Chapter 9:What is Happening?!

Nazan woke up to the sound of his alarm beeping sharply. Sunlight peeked through his bedroom window, casting soft shadows on the wall. For once, he wasn't irritated by the noise. Instead, he stretched his arms with a smile.

Today was a break. No classes. No stress. A rare moment of peace for all the students.

Nazan got out of bed, he tries hand wraps tightly around his fists, and walked outside. The early morning air was nice and cool.

"I'll train solo today," he muttered, looking around the backyard. "Father and old man are both away."

He dragged three heavy logs and stood them upright. Taking a deep breath, he shifted into a fighting stance.

BAM.

His fist slammed into the first log. It cracked instantly.

He stepped forward and punched the next one.

BAM.

He could feel the difference. Just days ago, he struggled to do this. But after the hellish three-day training and the brutal fight with Suzuki, he felt like his strength had multiplied.

His punches grew faster. Stronger. Cleaner.

He didn't even realize he had already shattered the third log. His fists were now slicing the air. His eyes were closed, focused.

Meanwhile...

Rod stood in the center of his private gym. Sweat dripped from his forehead. His fists punched the air hard.

Pow. Pow. Pow.

Every strike created a gust of wind. He didn't say a word. He just kept training.

Rod didn't care about school breaks. He was first place, and he planned to stay there.

Not far away, Paulo was running at full speed. The dirt road behind him was a blur. He had already run one hundred miles. For the one hundredth time. It was insane.

While sprinting, he practiced punches, jabs, and swings with lightning speed. His arms moved so fast they nearly disappeared from sight.

"I need to do more," he said to himself. "I need to go faster!!."

In another corner of the city, Justine was chilling at home, surrounded by snacks and a mountain of chips. He held a controller in one hand and a burger in the other.

"Haha! Headshot!" he yelled while playing video games. "Easy win."

He let out a satisfied sigh. "Man, this is the life." He was full, relaxed, and absolutely not thinking about training.

On the other hand, Axl was gasping for breath. He had run laps for over an hour and was now shadowboxing.

"If I want my copied powers to last longer," he said through clenched teeth, "I need stamina. Real stamina."

His legs trembled, but he kept going.

Not far away from Axl, Pilsen clenched his fists in frustration. He had been unusually quiet today. Something was bothering him.

He stepped in front of a punching bag and let his fists fly. Bones sprouted from his arms like armor.

With a sharp jab, he pierced straight through the bag. The punching bag ripped in half, falling to the ground.

"Tch.. I'm gonna kill you soon." he muttered, turning away.

Elsewhere, Kinato was on a top secret mission, moving silently through the mountains. He was never one to waste time.

Meanwhile, Raiyaji was relaxing in a peaceful hot spring. Steam rose around him as he flipped through a book. His long white hair floated gently in the water.

Just as he was about to reach the most exciting chapter, the book slipped from his hands and splashed into the water.

He stared in disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me," he said in disappointment. "Oh come on I was almost at the best part..."

At the same time, Hannes was underwater, diving in a lake. His breathing was calm as he swam deeper and deeper.

Then he saw it a giant fish, larger than a car, slowly turning toward him.

His eyes widened. "Im gonna go back now hehe..."

He swam back to the surface in a panic and rushed to land.

After 7 hours

Back in the city, the sky turned orange as the sun began to set. Nazan wiped the sweat from his forehead. His fists were bruised, his arms sore.

"That's enough for today," he said.

He walked back home, where his mother and younger sister were already waiting for him at the dinner table.

"Chicken tonight?" Nazan asked, eyes lighting up.

His mother nodded. "Eat up, you look like you've been in a war."

Nazan laughed and dug in. The meal was warm and delicious. For the first time in a while, he felt normal.

After eating, he took a shower, laid down in bed, and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning arrived.

It was the first day back after the break, and something big was about to happen.

Nazan walked to school, feeling a bit more confident. As he stepped into the campus, he saw his friends waiting near the hallway.

"Today's the announcement, right?" Pilsen asked.

"Yeah," Justine replied. "The school will finally show the new Big Three of the year."

They made their way to the large school court, where the announcement ceremony was taking place.

After an hour of waiting, the crowd was restless. Students were whispering, joking, and even napping.

Rod and the other top students were already on stage, looking proud and strong.

Nazan sat in his seat, arms crossed, looking bored.

"Ugh, this is taking forever," he muttered.

Another hour passed.

Nazan yawned, leaning back in his seat.

Suddenly, a large explosion shook the entire school grounds.

BOOM!

A massive shockwave slammed through the air, and in an instant, the court where everyone was gathered exploded into chaos. Debris flew in every direction. Smoke rose from the wreckage.

"What the hell?!" Axl shouted, jumping to his feet.

Chunks of concrete began falling toward the students.

One teacher raised his hands just in time, activating a barrier wall that blocked most of the debris.

But it wasn't enough.

Outside the barrier, students screamed. Half of the crowd was injured, including Nazan, who was hit by flying rubble.

Blood ran down his head as he got back to his feet.

"What is happening?!" he yelled, eyes wide in shock.

Screams echoed across the courtyard.

Some students ran. Others stood frozen. The stage was half destroyed.

Nazan gritted his teeth. He looked up and clenched his fists.

To Be Continued.