Chapter 11: Storm of Power
The training arena pulsed with tension, the midday sun casting stark shadows across the dusty ground. Kaito and Elena stood face-to-face, their eyes locked in a silent challenge. The crowd's murmurs faded, leaving only the faint whistle of the wind. Elena's golden hair glinted, her stance radiating confidence.
"Listen, kid," Elena said, her voice sharp with mockery. "You challenged me, so I expect you to be strong. Don't disappoint me and then regret it."
Kaito smirked, his attitude unshaken. "Disappoint? You can't even imagine how powerful I am."
Elena shifted into a fighting stance, her lips curling. "We'll see about that." In a blink, she vanished, reappearing beside Kaito so fast the crowd gasped. She leaned close, whispering in his ear, "Use your full power, or you might not walk away from this. Remember that." With another blur of motion, she was back across the arena, her tone dripping with cold arrogance.
Kaito's eyes widened, his heart racing. She's that fast? A grin spread across his face. "Alright, now this'll be fun."
He lunged, his speed a blur as he unleashed a flurry of punches. Elena dodged effortlessly, weaving through his attacks with grace. Kaito threw a powerful fist, but she sidestepped, and his punch slammed into the ground, cratering the earth with a deafening boom. Dust billowed, revealing his raw strength.
Elena's mind raced. He's strong, but not enough.
Kaito pressed his assault, chaining rapid strikes, but Elena evaded each one, her movements fluid. Frustrated, he poured his speed into a massive blow, aiming for her chest. Elena caught his fist with both hands, stopping it cold. Her voice was icy. "Why aren't you using your real power? With this, you're nowhere near my level." She drove a glowing fist into Kaito's stomach, sending him skidding across the arena, clutching his gut.
Elena rose into the air, her golden hair shimmering as light pulsed around her, her powers awakening. "Is this all you've got?" she taunted, hovering above. "You have no idea how strong I am, yet you challenge me? I thought you'd have something special. Do you even know what my power is?"
Across the field, Yunna huddled with her team, her voice urgent. "Elena's power is light manipulation. It's rare and deadly. She draws energy from light itself—sunlight, anything. It fuels her speed, strength, and attacks. Facing her head-on is a bad idea. Kaito's in trouble."
Back in the arena, Elena unleashed a searing energy blast toward Kaito. He reacted instantly, summoning a shimmering water field that absorbed the attack, steam hissing as it dissipated. Kaito rose, wiping dust from his face, his voice cool. "I knew you'd be strong, but you're something else. Let's make this fun." He drew moisture from the air, crafting massive water bullets that rocketed toward Elena.
Elena soared higher, dodging the barrage with blinding speed. Kaito intensified his attack, summoning a storm of water bullets that surrounded her from all angles. Several struck, slamming into her with enough force to stagger her mid-air, but the damage was minimal. She smirked. "Nice trick, but that's not enough. Step it up."
She retaliated with a volley of energy blasts, each one crackling with raw power. Kaito wove through them, his speed pushed to the limit, but the sheer number overwhelmed him. Elena charged a colossal energy blast, its light blinding. Kaito conjured a massive water shield, but the blast shattered it, hurling him backward into the dirt with a bone-rattling crash.
Elena laughed, floating above. "That's it? I thought you'd be a real challenge, but you're nothing against my energy blasts."
Kaito staggered to his feet, his voice low and defiant. "That was fun. Let's go again." He formed a sleek water blade in his hand, its edge glinting. In a flash, he closed the distance, slashing at Elena with ferocious speed. She barely dodged, her eyes narrowing as she summoned a radiant sword of light. Their blades clashed in a whirlwind of sparks, their movements so fast the crowd could barely follow.
Elena's mind raced as she parried. How is he this fast?
Yunna watched, her thoughts frantic. Elena's speed makes sense—light manipulation lets her move near the speed of light. But Kaito? How's he keeping up with water manipulation? It shouldn't be possible.
Both fighters reveled in the duel, their grins mirroring each other's thrill. Elena pushed harder, her speed doubling as she landed an energy-charged kick that sent Kaito crashing to the ground. "Admit it," she sneered, hurling an energy ball. "You're strong, but you'll never outpace me. No one's faster."
