Anay had just finished arranging his things when his phone buzzed softly.
[Saki]
"Hey, we're heading to Dome 3 for training. Come if you're free :)"
A smile crept across his face. "Why not?"
He grabbed his training gear and headed out. The campus air was fresh, charged with spiritual energy and the hum of students pushing their limits.
Elemental Dome 3 was a vast circular arena made of adaptive materials that could change based on affinity—currently tinted in flowing blue and silver hues, attuned for water and wind training. Dozens of students were sparring, meditating, or practicing their elemental techniques.
As Anay stepped inside, he spotted Veer first.
"Yo, Wind boy!" Anay called with a grin.
Veer turned with a smirk. "Hey, new guy." He winked, jokingly—
They bumped fists.
Just then, a roar of water and pressure caught their attention. In the center of the dome, Saki was mid-fight with another S-Class student. Her movements were graceful, yet commanding. Twin streams of water spiraled around her like serpents.
With a precise motion, she summoned a crashing wave that cornered her opponent, finishing with a slicing hydro-kick. The opponent dropped to one knee, panting.
"Woah…" Anay whispered.
"She's beautiful," Veer added, "but you do not want to piss her off."
Saki walked over, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow.
"You came," she said to Anay, smiling.
"Wouldn't miss it."
"You saw that?" she asked.
"I saw a water goddess annihilate someone. Yeah."
She chuckled. "He asked for it."
As the three laughed together, another student stepped forward—a tall boy with flame marks along his arms. His name was Darshan. He wasn't the strongest in class but was known to be gutsy.
"I want to spar," he declared, pointing at Anay. "With you."
Anay blinked. "Me?"
Veer leaned in. "Careful. He's got something to prove."
Anay walked forward casually. "Alright, just a friendly match."
The arena cleared. Students circled to watch.
Darshan opened with a burst of flame and charged, shouting, "Don't hold back!"
Anay dodged easily, reading his movement like wind on water. Calm, composed. When Darshan launched a fiery hook, Anay side-stepped and tapped his shoulder.
In a flash, Darshan was knocked to the ground, flat on his back. One clean counter. No powers—just raw instinct and precision.
Silence.
Then a wave of whispers.
"He just… took him down?"
"Wasn't that Darshan?"
"Holy—he beat one of the top physical types without even using energy?"
Anay scratched his head. "Uh… sorry, was that too much?"
Saki walked over and patted his back. "Too much? You just became famous, genius."
Even Veer looked a bit surprised. "You've been hiding those reflexes, huh?"
Anay just gave a humble smile. "I guess I've trained a bit before coming here."
Cheers rose around him. Whether he wanted it or not… Anay had arrived.