Vita, the life force that exists in all humans. With training, it can be weaponized and give humans the chance to compete against the other races. If mastered, it can control the laws of nature and life itself. Miko and Nen, the two prominent Vita users of their generation were about to show what this power could achieve.

“To me, life is all about destroying the old to create the new. From destruction borns life. Hence my nature is demonic as well as my soul. So naturally, my Vita is demonic as well.”

The black glow around Miko expanded.

“I walk the path of the demon with pride. I’ve fought a thousand battles and have slain a thousand enemies with a swing of my hand.”

An image formed behind him. It was an image of a blood-stained warrior with a thousand hands, holding a thousand bloody weapons, with a ferocious expression on his three faces.

“I walk the path of the Asura.”

Nen smiled and purple light engulfed him.

“My way of life is all about defiance. I defy the laws of nature and warp the restraints it placed upon me. I care not for the consequences of my actions as I break every rule. Hence my nature is chaos as well as my soul. So naturally, my Vita is Chaotic as well.”

The purple glow expanded.

“I walk the path of chaos with pride. I destroy the chains of nature and liberate myself from all limitations and restrictions.”

An image formed behind him. It was the image of a bloodstained warrior with broken shackles on his arms, legs, and neck. His eyes showed nothing but defiance towards the world.

“I walk the path of the Rebel.”

“An Asura that seeks destruction, and a Rebel that defies the rules set upon him, huh?”

Joesph smiled.

“Two marvelous Battle Avatars.”

“Impressive, but surely that’s not the limit. You’ve walked further down your path that right?”

Miko spread his arms. The Asura suddenly overlapped with him. A blinding light covered his body. When it faded a different being stood in his place. This being had brown skin with black tribal tattoos on his limbs and chest. He was shirtless and wore red baggy pants with golden anklets on his bare feet. He had six arms, a golden eye in the center of his forehead, and a crown made of black bones on his head.

“This is his how far I’ve come. I’ve embodied the Asura itself.”

He folded four of his arms and pointed at Nen with one of his free hands.

“What about you?”

Nen scratched his head awkwardly.

“And here I thought I was the only one in our generation who could do that.”

The Rebel overlapped with Nen and a blinding light engulfed him. It faded and a different being appeared. It had dark skin, wore a suit made of rusty black chains, had broken shackles on its limbs, and had a pair of bulky gauntlets on its arms. The chains around its body moved like serpents.

“Even with all the restrictions, I still refused to be shackled by fate.”

Miko grinned.

“Good, then this will be fun!”

Miko kicked off the ground and flew at Nen. He rushed towards him and threw a punch. A deafening sound erupted. The sand was blown away and the two were propelled back. Miko pounced at him with a kick. Nen blocked it with his arms. Miko flipped off his arms and threw his three left fists at Nen’s side. Nen lifted his leg and blocked them. He swung his arm and chains whipped Miko across the chest. Miko stumbled back with a grin. Nen threw a kick. Miko ducked under it and slammed his six palms on Nen’s chest. He twisted them and Nen was blasted away. Miko chased after him forming six balls of black light. He leaped into the air and threw them at Nen.

“Ha!”

Nen swiped his arms in front of him. The balls distorted and dispersed. He kicked off the ground the moment his feet touched the earth. He appeared in front of Miko and hit him with an uppercut. Miko’s body was raised off the ground. He spun and kicked Miko in his side. His kick connected but Miko held onto his leg. He used Nen’s momentum and threw him. He blasted off the ground and kicked Nen in the stomach. A thunderous explosion erupted. Nen bounced off the ground a few times. Chains rushed out of his body and grabbed onto the earth. He stopped but was forced to leap to the side. Miko’s foot hit the ground and moved all the sand away.

Nen rushed at him with a flying kick. Miko twisted out of the way. Nen flew past him. Miko spun around with a kick, Nen countered with his own. Their legs clashed. They twisted their bodies swinging their elbows. Their arms clashed. They distanced themselves and rushed at the other. Miko threw three rights. Nen parried them with his arms and chains. He took a step forward and stomp in his stomach. Miko caught his leg. Nen jumped off his pivot leg. He spun and aimed a kick at Miko’s temple. Miko ducked and slammed him on the ground. Nen did a handstand and spun flinging Miko off him. He tackled Miko. His chains wrapped around Miko’s arms and neck. The chains restricted Miko’s upper body. He circled around Miko’s back and wrapped his arms around Miko’s neck.

“A sleeper hold!”

