Maria tests out the full capabilities of her power while I continue to attempt peering into her Soul Energy core to figure out what this pulsing sensation really is.
In between our exchanges, she feels multiple times weaker than the moment before our attacks collide.
I even test out using my other elements with telekinesis to throw multiple projectiles her way from varying angles while our main focus of a sword clash continues on.
The pulses in her aura allow for ice walls to form even separated from her body, mimicking the same increase in strength for a split second upon impact.
While it feels like matching a mid-level True Core is her maximum, every minute that passes during this clash adds small amounts of power to her base.
Thousands of new links are being formed all over the Dark Continent and 8 Great Regions, and the rate at which word spreads increases more and more about the extravagant perks granted to those that create links.
This allows an increasing amount of stats to be borrowed, slowly amping up the battle more with every collision.
I can feel her movements become fluid and instinctual, however, I can sense small amounts of the beginning stages of early divine energy poisoning along with mental and physical fatigue building up. The rate that it does increases drastically after each of the unexplainable core pulses.
I'm not too concerned, as with a few hours in hibernation using my skill, paired with Abby's restoration skill and a passive use of my self-regeneration skill, I'm sure she'll be fine. However, that takes time and brings us out of the flow state of training, so I want to hold it off for as long as possible and soak up as much experience as we can right now.
To make sure we don't completely overdo it, after about half an hour passes, we both stop and take a break, floating above the desert, but neither of us powers down our auras just yet.
The sun is beginning to set, and the mental clock in my head ticks away.
Once it rises again, there is only going to be one day left before the big three come to the Dark Continent.
Abby will be breaking through to her yellow core soon, and Ember should begin compressing his True Core by the time the sun rises too.
While it feels like I have limitless power at my fingertips, gaining 30x more stats than Maria has right now, I want to make sure I've done everything in my power to become stronger while there's still time left.
As these thoughts race through my mind, I feel a familiar True Core's aura approaching from the southern volcanic region while Maria speaks up and points her greater form's sword my way.
"Ready to go again? I can feel it, I'm on the verge of unlocking this odd sensation in my core... I just need a little more battle experience at this level."
I think to myself for a moment, picturing the pulses that only activate for fractions of a second at a time, then reply.
"I think you need someone closer to your strength to fight you. You're still subconsciously holding back and know I won't actually injure you. This was enough to get you used to this new power, but we're going to need to bring it up a notch if you want to have a breakthrough."
Maria raises a question back.
"Your greater form? There's no way— not yet—"
I smile and shake my head.
"No, something different. Get ready for a real fight. There's someone I want you to meet."
As Maria's gaze sharpens, I form a telepathy link with the True Core flying my way, and before I can even say a word, Raven's voice comes through.
"What's going on? Do we have trouble? This pressure is like nothing I've ever felt before. I can't tell— it doesn't feel like a True Core, but this is overwhelming mana control... Who— or what—"
I can't help but grin while I respond through our link.
"Come here and find out. It's about time you meet the people you'll be fighting beside."
With my perception covering almost a full third of the globe, I watch Raven's expression shift to one of confusion.
"This is one of your teammates? They weren't even orange cores the last I saw them. You're telling me this is a newly awakened's aura...?"
I reply as I feel her getting within visual range, now I'm positive Raven can see both of us.
"I'll make you tap first!"
"No way, Jay is going to have to save you before me!"
Every dozen or so strikes, I hear them yell something new through our telepathy channel, and I watch both of their bodies become riddled with near-fatal injuries.
Blue and yellow slashes glow all over Raven's greater form, while Maria's becomes riddled with True Core yellow threads as well.
I send telepathy transmissions to all my doubles and have them all stop what they're doing and go farm pure mana from the artificial mountains to bring it to me fast. No matter who wins this battle, the aftermath isn't going to be pretty for either one of them.
However, I'm mesmerized by the sight before me as the sun sets completely, and the sky overhead becomes dark.
The massive light show in the sky here makes it basically as bright as day.
While earlier, I didn't want to push Maria too far with our training, as we may have to give everything we have in a war in just one day; now I don't dare stop the sight before my eyes.
Both the women before me are improving at a rapid rate, while the emotional auras rippling out of them shift as well.
Before it was unease, skeptical, jealous, and borderline hateful emotions in the air, but now there is great respect for each other being shared through every collision.
There's only so much I can extrapolate from just watching; their blades connecting tell a deeper story between the two of them. They've come to some kind of understanding.
This shift has also led to far more frequent pulses in Maria's core, and instead of raw, eerie, mysterious power, they feel far more controlled, and the power being used each time is just enough to block or counterattack rather than wasting it in a pulse of intimidation through her surroundings.
I'm still not quite sure what she's tapping into, as there is no description for it in the system, but whatever it is, she's beginning to figure it out; so I'll learn in time too, and maybe I'll be able to do the same with my Soul Energy Core.
Another twenty minutes pass, and the final rays of sunlight disappear from the horizon, while there are so many injuries covering the two women's bodies the residue is enough to light up the sky.
It's been a few minutes since either of them has improved any further, but they're still going at it, matching each other's attacks, and always finding a way to avoid a fatal blow, so I never have to step in.
Their movements even seem to be slowing, and at the same time, I feel my doubles coming near but stopping about 100 kilometers away because the divine aura is too strong for pure mana manifestations to survive in.
As the day comes to a close, even the links of loyalty have slowed down their rising as there is far less socializing at this time of night.
The atmosphere changes as everyone knows this battle is coming to an end, and simultaneously, Raven and Maria both charge their greater forms' blades for what looks like a final attack.
The eerie aura comes back while Raven completely disappears, and the jet black night sky above, paired with the endless abyss of a crater below, adds to the ambiance.
As they both charge at each other, ready to kill, my instincts tell me this is where I need to step in, and attempting to get in the center of this clash might actually be quite deadly if I just use the form I'm in now.
While I am a few times stronger than them, these two attacks that are about to collide are the culmination of a life-or-death battle where they've both used up their last bits of power and desperation for a final strike. Neither wants to lose.
I fly forward and pull up my rising emperor's domain interface and select just 1% of all stats and all mana control for over 5.5 million links of loyalty, matching the boost that Maria has right now
Maria's densest blue sword strike is swung toward Raven's neck and Raven's most precise and deadly swing of her silver blades is thrust through the divine stealth pocket dimension using her True Core's perk to aim right for Maria's heart.
At the same time, I feel over 5 million stat points per stat rush into my status. My eyes widen as it feels like time is slowing down around me, and my vision somehow becomes far more clear, making me thankful I didn't decide to pull more than 1%, because that might actually have been more dangerous than helpful at such close range.
It feels easier than breathing to create mana barriers that surround both of them, blocking these strikes like a twig hitting a metal wall.
At the same time, I let out a light pulse of intimidation to stop them from hurting themselves on the barriers I've created.
The final attacks that would have ended this battle in a draw are stopped moments before they can be fatal.
Both women pass out instantly, and their greater forms fade away to show faint smiles on both their faces.