Chapter 21: The Art of Perfection
The first trial of Aether Academy raged on.
Control zones were being captured, teams were being eliminated, and the weakest were falling fast.
But amidst the chaos, one team moved with surgical precision.
Rei Kurogane's team.
They weren't the strongest.They weren't the fastest.But they were perfect.
Every movement, every strike, every decision—executed flawlessly.
Rei's vision and calculations had turned Souta and Akari into untouchable fighters.
Souta (grinning): "This is insane! I feel like I can read their attacks before they even move!"
Akari (calmly): "No. That's just Rei seeing for you."
Rei (adjusting glasses): "Focus. We're not done yet."
They had already captured two zones.
But now, the real fight was about to begin.
The Strongest Teams Strike Back
As Rei's team continued their flawless streak, the top-ranked students started to adapt.
Lina Veras (crossing arms): "Tch… I don't like being outplayed."
For the first time, the fastest student in the exam wasn't the one moving ahead.
Kenji Arata (cracking knuckles): "Alright, nerd. Let's see if you can predict me."
The top competitors weren't about to let Rei control the game.
And leading the charge—
Kozuki Renjou.
Kozuki (calmly): "I've seen enough. Time to remind them why we're at the top."
His team was finally making their move.
The Turning Point – A Perfect Trap
Rei's team pushed toward the third control zone, only to find it… empty.
Souta (frowning): "No guards? That's weird."
Akari (suspicious): "It's a trap."
Rei narrowed his eyes.
His vision scanned the entire battlefield.
Footprints in the dust.Shifts in the wind.Tiny disturbances in the shadows.
They were surrounded.
Rei (calmly): "…Fall back."
But before they could react—
BOOM!
A massive shockwave exploded around them as Kenji charged in.
Kenji (grinning): "Too late!"
At the same time, Lina attacked from the opposite side, moving at blinding speed.
Lina (smirking): "Predict this, nerd."
For the first time—
Rei's perfect control was being challenged.
Kozuki's Counterplay – The Absolute King Strikes
Watching from a distance, Kozuki Renjou observed Rei's struggle.
Kozuki (analyzing): "He's evolved. But he's still flawed."
Rei's strength was making his teammates perfect.
But Kozuki had already found the weakness.
Kozuki: "Take out the brain, and the body falls apart."
He stepped forward, calmly entering the battlefield himself.
For the first time, Kozuki was about to personally challenge Rei's perfect strategy.