Spectacular World

Rivals

A few weeks ago...

She hit the ground and rolled across it, letting out a soft groan. Slowly, she picked herself up off the ground and gritted her teeth.

"Maybe we should call it here." Mr. Larison said casually.

"No!" She shook her head and looked back up at her mentor. "Again!" She demanded. "I need to get stronger! A whole lot stronger! You said it yourself!"

It had been a full week since she and Max Lightning had gone back in time. That adventure had opened her eyes up. She was really a Lord, the real deal. Yet despite holding that title most fights she got into, she nearly lost or barely squeaked out a win. It was no wonder no one suspected she was the Lord. She was so weak.

"Look, kid. It's fine to want to get stronger, but don't force your body to do things it can't." Jack sighed and folded his arms. Golden lightning seeped out of the man's flesh, crackling in the air around them. "The power has to come out as a need, not a desire."

Hope nodded numbly and dusted some of the sand off of her. They were back in the junkyard training some more. Mr. Larison had put up another barrier that would ensure no humans could hear or see what they were doing. He was showing her a bit more of his fighting style. Namely, takedown moves or other such things. He had been so cool saying how he was going to turn her into a Lord, yet when the training actually started the man seemed to have gotten cold feet. She could tell he was being way too gentle. She didn't need gentle, though.

The Victorian just by existing, inspired hope across the planet. If she wanted to reach the same level as that woman, then she'd need to get a whole lot stronger.

"You said you were really good with a sword, right?" Hope asked,d rubbing her busted lip.

"Yeah?" The man shrugged his shoulders, and for a moment, a flicker of blue danced across his aura as he created a jagged claymore forged from blue energy. He placed it over his shoulder. "As a kid, I was forced to learn how to use it."

"Could you teach me how to use one?" She asked sheepishly. "I think it would be so cool to have my own giant sword like the Victorian uses!"

Jack rubbed his chin and shrugged. "I mean, I could, though I don't know how much it would help. You do have fire-based powers and have made a sword once with your elements, so it's possible. I don't know if a sword would suit you best, though."

"What do you mean?" She asked, a little bummed out.

"Some people are just better suited for different things," Jack explained. "You're more of a striker and have been practicing punches this entire time. Knowing different ways of fighting is good, but it's best to master something first before you move on. That said, it could still be good to teach you a thing or two. How good at controlling your fire are you?"

"I've made it take shapes before and do things that fire normally can't." She looked down at her hand, watching the fire swirl around. "Like in my fight with Polaron, where I made that sword. Sometimes, my fire also doesn't burn and seems almost like a physical object." She had created a ball of fire and was able to grab and throw it in her fight with Saw Head, and her sword had seemed like a real object able to cut Polaron. It was as if she could make her fire solid and control how much she wanted it to burn, though each time had been done on instinct. "I never created something complex without having my hair be in its golden form." She finished.

Jack nodded his head. "Then that's what we should work on. That form is called a Battle Mode. It's something all Lords have. You get a huge surge of power and gain strength beyond anything most Supers can reach. That said, it's draining and can put a mental toll on you. It's sort of like the Lord's version of Inverting their power. I wouldn't recommend using it in front of people, as it'll instantly tell them you're a Lord. That said, if your life is in danger, then go ahead."