They both exchanged a bow.
"Ready?" Noah asked.
Nova nodded. He exhaled slowly, centering himself as he felt pressure forming in the air around Noah.
Noah then took his stance.
The moment he did, Nova felt the pressure intensify. His chest tightened as he struggled slightly to breathe. He stared at Noah, who stood completely still — like an unmoving mountain rooted into the earth. There was no opening. No weakness. No direction to attack from.
Only a fool would dare charge blindly.
"Damn... there's no opening or weakness in his stance," Nova thought as his grip on the sword tightened painfully.
Noah saw Nova standing still, looking unusually cautious. "What's he waiting for...? Why does he look hesitant?" he wondered before finally speaking. "What are you waiting for? Start."
Hearing this, Nova swallowed and carefully charged at Noah.
CLANG!
Their swords met. Noah felt almost nothing.
However, Nova felt his hands go numb as his grip weakened around the sword nearly slipping from his fingers. Before he could steady himself and tighten his hold properly, Noah's blade struck again.
The impact sent Nova flying across the room. He landed hard, sliding halfway across the floor and his sword tearing against the ground for support as faint sparks scattered.
A look of confusion appeared on Noah's face. "Is he holding back? I didn't even feel the cosmic energy in that strike."
Noah looked at Nova. To any normal person, he seemed fine. But to Noah, Nova's hesitation was obvious. His breathing was uneven. His eyes were calculative. Every few seconds he took controlled, measured breaths.
Noah pondered for a moment. Then it clicked. He quickly dialed down his power. The oppressive tension in the air thinned, like heavy clouds parting. Nova finally felt the weight lift slightly from his chest.
Nova bowed once more and returned to his position. He took his stance again.
So did Noah.
"That's to show, that the power difference between Uncle Noah and I is huge. One of the perks of being a Channeler." his eyes burning with determination for the day he would get to fight Noah in his full strength.
He lunged forward and swung the sword in his hands. For him this sparing match wasn't about winning. It was to prove that every training Noah had put him though wasn't a wasted effort. To Nova, Noah was more than an uncle. He was his idol. A man he admired deeply. He was that kind of cool uncle every kid wished for, and also this one was also a Master in nearly every form of combat and a brutal instructor who showed no mercy in training.
CLANG!
Steel screamed as their swords collided.
Nova pushed harder. Faster. Sharper than before. Every strike carried three years of relentless training. Unlike before — where even the smallest mistake meant instant defeat — this felt different. It was Better.
Noah deflected Nova's relentless strikes, a flicker of satisfaction flashed in his eyes, even without the feeling the cosmic energy yet. He could feel the raw force behind Nova strikes.
Then it began. The strikes grew stronger. Faster. Sharper. Fiercer than the last.
And a faint smile escaped Noah's lips. Nova saw it clearly, it lit a fire inside him. He decided to use the move he had used to defeat the bot, but this time he didn't drop his sword.
He lunged forward.
Noah instantly recognized the movement and felt slight disappointment. But that disappointment vanished. Nova's left fist shot forward and struck Noah's palm.
Noah had already prepared his own hand, intending to stop the attack like before. But the force behind Nova's blow was far greater than expected.
The impact numbed his hand, and he felt it... The Cosmic Energy.
"I was right. It's really the cosmic energy..." Noah thought. But it seems stronger than before.
He was genuinely surprised. When Nova fought the bot, he had clearly held back while using the cosmic energy. Now, it felt denser. Sharper. More refined.
But more surprises were yet to come.
Nova used the same left hand again and landed three rapid strikes in succession against Noah's palm.
The speed left him momentarily stunned.
In the same heartbeat, Nova surged forward without pause —
THUD!
He delivered another strike that broke through Noah's defense. The intensity of the cosmic energy and the raw force behind it forced Noah to stagger back slightly.
Seizing the opening, Nova's right hand tightened around his sword. With terrifying precision, he hurled the blade toward Noah's neck. Just as the sword was about to reach him — Nova's instincts screamed danger.
He twisted violently, swinging behind him with full strength.
Nothing. He looked around. Noah had vanished.
Nova couldn't sense him anymore. It was as if his presence had been erased. The air felt empty.
Nova tried to calm himself... but suddenly his body stiffened as he felt cold steel touch his throat.
"You don't leave yourself open against an enemy... it will cost your head." Nova heard Noah's voice sounded like a whisper to his ear.
Every hair on Nova's body stood on end. His knees nearly buckled.
"You did well," Noah said calmly. "It seems you are better than I thought."
Nova felt his head spin. He was happy, but this was just round one. The real battle would be round two. They both went back to the center of the room.
Noah stepped into his stance, and Nova could already feel it that oppressive aura.
"It seems the training wheels are off now," Nova said inwardly. "I guess there's no backing down.
"Alright, come," Noah said quietly.
Nova charged.
He didn't hesitate. He didn't think. He didn't breathe. His blade cut forward in a blur. This time he was putting every ounce of strength he could muster into the strike.
Noah moved slightly. Not fast, not flashy, just precise.
Their swords met.
CLANG!
To anyone watching, it was just a simple block.
To Nova, it felt like his sword had struck an immovable world. The impact rattled his bones, the shock tearing through his arms and slamming into his chest like a hammer. Before his breath could return, pain exploded across his shoulder as Noah's sword hilt struck his shoulder.
