The barren field behind the Mythic Base stretched wide into the night, bordered by ancient runes and energy sigils etched deep into the ground. At the center, Kar'Thæl stood waiting, arms folded, his flaming aura faintly suppressed—yet still menacing.
"You took your time," Kar'Thæl said.
Arslan replied, "Had a visitor. We starting?"
Kar'Thæl grinned. "Tonight's special. We're doing two things."
Arslan arched a brow. "Double training?"
Kar'Thæl laughed, a low, rumbling sound. "No. First, we forge a weapon that will rival anything you've ever held. Second, we learn a technique no human or devil has ever dared combine."
He raised his hand, and two crystals emerged from his palm—one glowing with blazing crimson fire, the other pulsing with vibrant blue lightning.
Arslan's eyes widened. "Where did you get those?"
Kar'Thæl replied smugly, "Back when you were busy dealing with abyssal rats in the demon site... I was collecting treasure. These are Demon Crystals—pure cores of elemental energy."
Arslan stepped forward. "What are we doing with them?"
Kar'Thæl answered, "Forging them into a weapon. One blade. Three forces."
Kar'Thæl floated the crystals above a stone altar in the center of the field. From his palm, he summoned a forge circle—an ancient sigil of demonic origin lined with molten veins and blackened glyphs.
"Place your hand on the altar," Kar'Thæl instructed. "Pour your dark energy in. We need a binding soul for this weapon, and it must be yours."
Arslan complied, his palm pressing against the cold stone. Instantly, his black aura surged outward, entwining the red and blue crystals. They began to spin violently, streaks of fire and lightning flashing in the night like a storm inside a bottle.
Kar'Thæl chanted in a deep, ancient tongue. The forge circle ignited in a pulse of flame and electric arcs, grounding the energy through Arslan's arm. He clenched his teeth, feeling both pain and power ripple through his veins.
The crystals shattered—then reformed, melting into a single molten stream that shaped itself mid-air. First the blade took form—sleek, black-edged, with glowing red veins. Then the hilt—twisted with lightning arcs and shadow threads. A faint hum vibrated through the air, as if the sword itself was breathing.
Kar'Thæl closed his hands around the air and brought the weapon down before Arslan.
"Take it," he commanded.
Arslan reached out and wrapped his fingers around the grip. The sword responded instantly—sparks of fire and lightning danced along the edge as his dark energy embraced it.
He swung it once. The air cracked.
He swung again. A stone dummy at the far end exploded into cinders and ash.
Arslan stared at the sword. "This is... something else."
Kar'Thæl smirked. "It's called Volthren. The Blade of Scorching Thunder and Eternal Shadow."
Arslan twirled the sword in his hand, its weight perfect, its presence alive.
Kar'Thæl stepped forward. "Now comes the real test."
He pointed toward a glowing rune drawn in the sky. "We'll fuse three elements: Fire, Lightning, and your Dark Energy. This isn't a basic strike—it's an orchestration. We're creating a new art."
Arslan nodded. "What's it called?"
Kar'Thæl's eyes burned brighter. "Trinex Surge."
What is Trinex Surge?
Trinex Surge is a technique that weaves three elemental forces into a single attack. It requires precise control of each element and then a timed release that synchronizes fire's eruption, lightning's speed, and shadow's force.
1. Phase One – Ignite Core (Fire)
Focus your inner fire—summon heat from the red crystal within Volthren. Channel it through the blade's edge to form a blazing sheath of molten flame.
2. Phase Two – Arc Channel (Lightning)
Overlay lightning. The blue crystal sparks to life—speed, reaction, acceleration. You use this force to drive your blade faster than wind, giving each slash a sonic shock effect.
3. Phase Three – Veil Bind (Dark)
Bind it all in shadow. Your dark energy forms a chain—containing the blast, holding the momentum, and then directing it forward like a railgun strike. It's like a dragon's scream channeled through a needle.
Only at perfect harmony do the elements synchronize and become Trinex Surge.
"Try it now," Kar'Thæl said, forming a new dummy—this one made of demon-grade obsidian.
Arslan raised Volthren, blade humming with anticipation.
He closed his eyes. "Ignite Core."
The red veins lit. Fire surrounded the blade like a cloak.
"Arc Channel."
Lightning crackled across the hilt, charging the air.
"Veil Bind."
His dark aura wrapped the whole blade in a spiraling vortex.
He opened his eyes—burning red.
With a single slash—he unleashed it.
The result: a flash of white and black lightning streaked forward, the sound like the scream of a collapsing mountain. The obsidian dummy evaporated. The entire training field shook.
Smoke and silence followed.
Kar'Thæl stepped forward slowly, the flames around him flickering with satisfaction.
"You just touched the edge of Trinex Surge. But we'll need to refine it... layer by layer."
Arslan's hand trembled slightly from the recoil. His breath was ragged, but his expression was calm.
"Let's do it again."
---
Hours passed.
Again and again, Arslan attempted the technique. And each time, the combination grew stronger, smoother. His synchronization with Volthren deepened. The three elements no longer clashed—they danced.
By the final strike of the night, when the moon stood high above the sky, Arslan performed Trinex Surge with clarity.
The result was magnificent: a triple-spiral arc of fire, lightning, and shadow tore through the field, leaving glowing lines burned into the stone floor. Kar'Thæl raised his hand and caught the energy with his own—absorbing it into his aura.
"Well done," he said, a rare pride in his voice. "You're no longer just a host. You're becoming a wielder of our combined destiny."
Arslan lowered his sword, sweat dripping from his brow, chest heaving.
He looked to the horizon.
His voice was quiet. "Arcana... one day, I'll free you."
Kar'Thæl nodded beside him. "And this time, we'll be ready."