Nova took a deep breath before darting forward, his eyes searching the field for the best route toward the blue team's flag. His feet struck the ground in quick, heavy steps. Although he had been looking forward to the second stage, the nervousness in his chest refused to disappear completely. One wrong decision could cost his entire team the match, and unlike his old life, he didn't possess the strength to force his way through every obstacle.
"Left flank. One enemy approaching, two o'clock," the scout whispered through the earpiece. "Shadow girl, prepare for combat."
Nova turned his head slightly. A flicker of orange appeared beyond a cluster of rocks, followed by a fireball hurtling toward him. He shifted his weight and threw himself to the side. Heat rushed past his face, and the fireball struck the ground behind him with a dull explosion that scattered dust across his back.
"Well, that's one way to introduce yourself," Nova muttered.
He slipped behind a large rock, but he didn't remain there for long. Staying still would allow the enemy to close in and surround him, so he continued moving, using the uneven terrain to hide his approach.
"I've got two in front of you," the scout said. "They're moving together. Don't rush straight down the middle."
"I see them. Keep watching our sides," Nova replied. "And let me know if anyone tries to get past us."
The shy girl had taken position farther back, close enough to hear his orders without exposing herself to the attackers. At Nova's signal, she threw a smoke bomb toward the blue team's advancing line. A thick cloud spread between the rocks, interrupting their view of the field. The two attackers slowed and began calling to one another, suddenly unsure where their opponents had gone.
Every team had received communication earpieces and smoke bombs, along with a single military-grade protective vest designed to reduce the damage sustained by its wearer. Nova had left the vest with the shadow girl, who was defending their flag. It offered protection, but its weight and bulk would only slow him down during an attack. The blue team appeared to have made a similar decision, keeping their defender protected while their attackers moved freely.
From behind the rock, Nova studied the two opponents. The man on the right was responsible for the fireballs. The other had yet to show any obvious power, and Nova couldn't see a Circle of Pillars on him. That didn't mean he was harmless. The man kept one hand partially concealed as he walked, and Nova had no intention of discovering what it meant by charging at him carelessly.
'Alright, focus, Nova.'
He wiped the sweat gathering near his temple and forced himself to consider the situation properly. The fire manipulator was the more immediate threat. At a distance, the man could bombard him with flames, while getting close meant risking an attack at point-blank range. Neither option sounded particularly pleasant.
'I have to take down the fire manipulator first. Otherwise, we're guaranteed to lose. The problem is, I'm fucked if I misjudge even one attack.'
Nova glanced toward the blue team's position again. The fire manipulator was holding his arms forward, searching the field for another clear shot. His teammate remained close, watching the smoke instead of looking for Nova's actual position.
'But if I get close enough, he won't have much room to use his fire. He'd risk burning himself, and I doubt he'd enjoy that. It's not a perfect weakness, but it's something.'
He returned his attention to the other attacker. The man's concealed hand still bothered him.
'He might be ordinary. Or he might be hiding something that'll get me killed. Better to assume the worst.'
Another fireball tore across the field. Nova ducked and ran between two rocks as the projectile flew past, its heat brushing his cheek. His skin stung, but he kept going. The attacker had seen him, which meant the blue team now knew his approximate direction.
"Nova, he's tracking you," the scout warned. "You need to change your route."
"I know. I want him looking at me."
"You want him doing what?"
"Trust me for a minute. Just keep the other one in sight."
Nova shifted farther to the right, deliberately letting the fire manipulator catch another glimpse of him. A second projectile came flying toward his position, forcing him to drop low. The blast struck the rock and sprayed heated fragments across the ground. Nova covered his face with an arm, waited for the debris to settle, and moved again.
His breathing had grown heavier. He was faster and stronger than when he had first arrived in the mortal realm, but he was still human enough for repeated sprints and sudden changes of direction to exhaust him. He could feel his pulse beating beneath his skin and the strain gathering in his legs.
'Keep throwing them. Every attack gives me a better idea of how you move.'
The fire manipulator extended his arm before each shot, setting his feet apart for balance. Even from this distance, the action was becoming familiar. Whenever he prepared a larger flame, he stopped moving for a moment. Nova watched the pattern twice more, committing it to memory.
The scout's voice returned. "Both attackers are still together. Your window's getting smaller."
