-You have unlocked the skill: Anima Mastery [F]-
-Description: The ability to manipulate the primal force known as Anima. Increasing its rank will allow the user to wield stronger and more complex skills.-
"Anima Mastery?" Ming Ze repeated, his voice echoing throughout what remained of the training ground.
His face showed nothing, not excitement, not fear, not even a hint of joy after surviving something that should have torn him apart from the inside out, only confusion, made evident by the slight furrow of his brow.
"A skill that lets me use other skills, huh?" he muttered, dismissing the floating screen with a wave of his hand. "I'll think about that later."
Ming Ze lowered his gaze to his hands.
Darkness poured from his fingertips, crawling over his skin like black flames, but unlike fire, it didn't burn him. It felt warm, familiar even, as if this power had always belonged to him and had only now decided to wake up.
"So much power..." Ming Ze whispered, slowly clenching his fists. "I can feel it coursing through every inch of my body."
And he wasn't the only one who could feel it.
At the edge of the ruined training ground stood Vier and Destro, both staring at the thirteen-year-old Demon King standing at the center of the destruction.
Cracks covered the ground around him, the training dummies had been reduced to splinters and half the stone wall had collapsed, and yet, despite all that chaos, Ming Ze stood there completely unharmed.
Well... mostly unharmed.
"He did it..." Vier whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief. "He actually did it."
"Hahahaha! See? I told you!" Destro exclaimed, throwing his head back with a booming laugh. "Our King will become the strongest Demon King to ever live!"
Vier slowly turned toward him.
Destro either didn't notice the murderous glare aimed at him, or he noticed and simply didn't care, either way, he continued.
"Despite being only thirteen years old, an age where attempting to use Anima would normally result in the body naturally ripping itself apart, our King defied the odds!" Destro proclaimed, his voice filled with pride. "He wrestled with the darkness itself and forced it to bend to his will!"
"AND YOU ALLOWED HIM TO DO IT ANYWAY!" Vier screamed, the veins on her forehead threatening to burst.
Her hands trembled at her sides as she resisted the urge to beat Destro's head into the ground, and trust me, that urge was getting harder and harder to resist with every stupid word that came out of his mouth.
Destro glanced at her, scratching the side of his cheek.
"Well... it worked, didn't it?"
"THAT ISN'T THE POINT!"
"Hey, Destro."
Vier's shouting came to an immediate stop.
Both of them turned toward Ming Ze, who was still staring at the darkness flowing from his hands.
"Need something, King?" Destro asked, tilting his head curiously.
Ming Ze slowly raised his head.
"Fight me."
His voice was calm, his face devoid of emotion, but the pressure behind those two words caused the air itself to grow heavy.
Vier's eyes widened.
"Wait, my lord! You just used Anima for the first time. Your body needs time to recover, you should re—"
"Be quiet."
The words were spoken softly, yet they cut through the training ground like a blade.
Vier froze.
Ming Ze turned his piercing gaze toward her, his eyes shifting between a bloody crimson and a deep ocean blue. Something ancient, something unnatural, stared through those eyes, and for the first time since meeting him, Vier felt a chill run down her spine.
This wasn't a child asking for permission.
This was the Demon King giving an order.
Vier stepped back before respectfully lowering her head.
"Yes, my lord."
Silence returned to the training ground, but only for a moment.
"Destro."
This time, Ming Ze's voice thundered throughout the entire area.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Destro replied, casually strolling toward him.
He moved with his hands buried inside his pockets, not a single trace of concern on his face. After walking for a few seconds, he stopped exactly five meters away from Ming Ze.
The two locked eyes.
Ming Ze's expression remained cold and unreadable.
Destro's held nothing but excitement.
"Raja..." Ming Ze whispered. "Create skill."
Destro raised an eyebrow.
"Raja?"
A black screen materialized in front of Ming Ze, its edges decorated with glowing blue markings that twisted and moved like living runes. Destro and Vier could see the screen, but its contents remained hidden from them.
-Please describe the skill to be generated.-
Ming Ze didn't hesitate.
"The skill type should be transformation," he said. "Add an effect that enhances all dark attacks."
-Understood.-
The screen disappeared.
Approximately two seconds later, another one appeared.
-Insufficient CP.-
-Complete transformation cannot be generated.-
-Transformation will be divided into three segments.-
-Skill generation will be completed in approximately five minutes.-
-4:59-
-4:58-
-4:57-
-4:56-
Ming Ze watched the timer for a moment before slowly turning his attention back toward Destro.
Five minutes.
All he had to do was survive for five minutes.
Sounds easy, right?
Well... it wasn't.
"Okay then," Ming Ze said, bringing his fists together with enough force to create a small shockwave. Dark Anima erupted from his body, coiling around both arms before engulfing his fists in black flames. "Let's begin."
A wide smirk spread across Destro's face.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this."
