章節 8: Spreading Dominance 2
Ares had just wrapped up his first class in Wilderness Survival, and Instructor Julius had already filled his head with a wealth of knowledge about the Dream Realm. Julius was overflowing with excitement, especially when it came to discussing the complexities of the Dream Realm, but Ares was patient—he knew that a king needed knowledge, and that's why one of his primary goals for the month was to absorb as much as he could from the enthusiastic teacher.
His second goal, of course, was to learn combat. A king without power was merely a man sitting on a throne. In a world like this, strength meant everything.
As Ares walked out of the classroom, he glanced over at the short girl beside him. She had been quietly studying her shadow, her eyes flickering back and forth as if looking for something hidden there.
"You sure you don't want to go to the combat class?" Ares asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I've already told you," she sighed, "I won't get much out of it. I'm too frail for that. I'd rather hide and survive than jump into battle headfirst."
She rolled her eyes before looking over at the tall, handsome boy standing beside her. A teasing smile tugged at her lips.
"Plus, I'll have a certain someone to rely on, won't I?" she said playfully, her hands perched on her hips.
Ares grinned, crossing his arms. "Poor guy's got to carry your weight and keep you alive... not that bad now that I think about it." He waved her off as he entered his room.
Sunny stood there, blushing deeply. "...And they call me shameless!"
After a short rest, Ares found himself in the combat class. The dojo was massive, filled with Sleepers training under the watchful eye of Instructor Rock. Today's class was focused on assessing their general competency and abilities. Afterward, the Sleepers would be divided into groups based on their skill levels—novice, advanced, or expert—and assigned either a personal tutor or paired with a teammate.
The class began with each Sleeper taking turns delivering their strongest punch to a large, specially designed measuring machine. After each strike, the machine displayed a score that corresponded to the force of the blow. While most students were landing results in the range of 10-14, which was impressive for the average athletic person, those with enhancing Aspects were landing punches in the 15-16 range.
Then it was Nephis's turn. Her presence on the stage caught everyone's attention. Her slender frame, draped in a white dobok, exuded power, yet she remained indifferent to the curious gazes. She seemed lost in her own world, focusing solely on herself.
As Nephis approached the machine, her strike was a blur of motion—fast, precise, and graceful. The punch landed with devastating force, like a deadly flower unfurling in an instant.
Ares watched the machine as it processed the impact. The result flashed: 18. Impressive, but Ares knew she could've done more.
Next up was Caster. Before anyone could blink, he vanished, and his fist slammed into the plate with explosive speed. The machine trembled from the force, and after a brief pause, the score appeared: 21. The room erupted in admiration, and even Instructor Rock gave a small nod of approval.
What a hit. That burst of speed must be his Aspect ability, Ares thought, impressed but not surprised. Legacies sure are well-fed.
Caster returned to his place, glancing at Ares with a smug smirk. 'Let's see what you've got, rat boy.'
Ares chuckled inwardly. A challenge? Challenging me in strength? You must be delusional.
His turn was finally up. Ares walked confidently to the machine, each step deliberate, feeling the eyes of the room on him. The tension was palpable—some were curious, some nervous, and one in particular was shadowing his every move.
He locked his crimson eyes on the plate in front of him, already calculating how to deliver the most effective punch. His body was primed, every muscle screaming for release. Slowly, he brought his fist to his waist, coiling like a spring ready to snap.
The room fell silent as he unleashed the punch. His body blurred with sudden speed, and the sound of impact was deafening—BOOM!—the machine shook violently, smoke rising from the point of contact.
Ares stood tall, his arm still raised as the smoke curled around his fist, a faint hint of menace in the air. The result appeared on the machine: 35.
The room fell into stunned silence, followed by a ripple of awe, shock, and even fear. Some whispered "monster," others muttered "devil," but Ares reveled in it. Respect. Fear. All the same.
He turned to face the crowd, his gaze locking onto each and every one of them, his presence commanding the room. Origin doesn't matter here—before me, you are all the same.
Even Instructor Rock looked taken aback. If he survives, humanity might just gain another pillar.
Nephis, watching from the sidelines, eyed Ares cautiously. What are the chances of him being the assassin sent to kill me? With his strength, appearance, and that aura of both respect and fear, it seemed likely. Unlike his black-haired friend, who looked like she came from the outskirts, Ares had the air of someone more dangerous. She wouldn't be surprised if he was a Legacy in disguise.
But there was an enigma in her mind. If he is a Legacy... then why does his punch, while undeniably powerful, still lack the kind of refined technique a trained fighter would have? That thought both intrigued and terrified her. What kind of destruction would he cause once he hones that raw power?
Ares walked back to his place under the heavy weight of many gazes, but despite the admiration, he didn't feel the satisfaction he expected.
