The air didn't move.
It refused to.
---
As if the world itself was holding its breath.
---
The broken barrier of the academy stood behind them, fragments of shattered energy still flickering like dying embers. Students had retreated. Instructors were forming distant defensive lines.
But no one dared step forward.
---
Because of him.
---
The figure.
---
Standing calmly in the center of destruction.
---
"…You're quiet," the figure said, tilting its head slightly.
Its voice carried no emotion.
No rage.
No excitement.
---
Only curiosity.
---
"…I expected more from the one they call 'God Slayer.'"
---
Kael stepped forward.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
---
"…You talk too much."
---
Rex smirked behind him.
"…That's more like it."
---
Lyra didn't smile.
Her eyes were locked on the enemy.
"…Be careful… something's wrong."
---
Aurora's gaze sharpened further.
"…He's not releasing power…"
"…He is power."
---
That statement alone—
Made the air heavier.
---
The figure raised its hand slightly.
Dark energy didn't gather.
It didn't surge.
---
It simply existed.
---
"…Let's begin."
---
And then—
It disappeared.
---
"Kael—!"
Lyra's warning came too late.
---
BOOM
---
Kael's body was thrown across the ground instantly.
---
"…Tch—!"
He skidded across the broken stone, barely managing to stop himself.
---
"…Fast…"
---
No.
Not fast.
---
It hadn't moved in a way he could understand.
---
"…Too slow."
The voice echoed—
Right behind him.
---
Kael turned—
Just in time to block.
---
CLANG
---
A shockwave exploded outward.
---
The blade had appeared.
Instinctively.
---
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
"…Already…?"
---
The figure looked at the blade.
---
"…So it responds automatically now."
---
It pushed forward.
---
Kael was forced back again.
---
"…You're still lacking."
---
Rex charged in.
Lightning exploded from his body.
---
"Try me instead!"
---
His attack landed—
---
And passed through.
---
"…What—?!"
---
The figure didn't move.
---
"…Irrelevant."
---
It flicked its hand.
---
Rex was sent flying.
---
Crashing through a distant wall.
---
"REX!" Lyra shouted.
---
She rushed forward.
Spear blazing with energy.
---
Her strike—
Fast.
Precise.
---
The figure caught it.
---
Bare-handed.
---
"…Better."
---
But then—
---
CRACK
---
Her weapon shattered.
---
Lyra's eyes widened.
---
Before she could react—
---
She was thrown aside.
---
Aurora stepped in.
---
Ice surged across the battlefield.
Freezing everything in its path.
---
"…Let's see…"
---
The figure allowed it.
---
The ice reached him.
Covered him completely.
---
Silence.
---
"…Did it work?" Rex groaned from the distance.
---
Then—
---
CRACK
---
The ice shattered instantly.
---
"…Predictable."
---
Aurora didn't flinch.
But her eyes narrowed further.
---
"…This isn't normal."
---
Kael stood up again.
Breathing heavier now.
---
"…Yeah…"
---
He stepped forward.
---
"…Then I'll stop holding back."
---
The glow surged.
---
The blade formed fully.
---
Dark-blue energy wrapped around him.
---
The ground beneath him cracked again.
---
The figure watched.
---
"…Good."
---
"…Now show me."
---
Kael moved.
---
Faster than before.
---
The distance between them vanished.
---
He swung.
---
SLASH
---
The figure stepped aside—
But not completely.
---
A shallow cut appeared on its arm.
---
Silence.
---
Everyone froze.
---
"…He hit him…" Rex whispered.
---
The figure looked at the wound.
---
Then—
Smiled.
---
"…So you can touch me."
---
The air shifted instantly.
---
"…Now it gets interesting."
---
It moved again.
---
This time—
Faster.
Sharper.
---
Kael barely reacted.
---
Their clash exploded across the battlefield.
---
Strike after strike.
---
Blade against something unseen.
---
Kael pushed forward.
---
But—
---
He was being read.
---
"…Your movements…"
The figure spoke mid-fight.
---
"…are predictable."
---
Kael's eyes sharpened.
---
"…Then try this."
---
He changed rhythm.
---
Slower.
Then faster.
Then unpredictable.
---
The blade moved like a storm.
---
For a moment—
---
The figure was pushed back.
---
"…Interesting…"
---
Kael saw it.
---
An opening.
---
He stepped in.
---
Swung—
---
SLASH
---
This time—
Deeper.
---
The figure was forced back.
---
The ground cracked beneath its feet.
---
Silence.
---
"…He's winning…?" Rex muttered.
---
Aurora shook her head slowly.
---
"…No…"
---
"…He's being tested."
---
The figure straightened.
---
The wound closed instantly.
---
"…You're adapting."
---
Its eyes locked onto Kael.
---
"…Good."
---
"…Because now—"
---
The air collapsed.
---
"…I'll stop holding back too."
---
Everything changed.
---
The pressure multiplied instantly.
---
Kael's body froze.
---
"…What… is this…?"
---
Lyra dropped to one knee.
---
Rex couldn't move.
---
Aurora's ice shattered around her.
---
"…This pressure…"
---
"…It's not from any realm…"
---
The figure raised its hand.
---
"…Let me show you…"
---
"…what exists beyond them."
---
Darkness spread.
---
Not like before.
---
This wasn't energy.
---
It was absence.
---
Everything began to disappear.
---
Light.
Sound.
Even space itself.
---
Kael's eyes widened.
---
"…This is bad…"
---
The blade trembled in his hand.
---
"…You cannot win like this."
The voice inside him said.
---
Kael clenched his teeth.
---
"…Then tell me how."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
"…Surpass yourself."
---
The darkness surged forward.
---
Everything began to collapse.
---
Kael stepped forward.
---
Even as his body screamed.
---
Even as the world broke apart.
---
"…Fine…"
---
His grip tightened.
---
"…Then I will."
---
The glow exploded.
---
Brighter.
Darker.
Stronger than ever before.
---
And for the first time—
---
It didn't feel unstable.
---
It felt complete.
---
The battlefield held its breath—
---
As Kael stepped into the darkness.
---
And the real fight—
---
Finally began.