The sun rose with a pool of crimson and gold spilling light covering the trial grounds with its majestic light. It was day two of hero society trials and the grounds were filled with what was left of the candidates. Some candidates were happy and proud some still nervous and could barely hold in their anxiety and for good reasons. They had passed but what was to come was still a mystery to all. The announcer stood above the grounds "You are the chosen few who were able to pass phase 2 of the trials that means you're only a few steps from becoming official members."Kaito interfered stopping the announcer's speech midpoint "Hey you! How much more of these ridiculous test I we going to do?"Announcer with a calm and low voice. "Don't worry you're already half way there just two more test and it's official.""Just a few more test and I get to find out what Esther and I truly are." Blessing wondered."Now then without further are do let us begin." The announcer declared.A dark smoke began to arise in the grounds covering every single candidate just like the day before but this time when the smoke vanished Blessing was not alone. Blessing found himself in a terrain stretched like a broken memory, cracked roads lined with hollowed out buildings, their skeletons groaning under the weight of silence. Shattered glass crunched beneath each step, and twisted rebar jutted from the rubble like rusted claws. With each shift of weight, the ground trembled, unstable, like the whole city could collapse with one wrong step. Candidates were put into groups of three candidates. Blessing found himself paired with Naoki and a calm girl with cherry red eyes and long blonde hair named Yuki Asagiri who could manipulate plants. "We were sent to the same location does that mean we have to fight each other." Yuki wondered."I hope you guys are ready cause I'm about to kick you're butts." Naoki shouted."A three men battle royal, that's crazy." Said Blessing."That's right you better be afraid." Naoki thought to himself with a grin. Yuki eyes narrow. "No it can't be a battle at least between us, Look at that."The trio turned to see a glowing orb that was in cage of pure glass."Yes you are right miss Asagiri in this stage all three of you are to protect that orb from the other groups while trying to destroy theirs, if successful that means you pass the third trial." The announcer's voice echoed.Blessing looked at the others with a sign of annoyance in his voice "Protect our orb and destroy the enemy's orb looks like this test is all about who strikes hard and defends even harder this is gonna be a hustle.""Hustle? Of course! That's exactly what someone like me does best. Guard the weak, crush the threat and still make it look easy. Child's play." Naoki shouted. Yuki frowned as she eyed Naoki "I like your optimism but a task like that is more difficult than it seems."Blessing nodded slowly "Yeah you're right we can't just go marching to the enemy's territory and we can't stay here either. We need a plan." "I might be able to come up with something but first I need to know your abilities." declared Yuki with a determined look in her eye.Meanwhile Kaito ended up with Mira and Zane who argued heatedly. Zane a brutal hand to hand combat fighter, smirked confidently. "I've got more experience if you all just listen to me everything will go smoothly.Kaito met his gaze coolly and unfazed "Under different conditions that would be a great idea."Zane raised an eyebrow amused "And what conditions are those? Enlighten me."Kaito's voice dropped sharp and cold. "Ones where you weren't so weak."Zane's smirk twisted into a scowl. "What did you just say?" Kaito stepped forward, eyes like ice. "I thought I was clear. You're weak not just in skill, but in judgment. Honestly someone like you doesn't deserve to speak up let alone lead."Before the tension could snap, Mira quickly stepped between them, her hand raised in a calming gesture. "Guys cut it out we're on the same team remember?"But Zane only laughed unfazed. "You think I'm weak? The only person who has the privilege to call me that is my master because I'm second only to him got it?"Kaito's gaze darkened. "Second strongest?" he echoed, crossing his arms. "Is that really what you're bragging about?" A sudden pressure blanketed the atmosphere like a suffocating fog. The air thickened, time itself seemed to pause. "That's like saying you're the tallest kid at a kids table."Kaito said, voice low but biting. "Impressive until a real challenge shows."He took a step closer, locking eyes with Zane. "You hide behind your master's reputation like a scared little brat, hoping some of his greatness rubs off on you, that's pathetic."Mira and Zane froze suddenly filled with fear. "While you were learning to follow orders I was breaking records, while you were admiring power I was becoming it. You think standing behind someone strong makes you strong? No it makes you a spectator."Kaito's words cut deeper with every syllable. "Unlike