The gym was louder than ever. Cheers shook the walls as each table match ended, but the crowd's excitement only grew stronger—because Jed Cruz was stepping up again.
So far, his first prelim match had shocked everyone. Nobody expected the "average student" to even survive, but Jed had endured, biting down, muscles shaking, and turned the tide. The whispers had started.
But this time… his opponent wasn't just some random name.
"Up next! Jed Cruz… versus… Elias Ramirez!"
The gym exploded at the name.
Elias wasn't just strong—he was feared.
A third-year student. Stocky frame. Towering shoulders. His nickname in school was "The Iron Wall." No one in the weightlifting club had ever pinned his arm. His grip was rumored to crush apples in half. He wasn't the tallest, but his forearms looked like they were carved from stone.
When Elias walked to the table, the crowd roared like they'd just seen their champion.
"Jed is done for."
"No way he beats Elias."
"This will be over in seconds."
---
From the bleachers, Yun sat nervously, watching his best friend walk toward the table.
"Jed… you're going up against him? Damn, this isn't fair…"
He gripped the edge of his seat, trying to believe in Jed, but next to him, laughter broke out.
David Ahn's lackeys leaned in, their voices venomous.
"Hey, isn't that your buddy?"
"Poor guy… doesn't he know he's about to get his arm broken?"
"Honestly, Yun, why do you hang around trash like him?"
Yun clenched his jaw but didn't respond. He wanted to snap back, but his focus was on Jed. He couldn't afford to look away—not even for a second.
---
At the table, Jed and Elias locked hands.
The difference in size was terrifying. Elias's hand swallowed Jed's, his knuckles rough and scarred from years of lifting. Jed's leaner frame looked fragile in comparison.
Elias leaned forward, eyes sharp.
"You should've stayed in the first round, kid. I don't like wasting time."
Jed didn't flinch. He just stared back, quiet.
The referee raised his hand.
"Ready… set… GO!"
---
The moment the match began, Elias's strength crashed into Jed like a tidal wave. His wrist bent, his arm was driven down instantly—
But just before his hand touched the pad, Jed's body shook with defiance.
He stopped it.
Gasps filled the gym.
"He's holding against Elias?!"
"No way—that's impossible!"
Elias smirked, veins bulging.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that. But guts won't save you."
He poured more strength, slowly forcing Jed's hand closer and closer. Jed's teeth sank into his lip, sweat dripping down his face. His arm burned like fire, every tendon screaming at him to give up.
No… not yet. Not like this.
His mind flashed back to his endless nights training—gripping ropes until his palms bled, weighted pistol squats until his legs shook, explosive push-ups with weight crushing his back.
This pain… is nothing compared to that.
---
In the crowd, Yun shot up to his feet.
"Come on, Jed! Don't you dare let go!"
David's lackeys sneered.
"Hah, look at that loser cheerleader."
"Relax, Yun. The match is over—just like Jed's chances."
But Yun ignored them. His eyes burned only on Jed, voice cracking as he shouted again.
"Don't give up! You can do this!"
---
Back on the table, Elias grunted, realizing Jed wasn't breaking.
"Tch… you're stubborn. Fine. Let's end this."
Elias shifted his stance, his shoulder rolling forward, and suddenly his force doubled. Jed's arm bent dangerously low, his knuckles millimeters from defeat. The referee leaned in, ready to call it.
The crowd held its breath.
Jed's vision blurred. His body screamed. His lips split from biting down too hard.
And then—
That purple glow.
Deep within, something stirred. A flicker from Akasha, buried in his blood, veins remembering the surge of the glowstone. It wasn't obvious, but in that split second, Jed's senses sharpened. He felt every twitch in Elias's grip, every ounce of pressure, every angle of weakness.
Now.
With a roar, Jed twisted his wrist, shifted his weight, and summoned every drop of power left in his body.
SLAM!
The table shook. The referee's hand shot up.
"Winner—Jed Cruz!"
---
The gym went silent. For a heartbeat, no one could process what they'd just witnessed.
Then chaos erupted.
"HE BEAT ELIAS?!"
"Impossible!"
"That was Elias Ramirez—the Iron Wall!"
Elias stared at his pinned hand, disbelief written across his face. Then he looked up at Jed, who was breathing hard but standing tall.
For the first time, Elias grinned.
"You're no ordinary guy. Jed Cruz, huh? I'll remember that name."
---
In the bleachers, Yun pumped his fist in the air, relief washing over him.
"Yes! I knew it, Jed!"
David's lackeys scowled, one of them muttering.
"This isn't over. Just wait until David crushes him."
But for now… Jed had stunned the entire school.
The "average student" was no longer invisible.
He had beaten the Iron Wall.
And everyone knew—this was only the beginning.