Chapter 10: Testing Strength – The Rising Monsters
The Combat Training Center roared with activity. Aether Academy's new students were already testing their limits, pushing themselves in the academy's advanced training chambers.
Massive holographic screens displayed the results of strength, speed, endurance, and combat ability tests.
Rei Kurogane stood at the edge of the room, observing everything. He wasn't here to show off—he was here to analyze.
The Strongest Contenders Emerge
Whispers spread like wildfire as certain students began standing out.
🔹 Kazuki Renjou (Rank #1 – Martial Arts King)
A towering fighter with deadly precision and raw power. His karate strikes shattered reinforced dummies, his punches leaving deep cracks in the training walls. Students whispered:"That guy's not human… he barely moved, and the machine says his power level is already higher than last year's top students!"
🔹 Lina Veras (The Untouchable Phantom)
Master of evasive combat, moving so fast that even the academy's tracking cameras struggled to follow her. Dodged twenty consecutive AI combat dummies without a single hit. Students murmured:"She's impossible to touch… she hasn't been hit once!"
🔹 Elias Krow (The Iron Tower)
A tank-like warrior with absurd endurance. Took five direct hits from the academy's AI combat system without flinching. Students muttered:"What the hell is that guy made of? He doesn't even react to pain!"
🔹 Kenji Arata (The Fist of Aether)
A relentless striker specializing in Muay Thai and aggressive hand-to-hand combat. His speed and technique made him one of the deadliest close-range fighters. Students whispered:"Kenji's already crushed three training dummies… this guy's a monster!"
🔹 Mika Fujiwara (The Tactical Archer)
An expert marksman with near-perfect accuracy. Could hit moving targets at over 100 meters without missing. Students whispered:"I thought this was a fighting school, but Mika's proving that long-range combat is just as terrifying…"
🔹 Daigo Shiranui (The Silent Blade)
A cold, precise swordsman with inhuman speed. Cut through a steel practice dummy with a single strike. Students whispered:"I didn't even see him draw his sword… and the dummy was already in two pieces!" Rei's Team – A Hidden Powerhouse
While Rei watched and analyzed, his teammates weren't sitting idle.
🔹 Souta Arclight (The Lightning Striker)
Faster than the eye could track. His reaction speed was near-instant, dodging every AI combat attack effortlessly. Landed a flurry of high-speed punches in under a second, overloading the academy's tracking system. Students gossiped:"I thought Kazuki was the fastest, but this guy… he's untouchable!"
🔹 Akari Kisaragi (The Shadow Counter)
Evasion so perfect that even AI training bots couldn't land a hit. Used her opponents' strength against them, countering at impossible angles. Defeated an advanced AI combatant with a single perfect strike after dodging for five minutes. Students whispered:"She's like a ghost… No wasted movements, no mistakes. How do you even fight someone like that?"
Even among the strongest students, Souta and Akari stood out.
Rei grinned slightly. They don't even realize how powerful my teammates are yet.
Rei Observes – The Hidden Genius
Rei stood quietly, memorizing every strength, every weakness.
While the others showed off, he gathered data.
Souta leaned over. "Damn… these guys are insane. What do you think, genius?"
Rei adjusted his glasses. "Kazuki relies too much on raw power. Lina is fast but not suited for drawn-out battles. Elias is durable but slow. Kenji is aggressive but leaves openings. Mika is deadly from a distance but weak in close combat. Daigo… he's dangerous, but his style burns stamina fast."
Akari smirked. "So, everyone has a weakness."
Rei nodded. "Everyone does. The trick is knowing when to exploit it."
Souta grinned. "Man, I love this guy."
But as they spoke, a figure approached.
A student with an eerie, confident smile, his golden eyes gleaming with intelligence.
"You're interesting," he said.
Rei turned to see another powerful opponent.
🔹 Zayne Alistair (The Mind of Aether)
A tactical prodigy, rumored to be one of the most intelligent fighters in the academy. Known for breaking opponents mentally before even fighting them. "I wonder, Rei Kurogane… how long will you last?"