Pre-Match Special Training, Fivefold Speed Activated

The morning mist had yet to dissipate, but the training grounds were already crowded.

Today was the day of the draw.

Two hundred and fifty students from the Regular Class lined up according to their class order, walking one by one towards the draw box in front of the high platform. Inside the box were two hundred and fifty specially made jade tokens, each inscribed with a number corresponding to the preliminary match groupings.

Five people per group, for a total of fifty groups.

Those who drew the same number prefix would be in the same group of opponents.

Lin Fan stood in the middle of the line, eyes closed, resting. His breathing was long and steady, Origin Energy flowing slowly within his body, repairing the fatigue from last night's training.

"Brother Fan, I'm a bit nervous," Chen Dahu said, standing beside him and rubbing his hands.

"Nervous about what?" Lin Fan opened his eyes.

"What if we draw a death group?" Chen Dahu lowered his voice. "Like being grouped with Zhang Kuanghu, or Zhao Gang, Li Long, and them. Wouldn't that mean we'd be eliminated in the preliminaries?"

"Eliminated, so be it," Lin Fan said calmly. "The path of martial arts is never smooth. If we can't even get past the preliminaries, it means we're not strong enough yet."

"But..." Chen Dahu hesitated.

"No 'buts'," Lin Fan interrupted him. "Remember, no matter who the opponent is, no matter the grouping, the only thing we can do is give it our all. The rest is up to luck."

Though he said that, Lin Fan was actually calculating in his mind.

Zhang Kuanghu, Zhao Gang, Li Long, Sun Hu... these four were recognized as the strongest in the Regular Class, all at the peak or late stage of 2nd Tier, practicing martial arts at least of Mortal Tier high-grade, or even top-grade. No matter who he drew, it would be a tough fight.

Furthermore, Wang Chao would definitely tamper with the draw.

With the Wang Family's influence, bribing the official in charge of the draw and secretly manipulating the groupings wouldn't be difficult. If Wang Chao truly wanted to cripple him during the small competition, he might very well put him in the same group as Zhang Kuanghu, settling the fight in the preliminaries.

"Here they come, it's our turn!" Chen Dahu nudged Lin Fan's arm.

At the front of the line, it was their class's turn to draw.

Students stepped onto the stage one by one, drew a jade token from the box, and then proceeded to the registration desk nearby to register. Some drew good lots and were overjoyed; some drew bad lots and turned pale; others remained expressionless, their emotions unreadable.

When it was Chen Dahu's turn, he took a deep breath, reached into the draw box, and after fumbling for a while, pulled out a jade token.

The token was emerald green, with a number inscribed on the front: Jia Three.

"Group Jia Three?" Chen Dahu was stunned for a moment, then looked at Lin Fan. "Brother Fan, what did you get?"

Lin Fan reached into the box, his fingertips touching the cool jade token. Without hesitation, he casually grabbed one.

It was also emerald green, with an inscription on the front: Jia Seven.

"Group Jia Seven..." Lin Fan frowned slightly.

Group Jia meant they were in the first batch of matches. Number seven meant there were five people in the group, requiring four round-robin matches.

"Good, we're not in the same group," Chen Dahu breathed a sigh of relief. "But Group Jia seems to be for the experts; I just saw Zhang Kuanghu draw Jia One, Zhao Gang drew Jia Two, and Li Long and Sun Hu drew Jia Four and Jia Five respectively."

Jia One, Jia Two, Jia Four, Jia Five.

And his own Jia Seven.

The five strongest opponents, scattered across five different groups.

This looked like a random distribution, but Lin Fan felt something was off.

It was too balanced.

It was as if someone had deliberately arranged it so that these strong contenders would avoid each other in the preliminary stage, ensuring they all advanced smoothly.

"Next!" the official at the registration desk called out.

Lin Fan handed over his token.

The official was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a pale, beardless face and indifferent eyes. The moment he took the token, his fingers seemed to tremble slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Lin Fan, Group Jia Seven, number three," the official recorded in the ledger, his tone flat. "Tomorrow morning, at Chen Shi, Arena Seven, the first round will be against number four in Group Jia Seven."

"Who is number four?" Lin Fan asked.

"We'll announce it before the match starts," the official glanced at him. "What, scared?"

