After a snack break, Tavor was once again full of energy and feeling stronger than ever.
He proceeded to unleash a series of swift punches and kicks in quick succession before turning back to Jean Grey.
"Auntie Jean, can I go again?"
Jean Grey's eye twitched before she let out an exasperated sigh before turning back to the controls.
She paused in the middle of setting up the situation in the danger room and looked toward Tavor.
"Do you want to fight yourself again?"
Tavor had a thoughtful expression on his face before shaking his head.
"Can you set it so that I'm fighting two?" Tavor asked with a mixture of battle lust and childlike excitement.
Scott seemed to choke on his coffee upon hearing this. "This boy is insane..."
Jean was astonished but said nothing. "Perhaps he simply enjoys challenging himself."
She inputted the new parameter into the controls and watched as little Tavor walked down to the Danger room's entrance.
The Danger Room once more opened up before Tavor, the surroundings turning into a martial arts arena rather than an open field as he stepped inside.
Tavor took quick steps before bounding up onto the arena's fighting stage, and the moment he did, two versions of himself appeared on the opposite side in a flash of pixels and light.
One bore a sardonic grin and an aggressive demeanor, while the other had a stupid, friendly smile and a relaxed stance.
Seeing the two, Tavor grinned and took a horse stance, raising his arms both defensively in front of his face and offensively near his waist.
Seeing Tavor take his fighting stance both clones of Tavor separated, covering both his left and his right.
The first one to move was the aggressive clone, who launched himself toward Tavor with a roar.
The clone threw a hook towards Tavor's head but out of pure Saiyan instinct he leaned his head mere inches away from the incoming fist.
As the fist passed by, Tavor swung his arm in an uppercut that crashed into the aggressive clone's abdomen, the blow knocking a mouthful of saliva from the clone before Tavor spun and kicked, sending the clone flying backward.
Before Tavor could feel happy about his successful counter the other clone appeared before him, his knee landing squarely in Tavor's stomach and causing him to roll backwards.
By the time he stood back up, both clones were already upon him.
Tavor felt his vision swim as a punch landed on his head and a sharp pain in his leg that caused him to kneel, blow upon blow landing upon him.
"AGHH!"
Tavor let out a pained cry as blows continue to land, the aggressive clone grabbing his face and forcing him down to the ground.
The friendly-looking clone delivered a series of quick punches to the side of Tavor's ribs, causing Tavor to cry out in pain.
As the pain continues to mount within Tavor's eyes a blue-white light began to form, the light collected in his pupils.
The aggressive clone felt the heat increase on his palm but was too preoccupied with relentlessly punching Tavor to notice.
Suddenly, the heat spiked and the aggressive clone cried out in pain after pulling his hand back, but he was unable to retreat before Tavor unleashed a blue-white beam.
The beam slammed into the aggressive clone's armored abdomen, carving grooves in his Saiyan Armor and sending the clone flying backward.
The friendly looking clone leaped backwards, a look of caution in his eyes as the blue-white beam turned towards him.
The friendly clone dashed away from the encroaching beam, but his speed was unable to compare to that of the beam, and he was forced to cross his arms defensively as the blue-white energy swept over him.
Up above in the control room Scott was once again shocked to see the Blue-white beam of strange energy while Jean had a proud glint in her eye.
PTSS...
The door opens behind them and they turn to see Professor X and Colossus enter.
"Good afternoon, Professor. Are you here to watch Tavor?" Jean spoke respectfully while Scott gave Colossus a nod.
Professor X smiled as Colossus rolled him in parking the professor next to the viewing window.
"Don't mind if I do, how is he doing?"
Before he could get an answer however, he saw the two clones fleeing from the blue-white beams down below.
"My word, is he the same as you Scott?"
Scott shrugged. "I'm not sure if it's the same or just similar, but unlike me, Tavor seems to be a battle junkie!"
Colossus cracked his knuckles. "A battle junkie, you say? Sounds like soon I will have a new member of my CQC class."
Down below, Tavor's eye beams had dissipated and now he was rushing towards the friendly-looking clone with speed that no other of his age could hope to match, arriving before the clone with his hand cocked back for a devastating straight punch which landed squarely in the clone's face.
