Chapter 6: The Flames of the Sun
The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Goro stretched his arms and sat up, a wide grin spreading across his face.
"I finally mastered Lunar Shield," he muttered to himself, still feeling the lingering energy from last night's training.
Ryusei, who was sprawled out on the floor, groggily rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Damn, already a month since Jophiel appeared. Time flies, huh?"
"It's been intense," Goro admitted. "But I feel stronger."
Jophiel stood in the corner, his usual calm demeanor unwavering. "That's good, but there is no time to relax," the angel said. "Today, we begin training in Solar Energy—fire manipulation. This is one of the most crucial abilities in your arsenal, Goro. You must master it."
"Fire, huh?" Goro clenched his fists, already imagining the power of the sun flowing through him.
Meanwhile, Ryusei was leaning against the wall, looking as lazy as ever. "Tch, sounds like more work," he muttered.
Jophiel ignored his complaints. "The first lesson will be Solar Punch—a strike infused with the sun's flames and aura."
Goro's eyes widened. "So, basically, setting my fists on fire?"
"More than that," Jophiel corrected. "The sun's energy is not just fire. It's power, destruction, and life. Mastering Solar Punch means controlling an unstoppable force. Now, focus."
Goro took a deep breath, centering himself. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth inside him. He imagined the burning core of the sun, its flames flowing through his veins. His hand tingled, and suddenly—whoosh! A flickering orange aura engulfed his fist.
He grinned. "Hell yeah!"
Ryusei, who had been watching, yawned. "Cool, cool. Anyway, I'm still working on my Asteroid Blast."
Uriel, Ryusei's angelic mentor, suddenly spoke. "How about a sparring match?"
Goro and Ryusei turned to look at him.
"A spar?" Goro repeated.
Ryusei smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Oh, now that sounds fun. I'm gonna kick Goro's ass."
Jophiel nodded. "Fine. Let's test your progress. Goro versus Ryusei. No holding back."
The two boys stepped forward, stretching and preparing. The air around them grew tense as they faced each other.
"You ready, asteroid boy?" Goro teased.
"Shut up, solar loser," Ryusei shot back.
"Begin!"
Ryusei dashed forward first, launching a rapid punch. Goro dodged effortlessly, but Ryusei suddenly leaped into the air and spun behind him. Before Goro could react, Ryusei grabbed him from behind and suplexed him into the ground.
"HA! Take that!" Ryusei laughed.
Goro groaned but quickly rolled away, flames surging from his fists. He jumped to his feet and countered with a blazing Solar Punch.
Boom!
The explosion of fire sent Ryusei stumbling backward. His eyes widened in shock. "O-oi, that was HOT!"
Goro grinned. "That's the point, dumbass."
He wasn't done yet. Goro raised his hands, summoning his Lunar Field—a technique that increased the moon's gravity around his opponent, slowing them down.
Ryusei felt his body grow heavy, his movements sluggish. "Shit, this again?!"
Before he could escape, Goro struck with Lunar Punch, slamming him into the ground.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Ryusei groaned, rolling over. "Okay, okay, I admit it! You're strong, man!"
Goro smirked. "Damn right."
Ryusei suddenly jumped up and sucker-punched him with an Asteroid Punch. "But I ain't weak either, skinny!"
Goro staggered back, glaring. "Oh, you wanna go again?"
The two immediately started grappling and wrestling like idiots, throwing playful punches at each other. Their "serious spar" quickly turned into a goofy, childish fight, much to the disappointment of their angels.
Jophiel sighed. "These two…"
Uriel smirked. "At least they're enjoying themselves."
As the two boys continued roughhousing, the sun slowly began to set, casting a golden hue over their battlefield.
The real fights were still far ahead of them—but for now, they were simply two friends, growing stronger together.