"Just asking," Lin Fan took back his token and turned to leave the stage.

Behind him, the official's cold voice echoed: "The path of martial arts relies on strength, not on inquiring about opponents. With that kind of effort, you'd be better off going back to train more."

Lin Fan's footsteps didn't falter, as if he hadn't heard.

Chen Dahu caught up, whispering, "Brother Fan, that official seems to have a problem with you."

"It's not with me," Lin Fan shook his head. "It's with all the commoner students."

He had noticed earlier that the official's attitude was significantly gentler when dealing with Genius Class students and aristocratic scions like Wang Hao. But towards the commoner students, he was businesslike, even with a hint of disdain.

Class distinctions were everywhere.

"Let's go, time to train," Lin Fan strode towards the back mountain.

"Now?" Chen Dahu glanced at the sky. "It's only just past Chen Shi, aren't you going to see what the others drew?"

"Nothing to see," Lin Fan didn't look back. "No matter who the opponent is, our approach is the same: train."

Chen Dahu scratched his head and followed him.

The two of them returned to the small grove behind the mountain.

This time, Lin Fan didn't immediately start practicing his sword techniques. Instead, he spent half an hour on physical training first.

Push-ups, squats, pull-ups, weighted running...

He pushed every movement to its limit, every set until exhaustion.

Sweat poured down like rain, his muscles trembled, his bones groaned, but Lin Fan's eyes grew brighter.

He could feel his body adapting to this high-intensity training. The soreness that had plagued his muscles yesterday had largely recovered today. His body, heavy as lead yesterday, felt much lighter now.

This was the effect of the Iron Body Skill.

Although it was only a Mortal Tier Top Grade cultivation technique, combined with medicinal baths and extreme training, its effect on strengthening the physical body was very obvious. Coupled with the bonuses from the proficiency system, Lin Fan's progress speed far surpassed that of ordinary people.

[Iron Body Skill Proficiency +5]

[Strength Proficiency +3]

[Defense Proficiency +3]

The numbers on the panel flickered.

An hour later, Lin Fan stopped his physical training and began practicing his sword techniques.

It was still the six forms of the Gale Sword Technique.

But this time, his practice method had changed.

He no longer just repeated the moves; he started to attempt "combinations."

Gale Stab followed by Gale Sweep, Gale Sweep followed by Gale Chop, Gale Block followed by Gale Return...

The six basic sword moves were deconstructed, reassembled, and connected by him, forming a fluid combo. Although it was still a bit stiff, and there were still openings in the transitions, the basic form was emerging.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

[Combat Experience +2]

The system prompts on the panel had changed.

Previously, each practice session only added 1 point of proficiency. Now, because he was attempting innovation, the system had given him extra rewards.

"As expected, innovation and actual combat are the fastest ways to grow," Lin Fan realized.

Mere repetitive practice could only build a foundation. To truly improve, one had to apply it in combat and break through through innovation.

"Dahu, come!" Lin Fan sheathed his sword and looked at Chen Dahu.

"Coming!" Chen Dahu drew his training saber. "Brother Fan, how are we sparring today?"

"Go all out," Lin Fan's eyes were sharp. "Don't hold back. Treat me like a real enemy."

"This..." Chen Dahu hesitated. "What if I hurt you..."

"Hurting me is your skill," Lin Fan interrupted him. "If I can't even get hurt by you, how can I deal with Zhang Kuanghu?"

Chen Dahu was stunned for a moment, then a determined glint flashed in his eyes. "Alright! Brother Fan, be careful then!"

Before he finished speaking, Chen Dahu erupted.

He was tall and possessed astonishing strength. This saber strike came with a whistling wind, full of momentum.

Lin Fan didn't dodge or evade. His wooden sword swept upwards diagonally.

Gale Sweep!

The sword's edge accurately struck the saber, producing a crisp sound. Tremendous force traveled up his wrist, but his feet remained firmly planted.

The defense of Iron Body Skill at the Minor Accomplishment level gave him the capital to withstand the blow.

"Again!" Chen Dahu roared, his saber technique changing as he slashed horizontally.

Lin Fan's feet slid, his body moving like a phantom. His wooden sword darted out like a viper's tongue towards Chen Dahu's ribs.

