On the open training field, Chen Darong's eyes blazed with fury as he faced the arrogant youth opposite him.
Damn it!
He clenched his fists, feeling the raw anger surge through his body. With just a C-level ability, equivalent to his own, these brats from No. 2 Middle School actually dared to mock his brother. Their audacity was beyond belief—truly lawless.
As his anger grew, Chen Darong's body shimmered with a thick layer of metallic energy, coating him from head to toe. The metalization was the C-level enhancement supernatural power he had just awakened in the hall. Unlike ordinary abilities, it could instantly transform his flesh into a dense metal, doubling both defense and strength. The trade-off was slower movement, a flaw inherent to all physical enhancement abilities.
Gain and loss. It's the law of conservation. No one can escape it, he reminded himself. Still, if timed correctly, the ability could be devastating.
Across from him, the youth smirked like a cocky rooster strutting on the battlefield.
> "C-level, huh? So that's why you dared to speak up for your brother. But too bad—you ran into me. With equal power, you're doomed to lose."
With a burst of speed, the boy lunged forward. He could run 100 meters in just five seconds—a speed enhancement that made him a terrifying opponent. This was Zhou Qi, one of the top talents from No. 2 Middle School, and his C-level power was focused entirely on speed.
Instantly, he closed the distance between them. Chen Darong swung a punch, his fist cutting the air with a whistling roar.
Bang!
Zhou Qi dodged effortlessly, twisting his body mid-run and delivering a swift kick to Chen Darong's waist. The impact sent Chen flying sideways, but the metal layer on his body absorbed most of the damage. His ribs ached, but nothing was broken.
Chen gritted his teeth and steadied himself, taking a deep breath. His eyes sharpened with resolve.
Lower body stable… focus on their trajectory…
He assumed a horse stance, recalling his physical training lessons. Against a faster opponent, maintaining a firm base was essential to counter attacks. The theory, however, was easier said than done in his first real superpower battle.
Zhou Qi attacked again, faster than Chen could predict. Two consecutive punches and a sweeping kick barely grazed him, leaving Chen with only a passive defense. The boy's speed was relentless.
If it weren't for metalization… Chen thought, feeling the strain in his muscles. Without it, he would have been seriously injured by now. But his spiritual energy was draining rapidly; the metalization couldn't last forever. Once it faded, a single hit from Zhou Qi could knock him out cold.
On the other side, Zhou Qi wasn't faring much better. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the intense consumption of spiritual energy was beginning to show. But compared to Chen, he still had reserves left.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared at the edge of the battlefield. Jack pushed through the crowd, his calm expression in sharp contrast to the chaos below.
"Thank you for your hard work, Darong," he said quietly, approaching his friend.
Chen Darong's face flushed red with a mix of anger and embarrassment.
"I can still fight! I've figured out his tricks! I can defeat him in one strike!"
Hateful! he thought bitterly. I came to stand up for my brother, and yet I ended up being toyed with like a monkey. It's humiliating.
Jack patted him lightly on the shoulder, his voice calm yet commanding.
"You're still trying to be brave even in this state? Go sit down and rest. They came here for me, didn't they?"
Chen hesitated, then gritted his teeth. "Alright… I'll leave it to you, the protagonist. Let them see how powerful Master Jack really is!"
With a wry grin, he deactivated his metalization and staggered to the sidelines, leaving Jack alone on the field.
---
Zhou Qi's expression remained smug as he turned to face Jack, who had just stepped onto the open field.
"Do you like playing tricks on people?" Jack asked, his voice low and icy.
Zhou Qi frowned, confused. "Huh?"
Jack repeated, his gaze fixed on him. "Do you enjoy playing tricks on others?"
This time, Zhou Qi understood. His lips curled into a cocky smile. "That big guy Darong is useless. He couldn't even touch me, so…"
Buzz!
Before Zhou Qi could finish, an invisible force slammed down on him with terrifying pressure. His knees bent involuntarily, and cracks echoed through the ground.
