Veil of Aether

"He's rather quick and nimble for his size."

"Look at him compared to his opponent. Of course it’s easier for him to dart around that big guy."

"But that big guy—Nekhtem, right?—already formed his core. Despite his size, he should be able to handle the little one."

"You’re too focused on the size difference. The little one—Khenu, that's his name, right?—he's weaving rune strokes like it’s second nature. Rapid, clean, efficient. That’s not something you see often. A real talent in the making."

"Anyone know whose faction he’s under?"

"It doesn’t matter how talented the kid is. He's way out of his league. He'll get killed eventually. Serves him right for going against the natural order."

Murmurs echoed across the stands surrounding the arena as the duel continued.

Some were fascinated by Kei’s performance, marveling at how a mere recruit class could handle himself so cleanly against someone with a core. Others watched with folded arms and narrowed eyes, muttering predictions of his inevitable downfall.

But whether favoring Kei or Nekhtem, most agreed on one thing:

The fight was far more entertaining than anyone had expected.

At the edge of the crowd, Silvie shifted slightly, her arms still folded but her gaze sharp.

"Have you heard anything in particular?" she asked without looking, her voice low.

Kei M, standing beside her, tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

"So far, just the usual," he said calmly. "Speculation on who’s going to win. A lot of casual bets flying around. But there are a few..." He tapped a finger against his thigh. "...a few individuals paying very close attention to Khenu’s abilities. Especially his runework."

He paused, his tone darkening.

"And some of those individuals?" His eyes glinted coldly. "It would be better if Khenu stayed far, far off their radar."

Silvie didn't respond immediately.

But the faintest tension rippled through her posture—barely noticeable unless someone was looking.

Because both of them knew:

Talent was dangerous.

And sometimes, surviving the duel was only the first test.

After dodging another heavy punch from his opponent, Kei Y quickly created some distance between them, moving with a light, effortless step. As he slowed for a breath, he spared a glance toward Silvie at the edge of the arena.

Arms still folded across her chest, Silvie subtly tapped her hand downward once—an almost imperceptible signal.

Tone it down.

You're showing too much.

Kei Y caught the meaning instantly.

He let out a sharp breath, adjusting his movements and suppressing the full sharpness of his abilities. He deliberately slowed half a step, made his breathing look more ragged, and allowed his posture to sag ever so slightly.

It was at that moment Nekhtem finally landed a hit.

A brutal kick slammed into Kei’s ribs, sending him skidding backward across the packed earth. Dirt sprayed into the air as he ground to a stop—and before he could fully recover, a volley of sharp stones followed, hammering into his arms, chest, and legs. Fresh cuts bloomed across his body, blood streaking his skin.

"Hmph," Nekhtem scoffed, chest heaving slightly. "You’re still just a mere recruit class. Foolish to think you could challenge a soldier-class cultivator."

Kei Y coughed lightly, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

But when he looked up, he was smiling.

A thin, biting smile.

"Weren’t you a recruit class yourself not too long ago?" Kei Y said through ragged breaths, his voice sharp despite the damage. "You had to sell yourself to people stronger than you just to break through. And now you feel almighty?"

He laughed once—dry, almost pitying.

"You’re just a sad excuse for a cultivator. Honestly... it’s too merciful to kill you. You’re so pathetic, it feels like a waste."

Nekhtem stiffened.

A flicker of something crossed his face—anger, yes, but something else too.

Doubt.

"How did you know?" Nekhtem barked, his stance tightening in visible frustration.

Kei Y just tilted his head slightly, pretending to wipe dirt from his brow.

"How else would someone like you form a core?" he said casually. "Someone must have helped you. It's the only explanation."

He kept his tone light—mocking, dismissive—careful to hide the real truth:

A tracking rune, placed discreetly on Nekhtem days ago, had given Kei Y all the proof he needed.

He knew exactly when Nekhtem had been approached.

He knew who had offered the aid.

He even knew what little bargain had been made behind closed doors.

But he wasn’t about to reveal that.

Not yet.

Instead, he smiled wider, watching the cracks form in Nekhtem’s composure.

Good.

Let him lose control.

Because in a duel like this, rage wasn't strength.

It was an opening.

