Lucien advanced with steady steps, spear in hand, trying to conceal his nervousness. Void, who controlled Saruto's body, stood before him like a mountain of pressure, his gaze piercing his opponent's very being. "Saruto trained you as a friend," Void said in a low but decisive voice. "I will train you as an enemy. Don't expect mercy."
Giving Lucien no time to respond, Void suddenly charged with such speed that the air around him exploded, the chains glowing. He unleashed both swords, a sudden, unexpected blow that nearly cleaved Lucien in two. Lucien barely raised his spear to block the attack, but the force of the impact sent him several meters backward, his feet sinking into the ground. Lucien gasped, his body trembling from the impact, but Void didn't stop. "Don't just try to defend... attacking is what makes you a true fighter. Show your strength!"
Lucien swiftly raised his spear and charged with a straight, icy strike. But Void grabbed the spear by the chain and hurled it away, then delivered a punch straight to Lucien's stomach, sending him sprawling. Lucien coughed violently, blood spurting from his mouth. He gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief: "Your attack… is too powerful…!"
Void advanced slowly, his footsteps rattling the ground: "This is just a fraction of my true strength. If you don't get up now, I won't spare you."
Lucien screamed with all the strength he had left and rose, his eyes blazing with determination. He charged again, this time using his Ice Skill to freeze the ground around Void and immobilize him. For a moment, it seemed the plan had worked.
But Void grinned cruelly, contorted his throat, and unleashed a blast from his mouth, easily melting the ice. He leaped high before slamming his swords down with terrifying force. The impact slammed into the ground, and the area erupted in a raging storm.
Dust hung heavy in the air, yet Lucien heard Void's harsh voice pierce the silence: "Don't fight me with such low tactics. True strength comes when your body, mind, and rage become one."
Lucien curled into a ball, breathing heavily, but deep down he began to understand… that this dragon wasn't trying to humiliate him, but rather to push him to something deeper than mere skill or training.
After a long fight, Lucien collapsed to his knees, his breath ragged, his body groaning from the relentless blows. Void advanced slowly toward him, his steps heavy as the final bell. "Are you finished, Ice Heir?" he asked coldly, a glint of defiance in his eyes.
Lucien raised his head, sweat beading on his pale skin, his eyes filled with despair and rage. "No… not yet!" he cried inwardly. "I can't stay this weak… I must awaken my power… my own power!"
At that moment, he felt a deep chill flow through his chest, as if his heart itself had turned to ice and cracked. He began to breathe slowly… inhale… exhale… and with each breath, a white vapor, thick as a winter storm, drifted from his mouth.
The air around him suddenly froze, and the temperature plummeted, so much so that even the fog-shrouded ground began to crack with a layer of ice. But it didn't stop there… everything around them, even the movement of the dust from the previous blast, began to slow down, as if time itself had become heavier.
As for Lucien… he felt his body lighter than ever, and his steps many times faster. He stood panting, his eyes ablaze with an icy blue light, and whispered to himself: Breathe… ice…
He darted forward with sudden speed toward Void, his spear piercing the air faster than any previous attack. And for the first time, he was able to reach his opponent's body without him even stopping.
But… before he could deliver the decisive blow, he suddenly lost his balance. The cold that had permeated his body turned against him, and he felt as if his lungs were freezing. He collapsed to the ground, coughing violently, blood mingling with the icy vapor from his mouth.
Void stood over him, his gaze stern, but inwardly a small smile played on his lips. "Well done, Ice Heir… You've gained a new power. But you haven't mastered it yet. Your breathing almost killed you instead of saving you."
Lucien raised his head, breathing heavily, but a flicker of determination returned to his eyes. "Then… I'll practice it until I master it… in order to… become stronger."
Void turned his back slowly, his voice booming into the distance. "That's what I wanted to hear… You're starting to move in the right direction, Ice Heir."