It's not going well.

Severin and I continued our assault. We attacked him on both sides. Hitting a combo at times. Despite that, he still held his ground. Never once did he move from his original spot. I sent a leg kick towards his head, while Severin tried punching his back. He simply twisted his body to avoid Severin's punch while he used his arm to block my attack.

It was then that another explosion sounded out. Severin and I looked at each other and saw the urgency in our eyes. We attacked faster and with even more fierceness. During the fight, I was able to recover a good chunk of my Kigen and though it's not at full, it's enough for our plan.

I took a breath and saw frost forming. I didn't realize it, but as time went on, it was becoming colder. Severin's attacks seemed to have gotten stronger. Every time the man blocked, I could notice the micro reactions that came from him. He was starting to feel it.

Severins and the amn aura constantly collided. A mix of blue frosty blue and a dominating purple. Their lights were so bright that they completely overshadowed me, who wasn't even using Kigen. A flicker of jealousy rose at the back of my mind, but I quickly snuffed it out. There's no use. I have what I have but I'll make it work.

It went on. Even though I was attacking at the same time as Severin, the man's attention was slowly focusing on him and was being directed away from me. A sliver of a grin formed at the side of my face but I erased it. Must not be found.

Just as the majority of his attention was put on Severin, we knew it was time. Kigen quietly formed around my fist. The man turned around and I pounced.

24 Styles of Simplicity

Heaven's Fist.

Positive Kigen coursed through my right hand, as I promptly slammed it at the man's side. The man seemed to have noticed it and tried defending but it was too late. I slammed my fist at his sides with full force. As I made contact, I felt like I hit a fucking mountain but that mountain still reeled sideways for a few inches. Severin didn't take that small amount of advantage to waste and followed up with his attack.

His ‘claws’ glowed a frosty blue and swiped it at the man. The man, still feeling my attacks but still able to defend, injected Kigen through his arms and formed what seemed to be claws of his own. Sharp claws sprouted from his Kigen, matching Seveirn's continuous attacks.

I heaved up and down. I started to feel the tiredness from this short, yet almost eternal fight that seemed to have gone on for god knows how long. I gazed at the two of them and saw that the man was slowly being pushed to the edge. Was I happy? Not at all. Because of one thing. There was a slight grin at the side of the man's face.

“So this is your plan huh? I was wondering why you suddenly wanted to fight here of all places. I thought that maybe it was because you wanted to throw me off the train. But I disregarded it. Thinking that you two boys were too smart for it. A real shame that is. You didn't see it.”

“What do you mean!” Severin snarled. His frosty Kigen seemingly froze the air around him. “I am not the one you should be stopping.” BOOM!

The man grinned as another explosion occurred. But Severin and I didn't flinch. We knew that already. The ground then shook. I looked to the end of the train and saw that it was collapsing one by one. It was slow, but it was only a matter of time before it reached us and the passengers.

“Severin! Time for Plan B.”

"We have a plan B?” Severin asked, bewildered.

“We just did, just now!” I shouted. I didn't want to do this since I don't know how long I will be hospitalized, but it's worth a shot. I closed my eyes and felt the kigen that flowed through me. At my stomach, where the core of my Kigen revolves, I dug deeper into it. It was faint. Almost nonexistent. But it was there. It was the thing that would allow me to pull off the crazy idea that might kill me.

Never done this before so here is everything.

Maximum Effort.

With a metaphorical hand, I ripped the Dark Kigen buried deep within my core. The reaction was instantaneous. A sudden burst of power rose within me. Adrenaline rushed through my head, and I felt that there wasn't anything I could do. The other two noticed the sudden burst of Kigen, as their eyes both widened at the same time.

"You crazy bastard! Are you asking to die?!” Severin shouted.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA YES! This is how a fight SHOULD be.” The man shouted. His aura too, seemingly rising higher. Severin saw this and tried fighting back but he was simply flung to the side. He was getting serious. So am I. The only difference is, I might die after. Oh well.

I launched towards him, our fists colliding and reaching the hundreds in a matter of a minute.

24 Styles of Simplicity.

Kaminari.

Thunder Kigen started filling my body. My attacks started becoming fiercer, more faster. The man noticed it too and started laughing like a madman. A roar of a dragon seemingly sounded out as he jumped in the air, and started crashing down like a Dragon Diving.

The sounds of our clash thundered across the roof of the train. Thunder flickered past my eyes, while the man's eyes yellowed, seemingly turning into slits like that of a snake. He sent a fist charging at me, a dragon wrapped around his arm. It was fast. But with Kaminari, I'm faster. I simply dodged his attack and countered with my own, a fist charged with pure thunder.

