The sound of explosions and screams became the backdrop of the forest in broad daylight. Right in the middle of a massive pit that held the battle between students, two young men stood facing each other.
The black-haired one stretched his body and looked at the white-haired young man in front of him.
"I haven't properly introduced myself."
The black-haired youth smiled.
"I am Alex Sander, the representative of Class 1C."
The white-haired youth scratched the back of his neck.
"No need for small talk, let's just start so I can finish this quickly."
Alex chuckled.
"What, can't you hold it in that long, Arthur? You cleanliness freak."
Arthur's eyebrow twitched, but he simply relaxed his body.
A breath escaped his lips.
His expression became calmer as he looked at Alex, who was still chuckling in front of him.
Arthur spread his arms, channeling mana into both of them.
A red aura manifested.
Arthur shifted into a fighting stance.
"I will pound you into dust."
Alex also got ready. He pulled out a small piece of paper in his hand and several small stones in the other.
"Come at me, you cleanliness freak."
Arthur bent his knees and shot toward Alex.
The ground beneath his feet cracked the moment he pushed off.
Thud
Arthur pulled back his right hand, clenching it into a fist, preparing to strike Alex.
Alex swallowed, his left hand holding a small stone with a symbol ready.
'When we were being chased earlier… his talent has a cooldown, right, Krystal?'
'Yes…'
Alex smiled.
Arthur prepared to punch Alex. A giant hand about 3 meters long and massive formed around Arthur, following the motion of his right hand.
Arthur launched that punch toward Alex.
Alex's first soul core responded.
But it wasn't a simple dodge. Alex lowered himself into a crouch, channeled mana into his legs, and leaped toward Arthur, taking advantage of the space created by the giant hand.
Boom!
The sound of Arthur's fist striking the ground echoed.
Arthur's eyes widened. His reflexes weren't fast enough to avoid Alex's charge.
Alex slammed his right shoulder into Arthur's body.
Arthur, caught off guard, stiffened and staggered backward.
His red hand disappeared.
Alex channeled mana into the stone in his left hand and threw it toward Arthur.
The stone shot forward.
Arthur's eyes widened.
He blocked it with both hands.
Boom!
Blue flames exploded as the small stone hit Arthur.
Smoke rose from where Arthur stood.
One of Alex's eyebrows lifted.
'5 seconds? Or 7 seconds?'
'7 seconds…'
Alex smiled.
'Ah… you're really reliable at times like this, Krystal.'
'So 7 seconds for each use of his talent? That's a lot of time, haha.'
Krystal clicked her tongue.
'Ck ck ck, if it were really like that, he wouldn't be one of the strongest students.'
Alex exhaled, adjusted his stance, and summoned the Changing Sword.
The black smoke faded.
Slowly, Arthur's figure became visible again. He was still scratching his arm.
Alex sighed.
'Looks like we just woke up a sleeping monster.'
'We? That was you, not me!'
Alex scratched his forehead and looked at Arthur.
"Come on, Arthur. Shouldn't you be getting serious now?"
Arthur stopped scratching his arm and looked at Alex. His gaze turned serious.
"Yes… I will kill you quickly this time."
A surge of mana burst from Arthur's body, cracking the ground beneath him.
A red aura enveloped his entire body.
Alex swallowed. His palms became sweaty.
Suddenly, he thought of something.
'Hey Krystal, where's south? I need to lure him there, there's a trap set by Azka and Kayla.'
Krystal grew annoyed.
'You idiot… you're only thinking of changing position now?! Move a quarter circle to the left!'
Alex smiled foolishly, scratching the back of his head.
He stepped following Krystal's direction.
His movement made Arthur's eyebrow twitch. He followed Alex's movement, slightly turning his body to the right.
Alex stopped instantly.
A breath escaped his lips.
"Alright, come at me, you cleanliness freak!"
Arthur smiled faintly. Slowly, his feet lifted off the ground, the red aura still covering his body.
