Yasenia continued to practice with the flag for a month straight. Her battle sense, reactions, and techniques developed at a speed that made others wonder what went through the woman's head.
Yasenia was currently fighting against five bronze copies of herself on the 975th stair, her body moving quickly and fluidly, spinning the flag around her to fight.
The giant flag effortlessly blocked the attacks from the copies, and those that came too close, Yasenia would swat them with her tail.
All of Yasenia's enhancing skills enveloped her body, and the same was true for the copies. Nevertheless, with a greater base strength, Yasenia could overpower them relatively easily.
CLANG! BANG! BANG! CLANG! BOOM!
Yasenia moved around agilely, resisting the relentless attack of her five copies with a serious look. While she appeared to do everything effortlessly, that was hardly the case.
'If I want, I can overpower them with raw strength. However, I don't want that. I want to win with technique, as I've done until now.'
Her previous battle against five almost perfect bronze copies took almost an entire day. She learned many things, and she was using them against the perfect bronze copies. Yet, she didn't see the battle ending soon.
'It has been over an hour since we started.'
She blocked one of the flags with the pole, then moved it and wrapped the cloth around another copy, flinging it. In the meantime, two of the copies appeared behind her, thrusting the pointy spear-like part of the flag.
Yasenia's tail flashed like a steel whip, consecutively activating [Celestial Sunder] on the tail to strike them.
BANG! BANG!
The two flags were blasted back, and using the momentum, Yasenia spun and kicked up the last one coming her way. The copy smirked, energy gathering on the flag right before contact.
BOOM!
Yasenia's eyes twitched in pain, her leg forcefully flung back, and her body followed due to the momentum. As she flew back while spinning forward, Yasenia created a foothold in the air and shot down. She landed heavily on the ground, her powerful leg muscles absorbing the impact.
Looking up, she noticed the five copies regrouping and preparing a new attack. Yasenia grabbed the flag tightly like a spear and took in a deep breath.
Tatyana and the others raised their eyebrows, knowing what Yasenia was trying. "Will she be able to do it?"
"While I have an inkling that she might, I am honestly doubtful. It feels too complicated."
The bronze copies noticed Yasenia's intent and smirked. Those smirks made Yasenia somewhat annoyed. "Why do you all smirk while fighting? I am usually much colder when I fight!"
One of the copies deadpanned. "Really? Are those wild laughter fits you release when facing strong opponents the so-called "cold and serious" fighting style you speak about?"
Silence descended on the battlefield before Yasenia complained again. "At least those are happy laughs! Not annoying smirks!"
Everyone but Yasenia rolled their eyes. They had seen the same smirk on Yasenia's face many times during the last month. So, Yasenia coming in and saying that she didn't laugh like that was utterly false!
Tatyana knew that Yasenia mostly reacted in the following manner when fighting.
First, indifference and coldness. This happened when the opponent was not worth her attention or when she had absolute confidence. If she had her seductive but also somewhat annoying smirk, she was enjoying the fight. Then came the wild smiles and laughter when she fought someone stronger than herself while getting stronger herself.
Of course, in Tatyana's "Yasenia Compendium," she had noted down many more details. But of course, Tatyana wouldn't share those with anyone. All 1,304 volumes about Yasenia were not something she wanted to share!
Yasenia ignored everything else and moved her flag. The energies around her converged, and while thrusting toward the five people, she muttered the skill's name. "[Shattering The Heavens]."
The five copies created a shield with [Celestial Aegis] just before Yasenia completed the thrusting motions.
Once Yasenia thrust the flag skyward, a terrifying energy surged from the battle flag.
BOOM!
The shy instantly shattered, a giant spiderweb of cracks forming around the five copies. All five [Celestial Aegis] suffered considerably, their structures becoming cracked.
It was as if Yasenia had broken all space several kilometers in front of her. Of course, that was more of an illusion created by [Shattering The Heaven] effects. Yasenia's strength was far from enough to shatter space in their current Heavenly Layer.
The copies stopped using [Celestial Aegis] and held their flags like Yasenia previously did.
Our dragoness's face went from thoughtful to frightened. "H-Hey! Don't do it at the same time!"
The five copies didn't listen.
"[Shattering The Heavens]."
"[Shattering The Heavens]."
"[Shattering The Heavens]."
"[Shattering The Heavens]."
"[Shattering The Heavens]."
Yasenia lamented. "Oh heavens! [Celestial Aegis]! [Orion's Shield]! [Star Dome]!"
The three defensive measures manifested. A white dome covered everything around Yasenia, while right behind it, a white shield with complex imagery manifested, a smaller one appearing right after it.
BOOM!
Star Dome shattered, Orion's Shield following next. Yasenia grunted from the backlash, but she poured energy as fast as she could into [Celestial Aegis], resisting the damage from the remaining strength of the combination attack.
Yasenia sighed in relief after she blocked everything. "The strength behind that attack is truly frightening. If I had not weakened all of you enough with my superior [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary], I would've been in trouble."
As she spoke, she noticed three presences appearing close to her. One of the copies chided. "Enough chit-chatting. Fight us seriously."
