Meanwhile, elsewhere in the training field, another battle was about to begin.
The group assigned to Lightning Awakening gathered near their platforms, faint electricity crackling around their bodies. Among them stood Felix, his usual grin faint but unmistakable as red lightning flickered across his arms.
Unlike the others, Felix belonged to an Original Bloodline. That alone set him apart.
The other students were confident, but even they kept a careful distance. Everyone knew what lightning clashes could turn into.
At the front of the platform stood Aria Veyne, a sleek tablet resting in her hand.
"Before we begin," she said, "the platforms will adjust air pressure and reaction time. Remember, lightning is affected by air resistance. Adapt accordingly."
A few students exchanged uneasy glances.
Aria's eyes flicked across the roster. "First match. Thomas Dream versus Felix Blaze."
The crowd buzzed immediately.
"Thomas Dream? He's level seven."
"That Blaze guy is level seven plus. You saw what he did in Elemental Class."
"Guess we'll see whose lightning is stronger."
Aria shot them a sharp look. Silence followed.
Felix stepped forward, red lightning crawling across his skin. "Two lightning users," he said lightly. "Let's see who the storm likes more."
Thomas rolled his shoulders, blue lightning trailing up his arms. "The Blaze bloodline," he said calmly. "I've heard the rumors."
Felix's grin widened. "Then let's make them true."
"Begin," Aria said.
Felix moved instantly. Red lightning tore across the platform as he surged forward, releasing a blazing arc.
Thomas reacted just as fast, sidestepping and countering with a strike of blue lightning.
Felix raised his hand, forming a crackling wall of red energy that absorbed the attack before shattering into sparks.
"Not bad," Felix said. "Still not enough."
Their lightning collided midair as their fists met. Red and blue sparks exploded outward, the impact echoing through the arena.
Felix shifted, redirected Thomas's punch, then drove his own toward his ribs. Thomas barely leapt back, sliding across the platform.
"Close," Thomas muttered.
A sudden crash thundered across the training field.
Even the lightning around them flickered.
Everyone turned.
A massive chunk of floating debris slammed into the ground below, dust erupting into the air.
"Just stay still!" Saren shouted, his whip swinging wildly.
Raze leapt from one floating fragment to another, sweat soaking through his uniform, his breathing ragged.
'I can't keep this up,' Raze thought. 'Even going all out, gravity users are a nightmare.'
Each jump felt heavier. Slower.
His muscles burned. His half-ling body screamed at him to use Piercing Slash, but his mind refused.
'Not now,' Raze thought. 'If I use it, I won't be able to explain it.'
Humans could only awaken once. Everyone knew that. Regeneration could be dismissed as a late-blooming awakening, but an offensive skill on top of it would raise questions he wasn't ready to answer.
"What's wrong?" Saren taunted. "Your regeneration's slowing down, isn't it?"
Raze felt it. His stamina was collapsing. Every movement drained him faster than before.
Then the system flashed.
[Your hunger grows.]
[Your hunger grows.]
[Regeneration has been paused.]
[For the next hour, you will lose -2 HP until you consume a living creature's flesh.]
Raze's chest tightened.
He opened his status screen mid-dodge, narrowly avoiding another strike.
[HP: 41 / 100]
'One more clean hit and I'm done,' Raze thought. 'Why isn't the instructor stopping this?'
Saren snarled and clenched his fist. Gravity pulsed violently around him. He launched forward, moving faster than before.
Raze barely had time to react.
Saren's hand clamped onto his head and slammed him into the last remaining platform.
[-25 HP]
[16 / 100 HP]
Raze's vision blurred. The world spun.
Saren leaned close, sneering. "How does it feel to be beneath me, weak level one?"
Raze struggled to breathe.
"Can't believe I had to go all out against worthless trash like you."
The words cut deeper than the pain.
'I can't let him end it like this,' Raze thought. 'The system wouldn't offer an instant level up for nothing.'
Something snapped.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears. The pain dulled, replaced by something darker. Hungrier.
His half-ling instincts surged forward, drowning out exhaustion.
Saren smirked. "Pathetic."
Raze's hand shot up and clamped around Saren's throat.
The grip was too strong. Too sudden.
Saren's eyes widened. "W-what—"
Raze didn't answer.
His instincts took over.
His fist drove into Saren's gut. Once. Twice. Again. Each strike landed with brutal force, the air ripped from Saren's lungs.
"Raze! Stop!" someone shouted, but the sound never reached him.
After the final blow, Saren went limp in his grasp.
Raze stood, breathing hard, veins pulsing violently as he looked down at him.
Then he kicked.
Saren's body flew off the platform, crashing onto a lower fragment before rolling to a stop.
Raze remained standing, blood and sweat dripping from his face.
'What… was that?' Raze thought. 'That wasn't me.'
The system chimed softly.
[Quest Completed: Defeat Your Opponent]
[Level Up]
Below, the training field was silent.
Even Ray stood frozen for a moment before muttering, "What… was that?"