Gasps and cheers rippled outward the instant the enemy mana core shattered, spilling light across the screen. In the main coliseum, the packed crowd roared so loud the sound vibrated through the stands, while in bars and cafes across the city, chairs scraped and glasses clinked as patrons shouted over the broadcast. Dozens of other matches were running simultaneously, but this one had managed to steal the spotlight; feeds were already replaying Elijah's duel with Nysar in slow motion. The moment where he dodged blind, eyes closed yet perfectly predicting the assassin's strike, had the audience shouting in disbelief.
"Unreal! He felt it, he actually felt it coming!" one man yelled over the din at a crowded tavern, nearly spilling his drink. Children nearby pressed against the table to see the screen, wide-eyed, while the bartender shook his head, muttering something about "the power of youth."
Even the instructors in the coliseum's observation gallery had gone still, quills scratching furiously as they recorded every detail. One murmured to another, "That wasn't reflex. That was… something new." Their notes were precise, almost surgical. This wasn't the sort of move that Elijah's documented ability should be even remotely capable of.
Across every venue, a new narrative began to take shape. Elijah wasn't just a clever captain who had led his team to their first victory of the Trials; he had shown something raw, something exciting. Whispers of his name floated between patrons, between students and instructors alike. Sticky Fingers… Adhesion… whatever you call it, they said, it was starting to sound dangerous in ways they hadn't imagined.
Back in the meeting room, the team re-materialized, beaming after their first real victory. The energy was electric.
"Nothing like a victory to bring a team together!" Rennik laughed, looping an arm around Sylvara's shoulder. She stiffened, face turning bright pink, but didn't pull away.
Brax smacked the table with one massive hand, rattling glasses and earning a chuckle from Mira. "I'm glad we won, but I'm definitely not happy about that shadow guy targeting me all game. Next time I see him, I'm squashing him like a bug. Good job putting him in his place, Elijah."
"Careful," Mira said with a raised eyebrow. "You're one tantrum away from breaking the table."
"I do not throw tantrums," Brax grumbled, puffing out his chest, which only made everyone grin harder due to the juxtaposition of his burly body and childish temperament.
Rennik snorted. "Yeah, sure. You call that not a tantrum, I call it a small earthquake."
Elijah forced a half-hearted smile. "Thanks, Brax. It was a really close fight, haha," he said aloud. Inside, though, his stomach twisted. What the hell was that?
He replayed the moment over and over in his head. How could he have done that with an ability meant only for sticking objects together? They'd tested him thoroughly, "Adhesion," they called it. The simplest concept imaginable: connect one thing to another. Nothing more. Not danger sense, not predicting attacks in three-dimensional space.
His teammates continued celebrating around him, laughing, joking, teasing, and reviewing plays from the last match. Rennik bragged about clearing thralls faster than anyone else, Brax complained about being unfairly targeted, Sylvara whispered timid critiques at herself, and Mira analyzed positioning like an aspiring general. But Elijah couldn't focus on any of it.
There's no way adhesion should do that. I didn't see him, didn't hear him… I felt him. Or at least something representing him.
He thought back to the ability testing notes: a weak influence over Van der Waals forces. That, combined with some electric and magnetic tendencies in molecular adhesion. He'd brushed it off back then, a footnote in a long list of observations. But now… maybe it wasn't just adhesion. Maybe he was sensing fields, energy flows. Maybe that "radar" feeling was literally a side effect of his ability interacting with the environment.
His breathing became shallow. I have to test this. I have to research this. But later. After the Trials. I can't - no, I won't - get distracted now.
"Elijah!"
He snapped upright. Mira was glaring, her arms crossed, shaking her head slightly.
"Huh?"
"You looked like you were calculating the meaning of life. We've been trying to get your attention for like… two minutes," she said, frustration barely hidden as she glanced at the clock ticking down.
"Oh," he said, cheeks heating. "Just reviewing the last match. Mentally, you know."
"Review later," Rennik cut in with a grin. "Right now, The Big Brain, that's you, needs to tell us what's next. Unless you want me to lead the final match?"
"Please no," Sylvara muttered quickly, eyes wide.
"Hey!" Rennik feigned offense. "That hurt, Syl!"
Sylvara ducked her head so her hair hid her face. Mira smirked, but didn't intervene.
Elijah exhaled slowly, refocusing. They were all looking at him, waiting. Expecting. He was their captain. He couldn't spiral here. Not when they needed a plan, a strategy, guidance. His curiosity about his power would have to wait.
