They were really about to fight.
Right here. Right now.
And I was standing in the middle of it—about to get swallowed by the storm created by two powerful flow users.
The elusive Rose Mensah.
And Captain Kinga.
Their auras spilled out like pressure breaking through cracks. The windows around the lab fractured instantly—sharp lines splintering across the glass. Tables rattled. Equipment lifted into the air, spinning violently with no direction, as if gravity itself had given up.
The professor let out a long sigh.
"Due to academy rules," he said, stroking his beard, "I cannot interfere in a fight between two flow users…"
Then suddenly—his eyes lit up.
"Ah! I have an idea! Why don't you two use the items we just developed during your fight?"
His voice carried excitement.
Captain Kinga's expression did not.
One sharp glare from him was enough to snap the professor back into reality.
Even I found it ironic.
Just moments ago, he had been lecturing us about discipline and knowing our place—and now he nearly forgot who he was speaking to.
I guess even the strictest people slip sometimes.
Then—
Kinga's eyes locked onto me.
Not a glance.
A stare.
Cold. Calculating. Like he was dissecting me without even touching me.
I felt irritation rise in my chest. I was already tired of people looking at me like I was some kind of object.
His gaze shifted.
To the armor I created.
The moment he noticed the screen embedded into it—his eyes widened slightly.
"I suppose there are competent humans in this academy," he said flatly. "Very well, Professor. I'll use the armor… while I fight her."
Rose's aura flared stronger.
"Yeah?" she said with a smirk. "Just don't cry when your face is planted in the ground. I'll make sure to post it all over the school page."
Kinga let out a low laugh.
"I suppose jokes are all you have to compensate for your lack of power."
He turned away.
"Meet me at the open field outside this lecture hall… if you dare."
Without hesitation, he grabbed my battle suit.
A small part of me winced.
My newest creation… probably about to be destroyed.
But another part of me—one I couldn't ignore—was excited.
I wanted to see it.
How it would perform…
Against monsters like them.
"Miss Rose… you can do it. Beat that guy for both of us," Hadal whispered quietly.
"Relax," Rose said, patting his shoulder casually. "He won't last five moves."
Hadal froze.
Completely.
Rose had already walked off toward the battlefield, but he stood there like his soul had just left his body.
The professor and the rest of the students followed, excitement buzzing through the crowd.
I followed too.
As we walked, all I could hear were voices praising Rose.
"She's definitely going to win."
"No question."
"She's unbeatable."
But honestly…
Was she?
Captain Kinga was a double-blessing user.
I didn't even know what his abilities fully were—but that alone gave him an edge.
And in this world…
That edge meant everything.
"Hey, Hadal," I said. "Who do you think will win?"
He scoffed instantly.
"You idiot. It's obviously my Rose."
I stopped walking.
"…Your what?"
He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me slightly, eyes wide with excitement.
"Did you SEE the way she patted me? She touched me. That means she's into me, right?!"
I looked away.
I didn't even want to deal with that.
"…Why did Captain Kinga call me a 'human'?" I asked instead.
That snapped him back immediately.
"Oh, that?" Hadal said. "He's part of the SRF—the Supreme Race Fate. They're an extremist group. They believe only flow users deserve to exist."
He shrugged.
"They call people without abilities 'humans.' It's their way of looking down on everyone else."
That explained a lot.
Why the professor warned me.
Why Hadal kept telling me to stay quiet.
If people like that were inside the academy…
Then this place wasn't as safe as it looked.
A thought crept into my mind.
What if they were in positions of power too?
…Board members.
Teachers.
I felt uneasy.
We reached the battlefield.
Or more accurately—
A massive crater carved into the earth.
I nearly tripped walking down the slope, but Hadal caught me before I fell.
"Watch it," he said.
I looked up.
At the bottom of the crater, on opposite sides—
Rose Mensah.
Captain Kinga.
Both wearing battle suits.
Both ready.
A man standing at the edge raised his hand.
"THREE! TWO! ONE! GO!"
The crowd erupted.
And they vanished.
The clash came instantly.
A shockwave exploded outward as their fists collided, sending violent gusts of air racing up the crater walls. Students near the edge stumbled back from the force.
They were fast.
Too fast.
"You haven't improved, Kinga," Rose said lazily, even yawning mid-fight. "Are you going to use your first blessing or not?"
So that was it.
Third blessing… and first.
A terrifying combination.
"Then allow me," Kinga said coldly, "to show you just how overrated you are."
His aura surged.
No—
Exploded.
It tripled in size, crushing the air around him.
"Flow Art: Overgrown Booster."
I blinked.
"Overgrown… what?"
Hadal didn't take his eyes off the fight.
"It's one of his first blessing techniques. He developed it himself. It triples his power… every ten minutes."
My stomach tightened.
That was insane.
"Oh wow," Rose clapped mockingly. "Good job. You got stronger, little captain."
They disappeared again.
This time—
The impact was worse.
Mini craters formed with every exchange. The ground shattered beneath them. Some students were thrown backward just from the aftershock.
And then—
Something strange happened.
My right eye burned.
A sharp, pulsing pain.
I instinctively shut it—
Then opened it again.
And suddenly…
I could see them.
Not clearly.
But enough.
Their movements slowed—just barely within my perception.
What…?
Was this me?
Or was someone affecting me?
Before I could figure it out—
BOOM.
Kinga was slammed into the ground.
A massive crater formed beneath him.
I turned to Rose.
She stood there, calm.
A few scratches.
Nothing more.
"Little cappy," she called out. "Get up. Let's finish this."
Her aura surged again.
Kinga rose slowly.
And something in him… snapped.
"I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!" he roared. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
He pulled his arm back—
Energy gathered—
Compressed—
Then exploded outward.
"DESTROYER FLOW ART—FOURTH MOVE: BALLAD OF THE REIGNING LION!"
A thousand punches.
No—
It looked like a thousand.
Each one tearing through the air toward Rose.
Each one strong enough to kill.
The ground shattered with every strike.
The crater deepened.
The air screamed.
But—
Rose smiled.
"Hm… I suppose I'll use my flow art too," she said calmly. "Good job, little cappy."
Her stance shifted.
"N'golo Flow Art—Third Move: Movement of the Wavering Leaves."
Everything changed.
Her speed—
Skyrocketed.
Even my strange eye couldn't keep up anymore.
She moved upside down.
On her hands.
Flowing between the punches like wind slipping through cracks.
Effortless.
Untouchable.
In less than three seconds—
She was in front of him.
"You did alright," she said softly. "But I'm just better."
She spun.
Balanced on her hands—
And kicked.
The impact sent Kinga flying across the crater, slamming into the far wall with devastating force.
The entire area shook.
We all fell to the ground.
Dust filled the air.
Silence followed.
Then—
"MATCH OVER! ROSE MENSAH WINS!"
The crowd exploded.
Cheers.
Shouting.
Excitement.
Rose stood victorious, already basking in it.
But me?
I couldn't stop staring at the battlefield.
The destruction.
Crater after crater.
Speed beyond sight.
Power beyond reason.
Were they even human?
"Everyone, return to class!" the professor shouted through a microphone. "Class is over—break time!"
The students began to leave, still buzzing about the fight.
"Did you see that?!"
"She destroyed him!"
"I told you she'd win!"
Hadal turned to me, grinning.
"Did you see that, Joseph? I told you—my Rose was going to win."
I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, it was amazing. And don't get your hopes up—she doesn't like you."
He frowned.
Confused.
Then—
He froze.
"…Joseph."
His voice changed.
"Why… is one of your eyes blue?"