Training Room-The Test Begins
Tck. Tck. Tck.
The rhythmic sound of boots and sneakers echoed through the hallway as Oblivion Squad approached their designated training facility. Jackson swiped his access card, and the reinforced doors slid open with a soft whoosh.
A collective gasp filled the room.
"Whoaaa! This is insane!" Kun exclaimed, his eyes gleaming as he reached out to touch a sleek, humanoid training dummy.
"Yeah... no lie," Smiley mumbled, already flopping onto a bench, his arms stretching over his head in a lazy sprawl.
Zhangwa practically vibrated with excitement. "We even have a gym here!" she beamed, pointing towards a section stacked with weights, treadmills, and combat dummies.
Jackson, arms crossed, studied the squad members. His gaze lingered on Kun and Suho.
"Let''s see what these two are really made of."
"Alright," he said, stepping forward. "Let''s showcase our abilities. Show me what you got."
The room went silent.
Kun and Suho exchanged glances, but Jackson had already stepped into the alternate reality battlefield. The air around him shimmered as the simulation activated.
With a deep breath, Jackson activated his power-"Damage Absorption." His muscles bulged, veins pulsating with enhanced strength. He lunged toward a combat dummy and delivered a devastating punch.
THWUMP!
The ground cracked beneath the impact, a web of fractures spreading outward.
Kun whistled. "Bro, Jackson looks like the Hulk-hahaha!"
The dummy''s defense system responded. With a mechanical whirr, its built-in machine gun sprang to life, unleashing a barrage of bullets.
Ting! Ting! Ting!
Sparks flew as the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off Jackson''s skin. He didn''t even flinch.
Unfazed, he took another step forward, a walking fortress.
Zhangwa grinned and unsheathed her katana, stepping into the battlefield. Suho''s sharp eyes caught an emblem on the blade-a serpent entwined with a sword.
"That mark... why does it feel familiar?"
He shook off the thought.
"Let''s go, Jackson!" Zhangwa called, eyes alight with excitement.
With a burst of speed, she became a blur. In a series of graceful, deadly arcs, she severed one dummy in half and beheaded another.
Mika clapped, her voice soft. "Impressive, Zhangwa."
Jackson nodded approvingly before turning back to the real test. His eyes locked onto Kun and Suho.
"Now... let''s see the brothers."
---
Kun smirked and stepped onto the battlefield.
Then-he vanished.
Swooshhh. Ting!
A blur of movement. The training dummies, built to track and adapt to enemy motion, failed to lock onto him. He was too fast.
Jackson crouched slightly, eyes narrowing. "Damn... this speed... is this Shadow Manipulation?"
Zhangwa clenched her fists, her eyes darting frantically. "KUN!! YOU''RE MAKING ME DIZZY!"
Kun abruptly stopped and turned toward her, tilting his head. "Huh? Don''t disturb my training, Bunnycrap."
Zhangwa''s entire face turned red. "BUNNY-WHAT?!"
Suho doubled over laughing. "Hahahaha! You guys should just get married already!"
Instantly, both Kun and Zhangwa shot him blank, menacing glares.
Suho cleared his throat. "Okay, okay, moving on..."
Kun exhaled, summoning his power once more.
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This time, shadows curled around his fingers, coalescing into a solid form. The smoky darkness twisted and morphed, shifting between weapons-a dagger, a sword-before settling into a sleek black katana.
Kun spun the blade in his grip before leaping forward.
Swoooosh!
He moved like a whisper, slicing through every dummy in sight. When he landed, the battlefield was in ruins-shredded, mutilated remains of the dummies scattered around him.
Suho clapped, his grin wide. "Damn, bro! That was sick!"
Jackson, still analyzing Kun, muttered, "So he can generate weapons from his shadow? Or is it his speed that makes him lethal...?"
Beside him, Mika observed quietly. "He''s definitely stronger than Rank C." She hesitated. "Maybe... even Rank S?"
Kun, overhearing, flashed a smug grin.
Jackson exhaled, shaking his head. "He might look like an idiot, but his power isn''t."
Kun leaned against the wall, exhausted. "Damn... I need a nap."
"Yeah, no shit," Jackson replied.
---
The room tensed as Suho took center stage. Unlike Kun, he moved slowly, deliberately. His left hand pulsed with a deep crimson glow, while his right shimmered with an eerie blue aura.
