Chapter 10:
The academy's training grounds stretched wide under a blazing afternoon sun, the air thick with anticipation. Yunna led her team—Rin, Tatsu, Yui, and Kaito—toward the open field, their footsteps crunching on the gravel path. They were deep in conversation, strategizing for their upcoming training, when a group blocked their way. A tall, confident girl stepped forward, her team fanned out behind her, their postures brimming with arrogance.
The girl smirked, her voice dripping with mockery. "So, Yunna, you finally scraped together a team. But look at them—they seem pathetic. Is this really the best you could do? I'm shocked you even found anyone willing to join you."
Yunna's eyes narrowed, her temper flaring. "Yeah, I got a team, and I bet they're better than yours any day."
The girl scoffed, her tone sharp. "Better? We'll see about that."
Rin, standing beside Yunna, leaned in, her voice low but curious. "Who's this girl talking to you like that?"
Yunna's jaw tightened. "She's my rival—has been for years. She's strong, really strong. Her name's Elena."
Elena's eyes glinted as she stepped closer, her voice challenging. "Let's settle this, Yunna. How about a battle? We'll see whose team is stronger. Honestly, I'm curious how my team stacks up, and crushing yours might just answer that."
Yunna hesitated, her mind racing. Should we fight? I don't even know how strong my team is—or hers. She glanced at her teammates, weighing the risks. Before she could respond, Yui's voice boomed across the field.
"Fine, let's do it!" Yui shouted, fists clenched, her face alight with defiance. "I'm not scared. I'll take you all on myself!"
Elena's team exchanged amused glances, sizing Yui up. What's with this girl? their expressions seemed to say. Yunna caught Yui's fiery gaze and sighed, her resolve hardening. Alright, we'll fight. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it.
Yunna squared her shoulders, meeting Elena's stare. "Okay, Elena. Let's have a match."
The teams erupted in cheers, their excitement crackling like static as they headed to the training arena.
The training ground was a vast, dusty field ringed by students, their murmurs rising as the two teams faced off. Elena stood with her arms crossed, her team poised behind her. She grinned, her voice taunting. "So, Yunna, who's stepping up first? Or are they all too scared to fight?"
Yunna's face flushed with anger. "You'll see who's scared and who's strong. From my team, Yui's up first."
Elena laughed, eyeing Yui. "What, this loudmouth? Fine. From my team, Kamo's fighting."
Yui and Kamo stepped into the center of the field, both radiating intensity. Yui cracked her knuckles, a fierce grin on her face, while Kamo, a stocky boy with a calm demeanor, adjusted his stance.
Kaito, watching from the sidelines, muttered to Rin, "That big guy's gonna crush her. How's someone that heavy even got powers?"
Rin elbowed him, whispering, "Big brother, keep it down! He'll hear you!"
Kaito shrugged. "Let him. What's he gonna do? Waddle over here?"
Kamo's eyes flicked toward Kaito, catching the insult, but he refocused on Yui, his expression unreadable.
Yui smirked, raising her hands. With a surge of earth manipulation, she summoned stone pillars from the ground, hurling them at Kamo in a barrage. The crowd gasped as the pillars soared—only to crash harmlessly to the ground just before reaching him. Kamo hadn't moved, but his gravity manipulation power had kicked in, increasing the weight of the pillars until they sank into the earth.
Yui frowned, confused. "What just happened?" She unleashed another wave of stone attacks, but each one fell short, crushed by Kamo's invisible force. "Why aren't my attacks reaching him?"
Elena leaned toward Yunna, her voice smug. "My team's got some heavy hitters. Kamo's gravity manipulation can make anything weigh more or less. Your girl doesn't stand a chance."
Yunna's stomach twisted, watching Yui's attacks fail. Can Yui hold her own against that power?
Yui's eyes narrowed as realization dawned. He's messing with gravity. Thinking fast, she shifted tactics, summoning rocks to rain from above, hoping Kamo's increased gravity would pull them down on him.
Kamo grinned, catching the rocks mid-air with ease. He reduced their weight to nothing, shattering them like brittle toys. Yui's jaw dropped. "No way!"
Undeterred, Yui stomped the ground, crafting a massive stone hammer in her hands. She charged, swinging it at Kamo with all her strength. The hammer connected—but shattered on impact, Kamo's gravity rendering it weightless and fragile. He extended his hands, unleashing a gravity push that sent Yui skidding back, tumbling across the dirt. She caught herself, panting but grinning.
