Vincent watched as the two containment officers escorted Gareth Morrow toward the center of the assessment arena.
The prisoner was a broad-shouldered man with a shaved head, a crooked nose, and several scars running across his muscular arms.
Despite having his wrists restrained, Gareth appeared remarkably relaxed, occasionally glancing around the enormous chamber with an expression of amusement.
One of the officers stopped several meters away from Vincent and raised a handheld terminal.
"Gareth Morrow, you have been approved to participate in today’s supervised Villain Suppression Assessment," the officer announced, examining the information on his screen. "You are prohibited from deliberately attempting to kill the applicant. Any violation will result in immediate intervention and additional disciplinary measures."
Gareth rolled his shoulders before giving the officer an irritated look.
"Yeah, yeah. You’ve already explained the rules three times. Just take these damn restraints off so we can get started," he complained, shaking his bound wrists impatiently.
The officer ignored his attitude and activated the release mechanism. A mechanical click sounded as the restraints unlocked, allowing Gareth to flex his fingers.
Vincent remained silent throughout the exchange, carefully observing his opponent.
According to the information provided by the Association, Gareth possessed Bone Hardening, a supernatural ability that strengthened his skeletal structure.
However, knowing the name of an ability and understanding how someone used it were two entirely different things.
Vincent had learned that lesson during his years at the Hero Agency.
Meanwhile, behind the one-way observation glass overlooking the arena, three Association examiners were preparing to evaluate the confrontation.
"Vincent Crowe, twenty-two years old, Rank 1 Superhuman," a middle-aged examiner named Adrian Keller read aloud, studying the applicant’s information on his holographic monitor. "Innate ability, Physical Reinforcement. Energy Signature significantly below the Rank 1 average."
A female examiner seated beside him frowned slightly. "Another applicant with limited Flux reserves? Gareth Morrow specializes in close combat. This might be a difficult matchup."
Keller nodded thoughtfully. "Possibly. But let’s see what the young man can do before making assumptions."
Back inside the arena, Gareth finally turned his attention toward Vincent.
"So you’re the brat I’m supposed to fight?" he asked, looking Vincent up and down before releasing a contemptuous laugh. "You don’t look particularly impressive. What’s your rank?"
"Rank 1," Vincent answered calmly, loosening his shoulders as he prepared himself.
Gareth’s grin widened.
"Rank 1? Seriously?" the prisoner exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. "They dragged me out of my cell to fight some weakling who hasn’t even gotten his Hero License?"
Vincent ignored the insult and glanced toward the observation windows.
A mechanical announcement suddenly echoed throughout the chamber.
"Applicant Vincent Crowe. Your objective is to incapacitate the assigned opponent or otherwise demonstrate successful suppression. The examination will terminate if the supervising personnel determine that continuation presents an unacceptable risk."
Vincent took a deep breath.
His Flux Energy had fully recovered since yesterday, but twenty points were hardly enough for a prolonged battle.
He would need to manage every activation carefully.
"Assessment commencing in three seconds."
Gareth cracked his knuckles, an unpleasant smile spreading across his face.
"Try not to disappoint me, kid," he remarked, lowering his center of gravity.
"Three. Two. One. Begin!"
Gareth immediately charged.
Despite his muscular build, the prisoner moved surprisingly quickly, crossing several meters before Vincent could fully settle into his stance.
A powerful fist came swinging toward his face.
Vincent activated Physical Reinforcement, directing Flux Energy into his legs as he pushed himself sideways.
The punch narrowly missed.
Gareth immediately followed with another strike, forcing Vincent to retreat while raising his reinforced forearm to protect his head.
Bang!
The impact sent a painful vibration through Vincent’s arm.
Heavy!
Although he had successfully blocked the attack, the force behind Gareth’s punch was considerably greater than he had expected.
Vincent retreated another step, narrowly avoiding a sweeping hook aimed at his ribs.
Gareth laughed as he advanced.
"What’s wrong, kid? All you know how to do is run away?" he taunted, throwing another punch toward Vincent’s chest.
Vincent twisted his body and avoided the strike, keeping his eyes fixed on Gareth’s shoulders.
He wasn’t simply retreating.
He was observing.
Gareth relied heavily on his superior durability, frequently committing his entire body weight to each attack without worrying about counterstrikes.
His punches were powerful, but his movements were unnecessarily wide.
More importantly, he consistently lowered his left shoulder before throwing a right hook.
There it is.
Vincent waited until Gareth repeated the movement before shifting his weight onto his back foot.
When the punch came, he ducked beneath it and stepped inside his opponent’s reach.
Flux Energy surged into his right arm.
At the same moment, Vincent activated his newly acquired superpower.
A faint crimson glow flashed around his fist as he drove a punch into Gareth’s exposed abdomen.
BANG!
The impact produced a sharp explosion of sound.
Gareth’s eyes widened as his enormous body staggered backward several steps.
For the first time since entering the arena, the prisoner’s arrogant expression disappeared.
"What the hell was that?" Gareth demanded, clutching his stomach as he stared at Vincent.
Vincent flexed his aching fingers.
The attack had worked.
However, the resistance he felt upon striking Gareth suggested that Bone Hardening provided considerably more protection than ordinary physical toughness.
So that’s how durable he is.
Behind the observation glass, Keller leaned forward.
"Interesting," the examiner remarked, replaying the exchange on his holographic monitor. "That strike was considerably stronger than his recorded Energy Signature would suggest."
