lThe arena was completely packed.
Every VIP box overflowed with silk-draped nobles whose glowing blue lenses scanned the arena below. High above the floor, a massive holographic bracket displayed sixty-four names in a single-elimination tournament, ordered by Talent rank.
The E-Ranks were stuck at the bottom of the bracket, while the A-Ranks sat comfortably at the top with free passes through the early rounds. It was completely unfair, forcing low-rank students to battle through harder and harder opponents while the high-rank elites coasted through without effort. The tournament was never designed to be fair; it was just a brutal spectacle staged for the rich people sitting in the expensive seats.
Referee Helen Croft stood ready, her scarred jaw set tight and her one good eye sweeping across the competitors. She wore the same tight bodysuit from the Combat Assessment, now with a crude patch covering her missing ear. Nobody dared to say a word about it.
The hum of dampening crystal walls filled the room. The material absorbed kinetic energy to prevent fatal injuries, giving the Academy a complete monopoly on safe combat training. Without it, no other facility could run drills without high risk of death. Every student who stepped inside was just a pawn in their game for power.
Alvian stood in the competitor tunnel, wearing a patched jacket and a steel short sword at his hip. No sleek combat fatigues, no proud family crest. He looked like a poor scavenger who walked into the wrong room. That was exactly what he wanted them to think!
[Ding! Tournament environment detected. Sanctioned non-lethal combat parameters active. EXP distribution suspended for regulated matches. Karma Point generation from adversity events remains functional.]
[Note: The System reminds you that beating people up for free is its own reward.]
No EXP from tournament fights. He had suspected as much but now it was confirmed. The System only rewarded genuine combat with real risk. Sanitized arena matches behind dampening crystal walls did not qualify. That was fine. He was not here for EXP. He was here for the two hundred credit monthly stipend that would keep Martha alive.
On the other side, Brody Slade climbed onto the platform. He was built like a massive brick wall! His broad shoulders and thick arms strained against his Academy combat suit. He had a D-Rank Stone Fist Talent. It made his punches hit like a sledgehammer. He cracked his neck and got into a grappling stance. Level 8. His strategy was simple. Charge, grab, and crush.
The crowd murmured with polite interest. A D-Rank against an E-Rank was not a real match. It was a scheduled execution for the sponsors to enjoy with their wine. Maybe they would place bets on how many bones would break.
Up in the viewing boxes, MAG-tech lenses hummed as they locked onto both fighters. The devices could scan surface energy and Talent rank, but they were blind to internal Stats and the System interface itself. They only registered what they expected to see: a powerful Level 8 D-Rank facing off against a nobody.
"Begin!" Helen shouted.
"BOOM!"
Brody charged! His Stone Fist Talent activated instantly. His right fist swelled with kinetic energy. The air around his knuckles shimmered with intense heat. The platform shook heavily with each step. He crossed the distance in just two seconds. He swung a massive haymaker at Alvian’s chest. It was a punch that would cave in a normal person’s ribs!
Alvian calmly sidestepped. With his Speed at 25, the movement was as easy as breathing. Brody’s fist missed by six inches. The heavy wind from the punch just ruffled Alvian’s patched jacket.
As Brody’s arm went past him, Alvian pressed his open palm against the fighter’s forearm.
"Clearwater Coating."
"Sizzle!"
A thin film of acid appeared between his palm and Brody’s sleeve. The tough fabric hissed loudly on contact. The acid ate right through the reinforced weave. It burned the skin beneath with a sound like meat hitting a hot grill.
"Ahhhh!" Brody screamed. He ripped his arm back. He stared at his smoking sleeve in pure horror. The material was melting away! Angry red skin showed underneath. The corrosive film kept burning for eighteen seconds straight, all thanks to Serah’s circuitry enhancement.
The MAG-tech readouts in the VIP boxes went crazy! Data feeds flashed the energy signature from Alvian’s hand. pH 1.2. Corrosive classification. D-Rank equivalent output! The numbers glowed brightly. Shocked murmurs rippled through the noble boxes.
Three noble family heads leaned forward in shock. One whispered urgently to his aide. Another scribbled on a crystal tablet really fast.
