The valley air felt different now, reality itself responding to the awakened bloodline and inherited Authority radiating from Raze's transformed form. The thin mountain atmosphere that had made breathing laborious moments ago no longer affected him, Perfect Adaptation having automatically adjusted his physiology to thrive in conditions that would challenge normal Master rank cultivators.

Shade recovered from their momentary surprise quickly, demonic possession reasserting control over the assassin's body with force that made their cultivation aura spike dramatically. The Sovereign rank pressure intensified, Seal of Wrath apparently recognizing genuine threat and responding by flooding more power through the host despite accelerating their cellular deterioration.

Their inhuman smile returned to full disturbing width, teeth appearing sharper as the possession manifested more completely. The dual daggers in their hands began glowing with corruption that made the steel seem to writhe, demonic energy enhancing weapons beyond their natural capabilities.

Then they moved.

The speed was still impossible, Sovereign rank agility carrying them across twenty feet of separation in less than heartbeat. But this time Raze's enhanced Perception tracked the movement clearly, his awakened bloodline providing sensory capabilities that transcended what his A+ stat should naturally allow.

He activated Void Step instinctively, reality peeling away around him as he slipped between the spaces where normal physics applied. The sensation was disorienting, the world becoming an abstract collection of probabilities and potential rather than solid matter, but his consciousness adapted immediately to perceiving existence from this outside perspective.

Shade's daggers passed through empty air where he'd been standing, blades cutting nothing as their target simply ceased existing in normal space. The possessed assassin's momentum carried them forward, body repositioning with aerial grace that defied gravity as they searched for an opponent who'd disappeared completely.

Raze emerged from the void ten feet away, reality solidifying around him as he stepped back into normal existence. The transition was seamless despite being the first time he'd consciously used the ability, muscle memory and instinct provided by his bloodline making technique execution feel natural despite complete lack of practice.

His katana swept toward Shade's exposed back, blade moving with speed his S rank Agility provided. But as the steel descended, he activated Reality Rejection without fully understanding the capability's nuances, designating the assassin's Sovereign rank durability as a parameter his weapon would ignore.

The effect was immediate and overwhelming.

His katana didn't simply cut through Shade's enhanced flesh and bone. The blade erased the concept of resistance entirely within its arc, steel passing through matter like it didn't exist because within the bubble of rejected reality, the assassin's defensive capabilities literally didn't apply to anything Raze designated as attack.

The strike that should have created a controlled wound instead bisected Shade's arm completely, limb separating from body with spray of blood that carried unnatural heat. The possessed assassin screamed, sound mixing human pain with demonic rage as they stumbled forward clutching the stump where their left arm had been attached moments before.

Raze stared at the result in shock, his enhanced Perception showing him exactly what had occurred. He'd rejected too much, designated parameters too broadly, turned controlled strike into devastating amputation through poor understanding of his new capabilities' actual effects.

The severed arm hit the ground with a wet thump, fingers still clenched around one of the dual daggers as demonic corruption continued animating dead flesh with unnatural persistence.

[Too much power, insufficient control,] Asura observed within their merged consciousness, voice carrying mixture of satisfaction at the damage and critique of the execution. [You rejected their durability completely rather than partially, made your weapon absolute rather than simply enhanced. Effective but wasteful, demonstrates lack of experience with capabilities you now possess.]

Shade was already recovering despite the catastrophic injury, Sovereign rank Endurance and demonic possession allowing them to function through damage that would have killed normal warriors instantly. Their remaining hand clutched the stump, corruption flowing from the Seal of Wrath to cauterize the wound with searing heat that prevented fatal blood loss.

Their crimson eyes blazed with intensified hatred, an inhuman smile transforming into snarl as the possession flooded even more power through the deteriorating host. The timer was ticking down, maybe twelve minutes remaining before the enhancement burned out completely, but the Seal of Wrath clearly intended to complete its mission before that deadline regardless of damage accumulated.

They attacked again, single dagger moving with increased desperation as the possessed assassin committed fully to overwhelming offense. Their strikes came faster now, blade creating blur of corrupted steel that targeted every vulnerable point Sovereign rank combat experience could identify.

Raze defended using Combat Reflex, enhanced reaction speed allowing him to parry strikes that would have been invisible to his normal perception. But his counterattacks continued demonstrating poor control over his awakened capabilities, each attempt to leverage his new perks resulting in effects that exceeded intended results.

He activated Sovereign's Gaze while their blades clashed, focusing awakened authority through his mismatched eyes to project bloodline dominion as tangible pressure. The intent was simple intimidation, creating opening through psychological disruption that would allow clean strike.

