Inside the carriage are Rina, Layla, Sarya, and Amy. "" Rina exclaims, startling the driver. On the roof of the carriage, Akio stands confidently, relishing the view with his new appearance, while Zuzu clings on, tears brimming in his eyes. "" The Driver, visibly anxious, struggles to respond, "" Akio is taken aback, and unaccustomed to the title. "" He then sits down and closes his eyes, only to quickly reopen them and turn to Zuzu, who is still desperately holding on. "" Zuzu's head spins with fear and anxiety, "" Moments later, Zuzu is inside the carriage, pale and trembling, his ears drooping. "" Layla inquires of Amy. ""

  Rina chuckles dismissively, ""

  Layla rests her chin on her hand, pondering. ""

  Rina shrugs nonchalantly, ""

  Suddenly, the carriage halts sharply. Akio leans in from the side, saying, "" Rina grins while Layla lets out a deep sigh.

  Outside, a group of massive wolves stands in their path, with one particularly large wolf stepping forward, its black fur marred by a scar over one eye. "" Rina hops out of the carriage, slamming the door behind her with a confident smirk. "" One of the wolves lunges at Rina in fury, but she swiftly grabs its snout and tosses it aside effortlessly.

  "" The wolf snorts, steam rising from its body. Rina remains unfazed, as the wolf transforms into a man towering over her, sporting a scar across his right eye and slicked-back gray hair.

  "" Sarya, with her hair cascading down, rolls her eyes inside the carriage.

  "" she wonders.

  "" Meanwhile, Akio perches on the carriage's roof, observing Rina and the man. "" The man scoffs, glances at his companions, and nods.

  "" Rina claps her hands in delight and rushes to the carriage, flinging the door open and scanning for a suitable candidate. She turns to Sarya. "", "" Amy shakes her head, "" Rina rolls her eyes, a new idea sparking in her mind. "", "" Frustration wells inside her, but she takes a deep breath to steady herself. "" Rina forces a smile as she pleads with Layla. "" Akio drops down and pokes his head inside. "" Layla looks at him and hands over her sword, still sheathed. "" Akio nods in agreement.

  Rina and Akio approached a man who had another man standing beside him. "" Rina asked, pointing at the man next to Remmy. "" The man beside Remmy stepped forward, looking down at Akio. "" Akio grasped the sword Layla had given him, standing tall and smiling as he extended his hand. "" Remmy flinched and quickly glanced at Rina, who was sipping from a bottle.

  She wiped her mouth and grinned widely. "" He swung at Akio, who effortlessly blocked the strike and countered with a kick that sent the man stumbling back in surprise. "" Akio calmly returned the sword to its sheath, his blue eyes locking onto the man's gaze. He sensed something lurking behind those eyes, but he couldn't quite grasp what it was.

  Akio disappeared, and as the man scanned his surroundings, Akio suddenly reappeared, delivering a kick to his chest. Surprisingly, the man remained unfazed. "" he taunted, seizing Akio's leg and spinning him around before tossing him aside. Rising to his feet, the man rolled up his sleeves. "" Blaze smirked and charged at Akio. As Akio was regaining his footing, Blaze swung at him. Akio managed to leap back just in time, but Blaze pressed his hand against Akio's chest, grinning, and slammed him into a tree. "" As Akio slid down the tree, Blaze quickly gripped Akio's head, still smiling. "" In response, Akio clutched Blaze's arm, causing the sword to clatter to the ground.

  Remmy's eyes grew wide as Blaze shot past him, crashing into the earth with a thunderous boom that made Rina smile. Akio knelt to pull the sword from its sheath, then looked up with a grin. "" In an instant, Akio vanished from his position, while Blaze quickly moved in front of Remmy. Akio reappeared before them, fist raised, and Blaze instinctively lifted his arms, bracing for Akio's mock attack. Akio came down with a kick that broke through Blaze's defense, spinning around to deliver a roundhouse kick to Blaze's side, sending him crashing to the ground.

  Akio hovered above him, declaring, "" He pulled back his fist and brought it down hard onto Blaze's chest, the force of the blow creating a shockwave. Akio jumped back, sliding across the ground as he searched his hip for something. "" He quickly turned to face Blaze, who was right in front of him, and landed a punch to his stomach, lifting him off the ground. "" Blaze seized Akio's arm, yanking him in and delivering punches to his chest and gut. As Akio let go of the sword, Blaze threw him over his shoulder, slamming him into the ground.

