Flint looked directly at Nox when he walked in, even he didn't know why or what he expected, but a congratulations from both Devon and Nox was definitely not it.

"Good fight," Nox said simply, meeting his gaze without flinching.

"Mad respect, man," Devon muttered with a grin, "your opponent ain't even know what hit him."

Flint stood frozen for a while as he looked between the two, then he scoffed, clicking his tongue as he looked away. "It was nothing."

"That barrier crack says otherwise," Devon shot back.

Flint's grip tightened briefly, his shoulders tense, before he exhaled through his nose.

He was enjoying being praised like this, but he wasn't going to let it show.

"He was weak."

"That ain't changing the fact that you knocked out a second year in a single hit," Devon said and Nox nodded in agreement.

Flint looked at the two with a frown before walking back to his previous corner.

"You," he said after a while, turning to Nox. "You're fighting later."

Nox nodded. "Looks like it."

Flint stared at him for a few seconds, then turned away again, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Don't hold back."

Devon raised a brow. "That your way of sayin' 'good luck'?"

Flint shot him a glare. "No."

A second passed.

"…but don't embarrass the first years either," he added quietly.

Devon blinked, then burst out laughing. "Oh nah, he cares."

Flint's ears turned red. "Shut up."

Nox allowed himself a small smile

.

Across the room, a few second and third years watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. The mood had shifted completely from earlier.

These weren't reckless first years anymore.

They were threats.

A soft chime echoed through the waiting room as the next match notifications updated on their watches.

Nox glanced down.

[Next Match: Nox — First Year.]

He looked back up with a small smile, "guess that's me."

Flint pushed off the wall. "Don't lose."

Devon grinned. "Yeah, man, Cass is going all in on us."

"I won't," Nox said with a smile before walking out the waiting room.

The moment he did, his opponent calmly stood up, a giant by all counts and from the custom uniform, they could tell he was a third year.

Without saying a word, he silently walked out.

"Will Nox be able to win against that?" Flint asked after a while.

It wasn't just because of the third year's size, there was also the aura he released, one that immediately told the opponent that he was anything but a joke.

Devon was silent for a while, causing Flint to turn to him in question, "he can't?"

"That ain't it," Devon finally answered, shaking his head, "I was tryna think of a way Nox would lose...but I ain't coming up with anything."

Flint stared at Devon for a moment, clearly unsure whether to take that as confidence or blind faith.

"…you serious?" he asked.

Devon shrugged, hands slipping into his pockets. "Dead serious."

The third year female student nearby glanced toward the tunnel Nox had disappeared into, then back at them.

"Kraken Holt isn't just big," she said. "He's ridiculously strong, so much so that he has never lost a spar....well, except that one time."

She turned to where the third years were gathered, her eyes resting on a calmly seated student before quickly averting it.

Flint's jaw tightened. "strong or not, size don't mean everything."

"True," Devon agreed, then smirked, "'sides, my boi has survived a rift for an entire month, I'm sure he's got this."

The third year girl looked at the two for a short while before nodding as turning to the screen that displayed the arena.

***

[ Nox — First Year

vs

Kraken Holt — Third Year ]

A ripple went through the stands, especially from the second and third years, they had been embarrassed enough by their juniors, so it was time to put them back in their place.

"Nice, they're finally sending our heavy hitters."

"Don't hold back Kraken, destroy him."

"That first year's about to get wrecked."

The first years on the other hand, narrowed their eyes at the name of the first year until someone spoke first.

"Nox..." The person said, "ain't that the crazy hoarder?"

And it immediately clicked, each remembering the rumor they had heard of him.

"Yeah, he's also the Tech division's professor's pet."

"Wait, he's also the first year that survived a rift for a month alone, heard it was a tier 3 one."

"Nah, it was definitely tier 5."

"I heard it was a tier 6."

"I also heard he beat Ascended Dawn in a spar."

Some of the second and third years were utterly confused, they had never heard of first year that survived a tier 6 rift, so what the hell were their juniors talking about.

It was the first year's turn to be loud as they scream at the top of their lungs.

"Yeah! We're going to kick another senior's ass, let's goo..."

"We're witnessing history baby!"

"Don't play with us just because we're first years!"

The second and third years went oddly quiet, some trying to look up the news about a first year surviving a rift alone, on the Academy's news forum.

Only to find out that it was indeed true.

The first years were louder than ever....well, until the third year walked up the fighting stage.

Kieran Holt stepped out first.

He was massive, easily a head taller than most combat students, with a frame built like he'd been forged instead of born. His solar tech was minimal but heavy-duty, reinforced gauntlets, a shoulder-mounted stabilizer, and a faint golden glow tracing his boots.

This caused the first years to immediately go silent.

"Ah, what was it you said about creating history?" A third year student taunted with a grin.

"Did I say creating history?"a first year awkwardly muttered, "I meant history notes, our exams are just around the corner."

A ripple of laughter broke out among the upper years, the tension easing just a fraction as confidence returned to their side.

"Thought so," someone scoffed. "Reality check."

Then the other gate opened and Nox stepped onto the arena floor.

Unlike Kraken Holt's entrance, there was no immediate reaction. No intimidation, no overwhelming presence.

He just looked… normal. Average, build, average height...some might even call him short if Flint didn't exist.

And apart from his golden eyes, he looked painfully ordinary which fully returned the third year's confidence.

"Is that it?"

"That's the guy they're hyping up?"

"He doesn't even look special."

Back in the arena, Kraken assessed Nox watching him up and down, while Nox did the same.

His opponent felt strong, incredibly so, especially from the SE he could feel from him, but did that intimidate him?

Not in the least bit.

Nox had been training with Astra for a long while, so he was more than used to an overwhelming amount of SE.

Compared to her, his opponent's felt like a tiny drop in an ocean.

Kraken seemed to have finished assessing his junior as he said, "quit while you can, kid."

Nox tilted his head slightly. "You first."

There was a small frown on Kraken's face, it wasn't that he had suggested Nox quit out of malicious intent or as a way to provoke him, it was just that the gap between them was so large and he'd rather give his opponent a chance to give up before embarrassing themselves.

But it seems this kid took his good will as something else, so he might just let the kid learn a thing or two about the gap between them before knocking him out.

Kraken exhaled slowly through his nose, the faint golden glow around his gauntlets intensifying as his solar tech fully activated.

"Suit yourself," he said, lowering his stance.

The announcer's voice echoed across the arena.

"Combatants, prepare."

The barrier, now fixed, rose, a translucent goldendome locking them in as low hums rippled through the air.

Up in the stands, the first years leaned forward again, some a bit worried about Nox, especially Cass and Linda who were looking with narrowed eyes.

It wasn't because he bet on Nox, rather it was due to the fact that his friend might truly get hurt, and he didn't want that.

[Three]

The holographic countdown began.

[Two.]

Nox summoned Morphos, as they took the shape of finger less glove like solar tech around his hand.

[One]

Kraken readied himself, determined to end this as quickly as possible.

"Begin!"

The moment the announcer said those words, arena floor cracked beneath Kraken's feet as he launched forward, raw strength amplified by his solar tech.

He closed the distance in a blink, his massive gauntlet drawing back for a crushing blow meant to end the match immediately.

BOOM!

A cloud of dust was raised as the entire arena shook and his attack seemingly landed.

The third years erupted in a wave of cheers.

"That's it!" "Flatten him!" "Welcome to reality, first year!"

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