An Unordinary Extra

I exhaled deeply, my gaze locked onto Li Zenith, who stood across from me with a calmness that bordered on divine. His very presence seemed to warp the air around him, a testament to the sheer weight of his power. High Immortal-rank—an apex few could hope to approach, let alone challenge.

"Show me everything," he said, his voice as steady as the mountains that cradled Mount Hua.

It wasn't a request. It was a command, and one I was more than happy to obey.

Without hesitation, I summoned Eclipse Blade. The familiar weight of the weapon materialised in my hand, its edges gleaming as astral energy coursed through it—not the diluted pseudo astral energy I'd wielded in the past, but the real thing, potent and unyielding. The blade hummed in anticipation, alive with power.

'Do not use the second ability of Soul Resonance yet,' Luna's voice echoed in my mind. 'Focus on Mythic Transplant.'

I nodded imperceptibly, acknowledging her guidance. Around me, the pieces fell into place.

Lucent Harmony flowed over my skin, weaving itself into the mana around me, amplifying the connection between my astral energy and the world. Mind's Aegis sharpened my focus, splitting my consciousness into multiple threads, each dedicated to a specific task. Seraphim's Embrace heightened my senses, while Soul Vision laid bare the hidden currents of power that surrounded us. Mythic Body reinforced my frame, making every movement faster, stronger, and more precise. And finally, Astral Manifestation magnified my astral energy, elevating it to the level of an Immortal-ranker.

The synergy between these abilities was seamless, like a symphony in perfect harmony. My body was a conduit, and my sword was the conductor's baton.

I moved.

The ground beneath me cracked as I propelled myself forward with a burst of gravity magic, my blade slashing through the air. Spectral Sword, now a part of my very being, activated instinctively. One strike became three, then ten, then a hundred—a cascading storm of blows that descended upon Li from every direction, each strike carrying the weight of my Sword Heart.

"Incredible," he murmured, genuine admiration in his voice. He unsheathed his own blade, its surface crackling with lightning astral energy. With a single swing, the storm I had unleashed dissipated, my attacks scattered like leaves in the wind.

I landed lightly, skidding back with the force of his counter. My heart pounded, but I was far from deterred.

'This is only the beginning,' I thought.

Drawing on the essence of my Grade 5 art, I surged forward again. My blade shimmered, encased in eleven distinct layers of astral energy. Each layer pulsed with the elements of mana, coalescing into a force that roared like a gathering storm. What began as a steady stream of power turned into a waterfall, then a raging river, then a vast ocean.

The sheer intensity of the energy poured into my strike caused the air to tremble, the ground to quake.

BOOM!

The impact reverberated through the training ground, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of surprise in Li's eyes. His blade shifted slightly under the force of my attack, the lightning astral energy surging to meet my assault. 

"Excellent," he said, his voice steady but with a note of respect. "But you're not done yet, are you?"

He was right. I wasn't.

My Sword Heart pulsed, a rhythmic drumbeat that spurred me forward. Spectral Sword wove itself into my strikes, the art seamlessly enhancing each blow with spectral echoes. The room was filled with an iridescent glow as my strikes multiplied, their afterimages lingering like ghostly reflections.

Li parried and countered with the ease of a master, his every movement a testament to his unparalleled skill. Yet even he couldn't completely conceal the effort it took to deflect the onslaught. His blade hummed as it met mine, sparks flying in a dazzling display.

For a moment, just a moment, I saw it—the faintest edge of his composure faltering, his balance shifting ever so slightly. 

It was enough. I pressed harder, my strikes surging with renewed vigor.

"Good," he said, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Very good."

The battle wasn't over, not by a long shot. But for the first time, I felt it—a hint of equality, a glimpse of the impossible heights I was determined to reach.

And now, it was time for God Flash.

I drew a slow breath, my sword sliding into its sheath with the whisper of finality. The air around me felt electric, charged with anticipation. The battle had reached a crescendo, and this was the moment to show the fruits of my labor.

Light magic.

I focused, narrowing my thoughts until they were a beam of pure intent. Light magic was the foundation, but the execution would be mine.

