The True Ascension-Chapter 44: When Blades Speak

Aziz barely had time to think.

Instinctively, his body responded to the imminent danger. As if every cell, every fiber of his muscles had memorized what to do in moments like that, his posture adjusted, his breathing regulated, and his senses sharpened. Everything happened in a fraction of a second, like an ancestral mechanism carefully molded over the years, ready to activate at the exact moment of threat.

His feet planted firmly on the ground, like roots embedded in stone. His eyes became sharp and focused, catching even the slightest movement in the air. His arms moved with absolute precision, wielding the sword as a natural extension of his own being.

The test had begun.

The metallic sound echoed through the chamber as Aziz’s sword intercepted the swift attack of Selene’s spear. The clash of weapons reverberated through his arms, a wave of impact that would have unbalanced an ordinary fighter. But he did not waver. His body held firm, his silver hair swaying with the vibration of the blow, like strands of silver dancing under an invisible current.

"Good reflexes," Selene remarked, her eyes gleaming with a certain excitement, as if she had just found a raw diamond more precious than expected. But she gave no time for responses. Without hesitation, she spun the spear deftly and attacked again, aiming directly at Aziz’s neck — swift as a venomous serpent, treacherous and precise.

Aziz leapt back, eyes fixed on her, sword in high guard. The blade before his face gleamed, reflecting the chamber lights as if channeling his own determination. He did not respond to the silent provocation in Selene’s eyes. He observed. Studied. Calculated. Every movement, every angle of her guard, every blind spot visible for less than a second. Nothing escaped him.

She arched an eyebrow at his prudence and, with a provocative smile on her lips, stepped forward.

"Come on, don’t tell me you’re just going to defend and retreat. That would be disappointing... especially from someone under Lady Stella’s tutelage," she said, in a tone mixed with provocation and challenge. Her eyes were sharp needles of analysis, scanning his every reaction, as if wanting to tear off his masks and decipher who he really was. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Aziz remained silent for a brief moment. He didn’t fall for the provocation — at least not emotionally. But in his mind, he decided it was time to change the course of the fight.

’Based on what I’ve seen so far... she’s at the Master stage like me,’ he thought, adjusting his grip on the sword. ’But the difference between us is clear. I’m only an Initiate Master... she’s probably at the Mid level, maybe even Peak.’

Despite that, Aziz didn’t seem intimidated.

’At the start of Ascension, those distinctions matter little. What truly counts is mastery in combat... and even more, the bloodlines we carry. And in that area...’

He smiled inwardly, with the calm of someone who knows their own blood.

’And about my bloodline... I still know little, but... being an Immortal, even if I haven’t explored my full potential, I can keep fighting almost indefinitely. She can only defeat me if she lands a fatal blow — one that prevents me from regenerating in time.’

His thoughts lasted no more than a second. Time, for him, had slowed — a perception acquired over years of intense, relentless training.

Over the past five years, Aziz had been shaped by the merciless rigor of his mother and the meticulous cruelty of Isis. Not to mention his time spent in the dream space — where, although improvements weren’t directly transferred to the real world, the insights gained were priceless.

All combined, it was as if he had trained for nearly nine straight years.

And that had left scars... and advantages.

Taking a deep breath, Aziz turned his eyes to Selene. But now, something was different in his gaze.

The smile that appeared on his lips was no longer the serene and gentle one from before.

It was the smile of someone who knew pain... and had learned to dance with it.

Bloodthirsty. Disdainful. And with a hint of madness.

Isis said that this was a symptom of true strength: insanity contained, disguised as tranquility.

Selene felt a shiver run down her spine at that smile. But not out of fear.

It was pure excitement.

Finally, he was going to fight for real.

And she was ready.

Without warning, Aziz vanished in a blur. His body surged forward like lightning, the speed making him almost imperceptible. His sword was low, but his center of gravity revealed the lethal intent of the attack.

Selene, trusting her instincts, raised the spear in a defensive motion, blocking the strike aimed at her shoulder joint. The impact was so strong it made her slide a few steps back, her feet scraping the floor with a dry hiss.

But Aziz didn’t stop.

