The second day of the freshman Power Assessment Test had arrived.
Despite the fatigue from the previous day's trials, the students' enthusiasm had not waned in the slightest. On the contrary, it had grown even more intense.
Because today was the day of the highly anticipated Martial Trials!
Everyone, from the freshmen to the seniors, from the school's faculty to the television reporters, was waiting with bated breath.
After all, a true duel was the only way to test a warrior's real strength. How many dark horses would emerge today? How many brilliant tactics would be displayed? How many unbelievable Skills would be witnessed? These were the questions on everyone's mind.
And among all the duels, the one that drew the most anticipation was the clash between two of the freshmen who had earned an S-Rank rating the day beforeâFly Ansel and "Emperor" Valerius!
The television cameras were already in position; this duel was going to be broadcast live to the entire city.
The virtual battle arena was a cauldron of noise, with cheers and whistles echoing relentlessly.
Yes, this duel even had a live audience. Star City High had sold thousands of high-priced tickets, allowing the city's most prominent figures to witness the event in person. It was precisely for this reason that the Dean of the freshman year, Dean Sterling, had been forced to accept the altered arrangement that pitted Fly against "Emperor" Valerius.
Amidst the uproar, the announcer slowly walked onto the competition groundsâthis time, it was a standard battle stage, a stark, empty ring with no scenery or obstacles. He raised the microphone to his lips and addressed the crowd in a booming voice.
"Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the annual Martial Trials of the Star City High Power Assessment Test! It is my honor to host this highly anticipated, heart-stopping, and absolutely thrilling main event!"
His words instantly sent the atmosphere in the stands into a fever pitch.
The announcer smiled, pausing for dramatic effect before continuing, "The rules of the match are threefold. A voluntary surrender counts as a loss. The party who loses the ability to fight counts as a loss. And the first to be knocked out of the designated area counts as a loss!
"And now, entering the ring first, the super-genius, the second young master of the Tarantino family, ranked second in the entire school on the entrance exams, and an S-Rank recipient from yesterday's testâ'Emperor' Valerius Tarantino!"
To a roar of applause, "Emperor" Valerius emerged from the preparation tunnel and walked onto the stage.
Once again, he was dressed in a crimson robe, his bearing elegant and noble, with a faint, confident smile gracing his fair, coolly handsome face.
The announcer continued, "And his opponent today, a super rookie and dark horse from humble beginnings who nonetheless ranked seventh in the entrance exams, the wielder of a Mythical Species Beast Totem, and who also received an S-Rank rating in yesterday's testâFly Ansel!"
Following the introduction, Fly walked out from his own tunnel and onto the stage. Today, he wore a simple white shirt, looking plain yet scholarly.
...
Elsewhere, in the audience, the three teachersâMr. Carter, Mr. Ironside, and Dean Sterlingâwere sitting together to watch the match. (Although Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside had been at odds over Fly's placement, they had known each other for years. Their bickering, while frequent, didn't truly affect their long-standing relationship.)
"I can't believe the kid drew an opponent like 'Emperor' Valerius. This won't be an easy win," Mr. Ironside remarked.
"I believe in Fly," Mr. Carter said firmly. "He's the kind of kid who can create miracles."
He then glanced at the silent Dean Sterling. "Dean, what do you think? You're on Fly's side too, right?"
Dean Sterling met his gaze, then turned his eyes back to the stage. "Whether Fly wins or not," he said with deep meaning, "will depend on whether he can accomplish 'that one thing'..."
"'That one thing'?" Hearing this, both Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside whipped their heads around to stare at the inscrutable Dean. "What one thing?"
Dean Sterling: "..."
...
On the battle stage.
"Emperor" Valerius's eyes were locked onto Fly.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Fly asked, his tone light and unconcerned.
Valerius was momentarily taken aback, then shook his head with a small smile. "No. Do you know, Fly? I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. I heard your name on the very first day of school, and in the days that followed, it only grew more and more frequent. At first, I thought you were just some small-time clown seeking attention. But the more I observed you, the more I realized... you might actually have the strength to fight me. For this, I was even willing to... well, in any case, I hope we can give everyone a magnificent battle."
"Willing to...?"
Fly's brow furrowed slightly. He recalled what Dean Sterling had told him the night before. It seemed this Valerius fellow had been "scheming" for this duel for quite some time.