But an opening, in this moment, it was not.

Nekhtem, blinded by rage, suddenly appeared right in front of Kei Y—his massive fist, layered with thickened rock, slammed into Kei's side with brutal force. The impact sent Kei flying, his body bouncing off the translucent barrier that enclosed their duel.

[Khenu]

[HP: 13/25]

An arc of blood sprayed from Kei Y’s mouth as he crashed down hard, the ground buckling beneath him.

Yet even through the pain, even through the sharp crack of ribs straining under impact, Kei Y wasn’t concerned about his injury.

Because when he collided with the barrier, for the briefest moment—he saw it.

The runes.

Dozens, hundreds—an intricate latticework of formations hidden within the shimmering walls of the duel’s boundary.

The configurations, the layering, the way they interacted—the complexity fascinated him. His sharp mind instinctively began analyzing, memorizing, and cataloguing the structures as if the world beyond the fight had stopped existing.

To think... the runes could be connected like this.

When his feet finally hit the ground and he slid to a rough halt, Kei Y’s hand was already moving.

A few swift, deliberate rune strokes sketched out in the air in front of him.

“To think they can be done like this as well...” he muttered, almost in wonder.

In the next breath, the rune strokes lit up.

A web of glowing sigils formed in midair.

Nekhtem, sensing something wrong even through his anger, charged forward—rearing his fist back for another devastating strike.

But he never made it.

The moment Nekhtem's foot came down, it landed directly on a few rune strokes that Kei Y had subtly etched into the ground.

The sigils pulsed.

A violent eruption of fire burst up beneath him, staggering Nekhtem and halting his charge. He threw an arm up instinctively to block, blinded by the sudden flare.

The flames didn’t just injure him—they acted as a smokescreen.

Because as they died down, Nekhtem’s blurry vision was met with a far deadlier sight:

A swirling array of fire arrows, spiraling and humming in the air, each one formed perfectly from glowing rune strokes.

“Huh?” was all he managed to grunt out.

Kei Y’s will seized the fire arrows in the next instant.

Channeling the power of his [Basic Projectile Mastery] skill, he treated each fire arrow like a physical weapon—enhancing their speed, trajectory, and impact force beyond what normal aether constructs should be capable of.

The fire arrows launched instantly.

At that distance?

There was no time for Nekhtem to react.

No time to defend.

No time to even regret.

Only the coming storm.

To everyone watching, it appeared as though the enormous figure of Nekhtem had finally faltered. He staggered back, his massive frame buckling under the weight of an onslaught of fire arrows. The barrage forced him to take several steps back, and for the first time in the fight, it seemed as if he had taken genuine damage.

But for the one responsible, Kei Y's bloodied grin shone through, a clear sign of his eagerness to finally bring this fight to a close. His excitement radiated in the moment, as though every strike and calculated move was leading him toward the inevitable.

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Nekhtem, dazed from the unexpected assault, struggled to regain his bearings. That’s when Kei Y moved with fluid precision, his movements almost a blur. He quickly redrew the fire runes along his arms and legs, careful to use his force quill. The strokes were sharp, calculated, and deliberate—just enough to avoid drawing any unwanted attention. His new runic inspiration glowed with newfound strength, the air sizzling with the power now thrumming in his veins.

As Kei Y finished the strokes, a blazing hand—fiercer than before—shot out, slamming across Nekhtem’s face. The impact was brutal. The flames lingered on his skin, searing deeper than anything he'd experienced up until that point. Nekhtem flinched as the fire continued to scorch his flesh, the burning sensation forcing him to momentarily lose focus.

Before he could recover, Kei Y was upon him again, his form darting like a breeze. A series of punishing strikes landed—each kick and punch executed with the precision and fluidity of a Wing Chun master. Kei Y’s style was relentless. His movements seamlessly transitioned from one to the next, each attack an extension of the previous. Every strike was more effective, more painful, and most notably, more searing.

The first punch landed across Nekhtem’s gut with a crack, followed by a devastating low kick to his knee, throwing him off balance. Kei Y didn’t stop. He pressed on with a flurry of blows, each one laced with scorching force. His fists, hammering with calculated precision, hit with both speed and power—each one hot enough to burn through muscle and bone. Nekhtem’s attempts to block or counter were futile as Kei Y moved like a storm, slipping in and out of his opponent’s reach with a fluidity that left no room for retaliation.

