Chapter 116
"Why did you thrust without confirming the distance?"
Bruakk!
Buuuuk!
"Stand up. I still haven't seen an effort worthy of a disciple who claims she wants to surpass her master."
"I… will bring you down…"
"Then come. I will welcome every mistake you make."
Dust scattered in the air, blending with the light piercing through the gaps in the trees and the traces of destruction around them.
Erietta Bathee slashed through the air with her sword, creating spirals that forced every one of Theo Vkytor's steps to be calculated with precision.
Even without holding a sword, Theo's body moved like liquid adapting to the flow of attacks.
Each slash flying toward him was anticipated with meticulous accuracy, and when an opening appeared, his open palm swept the space before him, producing a gust strong enough to push Erietta back several meters.
There was no excessive offensive movement—only perfect control, proving that strength does not always lie in clashing steel, but can be delivered through sharpened awareness and mature precision.
The surroundings resonated with them—each swaying leaf, each breaking twig—affirming that this dance was not mere training, but a field of trials demanding understanding far beyond muscle and weapon.
In a battle that resembled a symphony of power and composure, Theo moved with speed and fluidity that adjusted to the rhythm of the onslaught.
Whenever Erietta lost momentum or fixated too much on a pattern, Theo's palm cut through the space with such accuracy that it sent her rolling back, injured despite never being touched by a blade.
Every contact with the wind he generated delivered a message without words: dominance could be achieved without excessive aggression.
The trees around them became silent witnesses—the falling leaves and snapping branches marking each motion—while Theo remained like a shadow gliding across the field, leaving no trace except the awareness that distance, rhythm, and self-control were the essence of his strength.
Such a simple gesture—raising an open palm—became a statement, wrapping immense abilities in a form that looked light and serene.
That strength demanded neither anger nor brutality, but existed in precision and calm.
Theo did not underestimate his opponent, and though every step seemed passive to an outsider, each movement carried very real consequence.
Erietta felt the physical pressure of the wind his palms created, and though unseen, the impacts sending her sprawling reflected power channeled with absolute efficiency.
Environment, body, and movement became one—the speed and accuracy of each action determining the outcome far more than raw power.
In the quiet broken only by the clash of force and the whistle of air, Theo affirmed the principle that mastery over oneself was far more lethal than any sword in hand.
Theo moved, dodged, and directed energy without a weapon, maintaining perfect distance and rhythm.
"If my strength needs to rise until it breaks through the limits of the world, so be it. I no longer care."
Doooor – dooor!
"I will make you stop dodging."
In a field heating with uncontrollable energy, Erietta Bathee's body glowed with an intensity far beyond comprehension.
Every breath she took seemed to vibrate through the air, and the aura around her expanded outward, forcing each particle to adjust to her swelling power.
The transformation was not merely physical reinforcement, but a fundamental shift in the rhythm of her body and overflowing Lu Core, shooting past values previously unimaginable.
Numbers surging from millions to Desillion, then Quindecillion, Sexvigintillion, and into Googolbong were nothing but a simple representation of the immensity of the energy now coursing through her—untamed and wild, as if even the universe had to acknowledge the overwhelming waves she radiated.
The sword she held was no longer just metal, but an extension of her blazing Lu Core, merging with her until the boundary between weapon and wielder blurred.
Each movement—even a breath—released power that bent space and time around her, creating shockwaves capable of crushing anything in their path.
The environment, the air, the battlefield—all bore silent witness to energy so pure and overwhelming.
The aura emanating from Erietta was not mere light or heat, but a vibration marking absolute dominance over her own potential—a sign that her body and Lu Core had joined into a single, formidable entity.
In the midst of it all, every strike she launched, every step she took, was not simply the product of training or skill, but the manifestation of exponential growth breaking past the limits of human logic.
Her soaring potential made her faster, more precise, more destructive, needing no sword to command the field.
The energy she produced was so immense, so tangible, that even the shadows around her rippled, as if the world itself adjusted to her newly awakened supremacy.
This transformation forged a presence both terrifying and breathtaking, affirming that Erietta now stood on a level once thought unreachable.
Erietta's energy and potential had reached a peak never before touched, radiating an aura anything but normal.
'If I keep ignoring this, she might truly destroy herself.
If I keep restraining myself, I'll be the one injured. Or worse, she will never stop.'
Fssssssh!
'We've come too far—turning back means nothing.
So from here on, I can no longer fight the way I usually do.'
Nguuung!
'Gate Opened, Suffering Unleashed… and Nihil Mandala.
Two techniques within a single breath.'
Dust and turbulent power filled the battlefield, forcing every movement to be made with caution.
Theo Vkytor, who had applied the Stunning Technique through his body without needing to dance, moved with full awareness of the risks surrounding him.
Each palm that previously flowed with energy now served as a record of experience, teaching his body to read the rhythm of his opponent and the battlefield without losing control.
Erietta, having surpassed her former limits, stood as the epicenter of attention; but for Theo, this was no longer about evasion or endurance.
He began forming attacks not only to test his physical boundaries, but to merge two sword techniques at once—an act requiring absolute precision and the courage to bear the consequences should he misstep.
The rhythm in Theo's mind merged with the motion of his body, creating harmony within the chaos generated by Erietta's overflowing energy.
When considered closely, the flow of the Open Gate Technique could be fused with the surge of Unleashed Suffering.
The result could be a blend never before witnessed.
A dance of power, where each step prepared the explosion of the next wave.
Every movement—every hand arc, every foot placement—was weighed carefully to produce maximum effect without endangering himself unnecessarily.
The aura born from combining the two techniques thickened the tension, pressing the surrounding space and signaling that the battle had reached a point where experience, intuition, and self-control dictated everything.
Theo was no longer merely avoiding or reading attacks; he was beginning to exploit every opening, fusing reflex and strategy to create opportunities within a nearly uncontrollable field.
The balance between risk and reward was calculated with precision, while the energy surrounding him resonated with the force swelling inside his opponent.
Amid the pressure, his steps remained calm yet determined, marking that the dual-technique approach was not just a display of power, but a testament to his remarkable understanding of an art that unified body, mind, and internal energy.
The two sword techniques began operating simultaneously, radiating Theo's dominance—he was no longer holding back.
To be continued…