The female examiner examined the combat readings before responding. "Physical Reinforcement can increase striking power, but that sudden burst of force was unusual. His energy output doesn’t appear sufficient to explain it."
Keller narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Keep monitoring him. I want to see whether he can reproduce that result."
Meanwhile, Gareth slowly straightened his back.
His earlier amusement had vanished completely.
"You’ve got a nasty punch for someone so weak," he admitted, rolling his neck as he approached Vincent. "But if you think one lucky hit is enough to beat me, you’re about to be disappointed."
Vincent didn’t respond.
He was already feeling the consequences of using both abilities together.
His Flux reserves had dropped noticeably, and a dull ache spread through his reinforced arm.
He couldn’t afford to continue exchanging attacks at that rate.
Gareth suddenly lunged forward again.
This time, however, his fighting style had changed.
Rather than throwing wide punches, he kept his elbows closer to his body and advanced with shorter, more controlled movements.
Vincent immediately recognized the problem.
He’s adapting.
A heavy punch slammed into Vincent’s raised forearm, forcing him backward.
Before he could recover, Gareth drove his shoulder forward.
Vincent attempted to evade, but the prisoner caught him across the chest.
BANG!
The collision sent Vincent stumbling several meters.
Pain erupted through his ribs as he struggled to regain his balance.
Gareth pressed his advantage immediately, delivering another powerful blow that Vincent barely managed to deflect.
"Not so confident anymore, are you?" Gareth sneered, advancing relentlessly.
Vincent gritted his teeth.
His breathing had become heavier, and the constant expenditure of Flux Energy was beginning to affect his movements.
If the confrontation continued like this, he would lose.
He needed another approach.
Vincent glanced toward the circular markings embedded in the metallic floor.
The arena was enormous, but Gareth’s aggressive fighting style meant that he rarely paid attention to his surroundings.
An idea gradually formed in Vincent’s mind.
Instead of retreating directly backward, he began moving diagonally, encouraging Gareth to follow him toward the curved perimeter of the arena.
The prisoner noticed the movement and laughed.
"Trying to escape? There’s nowhere to run in here!" Gareth shouted, increasing his pace.
Vincent ignored him.
He continued retreating, occasionally activating Physical Reinforcement in his legs to avoid attacks while allowing the ability to deactivate between movements.
Every small conservation of Flux Energy mattered.
Eventually, they reached the outer section of the arena.
Gareth launched another heavy punch.
Vincent ducked beneath it and slipped sideways, forcing the prisoner to turn sharply.
His opponent’s momentum carried him farther than intended.
Now!
Vincent stepped forward and delivered a quick reinforced kick toward Gareth’s supporting knee.
The attack wasn’t powerful enough to cause serious damage, but it disrupted the prisoner’s balance.
"You little—!" the prisoner snarled, swinging his arm wildly toward Vincent’s head.
Vincent had anticipated the reaction.
He lowered his body, allowing the punch to pass above him before shifting behind Gareth’s exposed side.
However, the prisoner recovered faster than expected.
Gareth twisted around and slammed his elbow into Vincent’s shoulder.
A sharp pain shot through his arm.
Vincent staggered backward, barely suppressing a groan.
Damn it!
His remaining Flux Energy was almost exhausted.
Another prolonged exchange would be disastrous.
Gareth noticed his labored breathing and grinned.
"Finally running out of energy?" he mocked, approaching with renewed confidence. "I was wondering how long that pathetic little reserve of yours would last."
Vincent wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.
He couldn’t deny it.
His opponent had considerably greater endurance, and Bone Hardening made ordinary attacks nearly useless.
But Gareth had one weakness that remained unchanged.
He was overconfident.
And Vincent intended to exploit it.
The prisoner suddenly charged, preparing to finish the confrontation with another devastating punch.
Vincent remained motionless until the final moment.
Behind the observation glass, the female examiner straightened in her seat.
"His energy reserves are nearly depleted," she warned, glancing toward Keller. "Should we prepare to terminate the assessment?"
Keller raised his hand, his attention fixed on the arena.
"Not yet. Look at his stance," he replied, leaning forward with growing interest. "He’s waiting for something."
Gareth closed the distance.
His right shoulder lowered.
Vincent recognized the familiar movement immediately.
The same wide hook.
The same exposed opening.
Only this time, Gareth was committing even more force to the attack.
Vincent gathered the last of his available Flux Energy and concentrated it into his legs.
Physical Reinforcement!
He suddenly accelerated forward, slipping beneath the incoming punch before twisting his body toward Gareth’s unprotected side.
At the same instant, he redirected the remaining energy into his right arm.
Impact Amplification!
Crimson light flashed around his clenched fist.
Vincent drove his punch upward into Gareth’s jaw with everything he had left.
BOOM!
The impact echoed throughout the enormous arena.
Gareth’s head snapped backward as his feet momentarily left the metallic floor.
His enormous body crashed onto its back with a thunderous bang.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Vincent staggered backward, breathing heavily as the crimson glow surrounding his fist disappeared.
His entire body ached.
He could barely feel his right arm.
However, Gareth remained motionless.
Behind the observation glass, Keller examined the unconscious prisoner before activating his communication terminal.
"Assessment complete," the examiner announced, his voice echoing through the arena. "Applicant Vincent Crowe has successfully incapacitated his assigned opponent. Combat assessment passed."
Vincent slowly exhaled.
He had done it. His first official Villain Suppression Assessment was over.
As the containment officers entered the arena and approached Gareth’s unconscious body, Vincent suddenly heard a familiar sound inside his head.
[Ding!]
[You have defeated a Villain.]