  Blaze cracked his knuckles, wiping the blood from his mouth. "" As the dust settled, Akio shook his head and slowly got to his feet, brushing himself off. "" Without warning, Blaze charged at him, unleashing a flurry of punches. Akio effortlessly dodged each one, feeling as if time had slowed, his eyes tracking Blaze's every move. He seized Blaze's fist, black electricity sparking in his eyes. "" Blaze, frustrated, swung his left fist at Akio, who blocked it and retaliated with a powerful right hook to Blaze's jaw, making him stagger. Pressing the advantage, Akio landed a quick punch to Blaze's side, eliciting a grunt of pain. Blaze retaliated with a swing aimed at Akio's head, but Akio ducked and countered with a solid punch to Blaze's gut. Ignoring the pain, Blaze managed to land a hit on Akio's face, halting his assault. Spitting blood to the side, Akio turned to face Blaze, a grin spreading across his face as black electricity crackled around him.

  Rina observes from the sidelines alongside Remmy as Akio swiftly gains the upper hand against Blaze. "" Rina bursts into laughter, rolling on the ground in fits of giggles, "" Suddenly, a calm voice interrupts Rina, sending chills through the entire pack. The scar over Remmy's eye seems to freeze, and she is the only one visibly upset. "" Layla appears before the carriage, her presence causing ice to form on the ground as she walks. "" Rina stands up, irritated by Layla's sudden arrival. Layla chuckles softly, leaving Remmy stunned as he recalls a haunting memory of her, bloodied and clad in light armor, surrounded by fallen wolves, her expression utterly emotionless.

  "" Blaze crashes to the ground beside Remmy, while Akio approaches Layla, carefully avoiding slipping by anchoring his sword into the earth. "" Layla's ice shatters, leaving the surface damp but normal.

  With a resigned sigh, Akio pulls his sword from the ground, only to receive a playful punch from Rina on his arm. ""

  Layla rolls her eyes, "I should have guessed this was all about your... pride." Remmy suddenly kneels, surprising the rest of the pack. Blaze, just regaining his composure, exclaims, "" In response, Remmy grips the back of Blaze's head and forcefully slams it into the ground. "" The other wolves bow before Layla, and Remmy lifts his head to meet her gaze, saying, ""

  "" Akio nodded and hurried off.

  "" Rina and Layla exchanged glances and shrugged. "", "" Rina settled onto a stump while Layla turned away with a sigh. "" Rina, scrunching her face in distaste, stood up. "" Just then, Akio returned with Amy and Zuzu, hiding behind Amy. Remmy noticed Zuzu giving him a frosty glare. "" Akio and Rina looked at each other, puzzled.

  "" "" Remmy got to his feet, brushing off his knees, while Blaze followed suit. Blaze approached Amy and Zuzu. "" Sarya suddenly appeared in front of Blaze, brandishing a sword at his neck, her aura radiating around her. "" Before he could finish, Sarya swiftly kicked Blaze in the face, sending him crashing backward. "" Remmy observed as Blaze hit the ground beside him, unconscious. ""

  "" Remmy looked at the two with disappointment.

  Rina shook her head, ""

  Remmy turned to Rina, "" Rina angrily tossed her bottle aside and marched toward Remmy, her greenish lightning crackling around her.

  "" Sarya intervened, pulling Rina back, while Layla offered an apology, ""

  "" he clarified.

  "But what if he wanted to join us? Or perhaps he dreams of attending an academy, wanting to carve out his path, different from yours, Rem." Remmy frowned in disapproval. "" Layla shrugged, her gaze drifting deeper into the forest. "" Layla slowly turned to face Remmy, her eyes glowing with that same intensity he dreaded, her expression unyielding.

  The entire pack could feel the weight of her gaze. ""

  Remmy clenches his fist, struggling to hold back his emotions. "" Layla and Remmy lock eyes for a brief moment before she bursts into laughter.

  "" The tension in the air dissipates. "" Blaze spat to the side, disregarding her words, and approached Layla with a look of contempt. "" Remmy quickly intervened, "" Layla grinned as a chill radiated from her, her eyes glowing a fierce orange, her blond hair swirling in the icy breeze. The surroundings grew increasingly dark. "" Amy, Oliver, Sarya, Rina, Akio, and the driver looked up to see a massive block of ice blotting out the sun.

