Martial Demons Ascension

Rhyka didn't answer Eto's request right away He let the silence hang for a moment golden eyes fixed on her watching the tension build in her shoulders Then his lips pulled into a familiar smirk

"Fine" he said at last "I'll take you on"

Eto's chest loosened with a sharp exhale but before she could thank him Rhyka raised a hand

"But" His voice hardened the smirk turning sharp "You're paying I'm not doing this out of charity Loretta and Rinnte are already getting more than they should for what they're giving back You want my time My insight You'll cough up coin"

Eto flinched caught off guard but then nodded quickly "I—I'll pay"

"Good" Rhyka's smirk widened slightly "Then let's get one thing straight before we waste time I don't care about your lightning your reputation or your fan club If you're here you're just another student And students prove themselves to their teacher"

He took a step forward closing the distance his eyes never leaving hers

"Which means you're going to spar with me"

Eto stiffened blinking "With… you"

"That's right" Rhyka said flatly His tone left no room for doubt "I want to see where you actually stand Not where your magic puts you not where your classmates think you are You Your body Your instincts Your skill"

Eto's lips parted then pressed together in a thin line Her hands clenched at her sides She had reached the Peak of Rank 1 only weeks ago Her mana reserves were strong her lightning sharper than ever But she knew knew that in pure fighting skill she was behind Rinnte She was behind Loretta She was behind Rhyka most of all

But backing down wasn't an option

She straightened her back meeting his golden gaze with her own steady one "…Alright"

Rhyka tilted his head as if amused by her hesitation Then he shifted his blade against his shoulder his calm aura pressing subtly heavier against her

"Good" he said quietly "Because I want to test myself too"

His smirk lingered as he stepped back rolling his shoulders loosening his stance His golden eyes never left Eto's face already reading the way her weight shifted on her heels the way her fingers twitched with contained mana

This wasn't just for her This was for him

He wanted to see how far his Martial Essence and refined body had carried him against someone at the Peak of Rank 1

The challenge was set

Rhyka smirked and set his curved blade aside the steel ringing dully as it met the ground He rolled his shoulders lowering into a fighting stance His posture wasn't flashy no elaborate guard no exaggerated movement Just loose balanced coiled

Eto scoffed at the gesture sparks already crawling up her arms "You think you can test me barehanded"

Rhyka tilted his head golden eyes steady "I don't think I know"

That was enough to snap whatever hesitation Eto had left Her core flared golden arcs erupting across her body as she whispered the incantation and triggered her spell

Golden Axis

The air crackled instantly Strands of lightning looped through her frame vanishing and reappearing like veins of molten gold running under her skin Her hair lifted faintly with the static Each breath came sharper each twitch faster

Golden Axis was more than just lightning It was precision Control Multiplication Her Rank 1 core alone shouldn't have been enough to sustain it but she had practiced this spell more than anything else in her arsenal Where other students hesitated to touch it fearing backlash Eto had thrown herself into mastering it—and now the results showed

Her body was a conduit Each flicker of lightning doubled back fed itself amplified She was faster stronger sharper her reactions multiplied tenfold

She blurred forward

To Rhyka it was slow

Not literally her body was fast faster than any untrained eye could follow But through Martial Vision he saw more than motion

He saw intent He saw her weight shift half a second before she launched He saw mana pooling in her calves before her muscles tensed He saw her arm draw back golden essence trailing ahead of her fist showing him three possible paths it might take

To him it wasn't a blur It was a diagram

Rhyka twisted his torso letting her punch slice the air by his cheek and stepped in His foot landed exactly where her weight would collapse cutting off her angle His fist came up sharp direct slamming into her ribs

The impact cracked like thunder

Eto's breath exploded from her lungs as her body lifted off the ground sent flying backward She hit the dirt hard sliding several paces before digging her hands into the ground to stop Sparks scattered Golden Axis shrieking as it fought to stabilize

Her eyes widened

That strength…

He hadn't enhanced himself with mana He had no core Yet that one strike carried the weight of a Peak Rank 1 combatant—and more

Eto gritted her teeth forcing herself up Pain flared in her chest where his fist landed but the lightning burned it away flooding her body with enhanced reaction Her jaw clenched "Don't underestimate me"

The arcs around her body flared brighter Golden Axis spun faster doubling the circulation speed pulling her nerves into overdrive Her outline shimmered with unstable light as she lunged again

This time she didn't strike head on

Her body twisted mid step lightning arcing across her shoulder into her palm as she launched a spear hand thrust feinting low before snapping it upward toward his jaw The second function of Golden Axis kicked in her body devouring the stray sparks she released recycling them into more speed

To anyone else it would have looked impossible to dodge

To Rhyka it was already decided

The golden threads of Martial Essence showed him her weight distribution the tension in her calves the mana flow building in her shoulder He didn't see a strike he saw the whole chain of cause and effect leading to it

He pivoted on his heel torso twisting as the strike whistled past His hand clamped around her wrist twisting it sharply and his other hand snapped forward into her sternum

Another thunderous impact

Eto's body shuddered under the blow Golden sparks sprayed as she was forced back again boots gouging the ground

Her teeth clenched against the pain She steadied herself lightning flashing across her skin to numb the ache Her breathing came harder but her eyes blazed

Rhyka straightened smirk tugging at his lips "Peak Stage Doesn't feel like it"

Eto snarled lightning bursting violently around her as she reset her stance Her pride wouldn't let her fold Not to him Not when she had just asked to be his student

The air grew hotter as her Golden Axis spun faster drawing more mana burning through her reserves at reckless speed Her body blurred again arcs whipping across her limbs as she shot forward with a flurry of blows punches kicks strikes faster than most eyes could follow

Rhyka moved with unnerving calm

Each strike left golden afterimages in his Martial Vision each path visible before it was thrown His body shifted minimally half steps angled pivots tiny twists dodging everything with inches to spare Sparks grazed his arms lightning burned across his skin but his movements stayed deliberate precise

And then at the gap between her overextended punch and her next strike he stepped in

His elbow drove into her shoulder jarring her arm numb and before she could counter his leg swept hers out from under her

She hit the ground hard dust kicking up around her Golden Axis flickering under the shock of impact

He didn't follow up

He just stood over her golden eyes gleaming smirk sharp

"Get up" Rhyka said flatly "We're not done"

Eto gritted her teeth pushing herself back to her feet lightning sparking violently across her arms Her pride screamed at her Her body ached but the Golden Axis kept her moving kept her sharp

She wasn't going to stop Not until she showed him everything