Duels 3

Liam's eyes were solemn as he watched the confrontation between the three leaders from afar. Having seen how good each class was, he immediately realized that his class was definitely at the bottom of the school. He had seen others from his class train and knew their limit. 

"Worried?"

Kiera walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Recently, they had unintentionally announced that both of them had started dating. Although this surprised both boys and girls alike since Kiera wasn't a particularly nice or perfect girl. Still, no one questioned their relationship.

"A bit."

He responded with a sigh. 

"Don't feel down, I believe we'll be able to match them after our Awakening." She consoled, "Provided no one dies." She added quietly.

"Yeah." He nodded as they both enjoyed each other's company in silence.

...

Elsewhere, Hazel sat alone—lost in thoughts. As she reflected on her previous confrontation, she felt a presence settling beside her.

"Still confused?" Kaiser's unmistakably flat voice spoke.

"About what?" She asked, feigning ignorance.

"You don't know? I gave you too much credit in thinking then." Kaiser replied with a voice filled with wistfulness.

"Tch." Snorting, she looked away from him for a while before sighing.

"I—i am far better than the wimps placed in this class. So why was I ranked alongside them?" 

"Ouch, does that include me?" Kuramoto asked as he settled down on her other side. It seemed he was starting to learn sarcasm from Kaiser 

"Cockroach." Hazel grumbled feeling irritated.

"Because everything isn't all about strength." Kaiser answered her as he silently greeted Kuramoto, his friend(?)

"But I'm academically brilliant too!" She countered.

"Your social skills are poor." Kuramoto added, hitting the nail on the head.

"Ah?" Hazel's scowl snapped towards him as she retorted sharply.

"At least I'm better than you, loner." 

"He's not. We're friends" Kaiser countered, fully siding with Kuramoto.

"You know what, I'm sick and tired of two antisocial guys trying to console each other." With an angry huff, she stormed off—probably to cool off.

"Hazel seems to have grown reliant on you." Kuramoto said as he observed her departing figure.

"I guess she just wizened up a bit." Kaiser mused.

Kuramoto turned to face him with a serious look in his eyes.

"You're really a mystery Kai, and sometimes I fail to understand how you think and do things. And I'm really curious."

Kaiser cocked his head innocently as his eyes curved into crescents. 

"You can go ahead, but as a 'friend', I'll advise you against it." He sighed, his gaze turning forlorn, "After all, curiosity killed the cat."

"Nah, I'm quite content with my simple life already and I don't want any risk of it being disrupted." Kuramoto sighed and waved it off.

....

"Next up. Mitchell Lakes, Class-A. Logan Fang, Class-D." Colonel Miguel announced immediately after the break was over.

Logan stepped forward, his silver hair glistening brightly as his muscular physique threatened to escape the confines of his clothes.

Mitchell also stepped forward, his physique burlier than Logan by a slight margin. 

"Get ready to be pummeled Class-A scum!" Spouting such foul words, Logan readied himself while his opponent only stood without moving. 

"Huh? Ignoring me?"

Logan's eyes narrowed in annoyance as his opponent didn't even move an inch.

Mitchell even went as far as closing his eyes and putting his hands behind his back, showing absolute confidence in himself.

"Grrr.." 

Growling, Logan attacked with a straight punch, ramming his fist straight into Mitchell's torso.

Boom!

Like two trucks colliding, they were both sent backward, both having a shocked expression plastered on their faces.

'How can he be so strong?' Mitchell thought as he felt his chest muscles go numb.

His face was now etched with seriousness as he exchanged a flurry of blows with Logan, each becoming more painful than the last.

'He's adapting.' The thought sent a wave of horror through him as he realized he wouldn't be able to beat him if he didn't use his ability.

[Slave Minotaur]—a strengthening ability that reinforces his whole body, thereby multiplying his strength by several folds.

His muscles flared as steam escaped his nose.

Boom!

A quick and unexpected blow to the head sent Logan tumbling to the ground. 

"Bastard!"

He tried to fight against the disorientation drowning on him, but before he could even regain his footing, Mitchell rained a flurry of punches on him causing his head to bleed and throb in pain.

After a full minute of non-stop attacks, he stopped. By now, Logan had been reduced to a bloody mess and was now unconscious.

"Winner is Mitchell Lakes from Class-A."

Logan was carried off by medical staffs to treat his wounds while Mitchell returned to the spot Class-A was occupying.

"That was unlike you. I've never seen you being so... brutal."

Layla commented as she crossed her arms.

Looking at Logan's figure, Mitchell replied in an uncertain voice. "He's a monster. A little bit of training and he'll be better than me."

Layla looked surprised as she tilted her head. "Even with your Ability?"

"I'm not sure." He replied, "I never saw him use his."

"Hmm, that's surely troublesome." A new voice joined their conversation.

"Daiguel." They both greeted though their faces darkened upon his arrival.

"As I said it will be troublesome if we face opposition from the three classes, it would cause quite a few disturbances."

The white haired boy said with a casual smile. "Annoying, yes. Nonetheless it'll only be that."

"I hope so..." Layla said with an unfocused look.