The more Nekhtem struggled, the worse the pain became. His muscles screamed with each searing blow, and the lingering heat only amplified the agony coursing through him. He staggered back again, barely able to keep his feet beneath him, and for the first time, it seemed as though Kei Y’s relentless assault was on the verge of breaking him entirely.

As Kei Y danced around his opponent, his every move flowing with a grace that belied his overwhelming strength, Inpu and Mia stood frozen, completely floored by the sight before them. The sheer speed, precision, and power on display were enough to leave even the most seasoned combatants in awe.

“This is him holding back? What is he really like at full strength? And this is when he’s only feeling like he’s 10% force progression and he isn’t even using his main force?” Inpu muttered under his breath, his eyes glued to Kei Y’s movements, still struggling to process the sheer skill being displayed. His disbelief was evident as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that Kei Y was far more powerful than he appeared.

Mia, on the other hand, was fully invested in the fight, acting as his self-appointed cheerleader. “Yeah, like that! Whoop him and whoop him more! Come on, Khenu, you can do it! Mama has a few coins riding on you, make me rich, Khenu!” She shouted, her voice high-pitched with excitement, completely caught up in the spectacle of the battle.

Silvie, who had been calmly observing the scene, felt an increasing challenge in keeping Mia under control. The little girl’s enthusiasm was infectious, but also highly disruptive. As the fight intensified, it became harder for Silvie to keep Mia from leaping into the fray herself, especially when Mia’s gambling side emerged. Kei M, too, was caught off guard, silently shocked to see this side of her.

But unlike Inpu and Mia, both Silvie and Kei M remained alert, paying close attention to the crowd. It was clear that Kei Y had let more of his true abilities come to the surface, and that hadn't gone unnoticed. Kei M subtly shifted to an Echo location, expanding his awareness to monitor the onlookers more closely, carefully analyzing their reactions, and the whispers among the crowd.

That’s when he spotted him. A person standing apart from the others, resting his head on his hand in a posture that screamed arrogance. Kei M scoffed, recognizing the man instantly. “To think you’re here too,” he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the individual with suspicion.

The more Kei M focused on him, the more he began to notice subtle changes in the man’s expression. What had started as casual disinterest was slowly transforming into deep interest. Kei M’s brow furrowed. “You’re so useless,” he thought bitterly, his disdain for the man’s presence growing by the second. “You’ll have to think again if you believe you’ll get your hands on him—or any of these guys.”

But the man wasn’t deterred. Kei M’s enhanced senses picked up on the faintest command slipping from the man’s lips, his intentions clear. “Find out who he is, his friends and family members, and his connections,” the man ordered softly, though Kei M caught every word. “Do everything you can. We have to recruit him. He must be in my fold at any cost.”

Kei M’s reaction was immediate, and his response was filled with a cold, biting contempt. “Dream on,” he thought fiercely, his grip tightening involuntarily. “Rather than focusing on someone else, worry about yourself. I’ll kill you soon enough.”

Silvie, sensing a shift in Kei M’s demeanor, glanced at him but said nothing. If he wanted help, he’d ask for it. For now, she trusted him to handle whatever was going on in his mind.

Meanwhile, Mia was still at it, totally oblivious to the dangerous undercurrents of the situation. “Go Khenu!” she yelled at the top of her lungs, her arms raised in full support. “Whoop him like his parents never loved him, ‘cause he’s so stinky!” Her words were as chaotic as her energy, but her sincerity was undeniable.

Inpu and Silvie struggled to keep her from leaping into the battle, both pulling at her arms, trying to calm her down. But Mia, energized by the fight and her bets, was like a live wire, making it a challenge to rein her in. The momentary glimpse of Kei Y’s true strength had unleashed something wild in her, and her enthusiasm for the fight was becoming contagious.

The tension between the two fighters escalated as Nekhtem, feeling his skin searing with pain, roared in fury. His anger surged with his aether, forcing Kei Y back as a burst of energy exploded outward, sending Kei Y stumbling. Before Kei Y could charge back in, the ground beneath him seemed to react to Nekhtem’s fury, and towering walls of earth erupted from the ground, blocking Kei Y’s advance.

