Chapter 21: Clash of Strength
Ashen didn't stop training for a single day. Every breath, every step, every movement was about getting stronger. His muscles were harder, faster. His senses sharper. Today, he focused all his Qi into his right hand. The energy condensed until it glowed bright white, like liquid light.
"One month… and I've improved this much," he muttered. A faint smile appeared on his lips. It felt good. But he wanted more. He wanted a real test.
The forest was silent, too silent. Then, in the distance, he saw it. The ground trembled with every step. A massive beast charged toward him.
A Dire Wolf. But no ordinary one. Its fur was black with streaks of fire red, its eyes glowed like molten rock, and a blue aura of energy radiated from its body. It was a Demonic Beast, pure killing power wrapped in fur.
Ashen grinned. Finally, a real fight. Finally, a chance to see how strong he had become.
He didn't hesitate. He dashed forward. The trees blurred around him. His Qi flared bright white around his fists. The wolf roared, fire spilling from its jaws, and lunged straight at him.
Their first clash shook the forest. Ashen's fist smashed against the wolf's claws with a deafening crash. Shockwaves ripped through the air, breaking branches, cracking trunks. His white aura burned bright. The wolf's blue aura flared like fire.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Every blow shook the ground. Ashen punched, kicked, dodged, rolled. The wolf swiped, lunged, snapped its jaws. Their movements were so fast, the forest barely seemed able to keep up.
Ashen kicked off a tree, spinning in the air, and slammed his fist down on the wolf's shoulder. Sparks of energy exploded where they collided. The wolf snarled and twisted mid-air, slamming its back claws into the ground. The impact cracked the earth beneath it, sending stones flying.
Ashen rolled forward, barely avoiding a bite that could have taken his arm. He countered with a low kick to the wolf's legs, but it jumped, landing on its back legs with a powerful thud, shaking the trees nearby.
The fight was relentless. Rain poured down, soaking them. Mud clung to Ashen's hair, his clothes, his wounds. Cuts on his arms, chest, and legs burned. Blood mixed with water and dirt, streaking his body. The wolf's fur was matted, blue aura flickering, but it didn't slow down.
Ashen jumped high, bringing his fist down with all his Qi. The impact sent the wolf skidding back, tearing a crater into the earth. The force knocked down nearby trees. The forest around them was chaos. Rocks flew, trunks cracked, leaves shredded.
The wolf roared and leapt, spinning in the air like a whirlwind. Its claws slashed through Ashen's arm. He gritted his teeth, feeling the pain, but pushed forward. He grabbed the wolf mid-air, using its momentum to slam it into the ground. The impact shook the forest again, leaving a massive crater where it landed.
They were relentless. Day and night passed. Each blow carried the weight of their strength. Neither would give up. Neither would surrender. Ashen's muscles burned. Every bone in his body ached. Cuts covered him like armor. Blood stained his clothes. His lungs screamed for air. But he didn't stop.
He remembered something in the middle of the fight. He remembered the first time he had truly enjoyed fighting, the thrill of testing himself against a strong opponent. He remembered his comrades, those who had fought and died beside him. And he remembered his old sparring partner, a dragon. Fierce, wild, untamed—a being that had taught him more than any human ever could.
The thought hit him hard. Are there dragons in this world?
For the first time in years, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: hope. Maybe he could find dragons again. Maybe he could fight, spar, and learn. Maybe he could feel that excitement once more.
The wolf lunged again. Its speed was incredible. Ashen barely blocked the swipe with his arm, sparks flying as Qi collided. He rolled to the side, kicked a tree trunk mid-roll, and launched himself at the wolf's chest with both fists glowing bright.
The wolf twisted, snapping its jaws at him. Ashen twisted his body, avoiding the bite, and slammed his foot into the wolf's midsection. The impact sent it flying back, crashing into a tree, splitting part of the trunk in half.
But the wolf was relentless. It leapt back up, landing silently, its blue aura blazing. It ran toward him like a storm, claws digging into the ground, leaving deep gouges in the earth.
Ashen's heart raced. He was exhausted, his Qi almost gone. Every muscle screamed in pain. His fists throbbed from repeated clashes. Cuts ran down his arms, legs, chest, and face. Blood and rain mixed, stinging his eyes. His lungs burned. But he smiled.
"Finally… a real fight," he muttered through gritted teeth.
The wolf lunged. Ashen dodged to the side, grabbed a fallen branch, and swung it like a club. It hit the wolf's head. The wolf roared but didn't stop. It jumped again, spinning mid-air, claws out. Ashen blocked with both fists. Bang! The shockwave knocked him back several meters. Trees split, earth cracked, leaves flew.
He rolled, jumped, and came at the wolf from the side. Fist met claw, punch met jaw. They traded blow after blow. Ashen was bleeding, bruised, exhausted. The wolf was the same. Both covered in cuts, dirt, and blood. Neither could strike a killing blow.
Finally, after days of fighting, they stopped. Both stood panting, covered in mud and blood, their Qi almost gone. The forest around them was destroyed. Trees lay shattered. Rocks were broken. The ground was a cratered battlefield.
Neither had won. Neither had lost. And as they stared at each other, something changed. The killing intent, the urge to destroy, faded. It was replaced with respect. They had fought with everything they had. They had tested each other to the limits.
Ashen leaned against a broken tree, breathing heavily. His muscles burned. His body ached. His chest heaved. He looked at the wolf. Its blue aura was faint, its fur matted, its body tired but still standing.
He remembered everything. His comrades, his old sparring partner, the dragon. He remembered the thrill of battle he used to feel before tragedy took it from him. And now… now he could feel it again. A spark, small but alive.
"Are there dragons in this world?" he whispered to himself. The thought made his chest tighten with excitement. For the first time in years, he felt something to look forward to. Something to hope for.
The wolf let out a final, low growl. Ashen nodded. Neither of them needed words. They had fought and understood each other. Respect was earned in battle, not given.
Ashen rose to his feet, every step painful. His body was battered, bloodied, and broken, but his heart was alive. He had survived. He had tested himself against a being that could have killed him. And he had learned something important: strength wasn't just about power—it was about pushing forward, no matter how hard it was, and never giving up.
He walked out of the forest, the destruction left behind a reminder of what had just happened. Every step was heavy, every breath labored, but every step reminded him of his progress. His mind was alive with possibilities—dragons, strong opponents, and new battles to come.
"Maybe… maybe there really are dragons," he muttered. "And if there are… I'll find them. And I'll fight. I'll get stronger. Nothing will stop me."
The forest faded behind him. The rain stopped. Sunlight broke through the clouds. The air felt fresh. And in his chest, a fire burned bright—a fire he hadn't felt in years.
Ashen had survived. He had fought a beast stronger than most men could face, and neither had won. He had pushed past pain, past exhaustion, past fear. He had proven to himself that he was alive.
He was Ashen. A fighter. A survivor. A man who would never stop chasing strength.
And this was only the beginning.