The Time Chamber trembled with heavy silence after the explosion. The dust gradually settled, revealing Ethan at the bottom of a massive crater, lying prone on the floor, his body covered in wounds, his eyes half-closed. His breath came in ragged gasps, and the scythe was shattered in two. That final blow from Side would have finished off any ordinary creature, but Ethan, still alive, smiled faintly as he whispered, "What a... stubborn fellow..."
He looked up and saw Side still floating in the air, surrounded by the remnants of his fading energy. Scales began to disappear one by one. Side descended quietly to the ground, his feet touching the earth with heavy steps, then his body began to sway, before he fell on his back, staring at the sky of the Time Room with a tired smile. "That was... fun, really."
Those were his last words before the aura of shared consciousness dissipated and the reverse transformation began.
The black light that surrounded his body disappeared, and his features began to split and separate, until Saruto's features reappeared.
His body was covered in wounds and blood, his chest rising slowly, and his gaze unsteady.
Before he lost consciousness completely, the Time Chamber system screen appeared before him. Luminous words flashed across it: "Auto-healing activated: Both bodies are being repaired..."
Saruto smiled faintly, whispering in a barely audible voice, "Finally... it's over..."
Then he closed his eyes and sank into a deep sleep, while he and Ethan were enveloped by the healing aura. Green energy flowed across their bodies, the wounds healing and the traces of blood gradually fading away.
Long hours passed, filled only with the distant echo of the fading energy waves. Then, slowly, Ethan stirred first. He opened his eyes and looked at his trembling hand, realizing he was completely healed. He rose from his seat, then let out a short laugh, murmuring with a smile of pride and sincerity, "He's beaten me... Saruto."
He stood slowly, reaching out to him. He lifted Saruto's still-sleeping body, which was peacefully awake. He looked serene, his hair falling over his face, his expression calm despite the recently healed wounds.
Ethan hoisted him onto his shoulders and left the Time Room with steady steps, until he reached his own suite in the palace, where he laid him on the bed. He left the room after casting one last look at the heir who had surpassed him for the first time, a small smile, a mixture of pride and respect, spreading across his face.
As the next day dawned, the morning light filtered through the curtains. Saruto stirred slightly, then slowly opened his eyes. The tranquility that filled the room was strange after the chaos of the battle, which still resonated in his memory. He sat up in bed, carefully examining his body. There was no sign of a wound, no pain.
He rose from the bed and began tracing Ethan's energy trail around the palace, but found no trace of him. He frowned slightly, then smiled faintly, saying, "I know where to find him."
He immediately moved back to the Time Chamber. There, just as he had anticipated, he found Ethan standing in the center of the room, surrounded by a gray aura of energy, sweating profusely, his scythe pounding in the air as he trained with escalating intensity.
Saruto approached him with measured steps and asked with a faint smile, "Weren't you satisfied with yesterday's fight? Why are you training again?"
Ethan paused for a moment, then turned to face him, his expression a mixture of seriousness and determination. "You defeated me, Saruto. And that means only one thing... I've become weak."
He raised his gaze to the illuminated ceiling, adding, "In the days of the First Founder, I was something else... But now I've neglected my body, stopped honing my strength. So I must reclaim my former self, no matter what it takes."
Saruto chuckled softly. "Then I don't intend to interrupt you. I'll let you practice, Master."
He left the room with confident strides, while the sound of Ethan's scythe continued to echo in the Time Room. Saruto reached his room, showered, changed into his usual black attire, and then stood before the mirror for a moment, gazing at himself.
After taking a deep breath, he said to himself with a determined smile, "Time to return to the Academy."
Then, in a flash, his body vanished, heading towards the Academy.