As Lexus stepped in front of Ken, a calm yet powerful presence filled the air. His eyes gleamed with authority as he said,
"I am the Elder L."
Ken's eyes widened in shock. The very person who had been guiding him… was the one he had to fight. The one guarding the Sword of the Universe.
Lexus smiled slightly, his aura unwavering.
"Are you ready, Ken? Show me your worth."
Ken, after a moment of silence, replied in a deep and steady voice,
"Yeah... and I will win."
With a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, Lexus responded,
"Shall we begin?"
Ken nodded,
"Yeah."
The instant Ken gave his answer, the atmosphere shifted. A powerful aura exploded from Lexus—a force so overwhelming it felt as if the universe itself pressed down on Ken. The sheer weight of the energy made his knees buckle, forcing him to the ground.
Struggling through the crushing pressure, Ken gritted his teeth and slowly stood up.
The battle of will and sword had begun.
Ken dashed forward, attempting a swift strike on Lexus. But Lexus, calm and composed, dodged with ease. Ken followed with a flurry of attacks, only for Lexus to counter each one effortlessly. With speed far beyond Ken's, Lexus even delivered back attacks faster than Ken could react.
Realizing brute force wouldn't work, Ken switched tactics. He channeled the wind element, lightening his body to enhance his speed and precision. He aimed to land a pinpoint strike—but even then, Lexus evaded every attack.
Lexus retaliated with rapid strikes, hitting Ken with a speed four times faster than his own. It felt like Lexus was attacking and defending at the same time. One powerful hit sent Ken flying backward.
Lexus stood tall and said coldly,
"You're weak, kid. How can someone like you even dream of obtaining the Sword? You're a mere mortal with foolish thoughts of saving the universe and your loved ones. You're not even worthy of landing a single hit."
That moment—those words—they ignited something deep inside Ken.
From the ice of despair, a fire was born.
Ken's aura flared. His body blurred as he moved at a speed that even Lexus couldn't immediately follow. And in an instant—Ken landed a solid blow on Lexus.
Lexus staggered, but quickly retaliated with a blow even more powerful. Yet this time, Ken didn't fall. He stopped the attack with sheer force, and followed up with a crushing punch to Lexus's stomach, causing him to gasp.
The exchange exploded into a high-speed, hand-to-hand combat battle. So fast, it became invisible to the naked eye. Each punch shook the space around them as their power levels continued to rise.
They clashed like two stars colliding—blinding, unrelenting, eternal.
After a few minutes, Ken called out through heavy breaths,
"Let's take this to the next level. No more fists—let's use our powers."
Lexus nodded.
"So be it. Show me what you've got."
Until now, Ken had only used wind to support his movement. Now he unlocked his full elemental arsenal.
A vibrant power aura burst from him—an energy glowing with hope, defiance, and the will to win.
"With the fire in my heart... I summon the Element of Flame!" Ken roared.
He launched a barrage of blazing attacks.
"Flamtic Bullets!"—blasts of condensed fire energy.
Then, he charged with "Lava Rush", superheating his body and striking with a move that burned as well as broke bones.
Lexus dodged with elegance, countering with a slash of energy that—though simple—was more powerful than any punch he'd thrown before.
Ken didn't stop.
He cycled through elements—lightning, water, earth, ice, even shadows—but none of them inflicted serious damage.
Frustrated and panting, Ken shouted,
"You're still holding back! I can feel it! Why aren't you using your full power?"
Lexus, calm and composed, replied,
"If I used my full power, I'd risk destroying Infinity itself."
But Ken stood firm, fire in his voice.
"Then I'll keep coming until you do! I won't use my ultimate attacks unless you fight at your best!"
Again and again, Ken charged. And again, Lexus sent him flying.
Finally, Lexus narrowed his eyes, a spark of annoyance flickering.
"Fine. But if you're severely injured… that's on you."
With that, Lexus released his full power.
A divine aura erupted—blinding, enormous, celestial. The fabric of Infinity trembled. Ken felt it instantly: god-tier pressure, far greater than anything he had faced before. His knees gave way. His body trembled. Blood trickled from his mouth.
It was terrifying. It was overwhelming. It was divine.
Ken collapsed again—faster, harder than before. His body screamed in pain, every cell resisting collapse. But even through the blood, even in fear, he tried to rise.
Lexus looked down at him, voice firm but not cruel.
"Come on, kid. Now... show me your worth."