The arena lights pulsed bright, casting sharp shadows over the metal floor. Cold wind slid in from above, brushing Jack's skin as he stood beside Nova, his eyes half-lidded like he wasn't fully present.
Across from them stood Calen, Izo, and Varik—the same three who mocked him days ago.
"Seriously? They let the garden boy in here?" Calen said, grinning.
"Don't blink or he might hug us with his little vines," Varik added, snickering.
Jack's voice came out flat. "Nova… stay back."
She gave him a nervous look. "Jack, are you—"
He didn't respond.
> "Match begins in 3... 2... 1. FIGHT."
Jack stepped forward as the ground trembled under their feet.
Scythe appeared from black mist, emerging like a spider climbing from a corpse—tall, deadly, slicing air with her bladed limbs.
"Kill them," Jack commanded.
Scythe leapt.
---
But Calen was ready.
The crystal user hurled a cluster of red shards right at her chest.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Scythe shrieked.
Her midsection erupted in flame and splintering bark. A second bomb shattered her face in an explosion of jagged roots.
She staggered—and collapsed.
Smoke rose from her body, still and broken.
Jack's eyes widened slightly.
Scythe was dead.
But instead of anger… he smiled.
Then disappeared.
Literally vanished—slipping into the floor as vines swallowed him whole.
---
Above the Arena
Small black birds burst from the ceiling vents like shadows, wings flapping silently. They circled overhead, scanning the field with glowing red eyes.
"Where'd he go?" Varik asked, spinning in place.
"I don't know, man—watch the birds!" Calen shouted.
Suddenly, Jack reappeared—just beyond the center of the arena, holding a small glass sphere filled with glowing red liquid.
"Let's test this," he whispered.
He hurled the orb at Calen with speed and precision.
"Break it!" Calen screamed, instinctively firing a crystal bomb at it.
CRACK!
The ball shattered in midair—red liquid spilling across the arena floor.
Everything it touched began to melt—the ground, Calen's boots, his crystals.
Calen screamed in agony as the acid hissed and tore through his legs. He collapsed, writhing, his power neutralized in seconds.
Jack raised his hand, calm.
---
Izo charged.
Fists raised, metal body glinting under the arena lights.
Jack turned, roots exploding from beneath him, wrapping around Izo's legs, holding him in place.
Jack raised one finger—and fired a seed from his fingertip, aiming for Izo's arm.
CLINK.
It bounced off.
Too strong.
Jack's lips curled.
"Fine. Then chew on this."
The ground shook violently as Jack summoned a new monster.
From deep below, the floor cracked—then burst open.
A massive, fleshy worm, with rows of teeth spiraling down its throat, emerged roaring. It swallowed Izo whole before he could scream.
CRUNCH.
Then it slithered back into the depths on Jack's command, vanishing like a bad dream.
---
Only Varik was left.
The speedster panicked and bolted across the arena, trying to blur away in a wind-dash—but Jack summoned another creature.
"Big Boy," he called softly.
The arena trembled as a towering monster—hulking, armored, with fists like stone—stomped out from a swirling green portal.
Jack pointed at Calen's writhing, melted form.
"Finish him."
Big Boy charged, fists swinging.
Calen barely had time to scream before the creature's punch flattened him like a bug under a boot.
---
Now only Varik remained.
He moved fast—blurs and ghost steps—but Jack was already ahead.
From his side, two wolves formed from bark, bone, and shadow, their eyes glowing like embers.
"Eat."
They took off with a growl, fast enough to intercept.
Varik tried to dodge—but Jack raised a hand and fired a root at his ankle, tripping him mid-dash.
He hit the ground—and the wolves were on him, tearing into his arms and legs, biting down hard.
Screams echoed across the arena.
Nova stood frozen, eyes wide, lips trembling.
Jack turned toward her—face calm, empty.
"It's over," he said simply.
The arena fell into dead silence.
---
Up in the Observation Booth
The General watched from above, arms folded.
"So he's finally showing his teeth," he murmured.
Behind him, a scientist scribbled notes.
"Subject 17 is escalating."
The General nodded.
"Good."
The wolves were still gnawing at what was left of Varik when the arena speakers buzzed back to life.
Jack turned toward the exit, steps quiet, blood and ash behind him.
But then—
> "New challenger entering the arena."
The voice wasn't robotic like the system. It was real—cold and amused.
Jack stopped.
Nova looked up in confusion from the corner. "What?"
The arena gates rumbled, and a figure stepped through.
He looked… normal.
Black shirt, clean boots, calm eyes. Maybe sixteen, seventeen. No weapons in hand, no flashy entrance.
But Jack felt it the moment he stepped onto the arena floor.
Pressure.
The air around him dropped in temperature. Not by degrees—by instinct. Frost climbed across the metal walls, creeping along the floor like ghostly fingers.
The boy stopped ten feet from Jack and opened his palm.
