Chapter 20: The Sound of Thunder
<hr>
A Fight for Recognition
Axel stepped onto the sparring field, rolling his shoulders as the air around him thrummed with anticipation.
Jace stood across from him, his Storm Wyvern, Stratos, looming behind him, lightning crackling along its wings.
The energy in the air was different from their last fight.
This wasn’t just about proving who was stronger.
This was about proving Axel belonged here.
Tempo, perched on Axel’s shoulder, drummed his fingers together, his golden eyes glinting with something new.
“Feeling good?” Axel murmured.
Tempo grinned. “Better than good.”
Jace’s piercing blue eyes studied them. Calculating. “Ready?”
Axel smirked. “Born ready, Stroud.”
Professor Aldren raised his hand.
“Begin.”
And then—
Jace moved.
<hr>
Speed vs. Instinct
Jace didn’t wait.
The moment Aldren’s hand dropped, Stratos vanished in a blur of lightning.
Axel barely had time to react before a thunderous pressure slammed toward him, the air itself rippling from Stratos’s speed.
Damn, he’s fast.
“Tempo—evasive!”
Tempo leapt from Axel’s shoulder just as a bolt of electricity tore through the ground where they had been standing.
Axel rolled to the side, already tracking Jace’s movements.
Stratos circled overhead, his body wreathed in blue lightning, his presence like a living storm.
Jace’s expression remained calm.
“Still too slow.”
Stratos dove.
Axel moved on instinct.
Tempo met Stratos mid-air, flipping off his back with a burst of raw speed.
Axel saw the opening—and lunged.
His fist crackled with energy as he swung at Jace—
But Jace sidestepped effortlessly.
Axel’s knuckles grazed his jacket—just barely.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Then came the counter.
A hard, lightning-imbued kick slammed into Axel’s side, sending him skidding back across the field.
Pain flared through his ribs.
But even as he struggled to his feet, he grinned.
Because Jace wasn’t holding back.
And neither was he.
<hr>
Something Awakens
Tempo landed beside Axel, his fur standing on end.
Something was happening.
Axel felt it—their connection pulsing with an energy that hadn’t been there before.
Tempo clenched his fists, sparks flickering between his fingertips.
Axel’s holo-band flashed.
<blockquote>
Cipher Evolution Detected.
New Weapon Unlocked.
</blockquote>
Axel’s breath hitched. “Wait, what?”
Tempo’s body shuddered, energy crackling around him.
And then—
A pulse of electricity erupted outward.
The sparks solidified, twisting into something new.
Something insanely cool.
A weapon materialized in Tempo’s grasp.
An electric guitar—shaped like an axe, sleek black with glowing blue runes carved into its frame. Lightning pulsed along its edges, humming with raw power.
Tempo grinned.
“Oh,” he said, running a hand along the strings. “This is going to be fun.”
<hr>
The Battle Changes
Jace’s eyes narrowed. “What… is that?”
Tempo swung the guitar-axe onto his shoulder, casually plucking a string.
The sound thundered across the battlefield—a single chord, but it carried weight.
Power.
Axel felt it.
Tempo’s evolution wasn’t just physical.
It was musical.
Axel smirked. “Guess we’re playing a new tune.”
Jace exhaled sharply. “Fine. Let’s see if you can keep up.”
Stratos crackled with power.
Tempo grinned, gripping the neck of his weapon.
Axel clenched his fists.
Then, all at once—
They charged.
<hr>
Sound vs. Storm
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
Stratos unleashed a thunderous strike, lightning ripping across the ground.
But this time—
Tempo countered.
He strummed a chord on his guitar-axe, and a shockwave of pure sound burst outward, distorting the air itself.
The attack disrupted Stratos’s lightning, warping it into harmless static.
Jace’s eyes widened. “What—”
Axel grinned.
“Not so predictable now, huh?”
Jace didn’t reply. He just adjusted.
Stratos flapped his wings, sending out a flurry of thunderbolts.
Tempo responded instantly, launching himself into the air and spinning mid-flight, his guitar-axe humming as he played another thunderous note.
The air vibrated, turning into a concussive force that canceled out the bolts.
Then—
Tempo swung the axe downward.
A wave of sonic energy blasted forward.
Jace barely dodged in time, but Stratos took the hit—his form flickering, his rhythm disrupted.
Axel saw the opening.
He sprinted forward, closing the gap—
Fist cocked back.
Jace reacted instantly, meeting him head-on.
And then—
Impact.
<hr>
A Clash of Willpower
The force of their collision sent shockwaves rippling across the field.
Axel felt the impact rattle through his bones.
But Jace?
Jace wasn’t unshaken.
He was grinning.
Their arms locked, muscles straining.
“Better,” Jace admitted, his breath steady.
Axel smirked. “Still not enough?”
Jace’s eyes flashed.
“Not yet.”
He twisted, using Axel’s momentum against him, throwing him backward.
Axel hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact.
Tempo landed beside him, still grinning. “This is fun.”
Axel coughed. “For you, maybe.”
Jace exhaled, stepping back, rolling his shoulders.
Then—he nodded.
“That’s enough for today.”
Axel blinked. “Wait, what?”
Jace’s smirk returned. “I got what I needed.”
He turned, heading toward the edge of the field.
“Don’t get comfortable, Mercer,” Jace called over his shoulder. “This was just the first act.”
Axel huffed.
“Yeah, yeah.”
But even as he grumbled, he knew—
Jace was acknowledging him.
He wasn’t just an outsider anymore.
He was a contender.
Tempo spun his guitar-axe, letting it rest on his back.
Axel exhaled.
If this was only the beginning…
Then things were about to get wild.