"Hey, what’s going on here?" But not long after the bullying Morris did to Kaelen, Ethan suddenly appeared right beside Morris while he asked.
"Oh nothing much, just punishing Kaelen here for eating some snacks I kept for myself" Morris answered with a blissful smile on his face.
As soon as Kaelen heard him while getting up, he immediately had a darkened look on his face as he thought.
’Damn it, you could have just say so sooner!!’
"Oh, hahaha, that suits him" Ethan suddenly said with a hearty laughter coming out of him which darkened Kaelen’s face even further.
"Well now that you are here, I need your help with something" Morris suddenly said with a more serious look on his face.
"Ask away, I will make sure I do it no matter the cost" Ethan said as he gave Kaelen a side glance.
’Huh? Why do I feel like he has an I’ll intent towards me?’ Kaelen thought with a wondering look on his face. But Morris didn’t seem to have time for this as he said.
"I would like you to have a spar with the both of us"
"A spar with the both of you?" Ethan asked with a surprised look on his face. But Morris expression became even more serious as he confirmed while he gripping his scepter more tightly.
When Ethan saw this, he fell silent for a while before he suddenly shifted his gaze towards Kaelen and asked.
"Are you cool with this?"
’This is what I have been hoping for for a while now so why the hell will I miss this!?’ Kaelen thought with an excited feeling within him while he answered calmly.
"I don’t mind"
"Well then, both of you should enter your positions" Ethan said as he gave Morris and Kaelen some distance while he stood with his two hands behind him.
’Arrogant’ Kaelen thought with a scoff as he brought out his blade of eternity while he readied himself along with Morris.
And so, Kaelen tightened his grip on the hilt of his Blade of Eternity, feeling its familiar weight and power. Beside him, Morris’s new scepter glowed faintly, crackling with magical energy. The two exchanged a quick glance, a silent agreement passing between them. They had to work together if they were going to win this.
Ethan, unarmed but far from defenseless, radiated a calm yet dangerous aura. He was a master of martial arts and had an affinity for quick, precise movements. His agility was unmatched, and Kaelen knew this would be a challenging fight.
"Ready when you are," Ethan called out, his voice smooth and collected.
"Let’s do this," Kaelen replied, his voice firm.
Swoosh!!
Bang! Bang!
In an instant, Ethan shot forward, moving with blinding speed. Kaelen barely had time to react as Ethan aimed a series of rapid strikes at him. He deflected the first few with his sword, but Ethan was relentless, slipping past his defenses and landing a solid blow to Kaelen’s side. The impact sent Kaelen stumbling, but before Ethan could press his advantage, Morris intervened.
Morris raised his scepter, and with a flick of his wrist, sent a wave of energy hurtling toward Ethan. The blast was quick and sharp, forcing Ethan to leap back, giving Kaelen the moment he needed to recover. Ethan, however, was unfazed. With a graceful twist, he evaded the magic attack and closed in on Morris, his eyes locked on the mage.
Quick steps!!
Sword Mastery!!
But Kaelen wasn’t about to let Ethan isolate his friend. With a burst of speed, he lunged forward, swinging his blade in a wide arc to force Ethan back. Ethan dodged, but Kaelen was ready this time. As Ethan twisted to avoid the strike, Kaelen tapped into his inner reserves, focusing his energy into a single, powerful move.
"Now!" Kaelen shouted to Morris.
Morris didn’t need further instruction. He raised his scepter, channeling his magic into Kaelen’s blade. The Blade of Eternity began to glow with an otherworldly light, resonating with the magical power infused within it. Kaelen then leaped into the air, his sword raised high, and summoned the power of the Sword Rain—a move he had only recently mastered.
Sword Rain!!
In a heartbeat, the sky above darkened as countless ethereal blades materialized, forming a swirling storm of swords. Ethan’s eyes widened in surprise, realizing too late what was happening. With a swift, decisive motion, Kaelen brought his sword down, and the spectral blades rained down on Ethan from all directions.
Ethan moved with incredible speed, dodging and weaving through the onslaught, but there were too many blades, coming from too many angles. He managed to deflect some with his bare hands, his reflexes astounding, but the sheer volume overwhelmed him. The blades were relentless, pressing him back with each strike, forcing him to retreat until he had no room left to maneuver.
Boom!!
The final blow came as one of the swords grazed Ethan’s shoulder, throwing off his balance. He staggered, and in that brief moment of vulnerability, the remaining blades converged, pinning him to the ground. Though they were ethereal and caused no physical harm, the message was clear—Kaelen and Morris had won.
Breathing heavily, Kaelen landed gracefully, dispelling the remaining swords with a wave of his hand. Ethan, still on the ground, let out a low chuckle as he pushed himself up, brushing off his clothes.
"Impressive," Ethan admitted, a rare note of admiration in his voice. "You’ve both improved."
Morris smiled, but it was Kaelen who spoke. "We had to, to keep up with you," he replied, offering Ethan a hand.
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Ethan accepted the gesture, standing up with Kaelen’s help. Though they had won, it was clear that Ethan had made them work for it. The three exchanged knowing smiles, the camaraderie between them strengthened by the challenge.
"Why don’t we go find something to eat? I am getting hungry" Morris suddenly said with a wry smile on his face.
"Sure"
"Why not?" Both Kaelen and Ethan said in unison as Kaelen helped Ethan back on his two feets.
As they left the training grounds, Ethan clapped Kaelen on the shoulder. "That Sword Rain move… it’s deadly. You’ll have to teach me that someday."
Kaelen smirked in a strange way, sheathing his sword. "Maybe someday," he said, the promise of future battles and friendships lingering in the air, while Kaelen and Morris await for the grand PaceSetter rookie tournament to begin.