The forest clearing was silent except for the faint rustle of leaves stirred by the wind. Wads stood in the center, his chest heaving, eyes still glowing faintly with the remnants of Gravity Lattice. Around him, the spectators — Klyden, Liora, Reiyell, Thaddeus, Ysoria, and Ashborne — leaned forward, their attention locked on the unfolding duel.
Opposite him, the mysterious figure of 1D stepped into the clearing. Tall, imposing, his broad frame casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the ground beneath him. The faint pulse of a red lizard-shaped tattoo crept up his neck, glowing ominously with each heartbeat. Every subtle movement of his shoulders, every sway of his stance, screamed control, confidence, and danger.
Wads took a slow breath, straightening his glasses and adjusting the slightly loosened tie around his neck. His body had changed over the past month and a half — leaner, slightly taller, his shoulders broader, and his arms now showing defined muscle. He wasn't Klyden-level bulk, but he had gained enough physical grounding to support the immense strain his Diety powers demanded.
The man's eyes met Wads', sharp and piercing. Without a word, he moved.
In a blur, he closed the distance. Wads activated Ren — the world slowed to a crawl, each second stretching like an eternity. He could calculate every trajectory, every possible strike, every minute shift in the enemy's balance. Branches froze midair, dirt particles hung suspended, and the tall man's swinging fists seemed to blur in ghostly afterimages.
Wads' Gravity Lattice flared. The terrain subtly shifted under his control; rocks tilted, roots shifted, and small gravitational distortions began to bend the opponent's attacks. Every swing and lunge was slowed, every kick redirected, every fist made just a fraction too heavy to land.
For a moment, Wads had control. He felt the familiar thrill of the battlefield — his mind dancing along the threads of probability, weaving his plans with every heartbeat.
But the mysterious man wasn't ordinary. As he lunged, the red tattoo on his neck flared, pulsing violently. An unnatural aura radiated from him, distorting the air like heat over stone. The attacks Wads had predicted began to slip past the lattice, striking slightly off the calculated path. Wads stumbled slightly, forcing him to recalibrate in real time.
The crowd reacted immediately. Klyden's sun-bright grin faded into a tight, anxious line, fists clenching at his sides. Liora leaned forward on her perch, breath caught in her chest, eyes fixed on every motion. Reiyell remained composed, her indicolite eyes reflecting intrigue and a hint of admiration — she could sense the complex weave of probability threads surrounding Wads. Thaddeus' green eyes widened, Ysoria's blue ones shimmered with disbelief, and Ashborne's red gaze narrowed, analyzing every micro-movement.
The tall man struck again, faster this time. Wads' Ren slowed the world, but even the hypercognition state couldn't fully counter the raw chaotic energy radiating from his opponent. A sharp strike to his side sent Wads skidding back, splinters of bark flying. He rolled and twisted, narrowly avoiding a crushing uppercut that would have shattered his ribs.
Gritting his teeth, Wads' mind raced. Ren and Gravity Lattice were no longer enough. He needed an edge, something beyond his current limits. His hand brushed the locket at his chest, and for a fleeting second, a familiar warmth spread through him. The threads of probability seemed to shimmer differently, as if acknowledging a new potential.
Seer activated.
Silver threads erupted from his eyes, fracturing the light like clockwork gears spinning in every direction. Every possible short-term outcome, every tiny decision point in the battle, was now visible and manipulable. Wads' mind became a lattice of inevitabilities, and the enemy's attacks, no matter how chaotic, were now confined to the pathways Wads allowed.
The mysterious man lunged, swinging a devastating blow. Wads pivoted slightly, and the strike met air — he had already calculated the singular point where the attack would fail. Gravity Lattice subtly shifted the terrain, and the man stumbled, caught in the invisible web of Wads' design.
The crowd erupted into gasps. Klyden's fists pumped in the air. "Yes! That's my brainiac!" Liora's laughter was a mixture of relief and amazement, her hands covering her mouth as she watched Wads' silver threads shimmer with deadly precision. Reiyell's expression softened slightly, a faint, approving smile tugging at her lips.
