The sun beat down relentlessly on the outdoor field as we gathered in small groups, trying to find slivers of shade.

  "Today's the day," Ryan announced, puffing out his chest. "I'm finally going to ask Haruna out on a date."

  "Yeah, right.... Like you've got the guts," Elijah snorted.

  "Well, today is different... Today I'm going to do it!"

  "I don't know if I believe you. You've chickened out every other time. What makes today any different?" asked Sam.

  Ryan's face turned red. "Guys... I promise I'm serious this time! I even came up with a plan and everything."

  "Hmm... We'll see about that."

  As they continued to tease Ryan, I found myself wondering what it would be like to ask someone out. The thought alone made my palms sweat. The idea of putting myself out there in that regard was nerve-wracking. Terrifying, even.

  "UGH!"

  Elijah wiped sweat from his forehead and fanned himself with one hand. “Man, it’s way too hot out here. Why did Ms. Walker have to choose today of all days to bring us outside? Couldn’t she have waited for a cloud or two?”

  "Yeah, this is brutal," Sam agreed. "I can't believe we're out here instead of in the gym..."

  I had to admit, I was confused too. Every gym class we'd had this week was indoors. I couldn't help but wonder why Ms. Walker suddenly decided to take us out to the field today.

  "Alright, everyone! The water break is over. Huddle up, I have an announcement to make!" Ms. Walker's voice cut through the chatter, drawing everyone's attention.

  "I hope she's not going to make us run more laps," Zach whispered.

  Before I could reply, Ms. Walker caught his comment and shot him a smug smile. "Don't worry, Mr. Wong. No more laps... At least, not for the rest of the day."

  Relieved, we all moved closer, forming a loose circle around her. She scanned our faces, her expression shifting to one of seriousness.

  "Have any of you heard of the Capture the Flag Tournament the school hosts every year?"

  Some of us nodded, while others shook their heads.

  Ms. Walker continued. "For those who don't know, every year, Crestwood Academy hosts a team-based Capture the Flag Tournament. It's a competition of magic and combat, in which anyone can participate. Every team must have five members, all in the same grade..."

  A buzz of excitement ran through the class. Judging by the expressions around me, this tournament seemed to have piqued their interest.

  "In the first stage of the tournament, all teams compete in a round-robin," Ms. Walker explained. "However, only the top eight teams advance to the final stage of the competition. The playoffs... This is where things get intense."

  I could feel the adrenaline starting to build around me.

  "The final stages of the tournament are held in the school's battle arena for everyone to see. The entire school watches, cheering for their favorite teams. It's an incredible experience, and for those who rise to the challenge, it can even be life-changing."

  From the pictures I'd seen, the battle arena was a massive stadium-like structure with seats for hundreds of spectators. It was one of the largest facilities the school had built. Even though I'd seen it from afar, I had yet to venture inside.

  Jeff raised his hand. "Um, Ms. Walker... Are there any prizes in this competition?"

  Ms. Walker smiled. "Yes, there are. At the end of the tournament, students who qualified for the playoffs will receive 10,000 crowns. Those who made it to the semi-finals will get 25,000 crowns, and finalists will receive a staggering 50,000!"

  "What about the champions? What do they get?"

  "Members of the winning team will receive 100,000 crowns, each."

  The entire class erupted into gasps and murmurs. Everyone seemed bewildered by the astonishing size of the final prize.

  Ms. Walker cleared her throat, bringing our attention back to her. "Before any of you get too excited, it's important to note that it's been over seven years since a first-year team made it past the round robin."

  "HUH?! That makes no sense!"

  "Yeah... How is that even fair..."

  The class spirit visibly dropped at this revelation. Those who had been jumping around in excitement now looked deflated, their shoulders slumping. As much as I would've loved to share their gloominess, I couldn't say I felt surprised. The idea of us, freshmen, standing a chance against upperclassmen seemed almost impossible. The gap in skill and experience was simply too wide.

  "A friend of mine told me there's a sign-up fee for teams that want to compete. Is this true, Ms. Walker?" asked Violet.

  "That is correct," Ms. Walker replied. "Every team must pay a fee of 5,000 crowns to sign up for the tournament."

  "5000 crowns! That's way too much..."

  "Who in the world would pay that much just to compete?!"

  "Ugh... This is so unfair..."

  More murmurs and sighs spread through the air. Most of the class seemed unhappy with this news.

  "Judging by your faces, I can tell many of you aren't happy with this news," Ms. Walker said. "Having said that, as small as your odds may be, I encourage you all to participate. This tournament can be a great learning experience and a building block for the future."

