As the school day began, a notification on their watches signaled it was time to head to homeroom. Adam, Shawn, Tyler, Max, and Elizabeth made their way down the hallway, scanning for their classroom. After a brief search, Tyler spotted the door. "There it is—Class 5," he said, pointing toward a room down the hall. They entered and were surprised by how many students were already there. The five friends quickly settled into the back of the classroom, taking their seats just as the bell rang.
The class began, and as the group discussed their plans to join the Elemental Class, the topic quickly turned to their abilities. Elizabeth raised a hand, her usual cautious tone taking over. "So… Elemental Class, huh? I know I'm excited about learning to control ice, but what about you guys?" She glanced around at the others. "Are you sure we should all go for it?"
Max, who had been quiet up until now, leaned forward. "What do you mean? You've got ice abilities. It's pretty obvious you should join." He grinned. "Besides, I'm pumped to see what kind of moves you'll be pulling."
"Yeah, but it's more than just controlling your power," Elizabeth countered. "I mean, what if we can't control it right away? Or if it's too much to handle?" She shrugged, looking down at her hands. "What if I freeze everything by accident?"
Shawn, always the optimist, laughed. "Come on, Liz, you've got this. Besides, think about it—Elemental Class isn't just about controlling your powers. It's about learning how to use them in a way that helps people. You know, like when we get stuck in a jam and need to protect each other. You can freeze the bad guys, I can use my metal, Max can zap them with plasma... and Tyler can blind them with light!" He punched Tyler playfully in the arm.
"Hey, I'm down for anything that involves shooting beams of light at people," Tyler said, smirking. "Honestly, Elemental Class sounds awesome. I mean, it's not like I have anything else to do with my free time besides hanging out with you losers."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, alright. I'm in. But Adam," she turned toward him, her brow furrowed, "what about you? You don't have an elemental ability. Are you sure you want to take this class?"
Adam, who had been silent through the conversation, leaned back in his chair with a grin. "I do have an ability," he said, voice light but confident. He flicked his wrist, and small flames flickered to life on his fingertips, casting a warm glow in the dim room. "I've got fire."
Max leaned over to Adam, his eyes wide. "Wait, you've got flames? Since when?"
"Since forever," Adam said with a shrug, extinguishing the flames with a snap of his fingers. "It's not exactly an elemental power like yours, but it works. I can control it now, thanks to some training."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but still cautious. "Okay, okay, but… you never showed us your flames before. Why hide it?"
Adam's smile turned sly. "Not hiding it, just waiting for the right time. I've been working on control. Besides, I didn't want to make things too... fiery around here."
Max chuckled. "Well, now that it's out in the open, I think we can all agree—your flames could come in handy. Especially in Elemental Class."
"Yeah, the fire could totally give us the edge," Shawn added, leaning in. "You can use it to defend, attack, or light things up when we need it. It's not just about controlling elements. It's about using your ability to help each other."
Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head but smiling. "Alright, alright. But Adam, are you sure you're not going to roast everything around you?"
"Only if necessary," Adam replied, his tone teasing. "But I'll try not to burn down the school."
Max pulled out his phone, texting his brother about some of the upcoming training sessions. "You know, maybe I should hit up Lucas for some extra tips on controlling power. Adam, we can work on flame control together. If you're gonna be part of this, let's make sure you know what you're doing with that fire."
Adam nodded, a confident grin spreading across his face. "I'm in. Let's make it happen."
Shawn clapped his hands together, breaking the brief silence. "Alright, looks like we're all in. Elemental Class, here we come!"
As the class ended, the group walked out of the room and toward the hallway. Tyler caught a glance at a bulletin board near the door and pointed. "Hey, the military fighting competition is coming up," he said, his voice suddenly full of excitement. "Anyone interested?"
Adam's pulse quickened at the mention of it. "That sounds like exactly what I need. I'm signing up!"
The friends exchanged curious looks, then all nodded in agreement. After all, it was a chance to test their abilities in a real, high-stakes situation.
Later that day, as they made their way through the halls, Shawn suggested something that piqued Adam's interest. "Hey, Adam, have you tried out the VR game Ability War yet? My brother helped design it."
Adam's eyes lit up. "That sounds amazing! Let's do it after school," he said, his excitement palpable.
The group made their way through the day, discussing their upcoming classes. The teacher had rattled off the details of the classes: Martial Arts for self-defense, Demon Weapons Class for fighting with powerful demonic tools, Elemental Class to control the elements, and Block Block to sharpen their defensive reflexes. It all sounded like the start of an exciting year.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. The friends, full of energy, gathered their things and headed out. As they passed a bulletin board, Adam stopped in his tracks. "What's this?" he asked, walking over to the board where a few students were reading the latest announcements.
"The military fighting competition," one student explained. "It's open to anyone with an ability. The winner gets chosen by one of the big families."