Gale Stab!

It was as fast as lightning!

Chen Dahu hastily brought his saber up to block, but Lin Fan's sword had already retracted, immediately followed by a horizontal sweep.

Gale Sweep!

"So fast!" Chen Dahu was shocked inwardly, narrowly dodging. But his sleeve had already been torn by the sword's wind.

The two began to fight.

Saber light and sword shadows flashed, gusts of wind swirled.

Lin Fan was completely immersed in the battle, applying the combo techniques he had just comprehended to actual combat. Stab, sweep, lift, chop, block, return – the six basic sword moves transformed endlessly in his hands, sometimes like a sudden storm, sometimes like a slithering snake, sometimes like a tiger pouncing.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +15]

[Combat Experience +5]

[Basic Footwork Proficiency +8]

The proficiency on the panel grew at a frantic pace.

What surprised Lin Fan even more was that he found his understanding of sword techniques was deepening.

Before, he was just mechanically practicing the moves. Now, he was starting to understand the essence of the moves: Why is the sword drawn like this? Why is the angle this angle? Why is force applied in this manner?

Every detail was being verified and corrected through actual combat.

An hour later, Chen Dahu collapsed on the ground, exhausted again.

"No... I can't..." he panted, "Brother Fan, your progress speed is too monstrous... Yesterday I could still barely fight you to a draw, but today I can't keep up with your pace at all..."

Lin Fan was also drenched in sweat, but he was still standing.

[Gale Sword Technique: Proficient (1876/5000)]

In half a day, it had increased from 1023 points to 1876 points.

At this rate, he would break through 2000 points today, maybe even higher.

But Lin Fan knew it wasn't enough.

A 20% Proficient bonus was still a disadvantage against Zhang Kuanghu's Major Accomplishment level Fierce Tiger Fist.

He needed Minor Accomplishment, a 50% bonus.

"Not fast enough," Lin Fan muttered to himself.

He needed a faster growth rate.

A faster rate of gaining proficiency.

"System..." Lin Fan called out in his mind, "Is there any way to speed up proficiency acquisition?"

There was no response.

The system was still the same cold system, operating only according to established rules, and would not answer any questions.

But Lin Fan was unwilling to give up.

He recalled the situation when he unlocked "Liver Emperor's Tenacity"—it was triggered when his stamina was exhausted and he reached his limit.

"Limit..." a determined glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes.

Perhaps only by breaking through his limit could he unlock the system's hidden functions.

"Dahu, take a break," Lin Fan said, "I'm going to practice some more."

"Still practicing?" Chen Dahu's eyes widened, "Brother Fan, you've been practicing all morning!"

"Not enough," Lin Fan shook his head, "There are still three days until the minor competition, and I need to train the Gale Sword Technique to Minor Accomplishment level within these three days."

"Three days? From Proficient to Minor Accomplishment?" Chen Dahu gasped, "Brother Fan, a normal person wouldn't be able to do that in three to five months!"

"I'm not a normal person," Lin Fan said calmly.

He walked to the center of the woods and assumed a stance.

This time, he didn't use the five-times speed cultivation.

Because while five-times speed could speed up proficiency acquisition, it consumed too much stamina and couldn't be sustained. He needed a different method—a method that could break through his limits in a short period.

"System, activate Cultivation Acceleration..." Lin Fan took a deep breath, "Ten times speed!"

As the words fell, an immense pressure instantly descended.

Lin Fan felt his body sink as if a mountain was pressing down on him. Every movement became incredibly difficult, and every breath became extremely heavy.

Ten-times speed cultivation consumed ten times the stamina and gained ten times the proficiency.

But the prerequisite was sufficient physical strength.

Lin Fan had tried before, but he could only last for less than fifteen minutes before nearly collapsing from exhaustion. Now that Iron Body Skill was at Minor Accomplishment, his physical strength had improved significantly, and he wanted to try again.

First move, Gale Stab!

His movements were as slow as a snail.

It wasn't that Lin Fan wanted to be slow, but under the pressure of ten-times speed, he simply couldn't move quickly. Every subtle movement consumed a massive amount of stamina.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

The numbers flickering on the panel proved that ten-times speed was effective.

But the cost was enormous.

With just one move, Lin Fan felt he had consumed one-tenth of his stamina.

