the danger of the attack. He stomped hard on the ground. "If that's the case, let's see if your lightning sword can shatter my defense! Mountain Crumble Fist!"
Throwing both fists forward, Veil's energy surged outward. The shockwave of his punch partially dissipated Roy's lightning sword energy, but a trace of electricity slipped through, crawling along his arms and causing a slight numbness.
"This guy doesn't hold back!" Veil muttered, shaking his arm with a grin. "But that's what makes it fun!"
Roy didn't let up. Noticing a momentary lapse in Veil's defense, he gathered lightning again, unleashing a powerful horizontal slash. Veil quickly retreated, but Roy's speed was unmatched.
"You think all I can do is defend?" Veil roared, unleashing a sudden burst of power. A massive shadow of his fist, imbued with the overwhelming pressure of his Giant Intent, crashed forward to meet Roy's blade.
"Boom—!" The resulting collision created a shockwave that sent dust swirling through the courtyard, causing the ground to tremble faintly.
Roy stood his ground, panting slightly. His sword hung at his side, and a confident smile tugged at his lips. "Not bad. Your transition from defense to offense has gotten much faster."
Veil cracked his knuckles and grinned. "Your sword intent is getting sharper too. That cutting edge is downright chilling. But your lightning's burst power burns through your energy fast. I'd say you've got three minutes left, tops."
Roy chuckled softly. "Three minutes is more than enough to take you down."
Dust filled the air, and turbulent energy rippled throughout the courtyard, turning it into a battlefield. The atmosphere itself seemed thick and heavy due to the intense clash of spiritual power.
With a loud roar, Roy unleashed his Level 31 spiritual energy! Lightning burst forth from his sword, its brilliance dazzling. As his power surged, the sword energy seemed to transform into a thunder dragon. When he swung his blade, the air erupted with a deafening boom.
"Veil, let's see if you can block this!" Roy yelled as he activated his Hidden Thunder Sword Art, blending lightning and sword intent into a massive wave that surged toward Veil.
Veil wasn't one to back down, his fighting spirit blazing. His muscles swelled as his body radiated a dense, earthen yellow aura, a sign of his Level 34 spiritual energy and the full activation of his Giant Intent. He stomped the ground, shattering it beneath him, and hurled his fists forward to meet the oncoming lightning.
"Bring it on, Roy! Don't think I'm just a punching bag!" Veil roared, channeling his power into his Mountain Crumble Fist, striking the thunder dragon head-on. He shattered half of its energy, but the residual force still forced him to retreat several steps.
"Hmph... that lightning's a real sting!" Veil muttered, shaking his numb arm before grinning. "But you'll need more than that to push me back!"
Roy didn't waste words. His eyes sharpened as he shifted his grip on the sword, gathering energy for another strike. Sword intent fragmented into countless shards, each wrapped in crackling lightning, and they shot toward Veil's vital points with terrifying speed.
Instead of dodging, Veil activated his Giant Guard, his figure standing firm like an unshakable mountain. The relentless barrage of lightning blades struck him, but his defenses remained unyielding.
"Tch, you're like a chunk of iron," Roy muttered with a furrowed brow, though his eyes gleamed with excitement. He swiftly changed tactics, concentrating his sword energy into a rotating blade of lightning aimed directly at Veil's chest.
Veil let out a fierce shout and swung both fists forward. "Try this! Mountain Crumble Fist—Break!"
"Boom!" The resulting collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, shaking the leaves from the surrounding trees and ripping up the stone tiles in the courtyard.
Roy staggered back a few steps, his chest heaving as he planted his sword into the ground for support. Despite the exertion, a smile played on his lips. "Not bad, Veil. That defense of yours is a real headache."
Veil's arms trembled slightly, evidence of the toll the clash had taken on him. He laughed heartily. "And you think your little tricks can get past me? Roy, you've got to try harder than that!"
Standing tall again, Roy raised his sword, its edge glowing faintly with lightning. Thunder rumbled softly in the air as he said, "Is that so? Then let's see you handle this—Hidden Thunder: Thousand Strikes Flash!"
With a low shout, Roy vanished, his form transforming into countless bolts of lightning. Each streak of light carried deadly sword intent, converging on Veil from every angle.
A hint of gravity entered Veil's eyes, but he didn't flinch. Clenching his fists, he unleashed his full Giant Intent, his figure resembling a moving iron fortress. "Bring it on! Giant Guard Enhanced—Mountain Crumble Fist: Absolute!"
With a thunderous roar, Veil's punch created a massive shield of energy that clashed with the oncoming lightning strikes. For a brief moment, their powers stalemated before exploding in a blinding burst of light.
