3v3

"Come on, we're going to be late for school!" Kael shouted, his sharp voice cutting through the sleepy haze of the dormitory. The morning air was filled with chaotic rustling as everyone scattered to get ready. Uniforms were flung on, breakfast was barely scarfed down, and books were hastily stuffed into bags.

Kaerith Fetuoval Sulemoranis—or just Kael to his friends—glanced at the clock. We're really cutting it close, he thought, slipping into his uniform in record time. His signature spiky hair still managed to look immaculate, though he'd barely run his fingers through it.

The group burst out of the dormitory, sprinting down the cobbled pathway towards the academy gates. They made it into their classroom just as the bell rang.

"Barely made it," Kael muttered, collapsing into his seat. The classroom was already abuzz with chatter, but it quickly died down when their teacher, Mr. Hiro, entered.

"Good morning, everyone," Mr. Hiro said, his usual casual demeanor apparent. "Take your seats. Today, we'll be heading to the training city for another practical exercise. This time, it's going to be a three-versus-three capture-the-flag match."

Excited murmurs rippled through the room. These exercises were always a mix of chaos and fun—until they weren't.

"Now," Mr. Hiro continued, "you can wear your gym uniforms or your hero suits. I don't really care. Just get to the training field. Move it!"

The classroom emptied out in a flurry of motion as students darted toward the locker rooms. Kael followed the crowd, already thinking about who he might end up teamed with.

The locker room was noisy with the sound of doors slamming and students chattering. Kael quickly changed into his gym uniform—a simple yet fitted outfit that allowed for ease of movement. As he pulled his shirt over his head, he heard someone ask, "Sensei, how are teams being picked?"

Mr. Hiro, who had somehow found his way to the locker room door, grinned and held up a bundle of straws. "We're doing it the old-fashioned way. Draw a straw, and if you've got the same number as someone else, you're on a team."

Kael grabbed a straw and glanced at the number: 6. His teammates were quick to reveal themselves.

"Number six," called a familiar voice. Kael turned to see Citlali Soils, her snow-white hair tied up in a high ponytail. Her pinkish eyes sparkled with excitement, though there was a calm determination in her stance.

"Looks like we're teammates, Kael!" she said with a grin. Citlali had been Kael's childhood friend and was an expert in martial arts, even if she hadn't yet mastered magic. Her fighting style relied solely on Chi, but it was devastatingly effective.

The last member of their team was a quieter presence. "I've got six too," said Momo Kozlova, holding up her straw. Momo was a striking girl with long, dirty blonde hair that had a life of its own—literally. Her Meta ability, tentacle hair, allowed her to use her locks like an extra set of arms. She stood silently, her stoic expression unreadable, but her reddish-pink eyes and heart-shaped eyebrows gave her an unusual charm.

Citlali gave her a friendly smile. "Welcome to the team!"

Momo nodded slightly, her expression unchanged.

The field was set, and Mr. Hiro announced the first match: Team One versus Team Six. Kael barely had time to process the announcement before one of the students muttered, "We're screwed."

Citlali raised an eyebrow. "Why? Who's on Team One?"

Kael frowned, running through the roster in his head. "Let's see. They've got Takeru Sachi, Catty Cupid, and Moeko Rakuyoda."

Citlali's eyes widened. "You're kidding. That's basically a dream team."

Kael sighed. "Yeah, Takeru alone is bad enough."

Takeru Sachi's Meta ability, Anatomical Morph, was essentially shapeshifting on steroids. He could transform his body into nearly anything, as long as he understood its anatomy. Wings, claws, extra limbs—nothing was off the table. Add to that his towering 7-foot frame and muscular build, and he was an intimidating opponent.

Then there was Catty Cupid, a fiery girl with jaguar-like traits. Her Meta ability gave her enhanced strength, speed, and agility, as well as the ability to fully transform into a powerful jaguar. She was as fierce as her appearance suggested, with ebony skin, sharp claws, and a piercing gaze.

Lastly, Moeko Rakuyoda was a master of plant manipulation. Her ability allowed her to grow and control vines that could be used offensively or defensively. The sleeping acid her vines secreted was especially dangerous in close combat.

"This isn't going to be easy," Kael muttered.

The buzzer blared, signaling the start of the match. Kael and his team sprang into action, each heading in different directions.

"Momo, stay back and guard the flag!" Citlali shouted. "Kael and I will go on offense."

"Got it," Momo replied, her tone as stoic as ever.

