The aftermath of Xzavier's Total Rush scorched the simulated battlefield. Flames flickered across the surface of the Great Lake of Eidolon, refusing to die out. Steam rose into the artificial sky, shrouding both warriors in a hazy veil.
Xzavier stood hunched, panting heavily. His blade trembled in his grip, glowing with the fading embers of his last attack. The copy of Gimori Aku no had been pushed back, its purple robe tattered, its left arm scorched. But even with a portion of its strength, it still stood—expressionless, unmoved.
"Tch…" Xzavier spat blood onto the ground. "Still standing..."
The copy moved forward slowly, as if unfazed by the damage. Its hand raised, the Demon Blade pulsing ominously again. In a split second, it vanished.
Xzavier's eyes widened. Where?!
A sudden shock smashed into his back—a brutal knee strike. The air left his lungs as he was sent skidding across the hardened water. He coughed violently, pain erupting in his ribs.
From above, the copy descended like a hawk, blade poised for a finishing strike. Xzavier rolled aside just in time, the blade carving a black gash into the lake's surface that sent up a column of dark mist.
"He's adapting..." Xzavier muttered, struggling to his feet.
He tried to activate the Ascension Mark again, but his chest only flickered weakly. His stamina was nearly gone. The training simulation had pushed him past exhaustion. His vision blurred. His arms ached.
Is this all I've got? Is this really my limit?
"Simulation," he groaned. "End... simulation."
"Affirmative," the AI responded.
In an instant, the lake, the mist, and the copy of Gimori vanished. The training room returned to its cold, grey stillness. Xzavier dropped to one knee, gasping.
The door slid open. Hageshi Senshi entered, holding two energy drinks and a bag of warm buns.
"Could've sworn I smelled burnt ego," he teased, walking over. "Rough session?"
Xzavier glanced up, unable to hide the pain and frustration in his expression. "I'm still... nowhere near him."
Hageshi handed him a drink and sat down beside him. "You're not supposed to be. You're my rival after all."
"I went all out. Used everything I had. I activated my Ascension Mark and still... he didn't even flinch. And that was just a copy."
Hageshi took a slow sip of his drink. "Then that just means you're measuring yourself against the right person."
Xzavier looked down at his flame blade resting across his lap. "I thought I was strong enough. That if I trained hard enough, I could at least... match him."
"You're not your father, Xzavier," Hageshi said calmly. "But you're also not the newborn he left behind. You're something else now."
Silence settled between them.
Then Hageshi stood up and offered a hand. "Get up. I know something that'll help number 2."
"What?" Xzavier asked, looking up.
"The Warden's Forge. It's off-limits to students... but I might know a guy."
Xzavier stared at him, then smirked. "You always know a guy."
"Perks of being me," Hageshi winked. "Come on. You want to kill Gimori, right? Then let's start upgrading your flame."
With a grunt, Xzavier followed.
The Demon Blade… the Aku no Sigil… The Titan Blade…
He looked down at his sword.
I'll surpass my limits. No matter what it takes.