After the fight with the Strix, Isshin received a large amount of pills.
He didn't wait.
As soon as he got back to his room, he sat down and started cultivating. He focused fully, pulling in qi and stabilizing his core.
Thunder qi moved through his body, growing denser.
After some time, his core shifted and settled.
Golden Core Realm, 7th Stage.
Even after the breakthrough, Isshin didn't feel satisfied.
Strength alone wasn't going to be enough.
He entered his inner world again.
Raijin was already waiting.
He introduced a new technique.
Thundercrack Burial.
The idea was simple. Drive the sword into the ground and send thunder qi into the earth, causing an explosion from below.
But that wasn't the main part.
The rocks thrown into the air could be used right after. Isshin would move between them using flash step, kicking them at high speed toward his opponent.
Turning the environment into a weapon.
At first, Isshin couldn't get it right.
His timing was off.
Sometimes he moved too late. Other times, the rocks didn't have enough force.
It required coordination he wasn't used to.
But inside his inner world, time worked differently.
While only a short time passed outside, Isshin trained for months.
but Isshin didn't know that this would put a huge toll on Raijin and that this was not something he could repeat as it would wear off Raijin quite a lot.
He kept repeating the sequence.
Failing, adjusting, trying again.
Eventually, it started to come together.
The movements became smoother.
The timing improved.
After enough repetition, it felt natural.
Outside, two weeks passed.
People started noticing.
Isshin barely left his room. Some thought he was injured. Others assumed he was using some strange method to get stronger.
No one knew what he was actually doing.
Then the day of the third fight came.
Isshin stepped into the arena again.
This time, his opponent was already there.
A large soldier in heavy black armor, holding a massive greatsword.
No words were exchanged.
The fight started immediately.
The soldier rushed forward.
Each step shook the ground.
He raised his sword and brought it down.
Isshin moved to the side just in time.
Even then, the impact shook him.
Before he could fully recover, the soldier swung again, aiming for his head.
Isshin lowered his body, letting the blade pass just above him.
Too fast.
Too strong.
Isshin created distance using flash step and fired Thunder Qi Arrows.
The soldier blocked and pushed through them.
Isshin switched approaches.
He drove his sword into the ground.
Thunder qi spread through the earth.
The ground exploded.
Large rocks were thrown into the air.
The soldier reacted immediately, cutting through several of them.
But not all.
One hit him from the side.
Then another.
Then another.
The impact knocked him down.
The arena went quiet for a moment.
But the soldier wasn't finished.
He stood back up, gripping his sword tightly.
Then charged again.
Isshin avoided the attacks, watching carefully.
He needed to take the weapon away.
Without it, the fight would be easier.
He used the technique again.
Another eruption.
More rocks filled the air.
The soldier focused on breaking through them.
That gave Isshin an opening.
He closed the distance.
The soldier destroyed the last rock—
Isshin was already there.
He raised his sword.
"Sword of Raijin: One Slash."
The strike landed cleanly.
The armor split.
The soldier staggered.
His sword dropped from his hand.
Then his body faded into mist.
The crowd reacted instantly.
Shouting, cheering.
Isshin didn't focus on it.
Above, the Skeleton King watched quietly.
There was a slight change in his expression this time.
Another reward was thrown down.
Isshin caught it.
Another win.
He turned and walked off.
The next fight would come soon enough.
The fourth fight finally arrived.
Two more weeks had passed, and Isshin had continued training without slowing down. His cultivation had reached the 8th stage of the Golden Core Realm. The qi flowing through him felt more refined now, heavier and more controlled.
He stepped into the arena, focused.
Across from him stood someone familiar.
Zolfyq.
The reaction from the crowd was immediate. This wasn't just another match. Zolfyq had returned, and Isshin could already tell he was different. His aura was sharper, more stable. This wasn't the same opponent he had defeated before.
Zolfyq was now Nascent Soul Realm, 2nd Stage.
"I won't lose again," Zolfyq said quietly, his eyes locked on Isshin.
Then he moved.
His sword came down fast. Isshin raised his own blade and blocked, but the force still pushed him back a few steps. Before he could stabilize, dozens of mana swords formed around Zolfyq and shot forward.
Isshin reacted immediately. His sword moved constantly, deflecting each attack one after another. Sparks flew, and the ground cracked where missed blades struck.
He stepped forward to counter. Sword aura spread from his blade, sending waves of pressure toward Zolfyq. Zolfyq adjusted his footing and avoided them, then closed the distance again without hesitation.
Isshin planted his sword into the ground. "Thundercrack Burial."
The ground exploded around Zolfyq. Rocks shot upward, charged with thunder qi. But Zolfyq didn't slow down. He moved through the attack, breaking past the debris and closing in again.
Their swords clashed.
This time, Isshin held his ground. He pulled his other arm back and struck.
"Thunder Qi Fist."
The hit landed. Thunder cracked on impact, pushing Zolfyq back a few steps. But he didn't fall. He steadied himself and countered immediately, his palm striking Isshin's shoulder.
A burst of dark qi spread on impact.
Isshin flinched. The pain was sharp, but the system reacted quickly, stabilizing the damage. He didn't stop. He stepped forward again and drove his head into Zolfyq.
Both of them were pushed back.
Then Zolfyq disappeared.
His body turned into smoke, and dozens of copies appeared around Isshin. Each one held a sword, each one giving off the same pressure.
Isshin paused. For a moment, it was hard to tell which one was real.
Raijin spoke calmly. "Don't fall for it. The more you believe it, the stronger it becomes. Use the system."
Isshin took a breath and focused. The copies rushed in from all sides.
He didn't move.
Instead, he activated the system.
At the last moment, he found the real one.
Above him.
The fake blades passed through his body and disappeared. The illusion broke instantly.
The crowd reacted in shock.
Isshin moved.
He turned upward and struck.
"Thunder Sword: One Slash."
A burst of thunder shot upward, hitting Zolfyq directly as he descended. The impact sent him crashing into the arena wall. The ground shook as debris scattered across the battlefield.
For a moment, everything went quiet.
Then the crowd erupted again.
Isshin stood there, breathing steadily, still on his feet.
He turned toward the Skeleton King
But before he could say anything, the King was already in front of him.
And this time, he was furious.