Adam's pulse quickened. "That sounds like exactly what I need. I'm signing up!" he declared, the competitive fire in him igniting.
Back at the dorms, Adam approached Shawn with an idea. "Hey, Shawn, you think you could help me figure out how to play Ability War? Maybe even show me the ropes?"
"Follow me," Shawn grinned, leading the way.
The VR pods were a favorite among students, and Adam had heard nothing but good things about the game. He was eager to dive in and start training. When they reached the VR station, Adam noticed that all the pods were full, but he wasn't about to give up so easily.
Shawn explained the basics of the game as they waited. "You create an avatar, so no one knows it's really you. Then, you pick your ability and any demon gear you have. You can store your gear in the box next to the pod. The goal of the game is to fight in military-style combat to improve your skills."
Adam was eager to jump into the action. "So, do I get to choose the difficulty of my opponents?" he asked.
"Yep. You can pick opponents from level 1 all the way to level 8, so you can challenge yourself however you want," Shawn explained.
Adam's curiosity grew. "What happens if I lose?"
"If you lose, you lose points. But if you win, you get points," Shawn said. "It's all about improving through challenges."
The moment arrived. Adam and Shawn slipped into their VR pods, strapping on their gear. As the virtual world enveloped him, Adam created a new account under the name "The Unkillable." He felt the world around him shift, and when he opened his eyes, he was standing in a bustling virtual arena, the air thick with tension.
His first opponent, a brash fighter named Brandon, sized him up. "You look small for a level 5," he sneered, his stance aggressive.
Adam smiled, his hands relaxed at his sides. "Actually, I'm level 1," he corrected him, trying to suppress the nervousness bubbling up in his chest.
Brandon laughed, a cruel sound that echoed in the arena. "Doesn't matter. I'll wipe the floor with you." With that, he charged forward, throwing a punch at Adam's face.
Adam didn't even flinch. As Brandon's fist drew close, Adam's body flickered, becoming intangible. The punch passed straight through him, and as Brandon stumbled forward, confused, Adam raised his hand and summoned blue flames that ignited the air around him. The flames danced across his fingers like a wild spirit.
Before Brandon could react, Adam conjured a series of flame arrows and sent them flying at his opponent. Each arrow struck with pinpoint precision, and Brandon gasped, retreating. "What ability is that? How are you not getting hit?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
Adam's smirk widened. "Not if you can't touch me." With that, he summoned more flame arrows, launching them into the air, and watched them strike Brandon down one by one.
"Game over. 'The Unkillable' is the winner," the voice boomed, and Adam's heart raced in triumph.
Shawn appeared beside him, grinning. "Nice! You really are unkillable."
Adam nodded, pumped up by his victory. But this was just the beginning. He wanted to push his limits.
As the matches continued, Adam breezed through level after level. His control over the flames grew stronger, and his confidence soared. But the real challenge came when he was matched with a player wearing a cat costume, a challenge Adam had never encountered before.
The cat-costumed fighter came at him with incredible speed, his sharp blade glinting in the virtual light. Adam barely managed to block the initial attack, the force of the strike pushing him back. The blow left a mark on his virtual body—this was the first time he'd taken damage.
"I can't believe you're still standing," the cat-costumed player taunted, his voice filled with pride.
Adam gritted his teeth, feeling the sting of the injury. "You better believe it," he muttered under his breath.
The fighter was fast, weaving through the air as he attacked again, this time with more precision. Adam managed to dodge, but the cat-costumed fighter was relentless. Using his demon weapon, he summoned a flurry of sharp, earth-based thorns that tore through the air toward Adam.
Adam's wings flared behind him, a burst of fiery energy protecting him from the barrage of thorns. He retaliated by summoning bolts of lightning and shooting them toward his opponent.
Adam's lightning bolts streaked through the air, crackling with intensity. The cat-costumed fighter darted sideways, narrowly avoiding the electrifying barrage. His grin widened as he flipped into the air, his blade gleaming with deadly precision.
"You're faster than I thought," Adam muttered, trying to keep up with the rapid movements of his opponent. The cat fighter seemed to move in bursts of speed, each attack coming with calculated fury. The barrage of thorny projectiles earlier had only been a warm-up.
With a quick motion, Adam summoned a shield of blue flames around him, protecting himself from the next wave of attacks. But the fighter wasn't backing off. Instead, he leaped high, twisting in the air like a whirlwind, his sword slicing through the air toward Adam's head.
"You're slow!" the cat-costumed fighter taunted, landing behind Adam with a flourish. He was already on the offensive again, launching a series of high-speed slashes that Adam barely had time to react to.
Adam's heart raced, and for the first time in the fight, he felt himself struggling to keep up. This wasn't just some random player; this guy was a real challenge. His blade cut through the air with such speed that even Adam's flames struggled to keep up.
"You're good," Adam admitted, his voice strained.