4 The Bigger Fish

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Location: School Campus Lunchroom

Deven sat in the lunchroom as he scarfed down a bite after bite of a 28oz prime rib. Deven was practically fond of steak as his choice of meat. 'Mmm, this delicious they never let me have meat in prison thought why would they, knowing my abilities.'

Just in case you haven't got an idea yet here's a quick rundown on Deven.

Abilities:

Bone refining Allows the user to harden both bone and flesh can be improved through practice and increasing muscle to fat ratio. (Given by General Troy)

Knife God The user is able to call on all classifications of swords and knives at any size as long as they have enough energy and practice. (Passed down by Devens mother)

Carnivore The user gains strength and power through consuming protein and carbohydrates from meat, less cooked meat is better. (Passed down by Devens dad)

These were Deven's 3 current abilities which caused his family many problems. In modern society, people with more dangerous quirks that weren't in the military were looked down on as the public considers them potential criminals. While most people have adapted abilities many of them only benefit daily life such as chief skills or athletic skills. Around 10% percent of the population has combat type skills which are considered low compared to those without them.

"Krrkzz" the loudspeakers sounded as someone announced, "Hello 9th-grade class we will be wrapping up lunch now in 30 minutes we will start the competition in the meantime cast you challenges you to have two chances!" 'I don't think I have anyone to challenge so I should probably go get some beef jerky to get ready for the competition who knows how many challenges I'll have.' Deven walked out of the cafeteria as students continued chattering. Several tables back from where Deven was sat a long-haired guy with a couple of his friends he was, in fact, the same man from the auditorium. "Jeez, the bs they pull man, who even is this kid no one new ever comes into this city like it's cursed or something?!" "Don't worry man you'll get your chance in less than an hour," another said as his friends cheered him on confident in his victory. The same mood spread around the cafeteria as other students and there few friends began making plans for who they would challenge.

30 minutes had passed and the students were gathering in the stadium used to hold events such as this. In the center of the large stadium were five stages with the middle one being the biggest. A familiar voice spoke as the students finished filling in the seats, the same host from earlier came over the speakers. "Hello, boys and girls time to wrap up this eventful day as you see we have four smaller platforms in these battles involving rank 61 and lower will take place other fights will be in the center stage!" Some cheered as others kept serious or nervous faces the announcer continued "Out of all 8,345 of you we received 648 challenges the fights will go as announced."

Five other people walked out, each holding a large box one stood out as a different color. They went and placed the box on a different table near the stage. Marco Sanders challenges #167 the other announcers all followed suit. The fights seemed to start off with weaker students even on the middle stage as it wasn't until two hours later that a student ranked 21st challenged 19th. The students strike each other fiercely as when positions became this high they were worth everything. Sometime later the outcome was clear the person ranked 21st had outlasted the other with his impressive evasion skills.

Some other notable characters showed up as well, one with a black lightning skill overwhelmed his challenger as another kid with heavenly ice and roaring flames pumped his way up the rankings. In his second fight, his presence ice skill was blocked by another ranked with a water skill forcing him to let loose his flame that spread over the stage with turning from a crimson red to pure blue as he heated the other challengers skill beyond his limits. With less than 40 fights the day was coming to an end "rank 12 challenges number 1!" It took Deven a second to realize he was being called as he was dazed after waiting so long. 'I think I'll just go with the Bone refining, for now, it would be good for me to further master it in combat.' The announcer stepped off the stage and yelled "start" the challenger was a guy with short dirty blonde hair he lunged forward claiming Deven to be a fluke. Deven dodged his slash hardening his body before grabbing the sword and snapping it in two. The blonde jumped back surprised as he pulled out two more knives and activated his ability. He rushed around the Deven landing strike after strike thinking they were effective. He came in for the finishing blow his speed had kept Deven from attacking before but with this straightforward attempt, he would be easy prey. "You're finished" laughed the challenger to him. He had overwhelmed the number one student with his speed but all others in the audience had seen that Deven had not even moved since the fight started. His speedy attacks had done no damage as he came in for the finishing move. Deven dodged his knife, grabbed his throat and kicked him right in the stomach. He flew back trying to recover before he flew out the ring but he could not.

Deven went through 3 more fights like this perfecting his hardening skill. The fights became more intense as more top tier students duke it out. Deven came across his next opponent, a girl with two abilities. She had pulled quite the publicity stunt in her earlier fights showing off and playing with her opponents. "I've already taken 4th rank now I'll use my last challenge to get to number 1." Deven was in his usual calm state. He had scouted her abilities earlier earth and wind skills were quite great by far not the strongest. He was surely using his strength and hardening he could beat her. The fight began and she flung rocks toward Deven he smashed the returning the larger ones. "Hump is this all you have" she scoffed as she cast a strong wind to throw Deven off the stage Deven released a little bit of his strength as he dug his arm into the stage holding on to the earth itself her winds could not move him. "I can't stay on defense forever time to try something different" Deven jumped up high above her clouding her vision with dust. She quickly retaliated but he was already in front of her. Boom his fist slammed into a rack barrier she had just barely managed to put up and it shattered to dust as Deven struck, again and again, able to do nothing as she was backed off the stage. Deven was the clear winner with his hardening skill he had taken down all his opponents without injury. Others were unable to see his carnivore skill in its current state as he was not using much of its strength which further improved their views of Deven.