Kael followed Citlali toward the enemy flag, his heart racing. They hadn't even made it halfway across the field when Takeru appeared in their path.

"Well, well, if it isn't Pretty Boy," Takeru sneered, his deep voice reverberating. He transformed his legs into cheetah legs, closing the distance between them in an instant. Before Kael could react, Takeru's crab-like claw swung toward him.

Kael barely managed to block, but the force of the blow sent him flying into a nearby building. He groaned, pushing himself to his feet just in time to see Takeru charging at him again.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Takeru taunted, landing a solid kick to Kael's midsection.

Kael coughed, glaring at his opponent. "You talk too much."

Takeru smirked. "And you're still too pretty for your own good."

Kaerith pov

His barrage of attacks was relentless—kicks, punches, and claws. I struggled to keep up until a blur of white interrupted.

Citlali.

She moved with precision, her punches and kicks a blur of chi-infused power. "Don't you dare hurt him again!" she shouted, landing a devastating elbow to Takeru's diaphragm.

He stumbled back, growling. "You'll pay for that!"

Takeru Sachi POV

From the moment I met Kaerith, I knew something was off about him. That smug, perfect look of his always irritated me. Sure, we'd clashed before—once a playful spar, and once… not so playful—but this was my chance to finally show him who's the superior one. I'd obliterate him and bask in my overwhelming glory.

With a smirk, I transformed into my true form. My body stretched taller, muscles swelling as I hit seven feet. My arm shifted into a massive crab claw, and my legs morphed into cheetah limbs for speed. My enhanced senses locked onto Kaerith's scent, and I bolted toward him.

It didn't take long to find him. His dark hair gleamed, even in the dim light, framing those piercing eyes I hated so much. He looked annoyingly good, as always. I didn't waste time. I launched a kick, but he managed to block it. My strength sent him flying, crashing through a building.

I didn't stop. Charging in, I grabbed his head and slammed it into the floor, the tiles cracking beneath the impact. Even as I pummeled him, he still had that stupid perfect face. Furious, I threw him against the wall and unleashed a flurry of kicks to his chest, my cheetah legs delivering blow after blow.

"Still holding up, pretty boy?" I sneered.

Kaerith growled, fire flickering in his eyes, but before I could press further, someone else intervened.

A white-haired girl appeared out of nowhere, moving like lightning. Her fist buried itself in my gut, knocking the wind out of me, followed by an uppercut that sent me staggering. Before I could recover, she drove her elbow into my diaphragm, making me gasp in pain.

"Don't you dare hurt him again," she said coldly, her voice sharp as a blade.

I snarled and lunged at her, but she was faster, her movements precise. Her foot slammed into my face, and she used the momentum to launch herself into the air. As she came down, she landed on my arm, twisting my limb painfully before delivering a kick straight to my temple.

This woman was trouble, no doubt about it. Each strike was calculated and devastating, her mastery of chi evident. Just as I prepared to retaliate, my teammates contacted me through the intercom.

"Takeru, what's your location?" someone asked.

"Mind your own damn business!" I snapped.

Before I could continue, the white-haired girl's attack landed—a nitro burst to my face that sent me flying through five buildings. Her power was undeniable.

Just as she charged at me again, Moeko Rakuyoda, my milk-haired teammate with dark green eyes, intervened. Her vines erupted from the ground, restraining the girl in an instant.

"Let me go!" I growled, struggling against the vines.

"Stand down, Takeru!" Moeko shouted.

Before anyone could react further, a blazing inferno erupted nearby, heading straight for us. Kaerith emerged from the flames, his body shrouded in molten rock and liquid fire.

"You're going to pay for what you did to me," he snarled, his voice a low rumble.

I smirked. "Moeko, drop me. This bastard is mine."

Despite her protests, Moeko released me, and I charged at Kaerith. My centaur legs pounded the ground as I gave myself two extra arms, my body brimming with energy. Kaerith met my charge head-on, launching a fireball that I narrowly dodged. I grabbed his head, my claw-like hand tightening around him, but his flames seared my forearm, forcing me to release him.

Kaerith leaped onto my back, delivering a flaming kick to my side. His fire wasn't just heat; it was almost liquid, flowing like magma as he shot another blast at me.

"You're really asking for it!" I roared, slamming him through multiple buildings.

We traded blow after blow, the earth quaking beneath us. My arms turned into gorilla limbs as I pounded him into the ground, then shifted into tentacles to whip him away. I gave myself horns and charged, piercing through his rocky exterior.

