Chapter 5: Duel and Invasion

As the afternoon sun shone on the massive training field, Mark Coloma, Maria Ushiromiya, and the other non-gifted students sat on chairs nearby to rest, away from the scorching heat. The gifted students sat separately, but nearby. Marten Rivera looked at the non-gifted and gifted students sitting in front of him and said, "Congratulations, this is the first time I have seen students talented and skilled enough that none of you failed my expectations. Now, each one of you will duel one by one. You can choose your opponent, either non-gifted or gifted, depending on your interest. This is a practice and to prove you're strong enough to climb the ranks. Since this is your first rank, it's unlikely to have serious injuries. Most students who get injured are in the higher classes due to their aggressive abilities. In battle, you have to be aggressive, especially when you fight a Carnage."

One student raised a hand from the gifted group and asked, "Instructor Rivera, does that include the non-gifted being aggressive during battle?"

Rivera replied, "The non-gifted are the most aggressive in battle. Because of that, they slay more Carnage than the gifted. The higher-ups applied that behavior to the gifted, resulting in a significant spike in their kill count."

All the students were in awe of this fact. Instructor Rivera continued, "But you shouldn't go fully aggressive in battle. You have to focus and concentrate while being aggressive. Some of my students made that mistake and got injured during their first mission."

Another student from the non-gifted group raised their hand and asked, "When is the first mission, Instructor Rivera?"

Instructor Rivera answered, "That would be in your final exam."

All the students were excited, though some were also scared. Instructor Rivera now said, "Now let's prepare for the one-on-one duel. First, Marco Aguiman, a non-gifted class 5 grade 9 hunter, stand up and choose your opponent."

Marco Aguiman stood up and walked around to find his opponent. Instructor Rivera added, "For those who participate in the one-on-one duel, you will receive 50 points in your grade. So participate and climb the ranks. Win or lose, you get the 50 points."

Every student raised their hand to be chosen, and Marco Aguiman struggled to decide. He saw a student not raising their hand and chose Her. Instructor Rivera said, "Victoria Galagar, a gifted class 5 grade 8 student, stand up."

Victoria stood and walked towards Marco. Instructor Rivera addressed them, "This is just a safe duel, no hard feelings after this. Win or lose, you get the points. Now go."

Marco and Victoria moved to the battlefield, standing on opposite sides, looking at each other with pure determination. Instructor Rivera raised his hand and shouted, "Go!"

Marco ran towards Victoria, not knowing her ability. As he approached, Victoria vanished in a blink of an eye and reappeared behind him, kicking him in the side. But Marco's durability prevented him from budging, and he counter-attacked with lightning speed. His right leg almost kicked Victoria from behind, but she managed to teleport to a further distance.

Everyone watched in awe. Mark Coloma and Maria Ushiromiya, now thinking about their potential opponents, still focused on the duel. Victoria Galagar kept teleporting, dodging every move and attack from Marco Aguiman. Marco, going aggressive, moved so fast that some of his attacks almost hit Victoria. Despite his extraordinary physical prowess, Victoria's continuous teleportation and positional switches made her elusive.

Determined not to lose, Marco kept pressing on. His strategy shifted from pure aggression to anticipating Victoria's teleportation patterns. For ten long minutes, Marco managed to stay on her, blocking her paths and predicting her movements. His perseverance and physical prowess kept Victoria from landing any significant blows.

However, the continuous teleportation and evasion wore him down. Exhausted and realizing he couldn't land a decisive hit, Marco finally gave up. Victoria, equally tired but unscathed, stood victorious. The gifted students celebrated and cheered, while the non-gifted clapped respectfully.

Victoria walked back with cheers from the gifted students, Marco walked proudly towards the non-gifted group, clapping for his efforts during the fight. Instructor Rivera congratulated both participants, "You both proved that you have the potential to hunt and fight Carnage in the future. Keep on training and let me see results." Everyone clapped and felt proud.

Next, as Instructor Rivera was about to pick the next participant, a non-gifted woman raised her hand. It was Mariana Flores, a Class 5 Grade 9 student, who stood and volunteered to fight. Instructor Rivera approved, "Ok, Miss Flores, choose your opponent."

Mariana walked towards a person, standing in front of Mark Coloma and choosing him. "Mark Coloma, fight me," Mariana declared. Mark remained unfazed, looking down at Mariana eye to eye. He replied calmly, "Ok."

Maria Ushiromiya was shocked beside Mark but curious about how he would fight. The two students stood at a distance, facing each other on the battlefield. Instructor Rivera raised his hands and shouted, "Go!"

Instantly, they dashed towards each other, leaving cracks and dust in their wake. Their first collision created a wave of dust around them. All the students watched in shock at their sheer power. Both Mark and Mariana demonstrated extraordinary strength and speed, creating craters around the battlefield with each impact of their fists.

Mark aimed a punch at Mariana, but she managed to dodge and counter with both hands, regaining her footing. She dashed towards Mark at full force, tackling him out of the battlefield. Despite this, Mark's quick reflexes allowed him to grab Mariana tightly against his chest and jump. In mid-air, he twisted and spun, using his momentum to perform a flying headbutt towards the ground.

The impact was devastating. As Mark and Mariana crashed into the ground, a massive crater formed, sending dust and debris flying into the air. Instructor Rivera and the students were stunned by the intensity of the collision.

