In a brightly lit room on the upper floor of the hidden Alexanderia complex, Alexander Vane sat across from Kurana Alexanderia at a polished wooden table. The older man, dressed in a crisp black shirt with sleeves rolled up, moved his pieces with calm precision. Alexander Vane, leaning forward with focused eyes, tried another aggressive push with his remaining pieces, only to watch as Kurana effortlessly blocked and countered, capturing another set of checkers.
"Checkmate again," Kurana said smoothly, his voice carrying quiet amusement. "That's seven in a row, Vane."
Alexander Vane exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're impossible to read. Every time I think I have an opening, you close it before I even move." He reset the board with a small smile, though frustration was clear in his posture. Kurana simply leaned back, lighting a cigarette as another game began. The sound of pieces clicking filled the elegant room while they continued their endless matches.
---
In the complete opposite wing of the facility, the training chamber was pitch black. No windows, no lights — only darkness so thick it felt alive. Akshat Aether stood completely naked, every piece of his clothing torn away during the brutal days of training. Blood trickled from multiple cuts across his chest, arms, and thighs. His V-shaped back muscles were clearly visible even in the dark, sculpted and tensed from exhaustion. His peak human physique — broad shoulders, defined abs, powerful legs — showed the raw toll of fighting without proper meals for days. His breathing was ragged but controlled.
A terrifying smile cut through the darkness on the other side of the room. Adeline Alexanderia adjusted her brass knuckles, the metal glinting faintly as she shifted her stance. She had some wounds of her own — a split lip and bruises on her arms — but nothing as deep or numerous as Akshat's.
**Akshat's POV:**
*That bastard Kurana called this "easy training"? Fucking hell.* Akshat thought, wiping blood from his mouth. His body screamed for rest, but he forced himself to listen. The faint sound of Adeline's footsteps echoed softly. She had already mastered fighting in total darkness. Every shift of air, every subtle breath gave her an edge.
He heard her move again — left side. Akshat pivoted, fists raised.
"You trained with Shogun Kurogami, right?" Adeline's voice came from the shadows, calm and teasing.
"Yeah," Akshat replied, breathing heavily. "330 matches. He won every single one. Only managed one stalemate."
Adeline let out a low whistle. "Out of 100 matches against him, I've only won 7. And I'm family. That one stalemate of yours… it says a lot."
Akshat was genuinely shocked. If Adeline, who clearly knew how to fight in these conditions, had only won seven times against Kurogami, then his own record made the demonic bodyguard seem almost untouchable. The fact that he had even forced one stalemate suddenly felt heavier.
Adeline attacked without warning. Her brass knuckles whistled through the air. Akshat barely dodged, feeling the wind on his bare skin. She was fast — precise, adapting instantly to the darkness. For several long minutes they clashed blindly. Punches landed on both sides. Akshat took a hard hit to his ribs that made him grunt in pain, but he kept moving, relying on instinct and sound.
Slowly, he started catching her rhythm. The way she favored her right side after a feint. The slight pause before she committed to a heavy strike. Akshat waited for the next opening, then lunged. He grabbed her arm mid-punch, twisted hard, and delivered a powerful strike to her midsection. Adeline gasped, stumbling back before hitting the ground.
The fight ended there.
Adeline sat on the cold floor, catching her breath. "He was right about you," she said, voice slightly strained but impressed. "You don't have any fixed fighting style. That makes you a blank paper on which anyone can paint. But that's the main point — the blank paper is resistant to colors. You adapt. That's dangerous."
Akshat stood over her, chest heaving, blood still dripping from fresh wounds. The darkness pressed in around them.
Suddenly, bright lights flooded the room.
The overhead panels flared to life, revealing the full scene. Akshat Aether stood completely naked in the center of the training chamber, every cut, bruise, and muscle on full display. His powerful physique glistened under the harsh light — broad chest, defined V-line, and his thick shaft hanging heavily between his strong thighs, still semi-hard from the adrenaline of battle.
Adeline Alexanderia sat defeated on the ground a few feet away, legs spread slightly as she looked up. Her eyes traveled slowly up his body before locking onto his exposed body. She didn't look away immediately. Her gaze lingered, pupils slightly dilated, taking in the full sight of his naked form — the blood streaks running down his abs, the way his muscles flexed with each breath, and especially the heavy, impressive length between his legs.
A heavy, tense silence filled the room. Adeline's tongue unconsciously darted out to wet her split lip as she continued staring directly at his shaft, the intensity of the moment shifting from combat to something far more charged.
Akshat didn't move to cover himself. He simply stood there, breathing hard, eyes locked on hers as the lights remained blindingly bright.