Ultima's Bite!

The weekend meant one thing—training.

April didn't waste time. The moment Saturday morning came, she was already in the underground training facility beneath the Hollow.

The others had their own routines. Jax was off running combat drills. Saya was meditating, fine-tuning her Gear's abilities. Kai and Dante were sparring.

April?

She was pushing herself past her limits.

She stood in the center of the training hall, her breathing steady. The walls around her were lined with reinforced steel, made to withstand extreme force. Perfect for what she was about to do.

She exhaled slowly, reaching up to touch the back of her head.

Her sigil—the angel wing-shaped mark—felt warm under her fingertips. A reminder of how much stronger she had become. But not enough. Not yet.

Jax's words echoed in her mind.

"For you to pass the next barrier, your Gear has to tell you its official name. The name that defines it. Only then will you reach the next stage."

April clenched her fists. She wasn't there yet. But she would be.

She activated her Gear.

A pulse of energy rippled through her body, a familiar yet untamed force. She needed to refine it. Control it.

Push it further.

She shifted into a stance. Training dummies—reinforced with combat AI—activated around her, their red eyes glowing.

April smirked.

"Come on, then."

The first dummy lunged. April sidestepped effortlessly, her movements fluid. She twisted, bringing her elbow down onto its back. The metal groaned under the impact as the dummy hit the ground.

The second came from behind. April reacted instantly—ducking, spinning, striking. A precise kick sent it crashing into the wall.

She didn't stop.

More dummies activated, increasing their speed.

April adjusted. Her Gear pulsed, sharpening her reflexes. Every movement was exact. Every hit was calculated.

But it wasn't enough.

She needed more.

The dummies recalibrated, their attacks coming faster, stronger. April dodged, countered, but she felt the strain.

Then—

Pain.

A dummy managed to land a glancing hit on her ribs. Not enough to do real damage, but enough to remind her—

She was still holding back.

April exhaled sharply. No more limits.

She reached for more.

Energy surged through her, stronger than before. Her movements blurred. She struck with impossible speed, dismantling the dummies one by one.

She wasn't fighting anymore.

She was dominating.

Within moments, the last dummy crumbled to the ground.

Silence.

April stood there, breath steady, heart pounding. The air around her felt different.

She reached up, touching her sigil again. It was glowing.

And then—

A voice.

Calm, yet powerful.

"You are ready."

April's eyes widened.

Then everything shifted.