Leonhart Virelle entered the floor the way important people always did.With confidence.With heat rippling in the air around him.With the unshakable belief that the world would adjust itself accordingly.
It did not.
The moment his polished boots touched the stone, the floor roared.
A massive armored beast burst from the ground, all tusks and plated muscle, swinging a jagged blade fused into its arm. The impact sent shockwaves ripping through the arena.
Leonhart smiled.
"Finally," he said softly. "Something worthy."
He raised his hand.
Fire exploded outward.
The beast did not die.
Leonhart's smile twitched.
The monster charged through the flames, armor glowing red but intact. It slammed Leonhart across the floor, sending him skidding hard enough to crack stone.
Leonhart coughed, heat flaring instinctively.
"Annoying," he muttered, pushing himself up.
The beast roared and brought its blade down.
Leonhart barely rolled aside. The ground where he had been standing evaporated.
His heart slammed against his ribs.
This was not how this usually went.
He unleashed Incinerate again, hotter this time, flames screaming as they wrapped around the monster's torso.
The armor began to melt.
Then the beast grabbed him.
Leonhart felt bones creak.
His vision blurred.
For the first time in his life, the thought surfaced clearly.
I might die.
A blast of cold tore through the arena.
The monster froze mid-motion, ice racing over its armor faster than fire ever could. Its grip loosened. Its roar cut off in a sharp crack.
Leonhart collapsed to the ground, gasping.
The frozen beast shattered an instant later.
Silence followed.
Footsteps echoed.
Leonhart looked up.
A tall man stood there, hands behind his back, expression flat and unimpressed. Frost curled faintly around his boots.
Behind him stood another man. Sweaty. Bruised. Holding a notebook upside down.
"Oh," the second man said. "You again."
Leonhart stared.
"Who," he coughed, "are you."
Fridge Sama looked down at him.
"Weak," he said calmly.
Leonhart's pride flared instantly. "Excuse me."
"You relied on heat alone," Fridge Sama continued. "No spacing. No awareness. No exit plan."
Leonhart struggled to his feet. "I do not take advice from strangers."
Fridge Sama nodded once.
Then punched him.
The hit was clean.Cold.Precise.
Leonhart flew backward and crashed into a pillar, coughing violently.
Tatsu winced. "Wow. That was personal."
Leonhart staggered forward, fury blazing.
"You dare—"
Fridge Sama moved again.
A knee to the stomach.
Leonhart folded instantly.
"Your posture is terrible," Fridge Sama said. "And your ego is loud."
Tatsu scribbled furiously. "Note. Ice beats arrogance. Also fists."
Leonhart fell to one knee, shaking.
"You attacked me without reason," he spat.
"You were in the way," Fridge Sama replied.
Leonhart snapped his head up. "Do you know who I am."
"Yes," Fridge Sama said. "Someone who almost died."
Leonhart screamed and unleashed Incinerate at full output.
The flames engulfed Fridge Sama.
Tatsu shielded his face. "This is bad. This is very bad."
The fire vanished.
Not exploded.Not dispersed.Just gone.
Fridge Sama stepped out untouched.
Leonhart's eyes widened in horror.
Fridge Sama grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the ground hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs.
"Fire is loud," Fridge Sama said. "Cold is final."
He released Leonhart and stepped back.
Leonhart lay there, staring at the ceiling, chest heaving, pride in ruins.
Tatsu approached cautiously.
"So," Tatsu said. "You rich."
Leonhart glared weakly.
"Very."
"That explains it," Tatsu nodded.
Leonhart forced himself upright. "You. Notebook boy. What are you doing here."
"Training," Tatsu said.
Leonhart laughed hoarsely. "You are failing."
"I know," Tatsu replied cheerfully. "Constantly."
Fridge Sama turned to Tatsu.
"Your footwork was late earlier," he said.
"I almost died," Tatsu protested.
"Yes," Fridge Sama replied. "Late."
Fridge Sama stepped forward.
"Again."
"What," Tatsu yelped.
Fridge Sama kicked.
Tatsu flew across the floor and rolled painfully to a stop.
Leonhart stared.
"You are attacking your own ally."
"Training," Fridge Sama said.
Tatsu groaned on the ground. "I hate this mentorship."
"Stand," Fridge Sama said.
Tatsu stood.Immediately got punched.Fell again.
Leonhart blinked. "…Is this normal."
"Yes," Tatsu wheezed. "Very."
Fridge Sama struck again.And again.
Tatsu blocked wrong.Moved late.Tripped over his own feet.
Every failure earned him another hit.
Leonhart watched in stunned silence.
"You are cruel," he said.
"No," Fridge Sama replied. "Effective."
Eventually Tatsu collapsed flat on his back.
"I cannot move," he said. "My soul has left the chat."
Fridge Sama nodded. "Good."
Leonhart laughed weakly. "You are insane."
Fridge Sama looked at him.
"And you are alive because of me."
Leonhart fell silent.
A bizarre silence settled.
Then something clattered across the floor.
A small box slid out from a side corridor.
Cheese crackers.
Tatsu stared.
Leonhart stared.
Fridge Sama stared.
"…Why," Tatsu whispered.
More boxes slid out.Dozens.Hundreds.
Cheese crackers filled the arena.
Leonhart frowned. "Is this another trial."
Fridge Sama crouched, picked one up, and examined it.
"No."
Tatsu sat up slowly, eyes wide.
"Then why are there cheese crackers."
The Tower chimed softly.
Floor Cleared
Tatsu laughed hysterically.
Leonhart stared at the crackers in disbelief.
Fridge Sama stood.
"…Damm you cheesecrackers," he muttered.
Tatsu wiped sweat from his face, looking at the absurd scene.
"Alright," he said. "I gotta make it make sense."
The Tower hummed.
And the crackers crunched underfoot.