  Ms. Walker took a short pause to allow her words to sink in. Whether those extra seconds would make any difference, I wasn't so sure. Most of the class still looked upset. If every team needed to pay 5000 crowns to compete, it meant each member had to spend 1000 crowns. It was easy to see why most students would be reluctant to throw away an entire month's allowance.

  "Although many of you might not compete this time around, I'm confident your perspectives will change in the years to come. In light of that, I've asked one of my former pupils to teach a class on team battles..."

  Ms. Walker stepped back and gestured to someone in the distance. "I'd like to introduce everyone to the team captain of last year's runner-up team... Clayton Reed."

  Speak of the devil...

  Just as Ms. Walker had advertised, Clayton appeared in the distance. He wasn't alone. There were four students following him from behind. Among them was the blonde boy from yesterday. The one who'd been stalking me as of late.

  "What in the world is he doing here?!" Robert whispered to me.

  I didn't even have to look at him to sense how angry he was.

  "I don't know."

  "That bastard... Do you think he's planning something?"

  "I'm not sure."

  "Well, I think he's definitely scheming something..."

  Even though all the signs seemed to point in that direction, I needed to figure out a way to calm Robert down. At least until I got a better understanding of the situation.

  "Let's try to stay calm for now," I suggested. "I know this is a bit of a surprise, but we should avoid any rash actions until we know what's going on... For all we know, whatever this is has nothing to do with us."

  Robert let out a sigh. "Fine... But if he tries anything, I won't hesitate to take him down. Okay?"

  "Fair enough..."

  As Clayton and his group approached, a hush fell over our class. His eyes quickly scanned the group, and for a brief moment, the two of us locked gazes.

  "Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Clayton Reed, and these are my teammates. We're here today to give you some pointers in case any of you decide to participate in the tournament this year."

  "I want to start by saying that I understand how daunting it can be to be a freshman," Clayton said. "When I was in my first year, I thought competing against upperclassmen was impossible due to the gap in experience. However, after three years of being at this school, if there's one thing I learned, it's that with the right mindset, anything is possible. Especially if you're competing with a team."

  "The key to victory in a team-based competition is teamwork. While this may sound straightforward, I assure you it's anything but easy... For a team to be truly successful, three important things need to happen. The first is communication. Team members need to learn how to communicate effectively with each other, ensuring everyone is on the same page. The second is trust. Without trust, a team is bound to fall apart. Trust allows members to rely on each other and work seamlessly together. The third and last element is experience. To function cohesively, a team needs experience working together. This experience helps team members understand each other's strengths and weaknesses and find ways to complement one another."

  There was something magnetic about Clayton's words. They held a sort of confidence that seemed to promise success. I was starting to understand how he'd managed to get so many lackeys.

  "To give you a good feel of what teamwork is like," Clayton continued, "we're going to run a practical exercise. I'll be splitting the class into groups of five and have you compete against each other in games of capture the flag. My team and I will act as referees."

  "Can we choose our teammates?" asked Amy.

  "Unfortunately, we've already come up with the teams... We made that decision in order to make the teams as fair as possible."

  Clayton took a step back and nodded at the blonde boy, who then handed him a piece of paper.

  "Pay attention, guys... I'll be reading out the members of each team," Clayton announced. "The members of Team Green are Roy, Lily, Sam, Amy, and Daniel..."

  As Clayton continued reading the names of the other teams, I realized that with twenty-five students, there would be five teams in total. Since Capture the Flag was a game played with two teams competing at a time, one team would be left without a match.

  Finally, my name was called. I was in Team Red along with Haruna, Arthur, Elijah, and Robert. I couldn't shake the feeling that Robert and I ending up on the same team wasn't a coincidence. Clayton was definitely up to something.

  Once Clayton finished reading out the teams, the blonde boy from yesterday began distributing colored flags to each group. Each team received a flag in their designated color.

  "The rules of today's matches are simple... Every team needs to choose a team captain," Clayton explained. "The team captain's job is to wrap the flag around their arm and protect the flag at all costs. While this is happening, the other members of the team will either defend their captain or try to steal the opposing team's flag. The first team to capture the other team's flag wins the game... Are there any questions?"

  Nicole raised her hand. "Are there any limits to how much magic we're allowed to use during the competition?"

  Clayton nodded. "In the actual tournament, matches can get pretty competitive, and people can get hurt. However, since we're only practicing today, I ask that you treat it as such."