I hit him squarely in the face, blood spitting out from his nose. His head reeled back for a moment but it snapped back to normal in a split second. “Good One!” He said. Our fight continued. I noticed that I was pushing him back slowly, but that was not good enough. In time, I would not win, hell no. I'm not that delusional. But I could push him off the train. The problem is, I don't have time.

I glanced sideways and saw that the collapse of the brain was getting nearer and nearer. With that motivation, I tried fighting even more fiercely.

Oh crap.

For a second, I was slower than usual, and I prayed to whoever was listening that the man didn't notice it.

“Slowing down eh?” He noticed it. Fucking hell, how can he notice everything. It's annoying as hell.

“Tch.”

24 Styles Of Simplicity.

Heaven's Fist.

I shot it towards him, and this time he didn't happily receive it and just dodged. He jumped in his place, and from his posturing, I knew that he was about to do that move again.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Dragon Dive. Multiple aura dragons appeared in the sky above and started coming down. I saw the fierce expression of the man, the collapse of the train already a few meters away from me, and my use of Dark Kigen being snuffed out. It all hit me all at once, the tiredness of my body, and the prospect of dying becoming even more possible. But I wasn't worried. I kept a calm face and simply watched this show in the sky.

It was then that an aura that I felt was like winter erupted. I didn't even need to check who it was. A figure leaped in the sky at the same time, the aura of that figure was wrapped in the aura of a wolf and slammed his fist into the man.

The man belatedly realized what was happening, but by then, it was too late. I suspected that the move could not be canceled, and I was right. His move was simply a free fall from the sky, and just based on the laws of gravity, I knew he couldn't maneuver himself in mid-air.

The man's ability got interrupted and fell towards another place, the lake below. His hysterical screams made themselves apparent, but I couldn't care less. In my last few moments of consciousness, before I passed out, I saw Severin land before me, returning to his previous form. "I'll take care of everything.” He said.

You better.

Sunlight seeped through the window, its soft heat caressing my face. I wanted to open my eyes but even that small action was hard. I'm drained. Not just physically or mentally drained, but drained. Normally, my Kigen, no matter how small, could still be felt.

Now it was faint. Fainter than the presence of a ghost. It was still flowing, keeping me alive at the very least, but that's about it. There are consequences to my actions and this is one of them. Dark Kigen in general, should never be used. Not under any circumstances. Well, there was one exception. And it's when your very life is at stake. By then, all bets are off.

I groaned, knowing that I'd be in bed for months. I might- No, I am going to miss the trial period. I'm going to have to wait another year just for it to come up again. Even by then, I'm not sure I'll be fully healed. Ah damn, that guy. Why did he have to force my hand? I hope he drowned, but I severely doubt that that guy can't swim. Curses.

“Kayde.” A voice said. It took all my willpower but I managed to open my eyes. Though blurry at first, the image started coming together and I saw the icy blue eyes, the snow-white hair, and the cold bloodless face.

“Hi, Severin. Still alive I see.”

“More alive than you.” He said.

“How was it? And what happened after I passed out? And how long have I lost consciousness?”

I expected Severin to answer, but another voice made its presence known.

“Mr. Kayde Yarrow, I am Captain Osmund Hargrave. Everything has been taken care of. The remaining passengers that were taken hostage are safe. And it has been a week. If you're wondering if the trials for Central Academy are done, it is affirmative. It already wrapped up a few days ago.”

I felt my literal heart drop. A sinking feeling started weighing down on me. I knew that the amount of time I would lose consciousness was big, but I still hoped that I would wake up before the trials started. Damn, it. I also know that even If I did wake up before trials, there was no way in hell I would pass it in my current condition. I can't even move my body, much less use my Kigen.

I sighed, as I realized that I was going to have to wait another year for Trials. It would have been fine, but it's a little awkward since I already said goodbye to Bael and the house. What am I going to do...

“Worry not Mr. Kayde.” Still down, I looked closer at the one who informed me of the situation. His bald head was the one thing that caught my eye. He had dark charcoal skin, and a stern face with piercing blue eyes as he wore the uniform of the Greace Police. He opened his mouth and said. “As protocol, I am required to ask you questions regarding the incident, but someone has requested me to meet you first.”

Puzzled, I wonder who was ballsy enough to request something from the Greace Police. They were cold-blooded. Followed the law to the letter. It was one of the reasons why crime rarely happens in the city. He stepped aside and I saw the man behind him. My eyes widened as I saw who it was.

"Dean Sebastian?”

“Yours truly. It's wonderful that the young people of today still remember an old codger like me.” He gave a gentle smile, as he looked around the room and said. “Would you give the two of us some privacy, if you don't mind of course?”