When the dust settled, Roy and Veil stood on opposite ends of the courtyard, breathing heavily. Their clothes were torn, but their faces carried expressions of exhilaration.
"Veil, you're a monster," Roy said, his tone carrying a hint of respect.
"Right back at you," Veil replied with a laugh. "That Thousand Strikes Flash of yours nearly had me. A bit faster, and I might've been down for the count."
Alice walked over from a distance, arms crossed, shaking her head at their battered appearances. "You two are insane. The outer sect tournament hasn't even started, and you're already tearing yourselves apart."
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Roy smiled at her. "You have to give it your all if you want to make it into the inner sect."
Veil nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "Exactly. These three months of hard work will pay off. I'll show them that even a mountain can have sharp edges!"
Alice sighed, handing each of them a bottle of recovery pills. "Alright, alright. Heal up already. You're not the only ones pushing limits—I've just broken through to Level 31 myself."
"Don't worry, we'll all make it into the inner sect together!" Roy said with a confident smile.
As the Outer Sect Tournament drew closer, Roy, Veil, and Alice's days grew more intense and fulfilling. Although they lived in separate courtyards, the close proximity allowed them to meet almost daily, discussing their progress, sharing insights, and encouraging one another.
Early in the morning, the three had already begun their daily training in the courtyard. Roy swung his sword down, each strike glowing with lightning and exuding powerful sword intent. Veil delivered heavy punches, his feet stomping the ground, sending tremors across the courtyard as if he were an unyielding mountain. Meanwhile, Alice stood nearby, quietly cultivating her spiritual intent. She alternated between closing her eyes to meditate and releasing waves of spiritual energy, training her perception and mental strength.
"Huff…" Roy paused his sword practice, a trace of exhaustion mixed with satisfaction on his face. "It seems the Hidden Thunder technique still needs more refinement. The fusion between sword energy and lightning isn't perfect yet."
Veil wiped the sweat from his forehead and laughed heartily. "Don't sweat it, Roy. Your progress is already incredible. Give me a bit more time, and my intent will stabilize even further!" He patted his chest. "This Giant's bloodline strength of mine still needs some honing to unleash its true potential."
Alice opened her eyes, smiling at the two of them. "You've both improved a lot, but don't forget—I have Winds of Healing, a divine skill. I may look like support, but my awakened spiritual intent can turn the tide of battle, even in one-on-one duels!"
"Hah!" Veil chuckled playfully. "Just make sure you don't heal the wrong person. Be careful not to get hurt yourself—you might not have enough healing left for that."
Alice rolled her eyes. "You should be more worried about yourself. You hit so recklessly that it's no wonder you keep getting injured."
The trio bantered lightheartedly, but deep down, they all felt the mounting pressure of the upcoming tournament. They couldn't afford to relax. Over the following days, they intensified their training, even adding short morning and evening practice sessions to their already packed routines.
After training, they often sat together in the courtyard, chatting about lighter topics to unwind.
"Do you think," Roy began, grinning, "if I were to suddenly descend from the sky during the tournament, wielding my thunder sword, with an aura that shakes the heavens, I'd be able to awe the entire crowd in one go?"
"That's a possibility," Alice replied calmly, "but you'd first need to figure out how to fly down from the sky. Personally, I think you'd make a bigger impression if you just blasted a hole in the ground at the center of the arena. Everyone would see how strong you are. Pretty creative, don't you think?"
Veil rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's not a bad plan. But you might need me to clear the way for you—after all, I'm pretty strong myself." He smirked with pride.
"Alright, alright, you two can stop bragging now," Alice said, shaking her head with a laugh. "We're working this hard for the future!"
"Well said!" Roy nodded with a grin. "We're doing this to secure our place in the inner sect. When the tournament comes, we'll rise to greater heights."
Veil's expression grew serious. "Whoever stands against us better be ready to get crushed."
"Exactly," Roy said, his smile unwavering. "The last three months of effort won't go to waste. The Outer Sect Tournament is ours to win."
With that determination in mind, the three of them refined their training strategies. Roy focused on deepening the fusion of his lightning energy and sword intent, enhancing the explosiveness of his attacks. Veil dedicated himself to better understanding his Giant Intent, ensuring he could face stronger opponents with confidence. Alice concentrated on honing her mental techniques, discovering new ways to disrupt her opponents' focus and strategies.
As the tournament approached, the three could feel their potential being pushed to new heights. Their strength grew by leaps and bounds, and though the tournament was an individual competition, their rigorous training also forged a bond of camaraderie that made them an unstoppable team in spirit.