Chapter 32; Why don''t you calm down a little?


    The brothers, Shinsu and Yuta, stood with unwavering confidence, facing their opponents, Fayrouz and Fulan. A serious expression filled the faces of everyone present, including their instructor, Makoto.


    One minute.


    That was all the time the match would last, yet everyone knew it was more than enough to determine the winner.


    Instructor Makoto, with his gray hair and piercing green eyes, slowly raised his arm before speaking in a calm tone:


    "Ability Showcase, first and final round—begins now!"


    The moment those words left his mouth, Shinsu, the elder brother, launched himself toward Fayrouz and Fulan without hesitation. His dark yellow eyes had already begun to glow, a clear sign that he was about to activate his ability.


    Unlike him, Yuta, the younger brother, remained still, observing the situation. This prompted Fulan to comment, as a white aura of sound enveloped his skin:


    "A direct attack? The older brother seems stronger, judging by his build, but this is reckless."


    Fayrouz, standing beside him, transformed her flexible blue scarf into a solid, circular shield, her voice calm as she remarked:


    "You''re rather relaxed for someone about to be attacked."


    She said this because Shinsu was only two meters away from Fulan, clearly targeting him instead of her.


    As Shinsu''s fist closed in on Fulan''s face, the latter, with an eerily composed expression, murmured:


    "Too slow..."


    Fuuuush!!


    With movements as swift as sound itself, Fulan took two steps to the right, narrowly avoiding the strike at the last moment.


    His reaction was excellent—undeniably fast.


    But then…


    Whooosh!!


    In an instant, the brothers switched places in a seamless, twin teleportation.


    Fulan''s black eyes widened in shock.


    Instead of Shinsu, it was now Yuta standing before him. Unlike his older brother, Yuta was incredibly agile. He swiftly grabbed Fulan''s arm, exploiting the fact that Fulan had only moved two steps. If Fulan had retreated three meters instead, he might have escaped.


    Despite the setback, Fulan reacted well. He adjusted his footing and aimed a rapid kick at Yuta''s chin at the speed of sound.


    But again...


    Whooosh!!


    The brothers switched places once more, and this time, the one holding Fulan''s arm was none other than Shinsu—the stronger, bulkier of the two.


    Bash!!


    Shinsu used his arm to block Fulan''s kick, his defense solid.


    The reason Shinsu managed to intercept it was simple—he had been observing from the back, analyzing the fight. Without a moment''s pause, he yanked Fulan toward him and—


    Thump!!


    A brutal headbutt.


    The sound of impact resonated through the air, sharp and crushing.


    Shinsu had chosen his head over his hands because one of his arms was busy restraining Fulan, and the other was slightly injured from blocking the high-speed kick.


    Fulan, dazed, stared at the sky for at least two seconds. His black hair swayed with the aftershock of the attack, his senses reeling. His breathing grew heavy, and for a moment, his body refused to obey him.


    Shinsu''s voice broke through the haze:


    "We watched your fight against the Green Twins. That girl isn''t a threat to us in this battle. The real problem is you. But now… you can''t win."


    Whooosh!!


    The brothers switched places again, and Yuta returned to Fulan, unleashing a rapid flurry of punches to his stomach.


    Fulan, still dizzy from the headbutt, struggled to react.


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    The punches landed with force, each blow reverberating through his body. Yuta''s golden eyes remained sharp and focused, his relentless assault intended to knock Fulan unconscious.


    The students watching were stunned, their expressions a mix of awe and realization. The brothers'' ability was simple—switching places. A seemingly useless power. But they had perfected it, turning a weak ability into an overwhelming strategy that could even counter Fulan''s speed.


    Fayrouz, witnessing Fulan being struck repeatedly, remained calm. She knew he didn''t need saving, but her thoughts lingered on the older brother standing at a distance:


    If their ability is limited to switching places, then it''s practically useless. But they''ve mastered it to such an extent that they''ve turned it into a technique that can rival Fulan''s speed. I must admit, this is the first time I''ve seen him struggle. Well then… I should start moving too.


    She swiftly transformed her shield back into a solid blue sword and dashed toward Shinsu.


    It was the smartest move she could make.


    The brothers'' strategy was straightforward—one fought while the other observed. When the one fighting was in danger, they switched places, allowing the observer to take over with full awareness of the battlefield. It was a flawless combination of a player and a spectator—where the one watching always saw opportunities the fighter couldn''t.


    A simple concept, yet incredibly difficult to execute.


    And the students understood this. Respect for the brothers was evident in their eyes.


    Shinsu, noticing Fayrouz charging at him, smirked.


    "Oh, come on now. You don''t actually think you can win in close combat, do you?"


    Fayrouz didn''t hesitate. She slashed at him with her sword, but Shinsu dodged effortlessly.


    "I still remember what you did at the entrance exam," he said while avoiding another strike.


