The scrambler had landed on another Academy Twelve student in the first-year division. Akira Tetsuo, a stocky fighter with a permanent scowl, rolled his shoulders as his name appeared alongside his opponent: Dante Valerio from Academy Three.
In the stands, Sophie settled back in her seat, joined by Kelvin and Lucas who had rushed back after Adrian's medical check.
"Akira's up," Kelvin announced, unwrapping an energy bar. "Think he'll keep our streak going?"
Lucas nodded, eyes fixed on the arena. "He's got the raw power for it. I looked into those representing us. First-gen Impact Reverb is nothing to joke about."
Meanwhile, in the backstage competitor area, Noah leaned against the wall, studying the upcoming fighters' profiles on a monitor. The pulsing blue light illuminated his focused expression. Beside him, Marco Gonzalez—Academy Twelve's representative from Class 1A—stood with arms crossed, his olive skin already radiating a subtle heat that was his signature trait.