The straight punch slammed into the friendly clone's face with enough force to snap its head backward.
POW!
The clone staggered several steps before digging its feet into the arena floor.
Tavor immediately chased after it.
He had learned one thing from fighting two opponents.
If he allowed them to regroup, they would overwhelm him again.
The aggressive clone recovered from the eye beam first.
"RAAAAGH!"
It launched itself toward Tavor like a missile, and Tavor sensed it coming.
Without even looking, he ducked, and the clone sailed over his head.
For a split second Tavor grinned, then his grin vanished.
The friendly clone had been waiting.
WHAM!
A fist slammed into the side of his face.
The world spun.
Tavor stumbled.
The aggressive clone landed behind him.
The friendly clone stood in front.
They had boxed him in.
Again.
Above the arena, Scott folded his arms.
"They're herding him."
Jean nodded.
"They've figured out he always chases whichever target is closest."
Down below, Tavor wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes darted between both opponents.
The aggressive clone attacked first.
Like always.
A wild hook came flying toward his head.
This time Tavor didn't counter.
Instead, he stepped backward.
The punch missed.
The friendly clone moved to intercept.
Predictable.
Tavor's eyes lit up.
He was beginning to understand.
One attacked.
The other punished reactions.
One forced mistakes, and the other capitalized on them.
They weren't fighting as individuals.
They were fighting as a team.
The realization sent excitement racing through his body.
"This is awesome!"
Scott groaned.
"Why is that his reaction?"
The clones charged again.
Tavor didn't meet them head-on this time, instead, he retreated.
One step.
Two steps.
Three.
The aggressive clone grew frustrated and lunged.
The instant it overextended, Tavor moved.
WHOOSH!
He slipped around the clone's side.
Instead of attacking, he shoved it.
Hard.
The aggressive clone stumbled directly into the path of its partner.
THUD!
The two collided, and Tavor's eyes widened.
"Oh!"
A grin spread across his face.
The clones blinked.
Then both immediately turned toward him.
Tavor pointed.
"You guys can hit each other!"
Jean covered her face.
"He just discovered positioning."
Professor Xavier chuckled softly.
"A valuable lesson."
The battle resumed.
Only now Tavor was thinking.
Every exchange taught him something.
Every mistake became a lesson.
Every hit he received showed him what not to do next time.
The aggressive clone charged.
Tavor sidestepped.
The friendly clone moved to flank.
Tavor repositioned.
The aggressive clone tried cornering him.
Tavor deliberately baited it into overcommitting.
The pace of the battle began changing.
Slowly.
Subtly.
But noticeably.
Even Scott could see it.
"He's adapting."
Colossus nodded.
"He learns quickly."
Very quickly.
The next clash lasted only seconds.
The aggressive clone rushed in.
The friendly clone circled wide.
Instead of focusing on the attacker, Tavor attacked the support.
BOOM!
His shoulder slammed into the friendly clone's chest.
The clone staggered, and the formation broke.
Immediately Tavor spun.
WHAM!
A kick crashed into the aggressive clone's ribs.
For the first time since the fight began, the two-clone formation completely collapsed.
Tavor laughed.
Not because the fight had become easier.
Quite the opposite.
The fight had become harder, and he loved it.
The moment the two-clone formation broke apart, both simulations immediately adjusted.
The aggressive clone recovered first, planting its foot into the arena floor and launching forward.
The friendly clone circled outward.
Trying to reform the pincer attack.
Trying to box him in again.
Only this time Tavor saw it coming.
The moment the friendly clone moved to flank him, Tavor moved as well.
Instead of backing away, he charged directly toward the gap between them.
WHOOSH!
The aggressive clone's fist sailed harmlessly past his shoulder.
The friendly clone's kick missed by mere inches.
For the first time in the entire battle, neither attack landed.
Scott blinked.
"He saw that."
Jean nodded slowly.
"He definitely saw that."
Down below, Tavor grinned.
"I get it now!"
The clones didn't answer.