Mark stood up and Mariana momentarily lost consciousness from the blow, but she quickly regained her senses and kicked Mark's legs, causing him to lose balance. While Mark was down, Mariana swiftly applied a grappling technique called an arm triangle chokehold. Her powerful thighs clamped around Mark's head, choking him. One of Mark's hands was trapped by Mariana, making it impossible for him to escape.

Realizing he was trapped, Mark eventually surrendered. Mariana smiled victoriously despite the intense battle. She stood up and offered her hand to Mark as a sign of respect. Mark looked up at Mariana, smiled slightly, and accepted her hand. The non-gifted and gifted students cheered and clapped, impressed by the epic and action-packed fight. Both fighters returned to their seats with smiles on their faces, having gained mutual respect through their intense duel.

Mark now sat beside Maria Ushiromiya, who was smiling and amazed at how Mark had fought. Meanwhile, Mariana was being cheered by her classmates from the other side of the chairs. Instructor Rivera, still in shock from the sheer power both had unleashed in the duel, stepped forward to address them.

"Incredible fight, both of you!" Instructor Rivera announced, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "Mr Coloma, Miss Flores, you both showcased extraordinary strength and skill. This level of performance is exactly what we need to face the Carnage. Congratulations keep up the great work."

The students erupted in applause, their respect for both fighters evident. Mark and Mariana exchanged nods of mutual respect as they took their seats.

Maria turned to Mark, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You were amazing, the sheer power you unleashed was intense despite your opponent being a woman."

Mark smiled modestly. "She was no ordinary woman. I met her while walking in the halls towards the gym today. Her invisible physique alone is enough to convince me she is at the same level as you. You outperformed me every time during our one-year hunters exam. If you were my opponent, there's a huge possibility that I might lose to you like how I lost to someone I just recently meet."

Meanwhile, Instructor Rivera began picking students for the next duel, his eyes scanning the eager faces around him.

Maria nods her head and blushed hearing Mark's words complimenting her.

As Mark sat beside Maria Ushiromiya, basking in the aftermath of his duel with Mariana, a sudden and deafening explosion rocked the city of Cagayan. A sense of foreboding swept through the Hunters Academy. Far off in the distance, a gigantic Carnage, a worm-like creature with no eyes, erupted from the depths of the city, its shrieks echoing across the urban sprawl.

The students' phones simultaneously buzzed with an emergency alert: "Type 5 lower-grade Carnage detected." Instructor Rivera took his phone from his packet and saw the alarm his face turned serious as he addressed the students. "Stay calm and observe," he commanded, directing their attention to the ongoing situation.

A platoon from the Hunters Defense Force of the Philippines Hunter Corps was already on the move. Sixteen Class 2 hunters, composed of five non-gifted and eleven gifted individuals, converged on the city. The non-gifted hunters led the charge, their bodies a blur of speed and power as they leapt from building to building, while the gifted hunters followed, their abilities ready to strike.

From their vantage point, the students watched in awe as the battle unfolded. The Carnage towered over the cityscape, its massive, segmented body weaving through streets and buildings. Its roar was a chilling reminder of the threat it posed.

The lead non-gifted hunter, a burly man named Roderick Dalunhay, wielded a massive war hammer. He landed with a ground-shaking thud on a rooftop, signaling the start of the attack. "Form up!" he shouted. The hunters fanned out, encircling the Carnage.

One of the gifted hunters, a woman named Celina Falconer, raised her hands, summoning flames that danced at her fingertips. "Focus on the core!" she yelled. With a flick of her wrist, she launched a barrage of fireballs at the creature, aiming to expose its vulnerable point.

The Carnage writhed, its tough, armored skin deflecting the initial onslaught. Roderick sprang into action, his hammer swinging in a wide arc. He struck the beast with a thunderous blow, creating a fissure in its armor. "Now!" he bellowed.

Celina's flames found their mark, searing through the cracked armor and revealing the creature's core. Another hunter, a non-gifted woman named Elena Rodriguez, charged in, her speed a blur. She leapt into the air, driving her spear into the exposed core with pinpoint accuracy.

The Carnage shrieked, thrashing violently. Its tail whipped around, smashing into buildings and sending debris flying. A gifted hunter named Yuki Hanazawa conjured a barrier of ice, shielding his comrades from the deadly fragments. "Keep it contained!" he urged.

Mark, Maria, and the other students watched, transfixed. The platoon's teamwork and coordination were flawless. The hunters dodged and weaved, striking at the creature's weak points with surgical precision. Elena's spear thrusts were relentless, each one driving deeper into the core.

The Carnage, in a desperate bid for survival, began to burrow back into the ground. Roderick wasn't having it. "Hold it steady!" he ordered. Yuki's ice barrier transformed into icy chains, wrapping around the creature's body and anchoring it in place.

Celina, her flames intensifying, launched a final, devastating fireball at the Carnage's core. The explosion was blinding, and the creature let out one last, agonized shriek before collapsing. The ground beneath it gave way, and the massive body of the Carnage sank into the earth, defeated.

The alarms on the students' phones silenced, displaying "Carnage Neutralized." The battle was over, but the impact was profound. The platoon's efficiency and power were a testament to their training and dedication.

Instructor Rivera turned to his students, their faces a mixture of awe and inspiration. "That is what we strive for," he said. "Each of you has the potential to become like them. Remember this moment, and let it drive you to train harder and aim higher."

Mark, still awestruck, exchanged a glance with Maria. The vision of becoming hunters, protecting their cities, and exterminating threats like the one they had just witnessed ignited a new level of determination within them. The path ahead was clear, and the resolve to follow it was stronger than ever.