But the mysterious man wasn't finished. His aura flared violently; blood power and unique energy surged in tandem. He struck again and again, forcing Wads to thread probabilities with surgical precision. Sweat dripped down Wads' face, and his breath came raggedly, each movement pulling at his stamina. Yet, every strike the man threw, every lunge and pivot, Wads had already anticipated, already decided the outcome.
Finally, Wads executed a subtle pivot. His right fist struck the opponent's chest in the exact moment his balance shifted, sending him sprawling backward. The red tattoo dimmed slightly, and the man's aura faltered — for the first time, Wads had forced a misstep.
Klyden jumped up, shouting in exhilaration. Liora's hands shot into the air as she clapped, nearly tipping off her perch. Reiyell's eyes gleamed with admiration — she had seen countless skilled fighters, but Wads' integration of intellect, strategy, and Seer's probability manipulation was extraordinary. Thaddeus, Ysoria, and Ashborne were frozen mid-step, jaws tight, absorbing the staggering display.
The mysterious man slowly rose, glaring at Wads with hatred and respect intertwined. Wads adjusted his glasses, chest heaving, threads of silver probability flickering in the light. The battle wasn't over — but for the first time, Wads had seized the upper hand, proving that raw power alone could never outmatch precision, planning, and the mastery of probability itself.
Wads' body trembled under the strain of Seer. Every second stretched infinitely in his mind as countless threads of probability spun around him. His silver eyes fractured like a kaleidoscope, each shard calculating a path, predicting every twitch and counter of his opponent. Even in this slowed battlefield, the forest seemed alive — leaves suspended midair, roots arcing as if obeying the invisible weave of his Seer threads.
The mysterious man rose, shaking off the minor blow, his red lizard tattoo pulsing violently again. His blood power radiated unpredictably, each movement carrying a chaotic aura that even Wads had difficulty anticipating. But the locket at Wads' chest vibrated, a guiding warmth through the mental storm, amplifying the clarity of Seer. He focused, locking onto a singular thread — the precise outcome where the man's next strike would falter.
The enemy charged, spinning and slashing with almost supernatural speed. Wads' Gravity Lattice bent the trajectory slightly, redirecting momentum. In his mind, time slowed further. He adjusted the threads, cutting survival probabilities, predicting the tiniest imbalance. And then, in a heartbeat, he moved.
The man's strike met empty air. Wads appeared behind him, fist striking the base of his shoulder — precisely the weak point he had predicted. The man staggered, barely maintaining his stance. Every subsequent attack from the 1D fighter was similarly countered. Seer allowed Wads to calculate not just defense, but how to force the enemy into positions of vulnerability. He could manipulate timing, adjust weight distribution, and subtly twist reality itself to his chosen outcome.
The spectators gasped. Klyden's hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened. "No way… he's controlling him!" he shouted, voice shaking with excitement. Liora's eyes glittered like stars; she leaned forward, breath caught in her chest, utterly mesmerized by the sight.
But Wads wasn't finished. Each motion required excruciating mental focus, his body screaming under the strain. Sweat streamed down his face, muscles taut and trembling. He could feel the edges of consciousness fraying; Seer was not infinite, and each use burned immense mental energy. Yet he pressed on, unwilling to yield even a fraction of advantage.
The mysterious man roared, swinging a brutal overhead strike. Wads' Seer threads flared violently, fracturing light across the forest. He manipulated the outcome with surgical precision: the strike's force redirected, momentum misaligned, balance compromised. The man faltered mid-swing, stumbling into the roots and loose stones — exactly the moment Wads had foreseen.
For the first time, the enemy's aura wavered, uncertainty creeping in. The tattoo pulsed erratically, a visible sign of his destabilization. Wads' fist connected again, precise and unstoppable, forcing him to the ground.
The clearing erupted in astonishment. Klyden leapt into the air, shouting victoriously. Liora's hands flew to her mouth, her heart hammering as she watched Wads manipulate reality itself. Reiyell tilted her head, eyes narrowed slightly in fascination, the faintest trace of a smile curving her lips. Even the normally composed Thaddeus, Ysoria, and Ashborne were momentarily speechless, completely absorbed by the display of power.
