The sound of thunderous blows echoed across the training ring where Alpha and Nova were sparring.

Nova's amber eyes focused intently on the action, perceiving the incoming strikes with a precision that would have seemed impossible just days earlier.

He deftly dodged feints and blocked genuine punches with his guard, retaliating with equal ferocity against the grinning Alpha. Jabs, hooks, uppercuts, liver shots, kicks, and sweeps, an impressive exchange of strikes unfolded between the two fighters.

They skillfully absorbed some damage while evading other blows through precise footwork that maintained their balance.

Nova's progress over the past two weeks was evident. Previously, he had fallen for every feint, taken most of the punches, and often ended up on the ground, closing his eyes to danger.

Now, after enduring countless beatings, he had instinctively grasped the basics of fighting. “Don’t focus on anything, see everything...” he reminded himself as Alpha's blows sliced through the air, which he managed to block or evade with minimal difficulty.

Much like a skilled driver who uses peripheral vision to navigate traffic and avoid obstacles, Nova applied the same principle in combat, a skill honed through pain and repeated blows.

"Always one foot in front of the other, one leads and the other follows." His feet moved swiftly, allowing him to maintain constant momentum, shifting back and forth or jumping to execute kicks.

The fight between them grew increasingly even.

Several Moblings watching the training were amazed, and inspired by Nova's perseverance to start their own training sessions.

What had started as an empty lot around the ring transformed into an outdoor gym, with Moblings diligently training.

Amid the fight, Alpha took a moment to observe the Moblings and couldn't suppress a satisfied smile. He recalled his first encounter with Nova, where the human's sheer determination had silenced everyone present.

Though Nova had not been a worthy opponent at the time, he earned admiration, sparking an idea in Alpha’s mind.

Standing 6.56 feet tall, the Mobling was no fool. He knew he couldn’t maintain his youth forever and would need a worthy successor. The other Moblings in the tribe had grown complacent, feeling strong merely from pushing a few humans and defeating harmless predators.

The Alpha realized he would be unable to protect the village if he were to fall. Thus, when he learned that humans had deceived his guards, he decided to use them as an example to highlight his troops' inadequacies by defeating them himself.

However, meeting Nova changed his plan. The human’s latent strength, breaking an elbow with ease and displaying unwavering determination, stirred Alpha's warrior spirit.

He felt compelled to seize this opportunity to demonstrate to his people what true strength meant.

It wasn’t merely about physical prowess; it was about conviction, a quality evident in the boy’s amber eyes every time he chose to stand up.

“UK KUKUK!” the Alpha exclaimed cheerfully, grinning widely as Nova landed a front kick that pushed him back.

With a sudden burst of energy, the Alpha charged at Nova, leaping and aiming a knee strike at his chest. Nova tried to dodge, shifting to the side where Alpha couldn’t reach him due to a wounded arm.

But just then, the splint on the Alpha’s arm shattered, and in a sudden, irregular motion, the Alpha struck Nova’s face, sending him crashing to the ground.

“Hey, that’s cheating!” Nova protested, wiping the blood from his nose and glaring at the Alpha, feeling that the attack was unfair.

“Ukukukukuku!” the Alpha laughed mockingly, watching as a spectator threw a rock at one of the buckets next to the ring, each painted with crude drawings of the fighters.

The bucket with Alpha’s drawing overflowed with rocks, while the bucket with Nova’s was empty.

“Referee, that’s cheating!” Nova demanded as he stood up and walked towards a Mobling in the corner of the ring.

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The Mobling simply shrugged, eliciting laughter from the audience.

“Come on, guys, as if you could do any better!” Nova retorted, leading to a small scuffle with the Moblings, who booed while he tried to reason with them.

Despite initially seeing them as mere monsters, Nova had grown to view the Moblings as fascinating creatures who fiercely protected their own and were steadfast in their determination.

“UK KUKUKUK!” the Alpha’s voice cut through the commotion, drawing Nova’s attention. He was being beaten by two Moblings while holding another in an armlock.

Though Nova didn’t understand the Mobling language, he recognized that the Alpha was calling him.

“Shall we continue?” Nova asked, releasing the Mobling he was holding. The others stepped back, allowing him to approach the Alpha.

"Uk kuqku uku," the Alpha said, waving his hands to be better understood. This gesture sometimes helped Nova grasp what the Alpha was trying to convey about combat techniques or focus areas. However, it wasn’t clear this time.

Alpha’s right hand pointed at Nova and then at himself, as if to demonstrate a lesson.

He closed his eyes, clasped his hands in front of him, and assumed a calm stance with slightly bent legs. Then he moved his hands to his sides and began to breathe deeply.

“Uk uk,” the Alpha said, maintaining his odd posture.

At first, Nova was puzzled by the exercise. But after Alpha’s apparent instruction to "don’t just stand there," he decided to mimic him.

He positioned himself next to the Alpha, clasped his hands, bent his legs slightly, closed his eyes, and placed his hands on his hips.

For several minutes, they remained in silence.

“I don’t understand... How is this supposed to help?” Nova wondered, feeling uncertain but relieved not to be enduring the Alpha’s heavy blows. “Maybe it’s a break...” he concluded, finding solace in mimicking Alpha’s breathing.

After a long period, Nova felt his body starting to fall asleep, first his legs, then his arms. Maintaining the position became increasingly difficult.

