Up in the mentor’s booth, the atmosphere shifted.
Whispers.
Tension.
Anticipation.
Beatriz crossed her arms, her voice steady but curious.
“So… who do you think wins the next round?”
Her eyes drifted down to the arena where Cain and Kael stood.
“The Savant of the Infantry…”
She tilted her head.
“Or the Prodigy of the Academy?”
Connor, wrapped in bandages, neck brace tight, arm sling secured, grunted from his seat.
“Hard to say.” He winced as he adjusted.
“They both have two spirit creatures. And I’ve seen Cain on the frontlines.”
His gaze focused, remembering.
“That man was fighting Abberants since he was ten.”
Aoi, her right hand in a cast, sat in her wheelchair nearby.
Her usual calm expression held a glint of respect.
“On the other hand,” she murmured,
“We have Kael.”
Even saying his name carried weight.
“He defeated an evolving beast-type Abberant single-handedly.”
She gave a dry, almost amused smile.
“And survived.”
Min-Jae, covered in fresh bandages, propped up against the wall, let out a low chuckle.
“Yeah… who knows.”
His eyes drifted towards the gate of the hunting ground.
“It’s a battle between a savant… and a prodigy.”
The crowd fell into a hush as all their gazes slowly converged—
toward Cain, standing composed and unreadable…
…and Kael, whose calm exterior hid the storm of overwhelming potential beneath.
As Cain and Kael approached the gate of the hunting ground, no announcement was necessary. The cadets collectively held their breath, the air thick with the raw, oppressive Spirit Energy radiating from both of them. Every pulse of their auras seemed to vibrate through the ground beneath the spectators’ feet.
Kael faced Cain, calm yet focused. The mentor’s piercing gaze met his own.
“Which terrain would you like to fight on?” Cain asked, his tone measured, almost teasing.
“Anywhere is fine,” Kael replied, his voice steady.
Cain’s smirk deepened. “Then the plains it is.”
A sharp chime echoed in Kael’s mind.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
?? DUEL PROTOCOL: MENTOR vs. MENTEE ??
A formal duel challenge has been initiated between:
Cain Smith — Mentor, Elite Trainee
Kael Santos — Mentee, Rising Spirit User
DUEL CLASSIFICATION:
Type: Supervised Mentor Combat Trial
Arena: Hunting Ground
Purpose: Assess growth, discipline, and Spirit synergy
STAKES:
If Kael Performs Exceedingly Well:
- Technique Evaluation Boost
- Increased Training Priority
- Mentor-Endorsed Advancement Eligibility
- Instant level up
If Kael Fails to Meet Standard:
- Mandatory Retraining
- Suspension from Advanced Combat Groups
[DUEL READY?]
? BEGIN | ? DELAY
Kael selected BEGIN.
[SYSTEM CONFIRMATION]
? DUEL ACCEPTED — MENTOR vs. MENTEE
Both Cain Smith and Kael Santos have officially agreed to the combat trial.
Kael drew Kylon’s spirit card and shouted, “Spirit Drive!”
Light exploded across his body as he donned his Light-Type armor, intricate salamander patterns pulsing across its plates. His retractable light claw gauntlets ignited, blue energy flashing along their edges, sharp and radiant.
Cain didn’t flinch. He drew not one, but two spirit cards, and with a deep inhale shouted, “Spirit Overdrive!”
A violent surge of power erupted. A chime sounded in Kael’s mind.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
?? WARNING: SPIRIT ENERGY SPIKE DETECTED ??
An overwhelming surge of Spirit Energy is erupting from Cain Smith.
His aura expands violently, shaking the surrounding space as his Spirit Core ignites to full output.
A blinding burst of brown and light green light flared from Cain. When it dispersed, he was clad in dual armor. On his left, armor of deep brown with a scorpion motif and silver highlights. On his right, shimmering light green armor with a mantis shrimp motif and gold highlights. Blades extended from each gauntlet, the left matching the scorpion, the right mirroring the mantis shrimp. Each hand held a matching gauntlet blade, sharp and glowing, left mirroring the scorpion’s deadly precision, right the mantis shrimp’s explosive, lightning-fast strike.
