"ONE TWO."
"ONE TWO."
"ONE TWO."
The students' arms shot forward, their punches executed with strict form. Each movement was a direct kinetic transfer, the muscles of the arms and shoulders engaging in rapid contraction to propel the fist. The force was transmitted in a linear path, from the legs, through the core, and out into the arm, the body's architecture functioning like a finely-tuned machine. The wrists were locked, generating maximum impact through the fist, aimed at an invisible target with calculated efficiency.
The air resisted their strikes, but it was an anticipatory resistance, a slight compression before the punches moved past it. There was no wasted energy as every motion was a refinement of technique, a perfect balance between strength and speed.
Untitled's eyes traced the movements with an instinctive understanding. His body, though small and underdeveloped, instinctively mirrored their precise energy patterns, muscles contracting in rhythmic unison.
"Dang, I actually remember all of their teachings even now.. back then- well.. back now I thought it was kind of boring but now my understanding of it makes these practices seem alot more sensible not gonna lie..."
Untitled spoke to himself, he was not the only person here named Untitled. Every student in this dojo shared the same designation, a reflection of their status as unimportant, nameless, nothing more than tools in a system that didn't acknowledge their individuality. They had no titles, no recognition, only the label of 'Untitled,' as they were not seen by society as anything worth naming.
Naming oneself was illegal, punishable by death. It was akin to an ant claiming equality with a human, an absurdity in this world. Yet, Untitled knew his status was even lower than that of an ant, as was the status of everyone around him. They were less than nothing.
And so was he.
In this world, they were defined by numbers. He himself was Untitled was UNTITLED-1, the others UNTITLED-2, UNTITLED-3, and so on, ascending to UNTITLED-99. Even their teacher held the title UNTITLED-SENSEI.
People like them could not ever wish to ascend to the Unrivalled status at the pinnacle of this world, where the lines between Heaven and Earth are inseperable.
"UNTITLED-1. What are you doing? Are you not in the mood for training? How absurd! You will be punished immediately and set up to spar with UNTITLED-99."
Untitled-Sensei's voice broke through my thoughts.
She stood in front of the class, her posture regal yet approachable. Sweat glistened on her brow, the damp strands of blonde hair clinging to her face as she moved. Her white GI clung to her toned body in a contrast of strength and femininity.
The fabric stretched over her athletic form, accentuating her finely sculpted waist and the subtle curve of her hips. Her eyes flicked over the students with a look that brooked no defiance.
Through the crowd, I heard the low chuckling.
Then, standing in front of me, was Lorien Solmaris. A young blonde boy with piercing blue eyes, his sculpted physique almost gleaming in the light. He was the Shining Knight, born from the prestigious bloodline of the Radiant Dawn.
Currently though he was only known and ranked as Untitled-99, he stood just below Sensei in status. As her son, he enjoyed an unfair advantage in training, teachings, and treatment as well as biases the Untitled class could never dream of.
"Untitled-1, look at you," he sneered, voice dripping with disdain. "A worthless nobody, standing there, trying to act like you're even worth noticing." He took another step, his presence oppressive, suffocating. "What's the matter? Did the weight of your insignificance finally get to you? Pathetic."
His gaze flicked to the others, his confidence unshaken, as though he were the only one who mattered in this world of empty names and discarded lives. "Don't bother trying to make a name for yourself. Even if you did, no one would remember it. You're just one more failure in a long line of them. Just accept your place."
His reputation was one of fear, and even as a young boy, I felt an intense terror when in his presence. His ruthless nature went unchecked, protected by his lineage, while the rest of us were bound by the chains of our lowly status.
As a young boy with no experience I had completely suffered in fighting him in my previous life. The ranking system of Untitled required the lower ranks of Untitled to fight and defeat the other ones in order to claim their status.
For example, Untitled-5 must have the strength to consecutively defeat Untitled-1,2,3,4 and 5 in order to be properly given their 'title' as Untitled-5. Similarly as Untitled-99 must also have the strength to defeat Untitled-1 to Untitled 99 consecutively one after the other in single combat.
Because of this Untitled-99 was feared by everyone else, and I was scared too at this point in another life.
But not this one.
"What's the matter, Untitled-99? Got a little too comfortable in your high chair, huh? You think just because you're the big fish in this little pond, you can look down on the rest of us?" I couldn't help but laugh, the sound bitter and mocking as it echoed in the air.
I stepped closer, my stance loose, like I was just messing around.
"You might be next in line to teach the rest of us, but don't forget you're just as much a slave to the system as I am. It's funny, really. You're nothing but a scared little kid in the end, trying to wear a crown that doesn't fit."
I could see the surprise ripple through the crowd like a wave.
The other students, those beneath Untitled-99, were standing stock-still, eyes wide. Some even flinched, as if waiting for me to be struck down on the spot. They had all been raised under the same rules, the same fear.
Yet here I was- laughing, mocking, and daring the one person they all feared most.
His eyes shot daggers at me, his fists tightening. But he said nothing. Not that I expected him to.
Even Untitled-Sensei, standing there with her perfect composure didn't seem immune to the tension.
Her brow furrowed, and for a moment, I saw something flash in her eyes as a mix of concern and disbelief.
Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She was just as shocked as the rest, maybe even more so, considering the consequences of disrespecting Untitled-99.
I grinned. "Come on, show me what you've got then. You've been running your mouth for far too long. Let's see if your punches can back it up or if you'll just fall like all the rest."
The air felt thick, like it was waiting for something. The ground beneath us almost hummed, and I could feel the tension, ready to snap.
Then, his stance shifted. He lifted his chin, and I saw that slight smile. "You're about to find out just how much I can handle."
Before I could even blink, I felt it. The space between us shrank like it didn't matter anymore. And just like that, the first strike came.