The plateau's wind had settled into a tense hush, the remnants of the previous fight lingering in the air like charged static. Alzwalt had moved first, a faint golden glow radiating from him as he healed both himself and Tessandra. The glow washed over them, knitting bones, restoring energy, and stabilizing circuits.
John, sitting cross-legged a few meters away, tilted his head toward Tessandra with a calm, almost mischievous expression. "Tessandra, I'd appreciate it if you went all out this time. Don't worry about the destruction—it can always be renewed."
A small, confident smile curved Tessandra's lips. "You asked for it." Her violet-silver hair fluttered violently as her aura flared to its full intensity, temporal and precision circuits blazing like a storm.
John's black slime sword pulsed faintly in his hand. He glanced back at Kaelen, who was crouched low, circuits buzzing in anticipation. "Keep up if you can, kid," he said casually, a smirk playing across his face. Then, shifting his stance, he planted his hands behind his back and vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Tessandra. His black slime sword slashed downward in a vertical arc with inhuman speed. Sparks erupted as Tessandra's blade met his, parrying the strike with flawless precision. The clash sent ripples of shockwave through the air, bending leaves and tossing small stones like confetti.
From Kaelen's point of view, the world seemed to stutter. John and Tessandra moved faster than his eye could follow, teleporting, striking, and blocking with impossible speed. To him and Kaelven, only brief flashes were visible—sparks of light, streaks of motion, and the sharp sound of steel cutting air and striking armor.
John was like a phantom in motion, appearing behind Tessandra in a millisecond, forcing her to react in a split instant, then disappearing again before she could fully counter. Every strike they exchanged reshaped the terrain around them. Rocks splintered, trees bent, and the ground scorched where they collided.
Tessandra, reading John's rhythm, unleashed the full potential of her Chrono-Precision Circuit. Her perception of time stretched, allowing her to anticipate the next blink, the next strike. She moved, slashed, and countered with surgical precision, her strikes leaving faint, lingering afterimages in the air.
John grinned beneath his calm exterior. He adjusted the weight and pull of his black slime sword, manipulating its malleable form to slice, block, and latch onto Tessandra's aura, testing her defenses. Sparks and black and violet streaks lit the battlefield as the two danced, a storm of blades and speed.
Kaelen and Kaelven watched, hearts hammering. "I… I can't even…" Kaelen muttered, unable to follow the motion, only catching the occasional flash of combat.
Minutes—or maybe seconds, Kaelen couldn't tell—later, John found an opening. Tessandra had overextended slightly in a powerful swing, and John's black slime sword moved like liquid shadow, striking at a precise angle. The force sent a ripple through her, forcing her to stagger back.
"Mid-difficulty victory," John muttered, sheathing his blade calmly. His aura still hummed with lethal potential, but he allowed Tessandra to stand, unscathed but clearly impressed.
Tessandra's eyes glimmered with pride and exhilaration. "Not bad, John… not bad at all. You truly are a master of your craft."
Kaelen's fists clenched. His chest heaved as his circuits thrummed with excitement and determination. "I… I want to spar next!" he yelled, leaping forward instinctively. "I want to spar with you, John!"
John tilted his head, a slow, amused smile forming. "Oh, you're eager, kid. That's good. I like eager." He stood, black slime sword in hand, casually twirling it before pointing it at Kaelen. "Alright, then. Let's see what you've got. Don't worry—this is going to be fun."
Alzwalt chuckled beside him, golden wings folding as he watched the anticipation building. Tessandra placed a hand on Kaelen's shoulder, her expression both approving and amused. "Get ready, Kaelen. This isn't a training spar—it's a lesson in survival."
The wind roared around them, carrying with it the tension and excitement of what was about to unfold. Kaelen's heart pounded. The true test had begun.