A Path To Omniscience

Hearing Magnus was ready, Weiss adjusted her stance. Her posture remained confident, but a flicker of hesitation lingered in her eyes.

He wants to fight me using my aura because of that device he's wearing. But what if it doesn't work properly? I don't want to accidentally injure him—especially with both of us using actual swords.

Her fingers tightened on the hilt of the sword in her hand. 

Then again, like Whitley said, he wouldn't ask for this if he didn't think he could handle it.

The internal conflict raged for a few seconds before she exhaled deeply, closing her eyes to steady herself. When they reopened, her gaze fixed on Magnus with a sharper focus. She resolved not to underestimate him—but she wouldn't unleash her full strength from the start either. She needed to see what his so-called O.M.N.I. Frame was truly capable of.

"Alright, here I come," she called out, launching into motion.

Weiss took a single, deliberate step forward. Unlike their previous duels, this one step carried enough force to propel her forward in a blur. Her speed was inhuman, her figure flickering across the field faster than the eye could track. Even the sound of her heels striking the grass seemed out of sync with her movements.

From the sidelines, Whitley folded his arms, his attention shifting to Magnus.

How are you going to keep up with her when she's moving like that?

It was a question he silently asked himself as much as his sister. Weiss circled Magnus three times in rapid succession, her movements as fluid as a gust of wind. Then, without warning, she lunged from behind, her blade arm drawing back in preparation for a precision jab. She planned to feint at the last moment—but didn't get the chance.

Magnus reacted.

His body twisted sharply, his sword cutting through the air as he spun. Metal clashed with metal, a cascade of sparks erupting between the blades. Weiss's strike was intercepted and deflected downward, her weapon pinned to the ground by Magnus's unyielding force. Their swords locked, and Weiss found herself momentarily held in place. She glanced up and met his gaze.

"My visors are equipped with high-speed image sensors," Magnus explained, his voice steady.

"I've seen how fast you move. No normal human can keep up with that. But the predictive tracking algorithm I developed? It can." He pressed his blade down harder, reinforcing the lock. Weiss struggled against him, but it was like pushing against a steel column.

As she applied more force, she noticed the O.M.N.I. Frame on his arm shifted subtly—its segmented components locking into place. The electromagnetic brakes in each piece engaged, distributing the strain across his frame. The skeleton on his arms alone could bear up to half a ton of pressure with ease. Combined with the rest of the suit, it could withstand up to two tons without issue—and that was before even pushing the system to full power.

Against a licensed Huntsman or a trained academy student, this might not be enough they'd exceed a few tons of force easily. But Weiss isn't at that level and doesn't rely on brute strength. She's fast—relying on precision and agility. Which means her next move will be...

Right on cue, Weiss shifted her weight, abandoning the contest of strength. She retreated in a burst of speed, aiming to slip into Asher's blind spot. With her aura fully active, a single backstep carried her over ten meters in an instant. But the gap she tried to create didn't last long.

Asher was already moving. Staying low to the ground, he surged forward the moment she fell back.

It wasn't just reaction—he had anticipated her retreat entirely. With precise shifts in his stance and a series of quick steps, he mirrored Weiss's pace, staying locked directly in front of her.

"What? How did you-" Weiss's eyes widened in surprise as Asher's sword arced toward her legs mid-retreat. She had no room to dodge. Forced to stop abruptly, she brought her blade down to block. A sharp clang split the air, the force of the impact rattling through both weapons.

Weiss quickly found her footing, but as soon as she steadied herself, Asher was gone. It was disorienting. He seemed to vanish only to reappear behind her as if he were running along an invisible track that encircled her in a perfect arc.

Weiss reacted purely on instinct, angling her blade to protect her back before she could even turn around. The next strike connected regardless, delivering enough power to send her hurtling forward.

She adjusted mid-air, flipping her body forward. Using her free hand as a springboard, she planted it into the ground to vault back onto her feet. Her landing was seamless, her momentum carrying her into a spin as she skidded across the yard. Stray blades of grass kicked up around her, her face hardening into a focused frown.

Weiss had fought Asher plenty of times and come out on top. She had grown accustomed to his fighting style, even predicting his moves. While his swordsmanship showed clear signs of rapid improvement, even surpassing hers, her speed had always tipped the scales in her favor.

But not this time. This time, the pressure was relentless.

Before she could fully recover, Asher was already closing in. He moved faster than any human had a right to, his speed amplified beyond anything she'd seen from him before.

Weiss gritted her teeth and pushed off the ground, leaping into the air. Just as she cleared the space between them, Asher's blade carved through where she'd been standing. The force of the slash rippled through the grass below, sending waves across the field as though it were water.

Weiss finally activated her semblance. A white glyph materialized beneath her midair, halting her descent and allowing her to stand in the air as though on solid ground. Her breathing was labored, and her chest rose and fell as she steadied herself. Asher looked up at her but made no move to give chase.

