**Thud!**Ryder walked away from Akira with a smirk plastered across his face, the kind that was filled with satisfaction. He had just performed the seventh technique—yet again—on his first try."Show off," Mara muttered under her breath, folding her arms and turning away. Though, she wasn't intimidated, given that she wasn't lagging behind anymore. In fact, they had all concluded the mastering of the techniques.Ryder was exceptional, but not just him; slowly others also got used to the feeling of each technique upon performing them one after the other. Ever since they performed the first technique, the others seemed to get easier and easier.The seven relevant techniques out of the seventy-seven had all been taught to everyone in a single afternoon—techniques that would take others months or even years.The first technique they had practiced was the explosive rush, which was clearly a speed-based technique that had given everyone, including Ryder at the start, some difficulty.The e

The massive thunder whisker koi cut through the evening sky, its scaled body moving in a wavy pattern as if it was swimming in water. Master Dwang Sung sat with one leg on each side of the magnificent creature, his long black hair whipping behind him as they sliced through the air toward the Tian district at blurring speed.The familiar's electric blue scales crackled with endless lightning, lightning cascading from its whiskers, which weren't hair, but solidified lightning.'If they could send a letter directly to me and infiltrate my private quarters without me even catching a glimpse of the messenger,' he thought grimly, 'then I see no reason why they won't be able to launch a surprise attack on our recent allies in the Tian district.'The wind whipped past his face as they closed in on their destination, the landscape below becoming a patchwork of greens and browns. But even despite being high in the air, Master Sung could feel something wrong in the air.His familiar suddenly let

'He's also able to use the techniques without chanting them out!' she realized with shock. 'He attempted to chant the Explosive Rush as a decoy, predicting my next move, and it all played out perfectly.' He had not only matched her level of technique mastery but had used his assumed inexperience as a weapon against her. By making her believe he needed to call out his techniques, he had lured her into a trap of her own making. "*Haaaaa!*" From her crouched position on the ground, Akira didn't even bother with standing at first, but instantly launched herself forward, her body moving with renewed determination and a healthy respect for her opponent's capabilities. Brok—who had managed to recover from Akira's earlier strikes—barely saw her move. Even Leo, who was matching their pace, could only see a blur now. The speed was beyond anything he had witnessed during the entire combat, a level of Explosive Rush mastery that made theirs seem like child's play in comparison. "Remember, you

"I didn't get us just a powerful weapon," he said slowly, his voice carrying a weight of realization. "I got us weapons. If Ryder has advanced this much, then the others have likely experienced similar growth." "We can finally break through from the bottom to the top of the hierarchy," he continued, his voice low. "With allies like these, we won't have to remain at the bottom for too long. We can be more than the fastest rising guild." He turned back to Akira, his expression now a beaming smile. "Take me to them. I need to see this for myself." *** Meanwhile, in the distance from which the earlier chaotic energy waves had emanated, Mara could be seen running towards the group. Her emerald hair was scattered from her earlier flight through the air, and her clothes were torn in several places, but her expression was one of determination rather than defeat. Earlier, she had been given a critical hit that sent her arcing through the air, completely out of the fight's vicinity. The a

Koji bowed shortly upon seeing Master Sung, his movements precise and respectful. "You sent for me, Master." "Yes, I did," Master Sung confirmed. "Take us to the Sen district." **** Meanwhile, in the heart of the Falcon Guild... In a silent dojo that seemed to exist in a space between two different offensive worlds, a certain man could be seen with his eyes closed in a meditation position. The chamber was vast and empty, its walls lost in shadows, and the structure seemed abnormal. He was clothed in a robe and had the back of both hands resting on his knees. His name is... **Yuki Nakamura** He was clothed in a robe that appeared to be woven from an otherworldly material, the fabric absorbing light and darkness at the same time. The back of both hands rested on his knees in the regular meditation pose, but there was something strange about his stillness—it was the kind of absolute motionlessness that felt like one of the two — either perfect inner peace or complete emptiness in