CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 133- CONTROL

Joe’s body began to change. His veins bulged, his frame swelling with raw power as dark scales crawled across his skin, covering him like armor. The air grew heavy, charged with a suffocating pressure as his aura exploded outward, sharp and suffocating like the presence of a beast. His eyes gleamed with manic excitement as he laughed.

"Let’s raise the level, shall we?" he bellowed, his voice echoing like a dragon’s roar.

Julian exhaled slowly, lightning starting to spark across his arms, crawling over his shoulders, until his whole body pulsed with a pale blue glow. The crackle of electricity lit his sharp eyes as he lowered his stance.

"My lightning... is more than enough to bring you down."

Both men tightened their grip on the ground, the earth beneath their feet trembling. Then they launched forward, colliding head-on, only for a sudden shimmer of energy to erupt between them, forming a barrier like a translucent mirror that forced them apart.

Joe skidded to a halt, his face twisting in irritation. "Who dares interrupt our duel?!"

From the side, Luke stepped forward, his expression calm but edged with seriousness. "Hey, man. You’d better stop before this gets out of control."

"Tch... boring," Joe spat, clicking his tongue with frustration as the scales began to recede. Julian too let the lightning fade from his body, sparks dying down around him.

Emma sighed heavily, resting her hands on her hips. "Why did you suddenly get all fired up too...?"

Veronica crossed her arms, her tone sharp. "Exactly. You even accepted his challenge."

Julian’s voice was cold, unbothered. "I was only defending myself."

"Liar," Veronica shot back with a smirk. "I saw you smile,You’re enjoying the duel."

Joe burst into booming laughter, holding his stomach as his aura ebbed away. "Hahaha!"

Emma leaned toward Veronica and Julian whispering under her breath, "Has he completely lost his mind...?"

Julian cast a flat glance at Joe. "Maybe I hit his head too hard."

But Joe suddenly stopped laughing. His expression hardened, his eyes gleaming with something darker. "What a shame... You could be so much stronger. But the people standing beside you..." His gaze flicked toward Emma and Veronica. "...they’re holding you back. Such a waste."

Emma’s eyes widened, her voice sharp with anger as she stepped forward. "What’s that supposed to mean?!"

Julian’s gaze snapped toward Joe, his expression hardening, his tone cutting like a blade. "Watch your mouth."

Joe only smirked wider, his grin almost taunting, like he was daring Julian to strike him, relishing the idea of another clash.

"Enough," Luke interjected, his voice firmer now, carrying a warning edge. "Don’t make me use my skill again."

Julian’s eyes slid toward Luke, his voice low and biting. "Then you’d better put that dragon on a leash before he bothers anyone else."

Luke lifted both hands slightly, half in surrender, half in exasperation. "Hey, don’t look at me. I don’t know what got into him either. One moment he walks out on his work, the next thing we know, he’s here, picking fights."

Julian’s expression didn’t soften. "Then drag him back to his job."

Joe chuckled at that, folding his arms as if the reprimand amused him. "Relax. I’ll return soon enough. I’m satisfied with our duel. Aren’t you?" His eyes gleamed as if probing for the truth.

Julian didn’t answer. He only stared at Joe in silence, his jaw set.

Luke let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mr. Joe, seriously, don’t vanish like that again. Your subordinates were panicking, running all over to find you."

Already turning away, Joe waved a hand dismissively, still smiling with that dangerous ease. "A leader doesn’t need permission to go wherever he wants."

Luke muttered under his breath, clearly fed up. "What kind of logic is that..."

Joe didn’t respond, his towering figure slowly fading into the distance.

The training grounds fell quiet after that, an uneasy stillness hanging in the air.

Emma broke the silence first, her voice tinged with frustration. "What was that about? He just shows up out of nowhere and attacks us."

Veronica crossed her arms, her tone sharp with irritation. "Exactly. And not even an apology afterward? That’s beyond rude."

Julian exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. "Let it go. It seems he really just wanted a duel."

Emma turned her gaze on him, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "Yeah, well... you looked like you enjoyed it too."

