Power is the first teacher of gods. But before they could ascend, they had to survive—and survival had rules far older than mercy.
Weeks Later | Eternal Crucible
The training chamber seemed alive, pulsing with energy as Union and Xenos stood in their stances, their auras flickering like wildfire. Takagi stood before them, his arms crossed, the faintest smirk playing on his lips.
"Ready?"
Union and Xenos nodded in unison, their gazes steely, their bodies coiled like springs ready to snap. Takagi's smirk widened.
"Begin!"
The siblings shot forward, their speed ripping through the air like thunderclaps. Trails of fire and distorted light carved across the battlefield as they closed in, synchronized in their assault. Xenos came in high, his flaming uppercut roaring toward Takagi's chin, while Union surged low, her spatially warped punch aimed for his blind spot.
But just as their strikes were about to land, Takagi was gone. His afterimage shimmered faintly before fading, the force of his disappearance sending shockwaves rippling outward. He reappeared in the distance, arms still crossed, his stance relaxed.
"Not bad. But…"
In a blink, he was upon them. The air cracked with his movement, and before they could react, Takagi stood inches from their faces. His voice was soft, almost amused, but it carried the weight of a storm.
"…not fast enough!"
With a blur of motion, Takagi drove open-palmed strikes into their chests. The impact was cataclysmic. Shockwaves exploded outward, shattering the ground beneath them and sending both Union and Xenos skidding back. Their feet carved deep trenches in the ground as they fought to stay upright. Xenos spat a curse under his breath, pushing himself to his feet as flames licked at his knuckles.
"Damn it! Let me take him."
Union fixed the armor around her shoulder, her gaze steady.
"I've got your back."
The two bumped fists, their eyes burning with determination.
Xenos exploded forward, the ground beneath him erupting in flames. His fists blazed as he unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes, each one accompanied by a fiery roar. Every punch, every kick, carried the weight of his training, the precision of countless hours of discipline. But Takagi moved like water. He flowed through Xenos's onslaught, his body bending and twisting with impossible fluidity. His feet remained planted, his stance unbroken as he dodged each strike with minimal effort. As Xenos threw a powerful right cross aimed for his face, Takagi caught his momentum with a swift Uchi Mata throw. Grabbing Xenos by the arm, he flipped him effortlessly over his shoulder. The ground trembled as Xenos slammed into it, the impact sending cracks spidering outward. But Xenos was up in a flash, his flames reigniting, fiercer than before. Behind Takagi, a portal snapped open with a crackle of distorted space. Union's fist shot through with terrifying speed, aimed directly at his temple. Takagi pivoted at the last possible moment, catching her wrist in an iron grip.
"Nice try!"
With a single, fluid motion, he yanked Union through the portal and slammed her into the ground with devastating force. The impact created a crater beneath her, sending tremors through the room. Despite Takagi's overwhelming control, his sharp eyes flickered with recognition. They were faster. Sharper. Their teamwork, their movements, were undeniably better than before. Xenos surged forward again, flames roaring around him, his steps deliberate. This time, there was no blind rage—only focus. He threw a feint, his right hook shifting mid-motion into a spinning kick. Takagi leaned back, narrowly avoiding the kick, but Xenos used the momentum to launch a blazing fireball directly at his chest. The flames engulfed Takagi, blinding the battlefield in a flash of light. Above, a portal snapped open, and Union emerged, her body twisting mid-air, her fist arcing downward like a meteor. For the first time, Takagi moved with urgency. Pivoting on his back foot, he unleashed a counter palm strike to her stomach. The force of the shockwave alone blasted Union backward, sending her tumbling across the ground. She managed to stabilize mid-flight, landing gracefully on her feet, her expression fierce.
"Tch!"
She darted forward again, her fists crackling with spatial distortions that warped the air around her. Her strikes came faster, harder, each one carrying an edge of unpredictability. Takagi's arms moved in a blur, deflecting each blow, but Union's persistence was relentless. From behind, Xenos closed the distance, his flaming fists blazing as he prepared to strike. Union threw a feint, her distorted punch aimed for Takagi's center mass. Takagi shifted to counter, but the feint created an opening. Xenos roared, unleashing a blazing uppercut. Takagi reacted instantly. Redirecting Union's momentum with an O-Guruma throw, he sent her colliding into Xenos mid-attack. The impact knocked both siblings off balance, sending them tumbling across the ground. As the dust settled, Takagi remained still, lowering his stance. His aura flickered faintly, radiating an effortless dominance.
