Mana was the ethereal fabric that ran through the Magus Universe, touching every corner of its existence.
There were two ways beings could access the mana in their surroundings and tap into its magical potential: external and internal mana systems.
The external mana system ant manipulating mana to achieve desired effects, further categorized into magic spells and magic combat.
The internal mana system ant extracting mana from the surroundings and subsequently elevating one’s essence, resulting in strengthening oneself and advancing through the ranks.
This was further categorized into two: the mana extraction thod and the body enhancent thod.
Beings who followed the mana extraction thod were called Magi, and those who followed the body enhancent thod were called Paladins.
The knowledge about Paladins was entirely wiped out along with the civilization of Feypore. Adam believed that in Tron, no one followed the body enhancent thod like him.
Until now, that is.
To think there was another madman who followed both the mana extraction thod and the body enhancent thod, Adam thought to himself with a crazed grin.
Even in the Greater Universe, people either embarked on the path of a Magus or the path of a Paladin. Very rarely did they embark on both. The sheer difficulty in advancing in both paths deterred most who dared to try.
But those who successfully managed to advance in both paths side by side stood unrivaled among their peers.
That was why Adam was undefeatable in the sa rank and could fight beyond his rank. It was because he followed the mana extraction thod, as well as the body enhancent thod.
Suddenly, Goro’s voice echoed inside his head:
’Only my father knows about embarking on the path of a Paladin alongside the path of a Magus. What cycle are you on?’
Mind Whisper? Adam thought. He’s very careful. Totally unlike his brutish appearance.
He then silently raised three fingers.
Goro’s lips curled into a wide grin. "Good. This is going to be fun."
With that said, he got into a fighting stance, his entire being emanating a powerful aura. The very air around him seed to distort.
"To make this fair, I won’t be using my clan’s poison arts," he added.
Adam, too, got into a fighting stance. For the first ti since leaving Mabi, he finally let loose his bestial presence that he had honed by living and hunting in the jungles of the Land of the First Magi.
A terrifying, predatory aura emanated from Adam. Standing in front of him felt like standing in front of a bloodthirsty beast at the top of the food chain.
Goro was montarily startled. When he glanced at his forearms, he noticed that it was covered in goosebumps.
"Wonderful!" He was beyond happy. "Truly wonderful!"
Even the very ground started to tremble ever so slightly as the two beasts unleashed their auras.
A gentle breeze swept past, carrying a lone plum blossom leaf into the training ring. It swayed gracefully through the air before settling on the ground... right between Adam and Goro.
That was the starting signal.
At once, both of them disappeared from their original spots, leaving behind a small crater underneath their feet as the ground exploded. Their figures turned into a blur as they t at the center of the ring, both unleashing a devastating punch.
"Give it your all!! Ao!!" Goro roared with a nacing grin as his fist zood towards Adam.
Adam, too, couldn’t stop himself from grinning wildly, his blood bubbling with excitent. He also released a punch, his entire hand augnted by his tyrannical mana.
Goro was bigger than him, so his incoming punch seed like it would consu Adam whole.
The Venom Dragon’s fist enlarged in Adam’s vision, and their fists were only a heartbeat away from connecting.
But at the last possible mont, Adam’s fist turned into a serpent-like claw. Then, his arm coiled around Goro’s hand, his fingers going straight for the latter’s throat.
Goro’s pupils constricted. He hadn’t expected Adam to switch at the last second. He had truly expected Adam to hamr it out with him. Punches after punches after punches...
With a disappointed sigh, Goro’s left hand moved like a blur, and in the blink of an eye, he caught Adam’s serpent-like strike, gripping his wrist. The attack, aid straight for his throat, halted re milliters away, Adam’s four fingers barely touching his neck.
"With such strength coursing through your veins, why must you fight like a coward?" Goro’s voice was choked with emotion.
"I thought I had found a worthy rival, but you... you turned out to be just another—"
However, the Venom Dragon’s words got caught in his throat.
Hand of Doom: One Hit!
Adam’s fingers had already reached his target. All he had to do was follow through with a devastating one-inch punch.
BOOOM!!
The ground erupted beneath his feet, spiderweb cracks all around. The air itself seed to tear apart at the point of contact, producing a rippling shockwave.
Adam stood firm with his right hand still outstretched. anwhile, Goro was sent flying away.
Yet, despite it all, Adam wasn’t happy with the outco.
That bastard... he blocked my attack with his hand at the last mont, he thought incredulously.
He looked in the direction Goro had been blasted away. Several boulders and trees were blown to smithereens as a result. Among the dust and debris, a towering hulk of a man erged.
"Sly like a snake, strong like a bear," said the Venom Dragon as he leisurely walked back to the training ring. "As expected of my rival."
Adam noticed that Goro’s left hand was raised, palm open, where the One Hit had landed. Wisps of steam curled from the surface of his palm, yet not a bruise, not even a mark could be seen.
Color surprised, Adam thought with a grin.
Goro tore open his upper clothes, revealing his large and chiseled muscles. The aura around him remained undeterred as he made his way back to the ring.
"Do you know how frustrating it gets?" Goro began. "I have remained undefeated among my peers, and fighting n weaker than is beneath . Yet, when I fight my father, I feel a deep, bitter awareness of my own limitations."
His last words still hung in the air, but he had already vanished!
Alarm bells rang within Adam’s mind, and at the last possible mont, he felt a trendous surge of mana coming from beside him. It was too late to evade, so he could only block the incoming attack.
BAM!!
Goro appeared beside him and struck him with a mighty blow. This ti, it was Adam’s turn to fly away.
The Venom Dragon took a deep breath and roared with sheer joy:
"Ao, this is the thrill of battle I have been yearning for!! Show everything you got!!"
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