  "Why do I get the feeling that some people are still going to take this too seriously?" Ryan groaned.

  Noticing the worried looks on some of our faces, Ms. Walker stepped forward and gave us a reassuring smile.

  "There's no need to feel nervous, class... Many of you might be surprised to learn that I'm a Healer. And not just any Healer—a very good one. If anything happens, I'll be here to help."

  Most of the class seemed relieved to hear Ms. Walker's reassurance.

  "Now that that's settled, I'll start reading out the matchups," said Clayton. "The first match will be Team Blue versus Team Green. The second match will be Team Purple against Team White... And finally, as a special treat, Team Red will be competing against my team."

  A small smile formed on his lips.

  So this is what he's been planning, huh...

  Elijah threw his hands up in frustration. "That's not fair! How are we supposed to compete against you guys!? There's no way we stand a chance of winning..."

  "As much as I love a challenge, Elijah has a point," said Haruna. "I don't think it's fair that we're matched up against upperclassmen..."

  "I understand how you both feel... However, there's no need to worry," Clayton replied. "To level the playing field, my team and I will restrict ourselves to using second-circle magic at most. How does that sound?"

  Before any of us could respond, Ms. Walker clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh, my... That sounds like a wonderful idea! I look forward to seeing how these matches turn out..."

  "Me too," Clayton smiled.

  Once again, the two of us locked gazes for a brief second.

  "Ahem... Alright, class! Those of you who aren't part of the first match, please step off the field and head to the stands. You can watch the match from there."

  As I started making my way toward the stands, I realized Robert was no longer beside me. He'd pulled Haruna, Arthur, and Elijah off to the side, and the four of them now stood in a tight circle, speaking in hushed tones. Whatever they were discussing, it looked serious.

  After a few moments, they all exchanged a glance and nodded in sync, like they'd come to an agreement. Robert stepped forward without a word and took the red flag, wrapping it around his arm with a calm, focused expression—one that made it clear he'd already made up his mind.

  So, he wants to be the team captain, huh?

  It was becoming increasingly clear that Robert was planning to take matters into his own hands. With the flag in his possession, Clayton would have no choice but to engage with him directly. I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  Oh, well, what can I do... It's not like I can convince him to change his mind.

  By the time I took a seat, the first two teams had already taken their positions on the field. The air was thick with anticipation, and I could feel the excitement buzzing around me. The rest of the class was eager to see who would win.

  "I think Team Blue has this in the bag."

  "Yeah, I also have Team Blue winning..."

  "Me too."

  The members of Team Green were: Roy, Lily, Sam, Amy, and Daniel. The members of Team Blue were Zach, Nicole, Jace, Mia, and Gordon.

  As much as I wanted to think that both teams had a chance of winning, the Blue Team had Nicole. If there was one thing I learned in the past few days, it was not to underestimate her skills.

  The moment the whistle blew, both teams collided at the center of the field, and the first exchange of spells began. Fireballs, water projectiles, and bolts of electricity streaked across the air, leaving trails of shimmering energy in their wake. The sheer intensity of the match was breathtaking, with both sides fiercely vying for control.

  Sam, who somehow managed to get picked as the captain of the Green Team, erected a wall of flames around his team to block an incoming volley of wind strikes from Mia. The barrier held firm, but another student, Jace, quickly followed up with a series of light projectiles, aiming to break through his defense. Sam countered by casting a burst of flames that deflected the projectiles and sent them scattering away.

  Oh, wow! I never expected Sam to be so good at defense...

  On the other side of the field, I spotted Nicole darting in and out of the fray, her movements quick and precise. She was a blur of motion, casting spells with practiced ease. She hurled a bolt of lightning toward Amy, who managed to deflect it with her shield, the impact sending ripples through the air. Not giving Amy a moment to lower her guard, Nicole continued her assault from afar.

  I wasn't sure whether it was just my imagination, but Nicole seemed to be specifically targeting the Augmenters of the opposing team. I wondered if there was a strategy behind her tactic.

  As the match continued, I started to notice there seemed to be a stalemate of sorts.

  Despite the barrage of attacks from both sides, neither team seemed to be able to gain a decisive advantage. With neither team advancing, it seemed they were both determined to outlast the other.

  Just when it seemed like the match might drag on indefinitely, Nicole's body suddenly burst into sparks of lightning. Judging by the amount of mana she was outputting, I had no doubt she was using third-circle magic.

  With incredible speed, Nicole slipped through the enemy's defenses, dodging spells and barriers with effortless grace. She was moving so fast that for a second, even I lost track of her.