As Valerius spoke, Fly observed him carefully. Though his movements and expression were elegant and easygoing, the "fire" in his eyes betrayed him. Fly could see it clearlyâit was a look of excitement, a gaze burning with the desire for battle.
Fly had no idea how he had managed to offend this young master from a great family. Perhaps it was the same as with Jett.
It's only been a week and I've already made so many 'enemies.' Is being too outstanding a crime? he thought with a helpless sigh.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
But Fly was not one to be easily put on the back foot.
"I would be delighted," he replied, meeting Valerius's intense gaze without flinching.
"Good!"
Valerius could no longer conceal his excitement. He balled his right hand into a fist and thumped it against his heart, then let out a ferocious roar. The massive, powerful mirage of a Tyrannosaurus Rex began to materialize behind him.
Not to be outdone, Fly gave a cold snort, and the mirage of a cockroach, crackling with lightning, manifested behind him as well.
"And now, let the match begin!"
With the announcer's command, "Emperor" Valerius roared and charged straight at Fly.
Fly didn't dodge. He met the charge head-on.
BOOMâ
With a violent crash, the two became a blur of fists and feet, locked in a fierce, chaotic struggle.
The Tyrannosaurus Rex truly was the apex predator of the Cretaceous period; its power was extraordinary. And in the hands of "Emperor" Valerius, the strength of its Beast Totem was unleashed to its fullest potential. His raw, brute force was something that even bears, lions, or tigers would not dare to provoke.
And yet, when faced with Fly, this immense power could not push him back even half a step. To his astonishment, Valerius discovered that the strength Fly was exhibiting was in no way inferior to his own.
An ordinary Beast Totem would have had to yield before the ferocious might of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. But the cockroach was an insect, and insects could often lift objects dozens of times their own body weight. Thus, when pitted against Valerius's T-Rex, Fly's cockroach totem did not fall behind in the slightest.
"Excellent!" Seeing this, the fighting spirit in Valerius's eyes burned even brighter. A light flashed at his side as he began to activate his first Skill.
"Rex Rampage!"
In an instant, a red light glinted in Valerius's eyes. His power magnified several times over. Fly could no longer hold his ground and was violently thrown backwards.
Seeing that he had gained the upper hand, Valerius pressed his advantage, channeling even more power, intending to drive Fly out of the ring in a single, decisive push.
Seeing the danger, Fly's feet tapped rapidly on the ground. He used the cockroach's incredible speed to retreat further, then dodged to the side at a bizarre angle, instantly breaking free from Valerius's relentless assault.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Having pushed Fly away, Valerius immediately turned and gave chase.
"Hmph!" Fly snorted, not bothering to reply. He activated his signature Skill, Steelbone Blades, and disappeared into the ground.
...
In the audience, Mr. Ironside saw this and slapped his thigh with a hearty laugh. "Haha, that move again! You could call that Fly's signature technique! Let's see how that Valerius kid deals with this."
Even Mr. Carter's face was alight with excitement.
Only Dean Sterling remained calm, observing the situation on the field. "If that's what you think, then you are seriously underestimating 'Emperor' Valerius."
...
Seeing Fly vanish underground, Valerius feigned a "rage" (the power of a Beast Totem could, to an extent, influence a warrior's personality). He let out a series of deafening roars. "Fly, get out here! What kind of warrior hides and scurries around?"
Fly remained unmoved by the taunt, staying hidden beneath the surface.
Valerius kept a close watch on the ground, turning constantly, as if terrified of a surprise attack from behind.
But the initiative, for the moment, was in Fly's hands.
Suddenly, the ground behind Valerius loosened. Fly burst out from the earth, his Steelbone Blades Skill activated, striking straight for Valerius's back.
"He got him!" Seeing this, Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside in the stands couldn't contain their excitement and started clapping.
However...
"Emperor" Valerius just gave a cold smile and whispered, "You've fallen into my trap."
In the next instant, he activated his Skill, Wyrm's Lash. A virtual dragon's tail materialized out of thin air behind him, whipping towards Fly with a sound that tore through the air.
Seeing this, Fly immediately switched from offense to defense, crossing his arms in front of his chest to block the blow.
