Before that, the star was Kade, the same sleeper who had previously defeated her; yet, despite what she had come to expect from this figure, he was not bragging nor trying to instigate another fight. What he now asked was truly unexpected.
"Nephis, would you mind helping me train?"
'...'
"Why?" Nephis asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Kade had already beaten her; he seemed like the type of person to forgo basic duels and training as such and instead to throw himself at danger and build off of that. Not to mention asking her after humiliating her yesterday.
Maybe other sleepers might of been mad, but she didn't mind. It was all nonsense compared to the thing that did bring her attention to her. She could remember him whispering about how she was a target, so he must have known that the legacy clans wanted her head.
Kade ruffled his hair, awkwardly asking.
"I might have caused some trouble with the caster. I could handle things how I normally do, but if I want to do something truly special, I'll need some help from a worthy opponent"
'Caster...' The legacy from the Han Li that had been harassing her since her stay, one of the people she thought to be most likely for her assassin. An incredibly strong sleeper with a powerful aspect.
Nephis crossed her arms. "you matched me in strength. You should be able to win."
Kade nervously chuckled.
"Well, I won't go further into details, but strength from my aspect only works when fighting certain people". Caster held no divinity; therefore, his innate ability of [Unyielding Asura] would not come into effect, and from there, a fight with him would be much more difficult.
Nephis raised an eyebrow in surprise; an aspect like that sounded bizarre. She really didn't want to help the smug man who had shown her defeat like a trophy, but there was an opportunity to gain something worth the ordeal.
"I shall help, on one condition" Nephis stated, walking over to the practice swords.
Kade followed her stride with his eyes. "Sure, what is it?"
Picking up a hardened blade with a dull edge, Nephis observed the sword keenly, and placed it at her side, eying Kade with her dominating presence.
"You tell me everything about yourself".
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In the separate compartment of the dojo after combat class, the stomping of agile feet on the synthesised wooden flooring could be heard like the beating of drums, the air whistling its pleas as the two combatants broke through its barriers, desperate to strike their opponent.
Kade danced around Nephis's graceful sword dance, [Never Ending Fury], giving his muscles the stamina and endurance to keep him at the top of his game; despite being powered once again by opposing divinity, Kade was finding himself on the losing end of the battle.
'She's got a bloody sword this time. Of course it's worse!'
Kade gritted his teeth, bringing himself low against the floor to avoid a horizontal slash sent his way and then forcing himself backwards in a roll against the following kick. Nephis meanwhile continued her endless mechanical assault with her usual indifferent expression.
The gist of the practice was that he was not to be struck by the blade.
In the field, enemies wouldn't be using padded blades; they'd use claws, steel, and fangs. His style, reliant on close quarters and raw force, had always suffered against range.
He could take a punch or three to the face, but it was over the moment a sword got anywhere near his skull.
He couldn't parry steel with your knuckles, nor could he block a monster's claws with bravado. Kade couldn't afford to be hit.
Kade had expected such a challenge to not be too difficult, but his body was riddled with bruises; he had gone through repeated duels against Nephis for about an hour, and she was a step above their first fight, with a sword style and technique that Kade could not read nearly as easily.
Luckily Nephis seemed to tire after their multiple duels, and Kade had won a few recently by catching her off guard and landing a punch or sneaky kick. He could tell by the look in Nephis's silver eyes that she had gleaned the nature of his aspect.
Kade did not get tired, he just kept fighting and fighting.
Avoiding the wide strokes of momentum, Kade stepped forward managing just the right timing of changing stars swing, backhanding the flat side of the blade away with his left, his right following up for a brutal hook.
Nephis glanced silently at the fist, and pivoted of her heel, using the momentum Kade had gifted her to rotate clockwise into a spinning elbow. Kade's knuckles flew forward, grazing against the bridge of her nose, while Nephis's elbow crashed into his jaw.
CRACK
Kade fell back slightly, clutching his chin.
'Why does everyone always hit me in the mouth? Do they want to shut me up or what?!'
Nephis watched Kade stumble back. With a breath, she lowered the practice sword to her side, eyes narrowing slightly as she studied her opponent.
His body was covered in bruises and light cuts. Telltale signs of repeated failure and punishment. Any ordinary person would be groaning, struggling to even stand, But not him.
Kade walked with the same cocky pride he always carried, as if fatigue was just a myth Annoyed, sure, but not weakened, not in any way that mattered.