  Before anyone could react, she reached Sam, and in one quick swoop, she ripped the flag from his arm. Even though the entire sequence took only a few seconds, it felt like the world had slowed down. The field seemed to hold its breath, and then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over.

  "We did it!"

  "We won!"

  "Yay!!!"

  Team Blue erupted into cheers, their victory secured. They jumped and celebrated, their faces lit with joy and relief. Nicole, on the other hand, appeared calm and composed. Without saying a word, she tucked her hair behind her ear and stepped off the field without glancing back.

  Typical Nicole...

  It was no wonder everyone was staring at her in awe. I couldn't help but be impressed myself. The speed at which Nicole had moved was nothing to scoff at. I wasn't so sure I would have been able to stop that attack if I were in Sam's position.

  As the teams for the second match began to step onto the field, I sensed someone approaching me.

  "Mind if I sit here?"

  I turned and found Elijah standing behind me. Considering we had only spoken once before, I was a little surprised he was talking to me.

  "Go ahead."

  Elijah took a seat beside me and sighed. "Hey... How do you feel about this whole match-up situation... Do you think it's unfair we're being forced to compete against fourth years?"

  I considered his question.

  "While it might be a little unfair, I feel relieved that the fourth years are only allowed to use second circle magic... What about you? What do you think?"

  "Well... Even though that's true, they still have a whole lot more experience than we do. Don't they?"

  "I guess..."

  The two of us turned our heads forward as Team White and Team Purple took their positions on the field.

  The whistle blew, signaling the start of the match. Unlike the first match, where both teams had charged to the center, Team White focused solely on defense. With Violet as their team captain, they formed a tight defensive formation around her. Team Purple, on the contrary, charged straight toward them at full speed. Tasha, their team captain, seemed determined to make the first move.

  "Who do you think is going to win?" asked Elijah.

  "Hmm... I'm not sure. Both teams seem pretty even."

  Elijah chuckled. "I'm confident Team Purple is gonna win... I think they have this figured out. "

  Do they?

  As the match unfolded, it became clear that Team Purple's aggressive approach was working. Ryan, the main offensive player, cast dozens of water elemental spells without restraint. Because of him, Team White was starting to falter under the relentless assault. They were being pushed back, their formation crumbling under the pressure.

  Just when things seemed hopeless, Thomas broke away from the white team's formation.

  In an incredible feat, he leaped over the Purple's team offensive line, landing at the center of their formation. Before anyone could stop him, he snatched the flag from Tasha's arm and rushed out of their reach. The purple team stared at each other in shock as the final whistle blew.

  "Man... That was crazy. That Thomas guy was amazing," Elijah said, shaking his head in amazement. "I've never seen someone jump so high..."

  I nodded, feeling the same way. It wasn't just Thomas's strength that was impressive; it was his timing. The way he had timed his attack was nearly perfect. I couldn't help but wonder how he'd developed such a precise instinct.

  "Sigh... It seems our turn is up." Elijah stood up and stretched his arms. "Hopefully we won't get our butts handed to us, right?"

  "Oh, yeah... Of course."

  As the two of us stepped onto the field, I noticed Robert motioning me to come over. His gaze was serious. It seemed there was something he wanted to say.

  "I just want you to know, I have a plan... You don't need to worry about Clayton. I'll be taking care of that bastard."

  "Um... Are you sure you won't need any help?"

  Robert shook his head confidently. "I'll be fine."

  Noting the look of resolve in his eyes, I decided it was best to see how things played out. If I could avoid a confrontation with Clayton, all the better. The last thing I wanted was to end up at the center of this conflict.

  Once everyone on the team had gathered at our end of the field, Robert signaled us to huddle around him.

  "Alright, guys... We need to be very careful in this match! Since we're going to be facing upperclassmen, I think we should start defensively and wait for an opportunity to counter. Do you all agree?"

  "I agree. I think it's a good idea to avoid being rash," Haruna said.

  "Yeah, me too," said Elijah. "I think waiting for an opening is our best chance."

  The rest of us nodded in agreement.

  Robert clapped his hands. "Now that we've settled that, I suggest we start with a square formation and adapt depending on how the match unfolds. What do you guys think?"

  "I'm good with that."

  "Me too."

  "I'm okay with anything..."

  Since everyone seemed to agree, we quickly got into position. I took the front right, with Haruna at the front left, Elijah at the back left, and Arthur at the back right. Robert stood at the center of our formation, with our flag wrapped around his arm.