A clean hit.
Ignoring the searing pain, Nova retreated instantly and attacked again, striking from the left, then the right, then low.
Noah blocked everything.
Each clash felt heavier than the last. This time Nova wasn't rushing in like before, so there were fewer moves. This was a mental match for Nova, as he had to calculate his movement, speed, strength, and Noah's possible next move. He pushed harder... but this time it seemed Noah wasn't even like a mountain, but a storm compressed into human form.
Noah finally stepped forward and attacked. Just the speed and strength alone of Noah's attack overwhelmed Nova instantly. He staggered backwards, but Noah didn't stop. Then —
BAM!
Noah sent a kick that shattered Nova's stance. His sword flew from his hand and clattered across the hall.
"Shit!" Nova cursed inwardly as he fell to the floor.
Noah's sword hovered menacingly over Nova's face. Nova's chest heaved as he stared at the blade pointed at him.
Silence filled the room. Nova stared at Noah's face but couldn't decipher the emotionless expression. Noah didn't say anything and walked away.
The fight was over.
•••
In an expansive room, the walls were a serene slate gray, smooth and soothing to the eye. Subtle panels shifted in color, casting a gentle, luminous glow that brightened the space with a quiet, almost ethereal warmth.
A bed rested along one wall, roughly centered yet pushed slightly toward the middle of the room. Crisp white sheets covered the neatly made mattress, undisturbed except for the figure lying across it.
A sleek laptop sat open on the bed, its soft glow illuminating the boy sprawled over the covers. On the screen, a man's image stared back at him—dark brown hair, sharp features, and captivating black eyes that shimmered in the reflection.
"Dad, so how're you feeling...?"
"Not so good...!" Grey said, wincing a little.
"Last night you really went all out." Nova chuckled as he remembered how Grey drank nearly a crate of beer last night in the name of celebration, and how Noah had come to pick them up that evening.
"Hahaha, I did, huh." Grey chuckled awkwardly as he remembered the embarrassing moments.
"So... how's Planet Krestod?" Grey asked, his voice low and careful.
"It's fine..." Nova's answer was soft, almost distant.
"I heard it's going to be a commercial planet soon."
"Yes," Nova replied. "They've already started with the northern region."
Grey's brow furrowed. "But... that's where Noah's house was. So which region are you guys in now?"
"The eastern region," Nova said calmly.
"Okay... that's nice," Grey exhaled. "Hopefully it's not another mountain."
Nova let a small chuckle escape. "It's even bigger than the last one."
"Oh, Noah..." Grey sighed, somewhere between frustration and nostalgia.
"Haha," Nova responded, his laughter soft, almost echoing in the quiet of his room.
Grey's voice took on a teasing edge. "Let me guess... your uncle dragged you into training the moment you landed?"
Nova groaned. "You could say that... We sparred. I almost won."
"Noah agreed to spar... wait, you almost won?" Grey's voice rose in unconcealed shock.
He knew his brother's strength. For Nova to even come close was impressive... and honestly unbelievable.
Nova quickly added, easing him slightly. "That was only the first round. He dialed down his power."
"Ahh... that makes sense." Grey burst into laughter. "For a second I thought you nearly beat Noah while he was serious. Let me guess, he wiped the floor with you in the next round?"
Nova scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yep"
"That's Noah for you..." Grey chuckled softly, the amusement lingering in his voice.
"Alright... get some rest tonight. You'll need it. Noah won't go easy tomorrow."
"Haha..."
"Good night," Grey said after a pause.
"Good night," Nova replied, his voice trailing as the call ended.
He rose and moved to a corner of the room. A table head floated silently into view, a faint blue neon glow tracing its edges. No legs, no bulk... just precise, suspended light. He set his laptop atop it, the device balancing perfectly on the hovering surface.
Once settled, he opened a website, his eyes scanning the familiar text. Even after reading it countless times, the words held him, pulling him deeper into the world beyond his room.
The God's Ruins
It was a world where nuclear arms, guns, and every form of advanced technology lost their meaning the moment one stepped inside. No firearm had ever fired there. No missile had ever launched. Every machine that relied on modern technology simply... failed.
Only ancient weapons remained reliable — swords, bows, spears, shields — relics of a distant past that had somehow become the only tools of survival.
The God's Ruins had been discovered by the seven great races long ago, and that discovery changed the balance of the universe forever. The treasures and power hidden within gave those races an overwhelming edge over all others. Among them, humanity stood proudly at the top.
The Ruins were divided into five floors.
Five entire worlds stacked upon one another.
Each floor was vast enough to be called a planet, yet completely different from the last. New skies. New laws. New dangers. New trials.
No race had ever conquered all five. No one had ever reached the fifth floor. No one knew why the God's Ruins existed.
And that was what made it irresistible.
Nova read the passage slowly, his eyes tracing the familiar words as if seeing them for the first time.
Then... the door slid open with a soft hiss.
"Lights out."
Nova sighed dejectedly. "Okay."
Nova logged off and closed the laptop. The faint blue glow of the floating table head dimmed as he climbed onto his bed.
He closed his eyes, but sleep refused to come. Instead, he lay there in the quiet darkness, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"What skill should I pick when I obtain the mark... and become a channeler?"