'Luna,' I thought, and with her silent assent, a seven-circle spell formed in the blink of an eye. The intricate matrices of the Fuller method flowed effortlessly into place, as natural as the rhythm of my breath.

Li's brows furrowed as the spell descended between us, the radiance of its design painting the air in streaks of brilliance. It was simple—deceptively so. A spell not meant to harm, but to disorient, a flicker of chaos in the steady rhythm of our battle.

His lightning astral energy flared, and in an instant, the spell was gone, its brilliance shattered like a glass bauble in a thunderstorm.

But it was done.

This was God Flash: Absolute.

The power of Mythic Transplant surged through me, condensing the effects of Mythic Body into a single point. It was a technique that demanded precision, an economy of strength that turned an already incredible force into something transcendent.

For now, I could manage only one limb. My right leg became the focal point, its strength amplified until it felt almost alien—more qilin than human.

I launched myself forward, the ground beneath me cratering as God Flash: Absolute took hold. The speed was unlike anything I had achieved before, the world blurring into streaks of color as I hurtled toward Li.

And then, as if choreographed by an unseen hand, I switched. Mind's Aegis fragmented my consciousness, allowing me to command my body with inhuman clarity. The singularity of qilinification flowed from my leg to my right arm in a seamless transition, the energy settling into the limb that now wielded my sword.

The blade moved.

No, it appeared.

To any observer, there would have been no swing, no arc of steel cleaving through the air. Only the aftermath—a resonant hum and the faint glimmer of spectral echoes marking where the strike had landed.

Li's eyes narrowed, his expression tightening in a flicker of something akin to surprise. His blade met mine in an explosive clash, sparks dancing like fireflies as our energies collided.

"Impressive," he said, his voice calm but layered with a quiet acknowledgment. "You're beginning to understand."

But I wasn't done.

Not yet.

I withdrew, my body alive with the pulse of energy as I readied another strike. God Flash: Absolute wasn't merely a single move, not anymore.

Li shifted, his stance subtly changing as his lightning astral energy surged. He was preparing for my next move, the anticipation thick in the air.

I smiled.

And then I vanished.

Humans were creatures of habit, their minds naturally seeking patterns, weaving assumptions from what they had seen. It was their strength—and their folly.

The first God Flash: Absolute had been fast, undeniably so. Fast enough to draw surprise from Li, to test the limits of his perception. 

But that speed? That was merely the echo of my former self. A shadow.

Now, this was the true God Flash: Absolute.

The moment stretched, the world slowing to a crawl as my body surged forward. Mythic Transplant refined my every movement, pushing the boundaries of what even I believed possible. The force was incomprehensible, the speed blurring the edges of reality itself. 

Li's eyes widened—a fraction of a second's tell that even he, with all his experience and power, had been caught off guard. His blade moved instinctively, lightning astral energy crackling in brilliant arcs as he swung to intercept. 

But it wasn't enough.

Our weapons met, the collision creating a shockwave that rippled out in a brilliant explosion of energy. The ground beneath us fractured, shards of stone suspended in the air like stars caught mid-birth. My blade slipped through the gap his hurried deflection had created, carving a shallow wound into his side.

He stepped back, hand pressed to the injury as it mended itself in moments, the process so rapid it was as though the wound had never existed. His lightning energy swirled protectively around him, and he smiled—wry, impressed, and tinged with something deeper.

"Monster," he said simply, his voice low and heavy with admiration. 

"That's my best for now," I admitted, the adrenaline draining from my body as I felt my legs falter beneath me. The energy I had poured into that last strike, the sheer demand of Mythic Transplant and God Flash: Absolute, was staggering. My vision blurred as I dropped to my knees, the rush of exertion catching up to me all at once.

Li's expression softened as he sheathed his blade. He stepped closer, his towering presence less an oppressive weight and more a steadying force. 

"Best for now," he echoed, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But you are far from done growing. Rest, Arthur. Your best will only grow sharper." 

His words, measured and calm, carried the weight of both a mentor's pride and a warrior's acknowledgment. As the world settled back into its natural rhythm, I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion claim me with the quiet certainty that this was just the beginning.