At this rate, he could only perform ten moves at most before completely collapsing.

"Again!" Lin Fan gritted his teeth.

Second move, Gale Sweep!

His movements were still slow, but slightly smoother than before. Lin Fan was adapting to the pressure, searching for the knack of drawing his sword under high pressure.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

Third move, Gale Lift.

Fourth move, Gale Chop.

The fifth stance, Gale Wind Style.

The sixth stance, Gale Wind Return.

With the six stances executed, Lin Fan was drenched in sweat, his legs weak, barely able to stand.

His stamina was more than half depleted.

But his proficiency had increased by 60 points.

At this rate, it would only take fifty rounds to gain 3000 proficiency points and reach Minor Accomplishment.

Fifty rounds, six stances per round, for a total of three hundred stances.

It didn't sound like much, but under the pressure of tenfold speed, each stance was comparable to a battle. Three hundred stances were equivalent to three hundred battles.

"I can do this." A determined glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes.

He sheathed his Wooden Sword, sat down cross-legged, and activated the Basic Breathing Technique.

Origin Energy flowed through his body, slowly restoring his stamina.

Half an hour later, his stamina had recovered by seventy percent.

Lin Fan stood up and activated tenfold speed again.

This time, he managed seven stances.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +70]

His stamina was depleted once more.

He meditated to recover again.

He practiced again.

The cycle repeated.

Time slipped away amidst the grueling training.

The sun climbed to its zenith, then gradually began to set in the west.

Chen Dahu's reaction went from shock, to numbness, and finally, to distress.

He watched Lin Fan exhaust his stamina, meditate to recover, and start over, again and again. Sweat soaked his clothes, dripping onto the ground, forming puddles. His muscles trembled, his bones groaned, but Lin Fan's gaze remained steadfast.

"Brother Fan... you'll ruin yourself training like this," Chen Dahu finally couldn't help but say.

"I won't," Lin Fan wiped his sweat. "I know my limits."

"But..."

"No 'buts'," Lin Fan interrupted him. "Dahu, do you know why I'm pushing myself so hard?"

Chen Dahu shook his head.

"Because I have no other choice," Lin Fan looked at the setting sun, his eyes deep. "I have no background, no resources, no talent. The only thing I have is this drive. If I lose even this, how can I compete with those geniuses? How can I protect the people I want to protect?"

Chen Dahu fell silent.

He thought of Lin Fan's sister, Lin Xiaoyu, the pale girl whose life depended on expensive medication.

He thought of Lin Fan's parents, who died in a beast tide three years ago, their bodies never found.

He thought of the numb faces in the slums, the eyes that accepted their fate.

Lin Fan was different from them.

He refused to accept his fate.

He wanted to fight, to strive, to carve out a path with his own hands.

"Brother Fan, I'll stay with you," Chen Dahu stood up. "Even though I can't help much, I can at least be your sparring partner."

"Okay," Lin Fan nodded. "But you rest first, I'll train a bit longer."

He assumed his stance again.

This time, he didn't immediately activate tenfold speed. Instead, he practiced a few times at normal speed, letting his body adapt to the rhythm.

Then, he took a deep breath.

"Tenfold speed, activate!"

The pressure descended once more.

But this time, Lin Fan felt different.

After a full day of extreme training, his body seemed to have developed some form of adaptation. The same pressure felt slightly lighter than before. The same movements felt a fraction faster.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

Proficiency grew steadily.

Even more surprisingly, Lin Fan found that under the pressure of tenfold speed, his understanding of the sword technique deepened.

Because every movement consumed a huge amount of stamina, he had to think: was the angle of this sword strike optimal? Was the force of this sword strike the most energy-efficient? Was the timing of this sword strike the best?

Think, then practice.

Practice, then correct.

Correct, then improve.

[Gale Sword Technique: Proficient (2437/5000)]

Only 2563 points away from Minor Accomplishment.

At this rate, he could break through tomorrow.

But Lin Fan knew he couldn't rush things.

The ten-times speed cultivation placed too much burden on the body. If used continuously, it could easily leave hidden injuries and affect his foundation.

"That's enough for today." Lin Fan put away his Wooden Sword and let out a long breath.

