The arena was alive with noise, a sea of students, teachers, and villagers filling the massive coliseum. Twelve dummies lined the pillars across the grounds, each one built from reinforced alloy and beast essence crystal, glowing faintly with power. They weren't ordinary targets. Each measured raw force, from the density of muscle to the amount of beast essence flowing through the strike.
"Step forward," the Fire Demon's voice rang across the coliseum, clear and commanding. Her crimson hair swayed under the sun as thousands of eyes locked on the first trembling student.
He gulped and raised his fist.
BOOM!
The strike echoed. The dummy flickered with light before the scoreboard above it lit up:
312.
Murmurs broke out instantly.
"Not even close."
"He's out."
The student's shoulders sagged as he was escorted away.
One by one, they stepped forward. Some barely reached 400, others surprised the crowd with 600 or even 700, earning cheers from their friends. But every failure stung the atmosphere like a warning. Out of the 229, many would be eliminated right here.
I stood in line, arms crossed, watching. My heart thudded steadily, but it wasn't nerves. It was anticipation.
"Renji!"
I turned as Rex called my name. He stepped up to his dummy, tightening his uniform around his arm. His mole-type beastline made him sturdy, but he wasn't built for explosive power. Even so, he inhaled deeply, crouched low, and punched upward with everything he had.
CRACK!
The dummy flared.
601.
The crowd clapped politely. Rex grinned, turning to me. "See that? That's how you qualify, bro. Now it's your turn to blow them away."
I smirked faintly. My name was already spreading through the stands.
"The Alpha Killer is here…"
"He's the one who killed the Mantis King, right?"
"No way someone our age has that kind of power…"
I stepped up to the dummy. The arena's noise faded to a low hum in my ears.
I exhaled slowly, letting beast essence ripple through me. My muscles tightened, blood surging faster. I pulled my arm back and drove my fist forward.
BOOOOOOOM!
The impact shook the pillar. Dust burst from the floor as the crystal core glowed violently. The numbers spiked higher and higher.
1,523.
The stands erupted.
"What the hell—?!"
"He more than tripled the requirement!"
"No student's ever done that before!"
Even the professors leaned forward. I caught the Fire Demon narrowing her crimson eyes. Beside her, the Ox Demon scratched his unkempt beard, muttering, "That one's dangerous."
I pulled back my fist, chest rising and falling, but inside, I was calm. Not enough… it's still not enough to reach him.
Because I knew who was next.
A hush swept over the crowd. The excitement dimmed into silence as Denji stepped forward.
The air shifted. His presence alone weighed down on everyone like a storm pressing against the earth. His golden eyes scanned the dummy with indifference, as if this was a chore.
He didn't charge essence. He didn't even focus. He simply clenched his fist and threw a casual punch.
DOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The sound was thunder. The shockwave rattled the stands, sending dust and fragments scattering. Students near the front shielded their faces as the dummy's crystal screamed with light.
The numbers soared uncontrollably before locking into place.
5,004.
Dead silence. No one even breathed.
Five times my score. Ten times Rex's.
The gap was overwhelming. Like the difference between a mountain and a hill.
"He… he broke five thousand…"
"That's not a student. That's a monster."
"Can Renji even stand against that?"
Denji turned without a word, walking back to the line. He didn't even glance at the scoreboard, as though numbers meant nothing to him.
Rex whispered hoarsely beside me, "Five… thousand…"
My fists clenched tighter. My pulse thundered in my ears, but not from fear. From fire.
Everyone else saw Denji as an unreachable wall. To me, he was the peak I had to climb.
Denji… wait for me.