Skyler snickered. Zero score? That was a first—truly. He always got perfect scores. Still, this experience wasn't so bad either.
His grip on his weapon didn't loosen as he distanced himself from his master. He had learned about 'Styles' from the calamity.
Styles were distinct weapon techniques centered on mastering a specific weapon.
They involved swift, precise movements tailored to the weapon being learned. They could be found in old scrolls, passed down through generations, or concealed within tombs and ruins. At times, people simply created their own unique weapon styles.
He wondered if the academies in Eldoria taught these, or if the Lights there had also mastered distinct styles for their weapons.
Who knew? Thanks to Professor Moore, he hadn't studied at the academy long enough to find out. Also, there was no information about weapon styles online either.
In Skyler's case, his master had taught him his own unique Scythe Style, which bore no formal name, as he had created it himself. It was a series of moves that progressed from the weakest to the most powerful.
Five moves.
That came from both hell and heaven.
The first move was Abyssal Slash.
Swift, precise, and lightning-fast—perfect for taking down a single enemy in front of him with effortless efficiency.
Skyler rushed forward once again, his gaze locked on the winged man floating in front of him as he quietly muttered the name of the second movement of the Scythe Style.
"Whirlwind Slash!"
He channeled his dark Evol into the scythe, then unleashed a powerful sweeping strike. The move released the Evol in the form of a crescent wave, expanding outward to strike everything in its path. Yet, his target simply flicked his fingers and utterly destroyed the crescent wave with a casual gesture.
Skyler laughed once more as he was flung back, his chest heaving from the powerful kick that struck his upper body. A surge of sudden excitement coursed through him—so much so that, even as he was thrown backward, he charged at the man again.
His wings flared to boost his speed and help him maintain his balance. Still, Skyler knew his master had deliberately stopped using his strength; otherwise, he wouldn't even be able to steady himself. Suddenly, an ethereal glow flickered in his eyes.
"Judgment Slash!"
He shouted, this time imbuing his scythe with golden Evol, unleashing a big storm of destructive slashes that tore through all in their path. The swift motion of the scythe generated not only slicing energy but also powerful gusts of force. It was a technique capable of leveling vast terrain, reducing it to ruins—yet the man in front of him didn't even flinch. Instead, he calmly caught the scythe and hurled Skyler back once again.
The calamity clicked his tongue.
"This slash is meant to embody divine judgment—yet you made it look pathetic. Where are the pillars of light that should descend from above and end everything? And you still expect a perfect score?"
Skyler spat out the blood gathered in his mouth, his excitement far from fading. The rush of adrenaline still surged through him, and he was determined to land a hit on this powerful man—even if he had to cheat. Not that he had any shame to begin with.
"Master, I'm still learning! What I'm doing already surpasses what most people can achieve, even after years of training."
He smirked when his dear master's eyes narrowed in clear irritation. Why? Because he had just taunted him, saying that he had learned in just three months what the latter had spent many years mastering—knowing that the man didn't like it. Damn, he was so good at getting on people's nerves.
Skyler rushed forward once again.
This time, he didn't hold back his Evol.
All of his elemental crystals trembled as the Evol within them surged out of his body, pouring into the curved blade in his hand.
A gleam sparked in his eyes.
"Apocalypse Slash."
The air around him crackled loudly as he swung his scythe. The power of the attack was so strong that it created a devastating wave of destruction—powerful and deadly.
Following the arc of his strike, the ground trembled with the shockwave of chaos, and the sky seemed to shudder under the sheer force, as though space itself were bending.
Yet, before the strike could land—before it could ignite the air in a explosion and split the ground apart, leaving only devastation in its wake—his master let out a laugh and chose to humor him with a counterattack.
Which, frankly, Skyler never, ever wanted!
He was fine with the man just using his wings and hands to block his attacks!
There was no need to get serious, bro!
The calamity raised his hand and, with a sweeping motion, uttered the name of the fifth and final move of the Scythe Style he had taught Skyler—a move Skyler couldn't replicate yet, no matter how hard he tried.
Because he was still too weak.
"Celestial Slash."
Everything halted.
The whirling winds died, the space turned deathly still, and even the power of Skyler's attack vanished like smoke in a storm.
Then came a vibrating sound—not a loud roar, but a sudden, deafening detonation.
Skyler's ears rang painfully, his vision blurred, and his heart skipped a beat. He didn't even notice when he crashed to the ground, his back slamming hard into the solid earth from the sheer pressure.
Under his gaze, a vast portion of the sky—no, as far as his eyes could see—cracked open like fragile glass. From the massive rift, a huge golden curved blade emerged. It wasn't merely a weapon made of energy; it was the embodiment of divine wrath.
The air around it combusted, space itself warped and twisted. The fabric of reality screamed in protest. Everything in its path was reduced to utter silence and ash.
And Skyler could only stare at it.
It inched closer to his figure, causing his eyes to dilate, as dread clawed at his soul.
Yet, just as he was about to faint from the pressure, everything vanished into thin air.
Almost as if it had never existed.
Skyler parted his lips, his heart still beating frantically, ultimately settling on one word.
"Wow..."
The calamity arrived next to him.
"Now tell me, do you deserve a perfect score? Hmm?"