The Superior Rebirth: A Hero's Awakening

Xavier and Adam locked eyes, the tension between them palpable. Without hesitation, Xavier charged forward, determined to press the attack before Adam could reveal any hidden tricks. His twin blades flashed in a relentless assault, yet Adam—eerily calm—met the flurry with a single sword. The effortless deflection brought a faint smile to Adam's lips.

"You've grown stronger, Xavier," Adam remarked, his tone tinged with genuine admiration. His amusement, however, betrayed a quiet confidence—as if he knew the outcome already.

Xavier said nothing, his focus unyielding. But Alcmena's voice cut through his concentration. "He's not as skilled with that sword as you might think. For someone of his caliber, this is... unusual."

Xavier, mid-strike, shot a quick glance toward his companion. "Unusual? How?"

"I suspect he's accustomed to wielding a different weapon," Alcmena replied. "His movements lack the precision of a seasoned swordsman. But don't get overconfident. Even with this handicap, underestimating him could cost you dearly."

Xavier's expression hardened at the warning. In a swift motion, he used the hilt of one blade to disarm Adam, sending his sword clattering to the ground. Yet Adam reacted instantly, his palm striking Xavier's wrist with calculated precision, forcing one of Xavier's swords to propel itself upwards.

Instinct took over. Xavier lunged with his remaining blade, aiming for Adam's chest. But in a blur, Adam caught the blade's tip between his fingers, snapping it clean off. The crowd gasped as Adam, with the detached fragment, hurled it toward Xavier's throat in a deadly counter.

Time seemed to slow. Just as the shard closed in, it froze mid-air, halted inches from Xavier's neck. Adam's eyes widened in shock, and murmurs rippled through the audience. Xavier had activated his vector shield in the nick of time.

Without missing a beat, Xavier redirected the shard back toward Adam, the fragment slicing through the air with lethal precision. Adam barely managed to tilt his head, the shard grazing his shoulder instead of his throat. Seizing the moment, Xavier followed up with a fierce and swift kick to Adam's face.

"Xavier!" Alcmena's urgent voice broke through. "Behind you!"

Instinctively, Xavier turned his gaze downward and caught sight of Adam's hand—his previously discarded sword now gripped tightly, arcing toward Xavier's exposed back. In a desperate move, Xavier snatched his blade that was still in mid-air and teleported away just as Adam's strike closed in. The missed attack whistled through empty space.

Reappearing a safe distance away, Xavier panted slightly, his mind racing. "When did he retrieve his sword? I disarmed him… didn't I?"

"He's faster than you think," Alcmena said sharply. "Stop overanalyzing. Focus. Watch his movements."

"Got it." Xavier steadied his grip on his sword, his resolve strengthening.

Adam, now standing tall, rolled his neck with a smirk. "I've seen enough of your tricks, Xavier. You're skilled, but you rely too heavily on finesse and your powers. Your physical strength is lacking, which creates… openings." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "And then there's that creature of yours."

Xavier's brow furrowed. "Creature? What are you talking about?"

Alcmena's voice erupted in Xavier's mind, laced with indignation. "Creature? Who does he think he is, calling me that?"

"Is he talking about you, Master?" Xavier murmured, his tone unsure.

"Of course he is!" Alcmena growled. "The audacity!"

Xavier's eyes widened with a mix of fear and confusion as he tried to grasp how Adam could possibly know about Alcmena and the power he wielded.

Even though he couldn't hear Xavier and Alcmena's conversation, Adam caught the subtle shift in Xavier's expression after the mention of the word, 'creature'.

Adam's smirk grew wider, his grin carrying an unsettling edge."Oh, did I touch a nerve, Xavier?"

"Surprised I know about your little pet?" he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "I first caught a glimpse of that beast during your scuffle with that bandit who nearly ended you."

He paced slowly, his gaze fixed on Xavier. "But I'll admit, I'm impressed. Befriending a dragon—and harnessing its power as your own? That's a first, even for me."