Kaito rolled, dodging the blast, and retaliated with a swarm of water blades, slicing from every direction. Elena conjured a glowing energy field, deflecting most, but a few grazed her, drawing thin lines of blood. Kaito's mind churned. What's her power's limit? Speed, blasts, shields—she's doing everything. How do I break through?
Elena hovered, her voice cold. "Enough. You're strong, but not enough to beat me. This fight's wasting my time. Let's end it." She blurred into motion, unleashing a barrage of energy punches and kicks so fast Kaito couldn't track them. Blows rained down, each one a hammer of light, leaving him reeling, unable to defend as the crowd struggled to follow her blinding speed.
On the sidelines, Rin's fists clenched, her anger boiling as Kaito took hit after hit. They're hurting my brother. Without a word, she focused, her wind powers stirring silently. A fierce gust swept the arena, unnoticed by most. Clouds gathered overhead, dark and heavy, and rain began to fall, first a drizzle, then a torrent.
The downpour amplified Kaito's water manipulation, his movements sharpening. As Elena lunged with another blinding strike, he caught her wrist, his voice cool. "Now the real fun starts." He threw a punch that sent her skidding back, then unleashed a flurry of water-charged attacks, each one faster and heavier in the rain-soaked air.
The fight leveled, Kaito matching Elena blow for blow. She began to falter, the rain empowering Kaito's relentless assault. Desperate, she soared skyward, Kaito following, riding currents of water to chase her into the clouds. Their aerial battle raged, water spears clashing against energy blasts, the sky a canvas of chaos.
Elena laughed, exhilarated. "This is incredible! I've never had this much fun!"
Kaito grinned, water swirling around him. "Same here. You're tough."
He unleashed a storm of water spears, encircling her. Elena raised another energy field, but the spears, fueled by the storm, struck with such force her shield cracked. Several hit, drawing blood from her lip. She wiped it away, still smiling. "You're good, but this ends now. Your power's tied to this rain, isn't it?"
With a roar, Elena summoned a wave of searing heat, its light so intense it evaporated the rain and banished the clouds. The arena sweltered, the storm gone, Kaito's power diminished. She prepared a final attack, a massive energy orb glowing in her hands, its power threatening to end the match.
Yunna's heart sank. That attack's too strong. She sprinted forward, her own power flaring—a shimmering barrier of pure energy. She threw it up just as Elena's orb descended, the collision shaking the ground. Dust cleared, revealing Yunna standing firm, her barrier intact.
"Enough, Elena!" Yunna shouted. "Stop this! We'll settle it in the real tournament. Someone could get hurt, and I know that's not what you want."
Elena lowered her hands, the orb fading. She smirked, her voice calm. "Fine. This match is a draw. We'll finish this in the tournament, Kaito. You're tougher than I thought. Let's see how strong you really are then." She turned, leading her team away, but her mind lingered. Could he be… No, I need to find out more.
Rin rushed to Kaito, her voice frantic. "Big brother, are you okay?"
Kaito dusted himself off, grinning. "I'm fine, Rin. Not a scratch."
Yunna crossed her arms, her tone a mix of relief and exasperation. "I told you she was strong, Kaito. But you held your own. Now I know how powerful you are. Let's head back to the academy."
As they walked, Kaito leaned close to Rin, his voice soft. "That storm during the match—the wind, the rain, the clouds. You called them with your powers, didn't you?"
Rin froze, her heart skipping. He knows? She forced a nervous laugh, twirling her hair. "What powers, big brother? I didn't do anything!"
Kaito chuckled, resting a hand on her head. He said nothing, his smile warm and knowing.
The team trudged toward the academy, their silhouettes fading in the evening light. Unseen, a tall, cloaked figure watched from a distance, his eyes fixed on Kaito. His voice was a low murmur, laced with anticipation. "You've grown so much, Kaito. You've finally come here, and you're stronger than I imagined. I've been waiting for yol
The story pauses here. Who was the mysterious figure watching Kaito? How does he know him, and what secrets does he hold? What lies ahead for Yunna's team as the tournament looms? For answers, wait for the next chapter.
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