The assessment facility looked more like a gladiator arena than a training hall.
Soren stood in line with three hundred other first-years students. Holographic displays cycled through combat protocols overhead. His student ID synced automatically when he passed the entrance. A notification blinked in his AR overlay.
**Assessment Registered: Soren Cross | Biological Enhancement | Insect DNA - Tiger Beetle | 10% Integration**
The words "Insect DNA" glowed different from other students' displays.
Around him, students checked their own displays. Some looked confident. Most looked like they were calculating survival odds. And some were trying to hide their nervousness.
A girl nearby glanced at Soren's display, then did a double-take. She whispered to her friend. Both stared at him.
**[They're looking at you.]**
*I noticed.*
**[Insect DNA gets attention. Most people think it's a death sentence.]**
*Most people are right.*
"First-years!" Instructor Vale's voice boomed through the space. She stood at the center platform, yellow wolf-eyes scanning the crowd. "Welcome to your first combat ranking. Rules are simple. You fight. You win. You get ranked."
A massive hologram materialized beside her—bracket system showing three hundred names arranged in tournament style.
"Preliminary rounds are randomized one-on-one matches. Win, you advance. Lose, you're ranked based on performance metrics." Vale's smile showed too many teeth. "Top ten from prelims move to finals tomorrow."
Her eyes found Soren in the crowd. Held for just a second longer than others. And moved without holding any change in her expression.
"Non-lethal combat only. Injuring fellow student knowing is prohibited. Med teams are standing by for everything else." She gestured to weapon racks along the walls. Energy rifles, plasma blades, traditional swords. Every kind of weapons were stacked there small to big. "Choose based on what your integration and you can handle. Pick wrong, you'll hurt yourself more than your opponent."
Soren's AR updated. His name appeared in the bracket.
**Match 47: Soren Cross vs. Kade Morrison**
The AR system pulled up basic info.
**Kade Morrison | Biological Enhancement | Wolf DNA | 8% Integration**
Eight percent. Below average for first-years. But not helpless.
**[Your first real fight in this life.]**
*Yeah.*
**[Try not to embarrass us both.]**
*Encouraging as always.*
**[Tiger beetles are ambush hunters. You're in an open arena. No ambush points. Got any idea how are you going to handle this situation.]**
*I'll figure something out.*
The first matches started. Students poured into smaller combat rings set up around the main arena. Holographic barriers contained each fight—force fields keeping weapons and bodies from flying into spectators.
Soren watched a few while waiting While waiting he noticed some movement. He caught students pointing at him, whispering.
"Is that the insect DNA guy?"
"I heard he nearly died during integration."
"Why would anyone choose insect DNA?"
**[You're famous. Or infamous.]**
*Great.*
A girl with shark DNA manipulated moisture in the air into whips. Her opponent couldn't get close. Forty seconds, done.
Another match—dual heart user versus bear DNA. The bear guy was stronger, but dual heart stamina was endless. He wore the bear down over five minutes until the bigger fighter collapsed from exhaustion.
"Cross! Ring Seven!"
The whispers followed him as his overlay guided him through the crowd. Some students moved out of his way. Like insect DNA might be contagious.
Kade Morrison was already at Ring Seven. Standing there waiting for his opponent.
Taller than Soren. Broader shoulders. Wolf DNA showed in sharper features and eyes that tracked movement too precisely. He stretched his arms, looking comfortable and confident.
Then he saw Soren's approach. His eyes flicked to the holographic display showing match info.
**Match 47: Soren Cross (Insect DNA - Tiger Beetle) vs. Kade Morrison (Wolf DNA)**
Kade's expression shifted. "Insect DNA." Not a question. Statement of fact. "You're that guy everyone's been talking about."
"Apparently."
"Heard you nearly died during integration."
"Heard wrong. I did die. Just briefly or you can say I died and opened my eyes again after few seconds."
Kade's eyes widened. "That's not—" He stopped. Looked at Soren differently now. Part respect, part wariness. "You're serious."