Veronica’s lips curved into a sly grin. "Careful, Julian. Keep that up, and before long, you’ll end up just like him."

Julian shot her a cold glance, then straightened his posture. "Enough. Let’s continue our training. Where’s Sefi?"

The three of them looked around, realizing for the first time that she hadn’t said a word since the chaos began. Their eyes finally settled on a quiet corner nearby.

There she was, Sefi, so still and silent that it was almost as if she had vanished into the background.

Slowly, she raised her hand, her voice barely above a whisper. "I’m here..."

Julian gave a short nod. "You two continue the drills for now. I’ll take Sefi aside for a bit."

Emma frowned. "But it was supposed to be our turn."

Veronica smirked, her tone teasing. "What’s wrong, Emma? Afraid you’ll lose?"

Emma shot her a sharp look. "Oh, shut up, Veronica."

Julian raised his hand, keeping his voice steady. "You’ll have your turn again. I just need to give Sefi some guidance first."

Emma huffed but relented. "Fine."

As Emma and Veronica resumed their practice, Julian motioned for Sefi to follow him. The two stepped a little farther from the group, into a quieter spot where the noise of clashing movements faded into the background.

Sefi’s eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at him. "That duel earlier... it was incredible."

Julian’s expression softened slightly. "You’ll be able to move like that too, if you stay diligent with your training."

Sefi’s eyes lit up with determination. "Yes! I’ll do my best."

Julian gave a short nod. "Good. This time, I want to see your skill. Try activating it."

Sefi hesitated, her brows knitting in worry. "Are you sure...? My skill could hurt you."

Julian’s voice was calm, steady. "Don’t worry. I have the same type of skill as you. Did you forget?"

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "R-right... sorry. Then, I’ll begin."

"Go ahead," Julian replied, giving her a reassuring nod.

Sefi drew in a breath, and then her body sparked with yellow electricity. Arcs of lightning danced erratically across her arms and shoulders, glowing brighter with each second. Her composure began to crack. "M-Master... I think... it’s getting out of control..."

Julian’s gaze didn’t waver. "Stay calm. Show me your skill. I’ll protect you."

Sefi bit her lip, then nodded quickly. "Okay!"

The lightning surged, snapping and twisting wildly around her. The unstable energy made her stagger, sweat forming on her brow. Her voice trembled. "I-I can’t... I’ve reached my limit..."

Julian’s eyes narrowed as he studied her, analyzing every movement, every spark.

’Is it her lack of control? Or maybe she’s never held her skill this long before...’

Before the lightning consumed her completely, he stepped in, his own power flaring. With one swift motion, he absorbed the chaotic energy into himself, snuffing out the crackling storm around her.

Sefi collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily, her hands trembling as the last sparks flickered out.

Julian crouched down slightly, his tone firm yet not unkind. "It seems I’ll have to push you harder in training."

Sefi gave a weak, nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. "... p-please go easy on me, Master..."

Julian stood in front of Sefi, his gaze sharp yet steady with conviction. "If you want to control your lightning, you have to learn to contain it, even when your body screams in pain."

Sefi swallowed hard, nervousness written all over her face. "H-how much will it hurt...?"

Julian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he released a flicker of electricity from his hand, showing how the energy could be condensed and directed into just one palm. "Enough to make your body tremble, enough to make you want to quit. But if you don’t go through this, your skill will always betray you."

Sefi nodded, though her face had gone pale. "I... I’ll try."

"Good," Julian said, stepping back a few paces. "This time, don’t release your lightning into the air. Hold it inside your body. Let the energy press against you, and control your breathing. Focus."

Sefi took a deep breath and reactivated her skill. Sparks of yellow wrapped around her body, denser than before. Her legs trembled under the strain. "M-master... it feels like I’m burning from the inside..."

Julian didn’t move to help her. His voice was firm. "Endure it. Listen to your body. Don’t fight the current, direct it. Control it, or it will control you."

Sefi whimpered, her arms shaking violently as arcs of lightning shot toward the ground, shattering a nearby stone. Her eyes watered. "I... I can’t...!"