Despite this, he decided to persevere. The Alpha’s breathing remained unchanged, though it had become even slower, with longer pauses between breaths.

After several hours, Nova was uncertain if he was fully conscious. His body had gone completely numb, and he focused solely on his breathing: slow, labored, and painful as his lungs burned during the extended pauses.

He probably wouldn’t have been able to hold the position for so long if he hadn’t endured so many blows. Perhaps that was why the Alpha’s early training had focused on his lower body to build strength, and the second week had concentrated on his upper body, preparing him for this moment.

“What a strange training method... How can staying completely still in front of an enemy help me?” Before he could finish the thought, Nova noticed something unusual at the base of his feet, as if a green light was illuminating his vision despite his closed eyes.

“What?” He glanced down without opening his eyes and saw something surreal.

At his feet, a trail of green light surrounded him and covered the floor of the ring. The light began to form various paths around him, slowly drawing shapes that seemed to reflect his surroundings.

He saw the small rocks, the moss, and even the Alpha’s form, along with a few birds resting on his shoulders, all taking shape in the energy around him.

Unable to comprehend what he was seeing, Nova opened his eyes. The sudden shift caused him to lose balance, and he fell to the ground, his numb feet unable to support him. The birds on his shoulders flew away, along with those near the Alpha.

“What the... hell was that?” Nova asked, dumbfounded by the experience.

“Uk kuk alk,” the Alpha responded, dropping his posture and stretching.

“He said it was the presence of the world,” a voice from the side of the ring explained. Nova hadn’t noticed when the Elder Mobling had arrived.

"You’re the first person they've decided to teach this to; you should be grateful!" the old Mobling said, stepping between the ropes to approach them.

“Uk uk uk quk ukuk ukuk kuk uk,” the Alpha continued, helping Nova to his feet.

“He didn’t think you could ever perceive it, but congratulations. If you learn to master it, you’ll see much more than just the shapes around you.”

Though the translation of old Mobling was somewhat confusing, Nova decided to thank the Alpha for the revelation. His legs, though stiff, could support him now.

“Thank you. I still don’t understand...what was that?” he asked the Elder Mobling.

“Kukuk uk ku.”

“He says it’s known as the perception of the living world,” the Elder translated.

“Uk kuku uk ko.”

“What you call Synchro has many names and is the essence that forms this world,” the Elder explained, looking surprised that the Alpha was discussing this with a human.

“Kukuk uk kuo.”

"Although many creatures cannot manipulate it, everyone can sense it. With enough training, you can perceive the true essence of this world."

"Uku kukuk ukuk ukuk uku."

"It’s my way of thanking you for inspiring others to become stronger. In a sense, he feels he needed to show this to you for surpassing his expectations." The old Mobling smiled, and the Alpha did too as he observed Nova. He could relate to that sentiment, having also developed an affinity for the human girl after learning about his true nature.

"I... I don't know what to say. I'm grateful..." Nova ducked his head in respect, this time fully bowing towards the Alpha.

"Thank you for teaching me. I look forward to continuing to learn from you!" he called out enthusiastically, as though addressing a true teacher.

The Alpha smiled and patted him on the back, laughing heartily. "Uk kuku uk kukukukukukukukukuk!"

"The Alpha says it’s clear, given that you haven’t been able to defeat him even once," translated the old Mobling. He concealed his own bemusement at the Alpha’s glee, who began teasing Nova about his nearly 150 losses with a playful smirk.

"Anyway, if today's training is over, you’d better go to the other human. She asked me to tell you that she wants to talk to you when you're done," the old Mobling informed.

Nova was surprised by that, as he thought the old Mobling and Katya didn’t get along very well. But he had no reason to doubt the old Mobling's words.

"Ah, well then, see you at dinner." He waved goodbye and made his way towards the teepee to meet Katya.

On his way, Nova spotted the little Mobling girl who had become his friend. She was entering the village with some fruit in her hands. Upon seeing him, she quickly hid the fruit, likely planning to give it to him the next day to cheer him up.

"Haha, thanks," Nova said with a smile and continued towards the teepee, not wanting to disturb the little girl who watched him leave.

..........................................................

When Nova arrived at the teepee, he found Katya sitting on a bed of leaves.

"Katya, the old Mobling told me you wanted to see me. Have you two patched things up yet? Haha, I told you it was just a matter of ti—" Nova began, but he was cut off by the anguished look on Katya’s face.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, confused.

Katya then recounted the story the old Mobling had shared earlier that day.

Their time in the village was coming to an end, and for everyone's safety, they needed to leave that very night. The old man would help them by erasing their trail to prevent a B-Synchro from tracking.

Nova, now seated, looked up at Katya with a hint of melancholy.

"We never intended to stay forever, but I’ll miss them," he said with a faint smile. He began packing his belongings, preparing to leave after their customary dinner in the village center.

when he was finished packing, drop his things ready to go after dinner.

"Call me a masochist, but I’ll miss the Alpha too," he chuckled, heading for the exit of the teepee as the young girl laughed at his comment.

"It’s a good thing we’re leaving because at this rate, the Alpha might end up killing you," Katya replied with a laugh.

Despite their initial desire to leave, they had grown fond of the Moblings. They had come to appreciate the community that, for better or worse, had welcomed and helped them in various ways.

But their thoughts were interrupted by a sound that struck terror into their hearts: a roar that froze the blood of everyone in the village.

This roar was only the harbinger of impending destruction...