"Little bit."
"And you still went through with it."
"Seemed like a good idea at the time."
Kade shook his head slowly. "Insect DNA users are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid."
"Why not both, stupidly brave?"
That got a surprised laugh out of him.
The ref stepped between them. Senior student with cybernetic implants running along his jaw. "Rules are simple, fight until knockout, surrender, or I call it. Lethal force means expulsion and prosecution. Any Questions?"
Soren replied first.
"No."
"Nope."
"Choose weapons."
Kade grabbed a plasma blade from the rack. Standard choice for low-percentage enhanced.
Soren scanned the options. Energy rifles were useless in close quarters. Plasma blades needed techniques that he didn't have. Traditional swords required mana control he couldn't access yet.
He picked up two short tactical batons. No energy, no tech. Just weighted metal with grip enhancers. And just swing as hard as you can.
**[Interesting.]**
*I'm faster than him. Don't need range.*
**[Your brain's faster. Your body's still catching up. You move like a snail more then fastest beetle]**
*I am trying. Ok. I'll work with what I have.*
They returned to the ring. The holographic barrier shimmered into place.
Around Ring Seven, more students had gathered. Word had spread. Insect DNA user's first match. They want to see what this specimen can achieve.
"Ready?" The ref looked between them.
Soren fell into a loose stance. Weight forward. Ready to move.
"Fight!"
Kade came in fast. Without any warning. Plasma blade slashing diagonal toward Soren's shoulder.
But Soren saw it coming.
Three seconds before the blade arrived, his enhanced perception kicked in. The world stretched. He watched Kade's weight shift, shoulder rotate, blade arc through space frame by frame. Like someone is pausing and playing a video again and again very quickly. His brain calculated strike path, identified the gap, planned his counter.
His body almost kept up.
He sidestepped. The plasma blade missed by inches. Heat washed over his face as it passed.
Kade's eyes went wide. "Fast—"
Soren struck.
Right baton into exposed ribs. Not powerful enough, ten percent integration didn't give super strength—but precise.
Kade stumbled back. Wolf reflexes kept him upright.
"Okay," he muttered. "Insect DNA reflexes. Should've expected that."
He attacked again. Faster this time. Multiple strikes. slash, thrust, horizontal cut.
Soren's perception stretched each attack into slow motion. He saw everything. Blade angles, footwork, exact timing.
His body struggled to implement what his mind wants it to do.
First slash—dodged. Barely at last moment.
Thrust—blocked with left baton. Plasma scored the metal. Sparks were clearly visible.
Horizontal cut caught his shoulder.
Pain exploded through his arm. The blade was set to training intensity, but it burned through his suit and left a seared red line across skin.
Kade grinned. "I am not done yet"
He moved again to strike.
But Soren went still.
Completely motionless. Vale's advice echoed in his heard again and again , like an alarm.
*Stop trying to be fast constantly. Be still. Then burst. Focus your speed and strength at small movement. *
His enhanced perception tracked Kade's next move. The wolf DNA user committed to a downward slash.
Soren burst forward.
Three steps at his full speed. His muscles screamed but obeyed his command. The world blurred as perception and body finally synced for just a moment.
He was inside Kade's guard even before the strike finished.
Both batons— aimed at ribs, solar plexus.
Kade's breath exploded out. He tried to recover, bring the blade around. Use them as support.
Too slow.
Soren hooked his leg behind Kade's ankle and shoved. The taller fighter went down hard with s thud sound, blade skittering across the floor.
Soren's baton pressed against his throat, even before he noticed he was lying on the floor.
Silence. Even the ref stood there for a moment before declaring the outcome of this match.
Winner : Cross
Then whispers erupted around Ring Seven.
"Did you see that?"
"He moved like—"
"Insect DNA is no joke."
Soren offered his hand to his opponent. Kade took it pulled himself up with a dazed expression.
"What was that?"
"Tiger beetle pattern." Soren shrugged. "Ambush tactics."
