Divine Beast Ascension

Despite Oli’s growth in size, he had gotten faster, not slower. His movements were a perfect imitation of a gorilla charging into battle, something not commonly faced by people in Trighton City. But that only got Jonon more excited for what was to come.

“Hurry up and test out your new strength!” shouted Jonon. “The sooner you go ape, the better!”

Trying to rush Oli’s promised transformation, Jonon charged again with seemingly reckless abandon. His swords came down on Oli one after the other, forcing Oli to do something about the attack.

The first sword was swatted and deflected while Oli braced for the second sword’s impact. However, everyone was caught off guard by the appearance of Jonon’s second sword.

Rather than having icy essence swirling around it, earth essence coated the entire blade. To Oli, there was something that felt familiar about the blade but it only became more evident after it made contact with Oli’s second hammer. Rather than hold each other back, Jonon’s blade attempted to cleave clean through Oli’s earth essence. It failed in the end but it was enough for Oli to recognize the change.

Pushing out of the stalemate, Oli commented, “That’s from the technique I gave Hurman, right?”

.....

“That’s right! You’ve caused your own loss,” laughed Jonon.

They clashed again, finding a similar result for the second time. This gave Oli newfound confidence. He chuckled, “You know, as the person who traded that very technique, I also know that you’ve barely managed to incorporate its nature into yours.”

“That’s enough to fight someone as weak as you.”

“Who said I was going all out?”

“That’s why I’ll say it again and again. As you are now, you’re weak!”

As Jonon assaulted Oli, testing his updating nature, those on the side marveled at Jonon’s changed battle style.

“In merely a sun, he’s managed to get something out of that technique... Jonon’s as impressive as ever,” laughed Keldon.

Hurman added, “To be fair, it’s only due to the nature being an improved version of our technique’s. For an earth technique to focus on cleanly splitting rather than crushing is rare.”

“Seeing this also makes me curious...”

“Why’s that, Master Vloz?” Hurman politely asked.

“Seeing that technique already being adapted proves how capable your family is. But combining that with what you mentioned about your grandchild, I’m curious to see what’s to come of your experimentations,” Vloz stated. “Perhaps you can create a heavy sword style that would work for the gorilla clan...”

“But why would–”

“Trust me, Oli’s clan isn’t like the gorilla clans you hear about in legends,” continued Vloz. “They’re just as fierce, if not more so. But they’re also more calculating than you’d expect and dedicated to cultivation instead of coasting through life with aid of their bloodline. Their entire clan is like that thanks to their former leader, Oli’s late father. If they had the chance to learn swordsmanship befitting to them, it would be quite the sight to see.”

Hurman took a moment to envision such a sight, something that would normally send terror into the thoughts of any human. Imagining a school of giant gorillas learning swordsmanship from him instead put a grin on his face.

“I’m guessing we would be rewarded if we could manage such a thing?”

“If you’d be willing, we’ll discuss it after your eventual arrival in the territory.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Keldon chuckled,” A gorilla clan wielding heavy swords... That’s both amazing and horrifying to imagine.”

But Jonon and Oli weren’t following along with their conversation. Jonon was in the middle of testing his updated nature, failing to make more than a dent in Oli’s hammers. Oli, on the other hand, was busy readjusting his senses to keep up with the faster opponent.

“Is that all?” questioned Jonon. “Isn’t it about time you transformed and showed me what you’re made of?”

“Not quite yet...,” replied Oli.

“Then show me your next trick already!”

“If you insist...”

Just as their attacks were about to meet yet again, Oli vanished. This didn’t upset Jonon in the least. In fact, it made him all the more excited.

As Oli reappeared with another charge, Jonon readied his counterattack. But Jonon changed his stance at the last second and sidestepped the charge. He watched as a hammer made of earth essence crashed into the floor. The wood splintered as it could do nothing against the heavy blow, but Jonon’s eyes lingered on the dark essence gathered around the hammer’s head, as well as the tidbits of leftover dark essence on the splintered floor.

“What sort of nature is that?” Jonon asked as his smile drooped slightly.

“Why not find out first-hand?” Oli laughed, charging again as Jonon evaded once more. “I thought you wanted to learn from me, not learn about me?”

Keldon and Hurman both broke out in laughter as Oli became the leader of the fight’s tempo. Jonon was carefully analyzing Oli’s strange dark essence, ignoring the laughs from the side. There were a few moments where Jonon was nearly forced to block head-on thanks to Oli’s constant disappearing, but Jonon managed to remain a slippery opponent.

“Does it... corrode?”

Oli replied with a follow-up attack, which Jonon side-stepped again. However, Jonon was thrown for a loop as the hammer’s reach was suddenly far more than any time previous. Ducking, the swordsman squeaked past the thrown hammer as he parried the strike to buy him a split-second.

To Jonon’s shock, as well as everyone else’s, a minuscule amount of Oli’s dark essence remained on Jonon’s sword. It didn’t even last for a second as it was easily repelled by Jonon’s essence, but the fact that it had somehow lingered and latched onto the essence-coated sword was stunning.

Vloz was just as startled and even more confused than the others. He knew about the mutated bloodline but wasn’t sure if that dragon from that past had given Oli a cultivation technique. But now, Vloz was certain. And now, Vloz was more intrigued than ever as a king cultivator’s technique was most likely king-grade.