Chapter 281 281: A goddess's visit

The Nexus Arena had undergone a dramatic transformation overnight. Where once three separate rings had accommodated the preliminary rounds—one each for Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3 competitors—now a single massive circle dominated the center of the stadium. The combined arena measured almost fifty meters in diameter, its surface a seamless blend of impact-absorbing materials and energy-conductive alloys that gleamed under the morning light filtering through the retractable dome. Technicians swarmed around the perimeter, their movements urgent but precise. Holographic displays flickered as they ran diagnostics on the reinforced energy barrier that would contain the finals matches. The previous six rounds had demonstrated that the tournament organizers had severely underestimated the raw power of this year's competitors—especially those from year 3. Three separate barriers had shattered during the semi-finals alone, and the repair crews were taking no chances with today's events. "Increase power allocation to the southern quadrant by fifteen percent," called out a lead technician, her voice amplified by the comm unit at her throat. "Yesterday's matches blew out the secondary limiters. I want triple redundancy for the finals." Most of the stadium seats remained empty, though a steady stream of spectators had begun to arrive, eager to claim prime viewing positions despite the finals being hours away. The capacity crowd of fifty thousand would fill these stands by midday, with millions more watching via stream across the Eastern sector. This was the usual finals tradition. Perhaps the most notable change to the arena's configuration was the VIP section. Traditionally positioned high above the action, the dignitaries' booth had been relocated to ground level, mere meters from the edge of the competition ring. A curved wall of crystalline material—transparent but stronger than steel—separated the elite viewers from the combat zone. This unprecedented proximity to the action was both a privilege and a statement: the Academy system wanted the world to see its leadership front and center, unflinching in the face of the power they had cultivated. The booth itself was a marvel of luxury and security. Twelve ornate chairs awaited the Headmasters (or commanders, as they were officially designated) of each Academy, with slightly smaller seats for their respective Vice Commanders. Behind them, elevated seating accommodated other notable attendees: government officials, military strategists, and the elite of Eastern sector society. Among these privileged spots were places reserved for Webb Pithon, arms tycoon and father to Kelvin, and—more surprisingly—two seats marked for the Rowes. The inclusion of Lila's parents—now known terrorists—in the official seating chart had been the subject of considerable speculation among those with access to this information. Official channels remained silent on whether this was a trap, a reconciliation, or something else entirely. As the morning progressed, the stands began to fill with spectators. Conversations buzzed with excitement and theories about the matches to come. Unlike previous tournaments, this year's event had produced unusual finalist distribution: three students from Year 1, three from Year 3, and only two from Year 2 remained in contention. "Did you hear about the kid from Academy 12? The one that uses Chi?" A woman in a blue jacket leaned toward her companion. "They're saying he wasn't even ranked in the top twenty in his class at the start of the year." "Academy 12's got three finalists this year. Unprecedented," replied her friend, scrolling through statistics on a tablet. "That Lucas Grey was expected—he's been dominant for years. But two year 1 student making finals? That hasn't happened in over a decade." Elsewhere in the stands, a group of Academy 8 supporters had unfurled a banner depicting their finalist, a muscular young man with flames spiraling around his arms. "HEAT SEEKER! BURN THE COMPETITION!" it proclaimed in bold letters. "The Year 2 final is going to be straightforward," declared a self-appointed expert to anyone who would listen. "Academy 5's against Academy 9's finalist. But the Year 1 and Year 3 brackets? Triple threat matches. That's where it gets interesting." His companion nodded enthusiastically. "Year 3 is going to be brutal. Lucas Grey versus Jayden Smoak has been building for years. Add in Diana Frost with her momentum nullification? That's going to be a tactical nightmare." "I'm more interested in the Year 1 final," countered a woman with an Academy 12 insignia on her jacket. "Noah Eclipse, Lila Rowe, and Kaiden Vex from Academy 3. All of them have shown skills that shouldn't be possible for first-years." The rumor mill churned relentlessly as the crowd grew. Some whispered that Minister Reign had personally requested the arena configuration change. Others claimed that the Harbingers had been spotted near the city, and the military was using the tournament as bait. A particularly persistent theory suggested that the triple threat format was designed to force certain students into their "soul forms"—the legendary state achieved only by Alpha Awakened at the peak of their abilities. But one question repeated across the arena more than any other: in a tournament that had already shattered expectations, what would the final matches reveal about the next generation of humanity's defenders? As the stadium's massive chronometer ticked closer to the commencement ceremony, the air