Chapter 251: Meet the Rowes

Words : 1957 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

Noah grunted but didn't slow. Instead of retreating to recover, he headbutted Ryker directly in the face. 'Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one.' Blood erupted from Ryker's nose. The crowd erupted in shock. "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Kelvin screamed, nearly climbing over the railing in excitement. Sophie's smile had transformed into open-mouthed amazement. Miss Brooks stood up, unable to remain seated any longer. Noah and Ryker were now trading blows in the center of the ring with frightening intensity. Ryker's power superiority continued to give him an edge, especially with Apex Drive active. But Noah fought with a ferocity that defied explanation, absorbing punishment to deliver his own. [-18 HP] [-15 HP] [-22 HP] Noah's HP: [493/700] 'His overclock has a time limit. Just need to survive until it burns out.' "How are you still standing?" Ryker demanded between labored breaths. His Overclock was burning through its duration. Noah answered with a sweeping low kick that destabilized Ryker's stance, followed by a leaping punch that connected with his sternum. 'Got him. His enhanced speed makes his momentum harder to control when off-balance.' Ryker staggered but recovered, launching a devastating roundhouse kick. Noah blocked it with his forearm. [-20 HP] Noah's HP: [473/700] The block had saved him from worse damage, but Noah's arm hung slightly lower afterward—the impact had done real damage to the bone. 'Partial fracture, probably. Can still move it, but another direct hit would be problematic.' Ryker pressed his advantage, targeting the weakened arm. Noah switched tactics, abandoning conventional defense and simply accepting hits to land his own. 'If he thinks I'm compromised, he'll overcommit. Just need to bait him a little longer.' The fight devolved into a brutal slugfest. Ryker's technical brilliance giving way to primal exchange. Blood and sweat sprayed with each impact. [-25 HP] [-18 HP] [-15 HP] Noah's HP: [415/700] "His Overclock is almost done," Sophie realized, watching Ryker's movements losing their supernatural edge. As if on cue, Ryker's enhanced state began to fade. He knew it too—he had maybe ten seconds left of his advantage. 'Now's my chance. He'll try to finish it before his power fades.' "I'm finishing this now!" Ryker roared, launching into his final combination—a devastating sequence that had ended all his previous matches. Noah took the first two hits squarely. [-28 HP] [-32 HP] Noah's HP: [355/700] 'Predictable finisher. Third strike will come from below, followed by the temple shot.' But instead of collapsing, Noah stepped inside Ryker's guard. Their eyes met for a brief moment—Ryker's widening in disbelief as he realized his finishing sequence had been interrupted. 'Perfect timing.' Noah's fist connected with Ryker's solar plexus with enough force to lift the Academy Six fighter off his feet. Ryker gasped, air driven from his lungs. His Overclock faded completely, leaving him vulnerable as he struggled to breathe. 'End it now. Clean, decisive.' Noah didn't hesitate. He launched a blistering combination—jab-cross-hook-uppercut—each strike finding its mark with devastating precision. He finished with a spinning heel kick that connected with Ryker's temple. 'Physics doesn't care about your reputation.' The impact echoed through the arena. Ryker Dawn—the undefeated Apex Striker—crashed to the platform unconscious. The silence lasted three full seconds before the arena erupted. "WINNER FROM ACADEMY TWELVE—NOAH ECLIPSE!" the announcer shouted over the chaos. Noah stood in the center of the ring, chest heaving, blood streaming from multiple wounds. He looked down at his unconscious opponent without celebration or triumph—just the quiet acknowledgment of a job completed. In the stands, Academy Twelve students were losing their minds. Kelvin was jumping up and down, screaming incoherently. "ZOMBIE BOY! ZOMBIE BOY!" The chant started somewhere in the Academy Twelve section and quickly spread. Sophie remained seated, but her smile was radiant. In the VIP section, Commander Owen nodded appreciatively. "No combat ability, yet he just took down one of the most promising fighters in the eastern cardinal." Commander Albright looked like he'd swallowed something particularly foul. The medical team entered the ring, attending to both fighters. Ryker was already regaining consciousness, confusion evident in his eyes as reality set in. Noah limped toward the exit as the containment field lowered, acknowledging the cheers with a slight nod. 'Had to reveal more than I wanted, but kept my true power hidden. That's what matters.' "THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND!" Kelvin continued shouting, pointing at Noah. "MY BEST FRIEND JUST DID THAT!" Noah made his way back to the preparation area, where Kelvin nearly tackled him with a hug. "Dude, that was INSANE!" Kelvin exclaimed, eyes wild with excitement. "The way you just ate those hits and kept coming—I thought you were done when he activated that Apex whatever!" Noah winced, the adrenaline wearing off and pain flooding in. "Not so loud, man," he murmured, accepting a towel from an attendant to wipe blood from his face. "But seriously," Kelvin continued, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "That wasn't normal. The way you were hitting—people are going to start asking questions." Noah nodded slightly. "I couldn't let them find out about you-know-what yet," he said quietly. "Had to make it look like I was just tougher than expected." "Tougher?" Kelvin laughed incredulously. "You broke the dude's nose with a headbutt! While he was in super-mode!" A small smile tugged at Noah's split lip. "Could've finished it sooner," he admitted. "But that wouldn't have looked right." Sophie approached, her normally composed demeanor slightly flushed with excitement. "Impressive," she said simply, but her eyes conveyed much more. Noah nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze drifting to the monitors where the next matchup was being announced. But the arena was still buzzing about the match they'd just witnessed—how Academy Twelve's unremarkable first-year with no combat ability had taken down Academy Six's prized fighter through sheer physical prowess and indomitable will. Noah Eclipse, the Zombie Boy, had arrived. And everyone was watching. Noah walked slowly down the corridor, adrenaline fading and pain settling in. His ribs protested with each breath. The medical team had offered treatment, but he'd waved them off—nothing was broken, just bruised. He'd heal. The roar of the crowd followed him, muffled by distance but still thunderous. Another year 3 match on the way. The monitors mounted on the corridor walls showed flashes of elaborate techniques—all flash and style. Noah rolled his shoulder, wincing slightly. 