He pressed on, blow after blow, forcing her to retreat. His blade flowed like a raging current — precise, constant, merciless. Yet Selene wasn’t just any opponent.

With a nimble spin, she counterattacked with a straight thrust, aiming at his chest — swift and accurate.

Aziz’s eyes narrowed. With a fluid motion, he interrupted his attack, holding the sword with both hands and deflecting the thrust to the side. Spinning his body, he prepared to deliver a lateral slash at Selene’s neck.

But she saw through the intent.

With a swift bend of the knees, she ducked and flipped backward, dodging both the blow and the surprise knee strike that was coming next.

Seeing this, Aziz smiled even more. He gave her space to recover.

Selene stared at him, surprised to see that same smile still on his face. A twisted smile, yet serene. An impossible contrast. And, for some reason, she smiled too.

Smile for smile. Blood for blood.

Both took deep breaths. And charged.

The sound of metal against metal exploded in the room. The weapons clashed with greater force, speed, and killing intent. With each strike, the environment seemed to vibrate.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The spectators, all women, stood at a distance but were fully engaged in the fight. Their eyes could barely follow the movements, but their hearts beat in unison with the rhythm of battle.

Stella and Sylvia, especially, were impressed.

Aziz, the boy they saw grow up, now dictated the pace of combat against someone two sublevels above him. And he did so with composure, as if he were just playing.

Sofia and Zia watched in fascination. Even without understanding all the details of the stage differences, they knew Selene was stronger. But seeing Aziz fight like that — with confidence, strategy, and endurance — left them mesmerized.

As for Astrid and Isis... they weren’t surprised.

They had molded him for this.

They knew Aziz was capable of facing even someone at Peak Ascendant stage, if he truly fought seriously.

And there, he was still holding back.

But what stood out most to them was the mastery with the sword. Every move, every feint, every wrist rotation — everything was calculated and precise.

There was beauty in lethality.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The clash continued, now more decisive and fluid. Aziz was clearly ahead in technique. Selene noticed and, even between gasps, didn’t hide her admiration.

"You... haah... you’re good with the sword," she said, stepping back for a second to catch her breath.

"Haha, I try," Aziz replied with a softer smile, though still overshadowed by the gleam in his eyes.

Selene composed herself, then said with a mischievous glint:

"What do you say we turn up the heat? Let’s use mana. On the weapons, vital points... no restrictions. Let’s really let loose."

Saying that, she channeled her mana skillfully, covering the strategic points of her body with an almost invisible film of blue energy. Her spear seemed to vibrate with new life.

Aziz nodded, but took a deep breath. His mana control was inferior to hers. After all, he had just entered the Master stage, and that made a difference.

But he had something she didn’t.

Unlimited mana.

Closing his eyes, Aziz focused deeply on his newly formed core. He visualized it: an unstable, shimmering sphere, oscillating between existence and void. His mana, like a blue-silver flame, burned silently within that vortex, waiting for a command.

When he finally released it, the energy flowed intensely — running through his meridians, filling his muscles, nerves, and bones with an ancestral force. It was as if his body had been reignited from within.

And then, opening his eyes, he was engulfed in ethereal flames of a radiant blue-silver, his body emitting an intense, flickering aura that danced around him with contained wildness.

For a brief moment, his silhouette resembled that of a certain spiky-haired warrior alien, cloaked in cosmic energy as he raised his Ki to a new transformation.

Selene watched him, stunned. Not with fear... but with a mix of desire and reverence.

"Uh... you see... I just entered the Master stage, so my control is still... kinda rough," Aziz said, scratching his neck, embarrassed by the intensity of the aura he had unleashed.

But Selene didn’t care about that.

What impressed her was the quality and quantity of that mana. Even more... the way her own mana reacted to his presence.

It was as if Aziz’s mana were a superior entity. Something sacred.

She took a deep breath. Her heart was pounding like never before.

And then, without hesitation, she enveloped her entire body in mana, making the room vibrate with her presence. She smiled — a sweet smile, almost affectionate.

And ran toward him.

Aziz, with his sword covered in silvery energy, charged too.

Two forces collided.

Two worlds met.

What was meant to be just a test... was turning into something deeper. More intimate. More real.

And neither of them wanted it any other way.