"Then we'll make a bigger one." Nova touched his earpiece. "Shy girl, smoke now! Throw it between them."
"R-right. I've got it!"
A second smoke bomb landed near the blue attackers. Thick clouds rolled across the open ground, swallowing the nearest rocks and cutting their line of sight. The fire manipulator raised an arm to shield his face. His companion moved away from him, trying to find a clear angle around the smoke.
"They're splitting," the scout reported. "Fire user moving left. Other one to the right."
Nova's lips curled into a smile. "Perfect."
He had wanted to separate them from the beginning. Facing both at once would leave him exposed to attacks from two directions. With the second man farther away, he had a brief opportunity to handle the fire manipulator on his own.
His heartbeat quickened as he entered the smoke. He couldn't see more than a few feet ahead, but the faint orange glow gave away the fire user's location. Nova lowered his posture and advanced carefully, listening for footsteps beneath the distant sounds of fighting across the arena.
'He's lost sight of me. He'll want to clear the smoke before I get close, which means he'll use something bigger.'
He tightened his fists and waited for the man's next move.
'One second. That's all I need. One fucking second.'
A sudden flare of light appeared ahead. The fire manipulator had apparently reached the same conclusion, thrusting both hands forward and unleashing a wide burst of flame through the smoke. The heat drove the clouds apart, leaving the ground momentarily exposed.
But Nova had already moved.
Instead of running directly into the flames, he had circled toward the man's side as the light began to gather. By the time the fire swept forward, Nova was closing the final distance from an angle the attacker hadn't been watching.
'Too wide, too reckless. Way too predictable.'
The fire manipulator turned sharply, his eyes widening when he saw Nova almost within arm's reach. He tried to pull his hands back and form another attack, but he no longer had enough space to aim properly.
Nova struck low, driving his fist into the outside of the man's leg before hooking a foot behind his ankle. The attacker stumbled, lost his balance, and crashed onto the ground. Air burst from his lungs, and for a moment he was too stunned to move.
Nova followed him down before he could recover. He had spent days pushing his body through exhausting exercises, and the effort finally seemed worthwhile. He wasn't stronger than his opponent's ability, but he had forced the fight into a place where the man couldn't use it easily.
A spark appeared between the fire manipulator's fingers.
"Oh, no you don't."
Nova seized his wrist and shoved it away from his body. The spark sputtered against the dirt and vanished. The man struggled beneath him, trying to pull his arm free, but Nova shifted his weight to keep him pinned.
There was a moment when he might have stopped. The attacker was on the ground, separated from his teammate, and struggling to bring his ability under control. Nova could have stepped back and continued toward the flag.
Instead, the excitement of the fight took hold of him.
His breathing turned uneven, and a broad grin spread across his face. For so long, he had watched others fight for their lives without understanding the feeling behind their desperation. Now his body ached, his knuckles were sore, and he could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. The danger was real. So was the pleasure he took in surviving it.
'This is it. This is the feeling I wanted.'
Nova drove his fist into the man's jaw. The blow snapped his head sideways, and a sharp crack rang out beneath the noise of the arena. The man gasped, but before he could regain his breath, Nova followed with a knee to the stomach.
"Too slow, and too fucking weak," Nova spat.
The fire manipulator tried to twist free. Weak sparks flickered at his fingertips, and Nova stamped his hand against the ground, forcing him to release the forming flame. He followed with another punch, then an elbow that struck the man's nose.
His own hand began to hurt. The skin over his knuckles had split, and every impact sent a fresh sting through his fingers. It wasn't enough to make him stop. If anything, the pain sharpened his awareness of how different this existence had become.
'I can't stop. This feeling... I haven't felt like this for a long time.'
The man thrashed beneath him, caught Nova's leg with a desperate kick, and tried to roll away. Nova grabbed the leg before he could escape and forced it back toward the ground. His boot came down against the man's knee. A sickening crack followed, and the attacker screamed.
Nova stood over him, shoulders rising and falling as he struggled to catch his breath. His face was hot, his hands trembled, and his grin hadn't disappeared. The fire manipulator could barely move now, but Nova's attention remained fixed on him, consumed by the violence and adrenaline rushing through his body.
The scream weakened into a broken groan.
Nova's lip curled into a grin.
"That's better. Now you're quiet."