Magus Supremacy

"Oh wow! He has grasped the sensing of an attack concept." Thalos chuckled as he stared at the kneeling Grey, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"But I'm sure it's a fluke, so let's go again!" The gargoyle grinned widely before suddenly bolting toward the kneeling Grey, his massive frame moving with terrifying speed.

"Wait! Seriously? A fluke? That could have ended my sh—" Grey shouted, cutting himself short as he spotted the famous great sword descending toward him from above, its massive blade gleaming with a deadly edge. His eyes widened as the weapon came down at full speed.

With every bit of Ki he could muster swirling violently around his feet, Grey launched himself backward in a sudden burst of explosive force.

His body twisted into a backflip at the very last second, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the strike as the sword grazed his leg. It slammed into the ground a heartbeat later, completely shattering the area upon impact, chunks of stone flying in all directions.

"Crap! You are going to bring this whole place down!" Grey shouted, glancing at the deep crater that had formed, dust rising like smoke around them.

"If it lets you have sense, then sure, why not?" Thalos grinned, resting the massive sword on his shoulder for a brief moment before pointing it toward Grey, who instinctively lifted his own sword in response.

"I have sense, damn it!" Grey roared, his voice echoing through the throne room, a fierce glow burning in his eyes.

"Pro… prove it!" Thalos groaned mockingly before hurling his sword forward with every ounce of strength he possessed. The sheer force of the throw made the weapon break through the sound barrier, whistling violently as it shot toward Grey like a streak of lightning.

"F*ck!" Grey barked, barely managing to raise his sword in time. The moment the great sword collided with his, the impact rattled through his bones, the crushing force hurling him backward as blood burst from his mouth. The pressure made bones in his arms creak and crack painfully under the strain.

His boots tore deep gouges into the ground as he was pushed back, his knees grinding into the floor and carving gaping holes while the unstoppable weight of the great sword forced him toward the wall with alarming speed.

"Weak." Thalos grunted, spinning away with a disappointed look on his face.

"I… I… I'm not weak!" Grey bellowed, his voice raw with defiance as Ki energy flared around his hands. With a perfectly timed swing, he redirected the massive sword with his katana, forcing it to crash into the ground beside him, embedding itself so deeply that cracks spread outward from the impact point.

"Curse you!" Grey roared, leaning forward slightly before exploding toward Thalos, half of his Ki channeling into his legs. The sudden burst was like a gunshot, the air rippling as he rocketed forward. His sword was already sliding into its sheath, his sharp gaze locked on the gargoyle's back.

"Just as I said… too rash and foolish. Also," Thalos smiled without even turning, sensing Grey's approach as he came within mere inches, hand gripping his sword hilt.

"I knew it was a fluke." The gargoyle muttered as he suddenly raised his hand and clenched it tightly.

"Huh?!" Grey's eyes darted as his sword was about to be drawn toward the gargoyle's unguarded back when—

"Shit!" he muttered, instincts screaming. He spun around with every ounce of speed he could muster, bringing his sword up just in time to intercept whatever was coming.

BANG!

BOOM!

A deafening bang exploded through the throne room, the ceiling above groaning under the violent tremor. The force sent shockwaves that kicked up a massive cloud of dust, scattering debris in every direction, swallowing the battlefield in chaos.

Slowly, the dust settled, and Grey could now be seen with his sword held out, blocking Thalos' great sword. Blood trickled down his nose, and his arms ached with immense pain as the massive weapon hovered right in front of his own blade.

"Impressive," Thalos commented with a small, approving smile as he stared at Grey, who maintained his pose despite the strain. "Not only can you sense life force, you can now sense deadly attacks? Too good."

"Now it's your turn to feel my wrath!" Grey cried out, his voice filled with determination. He pushed the great sword away with a burst of force, using his own blade as leverage. Then, in one fluid movement, he spun around and kicked off the ground with explosive speed, dashing toward the gargoyle, which tilted its head in brief confusion.

"ARGHHH!" Grey roared, swinging his sword horizontally with every ounce of strength he could muster.

Thalos only shook his head.

With little effort, the gargoyle sidestepped instantly, avoiding Grey's attack entirely. The failed strike caused Grey to stumble forward a few paces before regaining his balance. He spun back around, his sword flashing through the air once again.

"Just because you mastered how to sense a life force in… what? A few minutes? You thought you could handle me?" Thalos chuckled. He leaned backward effortlessly, letting Grey's blade slice harmlessly through empty space, then, without wasting a heartbeat, he snapped his foot forward with a loud bang.

The gargoyle's kick slammed into Grey's abdomen with such devastating force that his eyes seemed to roll back. Blood and spit burst from his mouth, and the next instant, his body was sent hurtling backward at terrifying speed until he crashed into a stone wall with a bone-jarring impact.

"Shit… I think I should have held back slightly," Thalos mumbled under his breath, watching Grey twitch on the ground and cough violently.

"Okay… I think I shouldn't have let that get to my head," Grey groaned as he struggled to his feet, pain coursing through every muscle and bone in his body.

"You think?" Thalos sighed, facepalming as he stared at Grey limping forward.

'I knew he wouldn't die from that, but I'm surprised he's still conscious. I withheld my strength enough not to kill him, but even then… he shouldn't be on his feet right now. Is this the effect of his breakthrough to the next stage? He's definitely more durable than before,' the gargoyle thought, narrowing his eyes at Grey, who now stood just a meter away.

"You said something about a second lesson earlier, right? What was it?" Grey asked, raising an eyebrow, snapping Thalos from his thoughts.

"How about I teach you in another one of our spars?" Thalos replied with a wide grin, lowering himself into a stance.

"Oh, come on! Not ag… wait a moment!" Grey began, glaring at the gargoyle, then glancing down at his sword before looking back up. "How are you able to make your sword come flying at you so easily?"

"That… it's because the weapon has a skill that makes it possible. Yours has one too, but I've forgotten what it is," Thalos admitted, scratching at the side of his stone helmet.

'A skill? I wonder what kind of skill a divine-ranked weapon would have. Could it be something as helpful as Thalos' own? And how would I even unlock it?' Grey wondered, eyes locked on his blade until the gargoyle's booming voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Back to our lesson!" Thalos roared, charging forward at full speed, stone feet pounding the ground. "Time for you to learn the basic way a gargoyle fights!"

"Crap! I'm not ready!" Grey shouted, panic flashing in his eyes as the massive stone figure bore down on him like a raging boulder.