Instructor Luna chuckled and then moved.
"Boom!"
The ground gave a muffled thud as she disappeared, only to appear before Theon, she punched out and the air seemed to compress between her gloved fist as she cut through the space between them like a meteor.
Theon's gaze hardened.
And without hesitation, he activated the seventh move of the Nine Basic Saber Art and instantly, the blade trembled and hummed as his muscles vibrated in a unique frequency.
The blade in his hands suddenly seem to glow a slight orange color as he slashed at the incoming fist.
"Dang!"
Sparks echoed in mid air as the two attacks collided.
The clash sent shockwaves through the area as dust danced in the air.
Theon took a single step back as he redirected the force to the ground.
He was a bit surprised though. Her strength even when limited to level 9 was even stronger than him in the same level. Which means she probably had taken some body strengthening serum or fruits when she was young.
Instructur Luna's eyes flashed and before a second had passed, she punched out again.
The second attack came faster and from an unexpected angle.
Luna's advanced fist art revealed its true nature as she feinted left before pivoting on her heel, her right fist arcing upward in a devastating uppercut that seemed to bend the wind around its path.
The attack came from below and to the side, designed to slip past his blade.
But Theon wasn't slow. His Ancient God Eye caught every detail and even the shift in her muscle.
"Eight move: Overwhelming Tide!"
Instantly, his blade transformed into numerous afterimages as they stabbed outward with intense speed, surging downwards like a flowing surging river.
"Boom!"
Shockwaves along with glowing sparks echoed as the two attacks collided like an exploding grenade.
The one moved three steps backward while Instructor Luna actually moved a single step back.
"Damn! He actually made her move back!"
"This guy is insane!"
The spectators murmured as they watched the battle.
"Impressive," Instructor Luna praised.
"You should be careful of this next move."
Suddenly, the air around her started to tremble as primal energy surged out of her like a wave. At this moment, she seemed like a wild beast as she glanced at Theon with a smile.
Her feet suddenly sunk slightly into the arena floor as her thigh muscles expanded and trembled.
Suddenly, her fist ignited and the air around it churned as an intense wave of power rumbled within it.
"This is my ultimate move."
In that instant, her feet stepped forward and the ground trembled as she vanished like a smoke, appearing behind Theon like a ghost.
Theon's face changed. If he didn't have the Ancient Godly pupils he would have been unable to track her movement and even now, he was barely able to track her.
His blade spun as her reversed his grip.
"Ninth move: Burning Through The Heavens!"
"Boom!"
The entire blade erupted in blazing flames as the blade vibrated in an intense frequency, primal energy erupting from it, fueling the intensity as he twisted his waist, turning as he struck at the glowing fist.
"Ka-boom!"
The final clash rang out across the arena like a thunderclap. The spectators instinctively covered their ears as a shockwave rippled outward from the point of contact, stirring the hair and clothing of everyone in the immediate vicinity.
For a moment, the two combatants were frozen Luna's fist pressed against the sharp edge of Theon's blade, neither able to advance further.
Energy crackled between them like waves, visible as tiny arcs of light crackled.
Then, gradually, the forces balanced as the two primal energies cancelled each other.
The two then separated at the same time.
"Welcome to Galaxy Reign Academy." Instructor Luna said with a smile.
[Ding!]
[Quest Completed: Entrance Examination]
[Performance Rating: Exceptional]
[Reward: Level Up +1]
[Accept the reward now? Y/N]
__________________________
The first year mountain was as large as a small town with hundreds of student residences arranged in a descending order.
At the very peak of the mountain stood House Number One, it was actually a large mansion with gardens and beautiful trees.
As his eye traveled down the mountain, the size and beauty of the houses gradually decreased.
House Number 100 was still very impressive, a two-story building with its own training courtyard and defensive formations.
House Number 200 was modest but comfortable, while House Number 300 at the bottom of the hill was just a simple shed.
"Welcome to your new home for the next several years."
Instructor Luna gestured toward the mountain.
"As you can see, the academy believes in a simple philosophy: strength earns privilege. The houses from 201 to 300 are currently unoccupied. Pick one. The rest, from 1 to 200, have already been claimed by the prodigies and scions of powerful families who arrived before you."
One of the students, a broad-shouldered youth with an arrogant set to his jaw, scoffed. "So we're stuck with the scraps? How do we get into one of the better houses?"
Luna's lips curved into a sharp smile. "The same way they did. You fight for it. Every house is a resource. If you believe you are stronger than its current occupant, you may issue a formal challenge. Win, and the house and all its privileges are yours. Lose, and you'll likely spend a week in the medical bay rethinking your life choices."
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "A word of friendly advice: don't be stupid. The occupants of houses 1 through 100 are all monsters. The weakest among them is a Level 3 Genetic Soldier, and I happen to know the current resident of House Number One has advanced to Level 9 Genetic Soldier. Some of you are Evolvers, while most of you are just at the early stage of Genetic Soldier realm. Challenging them now would be suicide."
"Your student identification cards will be delivered to your chosen residence," Luna continued, waving a dismissive hand. "Tomorrow morning, you are to report to the main hall to join the rest of the first-year class for orientation. Your curriculum will be on your card. Before then, you are permitted to visit the Academy Archive. There, you will select your foundational meditation technique, one combat art, and one movement art. You will also be issued a standard academy combat suit. Any questions? No? Good. Choose your homes."
The seven successful applicants immediately rushed toward the remaining unoccupied houses, clearly hoping to claim the best available options before competition eliminated their choices.