Silence filled the void of space, where there would otherwise have been the sound of explosions one after another. However, cultivators had better things to do during a fight than make sure they could hear unnecessary things. The locations of explosions and the like would be obvious enough from the energy involved, bothering to pick it up as sound was simply a waste.

Gigantic rocks crashed into each other, the size of small mountains. Free from the confines of gravity, they were rather easily moved. Fire wrapped each massive projectile as two figured danced about each other.

“Better watch out, old man,” Hoyt taunted. “I’ll catch you soon enough.”

“Oh, if it weren’t for my aching back I could certainly escape!” said a man who looked just as young as Hoyt. And in fact, by some metrics he was actually younger. “But I think I’d rather defeat my grandson rather than fleeing.”

Prospero Vandale had wrapped over a dozen asteroids in the flames of his power, the great distances involved significantly tempered by the lack of interference in the void of space. The massive projectiles arrived in sync, forcing Hoyt to pull back as he avoided some while chopping through another, smashing it to pieces with his axe.

Somewhere in that exchange, Hoyt lost track of Prospero. His eyes darted around to catch his grandfather’s position. Aside from their sharp eyes there was no way to connect their visual appearance to each other, and for good reason. Prospero had died and been reborn, retaining a small portion of his memories and unlocking more as he grew in power. Now, he recalled as much as he ever would. But his body was completely unrelated to what it had been previously, so his looks were quite different as well. Only the style of movements and attitude revealed the truth of the individual behind them.

Hoyt finished scanning the area around him. “Hiding behind an asteroid won’t do you any good, you know! If you’re thinking of picking up a few more rocks, I don’t think you’ll have the time. Because…” he spun, propelling himself towards a particular asteroid. “I’ll defeat you first!”

The asteroid split easily under the blade of his axe, revealing Prospero on the other side. However, the man was grinning. A sudden wave of his power spread over the solid pieces of the asteroid, and as Hoyt’s momentum carried him forward he slammed them into him from either side. Hoyt was suddenly buried under a kilometer of earth and stone. It wasn’t impossible for a person of his strength to break free from such a trap, but it would take a few moments at least- it was difficult to build up the momentum of a proper swing with the weight being forced down upon him. If he were using his full power, it would have been even easier- but then it would be much of a spar.

In the time he took to free himself, he found that the situation outside had changed significantly. Hoyt didn’t think it was possible to drag so many asteroids across the vast distances between them in that short time, so the process must have begun long before. Furthermore, the power it would take to do all of that at once.

“You hid it well,” Hoyt said.

“Well,” Prospero shrugged. “It wasn’t exactly intentional. It simply turned out to not be flashy. Until we get to this point, I mean.”

Even as he spoke, the myriad asteroids of differing sizes crashed towards him. Some were tiny- the height of a man- while others were a kilometer across. The largest ones he simply had to dodge, for fear of them being forced over him again. The smaller ones would not have been a threat with any sort of natural momentum, but the flames of Prospero’s control granted them speed and accuracy that was dangerous. When he could avoid them he did so, hoping that turning them about would waste his grandfather’s energy. Not that this was a battle he had a hope of winning. Not anymore.

While long in the past he might have hesitated to counter with Falling Stars, the only reason he wasn’t using the technique now was because he simply didn’t have any concentration or energy free to do so. Thus, he could only continue to defend until he was inevitably worn down- more and more asteroids closed in on his location, and even the random rubble of any he destroyed drifted in clouds towards him, until he was well and truly surrounded.

A small moon crashed down around him, and if it were not for Prospero’s control that might have actually been enough to kill him. Then again, it couldn’t have happened without that intentionality either.

He did have to dig his way out, and there he saw his grandfather waiting for him, arms crossed. “Yes yes, I lose,” Hoyt shrugged. “It’s to be expected, with you having securely stepped into Augmentation. But now I no longer have to limit myself. We’ll see how this goes then.”

“Hmph. Experience will always trump youth,” Prospero declared. Though he was quite aware that in some regards he was the youth, and his ‘experience’ advantage was mostly measured in decades of life rather than the centuries he’s once had on Hoyt. And in other respects, since Hoyt had reached Augmentation first, he would always remain behind.

-----

Tauno spun around as a strange woman suddenly addressed him in his room.

“Cultivator Tauno. It has come to my attention that you wield a sword.”

He looked at Chikere, frowning. “How did you get in?”

“The door was unlocked.”

“It most certainly was not.”

“It was when I turned the handle.”

Tauno sighed. Locks were only so good to begin with. He just hoped she hadn’t cut the door off the hinges. “So why are you here?”

“I told you. You use a sword, right?”

“Sometimes. When the best weapon I’ve made from a beast corpse is a sword. It’s true that’s the case right now.”

“Then, I wish to spar with you.”

“Just because I wield a sword doesn’t make me a sword cultivator,” he warned. “You might not get what you desire. I don’t have proper moves. In fact, I fight more like a beast than a man.”

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“Perfect,” Chikere declared. “I have seen enough of the motions of humans. And some of the most wonderful sword disciples I have ever seen are beasts.”

Tauno frowned. “Are you talking about Agom?” He recalled that the wolf had taken up the sword. A child of the powerful beasts Fuzz and Spikes, the underdeveloped fangs and claws of the cub had led her to seek out human weapons.

“She is but one of them,” Chikere said. “And not even the cutest. But don’t tell her that. Instead… fight me.”

“Well,” Tauno shrugged. “It’s always beneficial to train against other Augmentation cultivators. Especially new ones. I’m not going to refuse. I just hope you didn’t damage my door.”

“No harm has come to it. And you will find not even a speck of blood inside it.”

