“For sure I will train. But in case you've forgotten… let me remind you that your training was going to be brutal” Kenshi’s eyes twinkled with mischief though his tone remained deadly serious. “You wanted to be strong right? Then you had to go through the ancient methods of strengthening the body through external stimuli. The techniques of the Blazing Wing Sect took a heavy toll on your body. If you wished to use them consistently on the battlefield without tearing yourself apart… You had to condition your body until it became capable of containing and channelling the techniques I would be teaching you” He leaned forward slightly. “Were you ready?” Lucian straightened his back determination burning in his eyes. “Yes, Master. But… what exactly did you mean by external stimulus?” Kenshi chuckled darkly. “It meant… You got beaten up” Lucian blinked shocked. “Huh? Wasn't that a bit too extreme?” “I meant every word when I said my methods were unconventional” Kenshi replied sh

“8 Ripple Burst!” A loud roar echoed throughout the dense forest, piercing through the quiet atmosphere. Within the trees, a shadow was moving at incredible speeds. It leaped from branch to branch, twisting and turning with a flexibility that seemed impossible for a human body. The area was covered in thick bushes and sharp thorns, but none of them managed to even scratch or slow down the figure moving through them. It was as if the obstacles didn’t even exist. In the next instant, the shadow came to a sudden halt right in front of a large tree, roughly half a meter wide. Leaning his body to the side, he thrust his elbow out with immense force. BOOM! A loud explosion rang out as splinters of wood flew in every direction. At the point of impact, spiderweb-like cracks appeared and rapidly spread across the entire trunk, covering it in just a split second. Crr… Crack… The tree let out a groaning sound before a massive hole caved in exactly where the elbow had hit. A moment later,

Lucian's next match-up was against a blood mage. The Blood Mage dropped into a low tiger martial arts stance. His feet were planted wide, knees bent, and his hands were raised, fingers curled like claws. Unlike typical mages who relied solely on spells and kept their distance, Blood Mages were a terrifying breed of cultivator. By compressing, refining, and purifying their own blood essence within their bodies, they underwent a physical transformation. This granted them explosive strength, speed, and durability that far surpassed standard mages, and in many cases, even rivalled heavy knights and warriors of the same realm. They were hybrid fighters, masters of both magic and close-quarters combat. [BATTLE START!] The instant the signal echoed, the Blood Mage moved. His speed was explosive, bursting forward in a red blur that crossed the distance in the blink of an eye. Right before reaching Lucian, he pushed off the ground with tremendous force and leapt high into the air, hovering

The Knight stood towering over the field, his massive frame encased in impenetrable armour that radiated pure dominance. “I will crush you completely beneath my hammer!” he bellowed, his voice deep, rough, and echoing like grinding boulders. “You are nothing but an insect crawling beneath my boots! DIE!” Obviously he was roleplaying some players would do this to keep the game interesting but this one seemed to take it too far.Lucian narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint of defiance shining within them. He clenched his fists tight, feeling his aura surge violently through his veins before condensing heavily around his hands.“We’ll see about that!” Lucian roared back. “I’ll smash that ugly face you’re hiding behind that scrap metal helmet… right in with my bare fists!”“INSOLENT MORTAL!” The Knight snarled. “I will turn you into paste!”In the next heartbeat, both fighters exploded toward each other. The ground trembled under the sheer weight of their colliding killing intent.The Knight

Stepping outside of the VR arcade into the cool evening air, Lucian let out a long breath. His body was still buzzing with adrenaline from the battle against the Knight, but his mind was already moving forward. He had been gone from his friends for too long. He walked straight toward the city centre, turning the familiar corner until he saw the glowing red sign: Dragon Nook. He pushed open the wooden door. The warm smell of broth and spices hit him immediately. Inside, near the back, his friends were already sitting at their usual round table. Harry, Grace, and Latisha. As the bell chimed, all three looked up. “Look who finally showed up,” Harry said, grinning and waving him over. “Took you long enough.” Lucian slid into the empty seat across from them, smiling genuinely for the first time in months. “Sorry about that,” Lucian said. “It’s good to see you guys again. How have you all been doing these past two months?” “Same old, same old,” Harry shrugged, leaning back. “But hones