CRACKâ
The attack connected, and Fly was sent flying by the tail lash. Valerius, overjoyed, activated Rex Rampage again and charged after the retreating Fly.
Seeing this, the excited expressions on Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside's faces were instantly replaced with worry. "Fly, kid, get out of there!" they couldn't help but shout.
But beside them, a faint, inscrutable smile played on Dean Sterling's lips.
...
"Emperor" Valerius charged forward with all his might, convinced he was about to catch Fly. He formed his hand into a fist and threw a powerful punch.
With a soft thump, "Fly's" body was sent flying far away.
Wrong!
That was Valerius's first thought after landing the hit.
Something is definitely wrong. How could Fly's body be so light? It was like punching... a pillow.
As he stood there in surprise, three more figures of Fly suddenly appeared, surrounding him from the back, left, and right.
An illusion?
That was Valerius's second thought.
"Come on, then! All of you! The more the merrier! I'll make sure none of you leave!" He activated Wyrm's Lash again, sweeping it towards the three "Flies." All three bodies were instantly sent flying.
Still wrong! Why do these 'Flies' feel exactly the same as the first one? Oh no!
Valerius cursed inwardly, but he had already committed to his Wyrm's Lash and was unable to change his move mid-swing.
Just then, the real Fly appeared behind him. He wrapped his arms around Valerius's neck and executed a perfect 360-degree spinning takedown.
Then, his Steelbone Blades activated again. BAMâhe slammed "Emperor" Valerius down onto the stage.
And right there on the stage was a trap Fly had dug earlier.
Valerius's fall didn't stop at the floor. The ground collapsed beneath him, and he was swallowed by the pitfall Fly had prepared.
The entire stadium erupted.
No one had expected Fly to win in such a fashion.
Even the announcer couldn't contain himself. "Incredible! Absolutely incredible! That was a technical knockout, a victory of pure tactics!"
In the audience, Mr. Ironside's excitement was palpable. "Fly really did us proud! He's absolutely the student I've had my eye on!"
Mr. Carter gently elbowed him. "What do you mean, 'the student you've had your eye on'? Fly is my student!"
He then turned to Dean Sterling. "Was this the 'one thing' you were talking about? Tell me what just happened. What were those other 'Fly' figures?"
"A decoy tactic. Look," said the Dean.
He pointed to where the other "Flies" had landed after being hit.
Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside followed his finger and saw that the other figures had collapsed like deflated balloons.
"What... is that?" Mr. Carter asked.
"Molting," Dean Sterling replied. "Cockroaches are creatures that can shed their skin. Fly used this trait to create decoys and lure 'Emperor' Valerius into a trap he had already set."
Mr. Carter sucked in a cold breath. "Terrifying! Dean, was this the strategy you taught him last night?"
"No, you're mistaken," said the Dean. "The one who devised this strategy was not me. It was Fly."
Mr. Carter and Mr. Ironside: "...!!!"
"I believe," Dean Sterling said, looking at Fly with a proud expression, "that he has now completely mastered the essence of cockroach combat."
Mr. Carter let out a long breath. "In any case, Dean, thank you for telling Fly who his opponent was last night. That's the only way he could have prepared a strategy and won this match..."
"No!" Dean Sterling cut him off, his expression suddenly grim. "The battle is not over. It is far too early to declare victory..."
Hearing this, Mr. Carter also seemed to realize something. He turned his head and stared at the stage with a serious expression.
That's right. 'Emperor' Valerius is a 'Twin-souled' Beast Warrior. His true power is far greater than what he has shown so far...
On the stage, the mound of earth covering the trap began to tremble. Then, an immense aura erupted from within.
"Fly, you are strong. Very strong. In all my years, besides my father, you are the first person to have put me in such a pathetic state. Now, as a reward, I have decided to show you my full power!"
With those words, the mound of earth exploded. "Emperor" Valerius, now glowing a faint crimson, slowly walked out of the pit.
His aura was several times stronger than before. Steam sizzled off his skin, and he looked like a demon emerging from the depths of hell.
"Fly, let me show you my true strength. I swear on the honor of the Tarantino family, I will defeat you."
It's here.
This is the "second form" Vic told me about last night.
Standing across the stage, Fly's expression, for the first time, turned completely serious.