CHAPTER 90: PATH TO POWER

"Wow, since your levels are increasing so fast, you might reach Level 100 sooner than I thought," Nolan said.

Both Celia and Linda nodded.

"What’s wrong?" Nolan asked.

"Master, not everyone is capable of reaching Level 100," Celia admitted. "Even Level 70, 60, or 50... I fear our levels might stop growing at some point."

"Same here," Linda added.

"Don’t think like that," Nolan encouraged. "I can tell you two are going to get stronger. Your levels will increase."

"Yes, but we might not be able to handle everyone," Celia said. "Someone like Kane, the bandit you saved us from—he’s Level 42. You’ve seen how he was able to harden is skin and increase in size ? ... but you defeated him easily. What if we face someone strong has he? It won’t be easy. I can’t defeat him alone, nor can Linda."

"That’s right. Kane is strong in his own way. I don’t know exactly how he got that strong, but to me... he still felt weak. And he doesn’t... well, he’s still in prison, locked up by now," Nolan said.

"Hey, Master, why don’t we have a spar? Since the fight, we haven’t had a proper spar or anything," Lyra suggested, her eyes sparkling.

"Okay, let’s do that. But come at me gently—I won’t go all out. We don’t want to destroy this yard, the building, or even the street," Nolan said.

"What do you mean, ’going all out’? That could destroy this entire city—or wipe out a huge part of the continent!" Nolan said, eyes widening.

"Let’s see how strong I’ve gotten," Lyra replied confidently. "Since I reached Level 3, I haven’t actually fought you properly, but I know I can win."

"That’s it. Let’s do it," Lyra said with a grin.

Celia and Linda stepped back, giving them ample space.

In the blink of an eye, Lyra and Nolan began exchanging punches. The force alone was devastating—pure raw strength creating wind currents that twisted like mini-tornadoes. Hair and debris flew with every swing. The impact was so intense that Celia and Linda, even while hiding their senses, couldn’t see a single move clearly—they could only hear the crashing sounds and feel the shockwaves pushing them backward.

"What is going on? Their speed... I can’t see anything!" Celia muttered, shielding her eyes.

"I can only hear it... but the force—" Linda whispered, clutching the ground as the shockwaves shoved her slightly.

"You’re strong... actually really strong," Nolan admitted, panting slightly.

"Now, don’t hold back!" Lyra shouted.

"I am the Great Behemoth, the Divine Beast. Show me what you’ve got, Master!" Lyra roared, unleashing her full strength.

Nolan surged forward, matching her blow for blow.

Her punches carried immense weight, heavier than he expected. But his speed—just a little faster—allowed him to keep up. He noticed an opening in her guard. Without hesitation, he struck her stomach. Lyra flew back, crashing through a wall with a deafening crash.

"Ah! Master... you saw the opening?" Lyra gasped as she struggled to her feet, a mix of surprise and admiration in her eyes. "You’re actually stronger than me now..."

Nolan’s eyes narrowed, the adrenaline rushing through him. "Hey... what’s happening? This power... this speed—it’s incredible."

"And this is just with our raw strength," Lyra said, breathing heavily. "We haven’t even used our skills yet, not even the weakest abilities. Just punches, just power. Master... you’re truly strong. That’s why I acknowledge you as my master."

"Let’s keep going. I’ve finally warmed up," Lyra added, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Okay, Master," Nolan said, bracing himself.

Lyra dashed again, moving so fast that to Celia and Linda, it looked as if she vanished. They could only hear the rapid swish of air and the sharp sounds of punches colliding. The yard was alive with wind currents, almost like mini-tornadoes swirling around them. Celia and Linda clung to whatever they could, struggling to comprehend the sheer speed and force.

Lyra struck relentlessly, her raw strength and agility creating a flurry of blows. Nolan countered with equal precision. Each impact sent tremors through the ground. For a moment, Lyra thought she saw an opening and tried to exploit it—but Nolan anticipated her move and blocked effortlessly, returning a punch of his own.

The fight escalated. In the span of a second, it about eighty punches had been exchanged, each strike creating a shockwave in the yard. Slowly, Nolan began to gain the upper hand, adapting faster, his blows pushing Lyra back. She smirked through the struggle. He’s truly my master when it comes to raw strength... even with no abilities, his power is overwhelming, she thought.

Then a sharp voice cut through the chaos.

"Stop!" Cynthia shouted.

In an instant, both Nolan and Lyra froze mid-motion. Dust and debris hung in the air, swirling in tiny vortexes. Celia, Linda, and Cynthia now had a clear view of the devastation.

"What are you two doing here? Look at this mess! The wall—look at it!" Cynthia exclaimed, hands on her hips, disbelief on her face.

"Oh... I didn’t realize," Nolan admitted, sheepishly. "I just... got caught up in the fight."

"And what do you have to say for yourself?" Cynthia turned to Lyra.

"I’m sorry. It won’t happen again," Lyra said, bowing slightly. She folded her hands and turned, walking back inside with dignity.

"Hey... when did she... when did Cynthia come? I didn’t even notice her," Nolan said, looking around in surprise.

"She’s been here the whole time, since it started," Linda replied calmly.

"But Master... that was incredible!" Celia exclaimed. "That speed... I couldn’t even see her! So impressive."

"Yes, Master," Linda added. "And I didn’t even expect Lyra to be this strong... she’s amazing."

Nolan nodded. "Yes, she is."

Lyra then approached Nolan and, with a graceful motion, knelt before him. "Master, I dedicate my life to you. but I just wanted to say this."

Nolan bent down and lifted her gently. "No... you are the one who is truly impressive," he said sincerely.