The gymnasium felt like a coliseum, a sea of voices roaring from the stands. Banners waved, students stomped on the bleachers, and anticipation rattled the air.
On one side of the stage, David Ahn walked with his entourage, tall and confident. His muscles gleamed under the lights, veins pumping with pride. He had Reina Salvador's unwavering support, the cheers of his lackeys, and the polished strength of months of training behind him.
On the other side stood Jed Cruz. He had no entourage, no luxury coach, no spotlight. Just Yun's shaky voice from the crowd:
"JED! GIVE IT EVERYTHING, BRO!"
Their grips met at the center table. The referee raised his hand.
"Best of five! Begin!"
Round 1
The whistle blew.
David struck like lightning. Jed's arm crashed down in a single, violent slam. The crowd erupted. David smirked, leaning close, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"One down. Four more seconds until I end you."
Yun yelled desperately, "Shake it off, Jed!"
Round 2
They reset. Jed braced himself, but David was faster, stronger, and more technical.
BAM! Jed's arm hit the pad again. Two straight losses.
The crowd chanted in unison, "DAVID! DAVID!" Reina clapped with a calm, proud smile. Jed's chest rose and fell heavily, sweat dripping onto the table.
For a moment, doubt clawed at his mind. Am I really this weak? Did all my struggles mean nothing?
But then Yun's voice cut through the noise:
"JED! REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED!"
Round 3
Jed inhaled sharply, his grip tightening. This time, he didn't meet David's strength head-on. He twisted his stance, using his legs, his back, his whole body—not just his arm.
The whistle blew. David pushed down hard, but Jed locked the pressure, refusing to break. His teeth clenched, his muscles screamed, but his will burned brighter.
"AAAHHHHH!" Jed roared, slamming David's arm down with every ounce of pain and memory he carried.
The crowd gasped. The announcer shouted, "Jed Cruz takes Round 3!"
Round 4
David's face darkened. No smirk, no arrogance—just rage.
This time, the battle dragged. Both fighters trembled, their arms refusing to yield. David roared, pushing Jed to the brink, but Jed's body refused to fall. Images of his mother's grave flashed in his mind, the cold nights of survival, the loneliness of Akasha.
With a surge of primal instinct, Jed pulled the match back to neutral—then, inch by inch, overpowered David.
SLAM! David's hand hit the pad.
"It's tied! 2–2!"
The gym shook with chaos. Yun jumped and screamed until his voice broke. Even Marcus clenched his fists in awe, whispering, "That guy… he's not normal."
Final Round – Round 5
The referee's voice boomed.
"Final round! Winner takes it all!"
The gym fell silent. Every eye was on the table.
David and Jed locked hands for the last time. Both were drenched in sweat, arms swollen, veins bulging like cords.
The whistle blew.
David attacked immediately, his strength overwhelming. Jed's arm bent downward, dangerously close to defeat. The crowd screamed, Reina on her feet, David's lackeys already celebrating.
But just as Jed's hand hovered inches from the pad…
Something stirred inside him.
A pulse.
A faint glow—purple veins crawling across his forearm, barely visible to anyone but him. His heartbeat thundered like a war drum, his senses sharpening, the same power he once felt in Akasha—the land of monsters.
This power… it's still inside me?
David's eyes widened as Jed's arm stopped falling. Inch by inch, Jed began pushing back, his hidden strength awakening.
The crowd erupted, students screaming as they realized what was happening.
"NO WAY!" one shouted.
"He's coming back?!"
Jed roared, veins glowing faintly under his skin, his arm surging upward with impossible force. David screamed, pouring every ounce of his strength, but Jed's hidden power was unstoppable.
With a final, earth-shaking slam—
BAM!
David's hand hit the pad.
The referee raised Jed's arm high.
"WINNER—JED CRUZ!"
The gymnasium exploded into cheers. Yun fell to his knees, laughing and crying at the same time. Reina sat frozen, disbelief painting her face. David slumped in silence, his pride shattered.
Jed stood tall, chest heaving, the faint glow fading from his veins. He looked at his trembling hand—the same hand that had once survived Akasha—and clenched it into a fist.
For the first time, he felt it.
He was more than just a survivor. He was becoming something beyond human.