Severin and the Officer, of course, didn't mind. I would like to see someone who does mind. They both left the room quietly. All the while as the dean smiled at them as they left, I felt that there were a lot of inconsistencies in his words. First off, though he may be old, he certainly didn't look like it.

His dark curly hair didn't have a single speck of white hair, as well as his clean and young face. Even his spectacles, which made him look like a scholarly young man made him look like he teaches at the academy, instead of running the place.

And the second thing is that he was surprised I knew him. I would be an idiot if I didn't know of him. Because everybody knows of him. He's one of the few that are Ascendants. Someone who is at the peak of the battle dancer pecking order.

But there are a few peculiar things about those who are Ascendants. They don't act like it. I don't know, it's a rumor that I have heard. Even though they are absolute beings, they certainly don't act like it. Of course, there are exceptions, but even then, there is just something off about them that I can't put my finger on. Oh, and there's one tiny little thing.

They regain their youth when they become Ascendants. I have no idea why it's like that, it's just like that for some reason. The mechanics behind it as well as the complex intricacies are only understood by those that have reached the highest level known to Battle Dancers, and Ascendants.

The closest beings to gods. Their Demi-gods. A walking calamity that can bring a city with a flick of a hand. I'm not exaggerating. I wish I was. It happened in the past. There was once an evil organization that was operating in a ghost city, a city that had been abandoned to the elements. Said evil organization pissed off one of the Ascendants here in Greece City for some unknown reason, and it caused their entire base of operations to be completely wiped off the face of the earth.

It was said that the Ascendant flicked his hand. I didn't believe it at first, but images of the destroyed city surfaced in the newspapers, and it was then that I never doubted anything related to Ascendants when it came to their might.

“Nice to Officially meet you, Kayde Yarrow. I have heard a lot about you from my assistant.” Dean Sebastian smiled as he said that. I smiled, though wearily, and tried getting up from my position. The dean raised a hand and said. “Not necessary Kayde, I am not old nor unreasonable enough to make a young man who is injured beyond measure follow the intricacies of social etiquette. It's quite foolish in my eyes, honestly.”

“Ah, I see... Thank you, Dean Sebastian.”

“There is also no need for that. And please, I should be the one thanking you.”

“May I ask why? I didn't do much. I just stopped someone from doing something really bad. Anybody would have stepped up if they were in my shoes.”

“Nonsense. Not everyone could do what you did Kayde. Case in point, you and Severin are the only ones that stood up against those bastards.”

“But we were the only battle dancers that could move in that train though?”

“That is not true.”

The dean shook his head, as he said. “There are other battle dancers that train young Kayde. Of course, there must be some who tried resisting but were too weak and died as a result. Because of that, further battle dancers were uttered and did nothing as the bastards continued their plot.”

I didn't know what to say. I closed my mouth and just awkwardly stared at him. The dean simply sighed and said. “Anyways, what's done is done. I owe you a debt Kayde. A lot of people survived because of the two of you. Frankly, I'm surprised that Severin even cooperated with anyone besides his own family. Even then, I'm sure that it won't flow smoothly.”

“What do you mean? Severin was pretty awesome to fight with.”

“It seems you have not known him for too long. Otherwise, you would not be saying that. Regardless, I should say my piece before leaving you to rest.”

The dean coughed in his mouth as he rightly said. “Do you wish to become a student at Central Academy Kade Yarrow?”

“More than anything sir.”

“Why is that?”

I paused. Thinking of something else other than my reasoning. I wasn't sure I could completely trust the dean. The dean must have seen through it and said. “You need not tell me what Kayde is. I was simply fulfilling my curiosity.” The dean then walked up to the window and stared out into the sky. “Do you know why the Central Academy exists Kayde?”

“Um... It exists because the Ascendants that head Greace City want to foster the next generation of battle dancers.”

"Indeed, that is the widely believed reason. The more superficial one I suppose. There is some truth to it, but only a fraction of it.”

The dean then paused, as if ruminating on what he should say next. He then said, “Do you wish to know the reason Kayde Yarrow?”

“Yes sir.”

“Okay.”

There was a short silence that followed. I thought that he would say the reason, but just looked at me without a word. “Um, aren't you gonna tell me, Dean Sebastian?”

“Why should I?”

Nutcases. I looked back at the dean, now slightly understanding the phrase. Ascendants, though powerful, are weirdos. The dean merely gave a benign smile and said. "If you wish to survive or even thrive in the Academy, then you must figure the reason out yourself. I as your Dean can only show you the way, but you must be the one to walk it.”

“I see. Thank you- Wait what? What do you mean Sir Sebastian?”

“It means what It means. Starting from now. I, Sebastian Valtore, am now your Dean at Central Academy.”

"Welcome to Central Academy, Kayde Yarrow.”