The Brackets Begin to Move
The main hall buzzed with restless anticipation. Dozens of students from both the Hero Class and the Auxiliary Cadets gathered around the glowing matchup board. Dozens of screens flickered, preparing to reveal the first-round lineup.
A sharp electronic chime rang out.
Tournament Bracket Initial Display — Activated
Names began appearing one by one. Students leaned forward, hearts pounding.
But then surprise spread through the crowd.
"What? Some slots say 'Pending'…"
"Why isn't the opponent listed yet?"
A student from the Auxiliary Cadets frowned.
"Of course it's not final yet… we still have double our class size. We need to fight among ourselves first just to qualify."
Another scoffed, irritation clear.
"Yeah, but why are their matchups already shown? Especially his?"
He pointed sharply toward the board.
Matchup Display — Round 1
Match Fighter 1 Fighter 2
1 Raze Arcwell (Hero Dept.) Opponent: Pending
2 Astra Noire (Hero Dept.) Bam Relic (Hero Dept.)
3 Rain Lancelot (Hero Dept.) Opponent: Pending
A wave of voices exploded instantly.
"Raze got the first match!?"
"Convenient… he gets an easy warm-up."
"Special admission privilege, huh?"
"Can't even fight someone strong on day one?"
Roger stepped forward, expression dark.
"Say that again. I dare you."
One auxiliary cadet sneered.
"Please. A powerless kid gets handed the first match slot and a mystery opponent? Suspicious much?"
Rain stepped in quietly.
"Tournament order is random. Stop looking for excuses."
But the cadet shot back—
"Easy for you to say. You're already in Hero Class. Some of us fought for years for a chance—and he gets in for free."
The hall grew tense. Some students murmured in agreement, others glared at the accuser.
Raze finally spoke, voice calm but powerful.
"If anyone believes I don't deserve my place, then beat me in the arena.
Complaining in a hallway won't prove anything."
Silence fell for a moment.
Then angry determination lit the faces of several cadets.
"Fine. We will."
Auxiliary Cadet Pre-Selection Begins
The announcement screen continued:
Auxiliary Cadet Preliminaries — 3 Days
Only the top qualifiers earn entry into the main tournament.
Full Tournament Bracket Releases After Preliminaries Conclude.
Immediately, tension exploded through the hall.
Some cadets withdrew instantly.
"Damn it… I'll never beat those monsters."
"No point. We'll just get destroyed."
But others stepped forward, eyes burning.
"We fight. This is our chance."
"Hero Department or nothing."
Back with Raze's Group
Bam cracked his knuckles.
"Looks like they're fired up. This tournament's gonna be fun."
Zack smirked.
"I hope the guy Raze gets isn't some weakling. Would be boring."
Roger nudged Raze with a grin:
"Hey, man. First match! You ready to show off a little?"
Raze took a slow breath.
"It's not about showing off. It's about proving myself again. I'll face whoever stands there."
Astra stopped walking and looked over her shoulder.
"People want to see you break, Arcwell.
If you lose the first match… they'll never stop talking."
Raze met her gaze steadily.
"Then I won't lose."
A slight smile tugged at Astra's lips.
"We'll see."
Three Days Later — Brackets Finalize
The hall filled again, the tension thicker than before. Sweat, bruises, and exhaustion marked the cadets who survived the brutal internal fights.
The digital board pulsed to life:
All combatants finalized. Full bracket now displayed.
The crowd leaned in—
Scrolling down…
Stopping at Match #1…
The opponent slot flashed:
Opponent for Raze Arcwell: …
The suspense tightened the room.
Everyone held their breath—
The name began to appear one letter at a time—
T
O
B
E
R
E
V
E
A
L
E
D
The board glitched—intentionally frozen.
Gasps echoed across the hall.
"What the hell?"
"Is this a joke!"
"Why is his opponent still hidden!?"
Celeste stepped forward, her voice cutting through the chaos.
"The academy will announce the full bracket at the opening ceremony.
Prepare yourselves. The tournament begins next week."
The whispers intensified—
"Why only his matchup concealed?"
"Who is he fighting?"
"A secret challenger…?"
Raze stared at the frozen board, feeling something shift in his chest.
Whoever it was…
They were coming for him.