"VOID!"
The moment he released his power, the entire training ground shook.
A massive orb of raw energy erupted from his hands, obliterating everything in its path.
The simulated environment-designed to withstand extreme conditions-began to crack. Training dummies disintegrated. The walls trembled.
Even Smiley, who had been peacefully dozing off, bolted upright.
His eyes widened. "Holy shit... what? Did a battleship just land on the academy?!" He rubbed his face. "Fuckin'' hell..."
Zhangwa''s eyes flickered to the far end of the training room. A small crack had formed in the academy''s reinforced walls.
She said nothing. But her unease grew.
Jackson stood frozen, his mind racing.
"Infinity Void Manipulation... that was supposed to be a myth."
"These brothers... they''re not ordinary."
---
The training dummies began to reset. Mechanical limbs reattached, battle simulations recalibrated.
But something shifted in the air.
Smiley, who had been slumped on the bench, suddenly began to float. His body levitated effortlessly, an invisible force lifting him.
Then, his eyes snapped open-glowing with an eerie white light.
SHRRRKK!
A split second. A blur of motion.
The training dummies-fully restored mere moments ago-were torn apart. No sound. No movement. Just a flash of Smiley''s power.
Then, just as suddenly, it ended.
Smiley yawned, lowering himself back onto the bench. His eyes fluttered closed.
As if nothing had happened.
Kun swallowed. "Okay... what the actual hell?"
Jackson ran a hand down his face.
"Yeah... this squad is not normal."
Suho''s eyes flicked between the scattered remains of the training dummies, his brows knitting together. Among the shredded pieces, something caught his attention-some fragments had crystallized into ice, while others had inexplicably turned into... loaves of bread.
"Molecule manipulation?" he muttered, intrigued.
Meanwhile, Mika, Kun, and Jackson had already started making their way toward the exit, engaged in quiet conversation. Suho, still lost in thought, trailed after them but cast one last glance back at the battlefield.
Zhangwa hadn''t moved.
She stood frozen in place at the center of the room, her gaze locked onto the remnants of Smiley''s power, as if trying to decipher something unseen.
Suho frowned.
"What''s she doing?"
he asked, more to himself than anyone else.
Mika followed his gaze and tilted her head.
"She looks... deep in thought?"
Kun snorted. "Nah, she looks like a robot that just ran out of batteries."
Before Suho could call out to her, Smiley stirred from his usual nap on the bench. His voice, thick with sleep, mumbled,
"Oi... don''t leave me behind."
Jackson let out an amused huff. "Then walk faster, lazyass."
As the group began to step out, Kun suddenly cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Oi, Zhangwa! Stop spacing out! Let''s go grab some burgers!"
The words snapped her out of whatever trance she''d been in. Her head jerked up, and in an instant, her usual energetic grin returned.
"Yeah!" she exclaimed, dashing toward them with something clenched in her hand. As she reached the group, she held up a slice of bread-one of the bizarre leftovers from Smiley''s ability.
"Sorry, I took this."
She turned to Smiley, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Smiley, can I eat this?"
Smiley, still half-asleep, barely lifted his head. "Yeah, sure. Just don''t blame me if it tastes like crap," he murmured.
Zhangwa didn''t hesitate. She took a big bite-
And immediately regretted it.
Her entire body stiffened, her face contorting in pure horror. A second later-
"UHUK... UEEKKK!"
She gagged violently, coughing and retching as if she had just swallowed poison.
Kun, holding back laughter, raised an eyebrow. "Damn, that bad?"
Zhangwa, still hacking, managed to choke out,
"This... this tastes like a corrupted object!"
Suho burst into laughter. "Wait... how do you know what a corrupted object tastes like?"Kun smirked. "Yeah, Zhangwa, have you eaten one before?"
Zhangwa''s face turned a furious shade of red. "YOU ASSHOLE!!" she shrieked, launching a punch at Kun''s arm.
The entire group erupted into laughter as they exited the training room, the tension from earlier completely washed away. Zhangwa, still fuming but unable to hide her own smile, muttered curses under her breath while Suho slung an arm around her shoulders.
"Let''s just get some real food before you end up poisoning yourself," he teased.
