The garden had turned into a battlefield of flickering embers and torn earth. The air was thick with the smell of scorched grass, mana residue, and sweat. The once serene riverside hummed with energy, the ground trembling beneath each clash of steel and flame.
Kaelen's breath came hard and fast. His sword arm ached, the edges of his armor glowing faintly from residual heat. Every muscle screamed for rest, but he couldn't stop — not now. Across from him, Ashen stood surrounded by burning air, firelight glinting in his eyes.
The young prodigy moved like a storm — fluid, aggressive, his fiery aura flaring with each strike. Every time Kaelen blocked, the impact sent shockwaves up his arm. Every time he dodged, he felt the searing touch of the flames that nearly grazed him.
The difference in their raw strength was clear.
Kaelen was losing ground.
Ashen's mastery over his flame affinity was extraordinary for his level. The bursts of mana that erupted from his strikes were sharp and controlled — not the wild, undisciplined energy of a novice, but the deliberate art of someone who had been molded by discipline since childhood.
Kaelen parried another blow, sliding backward across the dirt. His boots dug trenches into the soil. Luna, perched on a nearby fence, let out a small concerned growl, her golden eyes locked on him.
"Don't worry," Kaelen muttered under his breath, eyes focused forward. "I've still got something left."
His Miracle Engine pulsed faintly in response — a hum only he could feel, like the heartbeat of a hidden god.
He just needed one moment — one opening.
Ashen smirked, confidence oozing from his tone. "You're slowing down. All that talk about strength, and this is what you've got?"
Kaelen smiled faintly despite the blood at the corner of his lip. "You're right. I'm not on your level."
Ashen tilted his head. "Then give up."
"Can't." Kaelen's eyes gleamed. "Not when I haven't even tried my ace yet."
Ashen frowned, raising his sword again. "Ace?"
Kaelen took a slow step forward. Then another. He adjusted his stance, letting his sword rest low, parallel to the ground. The air around him shimmered faintly — like ripples forming in a still pond.
The old man on the side narrowed his eyes. "What's he doing?"
Aurelius's voice echoed softly from above, the faint glimmer of divine gold forming in the air like sunlight through clouds. "He's waiting… for the moment your student relaxes."
The master frowned, watching his disciple closely.
Ashen advanced, fire trailing his every movement. "You can't win just standing there."
Kaelen's lips curved into a faint grin. "Then come see for yourself."
Ashen's pride pushed him forward. Flames gathered at his blade, condensing into a molten edge. He swung down with confidence — a fiery arc blazing toward Kaelen's head.
And in that single heartbeat — Ashen hesitated.
His guard slipped, just slightly.
Kaelen's eyes flared. Now.
Mana surged through him, channeled through his Miracle Engine like a storm breaking its dam.
He whispered under his breath, "Elemental Skill — Triple Burst."
A series of brilliant azure projectiles exploded from his sword, pure elemental energy twisting into condensed blades of force. One after another, they struck — rapid, precise, unstoppable.
The first impact shattered Ashen's defense. The second forced him backward. The third detonated at his feet, sending shockwaves through the ground.
The air ignited with the clash of energy and flame. Kaelen lunged forward through the smoke, his sword glowing bright — striking with every ounce of power he could muster.
The impact sent both of them sprawling across the garden. Dust and embers swirled in the aftermath.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Ashen groaned, rolling to his feet. His once-flawless robe was torn and scorched. His flames flickered — not out of control, but desperate.
Kaelen stood opposite, panting hard, blood trickling down his arm. His sword trembled faintly from exhaustion.
Ashen's expression darkened. "You… caught me off guard."
Kaelen smirked. "You're not the first."
The air trembled again — this time, not from Kaelen's power, but Ashen's.
The old man's eyes widened slightly. "Ashen, don't—"
But it was already too late.
Ashen's body ignited in a blinding aura of crimson. His fire expanded outward, spiraling like a living storm. The temperature spiked so violently that the nearby river began to steam.
"This… is my limit!" Ashen roared. "Don't think I'll lose to you so easily!"
Kaelen instinctively stepped back — then realized the radius of the attack. His eyes widened.
"You've got to be kidding me—"
The explosion that followed was massive — a swirling inferno of raw, untamed power that scorched the earth, devoured the air, and turned the entire garden into a dome of flame.
Kaelen didn't hesitate. He bolted.
