Clash of Monsters

Kai charged at Reinhart after issuing his challenge, his eyes blazing with hatred and thrill. Reinhart snapped his fingers, and a ball of fire flew towards Kai at high speed, leaving a trail of smoke behind it.

Kai dodged it easily, barely breaking his stride. He continued to run towards Reinhart, closing the distance between them. Reinhart was surprised by the sudden increase in Kai's agility. He could feel his heartbeat quicken as he sensed the danger.

"He's gotten faster," Reinhart thought, the expression on his face remaining unchanged.

He quickly recovered and sent another blast of fire at Kai, aiming for his chest. Kai jumped over it, and reached Reinhart, throwing a punch at his face. Reinhart blocked it with his arm, and felt his arm shake as Kai's fist made contact with his skin.

Reinhart pushed Kai back, and created a wall of fire between them, with the aim of burning him alive. The flames roared and crackled, creating a barrier of light and heat. Kai did not seem bothered by the heat, and he kicked the wall, creating a gap for him to pass through.

Reinhart gathered all his energy, and unleashed a massive firestorm that covered the entire island. The flames were so intense that they instantly burned everything in their way, turning the trees and bushes into ashes, and evaporating the lakes. The air was filled with smoke and ash, and the sky turned red.

The island became a hellish inferno. The students, teachers and Layla were all protected within Lian's barriers. They watched in horror and awe as the fire consumed everything. Everything was turned to ashes. The island was now like a blank canvas. There was nothing blocking their vision now. Layla and the others could see Reinhart and Kai.

Ryder stared at the flames from within the barrier created by Lian, in awe. He couldn't feel the heat thanks to Lian's barrier, but just staring at it made him feel like he was burning in the flames. He felt a surge of adrenaline and excitement, as he witnessed the power of Reinhart.

Silver looked at Ryder and saw him smiling like he was thrilled. He felt a chill run down his spine.

"He's a monster. I can't even see what he's doing except when he's not moving." Ryder said while staring at Reinhart who was currently standing dominantly while enveloped in flames. He sounded admiring and envious.

"He's excited?" Silver thought while staring at Ryder.

Layla moved close to Ryder, "Do you know how he got the name king of hell?" She asked.

Ryder and the other students shifted their attention to Layla, while Lian continued to work on fully healing Riley. They were curious and nervous about what she was going to say.

"He destroyed multiple hell guardians with flames," Layla said, her voice low and serious.

Some of the students gasped. They knew what hell guardians were. They were Grade 1 B Ranked creatures, highly resistant to flames. They had sharp claws, fangs, horns, and scales. They were vicious and ruthless, and they lived in the deepest parts of the underworld.

"Infact, attacking them with your bare hands would be better than using flames," Layla continued. "Not to mention they're insanely durable and strong. I could take one down, but I can't take on multiple at once."

She paused, and looked at Reinhart with a mix of respect and fear.

"That man took at least thirty on at the same time and burnt every single one," She said, her eyes wide. "And back then, he was still a Grade 1 B Ranked Sentinel."

"Currently he's ranked 1 in the A category, and even stands out among those with the same Rank as him," She added, her voice trembling slightly.

"So rest assured, if you're worried. He's definitely going to win," She said, with the aim of calming and reassuring the students. She hoped that her words were true.

They slowly shifted their gaze from Layla back to Reinhart. Their eyes were all widened with amazement. They could not believe that someone like him existed. He was like a god of flames.

Reinhart snapped his fingers and the flames vanished. He looked calm and confident, as if he had just done a trivial thing. The students hoped that the flames would have incinerated Kai.

However, to their dismay, they saw Kai emerge from the flames, unscathed and unharmed, with his body protected by thin layers of mana above his skin.

He looked at Reinhart with a smile, and laughed, "If i hadn't protected myself with everything I had, I would be a pile of ashes right now. You really are as impressive as they said!" He sounded amused.

Kai's eyes glowed. He dashed towards Reinhart—faster than he was before—and delivered a series of blows. In the eyes of the adults who could follow his movements before, they now seemed like a blur.

"It happened again," Reinhart thought as he managed to barely dodge and block Kai's blows. He felt a surge of pain and pressure, as Kai's fists and feet hit him. He could feel his bones cracking and his skin bruising.

"He got faster..." He realized, as he saw Kai's movements become more fluid and precise.

"He was definitely at his physical limits back then," Reinhart's mind flashed back to the early stages of the fight between him and Kai.

"His strength remains the same, but his speed..." He wondered, as he tried to figure out Kai's ability.