  "" Blaze glances around, noticing several icy replicas of herself brandishing their frosty blades at his throat. "" Blood trickles down Blaze's forehead as a tiny ice shard hovers ominously at his brow. "" Layla snaps her fingers, causing her ice attacks to shatter into delicate snowflakes, leaving Blaze retreating in fear.

  "" Layla turns walking away from them, she enters the carriage apologizing to the driver before entering. Everyone stood dumbfounded but Rina dismissed her electricity sighing deeply, "" She laughs as Sarya stares at her shaking hands. "" Akio watches as the snowflakes fall, he touches one and as he does the snowflake changes color to a black snowflake and crumples slowly. Sarya nudges him in the side catching his attention, "" Akio shakes his head looking at Zuzu or Oliver. "" Remmy walked over to Amy and Oliver, Rina stood off to the side looking at Remmy, and she handed him a paper. "" Rina walks away with a bottle in her hand and takes a sip, Sarya uses her nature magic to grab the bottle and throw it to the side. Rina shouted at Sarya but she just ignored it.

  "" Oliver steps out from behind Amy, Remmy itches the back of his head unsure what to say, "" Akio turns around walking back to the carriage, he jumps onto the top, and Amy and Oliver chat but Akio can't hear them, soon after Amy comes running back to the carriage. The Fenrir Pack, got ready to leave as Remmy emitted smoke turning back into a Fenrir and Blaze followed soon after. "" Akio waved back to Oliver, "" Oliver turned into a Fenrir and followed the Pack into the forest.

  A few hours later after being on the road, the carriage reaches a point where the huge academy is seen. "" Rina shouted looking out the window, "" Layla commented. Akio was lying down, resting on his hands, he sat up looking at the castle with many other buildings surrounding it. ""

  Reaching the entrance of the academy gates, the carriage driver stops. "" Rina sighed in annoyance looks at Sarya, she returned a look of disgust. "" Rina tilted her head to the side with her hand on her chin, ""

  "" Sarya slaps her hand away.

  "" Rina and Sarya fought after a while and finally, Sarya's appearance was changed.

  Sarya plays with her now shorter hair, ""

  Rina laughs at Sarya's appearance wiping her tears of laughter away, ""

  Sarya sighed exasperated as she stepped out of the carriage, with Amy and the giggling Rina trailing behind her. Rina turned back to glance at Layla, her expression flat. "" Layla opened her eyes, peered out the window, and replied with a sigh, "" Rina shot back, "" With that, Layla rose to her feet, prompting Rina to step aside. "" Rina teased. As Layla emerged from the carriage, she instantly drew the attention of everyone gathered at the academy entrance.

  As Layla steps out of the carriage, a low murmur spreads among the massive group of other kids and their parents. Akio jumps down from the top and lands beside Sarya, teasingly pointing at her hair. he questions her playfully, she slaps the back of his head, silencing his laughter. Meanwhile, Rina makes her way to the rear of the carriage, where she notices a rope secured to it, leading to a large box. Approaching the box, Rina gives it a kick, causing it to shift slightly before Lisa emerges, rubbing her side. "" she complains. Rina shoots her a menacing grin and retorts, "" Prompted by Rina's threat, Lisa quickly jumps out of the box.

  The whispers shifted as soon as they caught sight of Akio's hair. "" a random guy exclaimed, prompting everyone to gaze upward, where they spotted an object resembling a sword. "" Sarya inquired. Layla grinned before looking away, saying, ""

  A massive sword crashes into the earth, sending up a cloud of dust and smoke. "" a tall figure emerges from the haze, his red hair and pear-green eyes strikingly visible.

  "" A girl with blonde hair and striking purple eyes emerged from behind him, delivering a swift kick to his leg. He chuckled, unfazed by her attempt.

  "" Another boy emerged from the haze, cleaning his glasses as he brushed his battleship gray hair aside, revealing his glowing emperor yellow eyes.

  As the remaining smoke dissipates, a girl with flowing light green hair and striking blue eyes lifts a massive sword that gradually shrinks down to a standard-sized dragonslayer blade. ""

  "" Rina chuckled, nudging Layla with her elbow in a teasing manner.

