Chapter 9: Unexpected Showdown
David watched the scene unfold from the sidelines, his mind churning. The arrogant attitude of Hotshot reminded him of the countless scenarios he had written where Enryu's peculiar ability came into play. The power of Adaptation, a skill that was borderline unfair. It allowed Enryu to grow stronger with each conflict, to learn and adapt from every hardship. The battles he lost only served to make him stronger for the next. It was an ability he'd designed specifically for his protagonist, making Enryu virtually unbeatable in the long run.
As soon as Supra gave the signal to begin, Hotshot was already lunging towards Enryu, his body engulfed in flames. However, in the blink of an eye, Enryu simply extended his hand and made contact with Hotshot. In that instant, Hotshot collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
The whole class was shocked into silence, not believing what they just saw. Even Supra, the seasoned instructor, had a momentary lapse of shock before quickly composing himself. The match had ended just as quickly as it had started, and it was a clear testament to the terrifying potential of Enryu's abilities.
Status Window
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Name: Enryu
Title: Future Ruler, Regressor, Top of the world, Dimensional Terror
Level: 10
Strength: 26
Agility: 22
Intellect: 19
Super Power: Cryokinesis (Ice Manipulation)
Skills: Adaptation - Any physical, mental, or environmental challenge encountered will incrementally enhance resilience and abilities.
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In the hushed silence that followed the swift conclusion of the battle, murmurs slowly began to fill the air.
"He just... knocked out Hotshot?" A girl gaped, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Is this for real? I thought Enryu was just... average," a boy muttered, looking dazed.
"Did you see that? Hotshot didn't even land a single hit on him," another one added in awe.
As the astonishment rippled through the crowd, David could only shake his head with a wry smile. "This is so cliché," he muttered to himself. The scene unfolding before him was straight out of the tropes he used to indulge in while writing his web novel - the underestimated character revealing his overwhelming power, shocking everyone around him. It was almost amusing to witness it firsthand, albeit a tad bit surreal.
"David Jupiter, you're next!" Supra announced, drawing everyone's attention. The murmur of the crowd died down as David made his way to the center. His opponent was a student named Jeremy Barba name that didn't ring any bells in David's mind. This was probably one of the countless extras he had written in for the purpose of world building or filling up the academy. Despite his non-remarkable status in the novel, David knew better than to underestimate anyone. After all, he himself was in a similar position until recently.
David focused his gaze on Jeremy Barba and activated his status menú. The familiar window appeared before him.
Status Window
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Name: Jeremy Barba
Title: None
Level: 3
Strength: High Human (10)
Endurance: High Human (10)
Agility: High Human (10)
Intellect: Super Human (20)
Super Power: Telekinesis
Skills: None
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David was slightly taken aback. Despite being a 'no-name' character, Jeremy's ability was not to be underestimated. Telekinesis was a versatile power, capable of both offense and defense. David knew he had to approach this fight with caution.
"Begin"
As soon as Supra announced the start of the match, David dropped into a muay thai stance, his muscles tensing in preparation.
His sudden display of martial arts expertise caused a stir amongst the spectators.
"What's he doing? Trying to show off his martial arts skills?" one student jeered, eliciting a round of laughter from those around him. David ignored them, his eyes never leaving Jeremy.
David, relying on his Jupiter lineage and its consequent boost in physical prowess, quickly closed the distance between him and Jeremy, realizing the predicament, chose to keep his distance, using his telekinetic abilities to launch projectile-like attacks at David. These attacks, while potent, were not enough to slow David down. He could feel them piercing his skin, but he pushed through the pain, continuing his advance.
Jeremy zipped through the air, manipulating his telekinesis to maneuver swiftly and effortlessly, all the while bombarding David with more telekinetic bullets. Each bullet that made contact was like a bee sting, sharp and painful, drawing beads of blood where they hit. David's skin began to display a pattern of small, painful wounds, yet he refused to back down.
Despite the aches spreading across his body, David kept charging, his movements practiced and precise from his muay thai training. His muscles corded and flexed with each action, displaying the power he had inherited from the Jupiter bloodline. His eyes were locked onto his target, a piercing gaze that followed Jeremy's every move.
Jeremy seemed to grow increasingly frantic, his telekinetic bullets becoming more erratic. But he was still out of David's reach, continuing to elude him using his telekinesis to create distance.
David, however, was far from giving up. His determination fueled him, his every instinct screaming at him to keep pushing, to close the distance, and take down his opponent. This was his fight, and he was far from done.
Seizing the moment, David launched himself forward, the muscles in his leg contracting powerfully as he swung a precise, devastating kick towards Jeremy. His opponent had no time to react, the kick landing solidly and sending Jeremy flying.
The students watched, their chatter falling silent as they witnessed the raw power David displayed. A few murmured comments broke the silence, voices carrying the underlying sentiment of expectation.
"Well, he is a Jupiter. He better at least be good at something."
Supra swiftly called an end to the match. Jeremy, clutching his leg in pain, was quickly ushered off to receive medical attention. As the healer's light enveloped Jeremy, regenerating his injured leg, the arena was once again filled with the sounds of chatter and murmurs. David stood victorious, his breaths coming out in short puffs as he looked over his fellow students, a determined gleam in his eyes.
Just as David was about to leave the training field, he felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder. Turning around, he found himself face to face with Enryu. The icy, stoic expression that was usually etched onto Enryu's face was replaced with a hint of respect and approval.
"Not bad, Jupiter," Enryu said, his deep voice echoing in the silent training field.
"You might just be more interesting than I thought."