Students clenched their fists, flexed their fingers, bounced on their feet. It wasn't just a test of skill, it was a performance. A proving ground. A war for dignity.
No one was planning to walk away in defeat.
Many of the students already had a plan, stay far, far away from anyone they knew could crush them in one move. Especially the top two of the martial arts class: Stephanie and Nicholas.
No one wanted to be the name whispered after getting slammed into the stage in front of the whole school.
Nnenna stood at the edge of the third year arena, scanning her surroundings. Her heart thudded steadily, not from fear, but from awareness. This was new territory. Different.
And though she had trained hard, really hard, she still didn't know how she would measure up against people who had been doing martial arts practically their whole lives.
Sure, what happened in the exam hall was… something. Nicholas hadn't been able to lift her. That alone shocked the class into silence.