That punch... it didn't feel quite right. There's still potential to unlock.
He clenched his fist, the annoyance clear on his face. I'm not done yet.
"Excellent!" Instructor Rock boomed, clearly impressed. "Now, we'll move on to sparring, where we'll evaluate your overall level of training. I need two volunteers to begin."
Normally, Nephis would have stepped up, but seeing Ares move to the center first, she decided to stay back and observe him a little longer.
Seconds later, a tall, muscular Sleeper stood opposite Ares, ready for the challenge.
Why had Ares volunteered first? Aside from building a strong image, he knew the best way to improve was through pressure. And what better way to apply pressure than by facing all the Sleepers in one go?
"The rules are simple," Instructor Rock announced. "Make your opponent's back hit the ground or throw them out of the ring. Use any abilities or techniques you deem appropriate."
Ares nodded, his gaze meeting the tall Sleeper's with an unreadable expression. The tension was thick as the duel began.
Meanwhile, Sunny, ever the little devil, leaned forward in her room, her chin resting in her hands, eagerly watching the match unfold.
"Show them who's boss, Ares!" she whispered, a devilish smile playing at the corners of her lips.
The arena was bathed in a tense silence as Ares faced his opponent, the towering man whose muscles bulged with raw power, a force to be reckoned with. But to Ares, it all felt like a slow-motion display. The mountain of a man launched a brutal kick toward Ares, but it was almost laughably predictable. In one fluid motion, Ares sidestepped, his hand shooting out to grip his opponent's face with the ease of a predator snatching prey. With a single motion, he flung the man out of the ring, sending him hurtling through the air as if he were a ragdoll.
The sight was almost absurd, a testament to the overwhelming disparity in strength. The crowd gasped, and even Instructor Rock couldn't suppress his wide grin. "Next."
What followed was nothing short of carnage. Ares dismantled opponent after opponent, his movements precise and brutal. Every fight became a showcase of raw power and merciless efficiency. His combat style morphed before everyone's eyes, constantly evolving. He observed, absorbed, and adapted. Every strike from his opponents was a lesson, every move a step toward perfecting his own form. He flowed through the fights, his body becoming a weapon of destruction. The fights that had once taken him seconds to win now barely took moments. His movements grew economical—an art of devastating precision.
Poor, rich, legacy—none were spared. Ares devoured them all, casting them from the ring with a predator's ease. He savored the cracks of bone, the splintering of pride. But when he launched the last opponent, a well-polished legacy Sleeper, with a single hand, his appetite only sharpened.
Finally, only Nephis and Caster remained.
Caster was about to get up, his face solemn and grim, but when he saw nephis stand up, he entered bootlicking mode and lightly bowed to her. "good luck, Lady Nephis."
She gave a curt nod, already dismissing him. Her focus cut through the air, locking solely onto the beast waiting for her.
Ares.
The arena lights poured over him like molten steel, revealing not a trace of exhaustion. His deep crimson eyes, molten with hunger, met Nephis's gaze without wavering. The two stood, still as statues, while the air between them constricted, folding beneath the weight of unspoken desire and hostility.
To the crowd, it looked like a clash between salvation and damnation—a defiant hero standing against the nightmare that threatened to consume them all.
Ares's pulse thundered. His body thrummed with anticipation, a dangerous craving spreading through him like wildfire. A seed of desire, twisted and vile, blossomed in his chest. It was not enough to face Nephis. He needed to crush her—consume her light, break her spirit, corrupt her will, and reshape her into something that belonged to him.
A dangerous desire indeed.
Nephis's aura flared—a blazing star that could set the arena aflame. She felt his hunger as if it bled into the air. Her power responded, brightening further, pushing back against the darkness that tried to coil around it.
Ares's long hair fluttered, breath shallow, as if the very space around him thickened with crimson mist. His eyes gleamed with promises of blood and destruction, and each heartbeat echoed like a war drum.
The dojo was silent. Breathless. The Sleepers dared not make a sound.
Nephis moved first.
She blurred into motion, thrusting a hand straight for Ares's eyes—no hesitation, no preamble, just ruthless efficiency. A flicker of white threatened to pierce his vision, to blind him.
Ares reacted in kind, his fist rocketing forward to meet her skull with a force that could crack stone.
But she was faster. The strike had been a feint.
Nephis twisted, gliding past the incoming missile of his fist. She spun mid-air, coiling her body like a serpent, and unleashed a brutal heel kick toward his temple.
Ares leaned back, narrowly evading the strike by a breath. But she anticipated it—her body flowing like water. The heel transitioned instantly into a back kick, slamming directly into his chest.
The air fled his lungs, forcing him to stagger back. Nephis was relentless. Like a reaper, she pursued without hesitation, her strikes raining down with mechanical precision.
