8 Battle Academy [7]

In the arena, Peter was there, imposing and attentive, watching the students in the stands. He remembered the director's warning: avoid controversial duels. But the events of the past still burned in his memory.

Neo, the top freshman, was face to face with Viktor, the second-ranked of the same year. The expectation of a confrontation between them was high; it would be an epic fight, the battle of the strongest freshmen. However, Peter had another vision.

His gaze turned to Taiho, the giant among the crowd. Peter knew him well. Taiho was acclaimed by the media and many as the most talented of the era, not only for his imposing stature but for his superpower: Invincibility.

Taiho had never lost a fight, never been knocked down, never tasted the bitter taste of defeat.

Peter knew it was only a matter of time before Taiho would take the top spot in the rankings. Moreover, he was certain that upon graduation, Taiho would be recognized as the newest S-class hero by the hero association. Eager to see Taiho in action, Peter made the call: "Taiho, step up to the arena."

From the stands, Taiho rose, an imposing and unshakable figure. He bypassed the steps, aware of the power that resided in his colossal form; even the stone beneath his feet might yield to his overwhelming weight. With firm and decisive steps, he moved toward the rectangular stone arena, where Peter, the instructor, awaited him. The students' gazes varied between tension and excitement, but it was the elite, the school's predators - Neo, Say, Viktor, Jade, and the purple-haired girl who always accompanied Viktor - who maintained a disturbing calm.

Taiho, with his impressive height of two meters and sixty and weighing over 250kg, made Peter look diminutive by comparison.

Peter, regaining focus with a cough, made the announcement everyone was waiting for, but no one expected so soon: "Step up to the arena, Neo."

The shock was visible in the wide eyes of the audience. A clash of giants on the first day of class? Say, whose eyes normally displayed boredom, now shone with surprise. Viktor, always wrapped in his characteristic arrogance, could not hide the interest that challenge aroused.

Neo, who until then had been by my side, let out a laugh upon hearing his name. It was as if he knew this moment would come. With a calmness that contrasted with the tension around him, he stood up and began to walk towards the arena, ready to face the challenge that awaited him.

The arena was silent, all eyes fixed on the center, where the imminent confrontation promised to be more than a mere fight; it would be a spectacle of strength and skill. Taiho, the unshakable, watched Neo approach, each step of the Top 1 resonating with a confidence that defied his modest stature compared to that of the giant.

Peter, the referee of that theater of titans, stepped back, sizing up the two combatants with an experienced eye. The difference was notable; Neo, despite being muscular and formidable, did not reach Taiho's waist. Next to anyone else, Neo would be a colossus, but there, in front of Taiho, he seemed almost ordinary.

Taiho's hand, a true weapon of war, made Neo's head seem small, a mace, almost fragile. The tension was palpable; a single blow could decide the fate of the fight.

With the arena in anticipation, Peter announced the rules: "The fight will be ranked. That is…" He paused, letting the tension build before concluding: "If Taiho wins, he will be the new top 1 of the freshman year."

The challenge was set, and the fate of the two warriors was about to be written in the stone of the arena. 

***

Taiho was a living legend, an enigma that defied the very nature of the evolved. He was not a product of elite academies; he was the wild child of the mountains, a giant who emerged from the solitude of the heights, where civilization was but a distant whisper.

Discovered years ago, Taiho was the subject of urban legends and campfire tales. Many believed he was a veteran evolved, an ancient warrior with immense strength. Challengers came from afar, climbing the mountain to test their skills against the giant. But one by one, without exception, all met defeat before Taiho.

The local residents revered him as the guardian of the mountain, a presence as constant as the rocks themselves. But the world was shocked when the truth came to light: Taiho, the invincible, was only 16 years old. The impact of this revelation was global, especially when it was learned that among his victories was the defeat of an S-class hero.

Rumors circulated that the Hero Association had made a promise to Taiho, an offer he could not refuse: opponents worthy of his greatness.

Now, in the arena, Taiho faced Neo, the Top 1, who had a calm expression, as if all the fame, all of Taiho's stature, did not frighten him.

Taiho stared at Neo, with a look loaded with a curiosity he rarely allowed himself to show. "Are you considered the strongest of the freshman year?" Taiho's question was less about getting an answer and more an acknowledgment of Neo's status.

Neo, in turn, maintained serenity, a peaceful smile adorning his face. He did not respond directly, choosing instead to make comments about the legend of Taiho. "The legends say that you learned sumo in the mountains, with your ancestors, using it as your martial art."

"The strongest sumo wrestlers on the planet say that you are already a yokozuna," continued Neo, referring to the highest title in the world of sumo, a recognition that few achieve.

A proud smile formed on Taiho's lips. He took pride in the reputation he had earned through effort and dedication. Descending from the mountains to society, Taiho realized how many evolved, or rather, heroes, depended on the association to build a reputation. They needed the influence of others to stand out. But Taiho was different; he had forged his own path, his own legend, without depending on anyone.

And when the association tried to inflate his fame with lies and exaggerated stories, Taiho intervened. He would not allow his true story to be distorted. He was Taiho, the invincible, the authentic guardian of the mountains, and his reputation was built on the reality of his undeniable victories.

Taiho, with the authority of a true champion, confirmed Neo's words. "Yes, you are right about all of this," he said, his voice resonating with the confidence of one who knows his own strength. "But tell me one thing, Neo. Is your reputation for being the strongest, real?"

Peter, close to the combatants, felt the electricity in the air. It was the meeting of two superpredators, two titans who had known nothing but being the apex of the food chain. The stands vibrated with the same energy, each spectator feeling the gravity of the moment. Jade, Say, and Viktor, the strongest among the spectators, watched with a mix of excitement and respect. And I, sitting in the stands, could barely contain my excitement. The adrenaline ran free, the anticipation for the battle that I had created with my own hands was palpable.

Neo, with a confident smile, echoed Taiho's words: "Is my reputation true?" He paused briefly, lifting his head to meet Taiho's eyes and concluded: "How about we discuss that with our sumo?"

Taiho then assumed his classic sumo stance, a posture that spoke louder than words. "Your spirit shows you are strong. Your scars show that you have faced many battles. But still, in the best case," he paused, looking directly into Neo's eyes, "you would be my tsuyuharai."

The audience stirred with murmurs of confusion. The term 'tsuyuharai' was unknown to many there, an enigma that only increased the tension of the moment. But Neo, unlike the others, began to laugh. He understood the meaning behind those words, a title of respect in the world of sumo, but also a declaration that, even in the best scenario, he would still be one step behind Taiho.

Peter stepped back, leaving the stage for the titans who were preparing for the clash. His voice cut through the silence with the only rule that would govern the fight: "The only rule is that you do not have the authority to kill your opponents. With the exception of that rule, everything is allowed."

The crowd in the stands, caught up in the fever of the moment, pulled out their cell phones, eager to capture and share the unfolding confrontation before their eyes. The fight between Neo and Taiho was not just an event; it was history being written in real-time.

In a distant classroom, a girl with a beautiful and dangerous appearance, with red hair and black eyes, marked by a distinctive scar beside her mouth, felt her cell phone vibrate. Distracted from the professor's lecture, she picked up the device and lit the screen, revealing the notification that promised a spectacle:

[Fight between Neo and Taiho, the top 1 and top 4 of the freshman year!!!]

With a curious look, she clicked on the notification, drawn by the promise of a fight that would surely be remembered by all who witnessed it. The battle academy was about to host a fight that would define the true meaning of strength and power among the evolved.