He cut off Miko’s air and blood supply and forced him to the ground. He wrapped his legs around his waist and fasten himself. His eyes widened when Miko’s body lit up.

*Bam!*

An explosion devoured the two.

Nen was seen flying out of the smoke covered head to toe in chains. He had used them to shield himself from the explosion.

“Hahaha!”

Miko flew out of the smoke and hit Nen with three rights. Nen blocked them but was pushed back. Miko chased after him bombarding him with punches. Nen blocked some but most hit his body directly.

“Ugh!”

He released his guard. He started trading punches with Miko. His two fists clashed with Miko’s six. Explosives sound rung out. Miko had more arms but Nen’s punches were faster allowing him to compete. They separated when they were hit with a strong hook each. They stumbled back with bloody noses. They smirked and pounced back at their opponent. Fists clashed with kicks, palms with knees, the two attacked with lightning-fast strikes. The concept of defense had left their minds. Only beating their opponent was important.

“Talk about intense!”

The crowd was cheering on the fighters, entertained by their display of skills.

“Miko was one thing, but that Nen is really something. For him to achieve what he did with his talents is unheard of!”

Miko’s knee strike was blocked by Nen’s palm. Nen’s finger strikes were countered with punches. Miko’s uppercut was countered with a cross punch. Nen’s elbow was evaded and countered with a kidney blow. Like this, the two continued to exchange blows. It didn’t take long before they were covered in blood. Both theirs and their opponent’s. They forced each apart with a strong right to the face.

“Hah~. Hah~. Hah~.”

“Hah~. Hah~. Hah~.”

They smiled at each other with quickened breath and bloody appearances.

“You’re better than I expected, Nen. I just hope that you’re not satisfied with your current level.”

“Of course not. I’ll only be satisfied when my flesh falls off my bones. Even then, my spirit will continue fighting.”

Miko grinned and started clapping.

“Marvelous. That’s the kind of behavior I’m looking for. If you’re not like that this whole thing would be a waste.”

Miko’s body was engulfed in light. When it faded he returned to his original appearance.

“What the?”

“Why did he cancel Avatar Embodiment?”

“Did he give up?”

This confused the audience and Nen.

“What are you doing?”

“Now, now. Just watch.”

Miko closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He slowly opened his eyes. An overwhelming amount of Vita rushed out of his body.

“Wha?!”

The ground shook, the air trembled, and sand scattered like a sand storm. Nen saw Miko in the middle of this storm of Vita. His face was expressionless and his eye was deadpan. It was as if he was in a trance. The Vita storm started shrinking rapidly. In a few seconds, it was skin-tight around Miko.

“What the…”

Nen couldn’t believe his eyes.

“There’s streaks of white in Miko’s Vita…”

The black light engulfing Miko’s body had white streaks in it which made it sparkly.

“My god!”

Joesph and all of the top members of the clan’s sprung to their feet. They stared at Miko, who had an expression of tranquility on his face, with shock.

“That expression, that sparkling aura, it can’t be…”

Even the Guardians couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Oi, oi. Is this for real? He’s just 18, right?”

Al-Shura was covered in cold sweat.

“Hahahaha! That’s my cousin!”

Kouta burst out laughing.

“He’s fighting our Branch, Idiot.”

Karim retorted.

Slyvia turned to Christensen.

“…I never knew you could look so excited.”

Alec, Momo, and Kirika wore smiles on their faces.

“Well, we knew that he had reached this stage.”

Kirika smirked.

“The first step towards truly mastering vita and becoming a god, Enlightenment.”

“It’s the first and hardest stage to pass. Most stay at this stage all their lives, geniuses take decades, monsters take years. Either way, passing it is the greatest challenge a Vita user will ever face.”

Christensen mumbled.

“But teaching it is proof that you’re on the path to become a Vita Master. For Miko to reach it at merely 18, when most take centuries, is a huge feat.”

“I can’t believe my eyes…”

KC who was fighting Kristen halted to look at Miko in shock. Kristen didn’t attack because he was the same.

“……..”

Miko silently took a step forward.

“This is the current limit of my path.”

Nen watched him advance without saying a word.

“Can someone like you dream to match it?”

“…….”

Nen looked towards the sky and chuckled to himself.

“Fate, you’re a real bitch, you know that?”

He showed the biggest grin possible and faced Miko.

“Well, nothing’s changed.”

His body released a huge burst of Vita.

“I just need to bitchslap fate like always.”