Adam's tone shifted, his grin fading into a more serious expression. Pointing directly at Xavier, he continued, "The abilities you displayed against Miraxis… they don't belong to you. They're his. I know what you really are. You were born with the power to manipulate vectors—nothing more, nothing less."

Xavier's grip on his sword tightened, his jaw clenching.

"But," Adam said, stepping closer, "even with that creature's help, you can't keep leaning on borrowed power to cover your weaknesses. One day, you'll face someone beyond your comprehension—someone whose strength will crush you, regardless of your tricks. In the real world, out on the real battlefield, you'll find that raw power isn't enough."

Xavier swallowed hard, the weight of Adam's words pressing on him. Deep down, he knew Adam wasn't bluffing—he was the very monster Xavier needed to overcome. His grip on his sword tightened, as his eyes mirrored his fighting spirit behind his mask. Xavier knew his vector shield had limits—three minutes at best even in its current weakened state. After that, he wouldn't be able to activate it again for a full day. Every second counted.

"I have to end this before time runs out," he thought, his mind racing. "Alcmena can only heal me in his true form, and we can't risk revealing that here."

But before Xavier could move a muscle, the atmosphere shifted. The arena dimmed as shadows stretched and thickened, swallowing the light inch by inch. Xavier glanced around, trying to make sense of the eerie change, but Adam simply raised a hand toward him.

The ground trembled, then crumbled. Massive tendrils of darkness erupted from beneath, twisting and writhing like living nightmares. Xavier's instincts kicked in, and he activated the Regokinesis Blade Technique, his sword slicing cleanly through the shadowy appendages as he darted between them, evading their grasp.

But Adam wasn't done. A barrage of weapon-like projectiles, forged from darkness itself, shot toward Xavier at blinding speed. His vector shield flickered to life just in time, deflecting the onslaught. Seizing the opening, Xavier countered with a series of rapid, precise slashes, each one aimed directly at Adam.

"Multi-Directional Echo!" he shouted, unleashing a devastating flurry of attacks.

Adam laughed, raising a shield of impenetrable darkness that blocked every strike with ease. As the final blow landed, Xavier leaped back, scanning for his opponent. To his shock, Adam was gone.

"Where is he?" Xavier muttered, his eyes darting across the battlefield. His heart raced as he searched for any sign of movement.

Alcmena's voice echoed urgently in his mind. "Xavier, behind you! He's in your shadow!"

Xavier whirled around, narrowly dodging a blade aimed at his back. He retaliated with a swift vertical slash, but his sword passed through Adam as though he were made of mist.

"What…?" Xavier gasped, stunned.

Adam smirked, his figure shimmering like a mirage before vanishing again. Moments later, he reappeared behind Xavier, emerging from his shadow like a phantom. Before Xavier could react, Adam landed a crushing backhand, sending him tumbling across the arena.

Xavier stabbed his sword into the ground, grinding to a halt. He wiped the blood from his lip, his mind racing. "How is he doing this?" he muttered, eyes fixed on Adam.

Across the battleground, Adam strolled casually, his every step accompanied by a mocking grin. He moved with unnerving ease, teleporting from one shadow to another, as if the arena itself bent to his will. Each movement was deliberate, a display of dominance meant to unnerve and demoralize.

Xavier gritted his teeth. Whatever it took, he had to find a way to turn the tide.

But then, Alcmena's voice cut through the silence. "Darkness."

Xavier blinked. "What?"

"He's manipulating darkness itself," Alcmena clarified.

Xavier smirked faintly. "So that's why they call him the 'Grim Reaper of the Abyss,' huh?"

Alcmena's calm voice swiftly shut down the humor. "This isn't the time for jokes."

Surveying the darkened battlefield, Xavier's smirk faded. "So, all this—the night sky, the shadows crawling everywhere—that's his doing?"

"Yes," Alcmena confirmed. "I realized it when he launched those projectiles at you."

