Chase then walked up to the metal scrap pile. Then Miss Flare and Armed spoke at the same time. Through the intercom. "Now, BEGIN!!!!" Then chase's body transformed into a giant metal monster. It looked similar to both a giant lizard on hine legs. And an Alien monster. With a center giant metal eye on its head. As well as sharp teeth and a long tongue. "He has to be seven foot five inches tall." Thought Aio. The metal skin he had was a shiny clear silver. The beast than devoured the metal scrap pile. And then the beast began radiating Aura around him. Everyone in the arena became silent. Then Ape announced his aura ranking. "Chase Grogan. Aura level, Copper Star." "AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The stands cheered in excitement. "Wow! That's incredible!" Announced miss flare. "That's really good." Replied armed in shock. "He's an aura star above the minimum requirement. Which is Aluminum star." "Chase grogan has definitely set the bar high this year." Responds flare. "Impressive!" Says neon to ramped. "You've definitely come across a powerful kid for his age." "Hmm. He isn't without his flaws though." Responds ramped. "Don't worry. They're all young. As we once were." Replies neon. "You remember what I said earlier right? When you're protege was messing with my pupil." "Oh yes." Said ramped remembering. "You said that because of what I am naturally like with strangers. Especially when I was younger right?" "You got it!" Answers neon. "You have a tough time with people you don't know. But once you trust them. Like how you trust me and armed. Your loyal for life." "That's mainly because of my animal instincts." Replies ramped. "It's both a great blessing, and a terrible curse." "But that also means that you will be the greatest influence on him." Responds neon. "I know you can do it." "Thanks neon." Responded ramped. Flare then began to speak on the intercom. "Well armed. Shall we move on to the next participant?" "Of course!" Answered armed, and then he thought. "Suck up!" "Jerk face!" Thought flare. Both of them were still smiling. Ape began to speak again. "Next one." Then for the next three hours. There were some kids that just made the passing grade by being aluminum star. And other kids that didn't. Until eventually. "Alright, who's next?!" Asked ape. "My turn." Said the kid in a ninja suit. He then walked up to the aura reading device. Then with closed eyes. The kids aura began to radiate out of his clothes. "He looks very familiar." Says flare. "He should." Replies armed. "Except she, isn't a he." "What!" Flare jolts in shock. Ape then began to speak "Aimi Ito. Aura level, copper star!" The crowd then cheers just as loud as when they cheered for chase. "Wow!" Says jake. "I never knew she was a girl. And on top of all that. She is also a copper level aura star!" Aio then gave a slight smile. Then thought. "She would be tough to fight." Aimi slightly blushed. And then began to walk away. When she saw a man in a ninjaa suit up in the stands. He was standing in the shadows. She gave a bow, then continued to walk away. "It's a great first year class already!" Said flare. "Don't you think armed?" "Yes. I would have to agree." Replies armed. "Two first year aura copper stars? That's practically unheard of." "Who is she are armed?" Asked flare. "That is aimi ito." Answers armed. "The protege of the Ace Hero that is ranked number nine of the top ten Heroes, the Instinct." "OH! That's why she looks familiar. She's dressed very similarly to her father." Responds flare then thought. "THIS DIRT BAG!!! HE'S MAKING ME LOOK BAD IN FRONT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE! BY KNOWING MORE INFORMATION THAN I DO!! AND WORSE!! IT'S IN FRONT OF NEON!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Then armed thought. "HAHAHA!!! GOT YOU, WITCH!!!" "Thank you for telling me armed. I appreciate that!" Said flare while smiling. "Your to kind miss flare." Replied armed with a smile back. "Next participant!" Called ape. "I guess it's my turn!" Said jake. "Don't worry. You got this." Says aio calm and quietly. Jake then pauses for a second. Then smiled and said. "Thanks man." As he reaches out a fist. "No problem." Says aio with a slight smile. Then he fist bumps jake's hand. Then jake walked up next to the aura reading device. He closed his eyes. Then aura began radiate off of him. "Hey armed. If I remember correctly. That's your pupil isn't it?" Asked flare. But armed didn't answer. He was waiting for the results intently. It was quiet once again. Ape began to speak. "Jake smith. Aura level, copper star." The audience cheered once again. "Wow!! There are three copper level aura star students!! Amazing!!!" Yelled flare. Armed sighed in relief. Flare then thought. "I gotta give you credit for once. Turns out your a pretty good mentor. BUT THAT'S ALL YOUR GOOD AT!!" But then she stopped and noticed. Armed was genuinely smiling. Then he thought about a year ago.
