The battle was over, but the adrenaline still coursed through Bolt's veins. The arena, once filled with chaos, now lay in eerie silence. The remains of shattered monsters evaporated into nothingness, leaving behind only scorch marks and deep claw gouges in the ground.
Bolt exhaled, his breath coming out ragged. His hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but from exhaustion. He had pushed himself to his limit. If not for Akane's fire and ice support and Aether's well-timed lightning attacks, things might have ended differently.
The instructor, a towering man clad in military-grade armor, stepped forward, his sharp eyes scanning the survivors. He let the silence linger before finally speaking.
"You all did well," he said, his voice deep and commanding. "But don't get cocky. This was just a test. Out there—" he gestured toward the academy gates, beyond which lay the unknown world of monsters, "—real battles don't have safety measures."
Bolt swallowed. He had barely survived against those creatures, even with his abilities. His body ached all over, a painful reminder that power alone wasn't enough.
---
The Rankings Are Announced
Soon, the students gathered around a giant holographic screen displaying the final rankings from the entrance trials. The crowd buzzed with excitement and nervous energy.
Rankings:
1. Ryzen Valefor – S Rank
2. Felix Vance – A+ Rank
3. Akane Tsubaki – A Rank
4. Aether – B+ Rank
…
5. Bolt Ashford – C+ Rank
Bolt clenched his fists. C+? He knew he had underperformed in the first trial, but after everything he had done in the battle, he had expected at least a B. The murmurs from the other students didn't help.
"C+? Isn't he the guy who barely beat two robots in the first test?"
"Yeah, but he did pretty well in the battle… still, not good enough."
"Well, he's a late bloomer. Let's see how long he lasts."
Bolt grit his teeth. He wasn't angry at the ranking—he was angry at himself for not proving them wrong yet.
Aether clapped him on the back. "Hey, don't look so down. You'll climb the ranks soon enough."
"Yeah," Akane added with a smirk. "We saw what you could do. Just refine it, and you'll be unstoppable."
Their words helped, but Bolt knew it wasn't enough. He needed to get stronger—fast.
---
An Unexpected Challenge
Just as the rankings were sinking in, a voice cut through the murmurs.
"I don't accept this."
Everyone turned toward the source—Felix Vance. His fiery red eyes glowed slightly as he crossed his arms, standing tall with an air of superiority.
"The entrance exam wasn't enough of a challenge," he continued. "Some people got ranked too high, and others got ranked too low. So why not settle it properly—with a duel?"
Murmurs erupted again.
"Is he serious?"
"Dueling right after the trials? Is he insane?"
"He just wants to show off…"
Felix smirked. "Afraid, Ryzen?"
Ryzen Valefor, the S-Rank student, scoffed. "Please. I have nothing to prove. I'll fight when it matters, not when you're feeling insecure."
Felix turned his gaze to Bolt. "Then how about you?"
Bolt blinked. "What?"
"You're C+," Felix taunted. "Prove you belong here."
Silence. All eyes were on Bolt now. His exhaustion was screaming at him to decline, but his pride wouldn't let him.
Aether nudged him. "You don't have to do this."
Bolt exhaled slowly, then stepped forward. "Fine. Let's do this."
Felix's smirk widened. "Good choice."
---
Bolt vs. Felix – The Unofficial Duel
The crowd moved back, forming a rough circle around them. Felix twirled his fingers, and a small tornado of fire formed in his palm. "Let's make this interesting. First one to land three clean hits wins."
Bolt nodded. He stretched his fingers, feeling the elemental energy within him. He could use all elements, but none of them were fully mastered. He had to be careful.
The instructor sighed but allowed it. "Fine. Keep it under control."
"Begin!"
Felix didn't waste a second—he dashed forward, his foot igniting the ground beneath him. His fire-infused wind step made him incredibly fast. In an instant, he was in Bolt's face, throwing a flaming kick.
Bolt barely dodged, feeling the heat graze his cheek. He countered with a gust of wind, but Felix sliced through it with a blade of fire.
Damn. He's fast.
Felix launched another attack—a spiraling fire punch. Bolt twisted his body, evading just in time, but Felix followed up with a wind-accelerated knee strike to Bolt's ribs.
First hit: Felix.
The crowd gasped. Bolt gritted his teeth and retaliated. He called upon water, summoning a thin but fast-moving stream. It wasn't powerful, but it disrupted Felix's flames just enough to let Bolt slip in close.
He thrust his hand forward, using lightning—not to attack, but to paralyze Felix for a split second. It worked. He followed up with a shadow-infused punch to Felix's stomach.
First hit: Bolt.
Felix's smirk widened. "Now we're talking."
He unleashed a rapid-fire combo of fire and wind-enhanced strikes, forcing Bolt on the defensive. Bolt dodged as best as he could, but Felix was relentless. A flaming elbow strike connected with his shoulder.
Second hit: Felix.
Bolt staggered back. His breathing was uneven. He had one last chance.
Felix came in fast for the final blow—but Bolt baited him. He let Felix think he had the opening, then at the last second, Bolt summoned ice beneath his opponent's foot. Felix slipped for just a moment—just enough for Bolt to strike his shadow-coated fist into Felix's ribs.
Second hit: Bolt.
The crowd erupted. 2-2.
Felix wiped blood from his lip. "Not bad. But—"
Before Bolt could react, Felix launched himself forward with a burst of fire. His wind-enhanced speed made it look like he vanished.
Bolt's instincts screamed. He barely dodged the flaming uppercut, but Felix spun mid-air, landing a blazing heel kick to Bolt's shoulder.
Final hit: Felix.
The instructor called it. "Match over. Felix wins."
The crowd cheered. Bolt exhaled. He lost. But… he smirked. That was close.
Felix walked up, offering a hand. "You're better than I thought."
Bolt took it. "Same to you."
Felix grinned. "Let's do this again. Next time, no holding back."
Bolt's smirk widened. "Count on it."
---
The Path Forward
Later that night, Bolt sat alone, staring at the academy's moonlit courtyard. The duel was still replaying in his head. He had lost,
but he had learned.
He clenched his fists.
Next time, I won't lose.
From the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes watched him. A new rival had taken notice.