The arena fell silent as the two fighters took their positions. On one side stood Jayden Smoak, Academy 8's formidable S-Class elemental, his eyes glacial and unblinking. Across from him, Luis Quinn, Academy 1's kinetic specialist, bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, his body a coiled spring ready to unleash.
The platform beneath them glowed to life, and a shimmering energy barrier rose around the perimeter, encasing the fighters in what was essentially a controlled disaster zone.
"They reinforced the barrier after Lucas,'s last match," Kelvin whispered to Noah. "Triple-layered kinetic dampeners with thermal diffusion tech."
Noah's eyes narrowed, studying both fighters' stances. "They'll need it."
The countdown flashed on the screens above the arena. The crowd collectively held its breath.
Three. Two. One.
The platform blazed white, signaling the start.
Neither fighter moved immediately. They circled each other, each step calculated, measuring.