Alex swallowed and followed Arthur, who flew higher.
The sunlight made Alex squint slightly.
Arthur raised his hand. A giant hand 10 meters long formed.
Arthur clenched his fist, and the giant hand followed.
The massive hand blocked out the sunlight and drew attention from everyone around.
Arthur swung his hand downward, and the giant hand followed.
Alex's first soul core reacted. His body rolled to the left.
Boom!
That attack halted all battles around them.
Everyone's gaze was drawn to the giant hand.
Alex stood back up.
'Damn, isn't that cheating? That's too big and too fast.'
Arthur raised his left hand.
Another giant hand appeared.
Alex swallowed.
Meanwhile, Arthur laughed loudly.
"Hahahaha, I'll pound you into mush!"
Arthur swung both hands brutally.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Alex barely avoided all the brutal attacks, desperately.
His bones screamed, his blood boiled, and sweat poured all over his body.
BOOM!
Alex leaped to the right and tried to stand.
Arthur chuckled. He moved his right leg like a kicking motion, and a giant leg appeared mimicking him.
Alex's eyes widened.
He bent his back backward, both hands touching the ground.
Fwosh
A gust of wind brushed his face as the giant kick passed by.
The giant leg disappeared.
But from above, a giant fist descended, ready to smash Alex.
Alex dropped his back to the ground and immediately rolled to the right.
BOOM!
Alex and Arthur's battle caused the surrounding fights to stop. Everyone could only watch the terrifying battle.
Cold sweat ran down their bodies.
"Isn't that too much?"
"Shouldn't we just move away and watch?"
"I think that's a good idea."
Slowly, they all moved away. Even Aril and Mira, who led the battle, could only stand still.
Aril looked at Mira.
"Is your friend really that strong?"
Mira just giggled and suddenly shouted.
"Smash him, Arthur! Crush him into ashes!"
Members of Class 1C nearby began to complain.
"This crazy gambler."
"How can she support another class's representative?"
Aril sighed and dragged Mira away from the area.
Meanwhile, in the sky, Arthur smiled joyfully.
But his body began to feel hot, and blood dripped from his nose.
Arthur's eyes widened. He tried to wipe the blood and looked up at the sky to stop it.
Alex looked at Arthur, who was starting to show side effects.
His eyes widened, a faint smile appearing on his face.
'Is this an opportunity?'
'He's about to run out of mana!'
Alex nodded slightly and summoned the Changing Sword again.
He took a deeper breath than usual.
And started running straight.
Arthur, realizing Alex's movement, immediately looked at him.
After a few steps, Alex threw the Changing Sword forward.
Arthur's face twitched seeing what Alex did.
But soon the sword emitted light and transformed.
Arthur's face turned confused seeing something he had never seen before.
Meanwhile, Alex smiled faintly.
'I haven't played with a trampoline in a while, hehe.'
Krystal shouted.
'Hit him!'
Alex jumped onto the trampoline. His feet pressed the black net downward.
Alex channeled mana into his legs.
The trampoline launched Alex upward toward Arthur, his speed increasing due to mana.
Fwosh
Arthur's eyes widened.
Meanwhile, strong wind brushed Alex's face.
A faint smile appeared on Arthur's face.
'Is he just planning to attack like that? I'll smash him when he falls.'
Arthur shifted his body slightly.
Alex's eyes widened.
Fwosh
Alex passed right by Arthur.
Arthur was about to turn to attack Alex as he fell, but what he saw shocked him.
There, Alex flipped his body, his left hand throwing a small stone. From it emerged a giant statue five times Alex's size.
Alex channeled mana into his legs again and used the statue as a foothold.
Fwosh
The statue flew away while Alex shot toward Arthur.
Alex raised his right fist.
Arthur couldn't react.
Thud
Alex's punch struck Arthur's cheek.