  Suddenly, a loud crash echoed in front of the gate, drawing everyone's attention. An elderly man emerged from a small crater, startling some of the children. ""

  Rina tapped her foot in irritation, muttering, ""

  Even Layla looked annoyed, remarking, ""

  Rina added, "" As she reached for a bottle from the carriage, it unexpectedly exploded, splattering liquid all over her face. She forced a smile as the liquid dripped down her cheeks.

  "" The old man appeared in front of Sarya, he stoked his gray beard looking at Sarya with his purple eyes. Rina and Sarya start sweating not expecting this, "" The old man turns to Layla. ""

  Layla agreed with the old man, ""

  Soon after, all the new students gathered in a spacious arena, where the former Principal stood at a podium. Behind him sat the parents and several teachers. "" The Principal's speech prompted applause from the parents and teachers behind him.

  Rina and Layla sat at a nearby table, sipping tea. "" Rina asked her eyes heavy bags.

  "" Layla responded, glancing over at Akio, Sarya, and Amy.

  Akio scanned the room, noticing at least two hundred students present. Sarya nudged him, urging, ""

  The elderly instructor shifted his tone, "" With a firm thud of his walking stick against the floor, his eyes sparkled with intensity.

  Desks and chairs crashed down in front of each student. ""

  The students hurriedly took their seats, while Akio glanced around in bewilderment before settling down and focusing on the paper in front of him. ""

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  After a few more questions, Akio finally completed the exam. A teacher nudged the old man who had been dozing off, and he quickly awoke to see that Akio was finished. ""

  Three teachers were seated at their desks, with a magical crystal ball positioned in the center. Students passed by, some exuding strength while others appeared more ordinary. Sarya approached the crystal ball, her reflection shimmering within it. "Please place your hand on top, and we'll determine your magical reading. (Am I imagining things, or is that an Elf?!)"

  Sarya placed her hand on the ball, which began to glow. Just as the teacher prepared to note her magical power level, the ball radiated an intense light, blinding everyone nearby. The elderly man turned to Rina, beaming with pride.

  "" Rina remarked.

  "" Layla encouraged. Rina effortlessly raised her thumb.

  Eiko and Kenji gazed at Sarya in amazement, while Kei adjusted his glasses and Lucy sulked. Soon, it was Amy's turn, and the crystal ball shone brightly. Lisa, with her usual bravado, placed her hand on the ball, which glowed—though not as brilliantly as Amy's or Sarya's. Eiko then stepped forward, whispering about being the Princess of the Hope Kingdom and a potential Hero candidate.

  "" As her hand neared the crystal ball, it began to tremble, glowing as brightly as the sun. When she placed her hand on it, it flashed in a spectrum of colors before shattering, leaving everyone in shock.

  "" The old man struck his staff against the ground. "" Eiko nodded and moved aside. Kei approached the desk with the crystal ball, hovering his hand above it as a brilliant yellow light emanated from within.

  Rina pondered for a moment, struggling to recall the names she had in mind. "" She hesitated.

  "" Layla chimed in with the names, prompting Rina to snap her fingers in realization. "Yes! That's them! I've met Akeno a couple of times."

  Then, Lucy approached the crystal ball. "" Rina wondered aloud.

  "" Layla replied.

  "" Layla chose to ignore Rina's remark.

  Kenji then stepped forward, smiling as he touched the crystal ball. While nothing extraordinary occurred, a swirl of mana enveloped it. "" Rina noted. Rina leaned back in her chair, her mind drifting elsewhere.

  As Akio approaches the table, the teacher stares at him oddly and indifferently. "" Akio places his hand on the crystal ball, and as expected, nothing happens. Akio quickly retracted his hand, laughing nervously. The teacher who was testing him looked at him in shock, as did everyone else. "" The old man watched him without a word, a teacher or assistant next to the old man spoke, "" The old man raised his hand cutting off the assistant.

  "" Rina questioned.

  Layla's gaze fixed on Akio, seated next to Sarya and Amy, with Lisa behind them, looking at him nervously. "" Layla responded.

  "" Rina raised her eyebrow curious.

  Layla shook her head. ""

  Rina scoffed, "" Layla fell silent, which only fueled Rina's frustration.