With their usual banter filling the air, the Oblivion Squad made their way toward the cafeteria, the events of Smiley''s insane power display now just another hilarious memory
The Oblivion Squad was in their usual spot in the cafeteria, enjoying their meals. The lively chatter of students filled the massive hall, the scent of grilled food and spices hanging in the air.
Kun took an enormous bite of his burger, savoring the flavors.
"Man, this is so good," he mumbled through a mouthful.
"Slow down, dumbass, before you choke," Zhangwa teased, taking a big bite of her own burger.
"Meh, just give me coffee," Smiley muttered, head resting on the table as if the weight of existence itself was too much to bear.
Kun nudged his arm. "Coffee? You drink that shit like water and still sleep all day. What''s the point?"
"Meh, shut up," Smiley grumbled, barely lifting his head.
Suho chuckled as he twirled a fork in his spaghetti, while Mika delicately cut into her salmon fillet, sipping on a strawberry smoothie. Jackson, ever the tank, had a monstrous plate stacked with steak and eggs, eating methodically.
The peaceful atmosphere shattered when a series of sharp tck. tck. tck.
footsteps echoed through the cafeteria. The murmurs of students lowered as a small group approached, their presence cutting through the air like a blade.
A sneering voice rang out. "Huh. Look at this pig, eating like an animal,"
the guy taunted, his sharp eyes locked onto Kun.Kun stopped mid-bite, the room growing silent. A fry dangled from his fingers as he slowly turned his head toward the source of the insult.
Before he could respond, Suho''s voice cut through the tension like ice.
"Watch your mouth, you piece of shit."
His tone was calm but carried an unmistakable edge of danger.
The guy smirked, unfazed. "And you? A fucking poor piece of crap trying to act tough?" He clicked his tongue in mock pity.
The chair Jackson had been sitting in scraped loudly against the floor as he stood up, his towering figure casting a shadow over the arrogant guy. His cold gaze bore down, his face mere inches away. "What do you want?" His voice was flat, emotionless-far more terrifying than any shouting.
The guy hesitated for a second, the smugness flickering in his eyes. Behind him, his squadmates-members of Abyss Squad, one of the academy''s strongest seniors squad-shifted slightly, looking uncertain. But he quickly regained his composure, forcing a cocky grin.
"Oh? Big guy wants to play hero?" he scoffed, trying to act unbothered.
Smiley exhaled dramatically, shaking his head.
"Bro, I''m just tryna drink. Can you go be an asshole somewhere else?"
Zhangwa sighed, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "I swear, dumbasses always show up when I''m eating."
Mika, still calmly sipping her smoothie, finally looked up. "They''re not worth it, Jackson. Sit down before you break someone."
But Jackson didn''t move. His gaze remained locked on the guy, his muscles tensed like a coiled spring, ready to explode at a moment''s notice.
The air was thick with tension. The question was-who was going to make the first move?
---
Zhangwa leaned toward Mika, her voice barely above a whisper. "That guy... he''s from Abyss Squad. One of the strongest senior squads in the academy."
Mika remained silent, her sharp eyes locked onto the scene, taking in every movement. Kun, usually quick with a comeback, was uncharacteristically quiet, his expression tense.
The standoff between Jackson and the Abyss Squad member stretched, the cafeteria hushed, the air thick with unease. Jackson didn''t move an inch, his towering presence alone enough to keep Mark locked in place. But before either could escalate further-
"QUIT IT!"
A booming voice sliced through the tension like a blade. The entire cafeteria flinched as Mr. Park, one of the academy''s strictest instructors, strode forward, his piercing gaze locking onto the troublemaker.
"Mark!" Mr. Park snapped.
The guy stiffened, his earlier bravado crumbling as he turned to face the instructor.
"Where. Is. Your. Seat?" Mr. Park''s words were slow, deliberate, each one pressing down like a weight.
Mark clenched his fists, his face burning with frustration. With one last glare at Jackson, he turned on his heel and stalked off, returning to his squad''s table without another word.
A beat of silence passed before Smiley let out a sigh, rubbing his temples. "Ugh... fuck this," he muttered, clearly annoyed at the unnecessary drama.
Kun finally exhale
d, his lips twitching into a smirk as he reached for his burger again. "Damn. Almost lost my appetite."
"Almost," Suho added with a chuckle.
Tension still lingered in the air, but for now, the Oblivion Squad returned to their meal-though everyone knew this was far from over.