"This school was built to bring the Gifted and the Cursed together. And there's no better way for them to earn respect for each other —real respect than through battle."
"Isaiah and Damian are the top-ranked students in the school. Let's put them both in Vanguard. It's the perfect fit for those who have already proven their strength."
He paused, letting his words settle before adding, "And to balance things out, we'll put Malakai Blackwell and Alexandria Morningstar in Rebellion."
There was a faint rustling as several teachers shifted uncomfortably. The weight of Yu's proposal lingered in the air like a storm cloud.
He leaned back, his eyes scanning the room. "Let them face off," he concluded. "We'll see what happens."
The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of his words settling over the group. Every face was unreadable, each teacher lost in their own thoughts, until Miss Eris broke the tension.
"So... you're proposing to pit the two most talented students against two..."
"Monsters," Professor Thawne interjected bluntly, leaning forward with a smirk.
"Thawne!" Mrs. Lien snapped, her voice sharp with disapproval.
"What? You all saw the footage!" Thawne shot back, unapologetic. "We all know what that kid is capable of when he summons that sword. Yu is atleast five ranks above him, and even he struggled when Blackwell entered that… state."
The "state" in question was Blackout, and every teacher in the room could recall the raw, unrelenting chaos they had witnessed on the screen. It wasn't just impressive—it was terrifying.
"And if that little girl is anything like her father," Thawne added. "then Damian and Isaiah are in for one hell of a ride. Literally."
They knew he was right, and that truth was sinking into the minds of everyone present.
Alexandria's father, Alexander Morningstar, is widely regarded as the most powerful man alive. His ability to manipulate and generate hellfire—an interdimensional flame that burns hotter than anything known to man, has solidified his reputation as the most destructive force in modern warfare.
Thawne leaned forward, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "You know what? I'm in. Yu's right. Let's see how this plays out. For once, we might actually have something worth watching."
Wyatt shot up from his seat, his face flushed with frustration. "Are you all out of your minds? This isn't some spectacle for your amusement! They'd be annihilated!" He jabbed a finger at the group. "We have ranks for a reason, damn it! Our job is to ensure these teams are balanced, not to satisfy some reckless curiosities!"
His glare turned to Eris, his voice rising. "And you, Eris, of all people! You're going to stand for this madness?"
Eris met Wyatt's fiery glare with a composed, unyielding demeanor. "Calm down, Wyatt," she said, her tone sharp but measured. "I may not fully agree with this plan, but it can't be dismissed outright. Let's not forget that Alexandria and Malakai are the only students personally invited to this school. Their rankings were assigned randomly, so using their ranks as a basis for judgment is meaningless in this case."
Wyatt's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
"I'm not too familiar with the Morningstar girl since she doesn't participate in battle classes," Eris began, her voice steady. "But if Mr. Yu is willing to vouch for her, that's enough for me. You have my vote."
She cast a glance in Mr. Yu's direction, who acknowledged her support with a small nod and a faint, appreciative smile.
One by one, the other teachers followed suit. The decision was made.
**********
"And just like that," Mr. Wyatt said bitterly, recounting the meeting to Damian, "the majority of the teachers voted in favor of Alexandria." He sighed heavily. "I couldn't argue without making it look suspicious. And with so many other placements to review, there was nothing I could do."
His voice was heavy with defeat, but Damian didn't respond.
Moments earlier, Damian had been trembling with rage. Now, he stood eerily still, his head lowered in quiet thought.
"Damian?" Wyatt asked cautiously, trying to read his expression.
Before he could say another word, Damian turned on his heel and walked out of the room.
As he stormed down the hall, his voice was a low murmur, repeating the same words like a mantra: "There's always someone else. There's always someone else. There's always someone else."
Each step felt heavier, his thoughts spiraling into a storm of frustration and bitterness.
"No matter how hard I train, Isaiah is always stronger. No matter what I do, the rest of the Knights never acknowledge me."
His fists clenched, electricity sparking faintly around his hands.
"And now, when something finally goes my way, Kai and that red-haired bitch show up to ruin it all?"
The sparks grew brighter, flickering wildly as his anger reached a breaking point.
"No. No, no, no. I've had enough!" His breathing quickened, his voice rising to a roar in his head. "I've had it!"
Electricity crackled around his entire body now, faint arcs lighting the dim corridor as his eyes began to glow.
"I'll prove them all wrong," Damian growled through gritted teeth, his voice a low snarl. "Every single one of them. They want a spectacle? I'll give them one. A massacre they'll never forget."
As he disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, the air left behind felt charged, heavy with the weight of his fury and ambition.
********
Meanwhile
Meanwhile, in the private training hall, Michael stood frozen at the center, his breath heavy and sweat dripping down his face. His eyes darted around, desperately trying to keep up with the figure with glowing red eyes ricocheting off the walls in every direction with blistering speeds
Kai moved so fast that his sheer velocity distorted the air, creating mirages that disoriented Michael's senses.
This was no ordinary speed—it was a refined variation of Blur that Kai has been working on, a technique designed to overwhelm his opponent's perception in confined spaces.