Arthur's vision blurred, but he slowly regained control.
Alex began to fall.
Arthur tried to smash Alex with a giant hand.
Alex threw a small stone toward his falling path.
A giant wall appeared.
Alex channeled mana into his legs again.
And used the wall as a foothold to launch himself to the right, avoiding the giant fist.
BOOM!
The wall shattered.
Arthur followed Alex's movement in the air.
Alex swallowed, sweat forming in his palms holding the small stone.
Alex dropped the stone, it glowed and another statue appeared.
Alex did the same thing, but this time he launched himself back toward Arthur.
Arthur gritted his teeth.
Alex shot forward. A light appeared in his right hand, forming a whip.
Alex swung it. Arthur blocked it with his left hand, causing his arm to be entangled.
Alex pulled it, and a kick aimed at Arthur's stomach.
Thud
A groan escaped Arthur's lips, his eyes bulging.
Alex released the whip and fell from the sky.
But Alex repeated the same process over and over, summoning statues or massive stones.
Attack after attack struck Arthur's body from above, right, left, and below.
The sight of Alex summoning massive objects amazed everyone.
"Alex is really using everything."
"Won't we get caught for helping him gather all that?"
"Hey… that's impossible, right?"
No one answered, only the loud sounds of heavy objects crashing from the sky.
In the sky, Alex's heart beat faster. Though his body wasn't physically injured, his mental state was drained.
His breathing became unstable, his vision slowly blurred.
Only his determination kept him moving.
'One more time, I'll hit him one more time.'
Alex shot higher into the sky above Arthur.
Meanwhile, Arthur's vision became empty, his pupils unfocused, small wounds appearing across his body.
'What is that bastard doing? How is he able to do this?'
Anger slowly returned Arthur's focus. He looked up.
There, Alex's figure blocked the sun at its highest point.
Alex slowly descended, the Changing Star appearing in his right hand.
He transformed it into a massive mace, channeling mana into it.
"Uwahhhh!"
Alex's shout echoed.
Arthur froze, only able to cover his face with both hands and his thinning red aura.
Alex swung with all his strength.
THUD
The impact between the mace and Arthur's body created a shockwave.
Alex fell slowly.
Arthur followed, his red aura fading, his pupils turning white.
But veins bulged on his forehead, followed by a growl.
"Gerkaghaahah!"
Arthur's eyes refocused. He burned almost all his mana, his red aura flaring even stronger.
Alex was blown away, gritting his teeth.
Arthur's red aura manifested into a giant body, with Arthur visible at its core.
Thud
Alex was thrown far away.
He summoned the Changing Star again and threw it downward, turning it into a trampoline.
Arthur saw it.
He pulled back his right leg.
Alex bounced on the trampoline, but his first soul core trembled.
A massive gust of wind followed by a giant kick rushed toward him.
Alex's body could no longer respond.
'Damn it.'
'Quick, cover your whole body with mana, idiot!'
Alex followed Krystal's command.
The giant kick approached.
His body stiffened.
BOOM!
Alex was sent flying, tearing through the forest. Trees couldn't stop him. Smoke rose everywhere.
Meanwhile, Arthur's breathing became unstable. His giant form picked up a massive statue lying nearby.
Crumble
He crushed it.
And threw the broken pieces toward where Alex had landed.
Fwoosh
Boom!
The sight made everyone swallow hard.
Some even collapsed, unable to withstand Arthur's pressure.
Aril clenched his fist, preparing to join.
But his step was stopped by Mira.
Mira looked at Aril.
"Don't interfere. Wouldn't that idiot mock you if you joined?"
Aril looked at Mira and sighed.
Mira continued.
"We can only trust him."
Meanwhile, in the forest, smoke filled the air.
Alex lay on the ground staring at the sky, his body covered in wounds. His mouth tasted only blood, his vision blurred, his ears ringing.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed again. Arthur, in his giant form, walked toward Alex.