Essentia Academy – Training Field – Late Afternoon
The sun cast long shadows across the open training field, where dozens of students had gathered after class. The cool breeze stirred the grass as a crowd began to form, whispering with anticipation.
Moments ago, Mr. Bront had just slammed down another stack of papers, homework sheets detailing each Essentia User Rank. Groans filled the room like a funeral chorus.
But things had quickly taken a turn.
"You probably only passed because your teammates carried you." Vanessa sneered, arms folded as she blocked Kagetsu's path near the classroom door.
Kagetsu, as usual, looked like he couldn't care less.
"You done yapping?"
Ezren, meanwhile, looked like he was about to explode.
"Wait, you think I carried him?" he said, pointing at himself with a laugh so wild he nearly dropped his schoolbag. "Lady, if Kagetsu wasn't there, I'd be rabbit chow in the forest.
Vanessa's lip curled.
"Fine then. Duel me, Kagetsu. Right now."
Kagetsu cracked his neck.
"Sure."
The crowd gasped. Some students scrambled for good seats, others for snacks.
Ezren leaned to Mira
"This is going to be good."
Mira blinked but followed quietly, her expression unreadable.
On the Field
The rules were simple: step out of the circle and you lose.
Bront stood at the edge, arms crossed like a bouncer at a magic club.
"BEGIN!"
Before Kagetsu could even finish blinking, Vanessa raised her hand, her Essentia flaring like a burst dam. She pulled moisture from the air, condensing it into a swirling sphere of water in her palm.
She compressed it.
SNAP.
The water morphed into a glowing blue fist of solid ice, jagged and crackling with magical tension.
"Impressed yet?" she shouted.
Kagetsu opened his mouth, but—
WHAM!
The ice-fist slammed into his side with the force of a falling boulder, sending him skidding across the ground, dust flying up as he barely stayed inside the dueling circle.
The crowd gasped. Someone dropped their bread roll.
"Wow," Ezren said, genuinely amazed. "I think I saw his soul leave his body for a sec."
Kagetsu groaned, coughing as he sat up near the edge of the circle. Vanessa walked forward, hair fluttering in the wind.
"Thought you'd at least dodge," she said smugly. "I guess the rumors were true. No Essentia, You're weak."
The crowd began to murmur.
Kagetsu stood up slowly, brushing off his uniform. His eyes, half-lidded a second ago, now burned with quiet intensity.
"You done talking?."
Suddenly, his figure blurred.
An afterimage remained where he stood, crouched like he was still recovering from the blow.
Vanessa blinked.
"What—?"
A flash of black behind her.
Kagetsu reappeared right behind her
CRACK!
A clean roundhouse kick hit Vanessa square in the back. She didn't even scream, just let out a "whuh!?" as her body was flung like a ragdoll
THUD.
She hit the grass with a shocked gasp, her hair flopping over her face.
The crowd erupted.
"Did he just—?"
"Was that teleportation?!"
"No way, is that the Martial art Mr bront was talking about, Ghost Pulse!?"
Ezren whooped and pointed.
"THAT'S MY BOY!"
Kagetsu landed lightly inside the circle, chuckling as he dusted off his sleeves.
"You said something about being dead weight?"
Vanessa sat up, dazed.
"I… I slipped."
Ezren leaned toward Mira, grinning ear to ear.
"Don't you just love it when he does that smug ninja thing?"
Mira, still watching Kagetsu, gave the faintest smile.
But neither boys noticed