Nephis didn't particularly like his attitude. But she had to admit, striking him repeatedly with a sword had been more than a little satisfying.
She exhaled through her nose, eyes narrowing as a quiet thought surfaced:
'He's a monster'. To fight was to exhaust one's resources, understanding that preservation of force andrgy was necessary to keep fighting for as long as possible. It was a fact of combat that led even the greatest of warriors to fall, a fundamental law to combat.
And Kade denied that concept entirely.
she clapped her hands together, stating.
"That will be it for sparring today, now you follow up on your promise"
Kade wiped the sweat off of his brow.
"Oh yea... Want the whole story or just the short thing princess".
Nephis didn't answer standing expectedly with crossed arms.
"...Fuck me, I guess." Kade sighed.
"Alright. I was born in NQC, the outer area near the edge of the inner city. My mom died giving birth to me. My old man...piece of shit that he was, let me hang around only because the government paid him a bonus after her death.
"He never took me to school. Just left me alone most of the time, watching bootleg films on this ancient-ass TV we had in the backyard. No friends, nothing but static and silence.
"Eventually, he decided I needed 'friends'. Took me to this underground fighting ring. illegal as hell and started training me. I was nine. And from then on, I was just another kid in the pit, getting my face kicked in for other people's entertainment.
"Every win meant he got paid. Gambling money, connections, and favours. He profited off every bruise I got, every kid I beat. And if I ever lost? He made sure I'd wish I hadn't.
"By thirteen, I'd had enough. Killed him in his sleep. Thought that'd be the end of it, but turns out scumbags like him make friends in low places. His old allies wanted me for themselves and wanted to keep the money train going.
"So I ran. Went deep into the outskirts. Survived however I could. Fought anyone who got in my way. Took what I needed. Made a name for myself.
"Then I caught the spell. Didn't die. Got picked up by the academy. And now I'm here".
He gave a tired smirk, daring her to judge him.
"Is that good enough?"
"No" Nephis responded neutrally.
"HOW?"
Nephis furrowed her brows, as if expecting the obvious.
"That doesn't tell me how you know about me being a target."
Kade scratched his head.
"I know because my friend Dawn knew; she was a worker under Song, and her father told her, and he got captured, then they sent an awakened to kill her."
Nephis's eyes cleared upon his words.
"I see, what to you plan to do about it?"
Kade shrugged and clicked his tongue.
"Originally? I and Dawn were supposed to be your bodyguards or something. That's what the government wanted. I figured it was something to do."
Nephis raised an eyebrow, her posture relaxing just slightly.
"That's...unexpected. You were sent to be my allies."
Kade huffed.
"No, but I might as well be now, it will be good to have someone like you with me, especially if caster is going to oppose me in the dream realm."
Nephis took in his words silently.
"...Very well then, come back here every day; I'll train you further to make sure you can stay beside me. Get that Dawn girl to join as well."
'You're not that much better than me. Don't get all cocky and act like you're some damn mentor!'
Kade thought, his eye twitching at the remark.
"I can do that, but Dawn is going to be busy with her own training. Ill see if I can get you to talk sometime instead"
Nephis nodded, making her way out of the dojo.
Kade watched her back and rubbed his temple, relief washing over him.
"That girl is a handful..."
The coming days were going to be less fun than expected.
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From there a week had passed, Kade spent his time sharpening his skill against the blade under Nephis, spending his free time by trespassing and exploring the many nooks and cranny's the awakened academy had to offer.
At the cafeteria he would attempt to talk with Cassie and Sunny, sometimes Dawn as well if she was at the academy, but she was often at the government facility nearby, learning how to shoot with a variety of weapons, along with experimenting with the limits of her aspect.
It was tiring work from what he had heard. Yet Dawn seemed happy to wield a power that was so envied by the people around her. Not to mention she at times inherited a touch of his smugness whenever she summoned one of her more threatening weapon memories.
To lift her mood, he had recently arranged a movie night. With Nephis's authority, he managed to acquire a room with an entertainment station. He began inviting Cassie and Dawn over once a day to watch old films.
It was a quiet joy.
Kade liked watching Dawn describe the movies to Cassie. Even though the girl couldn't see, she always seemed to enjoy herself.
Sometimes, Byakko would emerge from his soul, offering his massive body as a plush headrest for the trio. Much to Cassie's surprise the first time it happened.
Nephis and Sunny hadn't joined them yet, but he'd get them someday.
But as of now, a week later.
It was a single day until he would face Caster in battle.