The clearing had turned into a battlefield.
Broken branches littered the forest floor, and the scent of disturbed earth filled the air.
The disciples of the Crimson Talon Sect stood in a loose formation around Kael, their earlier confidence gone.
Only tension remained.
At their center stood Veyran, the Crimson Talon commander.
His crimson blade gleamed faintly, reflecting the golden aura radiating from Kael's body.
The other disciples hesitated.
They had already seen what happened to Felo.
Kael didn't rush them. Instead, he stood calmly, golden energy flickering across his skin like faint lightning.
His Origin Core pulsed steadily.
Stronger than before.
Every battle… every strike… every breath of energy absorbed from the world around him strengthened that mysterious core within his chest.
Veyran lifted his blade slowly.
"Attack together," he ordered.
The remaining disciples obeyed instantly.
Three of them rushed forward.
Their footsteps thundered against the forest floor as they unleashed their techniques.
Energy waves erupted through the air.
Kael moved.
Origin Flash.
His body disappeared.
A golden blur passed between the attackers.
Torran's strike cut through empty air.
Before he could react—
Kael appeared beside him.
A palm strike.
Origin Pulse.
BOOM!
The shockwave blasted Torran backward into a tree trunk.
The bark shattered from the impact as the disciple collapsed to the ground.
Unconscious.
The remaining disciples froze for a split second.
That hesitation cost them.
Kael stepped forward again.
His movement was fluid, almost effortless.
He could feel the flow of energy in the forest, like invisible currents guiding his actions.
Kalen attacked next, swinging a short blade toward Kael's neck.
Kael leaned slightly.
The blade missed him by less than an inch.
His counterattack was immediate.
A single punch.
CRACK.
Kalen dropped instantly.
Now only three enemies remained.
The two weaker disciples instinctively stepped back.
Fear had completely taken over their faces.
But Veyran remained calm.
His eyes narrowed as he studied Kael.
"So this is the strength the Iron Flame Sect was hiding."
He raised his crimson blade.
A heavy aura burst outward.
The surrounding trees bent under the pressure.
Even the forest wind seemed to retreat.
Kael felt it instantly.
This was no ordinary Stage 1 cultivator.
Veyran's experience, discipline, and killing intent made him far more dangerous than the others.
The commander pointed his blade at Kael.
"You're talented," Veyran said.
"But talent alone won't save you."
He vanished.
A crimson streak shot toward Kael.
Their blades and fists collided.
BOOM!
The impact shook the clearing.
For the first time in the battle, Kael slid back several steps.
His eyes glowed brighter.
Good…
Finally, someone worth fighting.
Veyran attacked again, faster this time.
His blade slashed through the air with terrifying precision.
Kael dodged the first strike.
Blocked the second.
The third strike forced him to jump backward as the blade carved a deep line into the ground.
The remaining disciples saw an opportunity.
They rushed forward to assist their commander.
Kael frowned slightly.
Too many attackers.
He activated Origin Flash repeatedly, golden afterimages appearing all across the battlefield.
The enemies struck those illusions one after another, unable to track his true position.
Kael reappeared above them.
His palm glowed with intense golden light.
Origin Pulse — Third Form.
He struck downward.
BOOM!
A shockwave exploded across the clearing.
The two weaker disciples were thrown aside instantly.
Only Veyran remained standing.
But even the commander staggered several steps backward.
The golden energy surrounding Kael intensified.
Something inside his chest trembled.
The Origin Core pulsed violently.
Stronger.
Faster.
Like a heart about to explode with power.
Kael felt it clearly.
The threshold was close.
Very close.
Veyran wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
For the first time, uncertainty appeared in his eyes.
"What… are you?"
Kael looked at his glowing hands.
Then he raised his gaze calmly.
"Someone who's still ascending."
The wind suddenly grew violent.
Leaves spun wildly through the air.
Deep inside Kael's body.
The Origin Core roared.
And the battlefield trembled as if the world itself sensed what was about to happen.