Chapter 101: Fight On

Frey stared at Jet with his mouth slightly open, his eyes moving between the Vorpal Blade in his friend’s physical hand and the enormous crimson-black axe held by one of his manifested Asura Arms.

For several seconds, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

"Bro, what the actual fuck?!" Frey exclaimed, his expression filled with disbelief. "Since when could you summon an entire weapon out of thin air?!"

Jet barely heard him.

His attention remained fixed on the enormous double-headed axe resting against the shattered floor. He could feel its weight through his manifested arm, and although the weapon was constructed entirely from condensed Mana, the sensation was remarkably similar to holding a physical object.

He flexed the fingers wrapped around its handle.

The axe responded immediately.

Jet slowly lifted it from the ground, feeling the tremendous weight shift through his Asura Arm. The weapon was almost as large as the Castellan’s own axe, with broad crimson-black blades that radiated a faint, oppressive energy.

More importantly, he could control it.

"So this is Weapon Manifestation," Jet murmured, his eyes brightening as he examined the enormous weapon. "Interesting."

The manifestation had been made possible by the interaction between his Weapon Master trait and the Asura Arms. As his understanding of axe techniques improved, the manifested limb had begun reproducing the weapon through condensed Mana.

However, creating an axe and knowing how to wield one effectively were entirely different matters.

Jet understood that distinction almost immediately.

The Ironbound Castellan suddenly charged.

Its enormous armored boots struck the floor with tremendous force as it raised its double-headed axe overhead.

Jet reacted instinctively. He swung his newly manifested weapon upward to intercept the attack.

CLAAAAANG!

The two enormous axes collided.

A violent shockwave erupted between them, scattering dust and broken furniture across the hall.

Jet’s expression changed.

The impact was far heavier than he had anticipated.

His Asura Arm trembled beneath the tremendous force, and the unfamiliar weight of the manifested axe disrupted his balance. Before he could properly adjust his stance, the Castellan twisted its wrists and redirected its weapon toward his exposed side.

BOOOM!

The axe’s handle struck Jet across the ribs.

He was thrown backward, crashing through several broken benches before rolling across the stone floor.

"JET!" Frey shouted, immediately extending his hand toward the Boss.

Three Vritra Coils materialized around the Castellan’s weapon arm, constricting violently as Frey rushed forward.

The Boss attempted to break free, but Frey tightened the restraints and used the opening to slash across its armored flank.

Sparks erupted.

The Castellan retaliated with a powerful kick, forcing Frey to retreat.

Jet pushed himself upright.

Pain spread through his ribs, but he ignored it and examined the enormous axe still held by his Asura Arm.

His mistake had been obvious. He had attempted to block the Castellan’s attack as though he were holding an ordinary sword.

The difference in weight and momentum had completely disrupted his timing.

"All right," Jet muttered, adjusting his stance. "Let’s try that again."

He rushed forward.

The Castellan immediately turned toward him.

Jet raised the manifested axe and delivered a diagonal slash toward its shoulder.

The Boss intercepted the attack effortlessly. Its own axe caught Jet’s weapon near the handle before twisting sharply, forcing the manifested blade away from its intended target.

The Castellan followed with a vicious horizontal swing.

Jet barely managed to block with his Vorpal Blade.

CLANG!

The impact sent him staggering backward.

Before he could recover, the Boss stepped forward and slammed its armored shoulder into his chest.

BANG!

Jet crashed against a stone column. A sharp pain spread through his back, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Frey immediately intervened, sending two Vritra Coils around the Castellan’s legs while rushing toward its exposed side.

"Bro, you’re getting your ass kicked!" Frey shouted, his expression tense as he intercepted another attack. "Maybe save the axe practice until we’re not fighting a fucking Dungeon Boss!"

Jet wiped the blood from his mouth and smiled faintly.

"Just give me a little more time," Jet replied, tightening his grip around the Vorpal Blade. "I’m starting to understand it."

Frey stared at him incredulously.

Then he shook his head.

"You’re seriously going to be the death of me," Frey muttered before turning back toward the Castellan.

The battle continued.

Jet repeatedly attempted to incorporate the manifested axe into his attacks, but his movements remained awkward.

Sometimes he swung too widely, leaving his body exposed. Other times, he misjudged the weapon’s reach and struck the surrounding columns instead of the Boss.

The Castellan exploited every mistake.

Its axe techniques were precise, controlled and devastatingly efficient. Whenever Jet overextended himself, the Boss immediately counterattacked, forcing him to retreat or defend against powerful blows.

However, something remarkable was happening beneath the surface.

[Asura Physique — Stage II]

Jet’s body was adapting.

Every collision, every failed movement and every adjustment gradually improved his physical coordination. His muscles responded more efficiently, his balance became increasingly stable, and his reaction speed began matching the demands of wielding multiple weapons simultaneously.

Stage II Asura Physique possessed extraordinary adaptive capabilities. It didn’t grant instant mastery or eliminate the need for training, but it allowed Jet’s body to accommodate unfamiliar physical demands at a speed ordinary Awakeners could scarcely imagine.