"So that's his ability..." He finally understood, as he saw Kai's eyes glow brighter and brighter.

Kai's ability was a time manipulation ability. He called it Temporal Solitude.

This ability allowed Kai to manipulate time, however, his manipulation was limited to his own body. Kai further developed this ability into two parts.

The first part, Chrono Velocity, enhanced Kai's physical abilities by accelerating the normal flow of time within his own body.

As a result, Kai experienced time at a faster rate than the external world, creating the illusion of heightened speed and reflexes.

In practical terms, this ability allowed Kai to move and react much faster than he normally was. This acceleration of his internal processes, such as neural signals and muscle contractions, gave him a significant advantage in combat situations.

Layla stared at Kai, trying to figure out what exactly was happening. He suddenly got faster, as if he had a burst of energy. She wondered if he was just enhancing his physical capabilities or he had the power to get stronger as he took more damage.

She had heard of such abilities before, but they were rare and dangerous. They required a high tolerance for pain and a strong will to survive.

"I think I get what his ability is about now..." Lian said, breaking the silence.

Layla looked at Lian who was sitting and staring at the two fighters. She noticed that Lian had a calm and analytical expression on her face, as if she was solving a puzzle.

"Most individuals would think his ability enhances his physical capabilities," Lian said, speaking slowly and clearly.

"But that is not the case," She continued, shaking her head slightly.

"If that was the case, then the blows he just delivered would've sent Reinhart flying back." She pointed at the scene where Kai had landed several punches and kicks on Reinhart, but Reinhart had barely moved.

"But their strengths already became equal a while ago." She recalled the moment when Kai had matched Reinhart's strength, after taking several hits from him.

"His ability accelerates his perception of time, creating an illusion of heightened speed," Lian began to explain, her eyes narrowing.

Ryder looked at Lian in confusion, trying to grasp the explanation she gave. He did not understand how that was possible. How could someone change their perception of time?

Silver noticed Ryder's puzzled look and moved close to him. He decided to help him out with a simpler analogy.

"Imagine it like watching a fast-forwarded video – the actions seem quicker," Silver began to explain while demonstrating with his hands. He moved his hands faster than normal, as if he was mimicking Kai's movements.

"But in reality, he's just experiencing time at an accelerated rate," Violet backed Silver up. She nodded her head in agreement, as if she understood what Lian was saying.

"This altered perception allows him to make split-second decisions," Silver added, tapping his temple with his finger.

"Correct," Lian commended, nodding at Silver and Violet. She was glad that they were following her logic.

"It's a manipulation of personal time perception rather than a direct enhancement of physical speed..." She explained further, her voice becoming more serious.

"Providing a strategic advantage in situations that demand quick thinking and reflexes."

"It allows him to dodge attacks, respond quickly to threats, and execute precise and rapid movements."

"This enables him to keep up with Reinhart."

"Doesn't matter what form it comes in, time manipulation is a rare ability, and he uses it well." She concluded.

"And I'm sure Reinhart is already aware of this." They all shift their attention back to Reinhart.

Their analysis was correct. However, using Chrono Velocity came with its own set of risks and limitations. Excessive or prolonged use could lead to strain on Kai's body and potentially have negative consequences.

These consequences led Kai to developing the second part of his ability, Temporal Restoration.

With the second part of his ability, Kai reverses time on a localized scale within his own body. This reversal process repairs and rejuvenates tissues, muscles, and internal systems, countering the negative physiological effects associated with the prolonged usage of Chrono Velocity.

He could heal his wounds, restore his stamina, and undo the damage done to his body.

However, there was a limit to how far back Kai could reverse time for himself. This limit only made it possible for Kai to reverse half of the effects that had already taken place in his body.

For example, if he had a broken arm, he could only heal it to the point where it was fractured. If he had a deep cut, he could only heal it to the point where it was a scratch. If he had lost a lot of blood, he could only recover half of it.

Hence, there was also a limit to how long he could use Temporal Solitude. This limit depended on how much energy he exerted while fighting his opponent.

The more he used Chrono Velocity, the more he had to use Temporal Restoration. The more he used Temporal Restoration, the more he gathered and drained mana.

The more he gathered and drained mana, the more stamina he lost. The more stamina he lost, the less he could use Temporal Solitude.

It was a delicate balance, a fine line, a risky gamble. It was a double-edged sword, a blessing and a curse, a gift and a burden.

In the face of such an ability, they all wondered how Reinhart would proceed.