The chill of the arctic winds whipped across the vast, snow-covered battlefield as the crowd gathered for the next match. A palpable tension filled the air, broken only by the soft crunch of boots in the snow.
Raijin grinned widely, still riding the high of his previous victory.
"Yoo, Tojo! You see how I demolished that boy?"
Tojo, arms crossed, gave a slight nod. "Took you long enough, but he's got potential. Almost beat the timer."
Raijin waved it off. "Potential? The kid can't even use a scythe properly."
Tojo raised an eyebrow. "Nah, he landed some good hits on you. You would've lost if that girl hadn't brought the entire roster to watch."
Raijin scoffed. "Obviously, I was gonna punish him slow. But the huzz are watching, you know? Gotta put on a show."
Mia glanced over at Tyrone, who was nursing his bruised ego. "They're strong, but you did well."
Tyrone gave a tired smile. "Thanks. How'd yours go?"
Mia shrugged, her eyes scanning the field as the next match was about to start. "Always got it rough, but I lasted."
Tyrone chuckled darkly. "So all I had to do was last long enough? Damn."
Mia nodded, her expression softening. "It's alright, though. You got experience against the strongest group in this academy."
Tyrone's grin returned. "That's true. But fuck that guy—I'm gonna beat his ass eventually."
Mia smirked. "Mhm, I'd be rooting for you."
With the crowd murmuring in anticipation, the arena's energy shifted as Evelyn and Xavier took their positions. The air felt heavy with the promise of an explosive clash.
Evelyn didn't waste any time—she pulled out her gun, firing a rapid series of shots at Xavier, who dodged with quick, fluid movements. With every bullet that missed, he closed the gap between them. Evelyn raised her sword, energy crackling along its blade, and released a lightning-infused slash. But Xavier was ready. His own sword cut through the lightning, sending sparks flying.
In the blink of an eye, they clashed—blades meeting with a resounding crack. The battle raged, but Evelyn was quicker, her legs sweeping out and kicking Xavier off balance. Before he could recover, she wrapped her thighs around his neck, slamming him to the ground.
Evelyn grinned, straddling him.
"Hehe, I landed a hit. Now I won." She raised her gun, placing the barrel against his head.
Xavier's gaze remained steady, unfazed.
"You think so?"
Evelyn raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Xavier's voice was calm.
"Look above you."
Evelyn's eyes snapped upward, and her breath caught. A towering, shadowy figure stood above her, its form shrouded in an electric aura, holding a scythe that crackled with dark energy. The entire arena froze, watching in stunned silence. No one had seen Xavier wield anything like this before—not even his own team.
Evelyn's eyes widened in realization.
"Holy shit."
She flashed back, creating distance between herself and the shadow figure, reaching for both her gun and sword. With practiced ease, she fused them together, crafting a massive energy rifle, her hands glowing with electricity. She charged up a blast, unleashing a torrent of pure, crackling energy towards Xavier.
But the shadow figure was quicker. It swung its scythe down with deadly precision, releasing a massive slash that cleaved through Evelyn's electric blast. The shockwave collided with Evelyn, sending her stumbling back to one knee, her energy depleted.
Xavier didn't move, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he began walking away, his voice low as he spoke.
"Yeah… I don't want to fight anymore. You won. I quit the match."
Raijin and Tojo stood there, utterly speechless.
"…What the hell just happened?" Raijin muttered, his usual cocky grin wiped off his face.
Mia frowned, glancing between the two combatants.
"Why go through all of that just to forfeit the moment you won?"
Tyrone, still catching his breath, shook his head. "I have no idea either… but she passed, so I guess that's what matters."
Raijin growled under his breath. "I'm gonna beat his ass after this. I'm fucking him up. What the fuck was that? You whip out some crazy move just to forfeit?"
Evelyn, standing at the edge of the arena, gave a weary smile.
"Thanks… I guess."
Xavier shrugged, his expression still cool.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't die in the selection, though."
Tojo suddenly shouted across the field, his voice booming.
"YOO, WE GOT TO CHAT, LITTLE BRO!"
Xavier, without even turning around, yelled back.
"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR CHAT!"
On the other side of the arena, Gendai turned to Lihanna, her expression calm but focused.
"So Xavier forfeited. That means our match is next, Lihanna."
Lihanna smirked, unfazed by the earlier drama.
"About time. I was getting bored just waiting."
Gendai's lips curled into a smile.
"Glad you're excited for this."
Lihanna's gaze hardened, her voice growing serious.
"I just want to see where I stand."