"In an arena?"
"Turns out you can ambush from inside striking range if you're fast enough."
Kade shook his head. "Insect DNA's no joke, man. Everyone says it's too dangerous, but—" He looked at Soren with genuine respect now. "You made it work."
"Still learning still not capable to utilise it completely."
Kade shook his head and said
"Yeah, well. You're learning faster than most." He picked up his blade. "Good fight."
"You too."
They walked out together. Kade headed for medical staff.
The barrier dropped around Ring Seven. As Soren walked away from the ring students stared at him with new expressions. Not just curiosity. Not anymore. Recognition that insect DNA meant something real.
Soren checked his AR.
**Match 47: Soren Cross - VICTORY**
**Performance Metrics: Reaction Time (Exceptional) | Strike Precision (High) | Stamina Usage (Optimal)**
**Advancement: Confirmed**
**[Not terrible.]**
*I barely managed do that.*
**[You got hit. That was sloppy.]**
*I know.*
**[But you adapted mid-fight.]**
**[Also, congratulations on becoming the center of attention.]**
*I noticed.*
Students watched him as he found a spot along the wall. Curiosity. Wariness. A few with what looked like admiration.
His shoulder throbbed him where the plasma had burned him.
Two rings over, Lyra was destroying someone. Black panther DNA made her movements liquid, she flowed between strikes like water finding cracks. Her opponent, couldn't touch her. Lyra finished it with a sweep kick from an impossible angle.
She caught Soren watching and gave a small nod. Her eyes flicked to his shoulder injury, then back to his face.
He nodded back.
Four rings away, Zara fought with cold precision. Her dual hearts provided absurd stamina. Like she can do it for days without breaking a sweat. No fancy techniques, just relentless pressure. She closed distance again and again until her opponent collapsed from exhaustion. Just by trying to hit her: Zara wasn't even breathing hard.
Soren saw this and only one thought rose in his head.
Efficient.
"Cross!" Someone called his name but the direction of was from above his head. A medical drone floated over him head . Small sphere with extending arms holding scanners and supplies. "Shoulder injury detected. Plasma burn, first degree. Treatment required. Asking Permission to proceed."
"Yeah, go ahead."
The drone's arms extended. It applied cool gel and spread over the burn equally. It provided Instant relief. Then with other hand it applied synthetic skin gently sealing the wound. For temporary coverage until his enhanced healing caught up.
"Treatment complete. Next match in forty minutes."
The drone floated away to find another injured student to treat.
Soren looked up to his bracket. Next opponent already listed.
**Match 94: Soren Cross vs. Mira Zhang**
The system pulled up her profile.
**Mira Zhang | Biological Enhancement | Insect DNA - Mantis | 11% Integration**
His stomach dropped.
Another insect DNA user.
**[What are the odds?]**
**[Two insect DNA users in the same first-year class. That's—]**
*Unprecedented.*
He stared at her profile. Mantis DNA at eleven percent. Higher integration than him.
He paused for a movement and he pulled up the general statistics on his AR. Scrolled through the three hundred first-years. Enhancement types listed:
Wolf DNA: 37 students
Bear DNA: 28 students
Tiger DNA: 21 students
Dual Heart System: 192 students
Various other mammalian DNA: 20 students
Insect DNA: 2 students
He saw there is the list which was just recently updated before the starting of assessment.
Two. Out of three hundred.
Him and Mira Zhang. Both were only insect DNA mergers. And they are going against each other in second match. What are even the odds. Even fighting against same kind as him made him nervous.
"Ahhhhh this is going to be hard, and why my luck is so bad and how no one ever talked about her. We are both the same kind we choose hard path and nearly die during integration , wait a second people only knew me and talked about me cause I nearly died and I think her integration process went smoothly that's why most people don't talked about her and her integration rate is also higher than me."
He gazed at the sky and was trying to process how to fight against someone who is just like him.