'Could have ended that fight in the first minute,' he thought, dabbing at his split lip with the back of his hand. 'Ryker was good, but predictable.' Unlike the match with Nala, where her mirror abilities had genuinely cornered him, today's battle had been a different challenge altogether. Not a question of could he win, but how to win without revealing too much. 'The glass mirror girl forced my hand—had to use Null Strike or lose.' Noah flexed his fingers, remembering the sensation of erasing her mirrors from existence. 'But Ryker? Just had to weather the storm until his Overclock burned out.' The beating he'd taken was calculated—enough damage to make the victory look hard-fought, not enough to risk actual defeat. After facing down Category 3 beasts and surviving, a schoolyard brawler with enhanced physical abilities was manageable. 'Let them think I'm just unusually tough,' he decided. 'Better than them knowing about my real strength.Not yet.' The corridor ahead curved toward the competitors' quarters. Noah's muscles ached for a hot shower and a moment of quiet. The quarterfinals had thinned the field considerably—the real competition would begin in the semis. He turned the corner, footsteps echoing against the polished floors—and stopped. A woman stood before him, blocking the path. Noah's instincts flared immediately. There was something about this figure that set off internal alarms—not hostile exactly, but... significant. The woman wore an elegant navy dress that whispered of old money, with a simple diamond pendant at her throat that probably cost more than most people's car. Her dark hair was swept into an immaculate chignon, not a strand out of place. She carried herself with the unmistakable poise of someone who wielded real power, not merely influence. Before Noah could speak, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned slightly, keeping the woman in his peripheral vision. A man approached from behind—silver-haired, with the same air of wealth and authority. Expensive watch, custom suit, polished shoes that clicked precisely against the floor. Husband and wife, unmistakably, with the same calculating eyes despite their different features. Noah recognized them immediately. The Rowes. Lila's parents. 'How did they get this close without me noticing?' Noah wondered, unnerved. His senses were usually better than this. "Mr... Eclipse, is it?" The silver-haired man spoke from behind him, his voice cultured and measured, with just the slightest hesitation on Noah's name—as though he were merely pretending to be unfamiliar with it. Noah nodded once, saying nothing. "Impressive performance," the woman added, her tone smooth as silk but with steel beneath. "Though perhaps not as impressive as your match against the mirror manipulator." Noah's eyes narrowed slightly. They'd been watching—specifically watching him. "We haven't formally introduced ourselves," the man continued smoothly. "I'm Marcus Rowe, and this is my wife, Elise." "What can I do for you?" Noah asked, deliberately casual despite the tension crawling up his spine. These people hadn't intercepted him by accident. Marcus Rowe's smile didn't reach his eyes. "We'd like to discuss something with you, Mr. Eclipse. Something of a... private nature." Elise glanced at the monitoring cameras in the corners of the hallway, then back to Noah. "Very private," she emphasized, her gaze direct and penetrating. Noah looked between them, the strange encounter setting off every warning bell in his mind. The Rowes were powerful, connected, and—if Lila's rare comments about her family were any indication—dangerous. "And if I'm not interested?" Noah asked, voice level. The woman's smile remained fixed, but something cold flashed behind her eyes. "We've noticed you've developed quite a... connection with our daughter," Elise said quietly. "Lila has always been selective about her associations." Noah kept his expression neutral, but his mind raced. So this was about Lila. "I just had a match," Noah replied evenly. "I need rest." "This won't take long," Elise said, her tone making it clear this wasn't a request. "And it's in your best interest to hear us out." Marcus Rowe reached inside his jacket from behind Noah. Noah tensed, but the man merely withdrew a small metallic card, stepping forward to hold it between two fingers. "Room 712, East Tower," he said. "One hour. Come alone." Noah made no move to take the card. After a moment, Marcus simply placed it on the floor between them. "We'll be waiting, Mr. Eclipse," he said, stepping back. "I suggest you don't disappoint us." Both husband and wife turned and walked away in opposite directions, their movements perfectly synchronized, leaving Noah alone in the corridor with the gleaming card on the floor and questions multiplying in his mind. He stared at the card for a long moment before bending to pick it up. The metal was cool to the touch, unmarked except for a small symbol etched in one corner—a triangle within a circle. In the distance, the crowd roared as another match reached its conclusion. Noah slipped the card into his pocket and continued toward his quarters, his victory against Ryker suddenly feeling very small indeed.

Chapter 251: Meet the Rowes

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