"What the hell is a booster doing up there?" One of the students next to me asks.
"You have got to be kidding me..." I think to myself as I watch Gentarō.
"You want to challenge one of us? You're kidding right? You're a booster!" Raharu shouts.
"I'm well aware of what I am, thanks. I wasn't here at this school last year though, so I think I deserve a chance to show off my skills." Gentarō says with a grin on his face.
"I don't think you understand." Sana speaks up. "This tournament is for the rest of us acolytes, not for boosters like you. It doesn't matter if you were or weren't here last year, you still wouldn't have been picked."
"And why not?" Gentarō closes his eyes, his smile fading. "Because you think I can't fight?" He starts palming and kicking the air around him. "Because you think I'm weak?" He keeps his eyes closed, but he activates his boost ability and continues punching and kicking the air, everyone able to clearly see the force of his attacks. "Or maybe..." Gentarō jumps high into the air, flips a couple times and lands directly in front of the 16 candidates with one arm behind his back, his knees bent, and stretching out his other hand in a challenging manner. "Are you all afraid of me? Of boosters in general?"
There's a long, awkward amount of silence after he asks that. At last, a sound is heard. "Pfft..." Most of the crowd breaks out into laughter, as well as a few of the candidates, though most of them keep their game faces on. Not a single person with a white uniform smiles or laughs however. We all just stare at the center of the gym in shock, some of us shaking with fear. I'm positive those filled with fear are only thinking of themselves, but I'm afraid for Gentarō most of all.
"Scared? Of you?! Is that some kind of joke?" Tasho continues to cackle.
"If all of the boosters were to gather up and stand against the rest of the acolytes, and this entire school for that matter, what do you think would happen?" Gentarō speaks loud enough so everyone can hear him through their laughter.
"What? You really think if all of you boosters got together you'd really stand a chance against the rest of us?" Okiguma snickers.
"Yeah. As a matter of fact, if every fabricator class booster in this school was to boost one emanator class booster, do you think you would be able to stand up to them?" After Gentarō suggests that, no one is laughing or smiling anymore. I myself had never even considered the possibility.
"...Why has no one ever tried that..?" I think to myself.
"Now that I have your attention, I'd like to show you all why you should be scared of that possibility by fighting just one of those boosters: me." Gentarō smiles once more.
"Cocky little thing aren't you... I'll tear you to shreds!" Raharu growls and several of the candidates step forward, their hair and eyes lighting up as they activate their various powers.
"Everyone, calm yourselves. I'd like to make an announcement before you do anything rash." Says the deep voice of a man coming in through the speakers. This voice is none other than the voice of the principal of our school and the father of Mibaru and Itsumi, Mr. Nagako. Everyone looks up at the mic room instantly, and there he is, our black haired, white eyed, duck tail bearded principal, with thick muscles yet pale skin, probably from always doing work inside this school and the research institute, and he wears an eyepatch over his left eye. "You've made your point plenty clear. You want to participate for a spot in the tournament, then very well."
"What?! But sir-" It's the voice of the gym teacher who speaks, but the principal holds up his hand to silence him.
"For 70 years now we've been doing this tournament in the same exactly fashion. The same old rules, same old participants, and the same old methods...I think it's about time for some changes." Mr. Nagako smiles coyly. "But do you think you'll be able to bring about that change, Gentarō?"
Gentarō smiles right back at him, confidently. "If a booster is the one who created all this, then yeah, I'm positive I can. Maybe not alone, but I can be the driving force that starts it." It was always a rumor that a booster is the one who created this high school and the research institute because of Mr. Nagako being a booster, but no matter what type of acolyte your parents are, even if they're the exact same type of booster, that has no influence on what kind of acolyte you will be. What determines it is still a mystery to this day.
Mr. Nagako chuckles and nods his head. "Alright then, then which one of the student council's 16 candidates is willing to put their position on the line against this booster?"
There's a brief moment of silence before someone steps up, Mibaru being that someone. "I'll take you on then. You know what they say, if you can't take the heat..." A swirl of fireballs surrounds Mibaru and he smiles the same way the principal does, hair and eyes glowing red. "Then get out of the kitchen." One of those flames flies right at Gentarō, and Gentarō tilts his body to avoid it, the flame going out and revealing Mibaru's lyte; an eagle with red feathers covering its entire body except for the white feathers around its head and tail. I almost forgot that a lyte also has the same acolyte power as their acolyte master, just the opposite class' ability. Since Mibaru is a fabricator class acolyte, that makes his eagle an emanator class.
"Alright, I'll accept that." Gentarō looks up at the principal once more. "Hey! Since he has a lyte, can I nominate a fabricator booster to fight at my side?"
"I don't see why not, that would just give you zero excuses if you lose." Mr. Nagako replies.
"And it'll prove my point even more about how great we boosters really are when we work together when I win." He snickers, turning to the sophomore crowd.
I instantly become lost in thought. "I wonder who he's thinking of choosing to fight with him... He's made friends with lots of boosters and it's only been a week. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some great fabricator class booster he has up his sleeve." I smile, pretty excited to see who this booster is. Then, Gentarō points up at the crowd. From my view point, it looks like he's pointing at me, but I'm guessing it's just because I'm far away, right?
"Genta Tsukioka. That's the booster I want to fight with me." Gentarō grins and a spotlight is aimed right at me.
I blink a few times, processing his words, my eyes going wide and my face immediately going pale. "E-Eh..?!"