"You're both stronger than before. In just a few weeks, your progression has exceeded my expectations."
Union and Xenos staggered to their feet, their breaths heavy. Even the slightest bit of force felt like being hit by an entire planet.
"Your coordination has improved. Your attacks carry weight. But, you still lack full unpredictability."
The siblings exchanged a glance, frustration flickering in their eyes, but there was no defeat. Only resolve.
Xenos wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, his flames reigniting with a roar.
"Then we'll just have to push harder."
Union adjusted her stance, her spatial aura shimmering brighter than before.
"Yeah. We're not done yet."
Takagi's faint smile returned. His voice cut through the tension like steel.
"Hmph. Come at me again. This time… show me everything you've got!"
Xenos's aura erupted, flames roaring higher as he prepared to charge. But before he could move, Union raised a hand.
"Wait, Xenos. You had your time. Let me take him."
"I can assist if—"
"No." Her tone was firm, unyielding.
"Let this be a one on one."
Xenos watched her for a moment before stepping back, nodding. Union wiped the sweat from her brow, locking eyes with Takagi. Her body ached, her breathing was labored, but her resolve burned brighter than ever. Her aura flared, bending space itself around her in chaotic ripples.
"Well, I'm sure this'll be exciting!"
Union smirked.
"Watch this."
With a burst of speed, she launched forward, her movements leaving afterimages that danced across the battlefield. Her strikes cut through the air with lethal precision, the distortions around her fists amplifying each blow.
Takagi dodged effortlessly at first, but as the battle progressed, her movements began to shift. Every punch, every step, became sharper, more deliberate. She wasn't just fighting—she was learning.
Union feinted a jab toward his shoulder, then spun low, sweeping her leg toward his ankle. Takagi leapt to avoid the sweep, but she was ready. A portal snapped open behind him, and her fist came crashing through. Takagi twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the strike. His grin widened.
"Now we're getting somewhere!"
Union didn't reply. Her focus was razor-sharp, her determination palpable. She surged forward as Takagi planted his feet, her fists crackling with spatial distortions, the very air around her warping with each strike. Takagi continued parrying her attacks with practiced ease, but the sheer ferocity of her assault forced him to take a single step back. For a fleeting moment, they were toe-to-toe, the ground beneath them trembling from the sheer force of their clash. Union's strikes carried enough power to bend the space around them, distorting the battlefield with each blow. She threw a jab aimed for his face, and Takagi deflected it effortlessly, but her other hand followed with a sudden, precise hook that came within a hair's breadth of grazing his chin. Takagi's eyes narrowed. Something switched inside him. For the first time during their spar, he acknowledged her as more than just a student. His stance shifted—subtle but unmistakable. His movements became sharper, his body lowering slightly as if grounding himself to the planet. Union didn't hesitate, charging forward with another barrage of strikes. She aimed a left hook for his ribs, but Takagi's wrist twisted with unparalleled precision, redirecting her momentum. In a flash, he stepped into her guard, his arm snaking around hers. With one fluid motion, he twisted his hips, and Union felt her world tilt. Takagi executed a flawless Harai Goshi, flipping her through the air like a ragdoll. The ground cracked beneath her as she slammed into it, the impact shaking the entire room. Dust and fragments of marble exploded outward, her breath leaving her in a single, sharp gasp. Union rolled onto her side, coughing as she tried to pull herself up. Her fists pressed against the fractured ground, trembling slightly. Her spatial aura flickered weakly around her, signaling the toll the fight was taking on her body. Takagi didn't move, his stance unbroken, his expression unreadable.
"You've improved, Union."
She coughed again, dragging herself to her knees. Her eyes burned with frustration, her voice laced with defiance.
"Improved? Tch… You're impossible to hit."
Takagi tilted his head slightly, a faint chuckle escaping his lips.
"Then try harder."
Union staggered to her feet, every muscle in her body screaming in protest. But her stance remained steady, her fists clenched tightly. She wasn't done yet. Even in the face of overwhelming strength, she refused to back down. Noticing her damages, Takagi's gaze softened slightly, though his tone remained sharp and commanding.
"Enough. That's enough for now." He said as he approached her.
Xenos, who had been watching intently, stepped forward, his flames flaring faintly around his fists.
"What!? That's it? Already?"
Takagi turned toward him, his smirk widening slightly.
"You think I'm stopping because she's tired? No. I'm stopping because you've both reached a point where I need to change the game."
