The Psyconic Legacy (might be changed later)

Chapter 5

We made our way out of Building B, heading toward the next exam site. The air was thick with anticipation—or maybe it was just nerves from the others.

"Where exactly are we supposed to go again?" Sarah asked, looking to me for guidance.

I sighed. "We're going to Arena Delta, the smallest of the arenas here."

"How do you know so much about this place?" Kevaughn asked, narrowing his eyes in mock suspicion.

I rolled my eyes. "It's literally in the guidebook. The same guidebook none of you bothered to read."

"Wait... there was a guidebook?" Sarah and Kevaughn chorused, their voices laced with genuine confusion.

"You've got to be kidding me." I stared at them, deadpan. "You're all ridiculous."

By the time we reached Arena Delta, the small arena was already buzzing with activity. It wasn't massive, but it was big enough—an open area dotted with several raised platforms surrounded by a lush field of grass. Beyond that were the stands, already filled with students eager to watch.

Sitting cross-legged on one of the platforms was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. He stood as we approached, revealing a lean, athletic frame. His light brown skin caught the afternoon sunlight, and his piercing blue eyes scanned the crowd with an assessing gaze. His light brown hair was neatly combed back, and his sharp features were complemented by the simple outfit he wore: a gray turtleneck paired with black slacks and polished shoes. He exuded an air of calm authority that immediately commanded respect.

"Good afternoon, student hopefuls," he began, his voice firm but not unkind. "I am your exam proctor, Xavier White. You will refer to me as Mr. Xavier."

There was a collective hush as everyone listened intently.

"Due to time constraints, I'll make this brief. This test will be a one-on-one mock battle. The rules are simple: there are no restrictions on combat methods, so weapons and kinetic powers are fair game. You win by either forcing your opponent out of the ring or making them forfeit." He paused, his gaze sweeping over us. "However, any attempt to maim or kill your opponent is strictly prohibited. Doing so will result in immediate disqualification, and you will lose the right to attend this institution."

The seriousness in his tone sent a ripple of tension through the group.

"Well, this is going to be fun," Sarah muttered beside me, a hint of a grin tugging at her lips.

"Now then," Mr. Xavier continued, taking out a clipboard. "There are 150 of you, and we'll be using all the platforms in Arena Delta to expedite the process. That means five matches will take place simultaneously."

As he began calling out names, the air buzzed with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

The first batch of students took their places, and the matches began. It didn't take long for disappointment to settle over me and my group.

"It's as if they've never trained a day in their lives," Sarah said, arms crossed as she watched someone flail wildly on Platform 3.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't," I replied, shaking my head.

"And some of them are so cocky," Kevaughn added.

"They're probably from some well-off family," Daniel chimed in.

"Ah, the classic 'my mommy and daddy are rich, so I don't have to try' types," Shaheem said with a scoff.

"Yep," I said with a sigh.

Mr. Xavier looked equally unimpressed, jotting notes on his clipboard as he shook his head. "Unfortunate," he muttered. "Some of them have impressive kinetic powers but lack any real combat training."

The fights boiled down to who sucked the least, with a few victories by sheer luck rather than skill.

By the time my friend Daniel's name was called, the atmosphere had shifted. The earlier matches might've been disappointing, but Daniel was someone who could actually put on a show.

"Finally my turn," he said, cracking his knuckles as he stepped forward.

"Let's just hope your opponent is any good," I teased.

"Don't jinx it," he shot back with a grin.

The tension in the arena was palpable as the next set of matches began. I leaned forward slightly, watching Daniel confidently step onto Platform One. His opponent, Damien Walker, looked steady, his dark green aura flaring with nature manipulation. Daniel, of course, didn't seem fazed. He adjusted his gloves, smirking just enough to seem cocky but not obnoxious.

"This is much better," Kevaughn said, his eyes glued to the platforms.

"Agreed," I added. The first set of fights had been lackluster—a mix of untrained brawls and sloppy execution. At least now, there was a spark of actual competition.

