Caesar was secretly shocked. Aside from his fellow Custodians, he had never seen anyone completely evade his attacks at such close range.
And the other party was just a child who didn't even reach his knee?
Axis didn't rush to counterattack. He was observing, feeling out Custodian Caesar's fighting rhythm and the movements behind his attacks.
Ki wasn't just a source of destruction. It also granted powerful perception, much like Observation Haki in One Piece.
He sensed every strike, then predicted it perfectly and dodged it perfectly.
The Custodian's combat skills were truly superb. Every move had been honed through countless trials, leaving almost no openings. Now this was interesting.
"Ki... isn't just Destruction Energy. It can also sense the rhythm of a fight and detect an opponent's weaknesses." Axis thought to himself. The ki within him began to flow faster, and his movements grew quicker, smoother, and more powerful.
Suddenly, Axis's figure flickered, seeming to split into several afterimages in an instant. Caesar's pupils contracted sharply.
What speed! Was this kid some kind of monster?
"Over here!" Axis's voice came from Caesar's right. A moment later, he chopped toward Caesar's shoulder with the edge of his hand.
Caesar quickly raised his arm to block, but Axis's strength far exceeded his expectations, leaving his arm numb from the impact.
After landing his strike, Axis immediately leaped away, putting distance between himself and the Custodian. Right now, he was fighting a giant bear in human form.
He absolutely couldn't let his opponent land even one hit. At that moment, the Saiyan's combat talent was on full display.
Caesar was astonished. How could a boy's strength rival his own? Was this a joke? Was this kid a Primarch or something?
Custodian Caesar no longer underestimated him. He narrowed his eyes and began fighting in earnest.
If he treated this kid like an ordinary child, he'd be making a huge mistake. The boy's combat ability far surpassed that of an ordinary Space Marine.
He was even on par with a Custodian recruit. Custodian Caesar's attacks grew fierce and savage, each move aimed to kill. Even without Power Armor, a Custodian was a deadly killer.
But Axis could always predict his opponent's attacks. His small body was incredibly nimble, dodging and striking the Custodian from all sorts of tricky angles.
The Custodian's stamina, endurance, and recuperative abilities were all ridiculously strong. Although Axis had hit him several times, the Custodian was completely unfazed.
He could keep fighting Axis for a month without trouble, so they needed to decide the winner quickly.
Axis gave Caesar no chance to catch his breath. His attacks came like a storm, each strike empowered by ki and carrying astonishing force.
And with ki granting him such keen perception, Axis seemed to predict Caesar's every move perfectly, dodging and counterattacking.
Caesar barely managed to defend himself, but he was clearly starting to lose ground.
A white glow appeared in Axis's palm. He aimed it at the Custodian guard before him.
A white Ki Blast shot from Axis's hand and slammed into the Custodian.
"Bang!" With a muffled boom, Caesar was blasted several steps backward by Axis's Ki Blast. Deep dents appeared in the alloy floor beneath his feet.
Then he dropped to one knee. Custodian Caesar's breastplate had been completely shattered, exposing his blackened muscles.
"Want to keep going?" Axis lowered his guard and smiled at Caesar.
Caesar took a deep breath, steadying himself. A complicated look flashed through his eyes.
"Your strength... certainly exceeded my expectations. But this is nowhere near my limit, nor the Custodians' true combat strength."
After all, this was only a spar. He hadn't put on his Power Armor or used his Power Weapon.
Once he put on his Power Armor, his reaction speed and strength would increase tenfold or more. And that was without even counting his Power Weapon.
Axis raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then show me what you can really do!"
"..." Custodian Caesar.
That brat! He really wanted to put on his Power Armor and beat him to a pulp.
Caesar thought back over his centuries of combat.
From the towering walls of the Imperial Palace on Terra to the untamed planets on the fringes of the galaxy, he had faced countless powerful enemies. But he had never encountered anyone like Axis.
Axis's strength wasn't merely physical. He also possessed a combat instinct that defied common sense.
Every dodge and counterattack seemed to anticipate Caesar's movements. That almost perfect fighting rhythm left Caesar feeling utterly powerless.
Caesar's gaze fell on Axis's palm, where the warmth of the Ki Blast still lingered.
That last strike had only been a sparring blow, but Caesar could feel the terrifying destructive power within it. If Axis had attacked with all his strength, even Power Armor might not have been able to withstand it completely. Without his armor, Caesar might even have been killed.
"If I put on my Power Armor and used a Power Weapon, perhaps I could suppress him..." Caesar considered, but then shook his head.
Putting on Power Armor to deal with a little kid would bring shame on the Custodians. He'd have to double his training after he got back.
"Come on, it's time to eat." Caesar turned and headed out of the Training Room. "Even the Emperor is amazed by how much you eat. If we don't hurry, the Servitors will be rushing around like mad again."
"Haha, I've worked up a sweat, so I am a little hungry. We'll continue our fight tomorrow, then."
Over the next dozen or so days, Caesar seemed to get competitive with Axis. Every day, he went with Axis to the Training Ground for combat practice.
Their fights went from sparring to real battles. The Custodian Warrior gave it almost everything he had, though he still didn't use his Power Armor.
Axis's growth was far beyond his imagination. He changed visibly with every passing day. At first, their strength had been evenly matched, but then Caesar had become a punching bag.
Thump, thump, thump! Thump, thump!
Axis excitedly swung his little fists, pummeling the Custodian Warrior opposite him. After mastering ki perception, the Custodian couldn't touch him at all and could only take a beating.
Having a Custodian to spar with was great for his growth! This was fantastic. Those golden corn cobs were the perfect punching bags!
In just a dozen days, Axis's combat power had already broken through 800.
Even without using ki, he could hold his own against a Custodian. With his Ki Blast, Axis declared that the Custodian was as good as dead.
After the fight, Custodian Caesar sat on the ground, looking utterly dejected.
"Axis, I don't want to train with you tomorrow," Custodian Caesar said, his eyes vacant.
What kind of monster was this kid...?
"???"
What was going on? Weren't the Custodians known as training fanatics? Didn't they play the Blood Game every day? Why didn't he want to play anymore?
Before you continue