At Training Ground:
Miko arrived at the training ground.
"Shadow, you said we're going to train?" she asked.
Shadow simply nodded.
Whisper stepped forward, his voice cutting through the air.
"You both are weak. You wouldn't even be able to scratch a demon, let alone fight an angel or a god."
Miko and Aurther, fully aware of their weakness, lowered their heads with slight disappointment and nodded.
"Get in stance," Whisper ordered. "Let the training begin."
Miko and Aurther readied themselves, and even Shadow assumed his stance.
The Training Begins
Aurther charged first, holy power coursing through his arm as he struck at Shadow. Shadow caught the blow with ease and countered, slamming his fist into Aurther's chest and fracturing his ribs.
At the same time, Miko used her super speed, vanishing from sight and appearing behind Shadow. Her knife slashed forward—only to pass through his body as though he were smoke.
Miko froze, her eyes wide with confusion.
"Wait… what? How?"
Before she could react, Shadow grabbed her hand and hurled her to the ground.
Whisper's voice mocked them.
"Attacking a being whose body is in the form of darkness… that's a dumb move."
Miko grit her teeth and activated her Zero Frame ability. In an instant she was back on her feet, creating distance between them.
Both she and Aurther were already battered, nearly unable to fight. Then, suddenly, their wounds closed and bones reset—Shadow had healed them.
"Don't worry about injuries," Whisper said. "Shadow will heal you. Focus on the training."
The two nodded, realizing physical weapons were useless. They needed to rely on their elemental powers.
Aurther summoned holy magic, shaping it into a radiant axe. He invoked Lion's Fury, flooding his body with strength and stamina. The price, however, was steep—his body heated dangerously, risking collapse if he lost control.
Beside him, Miko activated Aetherial Awareness, sharpening her senses and enhancing her speed and reflexes. Yet the drawback was severe—prolonged use damaged her tissues, drained stamina rapidly, and threatened dizziness or even fainting.
Aurther swung the axe with all his might, but his lack of technique betrayed him. Shadow blocked effortlessly. The recoil shook Aurther's body, the force straining his muscles and joints.
Meanwhile, Miko darted in with blinding speed, but Shadow countered by binding her in place with a dark ability. Then, with brutal precision, Shadow drove an uppercut into Aurther's jaw, shattering it. He followed with a kick to Miko's knee, breaking it, before slamming his fist into her stomach and sending her crashing against the wall.
Whisper's voice dripped with disdain.
"This is what humans consider powerful? No wonder you were slaughtered like ants in the war."
Shadow hadn't even unleashed his true might—he was only using human-level strength.
Aurther and Miko said nothing. They knew Whisper's words were true.
After Relentless Training:
The beating continued. Over and over, bones shattered, blood spilled, and pain coursed through their bodies. Yet each time, Shadow healed them. The recovery restored their bodies, but not the memory of pain. Every fracture, every strike—they felt it all.
Hours passed. The training dragged into half a day before they were finally allowed to rest.
Gasping for breath, Miko muttered, "How can we ever defeat him…?"
Aurther, his voice strained and broken, whispered between heavy breaths, "I… don't… know…"
Whisper approached them, his expression calm but firm.
"To even touch Shadow, you must stop relying on brute force. Focus on striking from below. Shadow is forcing you to learn coordination—how to use your arms and legs together in combat."
The two exchanged a glance, and despite their exhaustion, they nodded. They finally understood what lesson Shadow wanted them to learn.
Shadow stood silently, his eyes fixed on Whisper. Without words, Whisper understood. The two shared a bond beyond speech.
Whisper turned to the exhausted pair.
"We need to go to Diona's room. She's crying."
Miko's head snapped up, alarm in her voice.
"What? How do you know? We didn't hear anything."
Whisper's gaze softened.
"Diona cannot speak or hear. But Shadow placed a Mark on her—he can sense her emotions. And because of my ability, Omnilingual, I can understand and communicate with anyone… even those who are deaf or mute."
Miko stared at him in astonishment, then nodded slowly.
Aurther, his tone heavy with worry, muttered, "We should hurry."
Together, they left the training ground, rushing to find Diona.
To be continued…