Combined with Weapon Master, the results were becoming increasingly obvious.

After several exchanges, Jet stopped attempting to wield the manifested axe like an oversized sword.

Instead, he began imitating the Castellan’s techniques. He observed how the Boss positioned its feet before attacking, how it rotated its torso to generate momentum and how it used the axe’s enormous weight to transition between offensive and defensive movements.

Then he reproduced those principles through his Asura Arm.

The next time the Castellan attacked, Jet met its descending axe with a diagonal interception.

CLANG!

Rather than resisting the full impact, he redirected the weapon sideways.

The Castellan’s axe struck the floor.

Jet immediately rotated his manifested arm and brought the crimson-black axe sweeping toward the Boss’s exposed shoulder.

BOOOM!

The impact forced the enormous armored warrior backward.

A visible crack spread across its shoulder plate.

Jet’s eyes brightened.

"Got you," Jet murmured, immediately following with another attack.

The Castellan raised its weapon to defend.

Jet abruptly transferred the Vorpal Blade into his other Asura Arm and slashed toward the Boss’s exposed waist.

CLANG!

The Relic struck the narrow gap between two armor plates.

The Castellan staggered.

For the first time since the battle began, Jet had successfully combined the axe’s overwhelming force with the Vorpal Blade’s precision.

Frey noticed immediately.

"Now that’s more like it!" Frey shouted, grinning as he rushed forward to support him.

The Castellan swung its axe toward Frey.

He intercepted the attack with Vritra’s Coil.

The spectral serpent tightened around the weapon’s handle, absorbing part of the impact before shattering beneath the tremendous force.

[Calamity Reservoir]

[Stored Calamity Mana: 18%]

Frey immediately activated Calamity Release.A concentrated burst of destructive energy erupted beneath his feet, propelling him sideways with explosive speed.

He vanished from the Castellan’s immediate reach and reappeared near its exposed flank.

Both curved swords flashed.

[Calamity Release]

Two compressed bursts of Calamity Mana erupted from the blades, striking the Castellan’s armored ribs.

BOOM! BOOM!

The impacts forced the Boss backward. Frey landed several meters away, breathing heavily but smiling. Unlike his previous battle against the Devastator, he wasn’t waiting for his Reservoir to reach maximum capacity.

He had begun experimenting with smaller releases, converting accumulated Calamity Mana into short bursts of explosive movement and concentrated weapon attacks.

The technique consumed less energy than Total Discharge, allowing him to maintain offensive pressure while continuing to replenish his Reservoir through Vritra’s Coil.

Jet immediately seized the opening. His manifested axe descended toward the Castellan’s damaged shoulder.

CRAAACK!

The already fractured armor split further. The Boss roared and attempted to retaliate, but Jet’s additional Asura Arm intercepted its weapon while his Vorpal Blade slashed across the exposed joint.

Dark energy erupted from the wound.

The Castellan staggered backward. Its enormous armored boots scraped against the stone floor as it struggled to regain its balance.

Frey rushed forward again. Five Vritra Coils materialized around the Boss’s limbs and torso, constricting simultaneously.

The Castellan struggled violently.

Frey gritted his teeth, maintaining the restraints while Jet prepared another attack.

"JET!" Frey shouted, his arms trembling beneath the strain. "HIT IT NOW!"

Jet didn’t hesitate. He transferred the Vorpal Blade into his physical right hand while the manifested axe remained firmly gripped by his Asura Arm.

Then he rushed forward. The enormous crimson-black axe swept horizontally toward the Castellan’s chest.

BOOOOOOM!

The impact shattered several damaged armor plates. Before the Boss could recover, Jet stepped forward and drove the Vorpal Blade into the exposed section beneath its breastplate.

CRAAACK!

A web of fractures spread across the Castellan’s chest armor. The enormous warrior staggered backward, its body covered in cracks and damaged plating.

Jet withdrew his blade and retreated beside Frey. Both were breathing heavily. The Boss remained standing, but its armor had suffered considerable damage.

Jet stared at the enormous warrior for several seconds before slowly raising his free hand toward his face.

Crimson-black Mana surged across his skin.

[Asura Mask — Stage I]

An intricate demonic mask began forming over his features, its surface decorated with sharp crimson markings and narrow eye openings.

The moment the mask settled into place, Jet felt his Mana circulation accelerate.

His physical strength surged. The pressure radiating from his body intensified dramatically.

Frey glanced toward him and grinned, tightening his grip around both curved swords.

Five translucent Vritra Coils slowly rotated behind him, their enormous serpentine bodies coiling through the air.

Jet stood beside him, the Vorpal Blade firmly gripped in his right hand. His manifested Asura Arm held the gigantic crimson-black axe, its broad blade planted against the shattered floor.

Across the chamber, the Ironbound Castellan slowly straightened, its cracked armor revealing dark energy flickering beneath the damaged plates.

Jet raised his masked face toward the Boss.

Frey rolled his shoulders, both curved swords gleaming beneath the grey light.

The two stood side by side, ready to continue.