"I've been waiting for someone like you."
He snapped his fingers—and a wave of ice burst from his hand, flying straight at Jack.
Jack crossed his arms, bracing—the ice slammed into him, coating his legs and arms, locking him in place like a frozen statue.
Nova gasped, taking a step forward.
The arena held its breath.
Then—CRACK.
The ice split. Veins pulsed under Jack's skin, glowing red, then exploded outward with strength.
He shattered the prison with a roar.
Steam hissed off his shoulders as Jack looked up, red eyes flickering.
The boy smiled.
"I'm Rael. Rank 2… but I've beaten Rank 1s. And I'm bored."
Jack's breathing steadied, the monsters whispering in the back of his mind, stirred but not yet summoned.
Rael raised his hand again.
Blades of ice formed from the air, spinning around him like a storm waiting to be unleashed.
"I want a real fight. Give me everything you've got."
---
Jack's Thoughts
> He's strong.
Not like the others.
Fast. Cold. Precise.
And he's not scared of me.
Jack didn't respond.
Frost coiled around Rael's ankles like smoke. His eyes never left Jack.
The air between them felt thin, like glass about to break.
Jack didn't speak.
He stepped forward, slow and deliberate—veins glowing faintly beneath his skin.
Rael grinned. "Good."
He launched the first strike.
With a flick of his wrist, five jagged blades of ice shot forward, whistling through the air.
Jack dodged left, the first blade slicing his shoulder. He didn't flinch.
He dove forward, summoning no monsters—just raw power. From each arm, flesh tore open and three living whips lashed out—red, veined, and tipped with hooked claws that scraped the floor as they snapped into form.
Rael's grin twitched. "So you're like that."
Jack lunged.
CRACK!
One whip struck the ground where Rael had just been—too slow. He blurred sideways, gliding on a sheet of frost.
Jack rotated mid-motion and lashed again—two strikes this time, one high, one low. Rael blocked one with a frozen wall, but the second raked across his thigh, tearing his pants and skin alike.
Rael hissed in pain, backing off—but launched a counterstrike, sending a spiraling burst of icicles in every direction. One hit Jack square in the ribs.
He stumbled—only for a moment—then snapped his arm down. The whip screeched across the floor, catching Rael's ankle and yanking him forward.
Jack met him with a rising punch—bone-crunching, direct to the gut.
Rael flew backward and rolled, coughing blood into the arena dust.
Jack's eyes burned red. No smile. No roar.
Just violence.
Rael gritted his teeth and slammed both hands into the ground. A wave of frost exploded outward, freezing everything in a 10-foot circle.
Jack's legs locked in place.
Rael stood, face cut, breath fogging. "Let's see if you can handle this."
He raised both arms and conjured a ring of spears, circling above like frozen satellites.
Then—they fell.
Jack yanked one foot free with a growl. One spear pierced his thigh. He cried out, pulling it free as blood sprayed across the ice.
He kept walking.
Rael's eyes narrowed. "Why aren't you—"
He didn't finish.
Jack leapt—both whips out—and slammed them down like axes. The ground cracked. Rael barely dodged, a claw nicking his cheek, slicing a clean line of red.
Jack landed on all fours, panting, chest heaving.
Rael froze the sweat off his neck. "You're bleeding bad."
Jack said nothing. But his next move answered.
The whips retracted into his arms—and he raised his hands.
From both palms, long bone blades erupted, curved like mantis scythes.
He rushed.
Rael summoned a double-bladed halberd of frost and met him mid-charge.
Steel and ice clashed.
Jack's bone blades carved chunks from Rael's weapon. Rael struck back with force, knocking Jack back—but Jack ducked, spun, and sliced across Rael's side, leaving a shallow gash.
Rael roared and shoved him with a blast of frozen wind—Jack was thrown across the arena and slammed into the far wall.
Dust rose.
Jack didn't move.
Nova screamed from the sidelines. "Jack!"
Rael limped toward him. "Stay down," he muttered.
But Jack's head lifted. His eyes, bloodshot and glowing, locked onto Rael with fury.
He stood.
Flesh ripped open again—whips returning, longer, more erratic, like serpents gone mad.
Jack charged.
Rael formed a wall of ice—
TOO LATE.
The whips punched through, grabbed his arm and leg, and slammed him into the ground—once, twice, three times.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Jack stood over him, shadows flickering across his face, whips twitching in the air like nerves.
He raised one clawed tip—ready to end it.
But then—ZZZZZT!!
An electric surge shot through Jack's neck. The chip activated, sending voltage down his spine.
He collapsed to one knee, twitching, growling, blood foaming at his lips. The whips writhed and then fell limp.
Rael lay on the floor, coughing, body shaking.
Guards stormed in—batons and stun rifles drawn.
They rushed both boys, shouting, dragging them apart.
Jack's eyes fluttered, barely open, lips whispering one word as he faded out:
"…next time."