he scene shifted to the sprawling training grounds of the Royal Academy. A crowd of students and teachers had gathered, a tense, expectant silence hanging over them as two figures faced each other in the center of the arena. On one side stood Kazuki Ayanami, the prodigious son of the Emperor, known throughout the kingdom for his unmatched Spiritual Force and the only child of his age to possess both Dual Spiritual Force and a Celestial Spirit. On the other side stood Principal Raizen, a seasoned warrior whose power and authority were second only to the emperor within the academy walls.
Both held wooden training swords in hand. No one spoke. The air was thick with anticipation.
Without a word of warning, the battle began.
Even without activating their Spiritual Force buffs, the sheer might of their Body Refining Tier 3 enhancements was enough to push them into transonic speeds. The two combatants moved so fast that to the onlookers, it appeared as though they had vanished. Only the sharp cracks of wood clashing against wood and shockwaves rolling through the training grounds hinted at the ferocity of their duel.
The ground trembled beneath them. Dust clouds rose. Their blows alone carried enough force to level the academy if either landed a full hit.
Despite their speed and might, both fought with the discipline of veteran warriors, neither overextending nor allowing reckless strikes. They were testing each other, measuring skill for skill.
And then—they both activated their Spiritual Force buffs.
A radiant glow enveloped them as their power surged. In the blink of an eye, their battle escalated to supersonic speeds. Each strike generated thunderous sonic booms, forcing students and even seasoned instructors to cover their ears. The arena echoed with the relentless barrage of attacks, the wind howling and the earth trembling beneath their feet.
It was a sight no one in the academy would ever forget.
Kazuki's calm demeanor never faltered, even under the principal's relentless onslaught. Raizen, too, fought with a sharp grin, secretly impressed at how much the young prodigy had matured.
Then it happened.
One of the wooden swords shattered mid-clash.
A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers.
It was Kazuki's sword.
The principal had subtly used his Spirit Ability — Material Control, manipulating the structure of the wood to make it brittle, causing it to break under pressure.
Lowering his sword, Raizen raised a brow."Do you wish to give up, Kazuki?"
Kazuki, unflinching, flexed his fingers and dropped the broken hilt."Who said I need a sword?" he smirked. "My hands are enough."
In that instant, Kazuki focused all his Spiritual Force into his speed. In a supersonic blur, he closed the gap between them. The principal barely had time to react before Kazuki snatched the sword clean from his hand in a seamless, impossibly quick movement.
A heartbeat later, Kazuki appeared behind Raizen, the sword's edge resting lightly against the principal's neck.
The training grounds fell deathly silent.
The principal let out a low chuckle."Well, well... Looks like I lost."
Kazuki lowered the blade and turned, offering a small bow."Thank you for the match, sir."
The crowd exploded into cheers and stunned whispers. Even the teachers exchanged glances. No one would dare underestimate Kazuki Ayanami again.