Blow after blow tore through the space between them, relentless and suffocating.
The crowd erupted.
"Changing Star!"
"Crush the monster!"
"Defeat him!"
Ares's face darkened. Their voices grated against his skull.
His eyes suddenly opened with a flaming intensity, a mad grin on his face.
"Enough."
His hand rocketed out, shattering Nephis's rhythm. His palm hovered inches from her head. Nephis twisted, eyes widening as she redirected the strike.
But it was bait.
Ares twisted his torso violently, using the momentum to whip his leg toward her temple. A viper's strike—unrelenting and lethal.
Her arms barely rose in time.
The impact detonated against her guard, sending tremors through her bones. She slid back, breath ragged, blinking through the pain.
Ares advanced, towering over her. His breath was warm against her skin, his scent oddly sweet. He leaned closer, predatory, crimson eyes devouring her presence.
"Give in," Ares whispered, voice dark and commanding. "Break for me."
Her body trembled—not with fear, but with longing. A primal desire twisted through her veins—to crush him, to defy him, to sculpt him with her hands, piece by piece. She wanted to forge him with her flames until he knelt before her, reshaped into something she could call hers.
Her thoughts twisted further. She imagined him broken beneath her, the flicker of rebellion in his eyes snuffed out, leaving only submission in its wake.
Her eyes sharpened, burning with hunger that mirrored his own.
"You.." she whispered, on her face a defiant mad grin that spilled longing, "I'll make you kneel."
Her hands snapped forward, seizing his head. Her knee shot up, slamming into his jaw with bone-cracking force.
Ares's skull rattled, pain blooming across his vision in a blinding flash. Blood flooded his mouth, but it only stoked the fire.
Nephis dropped low, compressing her legs. She rocketed upward in a brutal dropkick, feet driving into his chest.
Ares was airborne, vision blurring as he spat blood.
He twisted mid-air, landing like a phantom. But as his eyes refocused, she was already there.
They clashed, bodies crashing in a flurry of vicious blows. Ares fought like an oncoming apocalypse, savage and raw. Nephis burned brighter, her strikes searing with precision and unrelenting fury.
Their fists broke skin. Bones threatened to splinter. Neither yielded.
Ares's knuckles cracked against her jaw. Her elbow slammed into his ribs.
They devoured each other, consumed by the need to destroy, to conquer.
Nephis fists landed on Ares's body like a blacksmith hammering a sword, sculpting him with her own hands, breaking him piece by piece.
Ares grinned trhough the pain, on his face a bloodthirsty smile that grew with every blow, his hands dancing like dragons, making Nephis's flawless body groan under his blows.
the more Nephis's light shone, a dark crimson beast followed, devouring her burning flames, sustaining burns in the process.
Their pace slowed only as exhaustion took hold. Their bodies moved on instinct, driven by sheer will. To falter was to die. Neither relented, unwilling to use hidden powers. This was not a battle for victory—it was a brutal contest to see who could endure the other's destruction.
And then—
Nephis's eyes flickered, losing focus for half a breath.
And the beast saw it, relished in the opportunity, his body moved with hunger and power.
He poured his last reserves into a final, savage punch aimed at her skull. Victory and oblivion compressed into that single blow. "SUBMIT!" He roared into existence.
Nephis's pupils shrank. Her heart roared, fueling her body for one last move, she knew she lost, but she will never fall alone, she will slay the beast, even at the cost of her life, for her conviction, desire, revenge, and to bring salvation.
Her hand shot toward his throat from an impossible angel, a killing strike to end the storm.
Their attacks were inches from colliding.
"STOP!"
Awakened Rock appeared between them, his palms barely halting their blows. The ground beneath them cracked, splintering from the shockwave.
His eyes were hard, full of disbelief, but underneath it, there was admiration.
"This isn't a fight to the death!" he bellowed, voice like thunder.
Nephis's body trembled, her breath ragged as the fire within her flickered and dimmed. The fight left her in an instant. She collapsed to the floor, chest heaving, every fiber of her being aching from the intensity of their clash. But even as her body gave out, her heart still burned. She had almost broken him. She had almost consumed him.
Ares exhaled deeply, his crimson gaze lingering on her unconscious form. His heart still pounded with the wild rhythm of the fight. That hunger—that insatiable hunger—still roared within him.
I will devour you.
Or you will break me.
Either way, he thought, as he closed his eyes, his boiling blood finally resting. I want more.
The instructor then looked at the flabbergasted caster, "it seems you won't be fighting today, but don't worry, your technique is excellent. "
But he too was out of it, his plans needed to change. he glanced at his communicator and decided to make a call later.
While all of this was happening, a shadow was watching everything.
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The anticipated fight is over! How was it????
Leave comments and reviews my sweet Readers! And I hope you have a great day!
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-- 推薦票
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