Chapter 198 198: The tournament begins

Words : 1490 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

After Raven left, they both looked at one another before the silence was broken by Sophie. "Do you believe him?" Sophie asked after Raven was out of earshot. Noah frowned, considering. "I don't know. But it fits with Albright's behavior. He's been watching me since day one, always pushing, always testing. Like he knows something but can't prove it." "What did he mean, 'ask your boyfriend'?" Sophie turned to him, eyes searching his face. "Noah, what are you hiding that Albright wants to expose?" "It's nothing," he said finally. "You know everything already." Sophie's expression softened. "If Albright is targeting you, if he's planning something at the tournament, I want to help." Noah took her hand, grateful for her understanding. "First, we need to figure out what happened today. Those fires, the data breach—they're connected somehow. And if Raven is right, if Albright was expecting something like this..." "Then he might know who's behind it," Sophie finished his thought. "Or worse, he might be involved himself." Noah nodded grimly. "Either way, we need to be careful. Very careful." Around them, the campus remained unnaturally quiet, the charred buildings standing as stark reminders of how quickly security could turn to chaos. And somewhere out there was a figure who could walk through flames—someone who might be preparing their next move even now. The tournament suddenly seemed far more dangerous than a simple competition between academies. It was becoming a battleground for something much darker, with Noah apparently standing at its center. ___ The days following the unexplained fires passed with investigation, speculation, and eventually, resignation. Without concrete evidence or leads, the academy administration had gradually shifted their focus back to what they considered most important: the upcoming inter-school tournament. Noah sat cross-legged on the training room floor alongside Raven and Danika Yurei, the three first-year representatives for the academy. Master Anng stood before them, his presence as steady as ever. The late evening light cast long shadows across the polished wood floor, giving the space a solemn air. "Focus your breath," Master Anng instructed, his voice even. "Chi is not mere energy. It is intent. It is clarity. If you strike with brute force, you will meet resistance. If you strike with understanding, you will break through." Noah exhaled slowly, feeling the chi flow through his body. The white energy moved naturally along his meridians, calm yet powerful. Beside him, Raven and Danika mirrored his posture, their own energy signatures distinct yet disciplined. "Now," Master Anng continued, "channel the chi into your fists. Do not aim to destroy the air before you—aim to part it." Noah tightened his fingers into a fist, directing the chi outward. He struck forward, and for a moment, the space before his knuckles seemed to ripple. Not shatter. Not explode. Just—shift. A subtle but deliberate parting of force, as if the air itself had momentarily yielded to his intent. Raven's punch was solid, controlled. Danika's was lighter but precise. Master Anng observed each of them in turn before nodding. "Good. But not enough. Again." They repeated the motion over and over, refining their movements with each attempt. Noah could feel the strain creeping into his muscles, but he kept going. Master Anng's lessons had never been about raw strength. They were about refinement, about learning how to make the most of what was already within them. After an hour, Master Anng called for a stop. "You have progressed," he said, looking at each of them. "But progress is never enough. What separates a skilled fighter from a true master is the ability to adapt." His gaze lingered on Noah for a moment longer before he turned away. "At the tournament, you will face opponents trained in their own arts. Do not let them dictate the battle. Make them fight your fight." Danika stretched her arms with a groan. "You always make things sound so simple," she muttered. "Because it is simple," Master Anng replied. "Understanding is always simple. Execution, however..." He let the words hang in the air before dismissing them. Raven smirked as they stood up. "We'll be ready." Noah bowed in thanks before following the others out of the training hall. But as they went their separate ways for the night, he hesitated. There was still something he needed to test. Instead of heading back to his dorm, Noah found an empty courtyard and sat down once more. He closed his eyes and exhaled, letting the familiar sensation of chi spread through his limbs. Then, carefully, he reached deeper—toward the void. Darkness stirred within him, coiling like a silent storm. It was not like chi. Where chi flowed smoothly, the void devoured. Where chi radiated outward, the void collapsed inward. But just for a moment, in the split second before they repelled one another, they coexisted. A spark. Then, as always, it failed. The void consumed the chi entirely, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake. Noah grimaced, releasing the attempt before it could backlash on him. 'Still nothing.' He opened his eyes and exhaled slowly, staring up at the night sky. The tournament was tomorrow. He had no time left to figure this out. For now, he would have to fight with what he already had. He wanted to head to the dorm but remembered he wanted to meet with Lucas first. Noah made his way across the academy grounds, his steps slow but purposeful. The night air carried the faint scent of charred wood from the recent fires, though the immediate danger had long since passed. He had spent the evening training, pushing his limits as always, but no matter how much he improved, the sense of unease lurking beneath the surface refused to fade. He spotted Sophie near the lantern-lit pathway leading toward the third-year training grounds. She stood with arms crossed, scanning the area like she expected trouble. "You're late," she remarked, falling into step beside him. "Didn't know we had a schedule," Noah replied. "You always take too long training." Noah didn't argue. The past few weeks had been a cycle of relentless practice, his focus split between the upcoming tournament and the unanswered questions surrounding the academy's recent chaos. Sophie had noticed, of course. She noticed everything. They walked in silence until the training grounds came into view. Lucas was already there, his movements methodical as he worked through a set of controlled strikes against a reinforced training dummy. The precision in each blow was unmistakable—he was refining, not just practicing. "You two took your time," Lucas said, not stopping his movements. Sophie smirked. "You live here now?" Lucas finally stepped back, rolling his shoulders. "Figured I'd get in some last-minute refinement before tomorrow." His gaze flickered toward Noah. "How was your session?" Noah exhaled. "Same as always. Progress, but not enough." Lucas nodded, unsurprised. "You don't need anything extra to win this tournament, you know. Your current abilities are already ahead of most." Noah shook his head. "It's not about winning." Lucas didn't push, but the message was clear between them. Sophie leaned against one of the stone pillars, arms crossed. "Any more strange occurrences? Mysterious fires? Data breaches?" Noah met her gaze. "Nothing." He hesitated. "Which is almost more unsettling than if something had happened." "Like the calm before a storm," Lucas muttered. Noah had briefed him on what Raven said. It was good to have an extra eye out for whatever Albright was planning. Sophie sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Whatever's coming, we'll face it together. All of us." Noah wanted to believe her, wanted to trust that they were ready for whatever lay ahead. But deep down, he knew this tournament was more than just a test of skill. Something was coming—something beyond the fights, beyond the competition. And when it did, they'd have to be ready. "Get some rest," Sophie advised, rising to leave. "Tomorrow's going to be intense, one way or another." After she left, Noah and Lucas sparred some more in silence. After that, they went their separate ways for the night. As Noah finally lay down, in his dorm, kelvin already passed out in bed, his thoughts drifted once more to his domain, to Nyx and Storm, to the void that both sustained and defied him. 'One way or another,' he thought as sleep claimed him, 'tomorrow everything changes.' Outside the dormitory windows, the night was unusually still, stars gleaming coldly in a clear sky. Across campus, other tournament participants were making their final preparations, unaware of the currents running beneath the surface of what should have been a straightforward competition. Tomorrow they would travel to the city, where twelve academies would gather to determine supremacy. But for Noah, the real battle would be fought in the shadows. Let the tournament begin.

Chapter 198 198: The tournament begins

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