"Alright," he said, voice calm but carrying authority he didn't know he possessed. "Good work, everyone. That was clean. But don't get comfortable. We still have one more match."
"Yeah," Brax grumbled, voice full of exaggerated disgust. "And if they're anything like that shadow freak, I'm gonna need to punch something after…hard."
"You always wanna punch stuff," Rennik shot back.
"Do not."
"Do too."
Elijah cut them off with a wave. "Let's pull up the next team's info. Eyes forward, everyone. We study them, and then we strike smart."
The projector whirred as blue light bathed the room, and the profiles of their final opponents began to appear. Elijah leaned forward slightly, waiting for the data to display, but already his mind was racing.
Okay, so we can see the names, abilities, ranks, everything… but what do we do with it?
He replayed the last match in his mind. How every choice, every gank, every call-out mattered. He could remember Nysar popping out of the shadows, every calculated dodge, every swing, every tethered line. The feeling had been instinctual but amplified, like a new part of him had woken. Could he refine that, push it further? Could he somehow make it reliable?
"Also," he muttered, almost to himself, "I have to give everyone a chance to shine. Not just win."
Brax leaned over, curious. "What was that, Captain? Did you just whisper some sort of little motivational speech?"
"Shh," Mira hissed, smirking. "Let him think. It's dangerous to interrupt the genius in the middle of his thoughts."
"Yeah, yeah," Brax said, rolling his eyes.
Sylvara spoke quietly, almost to herself, but loud enough for Elijah to hear. "I hope I don't mess up… I want to do my part. I can't let anyone down."
Elijah's chest tightened. They trust me. They all trust me. I can't let them down. Not now.
He glanced around at his team. Rennik's grin was still wide, Brax still flexing, Mira calm but sharp-eyed, Sylvara quietly adjusting her lantern placements on the table's hologram like she already had her mind in the field.
"Okay," Elijah said finally, pushing his thoughts aside for now. "Everyone, focus. We take this slow, check their stats, figure out our plays. One step at a time."
Finally looking at the enemy team, everyone's faces paled as the roster glowed onto the projector screen. Each profile shimmered with stats, ranks, and abilities, cold hard numbers that felt more like death sentences than information.
Kael Ironfang (Top Lane)
Rank: 290
Ability Rank: C+
Ability: Primal Flux – Normally quick and wiry, able to bound around with bursts of energy. But when his adrenaline spikes, he suddenly grows into a hulking beast with stone-cracking strength and shockwave stomps.
Playstyle: Starts as a nuisance who pokes and runs; transforms into a sudden frontline threat when things heat up.
Veyra Drahn (Jungle)
Rank: 137
Ability Rank: B
Ability: Titan's Gauntlets – Mana gauntlets that channel her mana into rocket-punch dashes. Can blast through obstacles or slam a single opponent into the ground hard enough to rattle nearby thralls.
Playstyle: Always diving the backline, looking to lock down a carry.
Ryden Sorei (Mid Lane)
Rank: 10
Ability Rank: S–
Ability: Soulcleave Duality – Wields twin blades made purely of differently attributed mana, one fire, one wind. Can project his "spirit" forward for a flurry of attacks, then snap back. His "circle slash" ultimate ability pulls enemies into range for combo strikes.
Playstyle: Mechanical duelist. Always hunting for flashy outplays.
Luthar Veyric (ADC / Bot Lane)
Rank: 125
Ability Rank: B
Ability: Venomstring Arrows – His arrows infuse targets with toxic mana that builds "corruption." On release, the corruption bursts and spreads. His charged volleys can pierce through thralls and opponents alike.
Playstyle: Pokes constantly, thrives if left alone to stack up damage.
Corvex Draemir (Support / Bot Lane)
Rank: 200
Ability Rank: B–
Ability: Drowned Hook – Calls forth spectral harpoons of water-steel attributed mana. Can yank enemies toward him, cloak himself in mist for short bursts, and "execute" weakened foes with a finishing surge.
Playstyle: Pick potential. Looks for mistakes and punishes them hard.
Sylvara's voice cracked, louder than anyone had ever heard from her.
"Rank ten!"
Her hands curled into fists, trembling as she leaned closer to the screen.
Rennik gave a low whistle. "Well, that's it. Pack it up, boys. Rank ten. No chance."
Mira glared at him. "Don't you dare say that. We didn't fight through two brutal matches just to roll over now."