Union wiped sweat from her brow, her breaths heavy but controlled.
"Change the game? What are you talking about?"
Takagi's eyes gleamed with something dangerous, a spark of excitement that made both siblings uneasy.
"You've progressed faster than I expected. Far faster than most gods at your stage. So, I've decided to give you your final challenge a little early."
Xenos's flames roared brighter, his anticipation building.
"Final challenge? What's the test?"
Union took a step forward, her voice firm despite her exhaustion.
"Yeah..."
Takagi's smirk widened into a full grin, his posture relaxing slightly as he crossed his arms.
CRUCIBLE OF ACCESSION
The Crucible of Ascension is an ancient obstacle course spanning hyperversal planes, where reality itself twists to test every aspect of a god's essence. Created by Suzuro, this course not only challenges the physical abilities of participants but also pushes their mental resolve and divine skills to the brink.**
"Welcome to your final test!"
CRUCIBLE OF ACCESSION | Hall Of Shifting Gravity
The colossal entrance to the Hall of Shifting Gravity loomed before Union and Xenos, its carved stone archway pulsating with an unnatural energy. The glowing runes etched into the surface hummed ominously, daring them to proceed. The very air around the siblings crackled with tension, heavy with the promise of chaos. Watching from above them, Takagi, Eres, Ishiro, Unagi, and Suzuro stood silently, watching. Takagi's voice cut through the charged atmosphere, calm but laced with a challenge.
"In this test, you'll use every ounce of your power and skill. Remember: teamwork is your greatest weapon. Use each other's strengths. Take control of every situation. Adapt to every challenge. If you can't-"
Eres interrupted, his voice cold and sharp.
"Then you never had a place among us to begin with."
Takagi turned his head slowly, side-eyeing Eres with a calm intensity.
"You done?"
Eres smirked faintly, returning the glare.
Union and Xenos exchanged a glance, their determination unwavering. Takagi's voice boomed again, slicing through the tension like a blade.
"BEGIN!"
As they dashed through the entrance, the world around them twisted violently. The floor disappeared beneath their feet, replaced by an expanse of rotating stone platforms suspended in mid-air. The walls and ceiling contorted into impossible shapes, defying logic and reality. Gravity shifted instantly—Xenos was pulled upward while Union was dragged sideways.
"What the—? Hold on!"
He ignited his flames, using the burst to propel himself toward a floating platform.
"Must be trying to split us up, huh?"
Union extended her hand and kept focus on her abilities.
"Come on, Union. Show them what you're capable of…"
The air around her suddenly began to ripple as she folded space itself. She anchored herself to a nearby platform, landing gracefully.
"This isn't just about sticking together, Xenos. Think before you move. Gravity here isn't just shifting—it's moving as if it has a conscious. It'll crush us if we don't stay ahead of it."
Xenos grunted, clenching his fists as his fiery aura flared.
"Alright. You lead; I'll handle anything that comes at us."
The platforms began spinning wildly, and massive flaming boulders erupted from the walls, hurtling toward them with terrifying speed. Below, crystalline spikes shot upward, their edges glowing with a deadly light. And in this moment—only a heartbeat was heard as they both remembered their training.
FLASHBACK – THE HALL OF STILL WATERS
Takagi stood barefoot atop a rippleless pond in a training hall carved from pure moonstone. The sky above was a mirror of stars, and the water reflected every constellation with perfect clarity.
"You're not fighting the chaos," he said, his voice calm, yet piercing. "You're dancing with it. Movement isn't reaction. It's intention guided through understanding."
He stepped lightly across the surface, leaving no ripple. "Be like water," he continued, extending his hand as a series of ethereal blades darted toward him. He didn't block—he turned, spun, and drifted around them, each motion effortless.
"Water doesn't resist. It doesn't struggle. It sees the shape of things and becomes the shape needed to survive. That's movement. It's not muscle. It's not power. It's perception."
He snapped his fingers, and dozens of blades froze midair, suspended.
"You don't dodge the world," he said, walking between them. "You read it."
Takagi turned to Xenos and Union, his eyes glowing faintly beneath black lashes.
"Learn to hear the chaos. Feel its rhythm. Then become the silence between beats."
BACK TO THE TRIAL
The boulders screamed through the air.
But neither Xenos nor Union panicked.