But the effect that manifested was substantially more dramatic.

Shade's body locked completely, muscles freezing mid motion as existential dread crashed through their consciousness with force that transcended simple fear. The Seal of Wrath screamed within the host's mind, demonic possession recognizing cosmic authority that exceeded anything mortal cultivation should naturally produce.

The possessed assassin collapsed to their knees, single remaining hand dropping their dagger as they clutched at their head with movements suggesting they were fighting internal battle against overwhelming pressure. Their body convulsed, physiological response to terror that operated at levels bypassing conscious control.

Raze released the technique immediately, shocked by the intensity of the response his gaze had provoked. He'd wanted momentary distraction, gotten complete paralysis instead, demonstration that his inexperience with these capabilities made even basic applications dangerously unpredictable.

[You projected full bloodline dominion rather than measured intimidation,] Asura observed, critique continuing despite satisfaction at effectiveness. [Sovereign's Gaze scales with intent and focus, but you lack understanding of how to moderate output. Everything you attempt manifests at maximum intensity because you don't know how to hold back properly yet.]

Shade recovered after several seconds, pushing themselves upright with visible effort as the Seal of Wrath reasserted control over the host body that was deteriorating faster from accumulated stress. Their movements were becoming less fluid, coordination compromised by cellular breakdown that was accelerating toward critical failure.

But they weren't finished yet. The mission demanded completion, assassination target still alive despite catastrophic injuries and overwhelming psychological assault. The possessed assassin launched themselves forward again, abandoning weapon entirely to attack with bare hand enhanced by Sovereign rank strength and demonic corruption.

Raze attempted to use Transcendent Will, manifesting determination as a physical barrier that would block the incoming strike through sheer force of conviction. His intent was solid defense, creating a wall of willpower that would protect without causing additional damage.

What manifested was substantially more aggressive.

His will didn't form a passive barrier. It erupted outward as explosive force, determination made tangible creating a shockwave that caught Shade mid charge and launched them backward with violence that sent the possessed assassin tumbling across rocky ground for thirty feet before they crashed against a boulder hard enough to crack stone.

The impact should have been devastating, Sovereign rank durability tested by collision that would have liquefied normal Master rank warrior. Shade pushed themselves upright again anyway, demonic possession and enhancement providing resilience that transcended what their deteriorating body should naturally possess.

But their movements were noticeably slower now, accumulated damage and cellular breakdown combining to compromise combat effectiveness despite the overwhelming power advantage their artificial enhancement provided. Blood leaked from multiple wounds, their breathing had become ragged, and their remaining eye showed strain that suggested the host was approaching limits of what consciousness could endure.

Raze stood watching, his own breathing controlled despite exertion and shock at his capabilities' actual effects. Every technique he'd attempted had worked, producing results that exceeded normal Master rank applications substantially. But his complete lack of experience with these awakened perks meant he couldn't moderate their output, couldn't dial back intensity to match tactical requirements.

He was fighting with weapons he barely understood, capabilities that responded to intent but manifested at scales his inexperience couldn't properly predict or control. Effective but dangerous, power without refinement creating situation where he was as much a threat to himself as to his opponent.

His body ached in ways that had nothing to do with Shade's attacks. Muscles strained from movements his physical form wasn't fully prepared to execute, joints protesting forces his skeleton struggled to properly distribute. He'd nearly injured himself several times through underestimating his own strength, movements calculated for Master Low capabilities producing results his awakened bloodline enhanced far beyond normal parameters.

During one exchange, he'd pushed off the ground too hard, Transcendent Will enhancing a simple jump into a leap that carried him forty feet vertically before Perfect Adaptation adjusted his equilibrium mid-flight. He'd landed poorly, knees buckling under impact his Endurance barely managed to absorb without serious damage.

Another time, he'd gripped his katana too tightly while parrying, enhanced strength nearly crushing the weapon's hilt before he consciously relaxed his hold. The masterwork steel had groaned under pressure it wasn't designed to withstand, saved only by his immediate recognition that he was applying force far exceeding what Master Low cultivation should generate.

[You are going to hurt yourself worse than that possessed weakling if you continue operating without proper understanding,] Asura observed, voice carrying concern mixed with continued satisfaction at overall performance. [Raw power means nothing if you lack control to apply it effectively. You have capabilities that would make Sovereigns jealous, but you wield them like a child swinging an adult's weapon.]

