CHAPTER 80 — The First Boom (Part 1)
The word echoed across the entire arena.
"BOOM."
An explosion erupted behind Zayn.
The blast hurled him several meters across the battlefield. He skidded over the stone floor before planting one hand on the ground to regain his balance.
A long black scorch mark now stretched across the spot where he had been standing just a second earlier.
The stadium erupted.
"Incredible!" the announcer shouted. "Echo opens the match with a surprise attack!"
Echo hadn't even moved.
She stood calmly in the middle of the arena, her hands behind her back, as if nothing had happened.
"Are you okay?" she asked with a faint smile.
Zayn slowly got back to his feet.
He brushed the dust off his jacket.
"Yeah..."
His eyes drifted toward the crater behind him.
"I've had worse."
Echo raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, really?"
"Well..."
He paused for a second.
"Not that much worse."
A wave of laughter spread through the audience.
Even Echo couldn't help smiling.
"You're funnier than you look."
"I don't hear that very often."
"I'm not surprised."
She took a step forward.
"Come on."
"Show me what you've got."
Without warning—
BOOM!
A second explosion erupted beneath Zayn's feet.
This time, he leaped away before the blast could catch him.
The ground shattered behind him.
"He dodged it!" the announcer yelled.
Echo followed every one of his movements.
"Nice..."
She slowly raised a finger.
"But you always jump with the same rhythm."
Zayn's eyes widened.
"...What?"
BOOM!
Another explosion detonated exactly where he was about to land.
The shockwave slammed into him.
He rolled several times before crashing into a block of stone.
---
In the Zenith Class section...
Rodrigue gripped the railing.
"Is she seeing the future or something?"
Blanche slowly shook her head.
"No..."
"She's reading his habits."
Beside them, Yojuro watched the fight without saying a word.
His eyes never left Echo.
Inside the imperial lounge, Arthur folded his arms.
"Interesting..."
Friedrich remained silent.
His attention was fixed entirely on Zayn.
---
Back in the arena...
Zayn let out a slow breath.
She isn't aiming where I am...
She's aiming where I'm going to be.
Echo watched him quietly.
"You think a lot."
"I'm trying to figure out your power."
"Good luck."
She smiled.
"I still don't understand it myself."
"That's... reassuring."
She burst into laughter.
"I like how calm you are."
A breeze swept across the arena.
For a brief moment...
Neither of them moved.
Then...
Echo vanished.
Zayn's eyes instantly scanned the battlefield.
Right.
Left.
Behind him.
Nothing.
Aurora materialized beside him as a green hologram.
> Analysis impossible.
No detectable energy signature.
"Great..."
Zayn muttered.
"That's incredibly helpful."
Suddenly...
A faint gust brushed past him.
He turned.
Echo was already standing in front of him.
She simply raised one hand.
"Hi."
BOOM!
The explosion launched Zayn into the air.
The crowd roared.
Echo looked up at him.
"You really should stop flying."
"I'm trying!"
Zayn shouted as he spun helplessly through the air.
He finally landed on his feet.
This time...
He didn't move.
He stared directly at Echo.
She tilted her head.
"So?"
"So..."
His gaze shifted toward the black bracelet wrapped around his wrist.
A faint green glow pulsed beneath its surface.
"I think I've played around long enough."
His fingers closed around Borealis.
A soft...
Click.
The dial popped up.
A massive green holographic wheel unfolded above his wrist.
Dozens of alien faces spun rapidly across the display.
The entire stadium held its breath.
Echo watched with sparkling eyes.
"So..."
"That's your artifact?"
Zayn didn't answer.
His finger slid across the hologram.
One face.
Another.
Another.
The icons continued spinning until...
He stopped.
One face remained at the center.
Aurora spoke calmly.
> Selection confirmed.
Zayn took a deep breath.
He slammed the dial back into place.
Then—
He struck Borealis against the palm of his hand.
CLACK!
BEEEEEEEEEEP!!
A pillar of emerald light swallowed his body.
A violent gust swept across the arena.
Spectators shielded their faces from the blinding light.
Green energy spiraled upward like a storm.
Zayn's silhouette began to grow.
His skin turned deep violet.
Glowing cores of different colors emerged all over his body.
His arms lengthened.
His head became perfectly round.
Two bright green, pupil-less eyes slowly opened.
Silence fell across the stadium.
Even Echo stood speechless for a moment.
Then...
A grin spread across her face.
"Now..."
She cracked her neck.
"Now we're finally getting started."
Irregular stepped forward.
The entire arena trembled beneath his weight.
The colorful cores embedded throughout his body lit up one after another.
Red.
Blue.
Yellow.
Green.
Purple.
Echo let out a quiet breath.
"Alright..."
"Let's see what you can do."