Nekhtem was quick to follow up, charging out from behind the walls with an earth-shattering force. In his hand, a massive earthen hammer materialized, glowing with the power of his Graveltide Force. With a mighty swing, he sent the hammer crashing toward Kei Y, forcing him to retreat further, his footwork becoming more frantic as he dodged the massive, earth-fueled attack.

The momentum was clearly shifting, and Kei Y’s previous advantage seemed to be slipping away. The earth walls were now a constant obstacle, forcing Kei Y to maneuver around them with precision. Every swing of Nekhtem’s earthen axe pushed him further back, and the boulders that followed were relentless, each one a pressure that Kei Y could only narrowly dodge. The ground beneath him felt alive with Nekhtem’s force, every step more dangerous than the last.

“Tsk, is that all you're good for?” Nekhtem sneered, his voice thick with frustration as he taunted. “The only thing you can do is dodge?”

Kei Y, never one to back down from a challenge, wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, his grin widening as he responded with sharp sarcasm. “You really expect me to stay here and get hit by someone a cultivation realm above me? Were your head slammed into a wall as a baby? You’re so useless, you’re struggling to hit me. You’re such a joke.”

Nekhtem’s eyes flickered with irritation at the words, the sting of Kei Y’s taunt hitting harder than any blow. But before Nekhtem could retort, Kei Y’s voice rang out again, dripping with mockery. “How about you stay still and take my attacks?… Oh wait, you're so pathetic I’ve been wailing on you whether you stay still or not. Come on, you’re a soldier-class, act like one.”

The words cut through the tension like a knife, and Nekhtem’s face twisted in rage. His grip on his earthen axe tightened as he prepared for another brutal assault, the sound of stone scraping against stone filling the air.

Kei Y, despite the barrage of earth-based attacks, maintained his rhythm, his movements a seamless dance of defense and offense. He wasn’t just dodging anymore—he was studying Nekhtem’s shifts in the battle, waiting for the right opening.

With that fiery grin still etched across his face, Kei Y didn’t hesitate to shift his posture, preparing himself for what came next. His body tensed, ready to counter the incoming aggression, but his words were the first to strike.

"Go ahead, hit me as best as you can," he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Make sure to make it count, because if I’m not dead after that, I’m going to beat you so unrecognizable that your parents won’t even be able to identify your charred corpse." The wicked grin on his face widened, and his eyes sparkled with a kind of wicked, excited anticipation that sent an unsettling chill through the onlookers.

The words seemed to land heavy on Nekhtem. For the first time in the fight, the massive fighter hesitated, his aggression faltering. Kei Y’s expression—a mix of mockery and brutal enthusiasm—rattled him more than any attack ever could. He was used to people cowering or fearing his size, but this kid, this monster in front of him, didn’t seem fazed at all. In fact, Kei Y seemed to relish the fight, the pain, the violence. And that unsettling grin… it was enough to make Nekhtem’s blood boil, but also make him reconsider his approach.

Despite the brief hesitation, Nekhtem let out a deafening roar, filled with rage and defiance. He wasn’t about to back down from some kid’s taunts. With a violent lurch, he lifted his massive earthen hammer above his head, preparing to crush Kei Y with the full force of his strength. His eyes burned with determination.

But as Nekhtem stepped forward, ready to bring down his weapon, the ground beneath him suddenly pulsed with energy. The rune beneath his feet began to glow, a full, intricate symbol that shimmered with a power far beyond simple fire manipulation. It was complete—an ancient, complex rune.

The moment Nekhtem’s foot connected with the ground, the rune activated.

With the force of an explosion, the ground erupted. From beneath the earth, a head of ember-like ash rose up with terrifying speed, coiling upward like a massive viper made of molten fire. The creature’s eyes burned like the sun, and its mouth opened wide, revealing fangs of burning stone, before it slammed into Nekhtem’s body with the force of a freight train.

Searing heat exploded outward, engulfing the massive fighter. The fire and ash enveloped him in an inferno, setting his body ablaze in an instant. Nekhtem screamed out in agony, his voice full of terror and pain, a sound so raw and brutal that it made the onlookers flinch in fear. The very air seemed to throb with the intensity of his suffering as the flames burned into his flesh, searing him to the bone.