    "But someone born gifted like you can never surpass someone like me in a real fight. Talent breeds laziness. Hard work breeds strength!"


    He then launched a barrage of punches at Fayrouz. She barely managed to evade, her black hair flowing with each movement, her blue eyes sharp with focus. But dodging was becoming harder.


    Realizing this, she transformed her sword back into a shield, shifting to defense.


    Shinsu grinned, his fists relentlessly hammering against the solid blue shield.


    What''s with this girl? Her ability is strange… I don''t know why, but I get the feeling she''s holding back. No, that must be my imagination.


    Meanwhile, Fulan had taken nine direct hits to his stomach.


    Yuta, preparing the tenth punch, declared:


    "Fulan Nanimo, you''ve lost—because we understand our opponents before the battle begins!"


    His fist shot forward at high speed—


    But—


    Fulan caught Yuta''s wrist before the punch could land.


    A drop of sweat slid down his face as he spoke, irritation clear in his tone:


    "Understanding your opponent before fighting? Too bad… that''s not how the law of the jungle works."


    The white aura around him intensified, his black hair whipping wildly as an overwhelming force surged from within.


    Then—


    Thwack!!


    With a single upward kick to Yuta''s chin, he sent the younger brother flying.


    The sheer force of the strike tore through the air, producing a deafening sound.


    Shinsu, witnessing this, abandoned his fight with Fayrouz, his eyes flaring with fury.


    Whoooosh!!


    He used their ability, switching places with Yuta, intent on taking Fulan head-on.


    But in that moment—


    The aura around Fulan was different. It wasn''t just battle instinct.


    It was predatory intent.


    Like a wild beast about to devour its prey.


    The students felt it—the chilling sensation running down their spines. It was primal, raw.


    Fayrouz''s blue eyes flickered.


    Lazaria, with her golden hair and green eyes, stiffened.


    And then—


    Mizayani Kyoka moved.


    Her pink hair, tied in a high ponytail, swayed as she stepped forward, wind swirling around her hands. The crimson headband she wore trembled against the gusts as she shouted:


    "Everyone, back away!"


    The winds howled, shaking the students'' clothes and hair.


    But—


    Instructor Makoto appeared before her, halting her advance.


    Her glowing blue eyes widened as she protested:


    "Sensei! They''re in danger!"


    Makoto''s own green eyes gleamed as his gray hair shifted in the breeze.


    Addressing Fulan''s raging presence, he spoke in a firm voice:


    "These Menma particles don''t belong to a human. Why don''t you calm down a little?"


    [Gravity ~ Go Down!]


    Whoooosh!!


    A deep, oppressive force suddenly filled the air. It pressed down like an invisible weight, making the ground groan under the strain. A translucent green wave, pulsing with raw power, descended upon Fulan.


    The moment it touched him, everything changed.


    His body, which had always been light, swift, and untouchable, felt as if it had been turned to stone. His knees buckled under the sheer weight pressing down on him, and before he could stop it—


    Thud!


    One knee slammed against the ground.


    His breath hitched. His vision swam. His muscles trembled under an unbearable pressure that no one else seemed to feel.


    He clenched his teeth, trying to fight back, but even keeping one eye open became a struggle. The other had already shut instinctively, as if trying to block out the crushing force.


    Beneath him—


    Crack!


    The semi-glasslike ground splintered, thin fractures creeping outward from where his knee had struck. It wasn''t just his body suffering under the weight—everything around him seemed to be breaking under the force.


    The once-roaring winds from Mizayani Kyoka''s ability faded.


    Makoto, standing calmly amidst the chaos, watched Fulan struggle before speaking, his voice even but carrying a weight of its own:


    "Faris of the Crystal, Mahito Junior."


    Fulan barely managed to lift his head. His gaze, unfocused and heavy-lidded, locked onto Makoto with difficulty. His mind was racing, grasping at the words.


    Mahito Junior again? Who cares about that?


    What is this ability?


    His body, which had always been an extension of his will—fast, precise, lethal—felt foreign to him now. Like a heavy, immovable mass.


    Makoto took a step forward, his footsteps deliberate, echoing through the silent battlefield.


    "He once wrote about encountering a rare breed of tiger—white fur, black stripes, piercing blue eyes. He claimed it could move at the speed of sound, enveloped in a white aura."


    Each word landed with weight, much like the force keeping Fulan down.


    "Animal abilities do not pass identically to humans. Even if traits are inherited, powers never manifest in the same way."


    Another step.


    "That means your power doesn''t resemble the White Tiger''s."


    A pause.


    "It is identical."


    Fulan''s mind sharpened despite the pressure.


    Makoto''s green eyes bore into him, unreadable.


    "Now, putting the pieces together…"


    His voice remained calm, but there was something pointed beneath it.


    "Fulan Nanimo—why do you have this power?"


    ---


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