  The magical test concluded, and all the students took their seats in the chairs that had been set up. The old man stood tall and announced, "" The old man chuckled as teachers, students, and parents hilariously tumbled to the ground.

  ""The elderly man strikes his walking stick against the ground, causing the stage where the students are seated to expand.

  "" The old man explained.

  The students quickly rose, scanning the room for a partner. As soon as Sarya stood up, a swarm of students approached her, eager to join forces. Meanwhile, Lisa and Amy remained seated, with Lisa observing Akio as he moved about in search of a teammate.

  "" Lisa asked the anxious Amy.

  "" Amy replied.

  Lisa grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. "" Amy simply nodded as Lisa continued her rambling.

  Eiko stood with her group, her gaze fixed on Akio. "" Lucy asked, breaking Eiko’s trance. "" Eiko replied.

  Eiko glanced over at Kenji and Kei, who were deep in conversation. "" she asked.

  Kenji shook his head, ""

  Kei shrugged, ""

  Eiko nodded, understanding their perspectives, and then turned to Lucy with a big smile. ""

  Lucy frowned, ""

  Meanwhile, Rina and Layla watched as the other students paired up, leaning back in their chairs. Akio, once again the only one standing, quickly took a seat when he realized. ""

  The students adorned their fingers with rings as a referee entered the arena to announce the match numbers. One by one, pairs of students faced off, with some battling in groups of two against one, resulting in victories and defeats. "" The crowd erupted in cheers as Sarya emerged from her corner, while Kei approached from the opposite side, removing his glasses and slicking back his hair.

  "" He said.

  Sarya replied with a scoff, ""

  The referee interjected, "" They nodded in agreement.

  "" Kai said with a calm expression.

  They took a few steps back as the referee raised his hand. "" he shouted.

  Sarya charged at Kei, her focus unwavering, while he observed her, a yellow aura enveloping him. "" he remarked, pointing at her as yellow magical symbols appeared at her feet and floated behind him. "" Beams shot up from the symbols, filling the arena.

  Kei shook his head, pulling his glasses from his pocket. "" As he turned to leave, Sarya swung her sword at him. He quickly dodged, but her powerful strike left a gash in the arena floor.

  "" Kei swiftly conjured another symbol beneath her, but when he looked up, she had vanished. He quickly encased himself in a yellow shield, only to find Sarya landing atop it, stabbing down. "" She declared, pushing her sword through, shocking Kei, Eiko, Lucy, and Kenji. "" Roots began to sprout from the tip of her sword, forcing Kei to drop the shield and roll aside as the roots crashed into the ground.

  "" Kei summoned bright yellow chains, wrapping them around his fist as he charged toward Sarya. Just as she was about to retrieve her sword from the ground, Kei swiftly lunged at her. She ducked to avoid the strike and quickly created some distance, abandoning her sword in the process. After dodging the attack, she slid back, but Kei closed in, launching a flurry of punches. Sarya managed to evade most of them, but Kei landed a solid hit to her stomach, causing her to drop to her knees, head bowed.

  "" he said, pulling back his fist for a final blow, swinging with all his might.

  In the crowd, Amy looked anxious while Lisa laughed, and Akio observed with a grin. Rina sat up, a mischievous smile on her face, "" As Kei's fist neared her, Sarya lifted her head and wrapped her arm around his fist, catching him off guard. "" With her glowing green eyes locked onto Kei's, she retracted her fist and unleashed a powerful punch to his chest. To her surprise, he didn’t stagger or recoil; instead, she continued to strike him repeatedly, each blow sending shockwaves through the air. Releasing his arm, she turned her body, and as Kei stumbled, Sarya began to gather energy, the force creating a crater beneath her feet.

  "" Kei quickly ducked as Sarya launched her fist, the pressure from her attack blasting past him, shattering the protective shield around the arena, demolishing the Academy walls, and sending a shockwave through the forest that obliterated everything in its path.

  The teachers, parents, and the elderly man all directed their attention to Rina, who was joyfully laughing, clapping her hands, and standing up. Behind Kei, half of the arena's platform lay in ruins.

  "" Sarya noticed her ring shattered on the ground.

  "" The referee assisted Kei to his feet and declared him the victor, while Sarya clicked her tongue in frustration before walking away.

  "" Sarya turned back at Kei's call.

  "" she replied with a sigh of annoyance.

  "" Kei asked.

