Impress the Heavens

Atlas followed Ivan through the doorway.

What met him there was a little unexpected. Instead of seeing a training room or a narrow hallway to go down, the door led to a wide and open area with a huge change of scenery. 

The room itself was in a dome shape, which made it look as if it was specifically designed to be a training area. The ground switched from wood to dirt and grass. This place didn't make any sense. 

If one looked at the outside of the building, it appeared to be only medium-sized and definitely would not have this dome-shaped room. This felt like some type of Aether trickery was being used to distort reality, but Atlas couldn't comprehend a way to use Aether to this degree.

Looking at Ivan's back, he started thinking about the strength of this man.

Once they reached the center of the room, Ivan spoke.

"Young man, the heavens have given us a chance to be blessed with our limbs so that we may fight; you will show me what the gods have given you. and do so without any Aether or abilities."

He then raised his hands into the air once again. 

"LETS GIVE THE GODS A SHOW."

After doing so, Ivan motioned for Atlas to strike at him.

This was definitely not something Atlas expected. This delusional older man wanted to get straight into a fight with him. 

This was clearly a test to see just how well Atlas could fight without using abilities.

Raising his fits, Atlas was genuinely ready to give it his all; no matter if he was able to beat the man or not, this was a time to learn and set his ego aside. 

The man who never learns stays a fool forever.

But Atlas still was confident that without Aether or abilities he would win against the man due to his body being healthier.

Due to him following behind Ivan, they were about seven feet apart, so the distance was close.

Atlas didn't waste anytime; if he waited, it would give his opponent time to really prepare for the situation. Atlas's leg bent and he pushed himself off the ground, closing the distance between himself and Ivan. 

While doing so, he cautioned himself against any attacks from the man.

He moved his fist just like he knew how to, trying to keep his movements to a minimum as to not waste time. The strike was aimed at the left side of Ivan's face and was closing in every second.

Ivan didn't move at first. In fact, he didn't move at all as Atlas's punch flew through the air. It was only as his opponent's fist was mere inches away from his face. Ivan moved his neck. It was only a small amount, just barely an inch. But this was enough.

Atlas's strike soared past its targeted location.

In a moment, Ivan's left hand then directly went into the stomach of Atlas's body.

This "fight," if you could even call it that, was almost over in an instant. 

Atlas was hit so hard that he could feel his stomach acid come out of his mouth, causing him to puke. His body folded like an omelet and he reeled in pain.

"How the hell did he hit that hard?" was the only thing Atlas could think before another strike landed on top of him. This time it was a kick. This one sent his already hurt body skidding across the ground.

Without even thinking about it, Atlas reinforced his body with Aether before hitting a rock in the arena. If he didn't do so, he knew that he would have been knocked out cold.

He looked up to see where Ivan was and was met with a dust cloud.

Ivan was gone.

Or rather, Ivan was gone from his perspective. In an instant, another kick hit him from his left.

Ivan had somehow closed the distance between them and was able to actually remove himself from the full one hundred and eighty-degree perspective that Atlas had.

And was Atlas really supposed to believe that this was without Aether? Ivan had to be lying.

None of that helped him now as he was sent flying again, but this time not as far. The Aether he subconsciously used cushioned the blow.

He still didn't land on his feet; the pain from earlier didn't magically go away, and his mind was spinning. 

Atlas grabbed the ground and pushed himself to stand upright to get a handle on the situation.

looking around,

 Ivan was slowly walking towards him, his face full of disappointment.

"You have let down the gods, not shown off for the hands that have given you all that you are. Its pathetic weaklings like you that make me know why the heavens do not stop the fury of the world." Ivan was still walking with his cane all this time and with a hobble.

Was he faking it? There is no way he moved that fast with a hurt leg like that.

He continued

"But don't worry, heavens have not given up on you yet; you rely on your Aether too much and do not focus on the natural growth that we are blessed with."

Atlas knew that his abilities were the only reason he won some of the fights, but still, to learn them, and so quickly had to mean something.

"You will now fight me with all the resources you have to offer; this time do not let the ones watching down."

Ivan said nothing more, and this time Atlas was able to see the speed at which he moved.

There was no Aether coming from Ivan's body, so it was clear he wasn't moving faster due to that, but this didn't make sense. His legs were scrawny, and no matter what, without Aether, there was no way to produce that much force. It was scientifically impossible. 

Still, Atlas barely had time to react.

Ivan closed the distance of over five meters in an instant kicking with his good leg at his chest.

 Atlas used Warp and moved to the right.

Before he could counterattack, another strike was already upon him.

This was clearly showing off the adaptability of the old man.

Atlas warped again to the side, dodging what seemed to be a fist, but it moved so fast it was hard to distinguish what was what.

Again, as soon as he warped, a strike was already heading his way. He warped again.

And again.

And again. 

His Aether reserves weren't affected too heavily, but if this kept up, there was no way to counterattack.

After warping again, he activated his "eye" ability.

His vision was flooded with an Aquamarine tint briefly before he started to see the split second future of Ivan's attacks. 

Seeing that Ivan was going with an overhead kick at him now was the best time to blink away and set himself up for a counterattack.

He moved as far away as he could with warping, feeling his Aether Reverse's lessen by a good margin.

There he got a brief break. 

Ivan then paused, acting as if he noticed something.

Atlas didn't know why he stopped attacking. 

Ivan laughed again at the air manically.

"By the gods, you are a fool."

"To think you actually ended up doing that"

Atlas didn't know what he was talking about. 

"The heavens should have blessed you with a mirror, because you clearly don't know that your eye turns to the color of your Aether." 

He realized now what he meant: he could see Atlas activate the ability to see in the future.

So what? That didn't matter if Ivan could see him having an advantage. 

Ivan stood still after saying that.

And if Ivan wasn't going to come to him, then he would go to Ivan.

 He warped back this time behind Ivan; he could see clearly as soon as he excited the warp what Ivan was going to do. He was going to move his arm back, striking at him.

Just this split second of knowing what's going to happen gives him time to prepare. With this, he started to duck.

The arm flew over him and Atlas kicked at his back.

Internally, Atlas was celebrating; the vision he saw was that of him kicking Ivan.

Suddenly that vision was filled with something else.

It was Ivan's hand grabbing at his neck. He had a mental thought of warping, but that vision was still filled with that of his neck being restrained.

His mind thought of every possible way to escape each one coming to the same future.

There was no escape.

Ivan grabbed him and held him high in the air. 

His laughing demeanor was gone.

"Your ego infects your style.

Pride has made you weak. 

Even with all the truths I have shown you, you are still blind."

Atlas's vision was now filled with a different image, an image that he still, no matter what, couldn't escape.

It was Ivan's hand chopping at his neck, knocking him out cold.

His eyes also ran out of time and he was forced to close them. 

Atlas's body then went limp.