They attacked.
The aggressive clone threw a barrage of punches.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Right.
Tavor blocked the first.
Slipped the second.
The third clipped his shoulder.
The fourth never connected.
Not because he was faster.
Because he was beginning to predict it.
The moment the aggressive clone shifted its weight, Tavor instinctively knew where the next strike was coming from.
Not perfectly.
Not consistently.
But enough.
WHAM!
His elbow crashed into the clone's jaw.
The clone staggered.
Tavor immediately ducked.
A kick from the friendly clone swept through the space where his head had been moments earlier.
The young Saiyan's eyes widened.
"That was close!"
Then he laughed.
Again.
Scott groaned.
"Every time he almost gets hit he gets happier."
Colossus crossed his massive arms.
"A true warrior."
Scott pointed toward the arena.
"He's just a baby."
"Still a warrior."
The fight continued.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
The pace never slowed.
The arena floor began showing signs of their battle.
Cracks spread across stone tiles.
Chunks of simulated rock littered the ground.
Impact craters appeared wherever bodies crashed.
The sound of fists colliding echoed throughout the Danger Room.
BOOM!
WHAM!
CRACK!
Tavor took a punch to the cheek.
Returned one to the stomach.
Received a knee to the ribs.
Countered with a headbutt.
Every exchange taught him something.
Every mistake vanished almost as soon as it was made.
It was as though his body remembered lessons before his mind did.
The aggressive clone attempted another reckless charge.
Tavor sidestepped.
A few minutes ago he would have countered immediately.
Now he waited.
The friendly clone rushed in to support.
Exactly as expected.
The instant it committed, Tavor moved.
He pivoted.
Grabbed the aggressive clone's arm, and pulled.
WHAM!
The aggressive clone collided directly with its partner.
Both stumbled.
Both lost balance.
Tavor's grin widened.
"Oh, that works every time!"
Above them, Jean stared.
"Did he just set that up?"
Professor Xavier folded his hands thoughtfully.
"I believe he did."
Scott looked down at the battlefield.
A strange feeling settled in his chest.
Pride.
Concern.
Confusion.
Mostly concern.
Because Tavor wasn't merely adapting.
He was adapting frighteningly fast.
The same tactic never worked twice against him.
The same trap never caught him three times.
Every minute that passed made him more dangerous.
Down below, the battle raged on.
The aggressive clone roared and charged.
The friendly clone moved to support.
A strategy that had dominated the beginning of the fight.
Now?
Now Tavor dismantled it.
He slipped inside the aggressive clone's guard.
A fist buried itself in its stomach.
WHOOOM!
The clone folded.
Tavor spun.
A back kick crashed into the friendly clone's chest.
CRACK!
The clone stumbled backward.
Before either could recover, Tavor was already moving again.
Faster.
Sharper.
More confident.
The battle had become a true back-and-forth struggle.
The clones still landed hits.
Plenty of them.
Tavor's cheek was swollen.
His armor was cracked.
His ribs ached.
But every successful strike against him came with a cost.
The clones no longer controlled the pace.
Tavor did.
And everyone watching knew it.
Even the simulations seemed to realize it.
The aggressive clone stopped rushing blindly.
The friendly clone became more cautious.
Both adapted.
And so did Tavor.
The three figures blurred across the arena.
Trading blows.
Countering counters.
Predicting predictions.
A dance of violence and instinct.
Minutes earlier, Tavor had been surviving.
Now he was competing.
Soon...
He might even surpass them.
Jean couldn't stop smiling.
Scott couldn't stop worrying.
Colossus looked like he wanted to jump into the arena himself.
And Professor Xavier simply watched in silence.
His expression thoughtful.
Because what he was witnessing wasn't merely talent, it wasn't merely strength.
It wasn't even the strange blue-white energy, it was growth.
Raw, explosive growth occurring in real time, the kind of growth that should have taken weeks.
Months.
Perhaps years.
Yet Tavor was accomplishing it in a single afternoon.
And as another thunderous clash echoed through the Danger Room...
Everyone watching realized the same thing.
This boy was going to become something extraordinary.