Kamo followed up, flinging small rocks at her, amplifying their weight mid-flight so they hit like boulders. Yui dodged frantically, summoning an earthen wall for cover. Kamo charged, his fist smashing through the wall with a single blow, leaving Yui stunned. "He's fast for a big guy," she muttered.
Kamo's punches rained down, each one heavier with manipulated gravity. Yui countered with pillars and stone barriers, but he shattered them effortlessly, forcing her back. One punch finally connected, sending Yui sprawling to the ground with a thud.
Kamo smirked, crossing his arms. "You're weak."
Yui sat up, laughing wildly, her eyes gleaming with adrenaline. "That was fun! Now the real game starts!"
The crowd murmured, shocked by her reaction. Elena sneered at Yunna. "Is your girl crazy? She's losing and laughing?"
Yunna's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Yui's a bit wild. Fighting's her thing. Just watch—she's about to make your guy regret this."
Yui sprang to her feet, her voice defiant. "You're strong, Kamo, I'll give you that. My attacks won't land if you keep messing with their weight. But I don't need to hit you to win."
With a roar, Yui slammed her hands into the ground. Massive stone pillars erupted around Kamo, wrapping tightly around his arms, legs, and torso, locking him in place. Layer after layer of earth bound him, so dense even his gravity powers couldn't shift them. Yui conjured another hammer, her voice cold. "You can make things heavy or light, but if I trap you, it doesn't matter. Try lightening this, and I'll add more. Make it heavier, and you're stuck tighter."
She swung the hammer, striking Kamo hard. Once, twice, three times—the blows landed with crushing force. Kamo grunted, unable to move, as Yui hammered away, her laughter echoing.
But Kamo wasn't done. With a sudden burst of strength, he smirked, stomping the ground. A gravity pulse exploded outward, lightening the pillars until they crumbled like paper. He launched himself into the air, weightless, and turned the broken stone fragments into deadly projectiles, amplifying their weight as they hurtled toward Yui.
Yui dove, dodging the barrage, her heart pounding. Kamo landed, charging her with heavy fists. She countered, crafting stone gauntlets with her earth powers, meeting his blows head-on. The two clashed in a flurry of punches, stone against gravity, neither giving ground.
In a flash, Yui seized her chance. She stomped, binding Kamo's legs with earthen shackles, rooting him to the spot. With a final hammer conjured, she swung with all her might, sending him staggering back. More pillars rose, locking him in a vise of stone, tighter than before.
Yui stepped forward, hammer raised. "Game over."
But Kamo roared, his power surging. He amplified the gravity around them both, so intense Yui could barely move, her body pinned by invisible weight. The strain overwhelmed Kamo too—his own power dragged him to his knees, unable to fight. Both collapsed, gasping, unable to continue.
The referee called it. "Match is a draw!"
Yui and Kamo struggled to their feet, shaking hands. "You're strong," Yui said, grinning. "Next time, big guy, I'm beating you."
Kamo said nothing, returning to his team with a nod.
Yunna turned to Elena, smirking. "So, what was that about my team not winning? A draw's not bad, right?"
Elena's eyes flashed, but she kept her cool. "A draw's nothing. My team's got more to show. Next up, my guy Renji. Who's yours?"
Yunna nodded confidently. "Rin's fighting."
Rin bounced into the arena, buzzing with excitement. "Finally, my turn!"
Kaito called after her, half-serious. "Go easy, Rin. Don't hurt anyone."
Rin winked. "Don't worry, big brother. I'll play nice."
Renji, a lean boy with a cocky grin, sized her up, thinking, This kid's gonna fight me? I'll end this in two minutes.
The match began. Renji gestured lazily. "Go ahead, kid. Hit me first."
Rin shook her head, smiling. "No, you go first."
Renji frowned. "What, you scared, little girl? Can't attack?"
Rin giggled, her tone playful. "Nah, I just wanna have fun longer. If I attack first, it'll end too quick. So you go."
Renji's face twisted with anger. He unleashed his shadow manipulation, sending dark tendrils snaking toward Rin to bind her. She dodged effortlessly, soaring into the air with her wind powers, the tendrils grasping at nothing. The crowd gasped, realizing her ability.