The announcer jumped back on stage "okay people let's get hype for the last fight of the day the former class representative ranked #2 Nicolas Zane vs #1 Deven Yang." The audience clapped Nicolas was extremely talented he had great control of electricity as well as having hell flame which ranked even higher than roaring flames. He had almost mastered his control of both making him the top of his class for years now that Deven had taken that he had to challenge him. The announcer started the fight and both stood ready to attack at any second neither willing to be too impatient. Nicolas waved his hand and bright yellow electricity flew out at the speed of sound with its undeniable speed it struck Deven. He released 20% of his stored up strength allowing him to push through it he had not quite been ready to deal with Nicolas seemed he may have to go all out. Just then Nicolas put his hand on the ground and yelled out for his flames to obey him. He had caught Deven off guard who released more of his strength putting it up to 60% of what he had enough to punch a 15 ft hole in the ground.

Flames rose up in columns as Nicolas kept yelling out Deven hardened his whole body summoning a sword he walked away from the heavy flames. When they went away Nicolas looked around for his opponent and found Deven holding a large black sword. It had to have been at least half a foot in width and 5 foot in length. He yelled out "Where did that come from you can tell me it's been on you this whole time?" Deven stared at Nicolas feeling his strength being released little by little 65 percent became 70 and so on. Red sparks began to form around him as carnivores began to use its real strength. He took a stance and pushed off 10 times faster than he had been earlier; he flew toward Nicolas who retaliated with a strike of electricity. Deven flung off away and continued forth Nicolas attempted to retreat but found himself blocked by a wall that had not been there earlier. He turned around to look and there stood two giant swords crossed like an X blocking his escape. He had underestimated Deven and now needed time to prepare his full strength but how long could he run.

Onlookers in the audience watched on, not sure what they were seeing as swords appeared from the sky smashing into the ground. One asked "What type of skill is this sure body hardening but now his speed and strength are improving" another followed up "Plus those big ass swords keep appearing."

Nicolas charged his fire skills as he attempted to slow down Deven who was destroying everything. All his electricity was useless so he planned to use Devens swords against him. He appeared in front of Deven who swung missing as cracking his sword against a different larger one. Deven became angry by this as he put his palm up to the sky. Others began looking up, seeing what would be next as the ground rumbled and something began to appear from the sky it was a true giant sword. Larger than a bus and marked with glowing blue lines Deven summoned it to his hand with the new sword he slashed at all the others on the stage cracking them in an instant. Nicolas swore in his mind he had finally charged up skill but Deven was only getting stronger. All other students were genuinely surprised as they watched the giant sword appear. "How the fuck does he even swing that," said one other began making other remarks even the announcer had stopped commentating. Nicolas remained calm though throwing his full strength at Deven he summoned his highest level flame skill which combined his abilities. First, he created a sword out of electricity then coated it in his deep red flames seeing this Deven swing towards him Nicolas gave it his all. The force of Devens swing was unbearable but his supreme sword slowly made it through Devens giant one. Seeing this both Nicolas and Deven smiled but for different reasons. Nicolas thought he had found a way to match Deven there was no way a sword could get bigger than that but Deven he just wanted to summon one of his top-ranking swords and so he did.

The sky turned black as Deven began to yell at the top of his lungs "God of Chaos fulfills my request to bring me your finest sword in the name of I the Knife God!" A different sword began to emerge from the black clouds. It was forged of black metals with glowing purple runes carved into it. It's glowing purple aura fought off the darkness as it came to Devens's hand. It was not bigger than the black sword he had earlier but gave off a different vibe that gave Nicolas chills. Deven rushed toward Nicolas as he swung the sword it gave out a menacing cry that shook the arena. They traded blows back and forth but each time the sword cried out it became stronger and the more the students feared it the harder Deven struck. Nicolas was on his last line the sword he made would not hold up for much longer and neither would his hands as blood began to run from them. The flames began to dissipate and the electricity was sucked in by the cry of the purple sword. Nicolas stumbled around trying to keep a hold on his legs which had been pummeled into the stage by Devens's strong blows.

Deven raised his sword with one hand preparing to deliver a final blow but was stopped by another student who yelled out "Hey announcer don't you think this fights over" the student was a member of the student council who supervised events like these. He introduced himself as 12-grade rank 12th Preston Hellie and urged Deven to celebrate the fact that he had won. Deven, however, seemed pleased that Preston had interrupted him in the last stage of his fight. Nicolas who was barely keeping himself up seemed a little ticked off as well it would hurt his face to be saved by someone else. Deven spoke, "why should I stop when I'm about to finish what we started?" Preston shrugged and said, "looking at his condition is there any glory in having one last strike?" Deven smirked as a bright purple wave ran toward Preston ``how about you take it for him then?" The purple light struck Preston in his midsection making a cut in his shirt. Preston laughed "aren't you a little bit too jumpy you'll have to train a bit more budy you can't hurt me." To his surprise Deven was no longer in front of him next he knew he was struck in the back of the head Devens kick sending him into the ground. He sat submerged in the rubble for a second before standing up angry "just remember you asked for it" he said wiping the blood from his head. Deven smirked letting his full power forth the fight before had been nothing more than a warm-up to him. Preston judged Deven concluding that he wasn't about to attack giving him time to charge his skills.

It was then that Deven put his other hand to the sky yelling "Those who sit at the gates of hell hand over your treasure of suffering or face eternal punishment which you have never known!" The sky once again rumbled as the sounds of chains could be heard and crimson red flames sprung from the ground as a dragon of flame sprung from it. The dragon wrapped itself around Devens other arm as the flames went away a long chain connected to a fiery red long knife revealed itself. Preston gritted his teeth unsure of what troubles this new item would cause him. Deven still exploding with power began to swing the knife around as it swung it whistled out, penetrating all onlooker's ears. Deven walked toward Preston with a fierce look in his eyes as many looked on with stunned gazes.

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