The air inside the Skyfire Arena grew so still that every breath felt like a trespass. The referee, a stern-faced Elder in crimson robes, raised his hand and let his qi ripple outward. The barrier of light around the arena shimmered, locking the battleground into a cage of power that would keep collateral damage from tearing the sect grounds apart.
"Begin."
The single word fell like a gavel.
Liu Shen moved instantly.
There was no testing strike, no pretense of restraint—his foot slammed against the arena floor with the force of a hammer, sending fissures spiderwebbing through the tiles. His figure blurred, a streak of flame and steel closing in on Kai. The oppressive heat of his aura surged forward like a tidal wave, pressing down with such intensity that the spectators in the front rows instinctively flinched back.
Kai's heart clenched in his chest. His entire body screamed danger as Liu Shen's palm, wreathed in crimson fire, tore through the air toward his skull.
Fast!
Kai twisted to the side, instinct screaming at him. The world slowed for a heartbeat—he felt the heat sear past his cheek, singeing the ends of his hair, before the strike detonated against the stone pillar behind him.
BOOOOM!
The pillar exploded into rubble. Shards of stone clattered against the arena floor as dust swirled. The Outer Sect disciples gasped, their voices rising in a collective roar.
"That's the top genius of the Inner Academy! Look at that power!"
"Kai won't last a single exchange!"
But Kai was already moving. He rolled forward, springing to his feet, his breath ragged but his eyes sharp. Liu Shen wasn't just fast—he was a storm, a calamity given form. But Kai knew better than anyone else that running wasn't an option.
If I falter even once, I'm dead.
---
The Relentless Barrage
Liu Shen descended again, his body twisting midair. His heel came down in a blazing arc, a crescent of fire that cut through the dust and darkness.
Kai braced. His arms crossed over his chest as he channeled every drop of strength he had. The impact thundered through his body. Pain blossomed in his ribs as his feet skidded backward, gouging twin trails into the floor.
The audience gasped again.
"Is he still alive?"
"He actually blocked it?"
Kai spat blood, his chest aching. His entire arm buzzed from the impact, but he forced his body to move. His eyes locked onto Liu Shen's stance, searching for the smallest opening.
Liu Shen sneered. "You've got guts, but guts aren't enough. Kneel."
The flames around him surged higher, gathering at his fists. He rushed forward again, each step cracking stone.
---
The First Spark
Kai exhaled slowly. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. And then—
Ding!
> System Notification:
Extreme combat pressure detected.
Adaptive function activated…
Minor Passive Unlock: Battle Instinct (Lv.1).
Increases reaction speed under lethal threat.
Temporary sensory enhancement during combat.
Kai's eyes widened. The world sharpened in an instant. The rush of wind, the crackle of flame, the shift in Liu Shen's weight—he could see it all, clearer than ever before.
The fist of flame descended.
Kai ducked, sliding under the strike with hair's breadth precision. His knee shot upward, crashing into Liu Shen's ribs. It wasn't a killing blow, but it landed—audible, solid.
The arena erupted.
"He hit him!"
"Impossible!"
Liu Shen staggered half a step before regaining balance, his expression twisting from smug superiority to cold fury. His eyes narrowed into slits.
"You dare…?"
---
Clash of Styles
The tempo exploded.
Liu Shen's strikes came like a storm—palms, kicks, elbows, every movement burning with lethal intent. But Kai's body moved differently now. His instincts screamed milliseconds before each strike landed, guiding him to duck, twist, or redirect just enough to avoid a fatal blow.
Each evasion was a gamble. His shoulder brushed flame, skin blistering. His thigh burned where a kick grazed past. Pain seared him again and again, but still—he survived.
And when the chance came, he struck back.
A low sweep knocked Liu Shen slightly off-balance. A sharp jab cut into his shoulder. A kick snapped against his shin. None of them crippling, but enough to sting his pride.
The crowd's voices split—some roaring for Liu Shen, others shouting in disbelief at Kai's resilience.
"This Outer Sect brat is—actually fighting back?!"
"Don't blink, or you'll miss it!"
---
The Arena Shakes
Liu Shen's fury boiled over. He slammed both palms together, qi condensing into a glowing orb of fire between them.
"Burn to ash!"
He thrust the orb forward. A pillar of flame erupted across the arena, swallowing Kai whole. The air warped, the heat so intense that the barrier around the stage shimmered and groaned.
Gasps tore through the audience.
"He's finished!"
"Not even ashes will remain!"
But inside the inferno, Kai grit his teeth, channeling every ounce of qi into his defenses. His vision blurred, skin blistering under the pressure. His lungs screamed for air.
I can't… I can't fall here!
The System pulsed.
> Warning: Critical condition.
Activating emergency reinforcement…
Battle Instinct – Surge.
Reflexes heightened. Pain resistance increased.
Kai roared, shoving his body forward. Through the blaze, his silhouette burst free, battered but unbroken. His fist, glowing faintly with condensed qi, slammed into Liu Shen's shoulder.
BAM!
Liu Shen was forced back several steps, eyes wide with shock.
The arena fell silent for half a heartbeat—then erupted in chaos.
"He survived the Flame Pillar?!"
"This is insane!"
---
Breaking Point
Kai staggered, blood dripping from his lips, his body trembling. His vision danced with spots of black. His entire being screamed to stop.
But his spirit did not.
If I quit here, I'll always be beneath them. If I keep fighting, no matter how impossible—it means I can rise.
Liu Shen's expression twisted into something murderous. His aura surged again, twice as hot, twice as violent. The tiles under his feet began to melt.
"You refuse to kneel? Fine. I'll crush you into nothing."
Kai raised his fists again, his body screaming, but his eyes never wavering.
---
The Climactic Exchange
Both fighters roared.
Liu Shen's flames condensed into a spear of molten fire, thrusting forward with lethal intent. Kai, in response, channeled every last drop of qi into his fists, his Battle Instinct guiding his movements with uncanny precision.
BOOOOOM!
Their clash shook the entire arena. The barrier flared violently as shockwaves tore across the stage, scattering stone debris like shrapnel. The audience covered their faces, some thrown back by the sheer force pressing against the barrier.
Inside the storm of fire and dust, two figures remained locked.
Kai's fists met the spear again and again, sparks flying, blood streaming from his knuckles. His skin blistered, his body trembling—but he didn't yield.
The System pulsed once more.
> Adaptive Growth triggered.
Strength +1.
Speed +1.
Endurance +1.
The tiniest surge of power coursed through him, enough to keep him standing. Enough to let him roar back against the tide.