Yasenia smirked. "You fell for it. [Moon Ice Torment]!"
The copies felt the temperature plummet before a massive storm swept them all into the sky. The copies used [Crystaline Moon Dress] to resist the violent energies, all of them swinging the flag together.
"[Scorching Sword]!"
A large flag made of pure flames appeared, destroying the vortex of Moon energies Yasenia created together. While they did that, the other two had charged toward Yasenia.
Of course, Yasenia was not focused on them. Instead, she tightly grabbed the flag and repeated the previous attack.
"[Shattering The Heaven]!"
Her flag pierced upward while two of the copies tried to stab her.
BOOM!
Tatyana squinted, trying to see what had happened, and after a few seconds, her frown relaxed. 'Not bad.'
One of the copies had received Yasenia's [Shattering The Heavens]. Meanwhile, Yasenia used [Crystalline Moon Dress] and [Celestial Cosmos Dress] together to block the two flag attacks.
Of course, she couldn't block it completely, so she was bleeding from her shoulder and leg. Nevertheless, the sacrifice allowed her to defeat one of the copies.
Yasenia's smirk widened slightly, her golden-colored eyes shining even when she was bleeding. The four remaining copies clicked their tongues.
Then, they charged together, starting another intense exchange of attacks.
Yasenia was neither at an advantage nor at a disadvantage. Even if the fight went from 5v1 to 4v1, it didn't change the fact that those four were still as skilled as Yasenia.
Even if they were slightly weaker, Yasenia was pressured by their tactics and coordination.
Yasenia frowned, asking Sui Xing as she defended and moved around the place. "Sui Xing, what's the point of creating more than one copy? Aren't they just using their numerical advantage even when I am stronger?"
Sui Xing asked back with a smile. "Do you think you can master what the copies are trying to teach you and just move on? You must master it and become proficient enough to best several of those copies to advance forward and create a sturdy foundation."
The dragoness continued blocking, and many phenomena flew around among the five participants. Giant stars, powerful dragon breaths, healing rains, and attacks that could divide worlds or pierce through them. Celestial imagery constantly flashed on the battlefield, as the Sun, Moon, and Stars exchanged their dominance in the sky.
Yasenia's mastery of her skills was truly sublime, and she continued advancing on that path. However, lately, Yasenia noticed a small bump. It was as if the skills were stuck at a certain level, unable to continue forward.
'Hm… Do I need to improve them differently?'
As she clashed with the copies, Yasenia continued thinking about the effectiveness of her makeshift skills. All the new skills she now uses were created by herself over a few years of training.
Of course, they weren't perfect, but Yasenia knew that they were far from weak skills. Even Tatyana and Sui Xing told her that they were decent and perfectly usable.
'Shattering The Heavens is still one of, if not my strongest, skill.'
Without combination skills, [Shattering The Heavens] was powerful enough to destroy everything in its path. But she noticed that the overwhelming power this skill should have was not much different from her makeshift skills.
'Why is that?'
As she fought with the bronze copies, she couldn't come to any conclusion. These copies used her skills at the same level as hers. Yasenia could feel that she even had an edge over them. 'Hm… Should I move on already?'
Yasenia could always start the stairs from the beginning whenever she wanted. It was not like she was prohibited from going back down after she stepped on a new stair.
Moreover, to her relief, Sui Xing told her that the method to go down wouldn't be as violent as in the past.
Recalling that multicolored copy slamming her palm on her chest and sending her barreling down the stairs sent shivers down Yasenia's spine. 'That copy of mine was stupidly strong. She could probably slap Bronze Copies to death.'
The fact that, with her current skills and strength, she possessed destructive power far beyond what she could actually unleash was a constant thorn in Yasenia's heart.
'Take it slow.'
Yasenia focused. She knew that she couldn't rush it. Her heart was strong for a reason, and greediness and impatience had no place in a heart like Yasenia's.
She needed drive and ambition, but never blind arrogance or haste.
As she exchanged attacks, she showed a small opening on purpose. They were fighting on the ground, so Yasenia made it seem as if she had stepped on a rock that was too hard and minutely lost her balance.
The time for her loss of balance was minuscule, and no one would've noticed it, usually. But Yasenia's opponents were herself. She was confident enough that they would see that small mistake.
As she expected, all four instantly noticed and quickly rushed in. The timing was perfect.
Yasenia internally grinned. "[Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Seventh Form: Astral Convergence]."
While the copies rushed in, Yasenia raised her flag up high and slammed it down.
BOOOM!!!
The explosion sent all four copies flying, and Yasenia didn't lose this chance. She rushed toward one of the copies, her flag shining with celestial energies. "[Shattering The Heavens]!"
Another explosion followed, and the second copy died under Yasenia's hand. As she turned around, Yasenia smirked. "Alright, time to meet Silver Yasenia. Come at me!"
The copies chuckled and then showed ferocious grins. The dragoness mimicked their grin and rushed at them.
Four hours later, Yasenia stabbed her battle flag in the last copy's chest, finally reaching the 974th or 26th stair.