One year ago. Neon had just helped armed take down a couple of criminals in a city block. "Thanks neon." Said armed. "But I could've handled it." "I know." Replied neon. "I need a favor." "Anything." Quickly responded armed. "I'll always have your back neon. You didn't need to help me for that. Not after how many times you've helped me." "Thanks Troy." (Armed's real name is Troy Jackson) "So!" Replies armed. "What do you need." Neon then explains jake's situation. "Don't get me wrong neon. I'll do it. But why don't you teach him?" Asks armed. "That's because I already have a protege." Answered neon. "And besides, your ability compliments jake's. Your both Structure aura types. You have a better chance to get through to him. He's very similar to your old personality as well." "Oh. Weak you mean." Responds armed. "No." Replies neon. "Kind and humble. You will come to realize this kids potential." Then armed thinks of the first time he met jake. "Sir! It's nice to meet you!!" Says jake nervously. "Calm down." Responds armed nonchalantly. "Don't be so uptight. Just call me troy." "Oh, ok." Replies jake. "So kid." Says troy. "What's your goal?" Jake then pauses and thinks. Then answered troy's question. "I want." He paused one more time. Then continued. "I want to become a hero who can protect those close to him!" Troy jolts in shock. And thinks. "This kid! Was like me! I can tell that he's serious." Then with a slight smile. Troy then spoke. "ALRIGHT KID!!" He yelled. "IF YOU WANT TO PROTECT THOSE CLOSE TO YOU! YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THE WORK!!! I was going to go easy on you. BUT THAT WOULD BE A MOCKERY ON YOUR RESOLVE!!!" Then for that whole year. They trained. And they trained. Until the exams. Armed came back to reality. "Neon was right." He thought still smiling. "So much potential." "Well!" Said flare jumping armed out of his thinking. "Yes!" Replies armed while he fake coughs. "Let's see who's next." "See. I knew you'd do great." Says aio. "Thanks! Aio." Replies jake. "Next examinee!" Called ape. "I'm next." Replies aio as he stepped out confidently. Aio thinks back to a month ago about his training.
Back on the mountain. "Neon." Said aio while stopping his exercising and getting neon's attention "What is it aio?" Asked Aren Nelson (Neon). "I was just thinking it would be nice if I didn't have to exercise my body to increase the power of my ability." "That's not why we're exercising your body." Responds aren. "IT'S NOT!!!" Yelled aio. "Then why the crap are we doing this?!" Aren sighs deeply and says. "I told you. It's to increase your body's control over your aura energy." Aio then being puzzled asked. "I remember that. But how does that actually work? Aren't I more weak in aura?" "No." Answers aren as he begins to explain. "Your actually quite strong. To have the capability to use the first Force Energy Shield Layer. It requires a lot of aura. Which is something you have plenty of." Aio thinks for moment. "Are you referring to when you had me EXPLODE!!!" Yelled aio in anger. "HUSH! Teachers talking." Aren said with a stoic face. While his eyes were closed and his index finger up. Aio was about to yell again. But aren then said as he shook his index finger. "NO, NO. You cannot talk." Aio just stopped and listened. A little unwillingly. Aren continued. "To increase your body's control over it. You need to have stronger muscles. Think of your muscles as the ditches of a river. And aura is the river. The stronger the ditch. The more it can contain the river. And weaker the ditch. Then it will spill and lose water instead. Right now, you have more aura than your body can use. So strengthen your body. The more power you have." "Wow! That's awesome." Responds aio. "But as a reminder." Aren says sternly. "Even though the amount of aura you have is a lot for your age. That doesn't mean you are the strongest. There is always a bigger fish. You will have to fight to be the biggest fish. You are just on the first steps of your journey. There is a way to train your aura to get stronger. However, that's for a later date. Aio, just focus on the tasks right in front of you." "He's right." Thought aio. "He hasn't actually led me astray yet. Do it for your family aio." Then aio continued his training. Aio then came back to the present. "Look!" Said flare. "That participant has been standing by jake smith this whole time. Wonder who he is. Do you know armed?" Armed just smiled and said. "Just watch. Everyone will know in a moment." Flare then thought. "He must be important. If armed holds him in such high esteem." Then flare said. Alright everyone, let's watch and listen then." Aio walked up to the aura reading device. Then stood next to it. Everyone was silent once again. Aio closed his eyes. Then he glowed a neon blue color. Aura flowed out of him. He then opened back up his eyes. And waited for the results. "Aio Nelson. Aura level, Brass star." The crowd was dead quiet. A pen drop could be heard throughout the arena. And armed was in a shock while sweating a little with nervousness. Flare was also in shock while in a nervous sweat, and said. "Did he say brass star?" "NICE JOB MAN!!!" Jake yelled in excitement. Then the crowd muttered with themselves for a moment. And they then cheered with a roar that echoed through the entire arena. And in unison, they cheered "AIO!" continually. "Impressive." Said ramped. "To think you found that kind of protege." "Thank you ramped." Said neon. "I cannot believe that there is a brass level aura star in are class." Said jake. "Your awesome man." Aio chuckled a little bit and said. "Thanks." Aio and jake continued to talk to each other. "Armed. Whose that examinee?" Asked flare. "That is aio nelson." Answered armed. "He is the protege of the number one ace hero, the Neon. "WHATTTTT?!!!!!!!!" Yelled flare. Then she thought. "NEON HAS A PROTEGE?! AND I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT?!!!" People in the stands were all in shock and surprise. But they cheered even more. "Grrrrrrr." Growled chase and then thought. "I was fine with all the other participants aura levels score. But why did he have to be in first Place!!!" "Wow!" Thought aimi while blushing. Aio and jake continued to talk until. "What's this?!!" Yelled flare on the intercom. "Another Brass Star RANK?!!!" Aio and jake turned around. They weren't listening to the announcers. "Who could've had the same aura level as you aio?" Said jake. Then aio saw and stared seriously at a kid. The kid had a no need to comb hair style, his hair was grey colored, his eyes were white colored, wore a white tshirt with a black long leather jacket; and jeans with tennis shoes. He was as tall as aio. But not as fit in muscles though. The kid just stood and stared at aio. Then miss flare announced. "Meet the other brass level aura star user, Ros Miller!!!"
Next time. Chapter 8, Another Challenger?!