Down below, Helen Croft did not touch her datapad. She already memorized his file from the Combat Assessment. Six seconds. Clearwater Palm. Anomalous corrosion. Now it was happening again right in front of her! The Academy system tracked these anomalies. One more and a formal review process would automatically trigger.
Brody ripped his ruined sleeve off completely and threw it on the ground. His face twisted with rage. He was a proud D-Rank fighter! He was getting humiliated by an E-Rank piece of trash in front of thousands of people! He was losing reputation every second.
He charged again. This time he used his left hand to avoid the acid. He aimed a low hook at Alvian’s ribs. He put all his Stone Fist power into it.
Alvian ducked easily under the swing. His right hand grabbed his short sword.
"Shing!"
He drew it in one smooth motion. Clearwater Coating spread across the blade. The acid hissed as it bonded with the steel.
"Slash!"
He drove the acid coated blade right into Brody’s thigh.
The acid punched through the reinforced combat fabric. Brody let out a horrible scream! He dropped to one knee. His leg completely buckled. The internal corrosion property that Serah unlocked was doing its brutal work.
Alvian coldly pressed his palm flat against Brody’s chest plate.
"Clearwater Palm."
"Hiss!"
The corrosion was violent and instant. The tough chest plate softened, pitted, and cracked! Brody felt the heavy metal give way. His eyes went wide with true fear. The acid was eating through his inner armor lining. It was going to melt his heart!
"Yield," Alvian said. He did not shout. He did not threaten. He just said the word with total calmness. He looked at Brody like he was looking at a dead bug.
Brody shivered. "I-i yield!"
Helen stepped forward. "Winner, Alvian Vance! Match time, twenty-two seconds!"
The whole arena went completely silent. This was not the stunned quiet of the Combat Assessment, but the stillness of wealthy sponsors hastily recalculating their reality. Wild glances passed between them as the MAG-tech readouts confirmed the impossible: an E-Rank Talent unleashing a D-Rank acid attack.
In the waiting area, Darius Magnus sat with his arms crossed tightly. He won his first round in forty seconds. He used flashy magma fireballs. It was loud and impressive. But this E-Rank trash finished his fight in just twenty-two seconds with total silence!
Darius glared. His magma energy flickered wildly around his knuckles. His jaw was clenched so hard it looked like it would break.
Serah Garrick watched from the benches. She tapped her circuitry pad fast. She recorded data the fancy MAG-tech could not see. She built the weapon Alvian used. She knew about the upgrades. But even she was shocked by his brutal efficiency. Twenty-two seconds. No wasted moves. Just cold acid and steel.
She typed a note. Cover story holding. For now.
Helen Croft finally picked up her datapad and added a second anomaly to Alvian’s file. Glancing at the giant bracket, she saw the problem: round two would pit the E-Rank against a C-Rank or a high D-Rank. The system was designed to crush lower ranks. If Alvian produced one more anomaly, it would automatically trigger a formal review.
She called the next match.
Alvian walked through the tunnel. He completely ignored the crowd. His sword still hissed softly. He walked right past Darius without even looking at him.
Darius watched him go. His magma energy flared hot. He burned a mark on the wall. He forced his anger down. The bracket would bring them together soon enough.
But nearby, another person was stretching. Rex Magnus cracked his knuckles. He smiled an evil smile.
Darius gave him orders to beat this trash up before the next round. Rex planned to do exactly that.
"Rex Magnus versus Alvian Vance!"
The arena buzzed with crazy energy. News spread everywhere. The E-Rank kid who melted a D-Rank armor in twenty-two seconds was back. This time, his opponent was a genius from the Magnus family!
Rex Magnus proudly climbed onto the platform. He was very confident. He never lost a fight to trash before. He was lean and built for speed. His C-Rank Ember Step Talent gave him explosive footwork. He left scorch marks on the ground. He could cause nasty burns on impact. He was way faster than Brody. He also carried a personal grudge from Darius.
The Magnus family had four strong fighters in the tournament. Noble families used this tournament to show off their power. Losing to an E-Rank would bring massive shame to their proud family name.