As the wind blowed, Kevin and Ren squared off against each other, the tension in the air palpable. Their arena, a grand structure filled with the rest of the class S, was buzzing with expectation by Dante and Leo's last match.
all anticipating the clash between these two skilled combatants.
"Match begins!" Professor Liam announced, his voice booming with authority as he took his place at the edge of the arena, his eyes intently watching every movement.
Kevin, with a cocky grin, shot a glance at Leo before directing his words at Ren. "When I beat you, I'll take down Leo next, just you wait!" Leo, however, sat stoically, dismissing Kevin's bravado with an almost palpable air of indifference.
"Ha! I'm ranked second, but honestly, I don't think I could even hold my ground against you," Kevin said, bitterness lacing his words as a shadow of doubt flickered across his face, even as he tried to maintain a facade of confidence.
"Are you serious?" Ren replied, raising an eyebrow in skepticism, his own confidence shining through.
"I dunno," Kevin joked back with a playful shrug.
But before the laughter could settle, Ren decided to take action. Utilizing his shadow affinity, he vanished from sight. Seconds ticked away as Kevin's confusion grew. 'Where is he? System, do you have any idea?' he thought, his heart racing with anticipation.
*"Host, there's an attack coming from your back!"* the system warned inside his mind, and just in time—Kevin spun around, swinging his sword defensively. It was a close call; Ren had just managed to back away, evading Kevin's blade.
"Wait, how did you…" Ren started to ask, but his disbelief was mirrored by the rest of the class. Even Professor Liam seemed taken aback, scratching his head in bemusement. "This time, I really don't know," he admitted.
"Let's just watch," he added, shifting into a more comfortable position, clearly intrigued by the unfolding battle.
With renewed determination, Kevin swung his sword, its edge emanating a bright glow as Ren deftly dodged, expertly weaving in and out of the light. "This feels a little unfair," Ren called out, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Every time I use my shadows, you can still see me!"
"Skill issue!" Kevin shot back cheekily, unable to suppress a grin.
"Damn you!" Ren retorted, frustration boiling over. He lunged forward, using his dagger to clash with Kevin's glowing sword, resulting in a fierce spark that lit up the arena. However, in the process, Ren found himself pushed back, losing his balance slightly.
"Okay, I surrender!" Ren declared, raising his hands in defeat.
"Eh???" Gasps echoed through the crowd, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Everyone appeared stunned, except for Leo, whose expression remained as inscrutable as ever.
"I'm not giving up because I'm scared," Ren clarified as he stepped back, his voice steady yet laced with disappointment. "I'm just surrendering because I honestly can't match up against you right now. Just you wait—I'll beat you in the midterms!" he said, his competitive spirit still intact as he walked out of the arena.
"Okay, okay, chill, dude," Kevin replied, joining Ren as they both made their way off the sandy battlefield.
"So? Who's next?" Professor Liam asked, his enthusiasm returning as he turned to the rest of the class.
"I am!" Melissa shouted, stepping up with a determined glint in her eyes as she proceeded to take her place in the center of the arena.
"Hey, Ren, did you really just give up? Hahaha!" Dante chimed in, his laughter ringing out as he approached Ren with a teasing grin.
"Unlike you, I know my limits," Ren shot back playfully, giving Dante a light shove, causing him to stumble slightly.
"Sure, sure," Dante teased, still grinning ear to ear.
Amid the playful banter, Leo spoke up, his tone flat yet clearly insightful. "Ren, you could try using your shadow to manipulate the sunlight's shadow too. Think about it and give that a shot later." His expression remained emotionless, but his advice was evidently intended to help.
"Thanks, I'll definitely try that," Ren replied appreciatively, feeling grateful for Leo's guidance.
"Okay," Leo acknowledged, shifting his attention back to the arena.
"Hey, hey, Leo! Give me a pointer too!" Dante called out, eager to soak up any knowledge he could.
"Hmmm, your affinity is metal, right?" Leo replied, his gaze steady as he assessed Dante.
"Yes!" Dante responded eagerly, leaning in.
"You could create metal inside your body to strengthen it, like an enchantment," Leo suggested with the same calmness that characterized his demeanor.
"Okay, let's try that!" Dante said excitedly before heading over to Professor Liam.
"Hey, Professor Liam, can I head to a private training room?" Dante asked, a sense of urgency in his voice.
"Why? The class isn't over yet," Liam countered, clearly puzzled by the request.
"Just a moment! I'm going to try something, please," Dante insisted, his determination palpable.
"Fine, but be back before the others finish," Professor Liam said, allowing him to leave.
Meanwhile, deep inside Kevin's mind, he felt a sudden chill. 'Hey, System, why are you so quiet?' he asked, sensing something was off.
*"It's because I sense his awakening,"* the system replied, and Kevin could almost picture an expression of unease crossing its interface.
'Who?'Kevin questioned, curiosity piquing.
*"Sun Wukong, which in your past world was known as the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven,"* the system answered, its tone serious.
'Wait, you mean Wukong is here? But why are you so quiet about it?' Kevin asked, his mind racing.
*"Because he's dangerous."*
'Eh? You're not afraid of seers, yet you're scared of him?' he teased.
*"You don't understand."*
'Why not just enlighten me? Pretty please?' Kevin pressed, eager for the information.
*"I'll only say this once: he's already sensed my presence. He's a singular entity with powers comparable to seers."*
"What?" Kevin exclaimed, his voice escaping before he could catch it, causing several heads in the arena to turn, though Leo remained unfazed, staring into the distance as though he were in another world.
"Sorry!" Kevin muttered sheepishly, feeling embarrassed under the collective gaze of his classmates. But he quickly returned his focus to the System. 'How? I thought you said semi-seers were far weaker than full-fledged seers because they are just single life forms?'
*"That, we don't know. Even the cosmos can't unravel how he became so strong. A monkey born from heaven, defying all logic, is now a semi-seer—that's why he's renowned across every dimension, even this one."*
'So you mean this ridiculously powerful guy has awakened? But what does awakening even mean? Was he asleep?' Kevin queried, fascinated despite the gravity of the situation.
*"I'm not certain. In the past, he just vanished one day, proclaiming he was going to sleep."*
"Eh, sleep?" Kevin echoed, astonished.
*"You do realize that the Great Sage in your past life was the God of Trickery, right?"*
"Yes, I know!"
*"That's not wrong. The Great Sage is an anomaly—a monkey born from heaven, a fragment of the cosmos."*
"Why did he awaken now?" Kevin persisted, admiration creeping into his thoughts as the image of Sun Wukong ignited his imagination. He had always been a fan of the legendary figure, and the prospect of him being present sparked both excitement and apprehension within him.