Naia's tail twitched with obvious irritation. "Kaiden, our guests came for lunch, not to perform for your amusement."
"It was merely a suggestion," Kaiden said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Though I suspect Master Sylla might welcome the challenge. He seems the type to embrace opportunities to test himself."
The statement hung in the air. Not quite a dare, but close enough.
Adom took a slow sip of his water. Ah, what the hell. "If our hosts don't object, I wouldn't mind a friendly match."
Sam kicked him under the table.
"Wonderful!" Kaiden smiled, something predatory flickering behind his eyes for just an instant. "After dessert, then. Nothing builds character like a bit of exertion after a good meal."
Ambassador Lazarai studied his son with a measuring look, then turned to Adom. "Only if you're comfortable, young man. You're under no obligation."
"I know, sir," Adom replied. "But I'd be happy to."
Kaiden lifted his glass in a small toast. "To friendly competition, then."
"To friendly competition," Adom echoed, lifting his own glass.
Their eyes met over the rims, and the silent contest that had begun with a handshake continued—neither willing to back down, both measuring the other.
The rest of the dessert course passed in animated conversation, but Adom barely tasted the exquisite creations that found their way to his plate. His mind was already in the training circle, assessing what he'd felt in Kaiden's grip.
When Tharval announced the conclusion of the meal, Kaiden rose smoothly from his seat. "Shall we, Master Sylla? The training circle awaits."
Adom stood. "Lead the way."
But it wasn't much fun.
"You know what?" Adom said, rolling his shoulders. "You're right."
[Flow Prediction] activated in his mind, the familiar sensation of time slowing as his perception sharpened. He let [Fluid Control] rise from its dormant state, feeling the energy course through his limbs.
Blue energy flared around him like flames, startling several of the spectators.
Kaiden's eyes widened, then his smile returned—brighter, more genuine than before.
"Now we're getting somewhere," he said. "Tell me, what's your trigger? What emotion fuels your Fluid?"
Adom shifted his weight, feeling the familiar burn of power through his muscles. "Spite."
Naia gasped.
"Spite," Kaiden repeated, looking absolutely delighted. "Perfect."
His own Fluid flared to life—blue, identical to Adom's in color and texture. The energy swirled around him like an azure storm.
"I knew we were similar," Kaiden said, "but not to this extent."
They moved simultaneously, meeting in the center of the circle. Fist against forearm, kick blocked by knee, palm strike deflected by palm strike. Each movement flowed into the next without hesitation or wasted motion.
Adom's mind raced, [Flow Prediction] mapping out Kaiden's movements fractions of a second before they happened.
He was enjoying himself. Surprisingly so.
A feint to the left drew Kaiden's guard high. Adom dropped low, sweeping his leg in a wide arc that should have taken Kaiden's feet from under him.
Should have.
Kaiden simply wasn't there anymore. He'd jumped, flipping over Adom's head, landing with catlike grace behind him.
"Two," Kaiden said, tapping Adom's back.
"Did anyone actually see that?" Sam demanded loudly.
"I did," Lina Dimitri answered. "Sort of."
Karion was leaning forward, completely engrossed. "This isn't academy-level combat."
"No," Duke Jasper agreed, his expression thoughtful. "It most certainly is not."
Adom reset, feeling his Fluid burn hotter. The spite that fueled it wasn't directed at Kaiden, but at himself—for underestimating, for being too cautious, for not adapting fast enough.
This time, he attacked first.
The kick was a feint. So was the following palm strike. The real attack was the subtle manipulation of his Fluid, creating a momentary pressure wave that disrupted Kaiden's footing.
It worked. For just a heartbeat, Kaiden's balance shifted.
Adom exploited the opening, his knuckles brushing against Kaiden's shoulder.
"One," he said.
Kaiden's laugh was bright, almost infectious. "Excellently done!"
They reset again. This time, neither held anything back.
The exchange became too fast for most of the spectators to follow. Fluid flares layered on top of physical movements, each fighter reading and countering the other in real-time.
To Adom, it felt like dancing with a mirror. Each time he thought he had an advantage, Kaiden countered with the exact technique needed to neutralize it. Each time Kaiden pressed forward, Adom found the perfect block or redirection.
It almost felt like fighting Gale again. Only this time, he could stand his ground.