He pulled one hand from his pocket, using it to gesture for Ming Ze to come closer.
"Alright, King..." Destro said, still standing there without a care in the world. "Come at me."
BOOM!
Ming Ze pushed off the ground with enough force to shatter the stone beneath his feet, kicking up a massive cloud of dust as his body shot forward.
Five meters disappeared in an instant.
Ming Ze twisted his body and swung a left hook directly toward Destro's head, dark Anima trailing behind his fist like the tail of a comet.
Destro moved his head slightly to the side.
That was it.
No dramatic dodge, no desperate leap out of the way, he simply leaned to the left and watched Ming Ze's fist fly harmlessly past his face.
Their eyes met for a split second.
To Ming Ze, everything seemed to slow down as Destro stared at him with the same irritating, cocky grin.
Too slow.
Ming Ze flew past him, but instead of crashing face-first into the ground, he tucked his body into a roll. His feet touched the ground again, allowing him to immediately spring upright and assume a defensive stance.
Destro didn't even bother turning around.
"Still wanna go, King?" he asked, his grin never fading. "Because I can do this all day."
Ming Ze gritted his teeth before glancing toward the floating timer.
-4:47-
-4:46-
-4:45-
"Don't look away from your opponent during a fight, King."
Ming Ze's eyes widened.
Destro was already in front of him.
His fist sank into Ming Ze's stomach.
"Gah!"
The air was ripped from Ming Ze's lungs as his feet left the ground, his body shooting backward several meters, but Destro wasn't finished.
Not even close.
Destro charged after him and somehow reached Ming Ze before he could hit the ground. His fists became blurs, striking Ming Ze's ribs, stomach, chest and face in a relentless barrage.
Every punch kept Ming Ze suspended in the air.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Right.
Each impact echoed throughout the training ground like thunder.
Destro twisted his body, flames bursting from his leg as he delivered a devastating roundhouse kick.
Ming Ze's body was launched across the training ground, crashing into the earth with enough force to send stone and dirt exploding into the air.
A massive dust cloud covered the area.
Vier took a step forward.
"Ming Ze-Sama!"
"Relax," Destro said, lowering his leg. His smile had disappeared, replaced by a more serious expression. "That was only a taste of what I'm capable of."
He stared into the dust cloud.
"Don't push yourself too hard, King. I know I said you'll become the strongest Demon King, and I meant it, but strength takes time."
-Proficiency: 14%-
"You finished?"
Destro's eyes widened slightly.
Ming Ze's voice came from within the dust.
The cloud slowly cleared, revealing him standing at the center of a shallow crater. His clothes were torn, blood ran from the corner of his mouth and bruises covered his body, yet his eyes remained locked onto Destro.
Not a hint of fear could be found within them.
Ming Ze wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Let's continue."
Dark Anima erupted from his body once more.
He charged.
Only this time, he was three times faster.
Destro's eyes widened as Ming Ze vanished from where he stood.
"What—"
In the next instant, Ming Ze appeared two feet in front of him.
Destro stumbled back in surprise, and that single step was all Ming Ze needed.
He dropped his body and slammed a side kick into Destro's knee.
CRACK!
Destro was forced down onto one knee.
Ming Ze didn't stop.
He twisted his body, spinning a full three hundred and sixty degrees as dark Anima engulfed his foot. The darkness stretched behind him in a beautiful dance before his heel smashed directly into Destro's face.
Destro was launched several feet away, his boots tearing two trenches through the ground before he finally came to a stop.
Silence.
Vier stared in shock.
Ming Ze lowered his leg, dark Anima flowing from his body like smoke.
Destro slowly raised his head.
His nose was broken, blood pouring down over his lips, yet instead of becoming angry, he smirked.
"Damn!" Destro exclaimed, wiping away some of the blood. "I actually felt that!"
Flames engulfed his face.
Ming Ze narrowed his eyes as the fire burned away the blood and forced Destro's broken nose back into place. Within seconds, the injury had completely disappeared.
"Got any more surprises you wanna show me, King?" Destro asked.
-3:24-
-Proficiency: 43%-
"Soon."
Ming Ze charged again.
This time, Destro met him head-on.
Their fists collided, releasing a shockwave that tore through the dust surrounding them.
Ming Ze attacked first, throwing a punch toward Destro's head, only for Destro to block it with his forearm. Destro retaliated with a strike to Ming Ze's chest, but Ming Ze twisted his body, narrowly allowing the fist to pass him.
He countered with a kick.
Destro blocked.
Destro swung.
Ming Ze ducked.
The two became a whirlwind of punches, kicks and black flames, their attacks colliding faster and faster with each passing second.
Despite Ming Ze's improvement, Destro was still dominating the battle.
Every time Ming Ze landed one attack, Destro landed three.
Every time Ming Ze discovered an opening, Destro closed it.
But something strange was happening.
Vier watched from the sidelines, her eyes following every movement.