Jack's Conqueror's Haki manifested, forcing Zhou Qi to the ground. His eyes widened in horror as he realized he could not move. The Conqueror's Haki, even at only 5% unlocked, radiated a domineering aura reminiscent of the strongest man from the Pirate World.
If Jack had used the ability at full strength, Zhou Qi would have fainted instantly. But Jack had restrained himself—he wanted to make a statement, not end the fight with a single strike.
Stepping closer, Jack pressed one foot lightly on Zhou Qi's chest. His voice was calm but terrifying:
"How does this feel?"
"You… what are you doing?!" Zhou Qi gasped, terror overtaking his bravado. His body remained pinned under Jack's overwhelming pressure.
The crowd froze. Spectators and media alike were stunned. Why had Zhou Qi suddenly dropped to his knees? Some guessed his spiritual energy had depleted, yet even the awakened Gold-level experts, like Principal Huang Chongguang, were dumbfounded.
Suppressive momentum? Huang's mind reeled. How is this possible?
Jack was only a student who had just awakened his powers. He had never faced a true life-or-death battle against monsters, yet here he was, radiating an aura that seemed to dominate everything around him.
Even seasoned warriors who had survived countless battles would recognize this: this was the aura of someone who had never lost, the kind of invincible presence only a true master could command.
For a long moment, Principal Huang, the teachers, and even the visiting students from No. 1 and No. 2 Middle Schools could only stare in shock.
Jack's eyes remained calm, yet they radiated an undeniable command. Zhou Qi, pinned beneath his foot, could do nothing but tremble. The crowd held its collective breath, realizing that what they were witnessing was not just a show of power—it was a demonstration of supremacy.
For the first time, Jack truly felt the weight of his Conqueror's Haki. It was unlike anything he had experienced in the system interface: a living, tangible force that could bend wills and crush the weak. And yet, he restrained it with precision, testing his own limits without breaking the opponent.
This… this is going to be fun, Jack thought, his lips curling into a faint smile.
Around him, the whispers grew louder.
> "What kind of power is this?!"
"Even his Conqueror's Haki is only partially unlocked… how can he be this strong?!"
"I… I've never felt anything like this before!"
Even some of the other awakened students, those who considered themselves prodigies, felt their confidence shake under Jack's presence.
Zhou Qi's pride crumbled as he struggled beneath the invisible weight. His earlier arrogance vanished completely, replaced with raw fear.
Jack looked down at him, his expression unchanging. He didn't need to speak; the lesson was already clear.
With a subtle shift of his foot, the suppressive force eased slightly. Zhou Qi gasped for air, but he was allowed to rise, humiliated yet alive.
The field fell silent. The only sound was the steady breathing of Jack, and the faint crackle of spiritual energy in the air.
This is just the beginning, Jack thought to himself. If even this small demonstration can shock these people, what will happen when I unleash my true power?
From the sidelines, Chen Darong's face glowed with awe and admiration. Jack had taken the stage not only as a protector but as a conqueror—a figure of absolute dominance.
Principal Huang Chongguang's hand trembled slightly as he watched. An S-level talent like this… in my lifetime, will I see another?
The students from No. 1 and No. 2 Middle Schools, once smug and arrogant, now lowered their heads, shocked and humiliated. Their challenge had been decisively silenced—not through brute strength alone, but through the sheer weight of authority Jack radiated.
Suppressive momentum… even a partially unlocked Conqueror's Haki can intimidate this much… Huang thought, heart pounding.
Jack's gaze swept across the field once more, calm and unyielding. The first true display of his Conqueror's power had been shown. The lesson was clear: this was his world now, and anyone who dared oppose him would feel the full force of his presence.
The field fell silent, the crowd frozen in awe. Even the wind seemed to pause, carrying the lingering sense of Jack's absolute authority.
And in that silence, a single thought echoed through everyone's mind:
This… is just the beginning of the Conqueror.