  Sarya simply shrugged, ""

  Following the recent battle, one of the instructors took charge of repairing the arena. The matches continued relentlessly, and Kei decided to withdraw from his upcoming bout against Kenji. Meanwhile, Amy and Lisa steadily climbed the ranks, while Eiko and Lucy emerged as the top contenders.

  The referee announced, "" Kenji made his way into the arena, greeted by cheers from the crowd.

  Rina and Layla exchanged glances at a familiar figure seated at their table. "" Rina asked.

  The woman, with flowing apricot hair, brown eyes, a muscular build, and scars adorning her arms, responded, ""

  Layla remarked, ""

  Araki chuckled, ""

  Rina interjected, ""

  Araki nodded, "" She leaned back in her chair, eyeing Rina.

  "" Rina stammered, trying to suppress her nausea.

  "" Araki inquired, but Layla remained fixated on the arena.

  Akio stepped out, with only Amy cheering for him, though she quickly fell silent in embarrassment. He waved to them as he approached the center of the arena. "" Kenji and Akio nodded, and the referee instructed them to step back. ""

  Kenji charged at Akio, catching him by surprise. Akio swiftly deflected Kenji's punch, leaving him momentarily stunned. Then, he jumped back, noticing smoke rising from his hand after the impact.

  "" Akio exclaimed, shaking his hand to ease the pain.

  "" Kenji inquired while adjusting his gloves.

  Akio, taken aback, pointed to himself and asked, "" Kenji nodded with a grin. "" he replied.

  ""

  Akio responded, "" This comment seemed to bruise Kenji's pride.

  "" he challenged, retreating into his shadow and vanishing. He reappeared behind Akio, delivering a punch that sent him tumbling. Akio quickly regained his footing as shadowy tendrils emerged from the ground, ensnaring his body and arms. Kenji stepped out of his shadow, enveloped in a dark bluish aura, cracking his knuckles.

  "" Rina exclaimed, rising from her seat as it toppled over.

  "" Layla murmured to herself.

  Akio remained frozen in place, and Kenji sighed, ""

  Meanwhile, in Akio's mind, he found himself bound in chains, kneeling before a shattered throne. He looked up at the boy seated on the throne. "" he demanded, as the red and black chains began to snap one by one as the boy stood up. Akio attempted to rise but was yanked back down.

  "" He exclaimed as the boy loomed over him.

  "" The boy's green eyes beam down at an angered Akio.

  Back in the real world, Kenji halted mid-sentence as he noticed Akio bowing his head. ""

  The ground trembled with the sound of a heartbeat, and Akio seized one of the shadowy tendrils. "" With a nervous grin, Akio opened one eye, and in a swift motion, he tore away all the tendrils, causing Kenji to leap back in surprise. "" One of Akio's eyes glowed green while the other remained shut. He charged at Kenji, delivering a knee to his gut that sent him crashing to the ground. Kenji quickly rolled and swung upward, his fist colliding with Akio's. Unfazed, Akio retaliated with another punch, which Kenji caught and redirected, tossing him back. Akio rushed in again, striking him in the side and following up with a roundhouse kick that slammed Kenji hard into the ground.

  As Kenji pulled himself up, he thought, ""

  Before he could react, Akio appeared behind him. Kenji spun around, raising his hand to block, but Akio's fist struck his guard, knocking the breath out of him momentarily. Akio swept Kenji's legs, sending him sprawling backward. With his one blue eye fixed on Kenji, Akio swung his fist down without hesitation. "" Kenji's eyes widened.

  The punch unleashed a massive shockwave and a deafening boom, sending smoke and dust into the air. Sarya tapped her foot anxiously, while Amy and Rina leaned forward in anticipation. Araki stood up, concerned, and Layla's cup began to freeze in her hands. Akio quickly jumped back, muttering, "" As the smoke dissipates, numerous shadowy replicas of Kenji emerge from the darkness enveloping Akio. "" The copies echo Kenji's words in unison. They all surge toward Akio simultaneously. He assesses the oncoming horde, then suddenly appears in front of one, seizing it by the neck. Just as another attempts to strike from behind, Akio swiftly pivots, driving his leg into the shadow and causing it to vanish. He crushes the neck of the shadow he held, making it dissolve, then delivers a powerful punch to another, sending it crashing into its companions. As he battles the shadows, Kenji observes from a distance, remarking, ""

  Suddenly, Kenji feels a presence and turns to find Akio looming over him. With a swift motion, Akio pulls back his fist and delivers a devastating blow to Kenji, creating a massive shockwave. Fortunately, Kenji had leaped from his shadow to safety, glancing back at the remnants of his shattered copies. Emerging from the smoke, Akio cracks his neck, catching Sarya's attention. She notices his hair and exchanges a serious look with Layla, who is visibly trembling. "" Kenji's shadow swirls beneath him as the darkness begins to coalesce around his form.

