Chapter 21: The Twin Tempest
The ground beneath Fayrouz's feet trembled, a deep, resonant quake that sent fine cracks skittering outward. She pressed her hands against the scorched earth, channeling her Menma energy. A low hum rippled through the battlefield, like the breath of something ancient awakening beneath the surface.
Then, with a surge of power, the ground around her lurched upward. Soil and stone rose in a controlled, deliberate motion, lifting an entire 20-meter radius high into the sky. Dust spiraled in twisting columns, carried by the sudden upheaval.
In mere seconds, a towering earthen pillar stood where flat ground had once been. Its surface was smooth, leveled perfectly—a calculated battleground carved from raw nature. Below, thick black smoke churned like a living beast, obscuring the chaos of the arena.
On the elevated platform, seven figures found themselves face-to-face: Fayrouz, Fulan, the blonde girl, the archer, and the bald man—all bound together in an uneasy alliance. But they were not alone. Two others stood near the edge of the platform, their presence heavy, like an approaching storm.
The blonde girl's emerald eyes darted around, trying to make sense of their sudden height. "Another earthquake? No... this is..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
The archer's golden gaze swept the horizon, his expression tightening. His usual calm had given way to unease. "From up here, I can see the other students... but the smoke still blankets the battlefield below." He turned to Fayrouz, frustration evident in his voice. "Why did you do this? We need to get down and collect points before it's too late!"
Fayrouz didn't answer. Her gaze was locked on Fulan.
A faint white aura shimmered around him, barely perceptible against the dim battlefield. His lips curled into a knowing smile—calm, but brimming with anticipation.
"Who would've thought," Fulan mused, his voice light yet sharp, "that there was another team in this arena besides us? No... you two were already working together before the exam even started, weren't you?"
The others followed his gaze to the two boys standing near the platform's edge.
Twins.
Their dark green hair blended with the night, their rustic brown clothing identical. Even their postures mirrored one another, as if they were reflections split between two bodies. Their smiles, lazy yet unsettling, held an eerie synchronicity.
One of them finally spoke, his voice casual but laced with a quiet menace.
"We were only two points away from passing."
The other twin tilted his head, mirroring the same eerie grin.
"But you got in our way and tried to blow us up." His tone was almost playful. "So, my little brother and I are going to turn your plan upside down... and take the points we need."
The first twin frowned slightly. "Huh? But I'm the older brother."
"Shut up, Mom said I was born first."
"She was talking about me!"
Their argument escalated into bickering, foreheads pressing together in a ridiculous standoff.
Fulan watched them, the white aura around him pulsing slightly. His grin widened.
"I don't care who's older. What I do know..." His voice dropped, charged with quiet intensity. "...is that each of you has nine points. And right here, right now, I'm taking eight of them."
Fayrouz inhaled sharply, her eyes locked onto the twins. A cold realization settled over her.
"We saw them during the orientation day," she muttered, half to herself. Her gaze sharpened, studying the faint shimmer in the air around them. "They possess one of the rarest types of Menma particles... Nature Menma."
A gust of wind stirred the battlefield, carrying the scent of damp earth and fresh leaves—a stark contrast to the acrid smoke below. The very air seemed to hum with energy, alive with an unseen force.
"This is bad," Fayrouz whispered. "We're surrounded by trees. Hundreds of them. Their power draws from nature itself... In a forest, they'd be nearly unstoppable."
The twins' smiles widened in unison.
One of them cocked his head. "Big brother, big brother, that girl sure knows a lot."
The other twin chuckled, a mockingly exaggerated nod. "Yeah, yeah. You know what we have to do, right?"
"Of course. Killing this girl here and now would be a mercy to humanity."
The archer and the blonde girl stepped in front of Fayrouz without hesitation, their stances firm, ready to shield her from any attack.
The bald man, standing slightly apart, let out a small laugh. "You're saying we might lose even with our numbers?" His tone was teasing, but his sharp gaze was fixed on Fulan. "That means your plan to take eight points from them is just a fantasy—"
Before he could finish, Fulan moved.
A sudden flash of white light burst around him, and in an instant, he was gone. The air cracked in his wake.
He lunged toward the left twin, feinting with impossible speed. The twin smirked, already bracing for impact—
But Fulan vanished again.
He reappeared behind the right twin, his fist hurtling toward his target.
For a split second, victory seemed assured.
Then—
A shudder ran through Fulan's body.
A sickening, instinctive warning surged through his veins. The White Tiger's danger perception ability flared, screaming at him—
Retreat. Now.
Fulan twisted his body at the last moment, flipping backward just as the twin's green aura erupted.
From nothing, a barrier of razor-sharp thorns materialized, bristling with lethal intent. Had Fulan continued his attack, his fist would have been impaled.
The twins laughed in perfect harmony, the sound light yet chilling.
"What's wrong?" one of them taunted. "Don't retreat so quickly."
Their confidence was unsettling. Not a hint of fear. Not even a shred of doubt.
Fulan wiped a bead of sweat from his cheek, his mind working rapidly. I see now... That green aura is the same flash I saw earlier. They can shape it into weapons... or a shield. Deadly offense, impenetrable defense. What an amusing ability.
Fayrouz stood ten meters behind him, watching intently.
She could see it too.
They're manipulating green Menma particles with absurd precision... Her mind raced. But that level of control... It's like sprinting at full speed. No matter how skilled they are, they can't maintain it for long. Three minutes. That's all they have before they burn out.
Her fists clenched.
I need to tell Fulan—
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