When Raze heard his name, his body tensed on instinct. He hadn't expected to be chosen first. Without an awakening, that put him at a serious disadvantage.
Still, he stepped forward.
As he approached the sparring platform, his gaze drifted briefly toward Ray. The hesitation was clear. After a short pause, he spoke.
"Can I use a beast weapon?" he asked, keeping his voice calm. "I mean… I'm in the combat specialist division. We should be able to, right?"
Ray blinked, like the thought had only just occurred to him. "Ah. Right. I forgot the weapon rack." He let out a short sigh and turned toward the exit. "Wait here."
Low murmurs spread through the hall as Ray walked off, his footsteps fading.
Raze stood still, eyes drifting across the training space before settling on the students watching him.
A moment later, the doors slid open again.
Ray returned, dragging a metal rack behind him. Swords. Spears. Daggers. Gauntlets. A wide variety of beast weapons lined the frame.
"All right," Ray said, pushing it into place beside the platform. "Choose whatever fits your fighting style."
Raze stepped forward. His hand hovered for a moment before stopping.
He picked up the Grey Wolf Gauntlets—the same pair he'd used in Beast Combat Weapon class the day before.
[Grey Wolf Gauntlets Equipped]
[Strength: 16 (+4)]
[Agility: 16 (+3)]
[Stamina: 16 (+3)]
[Endurance: 15]
As the gauntlets locked into place, the boost rippled through his body. Subtle. Immediate.
He stepped onto the platform.
"Your opponent will be Saren Vel," Ray announced. "Level three. Gravity awakening."
Raze's gaze shifted.
Saren Vel stood across from him, gripping a strange beast weapon— a jagged, whip-like tail, barbed and coiling as if it were alive.
A system screen appeared.
[New Quest Received]
[Defeat your opponent]
[Reward: Instant Level Up]
Raze exhaled slowly.
'This won't be like fighting Jackson.'
"Begin!" Ray called.
The word barely faded before Saren stomped his foot.
The air shuddered.
Raze's weight doubled in an instant. Gravity slammed down on him, forcing his knees to bend as his muscles strained.
'He's already using it. Gravity awakening.'
Saren didn't hesitate.
The whip lashed out.
Raze dove sideways. The strike grazed his sleeve, slicing fabric clean open before slamming into the floor with a sharp crack. A shallow crater formed where it hit.
Raze steadied himself.
'He's fast.'
Saren smirked. "You're slower than I thought."
"Guess you'll have to swing harder then," Raze replied, his pulse racing despite the calm in his voice.
The whip cracked again, aimed low.
Raze sidestepped and reached out, nearly catching it but gravity twisted mid-motion, yanking him off balance. The whip scraped across his thigh.
[-6 HP]
[94 / 100 HP]
He rolled backward, teeth clenched as blood slid down his leg.
'That could've torn through bone.'
"Not bad," Saren said. "Most people can't even move under my gravity."
Raze lunged forward.
He closed the distance and drove a punch into Saren's ribs.
[-8 HP]
[86 / 100 HP]
Saren staggered back two steps, surprise flashing across his face. Then his hand lifted.
The air grew heavier.
Three times stronger.
The metal platform groaned beneath them.
Raze's breathing hitched.
'It's like fighting underwater.'
The whip came down again, gravity amplifying the strike. It smashed into Raze's shoulder, sending him stumbling sideways.
[-14 HP]
[72 / 100 HP]
Pain exploded through his arm.
Raze stayed on his feet. His vision blurred for a heartbeat then steadied.
He blinked.
The bleeding had stopped.
The wound was gone.
'What…?'
For a split second, his focus slipped.
Saren noticed.
"What's wrong?" he said, grinning. "Did I hit you too hard?"
Raze clenched his fists.
'…I'm healing. Fast.'
He stepped forward anyway. "You'll have to do better than that."
Saren's smile vanished.
He swept his arm outward.
The gravity field expanded violently.
The arena shook. Cracks spread across the platform as chunks of metal tore free and lifted into the air, suspended by invisible force.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Ray took a step forward but didn't interfere.
Saren leapt onto one of the floating fragments with ease.
Raze followed, crouching low as his platform rotated beneath him.
"Don't fall," Saren said.
The whip snapped again.
Raze ducked, but the tail grazed his arm, cutting deeper this time.
[-10 HP]
[62 / 100 HP]
Blood spilled then the pain faded.
The skin sealed over.
A few students gasped.
"Did you see that?"
"He healed."
"Probably some passive awakening…"
Ray's eyes narrowed slightly.
'Interesting.'
Raze flexed his fingers.
'What's happening to me…?'
Saren pressed forward.
Gravity surged, launching him across the floating debris like a bullet. The whip slammed down.
Raze blocked with his gauntlets.
The impact cracked the air.
[-18 HP]
[44 / 100 HP]
He was thrown backward, tumbling across his platform. The edge crumbled beneath him. He barely rolled away as the fragment fell.
'He'll kill me if I don't fight back.'
He jumped to another piece as Saren advanced, each step shaking the debris.
'He's strong. But he's burning through energy. If I can just outlast—'
The whip cracked again.
Pressure slammed into him.
[-12 HP]
[32 / 100 HP]
Raze nearly dropped to his knees. His muscles screamed.
Then he pushed forward.
His body moved faster than before.
Raze lifted his head, eyes sharp.
'I'm done holding back.'