Heaven Breaker: SSS Rank Tiger Evolution-Chapter 51: Constant refinement

Once again, I began training day after day.

My control over Primordial Force expanded beyond simple movements—such as breathing, walking, moving my arms, and so on.

It was time to learn real martial arts.

"Try to imitate me," Laxus said, demonstrating a fighting stance, and I did so.

At that moment, my control over Primordial Force weakened. The stance, which should have been unshakable, actually made me weaker because I wasn’t executing it properly.

"Strike like this!" Laxus threw a punch, and once again I followed, under Raiden’s scrutiny as he soon approached.

"A little higher, widen your base, and tighten your core." He lightly adjusted my posture, his tone warm and friendly. Like an experienced teacher, he neither scolded me nor placed expectations on me.

However, a small, poorly concealed gleam was always present in his eyes.

’He must realize it... even though I call this stance wrong, it still contains a bit of Primordial Force—a reflection of my understanding of my anatomy and Primordial Force. That alone is enough to say I’ve mastered this stance by human standards, just not by my demonic standards.’

Step by step, they showed me human combat stances, punches, kicks, combinations, rapid movement techniques, and defenses.

My entire body was already a weapon, considering sheer strength and endurance, but now it was becoming an even deadlier and more refined one.

Slowly, I refined my movements according to the flow of energy.

Before long, Laxus and I faced each other once more.

Using movement techniques, I advanced and retreated with an agility that would have been unthinkable before.

My feet touched and left the ground faster and faster, in a single fluid motion—without using any elemental powers.

As a personal challenge, I dodged every one of his attacks using only movement and evasion techniques, never attacking even once.

Piercing strikes came toward my head, chest, and stomach, and after some persistence, they eventually landed, piercing me.

"Seven?" I said incredulously. "Only seven attacks?" I was defeated faster than I had expected.

I sighed as they laughed, refocusing on my training.

My repertoire of movements expanded rapidly under Raiden’s guidance and Laxus’s assistance.

My attacks now included high, low, and mid kicks, as well as sweeps and combinations.

My punches included jabs, crosses, hooks, body hooks, and uppercuts, along with other attack sequences.

My defenses also improved more and more, along with increasingly precise dodges and techniques for grappling and dispersing force.

Still, I couldn’t help but frown as I looked at Raiden.

"What kind of martial arts are you teaching me?" I asked. "There are so many types of movements for so many situations... and mastering all of them with Primordial Force isn’t easy, since these are more complex movements—especially when considering combinations."

"I’m teaching you all the ones I know," Raiden said with a mischievous smile. "Sift through them however you like. I don’t want to teach you martial arts so you repeat them endlessly like a fool — like someone who always chooses to punch a sword — I want you to learn them all and adapt to situations. Preferably, go to the root of martial arts and even create your own."

I sighed, feeling how much work all of this would be.

Even so, I continued to deepen my understanding of martial arts, my movements becoming more fluid and reinforced.

A few days passed.

"Thirty-four," I said as I watched the rapier pierce my chest once again. "It’s getting easier."

Laxus laughed, a bit unnerved. He had struck the air many times already, and at this pace he would soon be hitting nothing but air.

Primordial Force flowed ever more intensely to my feet, my base agility growing higher and higher.

Meanwhile...

Euphy and Gravis were undergoing their own training beside me—requiring both Raiden and me to intervene from time to time.

Euphy took a deep breath, adjusting her stance, trying to feel the flow of Primordial Force.

"You’re doing it wrong." I approached her suddenly, making her let out a small yelp.

"Ah! Hey! Don’t just come up out of nowhere! I might get mad..."

"If you might, it’s because you aren’t," I said with a smile. "Now focus on your training."

"Crafty bastard... just this once I’ll let it slide..." she muttered softly.

My body moved close to hers, my right hand going to her abdomen and my left to the other side, guiding her arm. I adjusted her posture into a more refined and stable stance.

"Like this, this way. Breathe in deeply, then release it all at once and advance with an explosive movement."

"Okay..." She swallowed hard, focusing. "Here I go."

The familiar smoky silk flowed effortlessly through that simple movement.

BANG

She struck, her punch carrying unexpected power. Its pressure and heat left a scorching imprint on the rock, which melted on impact. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"B-But... what?! I did exactly the same thing before!" she said in amazement. "It was exactly the same! How can it be so much stronger?!" Her face turned to confront my smug smile.

"Primordial Force lives in the details. It was almost the same, but it wasn’t the same," I said, looking into her eyes, our bodies still close. "The closer to perfection, the more powerful the attack. Power is amplified exponentially—not added or multiplied, but exponential."

"Wow... when you put it like that, it almost sounds like Primordial Force is... an overwhelming force." She swallowed. "It seems more important than when they first taught me about it."

"Yes..." I said, looking up at the sky. "Honestly, I don’t even know if there’s a limit to refining a movement. But I have a faint impression... that just Primordial Force with just a single simple punch... through constant refinement..."

"Could split the heavens and the earth as a whole."

"..."

We both fell silent, gazing at the sky, until I finally sighed.

"Keep training. I need to continue my own training," I said as I stepped away, my mind turning to other matters.

’I need to evolve...’ I could feel the goddess calling to me at all times.

It was time.