  "" Lucy remarked.

  "" Kei pondered.

  Eiko kept her gaze fixed on Akio, sensing, ""

  With a powerful gust of wind, Kenji becomes enveloped in shadows, his aura intensifying. "" he shouts, dashing around Akio with even greater speed, creating clones of himself as he charges forward. "" Akio forcefully strikes the ground, causing it to tremble. As he lifts his hand, the arena floor rises, prompting the copies to retreat. Huge parts of debris cascade down, and Kenji, along with his duplicates, watches the scene unfold while dodging the falling rubble. "" Akio inhaled deeply, finally revealing his other eye, which was his left eye glowed green.

  A distant memory surfaced, showing Simon—now known as Akio—sitting outside a door, listening to two voices from within. "" a woman inquired.

  "" a deeper voice responded.

  "" she asked.

  "" the deeper voice replied.

  "" She commented.

  "" The memory fades away.

  Akio grinned as he delivered a powerful punch to a large chunk of falling debris, sending it hurtling toward a copy of Kenji and obliterating it on impact. Regaining his composure, Kenji charged at Akio with all his duplicates in tow. Akio closed his right eye and thrust his hand forward. "" As massive pieces of the arena crashed to the ground, they kicked up dust, momentarily halting Kenji's advance. Seizing the opportunity, Akio unleashed a blast that cut through the dust, striking one of Kenji's copies in the neck. The copy flew back, crashing into the barrier. Meanwhile, one of Kenji's duplicates appeared above Akio, while four others surrounded him.

  "" One of them lunged at him. Akio deftly bent backward into a one-handed handstand, delivering a kick that connected with the chin of one attacker. He quickly spun on his hands, sweeping another off their feet before standing upright again. A black orb materialized in his hand, which he thrust into the chest of a copy, sending it flying and causing it to explode. Kenji's eyes widened in shock as Akio locked onto the real Kenji with his vibrant green gaze. "" Akio swiftly draws a dagger from his waist, and his eyes begin to radiate a dark electric energy that envelops him. In an instant, with a flash and a thunderous boom, he materializes behind the shadow clones in his path. Lines ripple across the clones before they disintegrate. As the dagger, now crackling with electricity, shatters, Akio casually drops it. "" He says, transforming into a blur and reappearing in front of Kenji, a broad grin on his face. He delivers a powerful punch that sends Kenji tumbling backward. Kenji quickly regains his footing, but Akio is already beside him, executing a roundhouse kick to his side that sends him rolling once more. This time, Akio leaps above him, delivering a crushing stomp to Kenji's chest, driving him into the ground.

  Kenji bursts out of the cloud of smoke and dust, his shadow armor crumbling, clutching his side. "" he exclaims. Just then, he ducks just in time to avoid two black spheres that whiz past him. "" he shouts, turning toward the source of the noise, clapping his hands. "" Akio gestures forward, and the two black spheres collide with Kenji's back, pulling him closer. Seizing the opportunity, Akio grabs Kenji's head, driving a knee into his chest, then follows up with a punch to his face. Finally, he seizes Kenji's leg and hurls him to the ground, resulting in a massive explosion.

  "" The crowd gaped in disbelief at the unfolding battle. "" Amy inquired of Sarya, who remained silent, gripping her sword tightly.

  "" Araki remarked.

  Meanwhile, among the students, Eiko sighed, "" Kei nodded, keeping an eye on Akio as he emerged from the massive crater left by Kenji's impact.

  Akio scratched his head, looking annoyed. "" He plopped down on a large chunk of the ruined arena. ""

  Suddenly, a heavy pressure shattered the protective barrier around the arena. Eiko called out to Kei as he conjured a holy shield to replace it. Akio slowly turned his gaze back to the crater as Kenji emerged, rotating his shoulder. "" Akio tilted his head in confusion, but before he could respond, Kenji landed a powerful punch to his face, sending him skidding across the ground until he finally came to a stop, buried in the arena ground.