you I don't spectate I dominate. I've faced monsters that would've left you begging for backup, I've bled, trained and clawed my way to the top and I'm not stopping until the word limit forgets how to apply to me." He stepped back eyes still locked in. "So go ahead play second place, I wasn't born to follow I was born to lead so I'll lead because I don't just fight to win I fight to prove there's no one above me not you not your master and if that bruises your pride then maybe ask your master if he can teach to keep up." Back at Blessing's, the team had just wrapped up their strategy meeting when an enemy burst into the clearing. A blur of lightning. Rei, a boy with lightning manipulation charged forward, electricity sparking wildly as he lunged. Yuki stood her ground, calm and unwavering. She raised a hand, fingers curling. "Entangle" she yelled.Vines erupted from the earth, thorny and alive, wrapping tightly around Rei mid dash. He thrashed sparks flying, but the thorns gripped tighter locking his limps in place.Yuki's eyes narrowed. "Blessing!"A gust of wind tore through the air as Blessing soared above Rei like a phantom. With a forceful cry, he launched a spiraling blast sending Rei flying into a crumbled wall.Ice and fire collided mid battle as Ken, a frost conjurer and Lyra a flame blade fighter engaged. Ice walls shot up, flames rained down and escape paths sealed.Yuki's voice rang clear through the chaos. "Naoki rain chaos, confuse them. Blessing create a wind tunnel we're taking the left path."From the enemy's side, Naoki grinned as he unfurled a glowing paper chain, flicking it like a whip. It ignited midair into a blazing fire. "Catch this, fire girl!" Naoki said laughing.Lyra blocked it the next strike come from behind. Blessing had shifted the wind, redirecting the flaming chain to a loop around and hit Lyra's blind spot.Meanwhile Yuki used her vines to navigate the terrain, pulling the team swiftly through narrow gaps. In the distance, the enemy's glowing orb pulsed.They reached it but were halted. Frost stood in their way as they stood face to face with the last enemy member Ken.Yuki stepped forward, eyes sharp. "You've already lost you just don't know it yet."Roots shot from the ground, tangling around Ken's legs. He froze them instantly creating a barrier. But then Blessing dropped from above like a missile, air swirling violently around him. With a single strike of concentrated force, he shattered the ice guard.Naoki then threw a paper kunai and it turned into ice kunai midway and broke the orb's shield.Yuki commanded one final move "Blessing do it, Naoki back him up."Blessing unleashed a vacuum blast as Naoki followed with a paper spear which turned to lightning and Yuki sent a root spike right into the orbs core making a synced combination of attacks. Then boom the orb shattered."Whoa… we actually did it!" Naoki said as he tried to catch his breath.Blessing smiled widely as he looked at Yuki "Your planning and callouts were flawless."Yuki smirked back "Of cause I'm not here to fight wild I'm here to win."Their celebration was cut short by the announcer who brought them back and everyone from to the grounds "Congrats you have completed phase three of the trial." He said his voice low and calm. "You've all done well today now go home and rest up, you'll need the rest as tomorrow hold the final phase of hero society trials."Wait there not penalizing anyone today." Blessing thought.At that moment everyone began to leave the ground one by one. But to Blessing's surprise he caught the glance of Yuki and Naoki who were standing at the exit point. "You guys did great out there." He told the two. Naoki's eyes widened "Well yeah I'm a pretty great guy after all." Yuki's eyes narrowed as he eyed Naoki. "You know for a kid your age I don't know whether you're dense or just have a huge ego." She muttered as she placed her hand on Naoki's head."So why do you guys want to join hero society?" Blessing asked.Naoki voice rose to a sharp tone. "Huh? I'm a hero and this is hero society." Yuki also added on, her voice low and calm as always "I wanna know everything there is to know in the universe and hero society seems to be a great starting point. What about you Blessing?"Blessing didn't answer immediately he just looked into the evening sky "I… I just wanna get strong enough to protect the only good thing I have left in this reality." Yuki smirked. "That's a pretty noble goal but be careful not knowing about tomorrow the trials were all about combat and nothing else meaning this whole thing is being rushed as if there are desperate, and desperation isn't usually a good thing, but that's just me." Naoki and Blessing both stared at Yuki puzzled but wondering.Were Yuki's words true or not, was hero society truly desperate and for what reason, was currently unknown to Blessing but for this day Blessing went home with another trial ahead of him but this time he wasn't alone for he had found himself companions.