"Let's see if Danny delivers," Shaheem said, arms crossed.

"Please, when does he not?" Sarah shot back.

Mr. Xavier's sharp voice cut through the murmurs. "Begin!"

Damien struck first, vines shooting out of the platform beneath him, snaking toward Daniel with surprising speed. Daniel sidestepped, his movements precise and controlled. With a quick swipe of his hand, he sent a burst of kinetic energy toward the vines, severing them mid-air.

Damien didn't hesitate, summoning more vines to surround Daniel, attempting to trap him in a rapidly growing cage. Daniel chuckled, his hands glowing with a faint blue light. With a swift motion, he unleashed a kinetic shockwave, blowing the vines apart and forcing Damien to stagger back.

"He's playing with him," Shaheem muttered.

"No kidding," Sarah replied, shaking her head.

Daniel finally moved in, closing the gap between himself and Damien. Instead of overwhelming his opponent outright, he engaged him in hand-to-hand combat. Damien tried to create distance, conjuring a wooden staff to block Daniel's strikes, but Daniel was relentless. His blows were precise, aimed at disarming Damien rather than injuring him.

When Damien faltered, Daniel delivered a final, controlled kinetic push that sent him skidding off the platform. The match was over, but Daniel had made sure to give his opponent a fighting chance—a small sign of respect.On Platform Two, Darrell Parker faced off against Diana Wright. Chi manipulation versus psychokinesis—it was a battle of energy and mind. The two combatants started cautiously, circling each other before Darrell lunged forward with a glowing fist. Diana raised a psychic barrier just in time, the impact sending ripples across the air.

"Interesting match," I said, intrigued by their dynamic.

Darrell was unrelenting, his strikes aimed at breaking through Diana's defenses. Each punch and kick radiated raw chi, forcing Diana to stay on the defensive. But Diana wasn't a pushover—she retaliated with sharp psychic blasts, trying to keep Darrell at bay. One particularly strong blast sent him sliding back, but he recovered quickly, his stance unwavering.

The fight grew more intense as Darrell closed the gap, landing a solid chi-infused punch that shattered Diana's barrier. She stumbled but managed to regain her footing, throwing him off-balance with a telekinetic shove. Their battle ended in a near draw, with Darrell narrowly pushing Diana off the platform after an intense exchange of blows.Platform Four was where Eve Pastel shone. Her opponent, Evan Miller, was a solid fighter with metal manipulation, but Eve's control over inertia gave her the upper hand.

"Begin!" Mr. Xavier called.

Evan wasted no time, summoning a flurry of sharp metal shards to rain down on Eve. She moved gracefully, her body seeming to glide as she altered her momentum to dodge each attack. With a flick of her wrist, she sent Evan's shards flying back toward him, forcing him to raise a metallic shield.

"She's not just good—she's efficient," I noted, impressed by how seamlessly Eve combined offense and defense.

Eve kept the pressure on, darting around the platform at impossible speeds. Every time Evan tried to land a hit, she adjusted her momentum, either evading or countering. She finally ended the match by disrupting Evan's balance with a well-timed shift in inertia, sending him tumbling off the platform.The remaining fights were a mix of decent and subpar performances. Dick and Ethan's battle was a strange clash of bone manipulation and plasma, ending in a draw when neither could gain the upper hand. Edith Kaiser's ice manipulation showed promise but lacked the precision needed to outmatch her opponent's thread manipulation.

"Better than the first batch, but still uneven," Kevaughn said, echoing my thoughts.

"At least they're trying," Sarah added.As Daniel returned to our group, I smirked. "Good work, Danny."

"Did you doubt me?" he asked, feigning offense.

"Never," I replied with a grin.

Mr. Xavier looked pleased for the first time, jotting notes onto his clipboard. "Impressive indeed," he muttered, his eyes scanning the platforms.

While not every match was stellar, this set had rekindled the energy in the arena. I couldn't help but feel excited for the next round, wondering how our group would fare when it was our turn.

Chapter 5: End