  Rina looked at Kenji, puzzled. ""

  Araki chuckled to herself, catching Rina's attention. "" Araki explained.

  "" Rina asked.

  Araki shrugged, "" Rina nodded and turned her focus back to Layla, who was intently watching the fight.

  Akio pulls himself up from the ground, only to find Kenji's hand gripping his head. Kenji lifts him off the ground and delivers a powerful blow to his torso, sending Akio hurtling back, bouncing off the holy shield before crashing into the arena floor. Struggling to regain his footing, Akio finds himself unable to move. Suddenly, Kenji emerges from Akio's shadow, seizing him by the neck and tossing him upward. As Akio descends, Kenji delivers an uppercut to his chin, then grips the back of Akio's head and slams him down hard.

  "" Eiko's voice trails off as she quickly turns to the arena, noticing Kenji sliding back from where he had just slammed Akio. Sarya rises, drawing her sword, while Layla shatters a nearby table with ice. Rina and Araki step back from the wreckage.

  "" Rina yells.

  "" Layla snaps back, catching her off guard.

  Akio stomps his foot, creating another crater in the ground. He opens his other eye, revealing a vibrant green, and his hair darkens to a near-black shade of red. Black electricity begins to crawl up his legs, enveloping his body as he stands tall, head tilted back. He charges at Kenji with unreadable speeds. Kenji quickly clenches his fist and thrusts it forward, meeting Akio's punch in a fierce clash. Their eyes locked, and Kenji saw Akio's expression shifting to a calm, unreadable demeanor.

  Akio throws another punch, but Kenji dodges, the force of Akio's missed strike shattering the holy shield Kei had maintained, causing Kei to stagger back. In a swift response, Kenji counters with a punch to Akio's face, snapping his head back. Akio retaliates with a kick to Kenji's face, he skits across the ground and quickly recovers. As he stood up he noticed something red on the ground. He touches his face and realizes his nose is bleeding, yet his ring remains intact. Quickly snapping out of his trance, Akio appears in front of him throwing a punch, Kenji countered with a punch of his own. The two fighters pull back their other fists and unleash a flurry of powerful punches at each other, each strike generating shockwaves that ripple through the arena.

  "" Lisa remarked as she gazed at Akio.

  Akio's eyes were fixed blankly on Kenji, while the dark electricity surrounding him morphed into a misty aura. His attacks intensified, becoming quicker and catching Kenji off guard, leaving him unable to defend himself. With a swift motion, Akio retracted his fist and delivered a powerful punch to Kenji's stomach, sending him crashing through a wall and deep into the ground, far from the arena. As Akio stood in the arena, his ring disintegrated into dust. He looked up to see a figure looming above him, descending with killing intent. However, Layla intervened, seizing the figure by the neck and slamming them to the ground. “” Layla said, locking eyes with him, with her expressionless emotion.

  “” The figure with blond hair and bright orange eyes grunted, struggling against her grip.

  “” He appeared behind her, swinging his sword, but she swiftly turned and caught the blade with her hand. Meanwhile, other teachers closed in on Akio. Sarya, Amy, and Rina formed a protective barrier around him. "" Rina challenged the teachers.

  "" One of them retorted.

  In a flash, Sarya turned and placed a necklace around Akio's neck, causing his hair and eyes to revert to their original state, and he collapsed into her arms. The parents began to murmur among themselves, “”, “” “”, “”, “” Layla’s expression shifted as the atmosphere grew colder. “” The old man shouted striking his stick into the ground and causing everyone to fall due to the gravity. Layla remained standing, unfazed.

  "" the elderly man urged her to settle down. "" The old man let out a deep sigh, saying, "" He wore a broad grin, chuckling heartily. Sablo stood up as the gravity returned to normal, everyone stood up in pain but not much pain. Layla turned to check on Akio who was fast asleep.

  Note: This chapter was chapter 11 but I changed it due to me not liking it so I remade almost the whole thing, which was pretty long, and had to change a lot of things so I made the chapter (Which is chapter 11 now) as a replacement. I'll go through old chapters and touch up on it more as I push out more chapters.