<Sparring Session/>

"The rules are simple," Cason explained, his grin as wide as ever. "I'll attack three times. If you can withstand them, you win, and I'll hand over my tag. If you lose, well…" He shrugged casually. "I'll still hand in my tag."

His confidence was unwavering, almost infectious. "You don't have to worry about anyone interfering," he added. "Conrad and my squad will ensure we aren't disturbed."

At this point, we stood in the center of the temporary arena Conrad had conjured. The simulated space felt real, its boundaries pulsing faintly as if alive with energy.

"How long will this arena last?" I asked, scanning the area.

Cason smirked. "Oh, don't worry about that. This arena is durable enough to withstand an S-rank awakener's full force. Conrad doesn't mess around." With a quick nod to Conrad, a shimmering plasma barrier enveloped the arena, adding another layer of protection.

"Alright, then," I said, rolling my shoulders to loosen up. "Let's get this over with."

Cason chuckled, his excitement palpable. "Good! That's the spirit. Of all the rookies I've faced, you're by far the most interesting. I think I'm starting to like you."

I smirked in return. "Thanks, but enough small talk. I'm ready."

The moment the words left my mouth, Cason's demeanor shifted. His playful grin disappeared, replaced by a cold, calculating intensity. The transformation was chilling, a reminder of why they called him the God of Death.

"My first attack," Cason announced, his voice now calm and authoritative. "Let's see if you can satisfy my curiosity. Plasma Storm."

As soon as he spoke, the air around him crackled and surged with energy. A violent storm of plasma erupted, tearing through the arena like a living force of destruction. The attack's sheer scale was overwhelming, designed to annihilate everything in its path.

An area-of-effect attack right off the bat? Bold move. I smirked, unfazed. Without hesitation, I activated my Mecha Suit's defensive protocols. An electromagnetic barrier shimmered into existence around me, absorbing the storm's onslaught. When the smoke and debris cleared, I stood unscathed.

Cason raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. But his shock quickly gave way to exhilaration. "Impressive defense! That's one hell of a suit," he admitted with a laugh, his excitement only growing.

"Second attack!" he shouted. "Plasma Beam!"

A continuous, high-energy beam of plasma shot toward me, slamming into my defensive barrier with relentless force. The energy surged against my shield for a full ten seconds, the intensity unyielding. Inside my suit, I could feel the strain as my energy reserves dipped slightly under the sustained pressure.

Despite the ferocity of the attack, I held my ground. The Mecha Suit's systems held firm, and I remained standing when the assault finally ceased.

Cason's grin widened as he watched me hold my ground. "You're full of surprises, aren't you? I haven't had this much fun in ages."

Then his expression shifted, his eyes glinting with a mix of challenge and excitement. "Let's switch things up. What do you say we make this a spar? Show me what you've got in close combat."

I raised an eyebrow. A spar? It seemed Cason wasn't just testing my defenses—he wanted to gauge my skill in a head-to-head fight. "Alright," I said, a smirk tugging at my lips. "I'm game."

"Good," Cason said, rolling his neck and flexing his fingers. "Standing around and taking hits is impressive, but I can tell you're itching for some action. Let's see how well you fight."

The air around him crackled as he summoned his weapon. A massive plasma scythe materialized in his hands, its edges glowing with an ominous black hue, tendrils of energy rippling along its length like living shadows.

Not one to back down, I deactivated my shield and called forth my own weapons—dual plasma blades that ignited in a brilliant reddish-gold blaze, their energy humming with power. 

The moment our weapons activated, the atmosphere shifted. The simulated arena seemed to tremble under the intensity of our auras.

And then the battle began.

Cason lunged first, his scythe sweeping through the air in a wide arc that sizzled with lethal energy. I darted to the side, my suit's thrusters firing to propel me just out of reach. The scythe's blade carved through the space where I'd stood, leaving a glowing trail of plasma in its wake.

Without hesitation, I countered, surging forward and slashing with one of my blades. Cason spun his scythe, deflecting my strike with a burst of sparks as the plasma weapons collided. The sheer force of the clash sent a shockwave rippling through the arena.

"You've got some speed!" Cason admitted, his tone filled with excitement. He swung again, this time faster, his scythe weaving through the air in an unpredictable pattern.

I parried each blow, my blades a blur of motion. The sound of plasma meeting plasma filled the air, sharp and electrifying. 

Cason's strikes were powerful, each swing of his scythe carrying enough force to split lesser weapons in two, but my dual blades gave me the edge in speed and precision.

At one point, he feinted a downward slash and twisted mid-swing, aiming for my side. I barely caught the change in time, spinning my blade to intercept his scythe inches from my torso. 

The impact forced me back a step, my boots skidding against the simulated floor, but I held my ground.

"Not bad!" he shouted, grinning like a maniac. "But let's see how you handle this!"

Cason's scythe glowed brighter as he poured more energy into it. He leapt into the air, twisting his body in a full spin as he brought the scythe down in a devastating overhead strike.

I crossed my plasma blades above me, catching the scythe with a deafening clash. The force of the attack drove me to one knee, the ground beneath me cracking from the impact. My suit's energy reserves dipped further, straining to absorb the shock.

"Impressive," Cason said, still pressing down with his scythe. "For a moment there I feel like fighting an S rank awakener. It's deluded me that you're just a C rank!"

I gritted my teeth and activated my thrusters, launching myself backward to disengage. 

In the same motion, I fired off an energy pulse from my blades, forcing him to block and giving me a moment to recover.

"You're not bad yourself," I said, standing tall and readying my stance again. "But I'm just getting started."