Renji growled, redirecting his shadows upward, trying to snare her. Rin danced through the air, evading each attack with graceful spins. Frustrated, Renji upped his game, summoning shadow clones that surrounded her from all sides. Rin's eyes widened, confused. Which one's real?
A shadow tendril shot from below, wrapping her ankle and yanking her to the ground. More shadows pinned her, holding her fast. Renji smirked. "Where you flying now, kid?"
Rin looked down, her voice cool despite the bind. "This is boring. You're way too weak. I'm done playing—I've got to go stand with my big brother."
Renji blinked, baffled. Is she scared or just crazy? I've got her trapped!
But Rin raised a hand, her expression shifting to cold focus. A deafening roar filled the arena as she unleashed a massive whirlwind, obliterating the shadow clones in a gust of raw power. The real Renji was caught in the vortex, spun helplessly within the storm.
The whirlwind vanished, and Renji stumbled, barely catching himself. He scanned the field—Rin was gone. Before he could react, she swooped down from above, landing silently in front of him. A blade of compressed wind hovered at his throat, her voice icy. "Give up."
Renji froze, his bravado crumbling. "You've got nothing in your hand. Why should I be scared?"
Rin's eyes glinted. She pressed the wind blade closer, nicking his skin just enough to draw a thin line of blood. "Oh, really?"
Renji's face paled. "Alright, I surrender," he muttered, stepping back.
The crowd erupted, stunned that a small girl had dominated so effortlessly. Elena's jaw tightened, her confidence shaken.
Yunna couldn't resist a jab. "Wow, Elena. My 'little kid' just wiped the floor with your guy."
Elena's eyes blazed, but she forced a calm tone. "Big deal. We've got more. My next fighter's Mio—a martial arts expert, fast and deadly. Who's yours?"
Yunna didn't hesitate. "Tatsu's up."
Tatsu shuffled into the arena, his posture nervous, while Mio, a wiry girl with a fierce glare, cracked her knuckles, ready to strike. As Mio lunged, Tatsu raised both hands, his voice trembling. "I surrender!"
The crowd fell silent, jaws dropping. Mio froze, bewildered. "What? Before we even fight?"
Yunna's eyes widened, her voice sharp. "Tatsu, what? You're supposed to be strong!" She glanced at Yui, desperate for an explanation. "What's going on?"
Yui sighed, shrugging. "He's been like this since we were kids. What can you do?"
Elena laughed mockingly. "Yunna, your guy's a total coward. Giving up before the match starts?"
Yunna's mind raced, and she forced a confident grin. "No, he didn't give up. Tatsu's our secret weapon. He doesn't want to reveal his powers yet. You'll see how 'cowardly' he is in a real match."
Elena smirked. "Sure, keep making excuses."
Yunna shot back, "If he was weak, would I have picked him? Use your brain, Elena."
Elena waved a hand. "Whatever. One win for you, one for us, and a draw. We're even. My next fighter's Rika. Who's yours?"
Before Yunna could respond, Kaito stepped forward, his voice booming. "I'm fighting."
Elena raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You? You look tough. Alright, let's see it."
Kaito and Rika faced off in the arena, but Kaito's eyes locked onto Elena. Pointing at her, he shouted, "I'm not fighting her. I'm fighting you, Elena. You're their captain, so you must be the strongest. I want you."
The crowd gasped, the air electric with shock. Yunna's face paled, her voice a frantic whisper as she rushed to Kaito's side. "Are you insane? Challenging Elena? You know how strong she is! You can't beat her!"
Kaito's grin was unshaken. "We'll see about that."
Yunna turned to Rin, pleading. "Rin, talk some sense into your brother!"
Rin shrugged, a mix of pride and resignation. "Once big brother decides something, he doesn't back down. I can't stop him."
Yunna slapped her forehead, muttering, "This guy's hopeless. He's done for."
Elena clapped slowly, her smile sharp. "Alright, tough guy. You want to fight me? Let's see if you've got the guts to back it up." Her tone carried a mix of amusement and menace.
The two stood face-to-face, the tension palpable, the crowd holding its breath.
The story pauses here. Can Kaito defeat the formidable Elena, or will he crash and burn? What powers does Elena wield, and how will their clash unfold? Will Yunna's team hold strong, or will their rivalries fracture th