Alcmena's tone grew contemplative. "I've fought someone with similar abilities before."

"Wait, really?" Xavier asked, wide-eyed. "But I thought only one person could have a specific gift."

"Partially true, but not entirely," Alcmena said with a measured breath. "Gifteds are those born with a unique ability and capacity to access the ethereal energy in their core, which the 'Ungifteds' ain't able do so. While their powers are often unique, elemental abilities are an exception. Many share similar elemental powers or variants—subcategories, if you will. And in rare cases, two might wield the exact same element."

"So, someone could be born with the same powers as my vector abilities?" Xavier pressed.

"That's impossible," Alcmena explained. "Your power is non-elemental, making it unique. Only a variant or sub-variant of your vector control could exist. But elemental powers, like darkness, are different. And there's more. Royals and nobles, all possess strong blood. Giving them the capability of sometimes passing their abilities to descendants, making their powers more prevalent."

Xavier's jaw dropped. "That… actually makes sense. But why don't more people know this?"

"Because your generation puts Gifteds on a pedestal," Alcmena replied, his voice carrying a faint edge. "Gifteds are not as rare as you think. In these peaceful times, they're multiplying rapidly compared to the chaos of the past."

The weight of Alcmena's words settled in Xavier's mind, but his focus snapped back to the man standing before him—Adam Durandel.

"You seem distracted," Adam teased. "A fatal mistake in a real fight."

Before Xavier could react, Adam was behind him, his voice a cold whisper. "If I were Percival or one of his generals, you'd already be dead."

Fear jolted Xavier into action as he spun and leaped back. Their swords clashed in a furious blur of strikes and parries, the sharp ring of steel echoing through the arena. Spectators watched in awe, murmuring, "What monsters."

"Come on, Xavier!" Adam taunted, his grin never wavering. "Is that all you've got?"

Xavier gritted his teeth, pouring everything into his speed, amplifying his movements with vector control. Yet Adam blocked every strike with ease, his demeanor more amused than determined. He seemed almost… distracted.

"Unbreakable will," Adam thought as his gaze locked onto Xavier's defiant blue eyes. For a moment, his smirk faltered. "He reminds me of him—the one Percival took from me. I'll make you pay, Percival. I will—"

Adam's aggression flared, knocking Xavier's blade aside. Closing the distance in a heartbeat, he drove his knee toward Xavier's torso.

"Shield up!" Alcmena barked.

Xavier reacted just in time, activating his vector shield. The shield absorbed the blow, but the force sent him skidding backward, his feet digging furrows into the ground.

Adam stood still, eyes closed, concentrating the darkness around him and Xavier, as he murmured, "Pure Darkness."

With a flick of his fingers, a dagger of inky blackness formed in midair. It shot forward, faster than Xavier could react. The blade pierced his vector shield as if it wasn't there, driving into his abdomen.

The crowd roared in excitement as blood splattered the dirt.

Anastasia's face paled. "Did that… dagger just bypass the Young Master's shield?"

Xavier dropped to his knees, gripping his sword as blood seeped through his fingers. Fear painted his face as he stared at the mark left behind—a faint, black stain spreading across his skin.

"How… how did he get through my shield?" Xavier whispered. "That's never happened before."

"Stay still!" Alcmena shouted. "Focus all your ethereal energy inward—now!"

Xavier's mind raced, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The connection he had with his shield felt destroyed, as if Adam's attack had slipped through an impenetrable wall.

Adam's voice cut through the haze. "You're wondering how I did it, aren't you?" He smirked, his tone dark and mocking. "Welcome to the real battlefield, Xavier. Your powers are impressive, but they mean nothing against someone who understands the depths of their own."

Slowly advancing toward Xavier, Adam smiled, his tone sharp as he said, "The thing that just pierced through your shield is 'Conceptual Darkness,' or as I like to call it, 'Pure Darkness.' It's a stronger, more potent form of darkness that ignores vectors and physics entirely. It doesn't interact with the environment in a traditional sense; it exists on a plane beyond the physical realm."

