Chapter 200 200: Baptism by fire

Words : 1581 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Morning arrived with the soft chime of the room's ambient alarm system. Noah had been awake for hours already, seated cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed in meditation. Across the room, Kelvin was a whirlwind of nervous energy, triple-checking his toolkit for the crafting competition. "You think I should bring the micro-calibrators?" Kelvin muttered, more to himself than to Noah. "They're technically not regulation, but they're not explicitly forbidden either..." Noah opened his eyes, watching his roommate's methodical preparations with quiet amusement. "Bring them," he said finally. "Better to have options." He had no idea what those were but he wanted to be of help anyway he could, even if he had no idea what service he was rendering. Kelvin would do same. Kelvin nodded, carefully placing the delicate tools into his case. "Today's the day," he said, a rare note of seriousness in his voice. "Everything we've been training for." Noah rose from his bed, stretching muscles that had grown stiff from his hours of stillness. On his personal device, he had spent most of the night studying the tournament structure—a single-elimination bracket that would pit the year groups against each other until only one champion remained from each. "Win or lose, point blank simple," Noah murmured, recalling the stark rules displayed on his screen. Preliminary rounds today, followed by the second round. A day of recovery, then the round of sixteen. Quarterfinals and semifinals would each be followed by two days of recovery, with the finals allowing for a full three days of preparation. The tournament was designed to be as much a test of endurance and recovery as it was of raw skill. "You ready?" Kelvin asked, snapping his case shut with a decisive click. Noah nodded, though 'ready' wasn't quite the word. Prepared, perhaps. Vigilant, definitely. The chi combat wouldn't begin until the afternoon, after the beast core removal and crafting competitions. But he would be there for Kelvin's event, watching and supporting his friend. When they stepped out of their room, the corridor was already alive with activity. Students from all twelve academies moved with purpose, some heading to competition areas, others to observation decks. The whole place buzzed with anticipation, with whispered strategies and boasts of inevitable victory. "It's really happening," Kelvin said, a grin spreading across his face. "Look at all this!" Noah glanced around, taking in the scene. For all the rivalry between schools, there was something unifying about this moment—all of them, gathered here, showcasing the best of what humanity had to offer against the ever-present Harbinger threat. They followed the flow of students toward the main arena complex. Through the massive windows lining the corridor, Noah could see the city below, the morning sun glinting off skyscrapers. Flying vehicles zipped between buildings, their anti-gravity engines leaving faint blue trails in the sky. The Nexus Arena itself was a marvel of post-Harbinger engineering, a proof of human resilience and ingenuity. Powered by synchronized beast cores, it could reconfigure itself for different competitions, adapting to the unique requirements of each discipline. As they approached the main entrance to the arena, Noah noticed the enhanced security presence. Elite soldiers in powered armor stood at strategic points, their expressions impassive behind tactical visors. Scanner drones hovered overhead, their sensors sweeping the crowd continuously. "Heavy security," Noah remarked quietly. "Well, yeah," Kelvin replied, lowering his voice. "Half the military brass in the Eastern cardinal is here today. Not to mention the civilian bigwigs." Including Kelvin's father, Noah knew, though he was tactful enough not to mention it. Webb Pithon, weapons and arms tycoon, was a complicated subject for his friend. Kelvin had never been proud of his father's empire, built on the profits of war and defense. "Different routes from here," Kelvin said as they reached a junction in the corridor. "Competitors that way, spectators the other." Noah nodded, clasping his friend's shoulder. "Good luck. I'll be watching." Kelvin's nervous energy seemed to crystallize into determination. "Watch me wash these amateurs," he said with a grin that didn't quite hide his anxiety. As Kelvin disappeared down the competitor's corridor, Noah felt a presence at his side. He turned to find Sophie, her Academy Twelve uniform impeccably worn, her hair pulled back in a practical style for the day ahead. "There you are," she said, slipping her hand into his. "Kelvin off to prep?" Noah nodded, grateful for her steady presence. "Crafting competition starts in thirty minutes. Chi combat isn't until after lunch." "Then we have time to get good seats," Sophie said, tugging him gently toward the spectator entrance. The main arena was already filling with spectators—students, faculty, and VIPs from across the Eastern Alliance. The