Professor Brink put down his teacup, his gaze focusing on Wade for the first time as if trying to see right through him.
He remained silent for a few seconds before speaking unhurriedly, "Wade Thompson, your perspective... is very unique, and it reminds us to pay attention to the broader context. But real-world decisions are often much more complex than data models."
He ended the discussion vaguely, but a crack had already been torn in the carefully crafted veil of the "Superhero Myth" in the classroom.
The flesh on Professor Brink's face twitched twice; though it was only for an instant, Wade caught it.
It was the astonishment and annoyance of someone whose meticulously arranged stage had been suddenly pulled back, revealing the messy scene behind it.
The bell rang, and the crowd surged.
Just as Wade stepped out of the classroom, Jordan Li caught up from behind, having already switched back to male form.
A complex expression played on his face, a mix of resentment, curiosity, and a hint of competitiveness.
"Wade, that question of yours in class..." He walked side-by-side with Wade. "It was sharp, and... annoying. But I have to admit, it's kept me from feeling at ease."
"Just talking won't prove anything. I accept your bet from yesterday. Let me see if you're the real deal or just a sophist."
Wade looked at the burning desire for a challenge in Jordan's eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching imperceptibly.
The fish has taken the bait!
'He has dual forms and a total of four composite abilities; he won't be easy to deal with.'
Wade hooked an arm around his shoulder enthusiastically. "How about adding another fifty thousand to the stakes as a bonus?"
"Deal!" Jordan Li agreed without hesitation.
Ten minutes later, a sparse crowd of spectators who had heard the news gathered around the arena in the Godolkin University stadium.
"Bets are open! Bets are open! Five-to-one for 'Cyclone' to win, and one-point-five-to-one for 'Shifter'!"
"Pfft, is there any suspense when the 50th rank fights the 10th? I'm going all-in on Jordan Li!"
"Lee, show the freshman what's what! Let him know how tough we sophomores are!"
Beep—
On the arena stage, an electronic buzzer sounded, and the battle was about to break out.
Wade stood on one side of the field, surrounded by a five-meter-thick wall of wind, waiting for Jordan Li to make the first move, meeting changes with constancy.
Bang, bang—
Jordan's heavy punches slammed against the wind wall, producing dull thuds that made his whole body tremble.
The power gap was too large!
Wade used the momentum to slide back, air currents surging beneath his feet. The female form of Jordan followed like a shadow, several energy kicks grazing past his cheeks.
Boom—Buzz!
So fast! I can't compete with her in speed!
During the exchange, Wade condensed dozens of wind blades at his fingertips, then swung his arms to form several small tornadoes, firing them at his opponent one after another.
Jordan moved around the field, dodging with successive flashes, and several Energy Blasts dispersed the wind blades.
She instantly switched to male form, pouncing like a hungry tiger.
A rain of heavy punches grazed Wade's body, the resulting pressure like blades, causing ripples to spread across the wind wall behind him.
The audience whispered, believing that "Cyclone" was clearly being suppressed by Jordan Li's rich combat experience and sharp form switching, falling into dangerous situations multiple times.
"It's over, it's over, the dark horse is going to lose! Is there any chance for a reversal?"
"That's how it is for those from The Agency; their abilities look flashy, but they're useless in actual combat!"
"Humph, I thought he was something special. It seems beating the Fire Dragons yesterday was just luck."
On the stage, Wade was surrounded by a giant tornado, making even his body hard to see clearly.
He charged through the storm toward the continuous energy shockwaves Jordan Li was firing.
Boom—Bang bang bang bang!
Dust rose from the center of the field. Wade took the opportunity to swirl the air currents to hide his figure, and as he brushed past Jordan Li, he instantly condensed fingernail-sized conical air blades that quietly grazed Jordan's chest and abdomen.
Pfft—Splash!
Droplets of bright red blood were enveloped and stripped away by the air currents, flying into Wade's slightly open palm. A slight burning sensation came from his fingertips as concentrated energy permeated his body.
[Genetic map recording complete...]
[Ability list updated:
Invulnerability (Basic), Energy Blast (Basic)]
Wade immediately absorbed and applied them, and a burning sensation exploded within his body!
A tyrannical force spread through his body like an out-of-control truck. He felt his bones groaning, as if they were about to be split open by this external [Invulnerability] trait.
He flew high into the air, forcibly guiding this energy into his limbs and bones. The two violent forces collided within him, fighting for dominance, nearly causing him to lose control.
Wade stopped holding back. His pupils suddenly constricted, and Jordan's ghost-like movements in female form suddenly slowed by fifty percent in his eyes.
Buzz—
He took a deep breath, and the aura he had been restraining suddenly surged outward.
Wade made a grasping motion with his right hand. Jordan suddenly felt the air in front of him vanish, forming a lethal vacuum zone that followed him like a shadow.
The intense feeling of suffocation and the pressure difference inside and out caused his movements to stall abruptly, a look of shock appearing on his face.
At that moment, Wade cupped his hands, and a long-overdue giant tornado was blasted out, followed by rapid swings of his arms as white air spheres were fired from his palms one after another.
Inside the tornado's path were seven or eight condensed Air Bullets that acted like invisible heavy cannons.
Jordan Li instantly switched to female form, twisting her body back and forth on the stage, but she still couldn't avoid being caught in the violent explosions of the Air Bullets.
The tornado and other Air Bullets seemed to have eyes, slamming into Jordan Li's chest and abdomen, pushing him back a dozen steps until he fell directly out of the arena's bounds.
"What?!" The mockery and discussion from below the stage came to an abrupt halt.
The entire stadium was deathly silent; everyone was stunned by this sudden reversal.
"...A one-shot?" "What just happened?"
Wade landed lightly in front of Jordan and extended a hand. "That was intense. I almost got torn apart by your dual-form combos."
Jordan Li took his hand and stood up.
He scanned Wade several times with a complex look in his eyes. "You... how many moves are you still hiding? You weren't holding back the whole time, were you?"
Wade spread his hands. "I just took a bit of an advantage. I've studied your combat videos quite a bit; I might not win next time."
Jordan Li smiled and was about to say more when an enthusiastic voice cut in.
"What a splendid fight!" Luke walked over clapping, his eyes shining with an eager golden light. "Wade, your use of abilities is so flexible! Watching you makes my hands itch. How about it? Let's find a time to spar as well?"
Wade looked at Luke, sensing the surging battle intent and powerful energy fluctuations coming from him, his heart stirring.
This was a good opportunity to test his new abilities and simultaneously get in touch with a higher-quality sample.
Just as he agreed, the phone in his pocket vibrated.
He pulled it out and saw a notification from the Dean's office: "Ms. Shetty requests that you come to her office now."
Wade put away his phone and gave Luke a slightly apologetic smile. "I'm definitely interested, but it'll have to be later. I have some urgent business."
He nodded to Jordan Li and Andre, then turned and flew away from the stadium.
'Why would that woman Shetty suddenly look for me? What could it be...'
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