Chapter 7: Awakening of the Trash King
The arena had fallen silent. Even the excited crowd could sense that something extraordinary was unfolding. The Sealed Guardian hovered above, shrouded in black flames that twisted like living shadows. Its eyes glowed crimson, scanning the arena with an unnerving intelligence.
"This isn't part of the tournament…" whispered Kael, kneeling on one knee to catch his breath. "It's… something else entirely."
Arin's eyes narrowed. He tightened his grip on the legendary shard, feeling the latent power thrumming beneath his fingers. Every scrap of metal, every piece of broken wood, every shard orbiting him seemed to respond to the Guardian's presence.
So this is real power… something beyond classes, he thought. Time to see what a Trash King can do.
The Guardian's Challenge
The Sealed Guardian descended, and the ground cracked under its weight. Its three arms—one armored, one clawed, one ethereal—swept in a single motion, sending a shockwave that shattered part of the arena.
Students screamed and ducked for cover. Arin stood firm. Instead of running, he began to scavenge the debris from the shockwave, twisting the fragments into a swirling ring around him.
A voice resonated in his mind:
"Legendary scraps awaken. Passive power surges. Adapt… evolve… dominate."
The shards began to merge and shift, forming new weapons and armor. Broken shields morphed into blades, shattered stones became projectiles, and tiny shards formed sharp, spinning drones that hovered around him, responding to his thoughts.
First Strike
The Guardian swung its massive claw, and the spinning shards intercepted it midair. Sparks flew as metal collided with shadowy energy. Arin smiled.
"You're strong… but I've learned a thing or two from trash," he muttered. With a flick of his wrist, the shards formed a massive, revolving wall, trapping the Guardian's claw. He then redirected the energy back at the Guardian, cracking its armor.
The Guardian roared—a deep, chilling sound that shook the entire city—and retaliated with a blast of dark energy. Arin instinctively scattered the shards, each absorbing part of the attack and converting it into kinetic force for a counterstrike.
Unlocking True Potential
As the battle continued, Arin realized something extraordinary: his legendary shard wasn't just a weapon—it was a teacher. Every attack the Guardian threw, every obstacle, every scrap he scavenged, made the shard pulse and evolve.
The shard whispered in his mind:
"You are no longer a mere scavenger. You are a master of potential. Awaken your class fully… Trash King, rise."
A golden aura erupted around him. Shards multiplied and took on semi-conscious forms, striking autonomously, defending him, and attacking with perfect precision. Every item in the arena became an extension of his will.
Arin laughed, exhilarated. "Now we're playing at my level."
The First Victory
With a calculated strike, Arin flung shards that pierced the Guardian's defenses. It staggered, howling, unable to adapt to the unpredictable nature of his attacks. One final swing of a shard-turned-lance shattered its ethereal arm, and the Guardian crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact.
The arena shook. Dust and debris filled the air. When it cleared, Arin stood tall, shards orbiting him like a halo of shining, deadly metal. The crowd was silent—awed and terrified.
Kael approached slowly, a newfound respect in his eyes. "You… you're not human anymore," he said quietly.
Arin smiled faintly, looking at the shards. "I've just started. There's so much more potential. The world doesn't even know what's coming."
Above the arena, the elders of the Council exchanged worried glances. "He's surpassed even what we feared," said one. "If he continues to grow… he might control the scraps themselves. He could reshape the world."
Aftermath and Foreshadowing
As the dust settled, Arin gathered the fragments of the Sealed Guardian. Among them was another legendary scrap, glowing faintly, waiting to be unlocked. The shards hummed in anticipation, as if recognizing their new master.
For the first time, Arin realized: his journey wasn't just about beating the academy or rivals. It was about mastering a power that could change the very balance of the world.
He looked toward the horizon, shards spinning around him. The Trash King has begun… and nothing will stop me.