A heavy silence hung over the training ground, broken only by the tense breathing of the three students. Kael, Brad, and Maria stood facing Jaxon Alfred, a mountain of power they were supposed to move. A bead of sweat trickled down Brad's temple. The air itself felt thick and hot.
Kael's mind raced. He's a fire power user. Our best bet would be a water type, but none of us have that. Shit.
"Sir," Mano's voice chimed in, calm and analytical. "You have the powers you unlocked through your exercises: Black Flame Sword, enhanced speed, and teleportation. After this match, you will get more powers based on your performance."
Black Flame Sword, Kael thought, focusing. A weapon of darkness and fire.
Jaxon stepped forward, throwing his cloak aside with a dramatic flourish. "This is going to be fun," he said, a wide grin on his face. "Don't worry. I will not use my full power. You can relax."
Brad's fists clenched, glowing with a violent purple energy. I have my speed. He won't be able to detect me. My Purple Wrathful Fists will be enough. Maria's eyes glowed with a soft green light as she calculated the forces around her.I have the power of gravity. I can pin him down, make it impossible for him to move. "Hey,guys," Maria whispered urgently. "I guess we should make a plan."
Both Kael and Brad shouted in unison, their pride overriding their fear. "We don't need a plan!"
Jaxon's grin widened. "Okay then. You can attack first."
In a flash, a sword of swirling, pitch-black fire materialized in Kael's hand. Brad stared, shocked. What the hell is that? A flame sword, but black? I've never seen anything like it!
Brad didn't wait. In a burst of speed, he was in front of Jaxon, his purple fist driving toward the man's chest. The force of the punch cracked the ground, sending up a cloud of dust. But when it cleared, Jaxon was standing perfectly still, Brad's fist caught effortlessly in his hand.
"Nice try," Jaxon said. Then, he whispered, "Majestic Flame."
A colossal blast of fire erupted at Brad's feet, launching him across the arena like a ragdoll. He slammed into the far wall with a sickening crunch, the stone cracking under the impact. What the fuck?! was all Brad could think before the world swam.
In the same instant, Kael vanished. He reappeared behind Jaxon, his black flame sword slicing through the air toward Jaxon's arm. Jaxon moved faster than thought, his hand snapping up to grab the blade itself. The dark flames licked harmlessly around his fingers.
"Wow," Jaxon murmured, genuinely intrigued. "What type of flame is this?" He formed a searing fireball in his other hand. "Take this!"
But before he could throw it, Kael teleported again, vanishing into thin air. Jaxon dismissed the ball, a look of pure shock on his face. "Teleportation? Nice. This boy has got powers that can surpass the Zairo rank."
From a distance, Maria saw her opening. "Gravitational Force of Ryam!" she shouted.
An immense force pulled Jaxon down, cratering the ground beneath him. "What the— Oh! Nice!" he grunted, impressed. Then, his body began to melt, dissolving into pure, living fire before reforming instantly behind Kael.
"Yeah, boy," Jaxon's voice came from the flames. "I can!"
Kael tried to spin and punch, but his movements were sluggish, as if moving through honey. Jaxon didn't even bother to dodge. Instead, he reached out a hand, and the air around Kael shimmered with an ancient, terrifying heat.
The Magic: Aethel-Ignis (The Soul-Flame)
Jaxon's power wasn't just fire; it was the manifestation of his own soul, a spark of the primal ember of creation. He focused a fragment of his immense will, and a lance of pure, white-hot flame, hotter than any forge, shot toward Kael. It was the flame of absolute discipline.
Kael couldn't fully dodge it. The searing heat grazed his side, and he cried out, crashing to the ground, blood spraying from his mouth.
"Sir, healing has been initiated," Mano reported calmly.
Jaxon watched, his eyes widening in disbelief as Kael's brutal injury began to knit itself closed. "What the hell? I have never seen someone heal by themselves!"
Seeing his chance, Brad, who had pushed himself off the wall, charged. His entire body was wreathed in purple energy. With a roar of pure fury, he landed a punch directly on Jaxon's face. The impact was monumental—the ground shattered, the air split with a thunderous crack, and Jaxon was actually thrown backward.
Brad landed beside Kael, staring at the already healing wound. "What the hell? A power like this? He can heal himself?!"
As Kael got to his feet, fully healed, Maria ran over. "We should make a plan! Without one, we can't defeat him! But I guess we've already won! Jaxon said if we just punch or hit him, we win. Brad, you punched him! That means we won!"
Kael's eyes burned with a fierce, unyielding light. "Not now. I'm not going to win because I haven't punched him yet. So I am going to punch him!!!"
In an instant, he vanished from his spot.
Brad could only stare. This asshole! He wants to die!
Kael reappeared in front of Jaxon, his black flame sword slashing. Jaxon simply split into two separate pillars of fire, reforming unharmed. He punched, and the force of the blow sent Kael flying back.
Jaxon began another attack, a more complex weaving of his Soul-Flame, but Kael dodged it with extreme difficulty.
"Sir, a new power has been unlocked: Clones," Mano announced.
A smile spread across Kael's face. While still running, a perfect clone of himself materialized beside him, also wielding a black flame sword.
Jaxon skidded to a halt. "How can he also make clones?!"
Brad's jaw dropped. How the fuck is he doing that?!
Kael dismissed his own flame sword, and his hands began to glow with a bright blue light. The clone shot toward Jaxon.
"Too easy," Jaxon said, and with a wave of his hand, he sliced the clone into a thousand dissipating pieces.
But it was a distraction. In that single moment of split attention, the real Kael was there. He put every ounce of his enhanced strength into a single, devastating punch to Jaxon's jaw.
CRACK.
The sound echoed through the arena. The ground beneath Jaxon's feet exploded. For the first time, the Vario-rank Marion was thrown off his feet, soaring through the air from the sheer force of the blow.
"Gravitational Pull!" Maria shouted, seizing the opportunity. She slammed Jaxon back down into the crater.
Brad was there in a flash, delivering a powerful kick that launched the disoriented Marion back into the air.
Jaxon righted himself, a wide, genuine smile on his face. "You all have got some real power in you! Now, let me show you mine!"
He raised a hand. The air grew still and heavy. A wave of invisible force, the pure pressure of his unleashed Aethel-Ignis, washed over the three students. It was not an attack of fire, but of overwhelming spiritual energy.
Kael's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Brad and Maria followed a second later, their bodies finally giving out.
Silence returned to the training ground.
Jaxon landed softly, the immense aura fading. He looked at the three unconscious students with a mix of pride and awe.
"You all will become the most powerful Marions I have ever seen," he said to himself. He walked over and hoisted Kael and Brad onto his shoulders, gesturing for the stunned peons to take care of Maria.
He looked specifically at Kael's peaceful, unconscious face.
"Especially you, Kael."
He carried them away, a teacher immensely satisfied with his students. You all have paid your first tuition. And you passed.
(Chapter 9 Fin)