The stadium was buzzing with excitement as it neared the time to kick off the final match of the Z City Mercenary Tournament. At one end of the ring, Kai has his shoulder rolled while at the other end across the ring, Desmond Benjamin was stretching his fingers, arcs of electricity crackling between them.

  Desmond was not just a champion but a Level 7 Electrokinetic and number 20 in the World Mercenary Tournament. The blood, sweat, and determination of two victors in the ring will yield the next champion.

  Kai slowly breathed out. Then the bell rang.

  And just like that, the battle erupted.

  Desmond took no time. He thrust out his hand, and lightning bolts flooded towards Kai.

  There was barely any reaction time for Kai. Those attacks were too fast.

  While he dodged a few, moving at maximum sonic speed, he quickly understood that his speed couldn't keep up with lightning.

  One grazes the side, burning and searing the flesh. Followed by another, then another. There was something wrong. The powerful electrical energy can't be nullified by the barrier.

  Sparks crawled all over his body.

  Kai's eyes widened. "It's bypassing the barrier!" he thought to himself. "I haven't programmed my barrier to block electrical energy!"

  For the first time in this tournament, Kai was on the back foot.

  A brutal blast hits him down right on the chest, and he is pushed backward into the air. His body convulses, muscles fettered and locked up for a split second before he forced it to move again.

  His fists tight clenched, with curses under his breath. "Damn it! If I had just leveled up my ability..."

  But he couldn't dwell on that now.

  Desmond had a weakness.

  Electrokinetics are long-range fighters. They're great at fighting at a distance, but close up? They really fall apart.

  He wiped blood off his lips and breathed in deeply. "This time, I'll get really close," Kai muttered.

  Ignoring the burning sensation in his limbs, he dashed towards the danger, zigzagging through the next stormy barrage of lightning.

  Desmond gave a smirk. "You think you can get near me?" a massive shockwave of electricity exploded from him, blasting Kai backward.

  Kai fell onto the ground; smoke wafted from his body like his burnt jacket and raw skin. His vision blurred for a moment.

  Gasps filled the crowd.

  But Kai wasn't done yet.

  He gritted his teeth and struggled to stand. Every nerve in his body screamed for him to stop.

  He refused to lose.

  He needed the money so that no one would ever look down on him again for being poor.

  He had held back for too long, relying only on his Kinetic Energy control.

  But he had one more trick left up his sleeve.

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  Kai exhaled sharply. His pupils dilated.

  His body heat soared.

  He had another sub-ability—Thermal Energy Control. The ability to manipulate heat and cold.

  He had never used it for attacking, but now?

  Now, he had no choice.

  Heat radiated from his body, distorting the air around him. Then—flames erupted from his hands.

  Desmond's smirk vanished. "What?!"

  Kai didn't give him time to react.

  He thrust his arms forward, unleashing a massive wave of fire.

  Desmond tried to move and counter, but it was too late. The firestorm consumed him.

  He screamed as the flames consumed his body, sending him careening backward. He hit the ground, rolling, smoke rising from his charred clothes.

  Then—silence.

  The referee rushed over. After checking on the unconscious Desmond, he raised his hand and yelled—"Winner: Kai Ciphera! The new Z City Mercenary Champion!"

  The cheers and gasps bubbled from the crowd. Nobody saw it coming.

  No one believed that this was the only power that Kai possessed.

  Giorgio Guido was glued to his VIP seat, his fingers tapping a rhythm on the armrest while everything was happening in the ring. His face, however, did not show the expression of the crime boss.

  He just watched and then silently stood up. His bodyguards followed him as he walked toward the exit.

  One of them stood still for a bit before speaking. "Boss... What do you wanna do about him?"

  Guido didn't answer immediately. He glanced one last time at the arena, where Kai was basking in the cheers of the crowd.

  Then he smirked.

  "Not now," he murmured, adjusting the cuff on his suit. "But soon."

  With that, he disappeared into the darkness of the stadium halls.

  Come the following morning, the news of Kai's victory was everywhere.

  A low-level fighter defeats a level seven champion. The gossip spread through the mercenary guilds, the underworld syndicates, and the great family houses.

  It was blowing the rumors spread like fire in Z City.

  "Did you hear? That Kai guy took out Desmond Benjamin in one hit!"

  "One hit? I heard it was a full-blown firestorm!"

  "Wait-he can use fire now? I thought he was just a speed freak!"

  "Man, someone like that shouldn't be left unchecked..."

  Not every whisper was full of praise.

  In back rooms, lit only by dim light, gang leaders chuckled darkly over glasses of whiskey.

  "That kid's getting too cocky. Someone oughta teach him a lesson."

  "A little...' welcoming party' might be in order."

  "Let's see if he's really that tough when he's outnumbered."

  Meanwhile, during an evening dinner, prestigious families whispered amongst themselves in their splendid halls.

  "This guy could be useful."

  "Or dangerous if left unchecked."

  "We should keep an eye on his activities in case someone else gets to him."

  Little did Kai know that he was walking through a brewing storm. He had won 2 million credits, but more than just money had been gained that night.

  He had won a crowd.

  And in a city like this?

  That could be far more dangerous than any tournament.