The Path Of A True King.-Chapter 35: Jack Vs Lucas.

Chapter 74:

The forest stood silent under a veil of morning mist.

Dew clung to the leaves, glistening under soft rays of light that filtered through the canopy.

Birds chirped distantly, and a soft breeze rustled the tall grass, but in one part of the forest—a clearing marked by cracked earth and broken trunks—there was only tension.

Jack stood at the center of this training ground, his tall frame relaxed but alert.

Around him, faint traces of Ki flickered like embers around a fire, reacting to his presence.

The atmosphere, despite the beauty of the woods, was heavy with anticipation.

Across from him stood Lucas slightly shorter, leaner, but equally focused.

His breathing was measured, but his eyes betrayed a cocktail of excitement and nerves.

This was more than a sparring match to him.

A chance to stand against someone who was the strongest in the gang... and someone who he feared.

Jack cracked his knuckles, shaking his hands loosely before letting them fall to his sides.

A calm, confident smile tugged at the edge of his lips.

"Fair warning, Lucas," Jack said, his voice carrying a quiet authority.

"You’ve only just reached Intermediate Knight level. That means your ability to sense Ki is still raw. That alone cuts your chances by 30%."

Lucas’s eyes narrowed slightly but he didn’t speak.

Jack continued, voice rising with power. "Second—I’ve got more experience than you by a long mile. And lastly..."

His smile twisted into a wolfish grin.

"...I am a BEAST."

As the final word echoed through the trees, Jack’s entire body flared with golden Ki, illuminating the fog with a fierce brilliance.

Before Lucas could brace himself, Jack vanished.

No sound, no warning—just motion too fast for the eye to follow.

BOOM!

A colossal fist emerged from the blur and hurtled toward Lucas’s face.

Instinctively, he raised his arms to block, forming an X across his head.

CRACK!

The force of the blow was unreal. It felt like being hit by a speeding truck.

Lucas was launched backward, his body slamming through the air before he crashed into a thick tree trunk.

Bark and splinters flew as the tree absorbed the impact—then cracked and began to fall.

But Jack was already there.

Without pausing, he launched a spinning kick toward Lucas’s ribs.

Lucas, acting more on instinct than skill, rolled out of the way just in time.

CRASH!

The kick missed him but connected with the tree.

It split in half like it was made of glass, crashing to the ground in a heap.

Lucas winced, eyes wide. What kind of speed... and strength is this?

No time for fear.

He forced his body to move.

Twisting, he launched into a roundhouse kick aimed at Jack’s temple.

His leg connected, but—

Jack didn’t flinch.

Not even a twitch.

Instead, Jack looked at him, eyes sharp and voice cool. "Stop playing around and show me, Lucas."

Lucas leapt back, breathing heavier.

A green aura flared to life around his body—his own Ki, stable.

His lips curled into a smirk.

"Don’t cry when I land a hit," he said.

Jack just grinned, responding with a playful yet dangerous glint in his eyes.

They both vanished from their spots—blurs of light and motion.

When they collided in the center of the clearing, the very air cried out.

Wind exploded outward in a shockwave, causing nearby trees to bend and leaves to scatter.

Fists clashed mid-air like thunderclaps.

Lucas shifted his momentum mid-strike, redirecting Jack’s power and sliding under his guard.

He surged forward with a fist glowing bright with Ki, aiming straight for Jack’s face.

But Jack moved faster—catching the fist mid-air with one hand, and delivering a crushing knee into Lucas’s abdomen.

WHUMP.

Lucas gasped, coughing violently as pain radiated through his gut.

Jack released him, sending him skidding backward across the dirt.

"You need to learn how to sense Ki, or you’ll never push me hard enough to go all out," Jack said, voice calm, almost like a teacher explaining a concept.

Lucas struggled to stand, wiping blood from his lip. "Then teach me."

Jack nodded, walking closer. "Most people start by sensing only their own Ki—feeling it inside their body like a pulse. But to truly sense others, you have to reach outward. Extend your awareness. Feel the intent in their movements, the pressure in the air."

He scratched his head. "Kai had a more technical explanation, but I can’t remember it. Ask him later."

Lucas closed his eyes, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth.

He felt the world—the rustling leaves, the trembling earth, and...

There.

Jack’s Ki.

It was like standing near a wildfire.

Hot.

Intense.

Alive.

"I think I’m starting to feel it," Lucas whispered.

Jack smiled. "Good. Then you’ll understand this next move."

Before Lucas could react, Jack stepped onto his foot—the very leg Lucas had been preparing to use.

He was one step ahead.

"If you’re good enough," Jack said, "you’ll see what they’re about to do... before they even do it."

WHAM!

Jack’s fist came crashing down.

But something changed.

Lucas’s eyes flared green.

His Ki surged violently, reacting on instinct.

He twisted his body, catching Jack’s wrist mid-strike—and then he struck.

BOOM!

A powerful punch connected with Jack’s jaw, echoing through the forest.

Jack’s head snapped to the side, and for the first time, a flicker of pain crossed his face.

Lucas didn’t stop.

With a roar, he unleashed a flurry of punches—fast, precise, and fueled by raw Ki.

His fists became a blur, hammering Jack’s upper body with relentless force.

Every strike landed like a cannonball.

He grabbed Jack’s arm, twisted, and hurled him across the clearing.

Jack’s massive frame crashed into the ground, skidding through dirt and rock.

Lucas stood panting, sweat dripping from his brow, aura flaring like a green flame. His skin is tough as hell... but I can hurt him.

Jack sat up slowly, chuckling, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "That... was the Burst Technique, wasn’t it?"

Lucas nodded, trying to catch his breath. "Yeah... burns a lot of Ki though."

"I figured," Jack said, getting to his feet, eyes blazing with pride.

"The sudden spike in your speed and power... impressive. Caught me off guard."

The two locked eyes.

In unspoken agreement, they raised their guards.

The ground around them trembled as both began channeling Ki again—this time deeper.

More refined.

The Burst Technique—a high-level combat form derived from the second stage of the Crop Breathing Technique.

Only Vice Leaders had access to it.

For both of them to use it here was dangerous.

But neither backed down.

Their auras exploded.

Jack’s golden light blazed like the sun—wild and overwhelming.

Lucas’s green energy coiled around him like a living serpent—focused and sharp.

Then they clashed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fists collided with earth-shattering force.

Each blow sent shockwaves ripping through the forest, throwing up clouds of dust.

Their movements became so fast they were nearly invisible—flickering through the clearing like ghosts, appearing only when their strikes met.

Jack grinned like a madman. "Now THIS is a fight."

Lucas, sweat dripping down his face, eyes still burning green, smirked. "Try to keep up, beast."

Neither of them noticed the ground cracking beneath their feet—or the growing presence in the forest watching them from afar.