The cadets and mentors gaped, stunned beyond belief.
they had never witnessed a Spirit Drive like this, dual manifestation, two creature motifs combined in one form.
Kael, however, remained calm. He had anticipated this moment.
With measured steps, both combatants entered the hunting ground, their Spirit Energy crackling across the plains. The duel had begun.
The moment Cain and Kael stepped through the gate, their figures blurred, and in an instant, they were already in the plains.
To the cadets watching the monitors, it looked like teleportation.
To the two inside, it was just speed, raw, honed, monstrous speed.
Wind whipped across the tall grass as both assumed their fighting stances.
Kael moved first.
His body flickered—
light folding around him—
FLASH STRIKE.
He vanished.
Then—
FWOOOM!
—reappeared right in front of Cain, claws ready to carve.
But Cain did not even look surprised.
His dual-enhanced senses—
scorpion precision, mantis shrimp reaction time—
caught Kael’s movement instantly.
Cain tilted his head—
the attack missed by a hair.
Then—
SHIIINK!
Cain countered with a scything slash of his gauntlet blade.
Kael blocked—
but the force behind the strike hammered down like a collapsing mountain.
CRACK—!
The ground cratered beneath him.
Kael’s knee hit the dirt.
His arms trembled from the pressure.
Cain’s casual slash carried enough power to level terrain.
Inside Kael’s mind, Kylon spoke calmly:
“Holder, stand tall.
Use Holy Ray, from a distance.”
Kael gritted his teeth.
“Got it.”
He vanished again—
“FLASH STRIKE!”
escaping Cain’s range in a burst of blue light.
Sliding across the earth, Kael planted his feet.
He raised both hands forward, palms open.
Spirit energy spiraled between them, condensing into searing radiance.
“HOLY RAY!!!”
The air hummed—
then detonated into a lance of brilliant blue light that ripped across the plains toward Cain.
The blast illuminated everything—grass bending, dust fleeing, ground cracking.
But Cain?
Cain didn’t budge.
He stepped forward—
calm, unshaken—
and with a simple cross-slash of his gauntlet blades—
CLANG, WHOOOM!
He deflected the entire attack, scattering the beam into exploding particles of light.
Not a scratch.
Not a stumble.
Not even heat on his armor.
Cain lowered his blades, eyes sharp.
“Good.
But you’ll need far more than that…
Kael.”
Kael’s breath tightened.
Nothing landed.
Not a slash.
Not a ray.
Not even a feint.
Cain read every move.
Kael clenched his fists.
Fine… then he’d change the battlefield.
He released Kylon’s Spirit Drive, light cracking off his armor as it dissolved.
His hand shot to his belt.
He pulled out Kawa’s spirit card.
Held it tight.
And shouted—
“SPIRIT DRIVE!”
A pillar of fire erupted from him—
violent, roaring, alive.
The flames swirled upward like a vortex, feathers of molten ember spiraling around him.
When the inferno vanished—
Kael emerged in burning red armor, its plumes glowing like smoldering wings.
His greatsword shimmered red-hot, trembling with caged combustion.
A living furnace.
He inhaled—
then ignited.
“Burning Blade.”
FWOOOM.
His sword exploded into flame, its edge dissolving into a whip of molten fire, crackling and lashing with crimson sparks.
Kael swung.
SWWWIIIIIISH—!
The flaming blade-whip snapped through the air, streaking toward Cain like a comet tail.
But Cain simply lowered his stance.
And with a quiet exhale, he drew back his right fist.
“Too predictable,” he murmured.
BAM!!!
He punched the ground.
The earth shattered—
splitting open like broken glass—
hurling jagged boulders into the air in a spiral eruption.
The stone fragments collided with Kael’s burning whip, diverting and breaking its form apart mid-flight.
Kael’s eyes widened.