Even with the O.M.N.I Frame's capabilities, there was little point in throwing himself into the territory of an opponent with an aerial advantage.

"I didn't realize you could still use your semblance without the Dust chambers in your weapon," he remarked, his voice steady as his gaze locked onto her.

"If I remember correctly, white glyphs are for acceleration and holding things in place. I didn't know they could double as platforms too." Weiss narrowed her eyes at his analysis.

"You memorized my semblance after just one fight with Winter?" Asher shrugged slightly.

"I have a good memory. That's why I also know you won't be staying up there for long." Weiss straightened her posture, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

"You'd be correct." She vanished in a blur.

One by one, glyphs appeared in the air, forming a fifteen-meter circumference around Asher. The glyphs shimmered like a luminous vertical road, creating a network of platforms in midair. Though Weiss moved too quickly to be seen, faint afterimages flickered across the space, giving the illusion of her being everywhere at once.

Asher didn't bother trying to follow her with his eyes. Instead, he focused on his HUD display. The system had already locked onto her, displaying an indicator in the center of his vision. Like damage indicators in video games, it tracked the source of Weiss's movements. But unlike a simple marker, this one calculated where she would be next.

The indicator spiked. The glyphs disappeared in unison as Weiss launched her attack.

Asher's muscles tensed and the O.M.N.I Frame reacted, executing the defensive action his brain had begun to plan. It moved faster and more precisely than his body ever could. This synchronization between man and machine was the O.M.N.I Frame's defining feature—a body puppeteered at the speed of computation.

But it had one flaw: the frame could only execute the user's intentions. It couldn't independently adapt or override their decisions.

Asher's instincts told him Weiss would strike with her sword, so the frame committed to blocking accordingly. That's when his visors flashed an alert at the last second: Weiss was instead hurtling toward him feet-first, both heels aimed directly at his chest.

Clever girl.

Asher shifted his weight back, raising his free arm to shield his face. The impact was heavy, Weiss's momentum sending him crashing to the ground. His back slammed into the dirt with enough force to rattle the earth around him.

The O.M.N.I Frame absorbed most of the force, sparing him from serious injury. But the remaining energy surged through his arm and torso, leaving him wincing in pain.

I forgot this body isn't used to pain...

[Warning! O.M.N.I Frame Power Reserves have fallen to 23%.]

GAIA's voice echoed in Asher's ear, a quiet reminder. He didn't have time to acknowledge it. His eyes focused upward, catching Weiss's silhouette framed against the sun as she descended toward him.

Reacting, Asher planted his hands against the ground and pushed off in a kip-up. He flipped onto his feet just as Weiss's blade sliced down, carving a silver arc through the air. The strike cleaved into the grass where he had been moments before.

Spinning low, Asher retaliated with a sweeping strike aimed at where Weiss's head would likely be. But she moved with fluid precision, dropping into a full split that seemed effortless despite her skirt. With a graceful bend, she flipped backward onto her feet.

"Fighting you when you have your aura really is different," Asher remarked. The two of them squared off, each just outside the other's range. Their eyes locked in a silent dare, waiting for the other to make the first move.

"When you don't use your aura, you fight more like a fencer," Asher continued, his tone almost conversational.

"But when you do, it's... different. Almost like a performance." Asher began circling her, his steps deliberate and slow. Weiss turned in place to keep him directly in front of her, her expression unchanging as she responded.

"I grew up learning a lot of different sports and dances. My favorites were ice skating and ballet, so I figured I'd incorporate them into how I fight. Make them my own."

"And I'd say you succeeded," Asher said, offering a genuine compliment. Weiss's features softened momentarily before her lips curved into a faint smile.

"Thank you. But if you think flattering me will make me go easy on you, I'm afraid you're mistaken. That exoskeleton you're wearing makes that impossible."

"Why would I want you to go easy?" Asher smirked, his tone shifting.

"This is exactly the kind of experiment I wanted." With that, he launched the first strike. His sword moved unpredictably, its path slithering through the air like a serpent. The trajectory was impossible to read until the strike was already mid-swing—forcing Weiss to intercept rather than anticipate.

Weiss pulled her sword closer to her chest, thrusting the tip toward the hilt of Asher's blade. A sharp clang echoed as their weapons clashed, the strikes interrupting one another. Asher didn't let up—his deflected attack immediately flowed into another, this time slashing upward from below.

Weiss adjusted seamlessly, maintaining her distance and countering with another precise thrust. Their blades collided again, the sound of ringing steel filling the air.

It became a rhythm—a relentless exchange of strikes and counters. The symphony of metal resonated alongside the sharp whistling of blades cutting through the air. From the sidelines, Whitley watched in stunned silence as their movements blurred into a frenzied dance of parries, counterstrikes, and near-misses.

I can't believe it. He's actually keeping up with her at this pace. It's just like watching Weiss and Winter spar. No... it's even more intense. Maybe it's because neither of them is holding back.

