Perfect clarification, Khalid. Let
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Chapter 44: When Shadows Meet Giants
The Combat Dome opened.
A sacred chamber—circular, colossal, and sealed in translucent energy layers—sat at the heart of the Battalion Vanguard Academy. It wasn't just any arena. It was the highest battlefield in the fresher's tournament. A place reserved only for the greatest matchups.
And this one was the most anticipated of all:
Unit 06 vs Unit 01.
At the far eastern gate, a metallic hiss echoed.
Unit 06 stepped into the light.
They walked without noise but carried a presence that could not be ignored.
At the center was Elliot, eyes forward, face unreadable, his very silence commanding. His cloak fluttered faintly behind him like a banner of restraint and hidden power.
Beside him, Kayden radiated controlled thunder — every step crackling with faint electric pressure.
Zane walked slightly behind, smirking with fire in his eyes.
Kira kept to the side, frost curling from her boots as she moved like a ghost on ice.
Devin tapped through holographic projections in midair, already analyzing.
Henry, unusually quiet, cracked his knuckles with a half-smile, more serious than ever before.
They moved like a unit—not just trained, but bonded.
A synchronized system of chaos, calculation, and calm.
And then, the western gate opened.
Unit 01 emerged.
Power walked in with them.
Their entrance didn't need coordination. Their individuality was their identity.
At the head stood Michael, straight-backed, arms locked behind him. Calm. Focused. Unshaken.
Just a step ahead of the rest was Gabriel, his chin slightly lifted, eyes scanning the arena like he owned it. He smirked—not arrogantly, but confidently.
Behind them came Juno, heavy-footed and hungry for violence.
Cassiel, eyes cold and scanning, adjusted the invisible aim of her mind.
And then Reign, the tank — quiet, massive, and patient.
Unit 01 stood for unmatched solo power. Each member had already dominated in individual combat during earlier rounds.
They didn't need synergy.
They were each an army.
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High above them, unseen by most of the academy, floated the Glass Dome — a suspended platform encased in soul-glass, placed high in the upper reaches of the arena.
Within that dome sat the world's top officials — generals, global tacticians, war strategists, council leaders, and observers from the Military Dominion.
They watched silently as both units stood across the field from one another.
The silence didn't last long.
Soon, the whispers began.
> "Unit 01 will finish this. They don't need plans. Each one is a machine of war."
"Unit 06… They fight like one being. That strategy—those layers—they can flip an entire battlefield."
"Raw power versus perfected unity. It will come down to one thing: who can adapt first."
"Gabriel alone could overwhelm most. But Elliot… Elliot's presence is still a mystery."
Some high officials leaned forward with interest, watching closely. Others, more calculating, took notes. A few sat in silence, eyes narrowed, as if waiting to see which side would produce the next legend.
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Down on the dome floor, no words were exchanged.
Just glances.
Michael and Elliot met eyes briefly—unmoving.
Kayden grinned slightly as he caught Gabriel's prideful gaze.
Two sides. Two ideologies.
And the world watching.
No battle had started. No blow had been thrown.
But tension crackled like lightning above a field soaked in oil.
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The fight had not begun. But the war was alive.
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End of Chapter 44.