The man pushed himself to one knee, breathing heavily, glaring at Wads. For a moment, a tense silence fell over the clearing, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Wads' own body trembled under the mental load, his chest heaving, yet the threads of Seer held firm, like silver spider webs controlling fate itself.
Finally, Wads stepped forward, lowering his gaze slightly to meet the man's. The threads shimmered faintly, a visual testament to his precise control, the impossibility of the enemy escaping the calculated outcome. Without a single word, he extended a hand, signaling the end of the duel.
The man's eyes narrowed one last time, a mixture of fury and respect, before he finally lowered his head in acknowledgment. Wads allowed the Seer threads to collapse, his mind screaming with exhaustion, muscles trembling. The forest snapped back to normal, the suspended leaves falling like rain.
The Grandmaster announced the winner and opened the gate through the artificial forest, Klyden and Liora in a blink of an eye rushed towards the entrance— to Wads.
Klyden bolted forward, slapping Wads on the shoulder with a booming laugh. "That… that was insane! You actually bent reality! You're a monster, Wads!"
Liora raced to his side, brushing hair from his face, a playful but deeply impressed smile tugging at her lips. "You've been hiding this power from everyone for months… You little genius. And here I thought you were just quietly improving." Her fingers brushed his necktie, teasing him slightly, but her eyes were filled with admiration.
Reiyell watched from the edge of the clearing, her indicolite eyes fixed on Wads. She didn't approach, didn't speak — but in that quiet, poised observation, she expressed what words never could: respect, intrigue, and a budding admiration for the young man who dared to challenge impossibility.
Thaddeus, Ysoria, and Ashborne moved closer, still stunned. "Did he just… predict everything?" Thaddeus murmured, voice barely audible. Ysoria nodded, blue eyes wide. Ashborne's expression was sharp but contained a flicker of awe, the kind born from witnessing mastery few could comprehend.
Wads staggered slightly, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. His silver probability threads faded, the hypercognition of Seer finally dissolving into exhaustion. His chest heaved, every muscle screaming, but a faint, triumphant smile tugged at his lips. He had survived, controlled, and finally dominated a foe who had seemed nearly impossible.
The mysterious man struggled to his feet, his aura dimming but his presence still formidable. He gave Wads a hard, respectful nod before retreating back toward his classmates. The fight, the banner from 1D was captured, but the reverberations of this battle would echo through the academy for weeks — perhaps months.
Klyden slung an arm around Wads' shoulder, still laughing, still shouting. "I swear, you're insane. I've never seen anything like that! Who needs brute force when you can just… bend fate?"
Liora smirked, brushing her fingers against Wads' arm. "Just don't get cocky, genius. You've got talent, yes — but you've got to keep your body in check too. Don't overdo it, or you'll pass out next time before showing us more tricks."
Wads chuckled weakly, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah… I feel it already. That was intense." His hand instinctively touched the locket at his chest. The warmth still lingered, a reminder that Seer was powerful — but finite. He had mastered a glimpse of fate, but at a cost.
Reiyell's gaze lingered, her presence magnetic even in her quiet distance. She turned away after a moment, moving to leave the clearing, but her eyes never left Wads. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind, he knew she had silently acknowledged him — a subtle, potent respect that carried weight far beyond mere words.
As the clearing emptied and the forest returned to its calm rustle, the spectators could barely speak. Klyden grinned broadly, Liora laughed softly but couldn't hide her awe, Thaddeus' expression remained analytical yet impressed, Ysoria's blue eyes glimmered with fascination, and Ashborne's sharp gaze softened, acknowledging a new power in the academy — a young man who had, for a brief, shining moment, become a master of probability itself.
And in the center of it all, Wads stood tall, breathing heavily, silver threads of Seer lingering faintly in his eyes — the unspoken promise that the threads of his destiny were now firmly in his own hands.