Iron body technique

The competitors' preparation area buzzed with nervous energy. Noah sat cross-legged on a bench, eyes closed, steadying his breathing as he focused his Chi. Around him, other year one students from Academy Twelve went through their own pre-combat rituals—stretChing, meditating, or reviewing strategy with their teammates.

A commotion from the adjacent preparation zone broke Noah's concentration. He opened his eyes to see two students from Academy Five and Academy Seven locked in a heated argument, their faces inches apart.

"Your teammate cheated!" the Academy Five student shouted, jabbing a finger against the other's chest. "There's no way he extracted that core cleanly—the judges were paid off!"

The Academy Seven student shoved back. "Say that again, and I'll show you what a real Chi strike feels like!"