"Nothing to panic about. You deserve that rank—you just don't know it yet."
Aurora's words made both Adam and Joshua raise a brow.
"All you need is a little push to awaken your powers."
Adam scoffed. "Yeah? And you know this how?"
Aurora didn't even blink. "Because I've seen it."
Adam narrowed his eyes. "Seen what?"
She tilted her head toward the arena, where the air was still crackling from the earlier explosion. "That guy who just stepped on stage? He's here for you."
Joshua frowned. "Wait, what?"
Aurora nodded. "He doesn't think you deserve the top spot. And he's about to prove it in front of the entire academy."
Adam stared at her, sothing about her words sending a chill down his spine. "How the hell do you know all this?"
Aurora finally turned to look at him, her violet eyes holding sothing deep. Unshaken. Certain.
"Because one of my abilities lets see the future."
Joshua blinked. "Like… glimpses?"
Aurora shook her head. "No limits. No restrictions. I can look five seconds ahead, or ten years if I want."
Adam let that sink in. "…That's kinda broken."
"It is." Aurora didn't deny it. "But knowing the future doesn't an you can always change it." She looked back at the arena, where the challenger was raising his hand, motioning toward the ranking pillar.
"And right now? Your fight's about to start."
As if on cue, a booming voice echoed across the arena.
"ADAM DHARK! STEP FORWARD AND PROVE YOU BELONG HERE!"
The crowd stirred, whispers turning into full-on cheers. Everyone wanted to see how the top-ranked freshman handled his first real challenge.
Adam exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulders. "Tch. Guess we're doing this."
Joshua hesitated. "Dude, you don't even know the rules—"
"Doesn't matter." Adam cracked his neck, a smirk creeping onto his lips. "A fight's a fight."
He took a step forward. Then another. And with a single push, he launched himself toward the arena, landing with a loud boom that shook the ground beneath him.
The crowd roared. The challenger smirked.
Aurora watched from the sidelines, eyes glowing faintly.
"Let's see if you're ready, Adam."
The arena was massive—an open coliseum with towering walls and a sky that stretched endlessly above. The ground was made of so kind of reinforced stone, cracked and scarred from countless battles before this one.
Adam landed, rolling his shoulders as he took in the guy standing across from him.
Tall. Muscular. Arms crossed, eyes sharp. He had that 'I've been waiting for this mont my entire life' look on his face.
"So, you're Adam Dhark." The challenger's voice was deep, steady.
Adam gave a lazy shrug. "That's what they tell ."
The guy grinned. "I'm Cain Velstadt. Rember the na, 'cause after today, it's going above yours."
Adam arched a brow. "Bold words, considering I don't even know who you are."
Cain's grin widened. "You will."
Up in the air, a chanical drone hovered over the arena, projecting the fight onto massive screens around the coliseum. A loud beep echoed.
[MATCH CONFIRD: ADAM DHARK vs. CAIN VELSTADT]
The crowd erupted. Cheers. Shouts. A few bets were being placed in the stands.
Joshua, still in the audience, muttered under his breath. "Bro, this dude looks like he eats people for breakfast."
Aurora, watching with her arms crossed, sighed. "Don't worry. Adam will win."
Joshua glanced at her. "You saw the future?"
Aurora's violet eyes glowed faintly. "No. I just know idiots like Cain never win."
Back in the arena, Cain rolled his shoulders, the air around him shifting. A deep boom echoed from his body, the ground cracking under his feet. His energy surged—dense, heavy, like a tidal wave about to crash.
Adam let out a slow breath. "Alright then." He clenched his fists, a faint crackle of energy flickering around him. "Let's get this over with."
The drone beeped again. [MATCH START!]
Cain moved first.
One second he was standing still. The next, he exploded forward, a shockwave rippling behind him as he swung a fist straight at Adam's face.
Adam barely had ti to react. He twisted his body, the punch grazing past his cheek—but the sheer force behind it sent him skidding backward, his heels digging into the stone.
Cain didn't let up. He was already on him again, launching a flurry of blows—each one fast, heavy, dangerous.
Adam dodged, weaved, blocked where he could. But he wasn't just defending—he was watching.
Analyzing.
Cain fought like a brawler—brute force, overwhelming strength. But strength alone wasn't enough.
Adam smirked. "Not bad."
Cain narrowed his eyes. "What?"
Adam exhaled. Then moved.
Faster than before. Faster than Cain expected.
His foot slamd into Cain's side, sending the bigger guy flying across the arena, crashing into the stone with a thunderous BOOM!
The crowd gasped.
Joshua's eyes widened. "Okay. What the hell?"
Aurora smirked. "He's waking up."
Cain groaned, pulling himself out of the rubble, eyes burning with rage. "You… little…!"
Adam cracked his knuckles, rolling his shoulders. "Co on then." His smirk widened. "Let's see if you can keep up."
"How's Adam gonna win?" Joshua asked, eyes locked on the fight. He wasn't expecting a deep answer—just sothing to make sense of what he was seeing.
But Aurora didn't respond.
He turned to look at her. She was just… staring at Adam. No expression. No reaction. Just watching.
And that's what made Joshua uneasy.
She knew things. She always knew things. But right now? She looked like soone trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
"Aurora?"
She finally spoke, her voice quiet but firm. "I can't see his future anymore."
Joshua blinked. "What?"
Aurora's violet eyes didn't move from Adam. "This has never happened before. I can always see what's coming—five seconds, ten years, doesn't matter. But now? It's just… gone."
Joshua swallowed. "So what does that an?"
Aurora exhaled slowly. "It ans Adam does not want to look into his future anymore."
She finally looked at Joshua, her gaze unreadable. "He's now a mystery. Even to ."
Back in the arena—
Adam grinned.
Cain was strong. Fast. Tough. But none of it mattered anymore.
Because Adam wasn't just fighting.
He was enjoying this.
He weaved through Cain's attacks like it was second nature, his movents fluid, effortless. And when he struck back—
Boom.
A fist to Cain's gut.
Boom.
An uppercut that sent him staggering.
Boom.
A straight punch to the face that cracked the ground beneath them.
Cain stumbled, gasping for air, his vision spinning.
Adam just smiled. "Co on, man. You wanted this, right?"
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