April didn't expect Tessa to react immediately.
A girl like her wasn't impulsive—she was calculated. She would take her time, watch, analyze, and then strike.
Which is exactly why April wasn't surprised when, the next morning, she walked into school and felt the shift in the atmosphere.
The whispers had changed.
Yesterday, the rumors had been about April—some vague nonsense about a "mystery boyfriend."
Today?
"Tessa was crying in the bathroom."
"I heard she and Michelangelo had a fight."
"No way, he'd never—"
"But she looked pissed when she left."
April kept her expression neutral as she strolled past groups of gossiping students. Interesting.
Tessa had flipped the script.
Instead of denying or countering April's silent move, she had redirected it—turning herself into the victim.
Now, instead of questioning April, people were questioning Mickey.
Brilliant.
April smirked slightly. "Oh, this is fun."
By lunchtime, it was impossible to ignore.
Tessa was seated at her usual table, surrounded by her clique, looking perfectly put together—but her expression was just a little too composed.
A deliberate choice.
Make people wonder if she was upset. Let them fill in the blanks.
April sat across from Mickey, setting down her tray. "You seeing this?"
Mickey, casually biting into an apple, nodded. "Mhm. She's playing the long game."
"Annoying."
"Impressive," he responded.
April mentally rolled her eyes. "You're enjoying this way too much."
"Of course. It's like watching two chess masters pretend they're not playing chess."
April exhaled. "Fine. Let's make this more interesting."
Mickey grinned. "I love interesting."
April picked up her drink, took a sip, and then, in the most casual, offhanded manner, said just loud enough for the nearby students to hear—
"So, are we still on for Saturday?"
Mickey nearly choked on his apple.
He coughed, eyes widening slightly, before quickly masking his surprise with a smirk.
"Of course."
April smiled. "Great."
Silence.
Then—whispers began.
She didn't need enhanced senses to know people had heard.
And across the cafeteria, for the briefest moment, she saw Tessa tense.
April took another sip of her drink, completely unbothered.
'Your move, Queen Bee.'
Tessa didn't act immediately.
No, she let the tension build.
By Wednesday, the rumor mill was spinning wildly.
The latest gossip?
Michelangelo and April had plans.
The mystery surrounding it made it worse—what plans? Was it a date? Were they secretly close? Did Tessa know?
April barely reacted to any of it, which only made people more desperate for answers.
And Tessa?
Tessa was quiet.
Too quiet.
By Friday, April knew something was coming.
So when she walked into class and found a folded note slipped under her desk, she wasn't surprised.
She unfolded it.
Rooftop at lunchtime. Come alone.
April smirked. Finally.
—
When lunchtime arrived, April made her way up to the rooftop, the door creaking open as she stepped outside.
Tessa Lane stood near the railing, arms crossed, the wind lightly shifting her perfectly styled hair.
April leaned against the doorway.
"Dramatic much."
Tessa turned slowly, her expression unreadable. "You think you're clever, don't you?"
April tilted her head. "I know I am."
Tessa's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Whatever you're doing—whatever game you're playing—you should stop."
April smiled. "Why? Afraid you'll lose?"
Tessa took a step forward. "You don't belong here. You think because you've got Mickey's attention, think you can just walk into our world?"
April rose an eyebrow.
"Your world?"
"Yes." Tessa's voice was low, yet sharp. "You don't understand how things work here. You think you're untouchable, but I can make things very difficult for you."
April sighed, pushing off the wall. "See, that's where you're wrong. You can try, but I don't break. You can throw whatever petty schemes you want—I'll just keep walking through them. Simple."
Tessa's nails dug into her palm. "You don't even know why I hate you."
April smirked. "I don't care why you hate me."
Silence.
Then—Tessa laughed. A soft, disbelieving chuckle. "You really think you're something special, huh?"
April stepped closer, her expression hardening. "No. I just think you're threatened."
Tessa's smile dropped.
April leaned in slightly. "And that is why you'll never win."
With that, she turned, walking back toward the door.
Tessa didn't try to stop her.
But April could feel her glare burning into her back.
The game wasn't over.
Not even close.
___
That night, after April returned from school, Jax and the others gathered in the training hall of their underground base.
Jax stood in front of her, arms crossed.
"Alright, Ultima. Now that you've gotten past your second barrier—unlocking your Gear's name—it's time to talk about the third."
