The training ground trembled under the weight of Lucian's energy. Golden arcs of lightning crackled around his fists, illuminating his sharp grin.
Kairos steadied his stance. His body hummed with raw power, his instincts sharpened like a blade. He had already confirmed it—he was physically stronger than Lucian. But strength alone wasn't enough. Lucian had experience, speed, and most importantly, control.
The moment the fight resumed, Lucian moved.
BOOM!
A golden blur shot forward, the air distorting in his wake. His speed had doubled.
Kairos barely had time to react before Lucian appeared at his side, fist already in motion. He twisted, narrowly avoiding the blow—only for Lucian to disappear again.
Behind—!
Kairos spun just in time to block a kick aimed at his ribs. The force sent him skidding backward, but he quickly found his footing.
Lucian didn't let up. He pressed forward, launching a flurry of strikes—punches, kicks, elbows—each one carrying enough force to shatter stone.
Kairos dodged, parried, and countered, his instincts adapting with each move.
Then—he saw it.
Lucian's movements followed a pattern. His speed was incredible, but his attacks still had a rhythm. A small opening existed between his bursts of motion.
There.
Lucian reappeared for another strike—Kairos didn't dodge.
Instead, he stepped into the attack.
His hand shot forward, intercepting Lucian's arm mid-swing.
Lucian's eyes widened. "What—?!"
Kairos twisted, using Lucian's momentum against him. With a single, fluid motion, he threw him across the battlefield.
Lucian crashed into the ground, rolling before landing on one knee. Dust and debris rose around him. He looked up, stunned—but then his lips curled into a wild grin.
"You're learning fast," he muttered, wiping blood from his lip. "But I'm not done yet."
The golden energy around him intensified, his aura expanding. The very air hummed with power.
Kairos' muscles tensed.
Something was changing.
Lucian raised his hand, fingers outstretched. The golden lightning around him converged into a single point in his palm, condensing into a bright sphere.
A shiver ran down Kairos' spine. He didn't need to see it in action to know—this was dangerous.
Lucian smirked. "You ready for this, newbie?"
He thrust his hand forward—
"Arc Flash."
A beam of golden energy erupted toward Kairos, splitting the air with a deafening roar.
Kairos had no time to think. He moved.
In an instant, his body shifted—his senses heightened beyond their limits. He could see the attack in slow motion, feel the heat radiating from it.
He reacted on instinct.
Twisting to the side, he barely avoided the full force of the blast—but even a grazing hit sent a searing pain through his arm.
Damn, that's strong.
The beam slammed into the ground behind him, exploding on impact. A crater formed, smoke and debris shooting into the air.
Kairos exhaled sharply, shaking out his burned arm.
Lucian's power wasn't just physical—it was destructive.
Lucian grinned. "Not bad, you dodged." His fingers crackled with residual energy. "But can you keep up?"
Kairos rolled his shoulder. The pain in his arm was already fading—his body was healing faster than normal. His evolution had made him tougher, more resilient.
Time to go on the offensive.
He bent his knees, energy surging through his limbs. Then—
He vanished.
Lucian's grin faltered for the first time.
A split second later, Kairos reappeared in front of him.
Too fast!
Lucian barely had time to block before Kairos' fist slammed into his guard. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, forcing Lucian back several feet.
Kairos didn't let up.
He lunged, attacking with calculated precision. Each punch, each kick, carried immense force. Lucian struggled to block, his arms trembling from the sheer power behind Kairos' strikes.
Then—Kairos feinted.
Lucian flinched, expecting another punch. Instead, Kairos dropped low—
And swept his legs out from under him.
Lucian hit the ground hard.
Before he could recover, Kairos was already on him. He grabbed Lucian's collar and hoisted him up effortlessly.
Lucian's eyes widened. "Shit—"
Kairos drove his knee into Lucian's stomach.
The impact sent Lucian flying, crashing into the courtyard wall with a resounding boom.
Silence.
The students watching stood frozen, their faces filled with disbelief.
Kairos exhaled, shaking off the remaining tension in his muscles.
Lucian groaned, pushing himself up from the rubble. He was battered, bruised, but somehow… smiling.
"Heh…" He wiped the blood from his lip. "You win, newbie."
The instructor raised a hand. "The duel is over! Winner—Kairos Valtieri."
A stunned silence followed.
Then—the crowd erupted into cheers.
Kairos turned away, feeling a mix of satisfaction and relief. That was… intense.
Selene approached him, arms crossed. "Not bad."
Kairos smirked. "Just 'not bad'?"
She rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. You were insane."
Lucian staggered toward them, grinning. "Damn… you really are the real deal, huh?"
Kairos shrugged. "Took you long enough to figure that out."
Lucian laughed. "Guess that means we're rivals now."
Kairos raised an eyebrow. "Rivals?"
Lucian smirked. "What? You didn't think I'd just give up, did you?"
Kairos chuckled. He had a feeling things were about to get a lot more interesting.
And deep inside, the system pulsed—watching. Waiting.