  Hmm... I wonder what our chances are of winning?

  Ten percent? Five percent?

  "Since the upperclassmen will be competing, I'll be the referee for this match!" Ms. Walker announced from the sidelines. She was holding a megaphone.

  "I just want to remind both teams that this is simply a practice match. There's no need to get overly violent. The goal today is to simply garner experience... That being said, I expect everyone to give it their best shot. I want to see courage and determination. Is that understood?"

  "YES, MA'AM!"

  Ms. Walker smiled and lifted her left arm in the air. "Ahem... Are both teams ready?"

  Both teams nodded.

  "Alright then... BEGIN!" Ms. Walker screamed.

  Clayton's team struck first.

  A boy with long brown hair surged forward, his hands weaving intricate patterns in the air before unleashing a barrage of water projectiles. They shot toward us with blistering speed, glistening in the sunlight.

  Haruna reacted instantly. In one swift motion, she drew her katana and met the projectiles head-on. Each slash of her sword was precise, almost elegant, deflecting the water attacks with ease. Her movements were a blur, a testament to her exceptional skill.

  "She's amazing!" I heard Robert exclaim from behind me. Given that he was a swordsman himself, it was no surprise that he was delighted.

  I was just as impressed. The speed and skill Haruna was displaying were incredible. It was clear she had been taught a specific sword style from a very young age. Since I couldn't recognize it, I assumed it was likely a secret art passed down in her family.

  "WATCH OUT!" I heard Robert suddenly scream.

  By the time I registered his warning, I could already feel the ground beneath me trembling violently.

  Not wanting to be caught in the attack, I hurled myself to the side as the earth around me erupted, crumbling into pieces. Rolling to a stop, I glanced up to assess the situation. Our formation had been shattered.

  "Don't you dare underestimate me!" Elijah screamed.

  Following Elijah's voice, I spotted the boy with blonde hair standing a few meters away from him. The boy's hands glowed with mana as he hurled light projectiles at Elijah, who desperately tried to block them.

  Even though he was trying his best to force an opening by using fire magic, Elijah was at a clear disadvantage. He was steadily being pushed further away from the team.

  Turning around, I saw Haruna still locked in combat with the water mage, her katana flashing as she deflected his relentless attacks. Despite her impressive skills, she was also being pushed back. Her feet were slipping on the muddy ground created by the water projectiles, making it harder for her to maintain her stance.

  Interesting...

  It was becoming clear what Clayton was planning. He was trying to divide our team and force us into one-on-one battles.

  "CRAP!" I heard Robert shout in the distance.

  I spun and spotted Robert engaged in a weapons duel with a girl wielding a large scythe. She was raining down a barrage of shots at him, and though he seemed to have been caught off guard initially, he was slowly getting into his groove.

  Wait a second... Where's Arthur?

  Realizing I hadn't seen Arthur since the battle started, I began scanning the field. He had seemingly vanished without a trace. No matter where I looked, there was no sign of him anywhere.

  "I wouldn't be worrying about others if I were you..."

  I spun around and saw Clayton stalking towards me. His eyes were gleaming with a predatory intensity, the air around him crackling with an almost palpable bloodlust. Among all the questions swirling in my head, one thing was certain. Clayton was out for blood.

  "Originally, I wasn't planning on using these for this fight," Clayton said, lifting his arms. He was wearing a pair of steel gauntlets.

  "But then, I changed my mind..."

  "What made you change your mind?" I asked.

  "I decided to wear them just to be safe... I wanted to ensure my plan was successful."

  "What plan?"

  Clayton's lips curled into a sinister smile. "To expose your true strength..."

  "My true strength?!"

  "There's no point in denying it, James... A few nights ago, when you blocked my attack with your bare arms, I found a dent in my bat afterward... Nobody, especially a measly 1st Circle Mage, could ever dream of leaving a dent on my bat... Unless, of course, they were hiding their true strength."

  "Well... um... Are you sure I was the one who caused that dent?"

  "There's nobody else who could have caused such a dent," Clayton said confidently. "You're the only person I used my bat on that day."

  "I'll ask one more time... Are you certain I was the one who caused that dent?"

  For a moment, Clayton looked troubled. I could see the doubt creeping into his eyes. He was second-guessing himself, which meant he wasn't entirely sure whether I was the culprit.

  After a few seconds, Clayton sighed and shook his head. "You have to be the cause... There's no other explanation."

  "Sigh... I don't get why you keep blaming me when you have no proof?"

  "You're right... I have no proof... for now, that is..."