[Warning! O.M.N.I Frame Power Reserves have fallen to 16%.]

The warning flashed across Asher's visor, forcing him to reassess. He couldn't keep up this level of exertion for much longer. Something had to change—he needed to break the balance.

The opportunity arrived quickly. As Weiss went to counter yet another strike with a thrust of her blade, Asher altered his movement entirely. Instead of following through with his attack, he stepped in, closing the gap between them. Before Weiss could react, Asher's free hand shot out, gripping her wrist with mechanical precision.

"Eh-!"

Weiss's surprised gasp was cut short as the skeletal structure of the O.M.N.I Frame that extended over Asher's arm and fingers, locked in place like a vise. With a powerful upward pull, he hoisted her entire body off the ground by her arm. Then, with a brutal motion, he slammed her into the dirt.

The ground trembled with the impact, dust, and debris scattering as Weiss's aura absorbed the brunt of the blow. Still, she felt the hit deep in her core.

Asher wasn't finished. He prepared to lift her again, the frame's joints tensing for another slam. But Weiss gritted her teeth, twisting her body and lashing out with a sharp kick. Her leg struck with enough force to demand a reaction—if Asher kept holding on, he wouldn't be able to dodge.

He released her with a violent yank, sending her flying.

Weiss twisted midair, rapidly regaining control. One foot hit the ground, and the moment it did, a glyph formed beneath her. The glyph's energy launched her forward in a blur, a whirlwind of grass and dirt erupting in her wake. She closed the gap faster than Asher anticipated, but she didn't attack directly.

Just outside his range, Weiss created another glyph. This one-shot her upward in a perfect arc, propelling her over his head like a streak of light. As she soared above, her blade lashed out in a series of strikes.

Asher's O.M.N.I Frame reacted, allowing him to parry four of the five blows with precision. But the fifth strike came from his blind spot. He turned too late, the blade slicing through his shirt and leaving a shallow cut along the side of his chest.

[Warning! O.M.N.I Frame Power Reserves have fallen to 11%] 

"Increase power output to one hundred percent," Asher muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the warning in his ears.

The O.M.N.I Frame whirred loudly, its energy output surging as the system obeyed his command. Asher launched himself forward, his movements sharper, more deliberate. His sword cut through the air in a straightforward diagonal slash—no feints, no curves, no tricks.

What is he doing?

Weiss's thoughts raced as she moved to parry. But the instant their blades clashed, her eyes widened in shock.

The sheer force behind the strike was unlike anything she had felt from him before. Her sword arm buckled under the pressure, forcing her to step back. The impact sent a jarring vibration up her arm, leaving it momentarily numb.

[Warning! O.M.N.I Frame Power Reserves have fallen to 7%.]

Asher pressed forward. He stayed close, his footwork relentless. Another heavy strike followed, just as direct and overpowering as the last. Weiss's footing faltered as she blocked again, the force rattling through her body. She grimaced, forced to take another step back.

At this rate, I'm going to fall... I need to create some distance.

Asher's sword rose again, poised for another crushing blow. Weiss seized the moment, lashing out with a quick slash toward his chest while simultaneously retreating to gain space.

But she had miscalculated.

Asher didn't follow through with the heavy strike she anticipated. Instead, he stayed rooted, pivoting slightly as his sword left his grasp entirely.

He hurled it.

The blade spun through the air, a blur of steel that sliced toward her with alarming speed. Weiss's eyes widened in disbelief.

He threw it!?

Caught mid-retreat and off balance, Weiss had no time to react. After her quick slash, blocking was impossible. Her only option was to let gravity take her as she dropped backward, narrowly avoiding the spinning weapon as it passed just overhead. But there was no time to recover.

As Weiss moved to stand, she noticed a shadow crossing over her—a dark figure descending rapidly from above.

It was Asher. He had rushed in right after she fell, ducking beneath the path of his own thrown sword. In one fluid motion, he pinned her to the ground, straddling her between his legs. His hand swiftly captured both her wrists, holding them firmly against the grass.

[Warning! O.M.N.I Frame Power Reserves have fallen to 2%.]

The yard fell eerily silent. Weiss stared up at Asher, her chest heaving, her face glistening with sweat. In contrast, Asher seemed unnervingly composed. His breathing was steady, barely even labored, as if the fight hadn't taken a toll on him at all.

"You- How did... How are you not tired?" She asked, her voice laced with both confusion and disbelief. Her wide eyes locked onto his, searching for an explanation.

"The O.M.N.I Frame doesn't just assist its user—it takes over. It detects the movements the body intends to make and executes them before the muscles even need to engage. That means the person wearing it doesn't have to worry about stamina limitations," Asher explained with a casual smile. 

Weiss's body went limp beneath his grip, her head sinking back into the grass. Her gaze shifted to the sky as she muttered, almost to herself, "That's not fair..."