“Nice stunt, boy!” Quintus looked at Miles with dissatisfaction. Miles, as he planned, won the race by flying over most of the track. Although it should have been impossible by normal means, technology was part of the track, and Quintus had to foresee this.

“What now?” He asked.

“I will copy your superpower as we agreed,” Merlin said with a smile.

“Hmm, whatever.” Quintus snorted and returned to the mansion with the duo. Merlin sat beside the old man and touched his forearm.

“I hope it works.” He was chanting silently. After more than ten minutes, Merlin’s forehead was covered with sweat. Quintus was lying on his sunbed with his eyes closed.

Miles looked at Merlin when he sighed in relief. “Got it?” He asked.

“I did.” Merlin laughed happily as he looked at Miles thankfully. Miles was happy for Merlin too.

“Go. Now that you stole my power, you can leave me alone.” Quintus harrumphed unhappily. Miles rose to his feet and wanted to leave, but Merlin was still sitting.

“I don’t know if it's worth anything, but I am sorry and thank you,” Merlin said. Quintus looked surprised, then angry. But it only surfaced for a short second, before it vanished. Merlin left with Miles.

“What was that about?” Miles asked after they got in the car once again.

“He is just a pitiful old man, lost his family.” Merlin shook his head. “Now that I have this passive ability, brother, I wanna try your hand.”

“Sounds good.” Miles shook his head and drove off.

————

“Ready, little brother?” Merlin asked with a grin.

“Bring it on,” Miles answered and took a defensive posture. After they returned to the mansion, Merlin wanted to test his powers. But Merlin insisted on taking elemental power before the spar.

Merlin dashed towards Miles with fire daggers forming in his hand. Smaller daggers covered the sky as they traveled towards Miles. Merlin himself with a dagger in each hand, blazing with flames, reached Miles.

“Used the fourth serum?” Miles asked in surprise. Merlin’s speed was faster than his peak at Grace-Rank. He dodged the raining daggers and formed a spear with his invisible energy.

“Been a few months already. I am planning to use the fifth serum before advancing to Extol-Rank.” Merlin said as he swung the dagger to Miles's chest. Miles had pointed the spearhead to his head.

Merlin was familiar with Royal Blood techniques, so he dodged the spear pretty easily and returned the attack with his dagger aiming at Miles's sides. While his free hand created more and more flames. The fire condensed in the air and formed a wheel of crimson heat. The wheel was a meter in radius and started to spin in the air with great speed.

Wherever the wheel moved, it awakened scorching heat. Miles, at first, wanted to destroy it, but when his spear approached it, he realized it wasn’t as simple as he looked.

Dispelling the spear, Miles dodged the attack and dashed at Merlin while forming four throwing daggers. He was already familiar with forming and could cast weapons with a thought. When battling with a person who excelled in Heart Branch, the easiest way was to approach the enemy and finish quickly. But Merlin wasn’t simple either. Although thanks to the fifth serum Miles was a lot faster, Merlin, now with Quintus’s passive, could see Miles’s movements in slow motion.

Although they said they would spar, Miles and Merlin were battling with their real powers. The only thing they weren’t using were orbs.

The battle was fast-paced, and techniques were used one after another. Unlike Miles, who wasn’t an expert in Heart Branch, Merlin was making use of Royal Blood’s Heart Branch techniques.

The elemental attacks he was using were getting amplification from the energy techniques and forcing Miles's hands. Miles formed a claw covering his nails and used the Frontal Rush. This was the fastest movement technique he had at the moment when it came to direct charges.

When he appeared behind Merlin who was forming flame vines, he swung his claws. Five Fingers Claw Death! Miles used the techniques with both his hands. He only mastered this lately, as it would take a toll on his body to form ten claws.

Ten fissures moved fast. From Merlin’s head, it was cutting the air. Just when it was about to clash with Merlin’s back, flames rose from the latter's back to stop the attack.

When the scorching ball of fire appeared, it blasted Miles away. Miles looked at the flames that were now taking the shape of a bird.

“You mastered it?” He asked with a smile.

Merlin showed him his ultimate once, and he knew the bird was his ultimate. The firebird screeched at the air and clawed at Miles. The claws were burning the air, leaving smoke in their wake.

Miles dodged the attack with a backward leap and looked at the fire with fear. “So strong!” He couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Now that I am at the peak of Form-Rank, I have mastered my ultimate fully. Its powers are not bad.” Merlin walked slowly beside the bird and patted its head. The bird looked alive, as it enjoyed Merlin’s pats.

Miles smiled in excitement, as he charged once again. Merlin took a step back, as he wasn’t expecting Miles to charge despite seeing his ultimate. The bird cried in irritation and charged at Miles. A giant ball of fire flew out its mouth to Miles.

When Miles realized, the ball of fire was already in front of him. Miles dodged it by hair threads with Frontal Rush. It was shameful to use Frontal Rush for escape, but Miles didn’t have such qualms.

He appeared a few meters away from the bird and Merlin, only to charge once again. In no time at all, Miles felt his energy was running low. He was only low-tier, while Merlin was pinnacle-tier already. On top of that, Merlin had the inner world he got from Rayen, replenishing his energy.

“Let’s finish it here. Your energy is already depleted.” Merlin stopped his attack when Miles faltered.

“Okay.” Miles panted heavily as he collapsed to the ground.