With a playful yet menacing smirk, Adam locked eyes with Xavier and continued, "That attack would have killed you instantly if I hadn't suppressed it. You should be grateful."

Xavier gritted his teeth, his body trembling as he tried to focus. Following Alcmena's earlier instructions, he circulated ethereal energy within himself to slow the bleeding. Attempting to re-activate his vector shield, his determination wavered as blood began to drip from his nose. His three-minute limit for maintaining the shield had been reached.

"I'm stepping in," Alcmena's voice rang through Xavier's mind, calm but firm.

"What? Why?" Xavier's response was sharp, confusion tinged with frustration.

"I need to heal your wounds," Alcmena replied, his tone unyielding. "If I don't, you'll bleed out."

Xavier, taken aback, protested, "But I've already followed your advice and circulated the energy. Plus, I've been through worse than this. Why are you so worried now?"

Alcmena fell silent for a moment. He knew Xavier was right—the young man had faced harsher trials before. Yet Alcmena despised seeing him hurt. He couldn't reveal that, deep down, he yearned to protect Xavier from all harm, even though he understood that pain was essential for growth. And Xavier needed that, as who knows what kind of monsters he would face in the future.

Before the conversation could continue, Adam brought his hands together. The shadows surrounding them began to shift, creeping closer. Darkness condensed in the air, gathering around the battlefield.

"What's happening?" Xavier asked, his voice steady but laced with unease.

"He's drawing in the darkness he released earlier," Alcmena explained, his tone analytical. "Including the darkness he cast over the city."

Alcmena's suspicion proved correct. Adam summoned the abyss around him, crafting a dome of pure shadow that enveloped the battlefield entirely. Within this space, light was slowly devoured, leaving them in an oppressive void.

Above the arena, Miraxis, Sir Lorian, Anastasia, and the crowd stared in stunned silence. The impenetrable darkness had cut off their view of the battle.

"What on earth is going on down there?" Anastasia muttered, her eyes narrowing.

Miraxis, arms crossed, remained stoic. His thoughts raced as his gaze sharpened. "You bastard," he thought. "You'd better not be planning to kill that boy. But from the looks of it, you have something else in mind."

Back inside the dome, Adam's smirk deepened. "This should make our conversation more private."

Xavier didn't respond. He focused on fortifying his body with his aura, letting the ethereal energy flow to slow his bleeding. His grip tightened on his sword despite the pain from Adam's earlier attack.

Adam approached slowly, his steps deliberate. With a swift kick, he knocked Xavier's sword away, raising his own blade for the final strike. "Show me what you can truly do, Xavier."

As Adam swung, his blade stopped abruptly, meeting an immovable force. It was as if it had struck unyielding iron. Xavier's glowing eyes burned brighter behind his mask as he caught the blade's edge with his bare hand. His hair grew longer, its color shifting to a radiant gold. A golden, draconic aura enveloped him, exuding raw power.

"Whatever you say," Xavier replied, his voice steady and confident. He delivered a devastating punch to Adam, the speed and force blasting him across the battlefield.

"RealmHeart".

Standing tall in his RealmHeart state, Xavier clenched his fist, feeling the surge of draconic strength coursing through him.

"It's been a while since I've used this in battle," he remarked, glancing at the glowing rune marks etched on his right arm and hand.

"Indeed," Alcmena acknowledged. "With this form, your wounds should no longer hinder you."

Xavier smirked behind his mask, adopting a stance with Adam's sword he had caught. "Thanks to this dome, I don't have to worry about revealing RealmHeart to the spectators."

Adam rose to his feet, brushing dust from his shoulders. His grin remained, his excitement undiminished. "Ah, so you've decided to take things seriously."

Xavier tossed Adam's sword back to him. "Here. You'll need it."

With a sharp glow, Xavier summoned his own weapon. "Come forth, Blade of Sovereignier, Calibourne!"