It had been some time since Chase had stood within the Phoenix Academy walls, he felt more at home than he had in his entire lifetime.
He walked with a strange group, one that he had never seen truly take interest in each other, but now that Chase stood as the fourth strongest of the second years, he could take pride in the fact that this group was about to enter the room they had taken their combat classes in.
Students tried to talk to Chase, some even bowed asking for forgiveness for the terrible things they had called them.
Chase paid them no mind, and almost seemed to look down on them.
'They are fools.'
He thought, feeling as if they were trying to worship him or something.
He was an heir after all, whatever that truly meant? He did not know, but he did not really care as him Poppy, Neo, and Hans stepped into the training room.
Neo threw his bag on the ground and took a deep refreshing breath.
"So who's going first?"
He asked with a chuckle, clearly excited for a chance to get to fight Chase at his strongest.
However, the three of them looked shocked with wide eyes as Hans raised his hand.
"I would like to fight the heir..."
Neo shrugged.
"Go ahead big guy, but if you win... I want a rematch."
"Then I'll see you on the platform soon enough..."
He muttered, already stepping onto the duel platform, as he strapped his gauntlets together.
Poppy raised an eyebrow, and leaned over whispering into Chase's ear.
"Keep it ranged... Don't overextend or he could kill you..."
Chase frowned, and complained.
"I don't need a coach."
He summoned Hero's Fang, even though he had said that, he had clearly noted her words in his mind.
He did not plan on losing to the Panda, no matter how much respect he had for the big guy.
Hans lifted a large bronze helmet from the floor that resembled a giant bear, and set in on his head with a thud. The thing must have weight a lot because there was physical recoil when the dude had put the thing on.
Chase grimaced, feeling as if he had seen that helmet from somewhere but shrugged it off.
Gripping Hero's Fang, he summoned the Naga's mask onto his face, feeling energy overtake his sight.
Neo leaned forward against the wooden barrier that wrapped around the platform.
"Wish Equan woulda brought me some of that popcorn..."
He muttered, already starting to analyze the stances of the two fighters.
Poppy looked nervous, as if there was a shred of her that actually cared about Chase.
'Nah...'
He thought, pushing his heel into the ground, about to use Axis Twitch.
The room shook before the fight even begun, and then Chase was upon Hans, swerving around the violent thrashes of his mighty gauntlets.
Chase studied his fighting style as he avoided crushing blow after crushing blow.
'Legs...'
He thought, noticing the imbalance of Hans's stance.
Chase shot forward with a twitch, and turned to a slide, slicing at the ankles of the giant.
Inches away from him the ground exploded with shrapnel as his fist crushed into the ground where had been only seconds ago.
'Yikes...'
Chase propelled himself into the air, drawing forth 'Phoenix Flare' summoning ten small orange feathers that immediately exploded on impact with the panda.
He had blocked the piercing feathers with his bare arms, but had clearly taken some burn damage from the attack.
Chase grinned underneath the mask, and lowered himself as he sprinted around the giant.
Then the ground shook again, and Hans muttered a single word that would have brought dread to anyone in one on one combat with him.
"Earthquake..."
"Shit!"
Chase yelled, feeling himself lose balance as the ground began to cave in.
Hans had already been about to crush Chase with his armored fist, and for the first time in a couple days his life flashed before his eyes.
Then a bright white light flashed and the sound of ringing made him grimace.
A beautiful figure of white armor stood trembling in front of him, her spear barely holding back the strength of the panda.
Neo yelled something and threw himself onto the platform, running next to Hans and muttering something about fair fights.
"Alright then... Two on two... Three and fourth strongest... Versus me and the second strongest!"
Panda turned and scowled at Neo, drawing some awkward tension in the room.
"Reset then... Return to your side of the platform."
Poppy demanded.
"Hell no! Where me and Panda lack is where you and Chase are strongest, I'm not letting you wrinkled brained strategist come up with some dirty tricks on how to beat our overwhelming strength."
"I think Chase could beat you one on one if I'm being honest."
Poppy shrugged with a smug expression on her face.
"Hell no!"
Neo retorted, turning his back on them and returning to the opposite side of the platform.
Poppy held a hand out for Chase, and he accepted, letting her help him to his feat.
As they walked to their side of the platform, she grinned.
"What do you think the plan is?"
Chase put a finger on his chin, and looked at the ceiling pretending as if he needed to think to find the answer.
"Dirty tricks?"
She nodded, "Go for Neo, use speed and get around him. He may not be as big as Panda but he is very broad minded, if he isn't fighting head on then he loses most of the time. Remember the Mimic?"
He smiled, "What about Hans?"
"Let me handle the big guy, I'm smaller then you now, which means I have a better chance of getting underneath his attacks and going for the legs."
Chase raised an eyebrow, surprised that Poppy had actually mentioned their new height difference.
"Alright then..."
Chase outstretched his arms into the air, feeling resistance in the muscles in his shoulder.
"Let's go."