Brax folded his massive arms, face darkening. "Yeah, but… Rank ten? With an S– ability. He could probably stomp me flat even before even unleashing his ultimate attack."
That made Elijah think. Nysar had an Ultimate attack too, but it wasn't listed. Maybe he was keeping his rank low to show off during the tournament? Only high ranking students are known to have developed their own ultimate attacks. Anyway, I can't get distracted.
Elijah's eyes narrowed as he stared at Ryden's profile. Twin blades. Fire and wind. Spirit projection. Circle slash pulls. He's designed to duel and punish mistakes. A one-man highlight reel.
Mira's voice softened. "Rank ten means he's not just strong, he's consistent. He doesn't choke. He doesn't get baited. He's used to winning."
"Exactly," Elijah muttered. "Which means we can't play his game."
The team blinked at him.
"What do you mean?" Rennik asked.
Elijah pointed at the map projected behind the roster. "We don't fight him. Not directly. Not unless we have to. Ryden wants to pull people in, force duels, showcase his skill. If we play smart, he doesn't get that spotlight. We hit objectives. We isolate their weaker links. And if Ryden tries to chase, we make him pay for every step."
Sylvara looked down at her lap, then up again with determination shining in her eyes. "I can keep lanterns out. If he tries to rotate, we'll know."
"Good," Elijah said. "That vision will be key."
Brax cracked his knuckles. "And the beast boy up top? Kael Ironfang? I can handle him. He wants to stomp around, I'll plant my feet and make sure he remembers what stone feels like when it doesn't crack."
Rennik leaned back with a smirk. "Veyra Drahn, jungle diver with rocket-punch gauntlets. She's going to come straight for me and Sylvara, guaranteed."
"Then you play it slow," Elijah said firmly. "Let her dive. I'll counter from the jungle. If she overcommits, she's mine."
Mira frowned. "And Luthar with the venom arrows… if we let him poke, he'll stack up damage until we can't fight. We can't give him free time."
Elijah nodded. "We won't. Pressure bot early. Don't let him breathe. Mira rotate from mid down to bot whenever possible. Never fight Ryden dead on. Just slow down his push while looking for ganks bot. And Corvex with the chains? That's just… nasty. One mistake and someone's gone."
Rennik clicked his tongue. "So basically… don't screw up?"
"That's the gist," Elijah said dryly.
For a moment, silence settled over them. The projector's glow washed their young faces in pale light, highlighting how young they really were. Fourteen. They weren't soldiers, weren't professionals. Just kids trying to survive a trial that threw them into arenas against prodigies and monsters.
Mira broke the silence. "Elijah… you don't seem surprised."
Elijah blinked. "What?"
"You saw the roster. Rank ten. And you didn't flinch. You just started planning." Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"
He hesitated, fingers curling slightly against the table. Because I felt something last match. That spark. That radar sense. I shouldn't have it. My ability isn't supposed to do that. But it's there. And if there is something more to it… maybe we actually have a chance.
Instead, he forced a half-smile. "Because panicking doesn't help. Plans do. And right now, we need a plan. Plus I trained every day with the Rank 1 Kat. I'm sure his hits will feel like tickles compared to her haha."
Rennik chuckled. "Captain Cool, huh? Alright, I'm in."
Sylvara nodded quickly. "M-me too."
Brax grinned wide. "Let's smash 'em."
Mira tilted her head, studying Elijah for a moment longer before sighing. "Fine. But if you're hiding something, I'll figure it out."
Elijah didn't respond. He just kept staring at the glowing words: Rank 10. Soulcleave Duality.
Across the city, the commentary feed of those interested in Elijah's match was buzzing.
"Folks, this is it! Elijah's underdog squad is staring down Ryden Sorei, a top ten ranked prodigy! Can the boy with the 'Adhesion' ability really stand against the rank 10 student, a duelist with an S– tier ability?"
"After that last match? I wouldn't count him out. Did you see that blind dodge? He felt the shadow coming. If he can do that against Nysar, maybe, just maybe, he can find a way against Ryden."
The portion of the crowd in the coliseum focused on Elijah's stream was louder than ever, some chanting Elijah's name, others jeering, most simply waiting for the inevitable clash.
Back in the meeting room, Elijah inhaled slowly, eyes scanning his teammates one by one. They trusted him. They were waiting.
"Alright, everyone," he said, voice steady but firm. "We know what we're up against. We know what they can do. And we know what we can do."
The tension hung like static in the air.
Elijah leaned forward, placing his palms flat on the table. "Let's show them what we're made of."