The massive arena shifted once again. Platforms moved, the ground trembled, and massive reinforced doors groaned open, revealing the battlefield for the second trial.
Bolt took a deep breath. He knew he had performed terribly in the first test. Compared to the other students who had shown off their abilities, he barely did anything. The whispers about him being weak had already started spreading.
They think I don't belong here.
He clenched his fists. That was fine. He'd let them think that—for now.
Instructor Veyna's voice boomed across the field.
"The second trial is a Team Combat Test. Your objective is simple: survive and eliminate the monsters in your designated zone. Teams have been randomly assigned. Perform well, and you'll move on to the next round. Perform poorly, and you'll be eliminated from the exam."
Bolt's screen flickered to life, displaying his team:
Team 7:
Ryzen Velcroft (Lightning)
Aether Renford (Wind)
Akane Hoshino (Fire)
Bolt (Unknown)
Darian Crest (Ice)
Bolt sighed. He was grouped with Ryzen, the guy who had been glaring at him since the last trial. Aether and Akane were solid fighters, but Darian? He hadn't done anything remarkable yet.
Whatever. I'll just focus on doing my part.
The ground rumbled as monsters flooded the arena.
These weren't mere training dummies.
Fanged beasts with jagged claws, rock-skinned golems, and shadowy humanoid figures emerged, their eyes glowing with hunger.
A loud siren wailed.
"BEGIN!"
Ryzen was the first to act. Lightning crackled around his fists as he vanished in a flash of blue energy, appearing behind a shadow beast. His fist connected with its core, disintegrating it instantly.
Aether moved next, spinning into the air as wind blades materialized around him. With precise movements, he cut through the incoming beasts, his agility unmatched.
Akane conjured a blazing fire blade, weaving between enemies with deadly efficiency. Each slash left a trail of burning embers as she carved through the monsters.
Darian, despite his quiet demeanor, raised his hand. Ice formed at his fingertips before he slammed it into the ground. A wave of frost surged forward, freezing multiple enemies in place.
Then, there was Bolt.
A rock golem charged at him, its massive stone fist coming down like a hammer.
Bolt didn't dodge.
Instead, he raised his arm—
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted as Bolt's bare hand stopped the golem's strike. The ground beneath him cracked from the sheer force.
Gasps echoed around the arena.
Without hesitation, he clenched his fist, shattering the golem's arm. The beast recoiled, but Bolt didn't let it escape. In one smooth motion, he delivered a devastating punch, sending the entire golem flying.
More monsters lunged.
A direwolf-like beast pounced at him, claws aimed at his throat.
Bolt sidestepped effortlessly, catching the creature mid-air. A spark of electricity flickered at his fingertips before he sent a surge of lightning through its body.
It exploded into dust.
He wasn't done.
Another rock golem swung at him. This time, Bolt ducked under the attack and retaliated with a palm strike.
The moment his hand connected—a burst of wind pressure sent the monster flying backward, slamming into others behind it.
Now, the entire battlefield had stopped.
People were staring.
"What the hell…?"
Even Ryzen hesitated, his confident smirk faltering.
Akane glanced at Aether, who only gave a knowing smile.
Bolt exhaled slowly, his breath visible in the cold air.
He could feel it—his power was still locked away. The real strength that had been granted to him by the God of War was just waiting to be unleashed.
But for now…
He would keep holding back.
The monsters were relentless. More and more poured into the arena, overwhelming weaker teams.
Bolt's team didn't falter.
Aether danced through the air, wind blades cutting through anything in his path.
Akane burned through enemies, her fire leaving trails of destruction.
Darian created ice walls, trapping monsters for easy kills.
Ryzen unleashed a storm of lightning, obliterating enemies in a single strike.
And Bolt?
He moved like a phantom.
Each attack he threw was precise, efficient, and devastating.
At one point, he grabbed two monsters by the neck, lifted them off the ground, and slammed them together with enough force to crack the arena floor.
Even the instructors were watching.
Instructor Veyna leaned forward, intrigued. "Interesting…"
More than half the monsters were already defeated.
Bolt's team had performed the best.
Only a handful of beasts remained.
Ryzen smirked. "I'll take care of this one." He charged forward, lightning crackling around him—
But before he could land the final hit, Bolt moved.
Faster than anyone could react.
He appeared in front of the last golem, his fist already raised.
And then—
BOOM!
The entire arena shook as Bolt's punch obliterated the monster in a single hit.
A massive crater formed where the golem once stood. Dust and debris filled the air.
Silence.
Then—
"Test complete."
The scoreboard flickered to life.
1st Place: Team 7
Ryzen clenched his fists. He had lost—to Bolt.
Aether chuckled, looking amused. Akane simply nodded in approval. Darian exhaled in relief.
Bolt?
He just walked away.
As they exited the battlefield, whispers filled the air.
"Who the hell is he?"
"How did he fight like that?"
"There's no way he's normal."
Ryzen stepped in front of Bolt, blocking his path.
"You. Who… what are you?"
Bolt looked at him.
For a second, he considered telling him the truth.
That he
had been abandoned. That he had been mocked. That everyone thought he was weak.
That the God of War had chosen him.
But instead—
He smirked.
"I'm just a guy who hates losing."