He was drenched, as if he had just been pulled out of the water. His muscles were sore, his bones ached, and he could barely stand.

But his heart was filled with joy.

Because his progress was tangible.

"Brother Fan, are you okay?" Chen Dahu quickly supported him.

"I'm fine, just a bit exhausted," Lin Fan waved his hand. "I'll just meditate to recover when we get back."

They supported each other as they walked towards the dormitory.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long.

Halfway there, Lin Fan suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Chen Dahu asked.

"Someone's watching us," Lin Fan said in a low voice.

He sensed a gaze fixed on them from behind the bushes not far away. The gaze was hidden, but it carried clear malice.

Chen Dahu immediately became alert, gripping the hilt of the saber at his waist.

Rustling sounds came from behind the bushes, and then a figure emerged.

It was a tall, thin young man wearing the uniform of the Regular Class, a lewd smile on his face.

"Zhou Ming?" Lin Fan recognized him.

It was that information broker.

"Brother Lin, Brother Chen, don't be nervous, it's just me," Zhou Ming walked over with a grin, pushing up his glasses. "I was just passing by and saw you two training hard, so I couldn't help but look a couple more times."

"Passing by?" Lin Fan stared at him. "The small woods in the back mountain aren't exactly a place people just 'pass by'."

Zhou Ming's smile remained unchanged. "Brother Lin is indeed sharp. Actually, I came specifically to find you."

"Find me for what?"

"To sell information," Zhou Ming lowered his voice. "Information about your opponent tomorrow."

Lin Fan's eyes sharpened. "You know who my opponent is?"

"Of course." Zhou Ming glanced around to make sure no one was there, then continued, "Group A-7, number four, named 'Liu Mang'. He's a Martial Artist in the early stage of the second tier, practicing the Mountain Breaking Saber, Mortal Tier Mid Grade, and has already reached the Proficient level."

Liu Mang?

Lin Fan searched his memory for the name.

He had some impression. He seemed to be a student from a commoner background, usually low-key, but not weak.

"How much?" Lin Fan asked.

"Not expensive, fifty Academic Credits," Zhou Ming held up five fingers. "Or an equivalent amount in Credit Points."

"Too expensive," Lin Fan shook his head. "I just want to know my opponent's information, not buy his entire profile."

"Then how much do you think is reasonable, Brother Lin?" Zhou Ming was still smiling.

"Ten Academic Credits," Lin Fan said.

"Twenty," Zhou Ming haggled.

"Fifteen," Lin Fan offered his bottom line.

Zhou Ming thought for a moment and nodded. "Deal. But Brother Lin, I'll give you one more piece of information for free."

"What information?"

"Liu Mang is one of Zhang Kuanghu's men," Zhou Ming lowered his voice. "Zhang Kuanghu has already promised him that if he can cripple you in the preliminaries, he'll recommend him to join the 'Sword Pavilion' and give him a low-grade Earth-tier cultivation technique."

Lin Fan's gaze turned cold.

As expected.

Wang Chao and Zhang Kuanghu had already started their move.

"Anything else?" Lin Fan asked.

"That's all for now," Zhou Ming said, spreading his hands. "But Brother Lin, I'd advise you to be careful. Liu Mang might only be at the early stage of the second tier, but his Mountain Breaking Saber focuses on brute force, making it quite powerful. And to gain Zhang Kuanghu's trust, he'll definitely go for the kill."

"I understand," Lin Fan nodded. "I'll give you the Academic Credits tomorrow."

"No rush, no rush," Zhou Ming said with a grin. "I trust Brother Lin's word. But Brother Lin, if you need more information, feel free to find me anytime. My intel is absolutely worth more than you pay for."

With that, he turned and left, quickly disappearing into the bushes.

Chen Dahu watched his retreating back, frowning. "Brother Fan, can that guy be trusted?"

"Half true, half false," Lin Fan replied. "The information might be real, but his motives are definitely impure. He came to me not just to sell information, but also to test my strength and reaction."

"Then what do we do?"

"We'll deal with whatever comes our way," Lin Fan said, his eyes sharp. "No matter who the opponent is, no matter what schemes they have, the only thing I can do is become stronger. Strong enough to crush all their schemes and tricks."

The two continued walking towards the dormitory.

The night deepened.