  Without hesitation, Clayton charged forward, his gauntlets glowing with an eerie blue light. I barely had time to react. I quickly cast a barrier of ice around me, but Clayton shattered it with a single punch, sending shards flying in all directions.

  Not wanting to give him a chance to come up with a counter, I sent a blast of ice toward him, but he deflected it with his gauntlet. Even though I reinforced my spell, it still shattered harmlessly against his steel.

  "Hiding like a coward isn't going to work!"

  Clayton closed the distance between us with terrifying speed, throwing a series of punches that I barely managed to evade. Each impact was accompanied by a resonant clang, a reminder of the raw power behind his strikes.

  Even though he was restricted to using second circle magic, the force of his attacks was still staggering. If just one of those punches landed, I would be a goner.

  As I analyzed Clayton's movements, it became obvious he was relying on brute force. He was planning to use his strength and speed to win this battle. Which was perfect.

  "TRY AND DODGE THIS!"

  Clayton lunged at me again, and I conjured a wall of ice spikes in his path. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, giving me just enough time to reposition myself and send a wave of ice along the ground, in an attempt to freeze his feet in place.

  Unfortunately, my plan failed. Clayton leaped into the air, avoiding the attack with unsettling ease.

  "Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that!" Clayton taunted, his voice echoing with a chilling confidence.

  Noticing an opening, I cast a flurry of ice shards at his chest, but Clayton blocked most of them with a swing. Realizing I'd managed to put some distance between us, he grunted in frustration and charged again, this time with even more aggression.

  "You really are a coward... Aren't you?!"

  Clayton's punches came faster and harder, each one bursting with mana. I dodged and parried as best I could, but it was clear I was on the defensive. I needed to create an opening. Something that would make him overextend and leave himself vulnerable.

  Wait for it...Wait for it...

  NOW!

  As Clayton threw a particularly powerful punch, I sidestepped and sent a concentrated blast of ice at his side. The impact knocked him off balance, and I seized the opportunity to follow up with a series of quick, precise strikes. Clayton recovered quickly, but I could see the frustration growing in his eyes.

  "You're tougher than I thought," Clayton admitted, a grudging respect in his voice. "But I'm just getting started."

  The air around us crackled with mana as Clayton's aura intensified. He lunged at me with renewed ferocity, each step he took reverberating through the ground.

  I tried to keep my distance, casting ice spells to slow him down, but Clayton was relentless. He shattered my defenses one by one, his fists a blur of motion. I could feel my mana waning, and I knew I couldn't keep this up much longer.

  This isn't good!

  Clayton's next attack came with ferocious speed. I managed to block it, but the force sent me skidding back several feet. My breathing was heavy, and I could feel the strain of the battle weighing on me.

  "You can't keep running forever," Clayton growled, advancing on me. "Show me your true strength!"

  Realizing our fight was coming to an end, I concentrated a bolt load of mana around my hands and cast a massive wave of ice, hoping to put on the grand finale. The ice surged forward, a freezing tide aimed at stopping Clayton in his tracks. For a moment, it seemed like it might work.

  "This is nothing to me!"

  Before I could react, Clayton charged right through my attack and slammed his foot into my stomach.

  A sharp, crushing pain spread through my torso as my body lifted off the ground and everything went dark...

  ...

  ...

  When I opened my eyes, I was staring up at the sky.

  My chest rose unevenly as I struggled to breathe. A sharp ache pulsed deep in my ribs, and a raw, stinging pressure spread across the spot where his kick had landed. It hurt to move. But as far as I could tell, nothing was broken.

  I tried to steady my breathing and shift my focus elsewhere—anything to dull the pain. That's when I noticed the silence.

  The battlefield was quiet. Too quiet.

  No shouting. No movement. Just the slow, deliberate sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer.

  Just as I felt the footsteps stop over me, I clenched my fists and looked up. Clayton's face was a mask of disappointment and disdain. The cold light of his gauntlets cast eerie shadows across his face, making him look even more menacing.

  "It seems I got excited for no reason. You're just another weakling after all."

  His words hung in the air, cutting through the silence like a knife. Even though I could feel the weight of his judgment pressing down on me, I didn't care. My plan had succeeded. The curiosity in his eyes was gone. He had lost all interest in me.

  "Sigh... I can't believe I let myself believe you were the one who caused that dent. How foolish of me..."

  After a few seconds, Clayton began to walk away, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. As he moved further away, his voice carried back to me.

  "Maybe the other brat will prove to be more entertaining..."