In the tight space, the rapid movements and illusions made it impossible to predict his next move. And just when his target thought they could react, Kai would use his built-up momentum to strike with devastating precision.
"I've fought you long enough to know your patterns, Kai," Michael thought, keeping his stance firm and his guard raised. His eyes remained sharp, his body poised, as he waited patiently.
Ten seconds. That's how long Kai usually maintained this relentless speed before committing to an attack from above. Michael couldn't match Kai's speed, but he didn't need to, not if he could predict it.
The seconds ticked by, each one stretching with the tension in the air. Then, as the tenth second struck, Kai descended, hurtling toward Michael like a missile.
But Michael was ready. In the blink of an eye, he activated his curse, his body phasing seamlessly through the floor just as Kai's blade slashed through empty air where he had stood a fraction of a second earlier.
The force Kai landed with caused a sharp crack against the floor, his glowing red eyes narrowing as he scanned for his opponent. "Smart move," he muttered under his breath.
Michael phased out of the ground and launched himself into the air. Mid-flight, he twisted his body, executing a spinning strike aimed directly at Kai's ribs.
Kai reacted instantly, raising Bane, his katana, to block the oncoming blow.
BAM!
The impact sent a shockwave through the room, reverberating off the walls. Despite having his guard up, Kai was hurled backward, skidding across the floor until he hit the far wall with a grunt. He straightened quickly, his glowing red eyes narrowing as a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Not bad" .
Michael didn't respond. There was no time for words. he knew Kai would adjust quickly to that move. That was the nature of fighting someone like him, Kai adapted faster than anyone he'd ever faced.
Kai dashed forward again, this time he was deliberately slower. He was testing Michael, pushing him to react.
Michael held his ground, every muscle tense, every sense heightened. He was ready for anything Kai had in mind
Just as Kai closed the distance, he began to run in a Zigzag manner as he approached and it created 3 mirages of his figure all moving in Micheal's direction.
Michael's instincts kicked in, and he dropped to the ground, rolling to the side just in time to avoid a slash that came from the left. That one was real Kai
But it was a lie.
The real Kai was already above him, coming down with a savage overhead strike. Michael's eyes widened. He couldn't dodge in time.
"Ah, screw it!" Michael shouted, his dagger suddenly glowing faintly red as he poured his curse energy into it. This was Augmentation, the art of channeling curse energy into a weapon to enhance its strength and durability. It was risky—Michael hadn't fully mastered the technique—but it was his best shot.
The two weapons clashed.
BOOM!
The impact was cataclysmic. The air itself seemed to tremble as a shockwave rippled outward, shaking the entire training hall. Both fighters were flung backward, slamming into opposite walls with bone-jarring force.
Michael collapsed face-first onto the ground, groaning in pain. He stayed down for a moment, breathing heavily, before muttering, "You know, Kai, I really, really hate fighting you."
Kai, lying sprawled out on the other side, chuckled weakly. "Feeling's mutual, Michael. Feeling's mutual."
Slowly, the two began to push themselves to their feet, their bodies battered but their spirits still intact. They limped toward each other, their exhaustion palpable.
"This is a draw, right?" Michael asked, his voice tinged with desperation.
"Probably," Kai replied with a shrug, his smirk returning.
With Mr. Yu absent for some time, Kai and Michael had taken it upon themselves to spar in the private battle hall, making full use of the space while they still had access.
To keep things interesting, they'd started keeping score: Kai had secured victory 9 times, while Michael had managed 6 wins of his own. There had also been 4 draws—until today.
After their latest clash, the tally now stood at 5 draws.
Michael leaned against the wall, catching his breath as his body ached from the intense sparring session. He glanced at Kai, who was doing the same on the opposite side of the room, wiping a thin trail of blood from the corner of his mouth.
"You've improved a lot since the first time we sparred. If you could stop taking hits to the face, you might actually win a few more matches."
"Funny," Kai said dryly. "I'll keep that in mind the next time you send me flying across the room."
They both laughed, the tension of the fight easing as they slowly made their way to the hall's exit.
"You think Mr Yu's coming back soon?" Michael asked after a moment.
Kai shrugged. "Who knows? But until then, we've got this place to ourselves. Better make the most of it."
"By the way, you're on dinner duty tonight," Michael declared as they exited the training hall.
"It's Meatball Monday, and this time, make them spicy."
Kai paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah… about that."
Michael raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
"I'm skipping dinner tonight," Kai admitted, his voice unusually subdued as he put a bit of distance between them.
"Skipping dinner?" Michael asked, his tone laced with suspicion. "Why? Where are you going?"
Kai hesitated for a moment before finally replying, "Luminary Haven."
Michael froze, his expression shifting from confusion to realization as the name sank in. "Luminary Haven?" he repeated. "That's where… wait…"
His eyes narrowed, understanding dawning on him. "You're going to see Rebecca, aren't you?"
Kai didn't answer, but the look on his face said it all.
"You're going to take the deal," Michael said, his voice barely above a whisper, disbelief creeping in.