Even as his flames raged around him, Kaerith still looked infuriatingly good. His features were sharp, his face framed by molten rock and fire.

Our battle continued to escalate, neither of us giving an inch. Kaerith's flames intensified, and I barely dodged a blast that would have incinerated me.

Catty Cupid's POV

As those two powerhouses duked it out, I turned my attention to the squid lady. But before I could make my move, a striking girl with half a training jacket on caught my eye. She ripped it off, revealing a sports bra and toned abs.

"Oh, this is purrfect," I quipped, grinning.

Without a word, she charged at me, throwing a flurry of kicks. A few landed, and they hurt. She was much stronger than I expected for someone ranked Seat 21. I grabbed her leg and yanked her down, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she caught herself on her hands, pushed up, and flipped backward, using the momentum to throw me aside.

She wasn't giving me time to recover. Leaping towards me, she grabbed my waist and tackled me to the ground.

Before I could retaliate, Moeko—her milk-white hair and dark undercut instantly recognizable—came to my rescue. She summoned vines to pull me free, but the white-haired girl stepped on my stomach, launching herself off me like a springboard and diving straight at Moeko. She took her down with calculated precision, driving elbows into her face.

Moeko wasn't about to give up, though, and neither was I. I lunged at them, swiping with my claws. I managed to graze the girl's side, but she was fast—much faster than I anticipated. She retaliated with three quick jabs that landed squarely on my face before ducking under my next swing and landing a sharp cut across my arm.

This girl wasn't just strong—she was a master of hand-to-hand combat. She proved it when she swept me off my feet with a low kick. Desperate, I grabbed at her pants, pulling them down in an attempt to throw her off balance. Her panties were exposed, but she didn't even flinch. Instead, she kicked me away like it was nothing.

"Girl, you need to shave," I taunted, trying to regain my footing.

She ignored me, her expression cold and unyielding.

"I didn't know they made low-rise panties," I added, hoping to get a reaction.

I didn't. Instead, I was rewarded with a brutal roundhouse kick to the chest.

Moeko jumped in again, using her vines to snatch at the girl's legs and pull her away. But she was too fast. In one smooth motion, she caught up, wrapped her legs around Moeko's waist, and slammed her into the ground.

"At least the carpet matches the drapes," I muttered as a last-ditch effort to distract her.

No reaction. She was ice-cold.

I tackled her again, but she slipped out of my hold with ease. This girl was fighting us both at once, and she was winning. Moeko lashed at her with vine-whips, trying to pin her down, while I used my superior reflexes as a jaguar to close the distance. But it was like she could read our every move. She danced around us, dodging every attack with a grace that was almost infuriating.

"This chick…" I panted, stepping back, "is a freaking monster."

Before we could regroup, a massive wall of fire surged in our direction. Without hesitation, the white-haired girl grabbed both of us by the arms and dragged us into a nearby alley for cover. The heat scorched the air, but we were safe.

As soon as the flames passed, she was back in action, her stone-cold face giving nothing away. Every punch she threw was deliberate and calculated, as if she had already planned out how the fight would end.

She was terrifying, but I couldn't help but admire her skill.

Momo Kozlova POV

As chaos erupted across the battlefield, I stayed focused on the objective: protecting our flag. It wasn't glamorous, but someone had to do it.

Through the intercom, Mr. Hiro's voice came through. "That's enough! Everyone, return to the spectating room. The exercise is over. It's a draw."

Relieved, I left my post and made my way back. The scene was a mess. Kaerith was heading to the nurse's office, looking worse for wear but somehow still composed.

Citlali approached me with a smile that could light up the entire academy. "Sorry you didn't get to fight," she said, her voice warm.

Before I could respond, Mr. Hiro's stern voice cut through the chatter. "Kaerith, Takeru, Catty, Moeko—you four completely disregarded the exercise's purpose. This was supposed to be about teamwork. Instead, you treated it like a personal grudge match."

He sighed, turning to me. "Momo, you did well. At least someone stayed on task."

Citlali gave me a high-five, her energy contagious. As the others continued to bicker, Kaerith approached me, his usual charisma dimmed but still present.

"Yo, Momo," he said, flashing a tired smile. "You're really interesting, and your power is amazing. Wanna hang out again sometime?"

I raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by his sudden interest. "Why?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Call me weird, but I noticed your phone before the battle. I figured it had to be you under that seaweed wig."

Despite myself, I smiled. "Alright, Kaerith. But next time, leave your friends behind."