The signal had barely been given when the arena plunged into brutal cacophony.
The ground trembled under the impacts.
Cries, collisions, abilities triggered in every direction — flames, lightning, pure reinforcement, illusions shattered only to be created again.
It was a war without order.
On the left, two fighters had already hurled themselves out of the zone while clinging to each other.
On the right, a group tried to encircle an opponent before being swept away by a shockwave.
And in the middle of this chaos—
Hinata did not move.
Motionless. Silent.
As if she had nothing to do with it.
Her eyes watched. Nothing more.
A discreet smile split Sally's lips.
She had not taken her eyes off Hinata since the beginning.
…You are waiting.
But for what?
Her fingers slowly brushed the guards of her sabers, without drawing them.
She too… was waiting.
Around Hinata, the fighters were stirring, but no one really dared to approach.
Until a massive man broke that distance.
A giant, broad-chested, bulging muscles, a predatory smile.
He approached calmly… then placed a heavy hand on Hinata's shoulder.
— So, little lady… looks like you got lost on this arena?
— Come on, I'll help you get out of here.
No answer.
Not even a glance.
Silence.
The guy's smile tightened slightly.
— Tsk… you're acting all high and mighty?
His gaze changed.
And without warning—
He activated his system.
— Look carefully, little lady…
His body transformed.
His skin hardened, becoming metallic, cold, shiny.
His muscles took on an abnormal density.
An iron man.
— Reinforcement and elements… you think you've got anything against that?
He advanced.
— I'll try not to kill you…
One step.
— Because with a body like yours—
He extended his hand to grab her.
— —I could break you just by touching you.
—
He grabbed nothing.
Hinata had already moved.
A simple sidestep.
Fluid.
Invisible.
And—
BOOM.
Her fist drove into the metallic abdomen.
The impact rang out like a cannon shot.
The giant's body bent.
The metal… gave way.
A crack.
An impossible sound.
Blood burst from his mouth.
— How…
His eyes trembled.
— …how is that possible…?
He stumbled back, reeling.
— Fists harder than… steel…?!
He did not have time to finish.
Hinata slightly raised her leg.
A simple movement.
A clean strike.
CRASH.
Her foot came down.
The impact violently launched him backward.
His body left the arena.
And vanished into the void before crashing into the water below.
Agents immediately rushed in to retrieve him.
—
Silence.
Brief.
Then—
The reactions exploded.
— She beat a class B like it was nothing?!
— What kind of strength is that?!
— She must be class A… or a very high B!
— Her name! Does anyone have her name?!
— Nothing in the system… she's not listed!
— She's hiding her identity…
But elsewhere—
The looks were different.
Colder.
Heavier.
A fighter spat on the ground.
— Tsk… beat a class B and it's already causing a stir…
Another, arms crossed, barely looked away from his own fight.
— Nothing impressive.
— If people are still surprised, they have no business being here.
Some did not even look.
Too busy surviving.
Too busy crushing their own opponents.
At the center—
Hinata resumed her initial position.
As if nothing had happened.
Calm.
Silent.
And Sally…
was smiling a little more now.
The fights continued frenetically in the arena. Bursts of light shot out from every side, shockwaves shook the ground, and the fighters' cries echoed like a dissonant symphony.
Sally, perched on a calmer rise, watched every movement closely. Her eyes followed Hinata, who was now moving with more confidence. She dodged attacks, sent opponents flying to the edge of the arena, and every gesture seemed both precise and restrained in its brutality.
It is true that Hinata has evolved a lot since she started training with me… Sally thought. But I'm not sure she can really make it to the final as long as I haven't been able to judge the S classes of this tournament.
Her gaze settled on the arena, sweeping across the fighters battling in a whirl of force and chaos.
As I was recently talking about it with Sakolomeh… she murmured to herself. He had explained to me that the system could contain the power of transcendents. And that some transcendents of the Nemesis system were approaching the Mythological transcendents: detached from the body, projecting their consciousness through the mind or the soul, beyond the elemental limits…
Sally narrowed her eyes, a shadow of concern crossing her face.
— But how far exactly can they project that? If it's too far, in the narrative or in being… I fear Hinata won't last long. Even with all the physical attack skills Sakolomeh possessed when he was younger, it won't matter if she doesn't have the necessary resistance…
At the center of the arena, Hinata kept moving fluidly. Her dodges were sharp, almost anticipated; her attacks, precise. One opponent came at her with a flurry of blows, and with a simple step to the side, she hurled him out of the arena. Another tried a charge; she stopped him with a punch and sent him back into the void, sparking cries of astonishment among the spectators.
Then Hinata found herself facing an individual with blazing yellow hair, a cocky smile stretching his lips.
— Well, well… you're also doing the cleaning a little too easily? Want one of us to kick the other out of the arena?
Hinata frowned slightly, her icy gaze fixed on him.
— I still wonder why you all like making such a mess before a fight has even begun!