Somehow, that was more discomforting than not knowing how she opened the lock. Related to that, it was supposed to be warded against energy- not that it really mattered. The biggest deterrent to entering his rooms was that Tauno was there. And he couldn’t really expect someone like Chikere to knock, now could he?

He drew his sword, carved from the bone of a great beast. His understanding of Chikere’s abilities was that she was a great swordswoman who had previously controlled upwards of a hundred swords at once. After a failed training excursion that nearly resulted in her death or worse, a drop in cultivation, she had eventually settled on a new style. Using her own blood as swords, and attacking in impossible to predict patterns.

Staying knowledgeable about any Augmentation cultivator was important, whether he was going to fight with or against them in the future. Even so, not all that many people had actually witnessed Chikere’s new style. Thus, he would have to experience it himself.

The first thing that he noted was how much blood she had. She created only a half dozen swords at first, but as the blood seeped out of her pores Tauno had the feeling there was plenty left behind. The total volume of the blades was at least as much as a normal human. There was something odd about them, though.

“Why do they have hilts?” he asked. “You don’t grab them with your hands.”

“That is untrue,” Chikere said, gesturing down to her own hands. “I do.”

“There has to be some other purpose for all of those you don’t hold directly, though.”

“It provides proper leverage. And the rest… you should experience yourself.”

That was fair enough. They watched each other, and at some point there was a silent agreement in their body language that said the battle had begun.

Tauno was used to fighting beasts with more than one avenue of attack. Fangs and claws, yes, but some had tails and stingers, or spiked appendages that could harm him as he passed. Thus, he was not unfamiliar with fight against many weapons at once, just in different contexts.

But as he moved- clashing with her blades, deflecting them, dodging them, and trying to strike Chikere with his own weapon- he found there was a serious difference between her and a beast. Beasts had patterns. Styles of fighting. They might possess a few tricks. The smartest among them feigned weaknesses, feinting in hope of creating an opening. There were tricks to be had, but as the blood swords move about him Tauno understood why Chikere’s new style was deemed as unpredictable.

He could easily determine the trajectory and intent of every single blade, but they didn’t all make sense. And yet, they were all used effectively, forcing him to move according to Chikere’s patterns. As for the hilts, he soon found his answer. The woman was not bound to the sword in her hands. Instead, she often swapped from a two handed grip to holding her weapon in either hand, freeing up the other to grab another blade- or form one. And she was not hesitant about flinging them from her hands if her own reach was insufficient.

The only thing that kept Tauno in the fight was his greater experience. He’d been an Augmentation cultivator for at least a century longer. That wasn’t a huge margin in terms of such powerful cultivators, but it was always a factor.

Some attacks would clearly miss him unless he moved into them. They seemed like foolish wastes of energy whenever Chikere didn’t try to force him into their path, but somehow it still fit her whole flow. And as Tauno fought, he realized something. He couldn’t quite get in the flow because they weren’t actually fighting. They were sparring. Thus, he was not comfortable unleashing his own savageness. And at the same time, Chikere was comfortable testing seemingly pointless moves.

But perhaps that was part of her style now. He’d heard something, but he thought it was a misattributed declaration. But now he truly believed that she was attempting to test every possible sword move in existence. Thrusts, slashes, twirls. Even where they didn’t seem to make sense, there were always enough things that did fit. And yet, everything that came at him felt slightly wrong. Amateurish. Until it inevitably forced him out of position. Or very occasionally, drew lines of blood on his body.

Any damage he landed on Chikere seemed to only accelerate her willingness to include more of her blood in the battle. She certainly didn’t have to create more blades, but she did whenever she was scratched. Controlling so many things at once, Tauno was surprised she had any capacity to defend herself. But she did, quite expertly.

Tauno supposed he’d been treating the spar wrong. She wasn’t a beast with claws, fangs, and a handful of extra avenues of attack. She was a whole pack of beasts all on her own. With that realization, he began to fight with greater vigor. The two of them fought until things naturally came to an end.

His sword pierced up to her heart, stopping before actually driving in. Yet in the same instant, several blades of hers managed to prod his liver and kidneys. And while those organs were less immediately lethal, cutting out a cultivator’s heart didn’t kill them as quickly as one might think either- unless they went into shock, they could remain in the battle for a significant time. At least in Integration and beyond, it was a possibility Tauno had seen a few times. Only fully destroying the brain or annihilating the dantian could immediately end a cultivator’s struggles. Those who were going to die from wounds could actually be more dangerous, as they had nothing left to lose. Like wounded beasts. Humans weren’t really so different. Except for the most part their bodies made crappy weapons and armor.

Chikere nodded. “This is good. We should repeat this in the future.”

“I agree,” Tauno said. “There aren’t many Augmentation cultivators to spar with, and Zazil isn’t willing to act as brutally.”

“What about Catarina?”

“Ugh. Nothing involving her is a real fight. Whatever happens would always be an overwhelming victory. Either I’d instantly kill her, or she’d entrap me in some deadly formation that I could only pray to find a route to escape with my life.”

“Unless you cut apart the formation,” Chikere shrugged. “Though I will admit hers are… extremely difficult to forcefully dismantle.”

“I’m glad we have her defending Xankeshan,” Tauno said. “It’s hard to imagine anything happening to it with her around. And Timothy will be a great boon when he reaches Augmentation.” Tauno laughed. “Can you hear that? I said when. I heard a while ago that the lot of you were going to reach Augmentation, and I hardly believed it. Now, I’m starting to be convinced.”

“We have to if we want to survive,” Chikere said. “So we will.”

Tauno just nodded. He admired that attitude.