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BOOOMMM!!!
A massive explosion erupted in the snowy forest, shaking the trees and sending clouds of white powder into the air. Ragnar coughed hard in pain as Brunhild's blazing talons in her Phoenix Form struck him squarely in the chest and stomach. The force of the blows punched deep into his gut and launched him high into the skies before he came crashing back down into the earth.
The crater beneath him burned with lingering heat, and giant cracks spread outward across the frozen ground. For a moment Ragnar truly believed he was about to die. He expected his body to be torn to shreds or explode into pieces under the sheer power of the attack. Yet a quiet question formed in his mind. Why would his own daughter ever go that far?
He opened his eyes and gasped for air, realizing he was still completely in one piece. His stomach and chest carried deep bruises, and his muscles ached fiercely, but his bones remained unbroken and every single organ inside his body was unharmed.
"W-What… happened?" he coughed, feeling Brunhild's warm Healing Flames wrap around his body and steadily restore his energy. "Brun?"
"Sorry dad, I got a little angry," Brunhild laughed as she patted his broad shoulders. "But still, did you see that?! You're super freaking tough right now!"
"Tough?" he gasped, pressing a hand against his chest and stomach. He had always been a huge, chiseled, super muscular man, but now his muscles felt even denser, as if they had been compressed further by some invisible force. The intense strength flowing through him also gave him immense weight. His total body weight had nearly tripled since the change. "I really took all of that without dying!"
"I knew it since I took that punch from you earlier," Brunhild said with a big, proud grin. "Dad, you got super strong! It's all because you never gave up on protecting mom…!"
"R-Really…?"
Her father fell silent for a moment, quietly admiring his new strength. He also noticed that the Ox Beast Spirit Tattoo covering his body had evolved. It had spread farther across his skin and now glowed with fierce red and black light.
Of course Brunhild still had not gone completely all-out. Even so, she had channeled both her bloodline and her tattoo at the same time, a combination powerful enough to decimate most opponents.
"Your durability is probably similar to the Vampire I fought before," she explained. "In exchange I don't think you've got the best regeneration. If your head rolls off I doubt you can regrow it. Limbs… maybe, if you eat enough Vampire meat."
"Huh…" Ragnar nodded slowly. "Nonetheless, that's just amazing. Thank you dear. I think I understand my new strength and limits a little better now."
"What are you thanking me for, daddy? We just started!" Brunhild smiled, the expression almost demonic in its excitement. "Let's spar for a little while more!"
"E-Eh?"
Ragnar began sweating rapidly as he watched his energetic daughter drag him back into the wide arena she had built earlier with her Ice Magic. Before he could protest further they started fighting again.
"Just exchanging two punches isn't going to help you understand your new limits, dad. We gotta keep pushing harder and fight even more!"
"I understand, but can't we use weapons?"
"Your weapon's broken though. Also it's better not to rely on weapons when practicing like this!"
The two of them exchanged fists, kicks, blocks, and dodges. The intensity of their sparring steadily grew. At one point Brunhild fully channeled her bloodline and tattoo once more, and her father responded by doing the same.
Ragnar kicked her down and then unleashed dozens of rapid punches. Brunhild answered quickly with her sharp talons and draconic claws. Explosions of flames and blood energy erupted with every clash.
During the fight Ragnar gradually learned the true limits of his Life Drain Ability. He discovered how to trigger it or shut it off at will instead of leaving it active all the time.
Brunhild also tested her Bloodline Ability, Blood Wyrm Vampiric Drain. She learned that it was similar to her father's power, a Life Drain effect that activated only through physical contact. The ability refused to work through weapons. Her father's version drained roughly half as much life force as hers.
Whenever she activated the ability, red scales spread across her body, reinforcing the scales she already possessed. She also gained enhanced stats the longer she continued draining life.
The two of them kept draining each other's vitality without pause, practicing for what felt like endless hours.
Brunhild used the opportunity to practice several of her newly evolved Skills.
Among them was Fire Blast.
BOOOM!!!
Fire Blast proved even more impressive than before. Instead of launching only a single concentrated fireball, she could now release a massive, explosive wave of flames. The blast overwhelmed her father and sent him flying across the arena.
She quickly discovered she could mix Fire Blast with her physical attacks, creating even more explosive and blazing strikes. Those combined attacks would become extremely important against their future enemies.
"Wow, that's a tough barrier!"
Great Holy Barrier was equally impressive. The skill created an even stronger and more reinforced barrier that burned hotter the more it was struck. Ragnar's hands stung and burned as he punched against it. Eventually he managed to break through, but even then he admitted the barrier was immensely tough. Brunhild calculated it was roughly five times stronger than her previous barrier skill.
"Catch me if you can, dad!"
"Woah?! I can't touch you?!"
Shadow Steps was another fascinating evolution. It was the improved form of her earlier Shadow Step skill. Instead of allowing only a single step, it now granted her up to five rapid steps in succession. Those steps greatly enhanced her mobility and stealth. Whenever she used the skill she became veiled in darkness and shadows, making her nearly impossible to catch.
The skill also carried a unique effect. Whenever her father punched her while the skill was active, he struck only an afterimage made of pure darkness. Brunhild could then appear behind him and counterattack for increased damage.
In the final thirty minutes their sparring grew even more intense. Ragnar discovered that he could in fact control blood, though not through the magic he already knew. The ability was a skill called Hemokinesis. It allowed him to manipulate blood through pure mental power rather than mana.
Psychic powers existed in the universe of Barbarian Conquest, though they mostly belonged to alien species from other worlds such as the Mind Eaters, tentacled abominations capable of controlling minds and using telekinesis. Unlike magic, psychic abilities did not require mana. They relied on Mental Strength and Mental Fortitude. Once a person grew too tired or sleepy the powers weakened and eventually became unusable.
Even so, Ragnar's stubborn nature and high Mental Strength gave him a surprisingly large pool of Psychic Energy. With this new power he learned to create Blood Constructs. He manifested an axe and a sword made of solid blood and reinforced them until they became as hard as iron, though still completely red in color.
Brunhild responded by using Sharpshooting Archery together with her War Saintess of the Umbral Hunt's Shadow Eclipse Bow. She fired rapid, highly accurate arrows made of explosive shadow energy while her father chased after her, throwing axes and swords.
Both of them thoroughly enjoyed the long sparring session that lasted at least two and a half hours. When they finally stopped, exhausted and covered in sweat and bruises, the rest of the family had woken up. The loud commotion outside had stirred everyone from their sleep.
"Just what is with all that loud noise out there? Can't you let us sleep?!"
The first person they met after walking back inside the house was…
"Mom!"
"Frigga!!!"
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