The practice ground inside the spaceship was vast, an open arena carved for observation and battle training, its metallic floor gleaming faintly under artificial lights. Stars gleamed through the transparent dome above, distant suns twinkling in the void, a reminder that they were floating above Earth now. The ground was barren, nothing to grip or help them—just the cold metal of the spaceship floor—but somehow, the students stood firm, their energy anchored within them.
Alina stepped forward first, her violet pill coursing through her veins. She swallowed it carefully, trembling slightly at the anticipation. Terrance crouched low before her, fully transformed into a panther-like form, dark red and cracked muscles flexing under skin as if it were molten armor. The transformation suited him perfectly, his eyes glowing amber with sharp predatory focus. Every student watched her intently, some holding their breath, others leaning forward in anticipation.
"What now? Where are mi—" Alina's voice broke slightly as she began to speak, but before she could finish, a Skyph core shot into her chest like a bullet, moving with unimaginable speed. The core pierced her torso, her clothes tearing unnaturally under its force. Blood dribbled from her lips as her chest convulsed, then regenerated perfectly. A brilliant white glow radiated from her chest before fading slowly, leaving the air humming with the remnants of energy.
Terrance's sharp eyes watched every movement, the panther in him ready to pounce. "So, let's see what she's got. I mean… beaten by a girl," he murmured, curiosity lacing his tone, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Alina flexed her fingers, moving them through the empty air. Nothing happened at first, and Terrance tilted his head in mild confusion.
"What are you doing?" he called out, eyes narrowing.
"Testing my power," she replied simply, lips pressed tight in concentration.
Then, abruptly, her forearms extended from the elbows, her hands splitting open like missile launchers. Tiny, precise projectiles streaked toward Terrance, their trajectories flawless. His panther reflexes kicked in, dodging every missile in a fluid, predatory motion. The students gasped, and some whispered among themselves, the metallic echoes of the missiles striking the floor and walls like distant thunder.
"What! You should—" Terrance began, but the missiles were already gone, leaving only the faint smell of ozone in the air.
Seuph clapped her hands, her calm voice slicing through the tension. "Next. We don't have time to test them fully. Everyone is already tired," she said, commanding and unwavering.
Delom stood, a quiet resolve in his eyes. "I want to go next," he said, his voice steady, his calmness a stark contrast to the crackling tension around him.
"Of course… go," Titus instructed, gesturing to the violet box.
Delom approached the box, each step purposeful. Alina returned to her seat, her body still faintly glowing from residual energy. Delom swallowed the pill, and immediately a core shot into his chest, faster than the eye could follow. He fell to his knees, blood trickling from his mouth. Unlike Plus or Alina, his chest did not glow. Instead, sparks of gold flickered across his hands, crackling faintly as he clenched them.
"Ah… why are they glowing?" Delom muttered, lifting his hands slowly, watching the energy swirl across his fingers.
Suddenly, flames erupted from his left hand, twisting upward like living tongues of fire.
"Delom… is that… burning?" Terrance's voice was tinged with concern, his panther form bristling.
"Nope… I am okay," Delom replied, voice calm, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of new power. He raised his right hand, and without warning, Terrance was yanked into the air by an invisible force.
"Hey… hey… put me down!" Terrance shouted, twisting helplessly, claws grazing the air.
Delom tilted his head, voice smooth and calculating.
"How do I put you down?"
The air rippled as Terrance rose higher, suspended by an unseen force. Delom's gaze was sharp, commanding. He lifted his hands again, and Terrance was violently slammed to the ground, energy pushing into him with an almost physical weight.
Seuph leaned toward Titus, voice sharp. "Sir Titus… what is it?"
A holographic display appeared in front of Titus's face, a lens forming over his right eye. He observed Delom meticulously, manipulating the display with precise gestures. He exhaled slowly. "Madam… it's a chaos-type power. The name is Hand of Haphazards," he said.
Seuph's eyes widened, shock visible even behind her composed exterior. "What! Hand of Haphazards!"
Untras chuckled, deep and low. "Looks like this new code batch is full fire," he said, awe creeping into his tone.
Terrance, finally free, felt the invisible force vanish. Delom casually slid his right hand into his pocket, flames still licking his left hand, before returning to his seat with the poise of someone who had done nothing extraordinary.
"Who wants to go next?" Untras asked.
Nancy's hand shot up, trembling with excitement.
"Me… me!" she exclaimed.
She approached the violet box, swallowing the pill with trembling fingers. Like Delom, the core entered her chest like a bullet, sending her to one knee. Blood dribbled from her lips, and an energy wave radiated outward, stirring the air. She regained her stance within seconds, raising her hands.
"What power do I have?" she murmured.
Suddenly, the air thickened violently, swirling with enormous force. A storm erupted around her, whipping metallic debris across the arena, the winds carrying the scent of ozone and scorched metal.
Terrance roared in frustration, panther form tensed.
"Help me… I can't take more…" he shouted, dodging flying debris and sparks.
A rope shot out of nowhere, yanking him back to his chair. Era's calm, authoritative voice rang out, "My sweet captain, sit here. No need to exert yourself too much."
Nancy finally settled in her seat, the storm fading slowly. One by one, the students received their powers:
Naro created a zone where his words dictated reality.
Rusla generated weapons and electrical energy from nothing.
Yuni summoned entities born of her thoughts.
Angus's strikes carried devastating impact, each motion like a blade slicing through air.
Oragi's lower body transformed into a serpent with fangs, merging vampire and snake powers.
Finally, all eyes turned toward Clive.
"Hey boy… you are last. Go and eat," Seuph said.
Clive's hands trembled slightly as he took the violet pill. At first, nothing happened. Five minutes passed. The ground and chairs were calm.
"Should I eat another?" Clive asked, confusion threading his voice.
"No… stand like this," Titus instructed.
Then, without warning, a Skyph core appeared, glowing black, sky blue, and yellow. It shot into Clive's chest with impossible speed. A massive explosion erupted, sending chairs flying, smoke curling and energy storming around him.
Yuni gasped. "What is going on, sir?"
Untras's voice was tense, awed. "I think it's a powerful power," he muttered.
Through the smoke, Clive emerged. Technological textures now ran across his body, glowing with black, sky blue, and yellow light. His presence radiated raw energy, and the arena trembled under the force of his awakening.
"Sir… is that you?" Untras whispered.
Seuph's gaze sharpened. "Who are you, sir?"
Clive's chest heaved, energy pulsing in synchrony with his heartbeat. This was his moment. The warrior within had finally awakened, and Skyph had marked its new champion.