He dashed across the field, rolling over the fence, sprinting toward the riverbank as the firestorm swallowed everything behind him.
Ashen blinked through the heat haze, stunned. "He… ran?"
Even the old man seemed caught off guard. "He's retreating?"
From above, Aurelius's laughter rolled through the clouds, deep and amused. "Clever boy."
Ashen grit his teeth. "Clever? He's running away!"
"Running," Aurelius said calmly, "is also a strategy. Especially when you're still alive to strike back afterward."
The flames eventually began to die down, leaving the garden blackened, the air thick with smoke. Ashen staggered, breathing hard. His mana reserves were nearly empty, his body trembling from exhaustion. The fiery aura around him flickered — then dissipated.
He looked up just in time to see Kaelen reappear through the haze, blade glowing faintly.
"Now," Kaelen said, voice calm and steady, "my turn."
Before Ashen could raise his sword, Kaelen closed the distance — faster than he could track. A swift combination of strikes followed: one to disarm, another to unbalance, and the final blow knocking Ashen to the ground.
The training sword clattered against the dirt.
Kaelen stood over him, chest heaving. "Match's over."
For a long moment, neither moved.
Then Ashen exhaled sharply and let out a dry laugh. "Guess… I lost."
The old man approached slowly, eyes scanning his student — then Kaelen. "You fought well. Reckless, but effective."
Kaelen wiped sweat from his brow, offering a tired grin. "Thanks. Though if it was a straight fight, I wouldn't have stood a chance."
Aurelius's golden light descended softly from above once more, his voice filled with quiet amusement. "Honesty. A rare quality among mortals."
Kaelen looked up at the ancient dragon. "I couldn't afford to lose. Not this one."
Aurelius's gaze lingered. "Indeed. And that desperation… is what allows you to overcome."
Ashen sat up, still catching his breath. The faint ember glow in his eyes dimmed. "My master was right — I still can't use my bloodline properly. But one day, when it awakens fully…"
He looked up at Kaelen, a small smile crossing his face. "Let's spar again."
Kaelen returned the smile. "Count on it."
The old man stepped forward and placed a hand on Ashen's shoulder. "It is good that you lost. Pride must burn before strength can rise."
Ashen nodded quietly.
He reached into his pocket, producing a small crystal vial. He bit his thumb and let a single drop of glowing red essence blood fall into it — pure firelight condensed into liquid. He handed it to Kaelen.
"Here. I'm not one to break a deal."
Kaelen accepted it with both hands. "Thank you."
Ashen smirked faintly. "Don't thank me yet. Next time, I'm gonna be the one who wins."
The two shared a brief laugh, mutual respect forming where rivalry had begun.
Ashen's master nodded approvingly, then led his student toward the distant road. Before they disappeared beyond the trees, Ashen turned and gave Kaelen one last look.
"Get stronger," he called out. "You'll need it."
Kaelen watched them go, the vial of essence blood glinting faintly in his hand.
Aurelius's voice broke the silence. "You have done well, Kaelen. You have proven your worth — not just in battle, but in resolve."
Golden light shimmered as the divine dragon descended once more, his massive form manifesting behind Kaelen.
The air rippled with divine energy, and Kaelen could feel his skin prickle under the pressure.
"As promised," Aurelius said, his deep voice resonating through the sky, "I shall grant my grace — just this once."
He gestured with a single claw, the essence vial rising from Kaelen's hands. Aurelius opened his maw slightly, a single drop of his own golden blood falling and merging with the crimson essence.
The mixture ignited in midair — brilliant, alive, pulsing with impossible energy.
Kaelen shielded his eyes as light enveloped the clearing.
Then the sky darkened.
Thunder cracked across the heavens.
A pressure far greater than before swept through the land — so immense that the nearby river split apart under the force. The air trembled, the earth shuddered, and streaks of divine lightning danced across the clouds.
Aurelius's voice was steady, but there was gravity in it now. "What we forge here will defy the balance of this world. The heavens will not remain silent."
Kaelen's heart pounded as the vial exploded into radiant fragments — light swirling, gathering into a form that pulsed with both fire and divinity.
And as the sky roared above them, Aurelius raised his wings, his gaze burning with divine intent.
"Then let the heavens bear witness—"
The world went black.
Lightning tore through the clouds. Thunder screamed.
Something ancient — something forbidden — stirred to life.