"It's truly impressive," she whispered. "He's managing to keep pace with Destro."
Even if Destro was intentionally holding back, keeping up with him was still an accomplishment, especially for someone who had awakened Anima less than ten minutes ago.
"However..." Vier muttered, narrowing her eyes. "I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong with this fight."
Destro's fist shot toward Ming Ze's face.
The attack was unavoidable.
At least, it should've been.
Ming Ze suddenly threw himself backward, planting both hands against the ground as the fist passed a single inch above his face. Now upside down, he raised his leg and brought his heel crashing down onto Destro's shoulder with a reverse axe kick.
BOOM!
Destro's body dropped slightly.
Ming Ze spun on one hand, darkness spiralling around his body like a ribbon as his foot slammed into Destro's chest.
"Ugh!"
Blood flew from Destro's mouth.
He was sent crashing across the training ground.
-1:32-
Vier finally realized what was wrong.
"He's adapting."
Her eyes widened as everything became clear.
"Ming Ze-Sama is continuously studying Destro's combat patterns. Every time Destro attacks him, he memorizes it, adjusts his movements and changes his fighting style to counter it."
Ming Ze wasn't simply keeping up with Destro.
He was learning from him.
No... he was evolving because of him.
"Ming Ze-Sama is truly amazing."
-Proficiency: 71%-
"Hahahaha!" Destro's laughter thundered across the training ground as he rose to his feet. "You're pretty good, King!"
Flames spread across his chest, healing the damage Ming Ze had inflicted.
Ming Ze stared at the wound as it disappeared.
"You know..." he said, his face still void of emotion. "That regeneration of yours is starting to get on my nerves."
"Oh, come on!" Destro exclaimed sarcastically. "Don't tell me you're giving up already."
The air grew still.
Ming Ze scoffed.
"Like hell I would."
They locked eyes.
Neither of them spoke another word.
They didn't need to.
Both fighters launched themselves forward at the same time, their fists colliding at the center of the training ground.
BOOM!
The earth cracked beneath them.
Ming Ze blocked a punch and drove his knee into Destro's stomach. Destro barely moved, responding with an elbow aimed at Ming Ze's head. Ming Ze ducked, spun behind him and struck Destro's back with an Anima-covered palm.
Destro turned, grabbing Ming Ze's wrist.
Ming Ze twisted free.
Destro kicked.
Ming Ze blocked.
Their battle continued, each collision causing the ruined training ground to crumble even further.
Then, in the corner of Ming Ze's vision, a notification appeared.
-As a result of performing a specific action repeatedly, you have unlocked the skill: Shadow Movement [F].-
Ming Ze's gaze shifted toward the screen.
Just for a moment.
But against Destro, a moment was more than enough.
"Got you."
Destro's fist buried itself into Ming Ze's abdomen.
"Gah!"
Ming Ze's body folded around the blow as every bit of air was forced from his lungs. The attack should've sent him flying, but Destro held his arm in a crushing grip, keeping him trapped in place.
Destro pulled back his other fist.
Flames gathered around it.
Vier's eyes widened.
"Destro, stop!"
-0:03-
Destro's flaming fist surged forward.
-0:02-
Ming Ze's head lowered, his eyes disappearing beneath the shadow cast by his hair.
-0:01-
The flames came closer.
-0:00-
-New skill created: Eclipse Mode [F].-
Something changed.
Destro's fist stopped inches away from Ming Ze's face.
The atmosphere twisted.
The shadows across the training ground suddenly stretched toward Ming Ze, moving against the light as if they had become living creatures. The air grew cold, and an instinct buried deep within Destro's body screamed at him.
Danger.
Destro released Ming Ze and leaped backward, putting as much distance between them as possible.
"Huh?" Vier muttered, watching him retreat. "Why did he back away?"
Then she felt it too.
A sense of impending doom descended upon the entire training ground.
Silence followed.
Not the peaceful kind of silence either.
This was the type of silence that came before something horrible, the kind that told every living creature nearby to run and never look back.
The shadows gathered around Ming Ze.
They swirled and coiled around his body like a living, sentient fog, consuming the light with every passing second. The sky above the training ground darkened, not because night had fallen, but because the light itself was being dragged toward him.
Ming Ze inhaled deeply.
Dark Anima erupted from his body.
It flowed across his skin before forming a deep, shadowy cloak that unfurled behind him. The cloak moved like liquid night, wrapping him in an aura of death and foreboding.
The ground beneath his feet turned black.
His hair rose as the darkness danced around him.
Then his eyes opened.
An eerie, ghostly light burned within them, piercing through the surrounding darkness like two spectral flames.
Vier couldn't move.
Destro couldn't speak.
One stared in complete horror.
The other stared in pure amazement.
For two whole minutes, neither of them dared to break the silence.
Vier was the first to finally find her voice.
"Ming Ze-Sama..."