CHAPTER 195: TRAINING WITH VON (4)

Three days passed by in a blur and during that time, Adrian and Master Von trained with every moment they could spare.

The training was relentless. It wasn’t limited to Adrian simply learning a technique; Master Von ensured he mastered it, forcing him to practice each move thousands of times until it was etched into his muscle memory.

Whenever the Factory’s six-hour access time ended and the one-hour cooldown kicked in, they would use the time to get some rest.

Most times, however, they both sat within the powerful cultivation array Adrian had set up. Since Master Von’s Dantian had been damaged as a result of using a similar array in the past, he originally rejected the idea.

But Adrian had reassured him that with his Soul Imprint reinforcing his Dantian, he had no problems to fear, at least for now. He could cultivate without restraint.

They didn’t make exaggerated progress in their cultivation levels there, but it was a different case entirely with their combat training.

~FWOOSH!~

Adrian’s fists moved in a blur, both hands infused with a continuous, spiraling flow of mana. He unleashed a rapid series of alternating corkscrew punches, each one drilling through the air with an audible whine.

The Twin Dragon Spiral was the last offensive technique Von had taught him, a devastating flurry designed to shatter an opponent’s guard. As he concluded the final punch, which sent a wave of force crackling through the air, he turned to Master Von.

"I believe I’ve mastered it completely. Can we move on to the next one now?"

Adrian was enjoying the training. No, that would be a lie. He was enjoying the results. The feeling of tangible, personal power growing within him was deeply satisfying.

He was more than pleased. He was also in a rush. The day he had agreed upon with the Elves to visit Eldryth had gone by His plan was to conclude his training with Master Von today and set out for the Elven kingdom right away.

Master Von let out a long, weary sigh at his student’s question, a complex look on his face.

"There’s no next one. You’ve mastered them all." He shook his head, a wry, disbelieving smile forming. "My entire life’s worth of experience and knowledge... you’ve absorbed it in three days. I’m truly jealous."

"Thank you. I’m truly grateful for your guidance, Master Von," Adrian said, giving a respectful bow. "Can we spar now, before I leave?"

Von’s tired expression broke into a fierce grin. "Why not? I’ll see just how much you’ve really improved."

In the next instant, Adrian reshaped the Simulation Chamber. The endless white void dissolved, replaced by the familiar polished wood of the massive dojo from their previous fight.

The two masters, teacher and student, faced each other from opposite ends of the vast hall. The atmosphere was different this time.

There was no nonchalance in Adrian, and no sense of a simple lesson from Von. There was only the quiet, tense respect between two powerful warriors. Despite only mastering the techniques recently, Adrian still had a good number of combat experiences. Coupled with his faster metal speed, he was sure to give Master Von a good fight.

Without a countdown, they moved simultaneously.

Adrian shot forward, Phantom Flow making his form flicker and blur, but this time his feet were rooted in the Shifting Sands Stance, his center of gravity impossibly low and stable.

Von met his charge head-on, his own speed a match for Adrian’s. The instructor threw a probing jab, a feint designed to test his student’s reaction.

Instead of dodging, Adrian met the blow. His arms moved in the fluid, circular motions of the Vortex Counter, catching the force of Von’s fist.

But Von was the master of this art. He didn’t overcommit, instantly retracting his energy and throwing a sharp kick with his other leg. Adrian, unable to fully redirect the first blow, was forced to abandon the counter and use his Adamant Core Reinforcement to block the kick with his forearm, the impact sending a jarring shock through his body.

~CRACK!~

They broke apart, skidding to a halt a dozen meters from each other. The opening exchange had been a draw. A wide grin was plastered on Von’s face.

"Good! You’re learning!"

The fight truly began. It was a whirlwind of motion and sound. Adrian used Phantom Flow to create a constant, disorienting pressure, his after-images flooding Von’s vision.

But Von, with his decades of experience, was an immovable rock. He didn’t need to see Adrian; he could feel the shifts in the air, the subtle vibrations in the floor.

Adrian appeared at Von’s side, his fist glowing with contained power.

Resonant Fist!

Von didn’t meet it head-on. He pivoted, using a smaller, more refined Vortex Counter with one hand to deflect the vibrational strike while simultaneously delivering a sharp chop to Adrian’s neck with the other. Adrian, anticipating this, ducked under the chop and drove a low, sweeping kick at Von’s legs.

The battle became a high-speed chess match. For every move Adrian made, Von had a counter. For every counter Von presented, Adrian used his superior processing speed and newfound skills to adapt.

~THUD! BAM! CRACK!~

Their fists and feet met, each blow enhanced by their reinforced bodies. Adrian landed a solid punch on Von’s shoulder, the resonant pulse making the older man grit his teeth.

In retaliation, Von landed a kick to Adrian’s ribs that sent him stumbling back, gasping for air. The fight was a brutal, beautiful dance of violence, a perfect stalemate between Adrian’s impossible learning speed and Von’s experience.

They fought for what felt like an eternity, the wooden floor of the simulated dojo becoming scarred and splintered from their impacts.

Nearly an hour had passed, and neither had gained a decisive advantage.

Finally, they broke apart one last time, standing hundreds of meters apart and both panting heavily.

They looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. This would be the final exchange.

Adrian took a deep breath, channeling a massive amount of mana into his limbs. He initiated his most overwhelming technique: Phantom Rend Asura.

Von, seeing the storm of chaotic energy gathering around Adrian, planted his feet firmly, his own mana flaring to life. He prepared the ultimate application of his own signature move, a Resonant Fist meant not to disable, but to shatter.

With a roar, Adrian shot forward, his body becoming a hurricane of physical blows and cutting mana after-images. He became a living vortex of destruction, aiming to overwhelm his master with sheer, unrelenting force.

Von did not move. He waited until the storm was upon him, then unleashed his own attack; a single, straight punch aimed at the very heart of the typhoon.

The storm of phantom blades met the single, unstoppable fist.

~BOOOM!~

The resulting explosion of force and light was blinding, a deafening roar that shook the very foundations of the simulated dojo.

The wooden floor beneath them vaporized, sending splinters and dust flying in every direction.

When the light faded, both figures were still standing. Adrian was on one knee, gasping for air; while Von stood tall, but his arm was trembling, and a thin trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

The fight had remained a perfect standstill.