[27] "The next opponent"

[In Germany, a few days later]

Two elegantly dressed young men are inside a small house.

Ares, holding a glass of drink, asks Kayden, "How are your challenges going?"

Kayden sets aside his food and responds, "Not very well. They still don't accept them. I hope someone does soon."

"You made me nervous in the last battles, kid. I told you that in that range of the world's top, I have many enemies who don't dare seek revenge against me, but they'll find any other method to do so." Kayden smiles devilishly and says, "That's how it's done. Defeat your opponents thoroughly."

Ares nods and adds, "I decided the fight with a powerful final attack. I didn't have much energy, so it was the best option at that moment."

Kayden replied, "That's what you have to do, defeat your opponent when they least expect it."

Ares asked, "Master, what will you be doing in the meantime? Why did you ask me to come here?"

Kayden laughs and responds, "I asked you to come here because I recently learned some interesting news. I know where Gero Schäfer is, and I thought you might be interested in facing him."

"Gero Schäfer? Who is he?" asked Ares, puzzled.

"Hahaha, of course you wouldn't know him. He's an awakened individual who considers himself quite strong in the world. A decade ago, he was ranked 45th in the world ranking," explained Kayden.

"The 45th rank? Did he retire? Do you want me to face an old man?" asked Ares, dissatisfied.

"Hahaha, let me finish," said Kayden, laughing.

"Alright," replied Ares.

"He retired at the age of 60, but not because he was defeated, but because he suddenly vanished from the world's sight. At that time, it was believed he was dead," explained Kayden.

"But he reappeared a few years later when an organization in Germany wanted to destroy the organization led by his grandson," continued Kayden calmly.

"The result surprised the world because the organization disappeared overnight, and some said it was him," concluded Kayden.

"Oh... my mistake when we face him," said Ares, eager to fight.

"That's the spirit, but you'll face him in four months. It's said he created a zone where awakened people train," said Kayden.

"An academy?" asked Ares.

....

[3 months later]

Ares staggered to a halt, his body covered in sweat as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Ugh... ugh... ugh..." he gasped.

"It's time to go. We need to find Gero Schäfer," said Kayden.

"Do you have any idea where the island is?" asked Ares, his control over his powers wavering.

"Yes, I know where it is. We just have to reach it by sea. It's completely disconnected from the rest of the world," replied Kayden.

"Alright, I'll rest for a day, and then we'll set off," said Ares, trying to regain his composure.

[A few days later]

[In a part of the island]

The area they were in was a wonder for the senses, with beautiful landscapes that seemed to be taken from a fairy tale. On the horizon, a magnificent medieval construction could be seen, with its tall towers and stone walls that seemed to touch the sky.

In one of the rooms of the building, a bald elderly man with a large mustache and white beard, dressed formally, sat behind a desk, with a large number of documents scattered across the surface. His bright yellow eyes scrutinized each of the papers with great attention, as if searching for something specific.

Silence reigned in the room, interrupted only by the sound of the old man's quill scratching the parchment as he wrote notes in the margins of the documents.

'Phew... Phew... The paperwork is exhausting. Even in retirement, I can't rest,' thought the elderly Gero Schäfer as he leaned back in his seat. He swiveled his chair to face the large window and contemplated the breathtaking view of the island.

'Since I joined Frame, I decided to disappear from the world and focus on my training and that of my disciple,' he reflected. 'But... how did my location leak?' he thought, but suddenly, a loud explosion reverberated throughout the island, shaking the building and snapping the old man out of his thoughts.

The explosion had caught Gero Schäfer completely by surprise, but he quickly recovered and swiftly rose from his seat.

Focusing all his attention on the direction of the attack, he wondered, "Are we under attack?"

Without wasting any more time, he headed towards the site of the conflict, determined to find out what was happening and protect his home. His mind was filled with questions. 'Who are the attackers? How did they get here without being detected?'

....

Two figures were surrounded by lifeless bodies as dozens of onlookers watched from a distance.

"Who are they?. They don't know who they're messing with," said one defiant person.

"You will die here," added another with an evil smile.

Ares quickly grew bored with the situation. "These are just ants. I have to finish this quickly," he said disdainfully.

His body began to emit a powerful aura, causing the people around him to...

Suddenly, beams of light started to generate from above them, descending from the sky at great speed and colliding with everyone present.

A massive explosion erupted, shaking and illuminating the entire island.

"Mere insignificant ants," Ares said with contempt.

Kayden knew that the commotion they had caused would attract Gero Schäfer's attention.

"I hope he arrives soon. I want to fight him and see how powerful he is," Ares said eagerly.

"You'll find out soon enough," Kayden replied with an evil smile.

A figure descended from the sky, cracking the surface of the earth.

"Guys, by causing a commotion in my territory, you know the consequences," said Gero Schäfer with a dissatisfied voice.

"I wanted to challenge you, finally you appear," said Ares.

"Challenge?" Gero Schäfer asked.

"Harassment, don't you know who you're messing with?" an angry Gero Schäfer replied.

"Of course I do," Ares responded, staring at Gero Schäfer intently.

Gero Schäfer stopped paying attention to the boy and looked at the young man beside him.

"Are you Kayden Break, or am I mistaken?" Gero Schäfer asked.

"Hahahaha, yes, I am Kayden," Kayden replied.

Gero Schäfer looked back at the young man with white hair in front of him.

"I see why you're so confident. Although I don't pay much attention to the outside world, Kayden Break is a very famous name, and I suppose you're Ares Seo, the Emperor of Light," Gero Schäfer said.

'This will be a 2 v/s 1 problem,' Gero thought.

"You came to challenge me, then," Gero Schäfer said with a clear tone of displeasure.

"Yes," Ares said, looking at Kayden.

"I'll leave you to fight in peace," Kayden said as he walked away from the scene, leaving the two figures face to face.

"Boy, don't you think you're too confident?" Gero Schäfer said with a big smile. 'Well, this will make things easier. I'll take care of Ares first, and then Kayden.'

In an instant, Gero Schäfer released a grayish-brown aura that covered the entire island.

(Spatial Isolation)

"Let's see what you're made of, boy," Gero Schäfer said.

….

1205 words.

Next chapter "confrontation"

[A/N: Today I had things to do, but in a few hours I'll upload another chapter.]