The blows collided, and in a spectacular clash, both Dante and Tyler were thrown backward, a grin spreading across each of their faces. Almost instantly, they surged toward each other again. Tyler sprinted toward Dante, his steps carving a natural arc across the battlefield.
In mere seconds, he reached Dante. His hand contracted and became enveloped in wind, sending a gust that obscured Dante's vision. Dante had never faced this technique before, but instinctively, he resolved it with brute force: a surge of mana coursed through his arm as he slammed a heavy fist into the ground. Dust erupted, and through the swirling clouds, he discerned a figure moving within the gust.
Twisting 180 degrees to the left, Dante advanced with a punch, his arm cloaked in molten lava.
— Boom!
The strike hit Tyler's forearm, though it seemed he had anticipated it. Using his other arm, he struck Dante's stomach. The old master then leapt into a spinning kick, sending Dante crashing to the ground. Yet Dante rose again, ready to counter, when a familiar presence approached.
Aura. Tyler would test him again. As expected, the aura gathered in Tyler's hand, but unlike before, it formed a tornado around his arm, surging toward Dante.
Instinctively, Dante used his lava element to contain it. Even at its most basic level, coating his body, he realized he had control. Gathering mana in his arm, he met the tornado with a powerful punch.
— Boom!
An explosion shook the training ground, and something was hurled to the far end of the field. "Only aura can counter aura," Tyler's voice echoed as the whirlwind dispersed.
"Tsk, as if I didn't know that," Dante muttered, looking at his hand, marveling at how effortlessly he could manipulate his element.
The truth was clear: the moments of greatest learning were in battle. Even at a basic stage, any element could be applied in combat. In a fight to the death, he might have lost control and suffered internal damage, but here, he had mastered it.
Dante was surprised. Though Tyler was not a lava user, his general knowledge of elements, combined with years of mastery, provided him a tremendous advantage.
"Brat, starting today, we return to our normal training routine. In the mornings, you will train with me until your foundation stabilizes. Even under pressure, you are still ridiculous. You should have the strength of a newly advanced five-star, yet with your talent and accomplishments, your minimum should be six stars. The rest of your time will be spent mastering Ignite Veins and cultivation. I will help you rebuild your foundation and your lava proficiency," Tyler said, disappearing.
"Why are they all like this?" Dante thought. Tyler, old Hai, and Tu Sheng—always doing as they please, then vanishing.
Tsk. Dante clicked his tongue and left the training field. He would go home, take a bath, and begin learning the technique.
His house was nearby; compared to the residences of ancestor Hai and Grandmaster Sheng, the training field was close. The house was empty — Viviane, the village's only mage and high-level alchemist/herbalist, was away on her tasks.
Dante approached the small bathtub in a corner of his modest home. The water was cold, but he ignored it and stepped in. Relief surged through him. Thanks to his lava element, his body heated the water quickly, making it comfortably warm. His body had no issues with heat, and he enjoyed the bath without difficulty.
As the water flowed over him, Dante stared at the ceiling, reflecting on Tyler's words. He had been foolish to neglect strengthening his foundation. Time passed, and Dante finally rose, creating ripples in the water as he left the bath. Silence returned to the house, broken only by the splashes.
Dante dried himself, dressed in simple clothes — cotton pants, a sleeveless shirt, and a gray robe — and settled on his bed in a lotus position. He entered his inner world, beginning his study of Ignite Veins.
Hours passed, and as the sun approached the horizon, the door opened. Viviane had returned from her village duties. Slightly tired but smiling, she had spent the day crafting potions and pills with the help of other women in the village. In the village, spiritual professions were mostly taken up by women; men rarely pursued them, favoring blacksmithing or formation mastery.
"I'm home, husband," Viviane said softly, entering with a basket, placing it on the table. She looked for Dante as she spoke. "I brought some fresh ingredients for dinner… and dessert."
Honey cake.
Not finding him in the small rooms or on the bed, she turned — only to be embraced and lifted by someone laughing.
"You were hiding! I was looking for you," she said, her tone scolding but affectionate.
"I was waiting for you," Dante replied, kissing her and holding her in his arms like a princess.
"What's our destination, my alchemist?" he teased, carrying her.
"To the kitchen. I'll take a bath, then we'll have dinner," she said, nestling into his embrace.
"How was your day?" Dante asked gently, carrying her.
"A bit tiring, but making potions and pills is really fun…"