The corridor opened into something massive.
The sixteen freshmen stepped out onto a high balcony overlooking the arena floor, and for a moment, nearly all of them stopped walking.
Even the confident ones.
Below them stretched a colossal circular battleground of reinforced stone and steel, easily the size of several football fields. The floor was scarred with burn marks, fractures, and strange blackened craters that hinted at battles far more violent than anything they had seen before.
Towering walls of polished metal surrounded the arena, rising high into the open dome above. Embedded into those walls were faint glowing lines—protective barrier systems humming quietly with power.
Rows of observation decks overlooked the battlefield.
Some were empty.
Others held instructors watching silently.
"Whoa…" Theo Mercer breathed.
The speedster leaned against the railing, eyes wide. "Okay, ignoring the fact that they expect us to fight immediately after getting here,they expect us to fight in that?"
"Obviously," Victor Hale replied, arms crossed. "What did you think the arena was for?"
"I don't know… sports or something,"
"Not that."
Theo pointed down toward a jagged crater carved into the arena floor.
Victor glanced down.
"…Fair."
Near the back of the group, Elias Rowan swallowed nervously.
The arena felt enormous. Far too large. Far too exposed.
And those marks…
They weren't decorative.
People had done that.
With their Sparks.
His stomach twisted.
Beside him, Mira Caldwell studied the arena quietly, her expression calm but analytical.
"Reinforced combat flooring," she murmured. "Energy barrier emitters along the perimeter. Likely designed to withstand high-output Sparks."
Elias blinked.
"You figured that out just by looking?"
Mira nodded slightly.
"Helios Vanguard Academy trains future heroes. It would make little sense for them to restrict combat potential during evaluations."
Down near the railing, Dante Reyes grinned.
"Good."
The tall enhancer cracked his knuckles loudly.
"I was hoping we wouldn't be holding back."
Across from him, Ivy Serrano gave a small smile.
"You say that now," she said. "Wait until someone drops a lightning storm on your head."
At the far end of the balcony, two students stood apart from the others.
Seraphine Valehart gazed down at the arena with calm interest, golden light from the overhead dome reflecting faintly in her eyes.
Beside her stood Kael Stroud, arms folded, posture relaxed but confident.
"This place is smaller than I expected," Kael said.
Seraphine raised an eyebrow.
"Smaller?"
"Yeah."
He shrugged.
"My father's training facilities were bigger."
Several nearby students overheard that.
Theo stared.
"Of course they were."
Before anyone could respond, a sharp voice cut through the murmuring.
"That will be enough sightseeing."
The students turned.
An instructor approached from the corridor behind them.
He was tall and composed, wearing the dark formal uniform of Helios Vanguard Academy faculty. His dark hair was tied neatly in a "manbun", and her sharp eyes scanned the group with effortless authority.
"Welcome to the primary combat arena," he said.
"I'm Instructor Towa, and I will be supervising today's evaluation along with Mrs Phineas."
The chatter immediately died.
Instructor Towa stepped toward the balcony railing, hands clasped behind his back as he looked down at the arena floor.
"You have all been admitted to Helios Vanguard Academy because your Sparks show at least B-rank potential."
His gaze swept across the group.
"Today we determine where each of you stands within this class."
A quiet tension settled over the students.
"This will be done through ranking matches."
Several students straightened.
Instructor Towa continued calmly.
"You will fight one match each. Sixteen participants. Eight matches."
A screen flickered to life on the far wall, displaying a bracket.
"The winners of their matches will occupy ranks one through eight."
The screen shifted.
"The losers will occupy ranks nine through sixteen."
Dante grinned.
"Simple enough."
Instructor Towa's eyes flicked toward him.
"Do not mistake simplicity for ease, Mr. Reyes."
Dante shut his mouth.
"Combatants are permitted full use of their Sparks."
That caused a ripple through the group.
Instructor Towa gestured toward the glowing lines along the arena walls.
"The arena is reinforced and protected by high-output barrier systems. You will not be capable of destroying it."
He paused.
"But by all means, do try."
A few students shifted uneasily.
Elias swallowed again.
"You will fight until one of the following conditions is met," He continued.
"One: a combatant is unable to continue."
"Two: a combatant surrenders."
"Three: I end the match."
He looked across the class again.
"I strongly advise you not to test the third option."
Silence hung in the air.
Then he tapped a control on the railing.
An elevator platform began descending toward the arena floor.
"The first pair will now enter."
The large display shifted.
Names appeared.
THEO MERCER
HANA OKOYE
Theo blinked.
"…Oh."
He looked at the massive arena again.
Then at Hana.
"Well," he said weakly, "guess that's us."
Hana adjusted the sleeves of her uniform calmly.
"Good luck."
Theo scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah… you too."
The two stepped onto the descending platform.
Above them, the rest of the class gathered along the railing to watch.
Dante leaned forward eagerly.
"Alright," he said.
"Let's see what these rankings are gonna look like."
Farther back, Elias gripped the railing nervously as the platform reached the arena floor.
Theo rolled his shoulders and took his stance.
Across from him, Hana planted her feet firmly, calm and steady.
Mrs. Phineas' voice echoed through the arena.
"First ranking match."
A brief pause.
"Begin."