itself seemed charged with possibility. In the competitors' preparation areas, hidden from public view, twelve young people with extraordinary abilities prepared to step into the arena—unaware that forces beyond the tournament were converging on this very location, with plans that would transform their world forever. Meanwhile, inside the Minister's office in the Nexus Arena, there was a different tone around the place. Unlike other officials who flaunted their status with opulence, Minister Reign's space was functional, with only a few personal touches—a single photograph on his desk, a ceremonial blade mounted on the wall, and a viewport overlooking the arena where hundreds of thousands would soon gather. Sophie stood near that viewport, watching the steadily growing crowd below. Her father sat behind his desk, reviewing security protocols on a holographic display for what must have been the tenth time that morning. "The Fifth Quadrant response teams have been reinforced," he said, his voice carrying the weight of his position. "Security drones have been reprogrammed with updated recognition patterns. If the Purge attempts anything today, they'll find themselves outmatched and surrounded." There was something distant in his tone that Sophie couldn't miss. She'd grown up reading the subtle shifts in her father's demeanor—a necessary skill for the daughter of a man who rarely shared his burdens openly. "Dad," she said quietly, turning from the window. "Are you okay?" Minister Reign looked up, momentarily startled as if he'd forgotten she was there. "Of course. Just ensuring everything is in place." Sophie crossed the room and perched on the edge of his desk, something she'd done since childhood when she wanted his full attention. "You know what I mean. Today... if Mom really is involved..." Her father's jaw tightened minutely, the only outward sign of the emotional storm she knew was raging beneath his composed exterior. Eight years had passed since her mother had abandoned them to join the Purge, leaving nothing but a five-minute recorded message explaining why she believed the military path was wrong. "It changes nothing," he said firmly. "Our duty is clear. Protect the civilians, the students, the future of the Eastern sector. Whether your mother is involved or not." Sophie reached out and placed her hand over his. "I know. And I want you to know that I'm proud of you. For staying. For doing what's right even when it hurts." Something flickered in her father's eyes—vulnerability, perhaps, or gratitude. "I loved Mom," Sophie continued, her voice soft but steady. "Part of me always will. But I wouldn't want any other parent in my life than you. Not for a single day." Minister Reign's composure wavered for just a moment as he covered her hand with his other one. "Sophie..." His voice caught. "You are the best of both of us. I see her strength in you, but you have a clarity she never found." "We're going to stop them today," Sophie said with conviction. "Together." He nodded, returning to his professional demeanor with visible effort. "The security briefing starts in ten minutes. You should find your friends. That Eclipse boy will be looking for you before his match." Sophie stood, recognizing the dismissal for what it was—her father's need to regain his composure. "I'll see you after it's all over." "Sophie," he called as she reached the door. "Thank you." She smiled, nodded once, and slipped out into the corridor. Inside his office, alone now, Minister Reign's shoulders slumped. The holographic displays continued to flicker with security updates, but he no longer saw them through the tears that had begun to stream down his face. For the first time in years, he allowed himself a moment of weakness, a quiet sob escaping as he thought of the daughter who believed in him, the wife who had abandoned them both, and the terrible weight of the decisions that lay ahead. Meanwhile, in another area, a different energy was present. "—and then he uses this absolutely insane Chi technique that honestly shouldn't even be possible with just basic Chi manipulation," Kelvin's hands animated his explanation as he walked backward facing his companions. "Everyone thinks it's just normal displacement energy, right? But I've measured the residual particles and there's definitely a spatial component that—" "Kelvin," Cora interjected, adjusting the fingerless gloves she never went without, "normal people don't measure 'residual particles' when their friends fight." Kelvin grinned unabashedly. "Normal is boring. And come on, aren't you even a little impressed that Noah made it to finals using just basic Chi techniques while everyone else has elemental manipulation or enhanced physical attributes?" Cora ran a hand through her short, spiky hair, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth despite her attempt to seem unimpressed. With her athletic build and perpetually ready-to-fight stance, she embodied the combat specialist she was training to become. "I'm surprised he made it this far, honestly," she admitted. "But I'm more surprised that Adrian Albright didn't. Speaking of which—" She nodded toward a side corridor where a tall young man walked alongside an older carbon copy of himself in military dress. "Commander Albright and his disappointing progeny," Kelvin muttered, lowering his voice. "Let's not make eye contact. I don't want to catch whatever genetic condition makes someone such a massive jerk." Vee—Violet in full, though few used it—tapped through information on her tablet, her purple hair falling across