Raze dodged another desperate assault from Shade, Void Step carrying him away from a strike that would have connected if he'd relied on normal footwork. The possessed assassin was flagging noticeably now, their enhancement approaching critical failure as cellular breakdown reached stages that even demonic possession couldn't fully compensate for.

Maybe ten minutes remained before the timer expired completely. Ten minutes of continued combat against an opponent who was dying anyway, mission failure becoming inevitable as their body consumed itself maintaining power it couldn't naturally sustain.

But ten minutes was still a dangerous amount of time when facing a Sovereign rank assassin possessed by a demonic entity. Shade could still kill him if he made a critical mistake, still complete their mission if he underestimated capabilities they retained despite deteriorating condition.

[We need to end this decisively,] Asura said within their merged consciousness. [But you lack experience to leverage your awakened perks properly. Every technique manifests at maximum intensity because you don't understand how to moderate output, control application, or predict actual effects versus intended results.]

The ancient being paused, presence shifting within their shared awareness as it apparently considered options.

[I have a solution, successor. But you are not going to like it initially.]

Raze parried another strike, his katana intercepting Shade's remaining hand with defensive technique Oziel had drilled into him through countless repetitions. "What solution?"

[Training,] Asura replied simply. [Proper instruction in capabilities you now possess, taught by an entity who spent millennia perfecting techniques you inherited through our merger. I will provide guidance, demonstrate proper application, correct mistakes before they become ingrained habits that compromise your development.]

The voice carried satisfaction that suggested the ancient being had been anticipating this moment.

[From this point forward, you will train in the mind space. Not meditation for peace of mind or cosmetic roleplay, but genuine combat instruction conducted in a realm where time flows differently and consequences can be controlled. Hours of practice compressed into minutes of external time, repetition without physical exhaustion, refinement of technique under guidance from one who achieved what you aspire to become.]

Raze's shock was immediate, mind reeling at implications while his body continued defending on autopilot against Shade's deteriorating assault. Training in the mind space, instruction from an entity that claimed to be the strongest mortal ever, compressed time that allowed extended practice without external passage.

"That's possible?" he asked, genuine surprise overriding tactical focus momentarily. "Mind spaces can do that?"

[Everyone in this world underestimates the littlest things,] Asura replied, voice carrying that familiar proud tone mixed with satisfaction at revealing knowledge others lacked. [They treat mind spaces as cosmetic feature, shallow meditation aid that provides temporary peace before returning to physical existence. They seem to think internal realms follow the same limitations as external reality, bound by rules that don't actually apply to consciousness operating in metaphysical constructs.]

The ancient being's presence radiated amusement at widespread ignorance.

[Mind spaces possess the most potential for strength growth of any cultivation tool available, yet practitioners ignore them completely because surface applications appear limited. Fools. Your internal realm is a training ground without equal, laboratory for experimenting with capabilities, and a refuge where you can push limits without risking permanent death. Time dilation, controlled environments, perfect memory retention of techniques practiced there. Everything necessary for rapid advancement, wasted because cultivators lack understanding of what they actually possess.]

Asura paused, letting that revelation settle before continuing.

[The mind space is more than what you think it is, successor. Substantially more. But those details are lessons for later, once your immediate survival is secured and you have time to properly explore what your internal realm can actually accomplish when utilized by someone who understands its true nature.]

The voice shifted back to immediate concern, tactical focus returning as Shade prepared another desperate assault.

[For now, survive this encounter. Finish what we started. Then your real training begins, instruction that will transform you from a powerful novice into a warrior worthy of the cosmic heritage you carry. The possessed weakling before you is merely the first obstacle. Your path leads substantially farther, and you will need proper guidance to walk it without destroying yourself through ignorance.]

Raze nodded slightly, understanding crystallizing despite shock at revelations about capabilities he'd dismissed as cosmetic game mechanics. Training from entity that had transcended divine limitations, conducted in a realm where time and consequence operated on different principles.

The implications were staggering. But first, he needed to survive the next ten minutes against a Sovereign rank assassin who was dying but remained dangerous until the enhancement burned out completely.

Shade charged again, their remaining hand wreathed in corrupted energy as they committed everything to one final desperate assault. Their body was failing catastrophically now, skin showing cracks where cellular breakdown had progressed beyond sustainable levels, but the Seal of Wrath drove them forward anyway.

Raze raised his katana, awakened bloodline and inherited Authority preparing to demonstrate what cosmic heritage looked like when applied with slightly improved understanding and desperation born of recognizing how little he actually knew about capabilities he now possessed.

The real fight was only beginning, and his education in true power had barely started despite awakening that had reshaped his fundamental existence.

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