Their bodies moved—not with instinct, but with intention. They weaved between the blazing boulders and crystalline spikes, flowing like wind caught in fire, like light shifting through water. Union bent backward just as a spike grazed her chin, then spun midair as Xenos lunged across the gap and caught her wrist, pulling her in with seamless grace.
They both landed on a platform—the force of their landing emitting a shockwave that shattered all sound, all motion, all doubt.
The arena trembled.
The air itself recoiled. Above them, fire parted.
Below, the spikes retracted.
And for a brief, sacred moment… the chaos knelt before them.
They didn't just survive the onslaught.
They commanded it.
"That was close. You good over there?"
Union manipulated the platforms, slowing their erratic movements and aligning them into a precarious path forward.
"I'm stabilizing the way ahead, but it won't hold. Keep clearing the debris!"
The debris wasn't the only danger.
From the swirling chaos, A sudden screech tore through the chamber—high, sharp, and distorted. From the shattered debris of the arena floor, the crystalline spikes twisted and coiled together, reforming into a serpentine abomination. Its body was made of jagged crystal and volatile light, constantly reshaping itself—ribbons of energy slithering across its translucent flesh like nerves under skin. Its eyes pulsed like dying stars. Its body hissed with a frequency that distorted space itself, making its movements hard to track. Every twitch came with afterimages that bent time and sight.
The serpent didn't move—it teleported in bursts of flickering momentum, lunging toward them with jaws lined not with teeth, but fractal blades spinning like saws.
Xenos stepped forward, unleashing a wave of roaring flame. The creature screeched and shattered—but the shards didn't fall. They twisted mid-air, spiraling backward as if time reversed. Two new serpents emerged from the broken pieces, now faster, sleeker, more serpentine than before—no longer following a pattern. One blurred into a smear of motion, the other coiled through the air like light through broken glass.
Union narrowed her eyes, backing into formation beside Xenos.
"They adapt."
Xenos grit his teeth, flame coiling tighter.
"No. They're testing us."
And then they remembered Takagi's words:
"You don't fight unpredictability with strength. You become unpredictable. To be evasive is more than to escape. It's interpretation. Read the chaos—then write your own answer."
The serpents lunged—one from above, one from the side, jaws wide and spinning with lethal intent.
Union vanished in a ripple of space, reappearing behind one serpent mid-strike, twisting midair to drive her knee into its core. Xenos ducked low beneath the second, spinning with a crescent sweep of fire that curved around the serpent's dodge—not aiming where it was, but where it would be.
The battlefield danced. They weren't just reacting now—they were leading the rhythm.
They flowed with the chaos.
And chaos began to fall behind.
"That's a new move of yours I haven't seen."
Union's voice carried a smirk, even through the tremble in her breath.
Xenos' flames surged as he launched forward, blasting away obstacles with reckless momentum.
"More where that came from! I'm getting in the zone now!"
He darted toward the next platform, but in his eagerness, he missed the sudden shift—gravity twisted mid-leap, and the platform veered sideways. He gasped as his body lurched backward, balance lost.
"Xenos!"
Union reacted instantly. Her eyes flared with cosmic light as she reached out—space itself folding between them. She ripped a stable platform into position beneath her, then extended her hand as Xenos tumbled through the air.
He reached—
—and caught her wrist.
With a sharp pull, she redirected the gravity beneath him, anchoring them both to a solid platform in a flash of warped energy.
Panting, Xenos looked up at her.
"I had it handled."
Union raised an eyebrow.
"Sure. Just like when Takagi told you that 'fire without direction is just destruction.'"
Xenos sighed, brushing soot from his shoulder.
"He also said to move with instinct."
"And patience is instinct," she replied smoothly, stepping onto the next ledge. "You're not here to show off. You're here to ascend."
Xenos stared at her for a beat, then chuckled under his breath.
"Right. No more crashing headfirst."
"Glad we're on the same page." She turned, her tone softening. "Now come on. Let's end this—together."
Flames sparked in his palms, but this time they were focused.
He nodded.
"Together."
They moved again, side by side.
Each step deliberate.
Each movement earned.
Gods, learning to breathe between the chaos.
The exit loomed ahead, glowing faintly like a dying star—hope just within reach.
But before they could move, the ground cracked.
The air shivered.
From the abyss below, a towering crystalline structure erupted, splitting the path and snarling the cosmos around it. It pulsed with a violent, unnatural energy—sending waves of destabilizing force that fractured the platforms and rattled the very laws of gravity.
Xenos narrowed his eyes, his confidence flaring like his flame.
"Big finale, huh?"
