Rein inhaled slowly then he exhaled. He stared at Var for several seconds.
"…Okay."
He scratched the side of his head.
"I don't know what I'm doing, but let's try this thing."
From the sidelines, Kaelus immediately raised an eyebrow.
"That's contradictory, dumbass."
Rein glanced over his shoulder then smiled.
"Whatever it is."
His body lowered. His muscles tightened.
Golden energy erupted around him. Then BOOM! Rein vanished. The ground beneath his feet shattered as he crossed the battlefield. His fist shot toward Var's face.
Var shifted his head slightly. The punch passed by. Rein immediately followed with his left. Var raised his forearm. Blocked. Rein twisted his body and drove his knee upward.
Var stepped backward. The knee missed. Rein spun. His right elbow came across. Var ducked beneath it. Rein's left fist followed. Var caught it.
Then Rein pulled his arm back and unleashed another punch. Var slipped to the side. Another. Blocked. Another. Dodged. The two moved across the battlefield in a blur.
Rein's attacks carried tremendous physical force, but Var remained composed, redirecting each strike with minimal movement.
Then Var's palm struck Rein directly in the chest.
BOOM! Rein was sent sliding backward. His boots carved two deep lines into the earth. He stopped.
His eyes narrowed. Then his body leaned forward. He pushed off. The ground exploded beneath him. Rein became a golden flash. His eyes sharpened.
"If Dominion Energy allows me to command reality…"
His fist tightened.
"Isn't that…Law-based energy?..An energy that writes those laws?"
He released his soul power.
Golden light expanded around his body.
"Area Lock."
The moment the words left his mouth BOOM!…a gigantic golden barrier materialized around Var and Rein. The battlefield inside the barrier became completely isolated. Var looked around. His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Interesting."
He touched the barrier.
"It seems you made it a law."
His gaze returned to Rein.
"So I can't escape."
Rein grinned.
"I just realized I could do that."
He disappeared. He appeared beside Var. His right fist was already moving. Var caught it. Rein's eyes sharpened. Var raised his right hand.
Magic began gathering around his fingers.
"Cancel."
The spell immediately disappeared.
Var smiled.
"So you even thought this far ahead."
Rein didn't answer. He threw another punch. Var caught it. Another. Caught. Another. Blocked. Another. Dodged.
The exchange continued. Every collision shook the enclosed battlefield. The earth beneath them repeatedly shattered. Cracks spread across the ground as Rein continued attacking with relentless pressure.
Var remained composed.
Then, while catching another punch, he spoke.
"You can never truly tell how much soul power a person possesses."
Rein's fist stopped against Var's palm.
"You can feel its enormous presence."
Var redirected the punch.
"You can feel its weight."
Another punch came and Var blocked it.
"But you can never assign it a specific amount."
Rein's eyes narrowed.
"Because soul power transcends even magic. It is the divine spark from the womb and nothing."
Rein's movements slowed.
"It isn't something that needs to be controlled."
Var stepped forward.
"It simply needs to be used."
Rein's eyes gradually became clearer.
"You were made with it."
Another exchange.
"You carry it within you."
Rein's breathing became steady.
"It is your soul."
The world seemed to quiet around him.
"It is you."
Rein stopped thinking about numbers. Stopped thinking about limits. Stopped thinking about how much power he possessed.
He simply fought. His soul moved naturally. His body followed and somewhere behind him something appeared….a spiritual figure, Tall, Majestic. The original Dominion God. Cyrus. His spiritual body stood silently behind Rein.
For a moment Cyrus looked toward Rein. Then smiled. The silhouette began changing. The ancient figure dissolved.
Its shape transformed. Until Rein himself stood behind Rein. Var's eyes widened slightly. Then he smiled. Rein's fist came toward him. Var caught it.
"Let's stop here."
Rein froze.
"I think you achieved what you wanted."
The golden barrier disappeared.
Rein lowered his hand.
He smiled.
"Thank you, Instructor Var."
Var nodded.
"Don't worry about it."
Rein turned and walked toward the others.
Eryndor stood.
"Well…"
He stretched his shoulders.
"I guess it's finally my turn."
Rein met him halfway. The two exchanged a high five.
"Good luck."
Eryndor smiled.
"Thanks."
He walked toward Var.
"Please enlighten me, sir."
Var nodded. He summoned his staff. The weapon materialized in his hand.
He spun it once. The staff whistled through the air eryndor stretched his arms.
Then his legs. He rolled his shoulders. Jumped once to the left. Then to the right. His feet touched the ground. The field became silent everybody stood completely still.
Var watched. Neither moved. Then Eryndor vanished. There was no sound. No movement. Only a single bolt of lightning remained where he had stood.
CRACK!
Eryndor appeared directly in front of Var. His right foot was already planted firmly into the earth. His right palm moved forward.
"Eight Fold Flow Martial Arts."
Var's expression changed.
His instincts screamed. That palm…If it touches me, the damage will travel from the inside out. His eyes narrowed.
"That's Zeth's technique."
BOOM!
Var immediately raised his hand.
"Barrier."
A golden barrier appeared. Eryndor's palm struck it.
CRACK! The first barrier shattered. Var immediately created another.
CRACK! The second barrier shattered as well but the two barriers slowed Eryndor's movement just enough.
Var laughed.
"You're unbelievable, Eryndor Nasarik!"
Eryndor smiled.
"I have more to show."
He vanished. The wind exploded. Eryndor appeared high above the battlefield. Var looked upward. Then raised his right hand.
"Storm."
The sky changed.
Black clouds gathered above the barren land. Thunder rolled across the heavens. The wind became violent. Dust spiraled across the battlefield.
Lightning flashed through the dark clouds. Then a massive bolt descended. BOOM! The lightning struck directly into Eryndor's palm. He caught it.
The lightning didn't disperse. Instead the wind wrapped around it. Spinning faster, Faster and Faster. The bolt became suspended above his palm, surrounded by violently rotating currents.
Eryndor looked down at Var his ocean blue eyes glowed.
"Soul Power."
The screen went black.