Cain smirked.
“My turn.”
He vanished.
No sound.
No flash.
Just disappearance.
Then—
WHOOOSH—!
Cain appeared in front of Kael with terrifying immediacy.
Before Kael could lift his guard, Cain’s arm shot forward, grabbing him by the chest plate.
Kael felt the world tilt.
Then—
THOOOOM!!!
Cain hurled him like a projectile.
Kael’s body cut through the plains, ripping a trench through the dirt before slamming into the rock face at the foot of a mountain.
Stone cracked—
dust exploded—
Kael’s flame armor flickered from the impact.
Inside the crater he’d made, Kael coughed, flames curling from his armor vents.
Cain stood across the field, lowering his arm casually.
“Get up, Kael,” he called, voice steady, almost bored.
“You’re not done yet.”
Kawa’s voice cut through the ringing in Kael’s skull.
“Get up holder. Use your strongest move… now.”
Kael forced his eyes open. His vision shook, but resolve burned hotter than the pain. He planted his trembling feet into the cracked earth and raised his sword. Heat rushed from every corner of his armor, siphoning into the blade, no, into a single point at its tip.
A blinding sphere swelled into existence.
A miniature sun, thrumming with barely-contained destruction.
Cain only smirked, lowering his stance.
“Good… show me everything you’ve got.”
With a roar that tore at his throat, Kael hurled the unstable star.
“RAGING SUN!”
The miniature sun tore across the plains, melting stone and grass into glowing sludge. Cain stepped forward, unfazed. The sphere collided with his palms—
—and detonated.
The land convulsed. A hollow boom swallowed the world. Kael collapsed to one knee, vision blurring into white noise.
Then:
[SYSTEM WARNING]
?? SPIRIT ENERGY CRITICAL ??
Kael Santos, your Spirit Energy has dropped to dangerously low levels.
CURRENT SPIRIT ENERGY:
9 / 420 — CRITICAL
Kael fell to the scorched ground, consciousness slipping… but a shadow loomed over him.
Cain. Barely burned. Still standing.
Kael’s armor broke apart into fading embers.
Kawa’s spirit card slid into his open palm on its own.
Kylon’s followed, gently touching his skin.
Their voices entered his mind, firm, unwavering.
“Holder… stand.”
“Have hope.”
“Have resolve.”
Then the next chime hit like a thunderclap.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
?? EMERGENCY SPIRIT-ENERGY PROTOCOL ACTIVATED ??
Unstable energy levels detected.
Initiating automatic countermeasure scan…
?? SCANNING TARGET: CAIN SMITH
? Spirit Technique: Spirit Overdrive
? Stability: Hazardous
? Compatibility with User: Kael Santos — ?? Compatible
?? COPYING TECHNIQUE…
Spirit Overdrive — Replication SUCCESS
Integration Difficulty: HIGH
Adaptation Level: 72% → 100% (Forced Stability)
? SPIRIT OVERDRIVE INITIATED ?
Kael’s eyes snapped open.
Power surged, blue light from Kylon, incandescent flames from Kawa, spiraling around him, fusing, clashing, harmonizing into a single overwhelming surge. The ground cratered beneath his feet as he rose.
He lifted both spirit cards high and shouted with everything he had left:
“SPIRIT OVERDRIVE!”
A pillar of burning blue erupted upward.
Cain watched, a satisfied grin forming.
“I knew you’d finally reach it.”
Outside the Hunting Ground
The mentors stared at the monitor in stunned silence.
Beatriz froze mid-sentence.
Min-Jae stood up in disbelief.
Nikolai nearly dropped his drink.
Aoi covered her mouth.
Connor muttered, “No way… again?”
They were witnessing the impossible, Spirit Overdrive not once, but twice.
Natalia’s eyes overflowed with relief.
Serafina and Takeshi shouted in excitement.
Kyle slammed his hands on the railing.
Anya raised a fist, her voice shaking with joy.
“COME ON, KAEL, FINISH THIS!”