The training yard of The Heaven's Fracture echoed today with the heavy sound of footsteps and the resonance of LINH clashing in the air. The last rays of sunlight filtered through ancient trees, casting long shadows over three figures facing one another.
Khanh and Vy stood side by side, their faces weathered by months of harsh training. Their breaths were steady, their eyes sharp, carrying a confidence they had never known before. Vy glanced at Khanh, lips curling into a challenging smile:
"It's time for revenge. This time, we'll make that fat guy see how far we've come."
Khanh nodded, his dark eyes burning with resolve. From his hands, LINH of KIM surged forth, flowing into Vy's three-section staff. The weapon rang with a metallic hum, its silver aura blazing like a declaration of war. At the same moment, Khanh unleashed THO, wrapping both their bodies in its power. Space rippled, and in an instant, they vanished, leaving only flickering afterimages behind.
Minh Triet narrowed his eyes. His Sight opened, LINH of MOC glowing deep green within his pupils. Yet the speed of Khanh and Vy was overwhelming this time—so rapid and relentless that the "visions of the future" he glimpsed flickered and died almost instantly.
"Just three months… and they've grown this strong?" he muttered, biting down on his lip.
Before him, Vy moved with rhythm and precision, her three-section staff lashing out again and again, perfectly in sync with Khanh's bursts of instantaneous THO movement. Afterimages swirled around him in every direction, making it nearly impossible to tell what was real and what was false.
He gritted his teeth, forcing away his usual arrogance.
"That brat Khanh… once so weak. Now he wields LINH with such skill, and has even strengthened his body. And Vy… her physical strength was always remarkable, but now her tempo in battle matches mine. These two…"
Slamming his foot against the ground, Minh Triet erupted with LINH of MOC. From the soil, branches surged upward, twisting into a long wooden whip. With a roar, he ignited it, fusing it with LINH of HOA, and in an instant the wooden whip blazed into a flaming whip that scorched the air.
"You think it's so easy to defeat me?" he bellowed, lashing the whip in a fiery arc. Heat waves burst outward, forcing Khanh and Vy to strain themselves just to dodge.
The battle exploded into chaos. Khanh and Vy darted in and out of sight, launching strikes from shifting angles, while Minh Triet countered with whip lashes, flame and wood cracking through the air. Silver gleams of KIM, green pulses of MOC, crimson fire of HOA, and the shifting void of THO overlapped, lighting the entire yard in a dazzling storm.
Sweat streamed down their faces. The clash of weapons rang out again and again. Yet with every passing moment, Minh Triet's eyes dimmed, the glow of his Sight faltering. His breathing grew ragged, his arm trembling from the drain of LINH.
"Damn it…" he gasped as the flaming whip shattered into embers, scattering into ash.
A final coordinated strike came—Khanh warped Vy with THO straight in front of Minh Triet, and her three-section staff slammed into his arm, knocking away the broken remains of his whip. Minh Triet collapsed, panting heavily, the glow of LINH fading from his body.
Victory.
Khanh and Vy exchanged a look—both utterly exhausted, yet the joy of triumph burned bright in their eyes. Vy's lips curved into a radiant smile despite her trembling body. Khanh stepped forward, extending his hand to Minh Triet, his voice firm yet sincere:
"From now on, let's be a team. Let's support each other."
Minh Triet stared at that hand. Pride flickered in his gaze, but at last he exhaled, clasping it tightly. A slow nod followed, silent but undeniable.
From a distance, Vo Tinh Hai had been watching all along. A rare smile touched his weathered face.
The next day, as dawn spilled golden light over the mountain ridges, he summoned the three youths. His voice rang clear and commanding:
"Just right. I feel the three of you are qualified now."