Meanwhile, in a luxurious villa on the other side of the academy, Wang Chao was listening to his subordinate's report.

"Zhou Ming has already gone to find Lin Fan and sold him the information about Liu Mang," the tall, thin young man said respectfully.

"What was Lin Fan's reaction?" Wang Chao toyed with a jade talisman in his hand.

"Very calm, he didn't show any panic," the tall, thin young man said. "However, he's been training with Chen Dahu all day. It looks like he's preparing for the small competition."

"Preparing?" Wang Chao sneered. "Cramming at the last minute, what good is that? Although Liu Mang's Mountain Breaking Saber is only Mortal Tier Mid Grade, he's already practiced it to the proficient level. Combined with his early second-tier cultivation, the power of a single strike exceeds three thousand jin. Lin Fan's mediocre swordsmanship is no match for him."

"Boss is wise," the tall, thin young man flattered. "But… I heard Lin Fan's training intensity is extremely high. He trained in the back mountains all day today, seemingly trying some kind of extreme training method."

"Extreme training?" Wang Chao frowned slightly. "Can he handle it?"

"He seemed to handle it. Although he was very tired, his mental state was good," the tall, thin young man said. "And his swordsmanship has improved rapidly. Yesterday it was only at the skilled level, but today it seems to have reached the proficient level."

"Proficient level?" Wang Chao put down the jade talisman, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes. "In two days, from beginner to proficient? This speed… is a bit abnormal."

"Perhaps he has some special training method," the tall, thin young man guessed. "Or maybe he practiced swordsmanship before and was just hiding his strength."

"Impossible," Wang Chao shook his head. "I investigated his background. He's from the slums, his parents are dead, and he couldn't even get enough to eat before. Where would he have had the chance to practice swordsmanship?"

"Then…"

"No matter what secret he has, it will be exposed at the small competition," Wang Chao stood up and walked to the window. "Liu Mang is just the first hurdle. If he can't even get past Liu Mang, then he's not worthy of being my opponent. If he somehow wins, there's still Zhao Gang, Li Long, Sun Hu… I will peel away his disguise layer by layer and see exactly how much substance he has."

The tall, thin young man quickly nodded. "Boss's plan is meticulous. Lin Fan has no escape."

"You may go. Continue to keep an eye on him," Wang Chao waved his hand.

"Yes."

After the tall, thin young man retreated, Wang Chao stood alone by the window, gazing at the stars in the night sky.

"Lin Fan, you have indeed surprised me a little," he murmured softly. "But it's a pity. This world isn't changed by effort alone. Talent, resources, background – these are the keys that determine a person's ceiling. You don't have these, so no matter how hard you try, it will be in vain."

"At the small competition, I will make you understand this truth."

The night grew even deeper.

Meanwhile, in the dormitory, Lin Fan sat cross-legged on his bed, circulating the Basic Breathing Technique.

Origin Energy flowed through his body, repairing his tired physique.

But his mind was incredibly calm.

Liu Mang, early second tier, proficient level Mountain Breaking Saber, affiliated with Zhang Kuanghu.

These pieces of information flashed repeatedly in his mind, then coalesced into a clear combat plan.

Mountain Breaking Saber focused on brute force, powerful but slow, with few variations.

His own Gale Sword Technique focused on agility, fast but less powerful, with many variations.

Strike fast against slow, use skill to break force.

This was the most basic tactic.

But tactics alone were not enough; strength was also needed.

"Tomorrow…" Lin Fan opened his eyes, his gaze sharp. "Tomorrow, I must train the Gale Sword Technique to the Minor Accomplishment level."

He closed his eyes again and began another round of cultivation.

And deep within his consciousness, on the system panel, a line of small text quietly appeared:

[Detected Host continuously performing extreme training, physical strength increased, Cultivation Acceleration function unlocked new tier: Five Times Speed Constant Maintenance]

[Five Times Speed Constant Maintenance: Can maintain five times cultivation speed without additional stamina consumption. Duration depends on physical strength.]

Lin Fan did not see this line of text.

But he could feel that his body seemed to be undergoing some kind of change.

A change that was lighter, more agile, and more powerful.

In the night, the youth's breathing was long and steady.

And on the arena tomorrow, a battle awaited.