**[You're more unique than you realized.]**
*I knew insect DNA was rare. Didn't know there was one more.*
**[Most people who attempt insect DNA die during integration. The fact that two of you survived and ended up in the same year—]**
*Is either we both are incredible lucky that we survived or either unlucky that we are against each others on our second match and she is also fast right, mantis are fast too they are ambush hunters.*
**[You are going to be fine.The Beetle God chose you. Wonder if someone chose her.]**
Soren watched Mira's current match on a holographic display. She used bladed weapons , just metal. Her movements were calculated. Mantis DNA gave her similar reaction time to his, but her strikes were built for precision kills. Each stick was lethal.
Her opponent never saw half the attacks coming. Enhanced perception let her see openings that didn't exist for normal people.
She won in thirty seconds.
Around her ring, students whispered. Same reaction Soren got.
Mira walked off the arena floor. Her eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Soren.
She stopped.
For three seconds, they just looked at each other across the arena. Two people who'd survived what shouldn't be survivable. Two people who'd chosen the path almost nobody took. The odd ball of this year.
Mira's expression shifted. Surprise to something like recognition.
She started walking toward him.
**[Here we go.]**
*Yeah.*
Soren also stood up and started walking towards her.
Students between them noticed and moved aside. Creating a path.
Mira stopped a few feet away. Up close, her eyes had that insect quality. Her pupils tracked every movement.
"Soren Cross." Not a question. He just stated his name he doesn't know why but it felt like it was a right thing to do at that moment.
"Mira Zhang."
"Tiger beetle DNA." She tilted her head slightly. Like a Mantis. Mantis instinct showing through. "I didn't think—" She paused. "I thought I was the only one."
"So did I."
"How long ago did you integrate?"
"Couple weeks. Still adjusting."
"Ten percent already." She nodded slowly. "That's impressive for insect DNA. Most people who survive the initial integration get stuck at five or six percent for months."
"How long have you been—"
"Two months. Eleven percent." Her expression was hard to read. "I've never met another insect DNA user. Everyone at my previous school thought I was insane for choosing it. That's why i changed my school."
"Same here. My parents were terrified."
"Mine still are." A small smile. "They watch every match like I'm about to die."
Silence for a moment. The arena noise faded into background.
"We're fighting next," Soren said.
"I know." Mira's smiled . "Two insect DNA users. Everyone's going to watch."
"Feel nervous."
"None at all." She studied him. "Tiger beetle pattern is speed and ambush. Mantis pattern is patience and precision. This will be interesting." After finishing what she wanted to say.
She turned to leave, then paused.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one anymore. Even if we're about to try to knock each other unconscious."
"Same."
Mira walked away. Students parted for her again.
**[That was unexpected.]**
*Two people who survived impossible odds. Of course there's recognition.*
**[She's stronger than Kade.]**
*I know.*
**[She'll expect your burst speed. Mantis are designed to counter fast prey. And now she have marked you as a fast prey.]**
*Then I need something else.*
Thirty-five minutes until his match.
Around the arena, more fights concluded. The bracket narrowed. Students were eliminated or advanced.
But now the whispers had a new focus.
"Two insect DNA users?"
"I've never heard of that."
"This match is going to be incredible."
"Or a disaster. One of them might not walk away."
Instructor Vale's voice cut through the noise. "Match 94 participants—ring assignments updating. Cross, Zhang, you've been moved to center arena. We're making this a featured match."
Soren's AR pinged.
**Match 94: Soren Cross vs. Mira Zhang**
**Location: CENTER ARENA (Main Display)**
** Featured match**
Great. Thanks for making things more awkward.
**[Everyone's going to watch this.]**
*Yep.*
**[Two insect DNA users fighting each other. It's unprecedented.]**
*I get it.*
**[Good. Then don't embarrass us.]**
*Hopefully.*
The thirty-five minutes felt like five.
His AR pinged final warning.
**Match 94: Report to Center Arena**
Time to show three hundred students what insect DNA could really do.