space was vast, capable of holding thousands, with tiered seating surrounding a central area that could be reconfigured for different events. Currently, the arena floor was divided into sections. One area was set up for the beast core removal competition, with reinforced tables holding what appeared to be recently culled beasts of various sizes, their iridescent scales and armored hides still intact. Another section contained the crafting stations, where competitors would be given identical materials and challenged to create the most innovative and functional devices. Noah's eyes were drawn to the third section—the chi combat arena, currently dormant but soon to be the stage for his own test. "Look," Sophie said, pointing to the massive screens that hung above the arena. "They're introducing the VIPs." The screens showed the exclusive viewing boxes high above the regular seating, where military commanders and civilian leaders watched with varying degrees of interest. Noah recognized Commander Owen, the stern-faced head of Academy Twelve, seated alongside Vice Commander Albright, whose calculating gaze seemed to sweep the arena continuously. "There's your father," Noah said, nodding toward another screen that showed Minister Reign, the Eastern Minister for Defense, deep in conversation with a military official. Sophie's expression softened with pride. "He promised he'd make it, even with everything happening at the Ministry." Noah was curious, what was happening at the ministry? He wondered. As they found seats with a clear view of the crafting area, Noah continued to scan the screens, recognizing other faces. Lila's parents, the Rowes, sat with the practiced poise of people accustomed to public scrutiny. And there, slightly apart from the others, was Webb Pithon—Kelvin's father—his expression impassive as he observed the proceedings. "Your attention, please," a voice boomed through the arena's sound system. "The forty-seventh annual Inter-Academy Tournament will commence in fifteen minutes. Competitors for the beast core removal and crafting competitions should be at their stations. All spectators, please take your seats." The buzz in the arena intensified, conversations growing louder before settling into an anticipatory hush as the lights dimmed slightly. Drone cameras whirred overhead, capturing footage that was immediately displayed on the screens—sweeping shots of the crowd, close-ups of competitors preparing, reactions from the VIP boxes. "Noah! Sophie!" They turned to see Cora waving at them from a few rows back. Beside her sat Lila, her blonde hair falling in perfect waves around her face, her expression brightening visibly when she spotted Noah. Noah waved back, watching as Lila leaned over to say something to Cora before standing. A moment later, she was making her way toward them, navigating the rows with practiced grace. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, her focus entirely on Noah despite the question ostensibly being directed at both of them. Sophie's hand tightened slightly in Noah's. "Of course not," she said, her tone friendly even as her eyes narrowed fractionally. Lila slipped into the empty seat on Noah's other side, effectively barricading him between the two girls. If she noticed the tension, she gave no indication of it. "Excited for the combat later?" she asked, leaning slightly closer to Noah than was strictly necessary. "Yeah, I can't wait," Noah replied with a smile. Lila smiled, something knowing in her expression. "You'll do amazing. You always do." Before Noah could respond, the arena lights dimmed further, and a spotlight illuminated a figure standing on a raised platform at the center of the arena floor. "Welcome," Commander Elara's voice echoed through the space, "to the first day of competition. Today, we begin with the beast core removal and crafting competitions, followed by Chi combat this afternoon. And then finally would be the Arena battle!!" The screens above displayed the tournament bracket structure—a daunting single-elimination path that would whittle sixty competitors down to one champion for each year group. "Our competitors have trained diligently, honed their skills, and prepared for this moment," Commander Elara continued. "They represent the best of our academies, the future defenders of our alliance against the Harbinger threat." A solemn hush fell over the crowd at the mention of the Harbingers—the otherworldly entities that had nearly brought humanity to its knees years ago, and whose remnants still posed a significant threat. "Today, they compete not just for glory or recognition, but to push the boundaries of human potential—to become stronger, more skilled defenders of our way of life." The commander's words were met with thunderous applause. Noah watched as the screens panned across the VIP boxes, capturing the military commanders rising to their feet in salute to the competitors below. "Let the forty-seventh annual Inter-Academy Tournament begin!"

Chapter 200 200: Baptism by fire

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