Raviel let out a deep, guttural roar as he finally forced himself upright.

Flames and lightning burst from his skin like raging sparks, swirling together until they wrapped his whole body.

His [Burning Storm Mana] burned so intensely that the tiles under his feet cracked.

Aveline followed right after.

Green mana flowed from her like mist turning into armor.

Vines, leaves, and shimmering light wrapped around her arms and legs, making her look like a warrior of the forest.

Both of them stood side-by-side, fully awakened, fully activated.

Garion raised an eyebrow. "Oho… Now you look alive."

Raviel cracked his neck and smirked. "Shut up and stand still."

Aveline nodded sharply. "We're not losing this round."

Garion grinned. "Come try."

Raviel blasted forward first. His body became a trail of red and yellow light.

The moment he reached Garion, he twisted sharply and drove an explosive uppercut straight into Garion's chin.

BOOM!

Garion shot upward like a fired cannonball, smashing through the air.

Aveline reacted instantly.

"Don't let him breathe!"

Nature mana exploded around her feet as she dashed forward.

Thorned vines burst from the floor, walls, and even the ceiling, whipping in every direction toward Garion mid-air.

They spiraled and crossed each other like a net, trapping Garion in a cage of green light.

In one smooth motion, Aveline snapped both her arms down.

The vines obeyed.

They wrapped around Garion's wrists, his ankles, his waist, and his chest, binding him tight like a living cocoon.

Garion raised an eyebrow mid-air. "Oh? You finally learned crowd control."

Aveline tightened the bindings. "Shut up and stay still!"

Raviel wasn't done.

He leaped upward, Burning Storm aura exploding under his feet like a miniature rocket.

While airborne, he raised both hands and gathered mana from every direction.

Red and yellow energy spiraled above him, condensing into a gigantic greatsword made entirely of flame and thunder.

It hummed, vibrated, and then crackled violently as if struggling to contain its own power.

Raviel roared, "TAKE THIS!!"

He swung the colossal Burning Storm blade down with everything he had.

Aveline timed it perfectly.

Her vines tightened at the exact same moment, immobilizing Garion even harder so Raviel had a clean strike.

The sword fell like a comet.

CRAAAAAASH!!

The impact shook the entire training arena.

The ground split, light exploded upward, and vines scattered like fireflies.

Raviel landed on one knee, panting hard.

Aveline slid backward, breathing shakily but keeping her balance.

They stared into the smoke-filled crater.

Aveline raised an eyebrow. "Did we… beat him?"

Raviel wiped his chin with a trembling hand. "If he gets up without a scratch, I swear... I'm quitting the God Gym."

The smoke finally thinned.

Garion was lying flat on the ground.

Completely still.

Raviel's eyes widened. "…Wait. Wait... no way."

Aveline slapped his shoulder, laughing breathlessly. "We did it! Finally! That's payback for the hell training!"

Raviel threw both fists up. "YES! ONE MONTH OF SUFFERING FINALLY MEANS SOMETHING!"

They both started celebrating like maniacs... until a small sound echoed from the crater.

"Pffft."

Then full laughter.

"Hahahahaha! GOOD! Very good!"

Both of them froze. Their smiles died instantly.

Aveline stiffened. "No… no, no, no… He's laughing! Why is he laughing?!"

Raviel pointed shakily. "H-How?! We hit you with everything we had! That was a FULL COMBO!"

Garion sat up slowly, body covered in bruises and cuts… and grinning like he just woke from a good nap.

"Of course I can laugh," he said, brushing debris off his shoulder. "That was only a warm-up for me."

Aveline's eye twitched. "WARM-UP?!"

Garion cracked his neck and stood up. Even injured, he radiated confidence.

"And now…" He smirked and lifted one finger. "…my turn."

Before either of them could blink, Garion shifted his mana.

[Gravity Manipulation]

The air around him distorted.

His body suddenly became weightless, and in one effortless motion, he vanished from the crater.

Raviel blinked.

"…Huh?"

Garion appeared right in front of him like a ghost.

Raviel nearly jumped out of his skin. "WHAT THE?!"

Garion grinned. "Take this. Just a punch."

Raviel felt every hair on his arms stand straight up.

Garion's fist tightened.

Gravity wrapped around his arm, turning the simple punch into a cannon blast.

WHOOM!!

The punch connected squarely with Raviel's abdomen.

Raviel's eyes bulged. "GA!!"

He flew backward like a ragdoll, tearing across the training hall.

Aveline's eyes widened. "Rav... WAIT!"

Too late.

CRASH!!

Raviel smashed right into her, sending both of them tumbling across the arena and crashing into the reinforced wall.

Aveline groaned, sliding down the wall. "I… hate him…"

Raviel wheezed. "Same…"

Garion stood at the center of the arena, rolling his shoulders, expression bright and excited.

"Round two," he said casually. "Get up."

Raviel and Aveline didn't move.

They just lay there on the floor, limbs spread out like broken puppets.

Raviel groaned first. "No. Absolutely not. We give up. I'm done. My soul is leaking out."

Aveline lifted one shaky hand. "Same. I surrender. I retire. Tell the God Archipelago I loved them."

Garion blinked. "You're tapping out already?"

Raviel pointed a trembling finger at him.

"YES. We were already dying from the month of torture you called training. And now you want ROUND TWO?!"

Aveline pushed herself up halfway… then collapsed again.

"We trained every day. No rest. No mercy. Then we awakened unique physiques. THEN diet shakes. THEN workouts that even beasts can't endure. And now a battle again after we lose? HELL NO."

Garion tilted his head.

"Aww, come on. You handled the awakening pain. And the gravity crush. And the workload. You're fine."

Raviel's voice cracked. "FINE?! Garion, you PUNCHED me so hard I saw my dead ancestors waving at me."

Aveline jabbed a finger at him. "And you threw me against the wall using Raviel like a human projectile!"

Garion rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. True. That was a good combo though."

The two of them glared murder at him.

Raviel muttered, "I swear, if you ask for round three one day..."

Aveline cut in, voice faint, "...I'm running away."

Garion clapped lightly, ignoring their suffering. "Alright, alright. Since you're both barely alive, I'll call it for now."

Both of them exhaled in relief.

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