The crowd watched in stunned silence, their faces twisted in horror and disbelief at the brutality of the attack. This was no simple fight anymore. This was a war, a fight for survival, and Kei Y was reveling in every moment of it.

Nekhtem struggled, his massive hands swatting at the burning viper, but it was useless. The flames licked at his body, and the ember viper constricted around him, tightening its hold with every passing second. His movements became slower, more desperate, and the pain—unbearable.

Kei Y stood back, watching with that same wicked grin. His eyes burned with excitement, and despite the clear danger to Nekhtem, he didn’t feel an ounce of pity. This was the battle he had been waiting for—the moment to push Nekhtem to his limits, to show him just how far his own power could stretch.

"Well?" Kei Y called out, his voice dripping with challenge. "This is what you wanted, right? A real fight? If you can still stand after this, I’ll be impressed."

The air was thick with the heat of battle, the searing flames still clinging to Nekhtem as he struggled to free himself from the ember ash viper that constricted around him like a fiery serpent. Yet amidst the chaos, something else stirred in Kei Y’s chest—a flicker of recognition, a bond that had long been thought lost.

Deep within him, something familiar called out, faint but undeniable. The ember ash viper’s presence, a symbol of fire and power, seemed to reach out to him from the depths of his connection. It wasn’t just a creature—it was a memory, a lingering fragment of something greater. The viper, despite being part of the attack, felt like it was speaking to him, its fiery essence an echo of the past, reminding him of something he had forgotten.

Kei Y’s grin widened even further, the fire in his chest reigniting with a deeper purpose. He could feel it—the connection that had once existed but now, faintly, came back. The ember viper, in its final moments of glowing brilliance, offered him something. “I’m sorry for not being around anymore, but let me lend you my power once more.”

It wasn’t just the viper—it was the energy he needed to advance, to evolve. Kei Y’s understanding of fire runes deepened, a sudden leap of insight that transformed his control over the flames. What had once been simple fire runes evolved, shifting into something more primal, more dangerous. Ember Ash Viper runes.

The moment that realization hit, Kei Y’s hands instinctively began to form. His fingers traced the air, curling like the fangs of the ember viper itself, and a fierce, scorching energy surged through him. The heat radiated from his palms, as though the very essence of the fire had become an extension of his will.

“I can keep going, big guy,” Kei Y said, his voice a calm challenge, the wicked excitement in his grin never fading. As Nekhtem finally stopped screaming, gasping for breath through the pain of his scorched body, Kei Y’s presence became even more intense. He stood tall, unbothered by the chaos around him, eyes locked onto his opponent with unrelenting determination.

Nekhtem, battered and beaten by the flames, glared back at Kei Y, his body trembling from the pain, his skin charred and blistering. But in his eyes was something else—a grim resolve that Kei Y wasn’t about to overlook.

Above the din of the battle, a voice in the crowd broke through the tension. The mysterious figure Kei M had been watching all this time spoke, his voice quiet, but filled with a certain excitement. “I must have him.”

Kei M’s gaze narrowed as he picked up on the figure’s words, a dark sense of foreboding rising within him. “Keep dreaming, you fool,” Kei M muttered under his breath, his words a quiet but deadly declaration. He wasn’t going to let him lay a hand on Kei Y—not without consequences. He’d give this fool a chance to try, but he’d never allow him to take Kei Y. Not while he was alive.

In the midst of it all, Mia, blissfully unaware of the darker currents swirling beneath the surface, continued to cheer wildly for Kei Y. “Go Khenu!” she shouted, her voice ringing out as she waved her arms in the air, caught up in the excitement of the fight. She had no idea what dangers were lurking nearby, but at that moment, she was in her own world, fully absorbed in Kei Y’s performance. It was probably better that way, her innocence a stark contrast to the deadly forces converging around them.

But Kei Y was far from innocent. His grin was now one of pure thrill, the rush of battle coursing through him as he prepared to push Nekhtem even further. With his newfound power, and the Ember Ash Viper runes now at his command, he was more than ready to take the fight to the next level.