Chapter 5

  The moment Rei and Kaien lunged at each other, their fists collided in the center of the room with a deafening BOOM—a shockwave burst outward, rippling through the reinforced walls of the training chamber like a tremor.

  Sera staggered back, eyes wide, hair whipping from the wind pressure.

  “That was just their first hit?! While holding back?!”

  What kind of monsters... am I watching? she thought in disbelief.

  Kaien didn’t let up. With machine-like precision, he launched a barrage of rapid punches, each one aimed to end the match. Rei’s arms blurred as he blocked and deflected, sparks flying with each brutal impact. Then, with a grunt, Rei shifted weight and drove a powerful counter kick toward the General’s gut.

  But Kaien caught his leg mid-air with a calm, steel-like grip.

  “You’re still reckless,” Kaien muttered with a smirk, before swinging Rei like a ragdoll and flinging him across the room.

  Rei twisted in midair, skidding to a halt as cracks chased beneath his heels. But Kaien was already in motion—charging in with a flying knee strike.

  Thinking quick, Rei slammed his fist into the ground, shattering the floor and sending stone shards flying like shrapnel. The sudden debris cloud disrupted Kaien’s strike, forcing him to recoil.

  Through the dust, Rei’s silhouette flickered forward.

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  “Gotcha,” he said with a grin.

  He spun behind Kaien in a flash and landed a brutal roundhouse kick aimed straight for his head—but Kaien ducked and leapt back, sweat beading at his temple.

  “Still fast as ever…” the General muttered, breath shallow.

  Then, without warning, he lunged again—but this time with a palm strike aimed at Rei’s chest. Rei leaned to dodge, but Kaien had baited him.

  It was a feint.

  Kaien’s left fist smashed into Rei’s ribs with a thunderous crack. Rei coughed, staggering—but his arm had partially blocked the blow at the last second.

  He backflipped to gain space, and the two men stood still for a heartbeat, breathing heavily, gazes locked.

  A smirk crept onto Rei’s face.

  “You’re getting old, General.”

  Kaien cracked his knuckles.

  “And you still talk too much.”

  Without another word, they launched their final clash—legs swinging, a double roundhouse collision that detonated the entire section of floor beneath them. Stone and steel erupted into the air as the two titans stood in the crater, panting, but smiling.

  Sera could only stare from a distance, completely stunned.

  “If this is them holding back... how strong are they really?”

  As the dust began to settle, what remained of the training room was barely recognizable.

  Just a minute ago, it had proudly worn the scars of countless past battles—but now, those old marks were completely erased, replaced by the fresh, devastating aftermath of Rei and General Kaien’s clash. Craters, shattered walls, and chunks of stone littered the once-pristine floor.

  Even Sera, who had grown up surrounded by strength, couldn’t believe her eyes.

  “This… is the level I have to reach? To be considered a real powerhouse?”

  She swallowed hard, awe mixing with anxiety.

  In the center of the destruction, Rei and the General walked toward each other, both panting lightly. Without a word, they extended their hands and shook—an unspoken bond of respect passing between warriors.

  Rei gave a tired grin.

  "Still sharp, huh? Haven’t rusted a bit for an old man.”

  Kaien smirked back.

  “And you’ve gotten pretty good for a lazy brat. Guess peace didn’t soften you completely.”

  The two chuckled, the tension finally dissolving. Sera walked toward them, her expression caught somewhere between shock and admiration.

  That’s when Rei turned to Kaien with a mischievous glint in his eye.

  “So… I have your permission to date your daughter now, right?” he said, casually winking at Sera.

  Sera instantly turned bright red, caught completely off guard.

  Kaien blinked. Then narrowed his eyes.

  “You wish, you damn troublemaker.”

  He cracked his knuckles, voice rising.

  "Say something that crude again and next time you won’t walk away unharmed, got it?!”

  Rei raised his hands in surrender, laughing.

  “Sure, sure, General. You can try.”

  Sera, flustered but trying to hide her smile, looked away.

  What am I even supposed to do with these two…?