Her opponent's smile became more savage. His fingers played with a strange glow that seemed to absorb the light around them. The air filled with static electricity and palpable tension.
Hinata still did not move, but her fists tightened slightly. The entire arena seemed to hold its breath.
Predro took a combat stance, feet anchored to the ground like the branches of a sturdy tree, his body slightly leaning forward. His insolent smile never left his face.
— By the way, my name is Predro, I'm a class B, number 4 to be exact… and you?
Hinata slowly raised her gaze, her eyes piercing through the arena's movements. She positioned herself in turn, fists and feet ready.
— I'm Hinata!
Predro tilted his head to the side, still smiling.
— You don't want to tell me your class? That's fine, Hinata… but whatever you are!
He made a sharp gesture, pointing a finger behind her.
— I brought a few friends to play with you too.
Hinata slowly turned her head. Behind her, four silhouettes appeared, standing with perfect coordination, every gesture measured. Their faces revealed nothing, but their presence commanded respect.
— Eric, number 3 of the B classes, ninja expert, fast and silent as shadow.
— Ela, number 6, lightly dressed, but her movements revealed harsh training and surgical precision.
Sally, watching from afar, immediately noticed that two other individuals were standing there, harder to identify but just as imposing. After a quick assessment:
— Kalio, number 2 of the B classes, a melee fighter specialized in pure reinforcement, capable of projecting shockwaves of rare intensity.
— Lyria, number 5, a girl with versatile abilities, skilled in illusions and ranged attacks, capable of combining several mana flows to create devastating zones.
Their reputation preceded them: coordinated experts, accustomed to fighting together for years. Their movements required almost no words, and in some records, some claimed that their synergy dangerously approached A level.
Predro stepped forward, the smile still there but his cold gaze betraying his seriousness:
— So… are you going to vent on us a little? Or would you rather stay still and get swept away like the others?
Hinata did not answer. She fixed Predro and his allies, a shiver of concentration running through her body. Her fists clenched, her muscles ready to react.
Without warning, the group attacked. Eric sprang onto Hinata's left flank, silent, fast as the wind, striking at a speed difficult to follow. Hinata dodged with a fluid movement, but her arm brushed Eric, and a micro-cut appeared on his cheek. The air around them vibrated with pure energy.
Ela took position on the right flank, launching mana projectiles that seemed to dance in the air before swooping down on Hinata. With a leap, she dodged them all, but the concentration needed for each movement was starting to weigh on her.
Kalio and Lyria combined their attacks. Kalio created devastating shockwaves to restrict the fighting space, while Lyria manipulated complex illusions to create a shifting labyrinth, disorienting the other fighters who had moved closer. Their eyes barely met, and yet every movement seemed calculated to form a perfect trap.
Predro, at the center, watched Hinata's dance with a nearly taunting smile.
— You see, Hinata… you can move, dodge… but you have no chance!
— You should give up now!
The words, like the attacks, were precise, meant to shake her confidence. They brushed Hinata's cheek again, leaving a thread of blood and a brutal reminder of their power. But she remained upright, unshaken, despite the psychological pressure they were trying to create.
Sally, from a distance, felt the growing intensity: the group was not using only brute force, but exploiting the Nemesis system's synergy at its peak. Every attack, every feint, every pressure seemed calculated to reduce Hinata's options, test her reflexes and her resistance.
Then Predro made a gesture, and a new energy began to pulse in the air.
— It's time… to show our special technique.
The other four members formed a circle, and suddenly, an invisible but tangible web spread across the field. Shimmering mana filaments intertwined, forming a complex network that covered the entire area. Sally immediately recognized what they were doing.
The spider web… she thought. An ultimate technique that neutralizes all power and sense of combat. Everything within the field loses its abilities… and they're targeting Hinata.
Hinata frowned. The mana net spread rapidly, her teammates now holding the ends with extreme concentration. The center was meant for Hinata, and Predro moved forward to attack her directly. The danger was palpable: all the fighters who had tried to resist were already trapped, unable to react.
The mana filaments slowly tightened, and an almost supernatural silence settled in. Movements slowed, senses dulled, power seemed to go out like a blown-out candle. The four maintainers concentrated their energy, while Predro smiled, ready to deliver the fatal blow.
— So… ready to give up? he murmured, materializing a mana saber with an intense blue glow.
— Your power is useless against us!
Hinata, touched by a few grazing strikes and feeling the pressure of the web, took a step back, but her gaze suddenly ignited with cold determination.
— Fine… I've played with you enough!
Her voice, firm and sharp, seemed to split the air. The world around her regained a little clarity at that instant. The web's filaments pulsed, but she no longer retreated. Tension rose another notch. Sally felt her heart speed up: Hinata had finally taken the fight seriously, and that would change everything.
The five fighters, accustomed to their domination, exchanged a glance. They knew the real duel had begun. The spider web continued to spread, but Hinata, now fully aware and focused, was no longer just a target. She would strike back.