One month had passed since Kafu's triumph in the Absolute Genius Battle.
The universe was still buzzing. His name was on every lip, his image on every screen, his legend growing with each passing day. But Kafu himself had retreated to the shadows, content to watch his students take the spotlight.
Today, they would have their chance.
[RVC INTERNAL BATTLE — OVERVIEW]
Aspect Value
Participants 10,000 candidates
Duration 1 month
Goal Top 100 receive RVC membership
Goal Top 10 receive elite training
Goal Top 1 receives Absolute Genius (RVC only)
Kafu sat in a private viewing box, his identity hidden, his gold-red eyes fixed on the arena below. His students—all 100 of them—stood among the thousands of candidates, their legendary equipment disguised, their god-tier techniques hidden.
Makena stood at their head, her golden hair gleaming, her eyes burning with determination.
"Remember," she whispered to her companions. "We do this for him. For all of them. For freedom."
Nyx nodded. Tovin grinned. Brutus cracked his knuckles.
The gong sounded.
[THE INTERNAL BATTLE — BEGINS]
---
MAKENA'S FIRST MATCH
[OPPONENT: KIRA — STARLIGHT CANDIDATE]
Aspect Value
Name Kira
Race Starlight
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 850 MILLION
Specialty Star-fire
Kira was a favorite—beautiful, talented, from a prestigious bloodline. She looked at Makena with casual contempt.
"Another nobody from nowhere," she sniffed. "This will be quick."
Makena said nothing.
[THE BATTLE]
Kira attacked with star-fire—flames that could burn through dimensions, through souls, through hope.
Makena raised the Blade of Eternity.
[SWORD INTENT — ABSOLUTE]
One strike. One movement. One eternity.
Kira's star-fire parted around Makena like water around a stone. Her defenses crumbled. Her confidence shattered.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Makena]
· [Time: 2 seconds]
· [Method: Single strike]
The crowd gasped. Kira stared at her fallen star-fire in disbelief.
Makena sheathed her blade and walked away without looking back.
---
KAFU'S PRIDE
In his private box, Kafu smiled.
"She's ready," he murmured.
Clone 1 appeared beside him. "She's more than ready. She's exceptional."
Clone 2 materialized on his other side. "Just like her teacher."
Kafu shook his head. "She's better than I was at her age. Faster. More focused. More driven."
"And more loved," Clone 1 added. "She has something we didn't have at her age."
"What's that?"
"A family."
Kafu's eyes softened. "Yes. Yes, she does."
---
NYX'S SHADOW DANCE
[OPPONENT: VORNA — SHADOW ASSASSIN]
Aspect Value
Name Vorna
Race Shadow-Kin
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 820 MILLION
Specialty Shadow assassination
Vorna was considered the best young assassin in the galaxy. Her record was flawless. Her reputation was fearsome.
She attacked from shadow—a strike that had killed a hundred opponents before they knew she existed.
[SHADOW STRIKE — ACTIVE]
Nyx didn't dodge. She merged.
[SHADOW GOD — ABSOLUTE]
Vorna's strike passed through empty shadow. Nyx was everywhere and nowhere, her presence felt but not seen.
Vorna's eyes widened. "Where... where are you?"
[SHADOW STRIKE — RETURNED]
Nyx's blade emerged from Vorna's own shadow.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Nyx]
· [Time: 1 second]
· [Method: Shadow counter]
---
TOVIN'S POISON
[OPPONENT: ALCHEM — POISON MASTER]
Aspect Value
Name Alchem
Race Human
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 790 MILLION
Specialty Custom toxins
Alchem had spent centuries perfecting his poisons. He was considered unbeatable in toxin combat.
He attacked with a cloud of custom poison—one that should have killed anything it touched.
[POISON CLOUD — ACTIVE]
Tovin breathed it in.
[POISON BODY — ABSOLUTE]
He analyzed the toxin in an instant. Understood it. Improved it.
Then he breathed out.
[TOXIN RETURN — ENHANCED]
Alchem's own poison, enhanced a hundredfold, enveloped him.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Tovin]
· [Time: 3 seconds]
· [Method: Poison absorption + return]
---
BRUTUS'S STAND
[OPPONENT: MAXIMUS — WARRIOR CHAMPION]
Aspect Value
Name Maximus
Race Human (augmented)
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 950 MILLION
Specialty Unstoppable charge
Maximus was massive—twice Brutus's size, with twice his power and twice his experience. He charged with the force of an avalanche.
[WARRIOR CHARGE — ACTIVE]
Brutus stood his ground.
[INDOMITABLE WILL — ACTIVE]
The charge hit. Brutus didn't move.
Maximus stared in disbelief. "How... how..."
Brutus smiled. "You forgot something."
"What?"
"Warriors don't win by attacking. They win by enduring."
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Brutus]
· [Time: 5 seconds]
· [Method: Endurance]
---
RAGNAR'S RAGE
[OPPONENT: FURIOUS — BERSERKER LEGEND]
Aspect Value
Name Furious
Race Demon-blooded
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 880 MILLION
Specialty Uncontrollable rage
Furious attacked with berserker fury—a frenzy that had killed gods, that had ended civilizations, that had never been stopped.
[BERSERKER RAGE — ACTIVE]
Ragnar met rage with rage.
[ETERNAL RAGE — CONTROLLED]
Two berserkers clashed. For a moment, they were evenly matched.
Then Ragnar's control proved superior. His rage was focused. Directed. Deadly.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Ragnar]
· [Time: 10 seconds]
· [Method: Controlled rage]
---
DARIUS'S DIMENSIONAL SPEAR
[OPPONENT: SPACE — DIMENSIONAL LORD]
Aspect Value
Name Space
Race Ethereal
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 910 MILLION
Specialty Dimensional control
Space attacked by folding dimensions around Darius—trapping him in an endless maze.
[DIMENSIONAL FOLD — ACTIVE]
Darius's spear extended through the folds.
[DIMENSIONAL THRUST — ABSOLUTE]
One thrust. One piercing. One end.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Darius]
· [Time: 4 seconds]
· [Method: Dimensional pierce]
---
LIN'S IRON BODY
[OPPONENT: ROCK — MARTIAL ARTIST LEGEND]
Aspect Value
Name Rock
Race Stone-kin
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 890 MILLION
Specialty Unbreakable body
Rock attacked with fists that had shattered mountains, that had broken gods, that had never failed.
[IRON FIST — ACTIVE]
Lin met fist with body.
[IRON BODY — ABSOLUTE]
Fist met body. Body didn't break.
Rock's eyes widened. "Impossible..."
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Lin]
· [Time: 6 seconds]
· [Method: Physical superiority]
---
THE FIRST DAY ENDS
As the sun set on the arena, the results were tallied.
[DAY 1 RESULTS — KAFU'S STUDENTS]
Student Matches Wins Losses
Makena 5 5 0
Nyx 5 5 0
Tovin (Poison) 5 5 0
Brutus 5 5 0
Ragnar 5 5 0
Darius 5 5 0
Lin 5 5 0
Mira (Soul) 5 5 0
Tovin (Necro) 5 5 0
Kael (Spirit) 5 5 0
Others (90) 5 each 4-5 each 0-1 each
TOTAL: 98 OF 100 STUDENTS UNDEFEATED
Kafu smiled. "They're ready."