Zeki flew calmly over the rooftops of São Paulo, the wind brushing softly against his face. There was no rush in his flight. He maintained a medium altitude, gliding above houses and residential buildings with an almost zen-like calmness.
As he moved through the air, he extended his hand and tested his psychic power. A bluish sphere of energy appeared above his palm, larger and more stable than it had been five days ago. He slowly compressed it, making it denser, until the glow became almost violet. With a small movement of his fingers, he launched the sphere toward a distant cloud. It cut through the air silently and exploded far away without a sound, only a brief flash.
It's improved a lot, he thought, satisfied. The control is sharper now. The power too. If I keep this up, I'll be able to maintain multiple spheres at full strength for much longer.
He smiled faintly to himself. The constant training over the past few days was paying off. His mind felt clearer, his concentration sharper. His psychic powers seemed to respond better to his will, as if they were adapting to the new level of pressure.
After a few minutes, Zeki spotted his apartment building. Instead of descending to the entrance, he floated directly to his bedroom window, opened it with telekinesis, and slipped inside silently, closing it behind him.
The Big Day
The sun shone brightly over the Titan Arena, a colossal complex built specifically for major guild events. Thousands of people already crowded the entrances, forming long excited lines. The air vibrated with enthusiastic conversations, laughter, and the sounds of street vendors.
"Hey, who are you rooting for?" a young man asked his friend as they walked in.
"Rank 46, Laser D! That guy's shots are insane, man. What about you?"
"I'm backing Rank 10, the 'Red Tempest.' That girl is ridiculously strong!"
Two D-Class hunters chatted excitedly near the main entrance:
"Man, this year is insane. Over 300 participants now. I heard Rank 1, Kael, is desperate to win again."
"And there's that Rank 2 rookie too… the psychic guy. They say he crushed three Fox-level monsters alone the other day."
"Yeah… this is gonna be interesting."
At home, Zeki finished getting ready. A simple black jacket, comfortable pants, and a dark shirt underneath. Nothing flashy.
"Mom, Dad, I'm heading out," he said as he entered the living room.
Cleiton lowered the newspaper and looked at his son with restrained pride.
"Take it easy, son. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Just do your best."
Claudia stepped closer and adjusted the collar of his jacket.
"Be careful, Zeki. And eat something there, okay? Don't focus only on fighting."
Zeki gave a small smile.
"Don't worry. See you later."
He stepped out onto the balcony, activated his levitation, and gently rose into the air, flying toward the stadium.
While flying, his phone vibrated. He opened the group chat they had created a few days earlier.
Isadora:
I'm already here. East Sector, VIP entrance. Where are you guys?
Zeki:
Flying. I'll be there in 4 minutes.
Gustavo:
We're running lol Bia almost knocked me over twice already. We'll be there soon!!
Bia:
Tell the truth, slowpoke! I'm the one dragging you 😂
Zeki smiled faintly as he put his phone away and increased his speed slightly.
When he arrived at the stadium, Zeki was impressed by the magnitude of the event. Thousands of people, giant banners, huge screens replaying old fights, drones flying everywhere. The noise was deafening.
He landed discreetly in a less crowded area and started walking through the crowd, looking for Isadora. After a few minutes, he spotted a familiar figure near the East entrance.
Isadora was leaning against a column with her arms crossed, wearing a calm and confident expression. When she saw him, she raised her hand and waved.
"Finally," she said when Zeki approached. "This place is packed. Gustavo and Bia still haven't arrived?"
"They're running here," Zeki replied, stopping beside her. "Nervous?"
Isadora smirked slightly.
"Nervous? No. Excited? Definitely. What about you?"
"Calm. I just want to see how far I can go."
The two talked for a few minutes about the rules they had read and their expectations for the first day. Suddenly, a loud voice echoed behind them:
"ZEEEEEKIIIIII!!! ISADOOOORAAAA!!!"
Gustavo ran through the crowd, waving frantically, with Bia right behind him, out of breath.
"We made it!" Gustavo shouted, stopping in front of them, sweating. "Barely, but we made it!"
Bia rested her hands on her knees, breathing heavily.
"This idiot wanted to stop and buy coxinha on the way… we almost lost track of time."
Isadora laughed quietly.
"You two are impossible."
Zeki looked at the three companions gathered together. Despite the rivalry that would come during the battles, at that moment they were united.
Gustavo lightly punched Zeki's shoulder, grinning.
"Ready for this, Rank 2?"
Zeki nodded calmly.
"Let's go in."
The four of them walked together toward the participants' entrance, shoulder to shoulder, ready for whatever the Rank D Challenge had in store for them.