One of April's eyebrows rose. "Third?"
Saya nodded. "The first was your sigil. The second was learning your Gear's true name. The third?" She smirked. "Is to learn and choose a martial art."
April's eyebrows narrowed. "I know martial arts."
Dante leaned against the wall. "You know techniques. But you haven't trained in a style that fits your nature."
April crossed her arms. "And what does that mean?"
Jax stepped forward. "Your instincts—the animalistic nature of your Gear—need a martial art that matches it. Something that can merge with your movements, enhance your combat ability naturally."
"Each Gear user needs to master a specific martial art," Kai explained, his tone serious. "It's not just for combat—it's for survival. The G-Force energy inside us is… unpredictable. We still don't fully understand it, but we know one thing: if it builds up too much, the human body can't contain it."
He paused, letting that truth sink in before continuing. "Through martial arts, we learn to channel and release that excess energy— redirecting it before it tears us apart from the inside. It's also what allows us to amplify our strength and speed, pushing beyond normal human limits. That's why every Gear user must learn one, April."
April rose an eyebrow. "So, what? I just pick one?"
Kai chuckled. "More like, one picks you."
April exhaled. "This again?" She had a feeling she already knew which one that was.
Jax continued. "After martial arts, the fourth barrier is weapon mastery. Once you master a weapon that complements your style, you'll break through again."
April processed this. "So, once I complete all these barriers, I'll be at your level?"
Jax smirked. "You're already getting there."
He glanced at the rest of the pack. "Right now, you're strong enough to take on ten Ragnörak squad commanders and their full squads alone."
April mentally blinked. "...That strong?"
Jax nodded. "Vance—the Cobra Gear user you defeated—was Executioner Level. That means you already surpass most of Ragnarök's elites."
Saya leaned forward. "The rest of us, except for Jax and the Leader, are Pillar Level."
April tilted her head. "And Jax?"
Dante grinned. "Jax and the Leader? Supreme Leader Level."
April whistled. "That's... concerning."
Jax smirked. "Our Organization's goal is to gather more Gear users, train them to reach Pillar Level, and eventually challenge Ragnarök's Supreme Leader."
April crossed her arms. "Big plan."
Jax shrugged. "Big war."
April exhaled. "Alright. Got it."
Now, all April had to do was figure out how to break through her next barrier.
"Wait," she said suddenly, "won't it take me a long time to learn martial arts and master a weapon?"
Saya grinned. "That would be true—if you were a normal human."
April rose an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
Kai jumped in with a playful smirk. "Ultima, have you forgotten? A Gear is built with advanced nanotech. Everything you learn—future martial arts, weapons, even knowledge—is automatically registered into your neural network. Think about it. How does a girl who never even went to high school understand complex equations and advanced material so easily?"
April's confusion melted away, slowly replaced by disbelief.
Jax took over the explanation. "All you need to do is find a martial art and weapon style that suits you. Once you've gained enough experience with them, that data is absorbed and stored by your Gear—permanently."
The team fell silent as they watched April.
Her earlier disbelief faded completely, replaced by a look of realization. For a long second, they simply stared—synchronized in their awe—as April's expression shifted into one of clear and total understanding.
—
WestGate High:
The next morning, April strolled through the school halls, lost in thought.
'Martial arts… huh?'
She needed something raw. Something that fit her instincts.
A sudden thud snapped her out of her thoughts.
It was coming from outside.
She followed the sounds, slipping past the back entrance of the school.
When she reached the courtyard, she paused.
There were clubs.
A dozen different combat-focused groups were scattered across the area—boxing, judo, kendo—but one, in particular, caught her attention.
A group of students stood in a circle, watching as two fighters clashed in the center.
But this wasn't ordinary karate.
It was Kyokushin Karate.
Brutal full-contact. Designed for real combat.
April watched, her eyebrows slightly narrowing as one fighter—a girl with sharp eyes and a disciplined stance—drove a kick straight into her opponent's ribs, sending him crashing to the ground.
She didn't hesitate. No wasted movements. No flashy tricks.
Just raw, overwhelming power.
April's pulse quickened.
"This is it!" She exclaimed.
This was the style she needed.
The girl adjusted her gi, her expression unreadable.
April exhaled. As she knew she needed to find a real Kyokushin master to learn under.
And she knew it wouldn't be easy.