"Uhhhh, weird..."
Ariel Syna collapsed onto his bed, his usually vibrant eyes fixated on the ceiling, lost in contemplation.
Though concerned about Silver's "incompleteness," there was a more profound issue he sensed but refrained from mentioning to the others.
"Why can't I perceive anything from that boy..."
Ariel's ethereal arm, a buff type, was often considered the weakest class. However, his was a rare exception. The seventh complete ethereal arm, Sensual Purification, possessed the unique ability to enhance its owner's "sixth sense," an ability that might seem underwhelming at first glance. Only those who truly understood its potential could grasp its terrifying power.
"What boy?" A sharp voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Noah!" Ariel leapt up, furious at Noah Heeden's sudden appearance. "Didn't your parents teach you to knock before entering someone's room?"
"Perhaps they did, but it's not like I listen..." Noah replied nonchalantly, making himself comfortable on Ariel's bed.
"Listen, there's something unsettling about one of the contestants from SIGMA Academy," Ariel confided.
Noah, taken aback by his serious tone, quickly masked his mischievous grin. "I'm listening."
When Ariel had a "weird feeling" about something, it was almost always accurate.
"Sirius Xshasi's descendant, Shun Xshasi."
"I can't perceive anything from him, and this has only happened once before in my entire life."
He took a deep breath and reluctantly uttered his final words.
"King Nathaniel Heaven."
...
After their triumph over Lordrixis North Academy, it was certain that SIGMA Academy would secure first place in Group 5, guaranteeing their advancement to the elimination round in the next phase.
"I seriously expected that fight to be harder," Yurien mumbled, her mouth full of food.
"I think..." Leon swallowed his rice, "the only real challenges we face now are the Belkarn Clan and, of course, Haven Royal Academy."
"Aside from those two, every other match will be a walk in the park for us."
"Who's our next opponent again?" Silver inquired.
"How come you don't even know, Your Majesty?" Rayden teased. "A random academy called Korwill Academy or something."
"That team got obliterated in the first round; they should just forfeit against us," Vito said, still proud of his previous performance.
"It seems like we don't need to try in the next few rounds," Shun announced. "Top five is already guaranteed for us."
"Never let your guard down; you never know when fate will throw a punch at your face," Emilia cautioned, her smile contradicting her words.
As expected, their next three opponents were easily defeated, and they advanced to the elimination phase without breaking a sweat.
However, their next opponent froze the smiles on their faces.
"Wonderland Academy?" Silver stared at the pairing sheet in disbelief. "What luck do we have?"
Everyone knew that losing this match meant instant elimination.
Similar to the Belkarn Clan, Wonderland Academy had crushed Lordrixis South Academy effortlessly. Although they were defeated by the Belkarn Clan, they secured second place in their group with ease.
"Listen up, everyone..." Leon waved his hand lazily in the air.
"I had a peek at their abilities. The King of their team has a terrifying power they use to win all their matches."
"Her ethereal arm is called Corporeal Synchronization. The ability is simple yet terrifying."
"Any damage dealt to her is equally distributed among her opponents."
"With the support of her teammates, she can inflict significant damage on the other team without falling first herself."
"However, this strategy has many, and I mean many, flaws."
"Firstly, we have three ultimate counters to her ability: Vito's immortal body, Shun's weapon creation, and Mia's healing, rendering the damage she deals ineffective."
"Secondly, their strategy revolves entirely around the King, providing us with a clear target. As long as we defeat or even restrain her, victory is ours for the taking."
"Lastly, her ability only works if she can physically see her opponents. With that in mind, we can utilize many tactics to completely neutralize her power."
Rayden laughed derisively. "Then what are we worried about? This is going to be another crushing victory for us."
"I'd hope that's the case," Leon continued, "but unfortunately, their Queen also poses a significant threat."
"Her ability is similar to Ruby's Crimson Moon, boosting her teammates' fighting spirit."
"But as an ascended-level ethereal arm, this ability does far more than that."
"It can completely suppress sensory system activity, meaning the entire team won't feel any pain."
"This ability not only synergizes well with the King's power but also ensures that every member of their team will fight to the very end."
"Our opponents this time are indeed more challenging than the previous ones. However, this time we possess the most crucial element for victory: information."
"With information comes comprehension, and with comprehension comes strategy."
"I've devised multiple plans. Pick your poison." He said, spreading four sheets of paper on the table.
The students gathered around, scrutinizing the words scribbled on the papers, focusing more on deciphering Leon's messy handwriting than the content.
"I like this one—aggressive and direct." Albert pointed at one of the papers. Emilia, Jaylen, and Ruby nodded in agreement.
"I think this one is better—slowly outplaying their strategy." Fiana argued confidently as she slapped her hand on the table. "Agreed," Cloudy, Rin, and Mia responded simultaneously.
"Guys, come on, the third plan is clearly the best," Rayden insisted.
No one agreed with him.
"Trust us, it's not personal; we just generally don't agree." Gideon tried to console him.
"Gideon, duplicity is very bad; it starts with lying to yourself," Oswald remarked mercilessly.
Shun raised his hand, signaling for silence.
"Why don't we go with the last one? It sounds fun to me."
"Finally, someone who agrees with me," Vito sighed in relief.
"Uhhh, isn't the last one too... cruel?" Yurien hesitated.
"That's why it's fun," Shun shrugged. "Silver, you're the King. What's your opinion?"
"I'll choose whatever Shun chooses," she smiled.
Suddenly, all eyes were on the two of them, their expressions a mix of suspicion and mockery.
Rayden was the first to break into laughter.
...
As they say, history likes to repeat itself.
Rayden Asher was running for his life, a blazing trail chasing his figure.
Behind him, Shun and Silver were hunting him down, ethereal arms drawn.