Union's gaze sharpened, more focused than ever.
"Whatever it is—we'll handle it."
The structure cracked open like a hatching god, revealing a monstrous guardian. Its form was jagged chaos incarnate—spike-limbs, twisting crystal tendrils, and a glowing core that pulsed like a second heart to the Crucible itself. Each movement carved through the air like a blade made of time. The creature roared, and platforms shattered under its strikes, the battlefield collapsing into spirals of chaos. Xenos grinned recklessly, fire dancing across his shoulders.
"Let's see if it can handle this."
Union stepped beside him, her aura blooming into a spatial shimmer.
"Don't miss."
Xenos burst forward, fire bursting from his limbs as he weaved between falling platforms and surging energy beams. He threw a chain of explosive strikes, hammering into the beast's limbs with everything he had. His laugh echoed across the field.
"Yeah! This thing's nothing!"
But then—
He got too close.
The guardian's limb shot forward—faster than thought. A blade of crystal, serrated and screaming, slashed through the air.
Xenos turned—just late.
A sickening rip.
Blood sprayed across the air.
The edge of the blade raked across his cheek, tearing through skin and armor alike, narrowly missing his neck by inches. Had he moved even a second slower—he would've been decapitated.
Xenos crashed backward, tumbling hard onto a breaking platform.
He clutched his face, eyes wide, breath ragged. It was shallow—but it was real. The blood was real. The pain was real.
He looked down at his trembling hands, the same ones he'd just raised in triumph.
He remembered what happened back on Planet Xeunus.
This wasn't a game. This wasn't a heroic trial.
This was war.
Union landed beside him, skidding to a stop. Her voice was low, shaken.
"You almost died."
Xenos said nothing at first. The thrill was gone. The fire didn't feel playful anymore.
He nodded slowly, jaw clenched, a line of crimson dripping from his cheek.
Then—everything slowed.
A FLASHBACK.
Takagi stood in silence, arms crossed, the crucible quiet around them. No lesson. No strikes. Just presence.
He looked at them with an unreadable gaze.
"Power will make you strong. But movement? Movement will make you immortal."
He stepped forward, his voice soft but sharp as steel.
"Movement is the poetry between chaos and clarity. It is the pause before death. The whisper before violence. It's not offense, defense, or escape—it's truth made motion."
He raised his hand, fingers hovering in the air.
"Offense is how you breathe." He stepped forward, slicing the air.
"Defense is how you endure." He spun, avoiding a phantom blow.
"But the counter…"
He vanished—reappearing behind them, two inches from their spines.
"…is how you end it."
His eyes locked with theirs.
"In battle, you don't survive by being the strongest.
You survive by understanding this:
You are never alone in motion.
Movement shared—
is transcendence."
BACK TO THE PRESENT.
Xenos stood slowly, blood streaking his cheek, his expression hollow no longer. He looked to Union—who was already staring at him.
They didn't speak.
They didn't need to.
Their bodies moved together—fluid, perfect. A single breath, a single rhythm. Time seemed to fold around them as their godhoods flared in unity.
Union bent space around the guardian, pinning its limbs in a sudden spatial vice.
Xenos surged with fire, his entire body igniting—not in rage, but in focus.
Their auras rose together. Opposites in harmony.
They moved.
Together.
They charged—two divine forces in perfect synchronicity.
Union struck first, her fist wrapped in gravity and distortion, shattering the field around the guardian's core.
Xenos followed—his fist flaming not with heat, but meaning.
They struck at once—a single, combined blow to the chest.
Their aura ignited into a blinding column of gold and crimson.
The impact was not a hit. It was a detonation of purpose.
The air folded.
The floor fractured.
The guardian's body exploded from within, light shattering across every direction like dying suns, as the shockwave rolled across the chamber like the breath of a god being exhaled for the first time.
And then—
Silence.
The dust settled.
The guardian was gone. Only fragments remained—floating, lifeless, across the broken battlefield.
Union lowered her fists, her chest heaving.
Xenos fell to one knee, hand pressed to his wounded face.
They stared at the destruction… and finally understood.
Union looked at her trembling hand.
"We nearly died."
Xenos wiped blood from his jaw.
"But we didn't."
Their eyes locked.
"I could get used to this," Union said softly, but now without the smirk.
Xenos exhaled a laugh, but it was hollow.
"Yeah," he whispered. "But this isn't a story."
"No," she agreed, stepping forward.
"This is war."
To Be Continued…