As I invoked the Celestial Transmute, a surge of energy raced down my spine, jolting my body into overdrive. My eyes glowed amethyst, and my hair, once a deep black, turned a brilliant, bloody crimson. Purple markings began to crawl up my arms and legs in intricate, arcane patterns, glowing faintly with an unnatural light. A strange sensation ran through these lines, like electricity crackling beneath my skin, but the pain I expected never came. It was as though something had shifted within me, making me both more and less human at the same time.

The master, seeing my transformation, gave a slight nod, recognizing the power now coursing through me. But before he could even speak, I was already moving—my body a blur of speed and precision. I had unlocked the ability to move at twice the speed of sound.

I shot forward, the air whipping around me, my sword raised high as I clashed against the master in the air. Our blades met with a thunderous sound, and the ground beneath us trembled from the force. Sparks flew with each strike, the air thick with the clash of metal on metal. The master was faster than I had ever imagined, his sword dancing in a way that seemed to predict my every move. Yet, now I was faster, pushing him to unlock some more moves. Each strike from my sword sent shockwaves through the air, crumbling the earth beneath us.

The master parried one of my blows and spun, sending a horizontal slash toward me. I barely dodged, feeling the wind from his blade whip past my face. But I didn't slow down. I launched myself at him again, faster than before, twisting in mid-air to strike at his side. He raised his sword just in time to block, but my speed was relentless. Our swords locked, both of us pushing with all our might.

The ground beneath us cracked and split as we exchanged blows. I summoned the wind to form a vortex, swirling it around me and then I summoned blue flames into the vortex, creating a storm of burning energy. The flames were so intense that they set the trees around us ablaze. Without a single thought, I hurled the vortex of fire at the master.

He grinned, acknowledging my power, and formed a water vortex with a wave of his sword. The water spiraled toward my flames, colliding in a massive explosion. The trees around us were instantly reduced to ash, and the shockwave sent us both flying backward. The sky itself seemed to tremble with the force of the blast.

"Boom!" The master shouted, his voice full of challenge. "It's over now, brat."

But I wasn't finished. With a smirk, I called upon the source, gathering the energy from the world around me. My focus sharpened, and I began pulling leaves from the trees surrounding us by the help of source. I infused each leaf with the same speed I had learned to control, spinning them at such a velocity that they could cut through solid wood in an instant.

The master's eyes widened. He tried to block my attack, raising his sword in a sweeping motion to deflect the deadly barrage of leaves. But I didn't give him a chance to retaliate. With each flick of my wrist, more leaves spun from the trees, raining down on him like a storm. The air hummed with energy as he blocked and parried, his sword flashing through the air.

But after he deflected the last of the leaves, I saw it—a tiny cut on his shoulder. It was insignificant, barely noticeable, but it was there. A faint small crimson stain began to spread across his robes, the first injury he had sustained in this battle.

I smirked inwardly, feeling a rush of pride. 'After all that, I only managed a small scratch...'

Suddenly, a wave of pain washed over me. It felt as though every nerve in my body was being torn apart from the inside. I could barely breath as the strain of the Celestial Transmute hit me all at once. Then, I cough out blood. My vision blurred, and my eyelids grew heavy. The world around me spun, and I collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

....

....

I woke to find the sun high in the sky. I was lying on the ground, the earth cracked and torn from our battle. I turned my head, groaning from the pain that still pulsed through my body. The master was sitting calmly nearby, cooking a meal over a small fire, as if nothing had happened. I tried to sit up, but the agony in my spine made it impossible.

"Master… what happened?" I croaked, my voice weak. "Why are you cooking outside?"

He glanced over and raised an eyebrow. "Ah, you're awake. The house was destroyed during our sparring, so we'll be staying here tonight."

I let out a sigh. "Is that so…"

The master eyed me with a mixture of concern and amusement. "I didn't teach you to control the source like that. I only showed you how to open a teleportation portal. How did you manage to do what you did today?"

I smiled faintly, still a little proud of myself. "I watched you practice with the source. One day, when you weren't looking, I tried it for myself. That's when I saw how you controlled the source around us. I was able to see you controlling the source because I was practicing to control the Celestial Transmute. I forgot to tell you at that time but when I use the Celestial Transmute I was able to see the source around like the red glowing light."

The master raised an eyebrow. "But even so, controlling the source like that should have taken months of practice. How did you manage to do it so quickly?"

"I reversed the theory of mana control and source control that you taught me for the making teleportation portal. I applied it during our sparring today," I explained, my voice steady despite the lingering pain.

He chuckled. "That's impressive. Most people would need months to achieve what you did. But don't let that get to your head."

I grinned weakly. "I'm a genius, after all. You said so yourself."

He shook his head, chuckling again. "Don't get cocky, brat."

I winced in pain, trying to sit up. "How could I be cocky? After all that, I barely managed a scratch on you. And now look at me—I can't even sit."

He patted me on the shoulder. "It's an accomplishment, brat. Your body is still growing. You'll get there eventually."

I turned my gaze to Aurora, who was sleeping nearby. " Aurora?" I asked softly.

"She was worried about you," the master replied. "She cried when she saw you unconscious."

I watched her sleep, a faint smile on my lips. Despite the pain, I felt a warmth in my chest. Then, I winced as I tried to move again, but I endured it, pulling Aurora gently into my lap and patting her back. She stirred and jumped onto my shoulder, speaking into my mind.

'Papa, you're awake! Why did you fell like that? And why do you have wounds all over your body?'

I grinned weakly. "I told you I was sparring with Master. That's why."

Aurora fell silent, her worry lingering in her eyes before she drifted back to sleep.

The master spoke again, "After you fell unconscious, I tried to put your sword back in its scabbard, but it wouldn't fit." Then he gave me the sword and scabbard, I infused a little mana into both, and placed the sword back. But the armor remained on my body."

I nodded, curious. "What's going on with this armor?"

The master eyed me carefully. "I recognize this type of armor. It's the kind used by the gods in battle. Focus on your body, and it will transform into a mark, like a storage mark."

Concentrating, I focused on my body. Slowly, the armor began to vanish, transforming into a thin mark in the shape of a sword just above my wrist. It was small, barely noticeable compared to the storage mark, but I could feel the weight of its power.