Sweat beaded on Adom's forehead. His breathing remained controlled, but he could feel the strain building in his muscles.
Then he spotted it—a pattern in Kaiden's movements. A slight tell before he shifted his weight. [Flow Prediction] highlighted it, practically drawing a glowing path for Adom to follow.
When had that even started?
He waited for the tell, then struck. His open palm hit Kaiden square in the chest, channeling a surge of Fluid that sent the older fighter skidding backward several feet.
"Two," Adom said.
For the first time, Kaiden looked genuinely surprised. Then pleased. Then hungry.
"Well, well," he murmured. "This is unexpected."
Ambassador Lazarai was watching with newfound interest. Lady Soraya had taken a step closer to the circle, her expression unreadable.
"Did he just..." Karion started.
"Push my brother back?" Naia finished, her tail swishing in agitation. "Yes. That doesn't happen."
Kaiden adjusted his stance, subtly different from before. His Fluid burned brighter, the blue flames reaching higher.
"Last round," he said softly. "Let's make it count."
They clashed again, but this time Kaiden's style had changed completely. Where before he had been reactive, now he was relentlessly offensive. Each strike flowed into the next without pause, giving Adom no time to counter.
[Flow Prediction] struggled to keep up with the new pattern. Adom felt himself being pushed back, step by step, toward the edge of the circle.
He channeled more Fluid, trying to match Kaiden's intensity. For a moment, he managed to halt the advance. Their arms blurred as strikes were exchanged, blocked, countered, and re-countered.
Then Kaiden did something unexpected. He dropped all defense, leaving himself completely open as he surged forward. It was a gamble—sacrificing protection for a guaranteed hit.
Adom saw the opening, saw his chance for a third point. He struck.
But in the split second it took his fist to travel those few inches, he realized his mistake.
The opening was a trap.
Kaiden's hand closed around Adom's wrist, using the momentum of the attack against him. A twist, a pull, and suddenly Adom was airborne.
He managed to land on his feet, but Kaiden was already there, finger pressed lightly to Adom's throat.
"Three," Kaiden said softly. "Match."
A moment of silence, then applause broke out among the spectators. Duke Jasper was practically beaming. Even Ambassador Lazarai looked impressed.
Kaiden stepped back, bowing slightly to Adom. "That," he said, "was the best match I've had in months."
Adom returned the bow, his breathing only slightly elevated. "You're very skilled."
"As are you." Kaiden's smile turned thoughtful. "To reach this level at your age is simply extraordinary. Like a sapling already bearing the fruit of a mature tree."
"High praise."
"Earned praise." Kaiden wiped a light sheen of sweat from his brow. "Had you used magic as well, I suspect the outcome might have been different."
Adom didn't confirm or deny this, but Kaiden seemed to take his silence as agreement.
"Now I can accept that you defeated my sister," Kaiden said, looking satisfied. "Grow well, Adom Sylla. We'll have another match when you've had time to ripen."
As they stepped off the platform, Adom felt a subtle shift in his awareness. The familiar notification of skill improvement appeared in his mind:
[Flow Prediction has reached Level 6]
Naia rushed over, Zuni clutched in her arms. The quillick immediately leapt to Adom's shoulder, chittering frantically as he checked Adom for injuries.
"That was incredible," Naia said, her tail swishing in excitement. "I've never seen anyone push Kaiden like that."
Sam joined them, eyes wide. "What just happened? One second you were there, then you weren't, then you were flying, and—"
"Breathe, Sam," Adom suggested.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." And he was. The match had been intense but controlled. No real damage had been done on either side.
More importantly, Adom had confirmed something crucial. Even without using mana, relying only on his passive skills like [Silverback's Might] and [Fluid Control], he could hold his own against a Star Knight level opponent.
Not win, perhaps. But survive. And that was valuable information.
Kaiden was speaking with his father a few feet away, gesturing occasionally toward Adom. Ambassador Lazarai nodded, looking thoughtful.
"I think you made quite an impression," Naia observed, following Adom's gaze.
"That was the idea," Adom replied.
"Was it?" Sam asked. "I thought the idea was not drawing attention to yourself."
Adom shrugged, causing Zuni to chirp indignantly. "Sometimes plans change."
And sometimes, he thought, watching Kaiden laugh at something his father said, you found unexpected allies in the future you were trying to prevent.