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Chapter 127 – The Weight of a Master
Inside the sealed dimension, silence reigned. Unlike the chaos outside, here the world was a frozen plain of endless stone, broken skies, and shifting shadows.
Shen stood with his twin blades drawn, sweat dripping down his face, his chest heaving. His Supreme Lord Eye glowed faintly blue, scanning every twitch of his opponent.
Lare—the man who had defeated Shen and forced him into this role of student—stood effortlessly before him. His aura was calm, like a bottomless ocean. Not a single scratch marred his robes despite hours of sparring.
Shen (panting, frustrated): "Tch… no matter how many times I strike, I can't land a single hit…"
Lare (stern, voice echoing): "Because you are still relying on power alone. Rage. Stamina. Magic. These are nothing without control. A Drifter who fights with only his muscles is no different than the beasts we slay."
Lare raised one hand. In an instant, a wave of crushing force blasted outward, slamming Shen to his knees. The weight was immense—like the sky itself pressing down.
Lare: "This is the first lesson. Dominion. To fight an Arcane General, you must not only strike harder—you must command the battlefield itself."
Shen gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling. His Dark Mage Form's aura flickered, black lightning sparking across his body. He tried to rise, but the invisible gravity crushed harder.
Memories of Kenya and Eliz flashed in his mind. Their laughter. Their vows. Their faces in battle.
Shen (growling): "…They're out there fighting right now, aren't they… while I'm stuck here… weak."
The Supreme Lord Eye blazed brighter, shifting fully into its azure glow. The crushing force cracked around him. Slowly, Shen pushed one foot forward, standing under Lare's impossible weight.
For the first time, Lare's lips curved into the faintest smile.
Lare (quietly): "…Good. That is the spirit of a Drifter. Now—show me if you can withstand my next strike."
He vanished. A blink later, Lare's blade was already descending toward Shen's chest, faster than lightning.
Shen roared, crossing his twin blades to block. The clash shook the entire sealed dimension, cracks racing across the stone plains.
Outside, in the real world, Kenya and Eliz's battle cry echoed as they charged the Arcane General.
Two struggles. Two battlefields. One destiny.
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