one eye as she worked. Unlike Kelvin's exuberant technopathy that manifested in grand gestures and explosive creativity, Vee's abilities were methodical, precise, and devastatingly effective. "The stream numbers are insane," she reported, brushing her hair back. "Already trending number one across the Eastern Cardinal. The betting pools have Lucas as the favorite for Year 3, but Noah's odds have been climbing all morning in the Year 1 bracket." "Smart money," Kelvin declared. "Though I'm not supposed to know about the academy betting pools, and I definitely haven't placed several strategic wagers through anonymized accounts." Cora rolled her eyes. "Of course you haven't." They rounded a corner into a less crowded section of the concourse, and suddenly found themselves face to face with Diana Frost. The Year 3 finalist stood alone, her hair pulled back in a severe style that emphasized her sharp features. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees in her presence—whether from her ability to create "dead zones" that nullified momentum and energy transfer or simply her icy demeanor was unclear. "Pithon," she acknowledged Kelvin with a slight nod, ignoring his companions entirely. "Where's Eclipse?" Kelvin raised an eyebrow. "Preparing for his match, obviously. Though I'm curious why you care. Don't you have bigger problems to worry about? Like Lucas Grey removing you from existence in approximately—" he checked an imaginary watch, "—four hours?" Diana's lips curved into the smallest of smiles, though it never reached her eyes. "Tell Eclipse I look forward to seeing what he brings to the finals. It would be... disappointing if he held back." "I'll deliver your creepy message," Kelvin replied with forced cheer. "Though if I were you, I'd focus more on your own bracket. My number one is going to wipe the floor with you and your plasma-boy toy." Something dangerous flickered across Diana's face, but she maintained her composure. "We'll see." As she walked away, Cora nudged Kelvin. "What was that about? Since when does a Year 3 finalist care about Noah?" "It's a long story involving an ass whooping, a failed ambush, and the fact that she's Jayden Smoak's right hand," Kelvin replied vaguely. "Nothing to worry about." Vee frowned, looking up from her tablet. "Are you sure? Because security just pinged an alert about—" Her words were cut off by a thunderous noise from the main entrance. The regular flow of spectators scattered as a line of heavily armed personnel in unmarked tactical gear poured through the doors. Security cameras throughout the concourse simultaneously flickered and went dark. Emergency lighting activated, casting everything in a harsh red glow. "What the hell?" Cora moved into a defensive stance, her hands already glowing with subtle vibrations. Kelvin's eyes darted from one intruder to the next, cataloging weapons, formations, possible technopathic countermeasures—until his gaze fell on a figure at the center of the group. Walking calmly amid the armed operatives was a young woman, no more than nineteen, dressed entirely in pink from her boots to her hair. She moved with absolute confidence, as if the armed escort was a mere formality rather than a necessity. Kelvin's eyes widened in horror, his face draining of color. "No... it can't be..." "Kelvin?" Vee grabbed his arm. "What is it? Who is that?" But Kelvin was already backing away, his usual bravado completely evaporated. "I have to find Noah. Now." "What? Kelvin, wait!" Cora called, but he had already turned and begun sprinting down the corridor. "We need to go after him," Vee said, confusion evident in her voice. "What just happened?" Cora watched Kelvin's retreating form, then glanced back at the pink-haired woman who was now surveying the arena entrance with a satisfied smile. "I don't know, but I've never seen Kelvin scared of anything before." As they debated whether to follow, Kelvin rounded a corner at full speed, his heart pounding against his ribs. His mind raced with calculations, probabilities, and terrifying certainties. He had to reach Noah before it was too late. Before she found him. Because if Gigarose was here, everything they thought they knew about today was wrong. Catastrophically wrong. --- Noah moved through the eastern wing of the Nexus Arena complex toward Training Room E-7. Lucas Grey would be there, following his pre-competition ritual of solitary practice in small, isolated spaces. Or generally being Grey who was obsessed with training. His mind raced with urgent matters—the Purge attack, Minister Reign's involvement, the tournament's sinister purpose—alongside the weight of his own secrets about his powers. The sound of lightning hitting something from E-7 confirmed Lucas was inside. Noah was steps from the door when Kelvin's voice called from behind. "Noah! NOAH!" He turned to see Kelvin sprinting toward him, face flushed and eyes wide with unmistakable fear. "What's up?" Noah called. Before Kelvin could reach him, something flickered in Noah's system overlay. Unlike familiar updates, a different notification appeared with a small pink heart icon pulsing in the corner: [Hi, Shadow Oracle...] Noah's blood ran cold. No one knew about his system except those he told, yet alone— The message glitched and vanished, the interface scattering before returning to normal with no trace of the intrusion. Noah froze, suddenly oblivious to Kelvin's approaching footsteps and the corridor around him. Someone knew. Someone was in his system. And they had called him by a name he didn't use anymore. Shadow Oracle.