New Dorm, Old Bully

The girl looked at the cylinder and then with a strong punch she dispersed the air around her. "A twenty, not bad next"

The girl clenched her fists and slowly went back, after that the arrogant boy didn't wait for his name to be called out. "I am Zack Umbra, I am the strongest and all of you will soon praise my glorious presence"

The girl gave Zack a side glance, unimpressed by his bravado. She quietly stepped aside, allowing him to take center stage. The rest of the group watched with mixed expressions, some curious, others bored, and a few visibly annoyed by Zack's arrogance.

Zack approached the cylinder with a swagger in his step, rolling his shoulders as if preparing for a grand performance. He cracked his knuckles and flashed a confident grin at the crowd before turning his full attention to the task.

With a dramatic flair, Zack extended his hand toward the cylinder, letting his energy build up. Dark tendrils of power began to swirl around him, the air thickening with an ominous presence. The ground beneath his feet trembled slightly, reacting to the raw energy he was summoning.

In a sudden burst, Zack unleashed a powerful punch toward the cylinder, his energy surging forward in a concentrated wave. The force of his attack sent a shockwave rippling through the air, causing some of the nearby students to take a step back in surprise.

The cylinder absorbed the impact, glowing faintly as it calculated the force exerted. A tense moment passed, and then the display flickered before showing a result.

"Thirty-two," the device announced.

Zack's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he turned to face the group. "You see? None of you can match this. Soon enough, you'll all realize that I'm destined for greatness."

Some of the students exchanged looks of skepticism, while others simply ignored Zack's posturing, focusing instead on their upcoming turns.

Students were called up one by one then it was Emily's turn. "Wish me luck, Seth"

She gave him a small wink making him slightly flustered. "Good luck"

After she reached the place, Emily didn't waste time and used her ability, Emily's abilities are slightly more water but at the same time, if it has liquid she can control it.

Emily took a deep breath, her focus entirely on the cylinder in front of her. As she extended her hand, the air around her seemed to hum with anticipation. Slowly, droplets of moisture began to gather in the air, coalescing into a shimmering orb of liquid.

But this wasn't just water—there was something more to it, a strange luminescence that hinted at its unique composition. Emily's eyes glowed faintly as she manipulated the liquid, making it swirl and dance in intricate patterns. The crowd watched in silence, captivated by the display of her control.

With a swift motion, Emily directed the orb toward the cylinder. The liquid surged forward, wrapping around the device like a constricting snake. The cylinder vibrated under the pressure, the liquid seeping into every crevice, exerting force from all directions.

The device's display flickered as it calculated the result, struggling to process the unusual attack. Finally, it settled on a number.

"Twenty-eight," the device announced.

Emily smiled, satisfied with her result, and turned to rejoin Seth. "Not bad, huh?"

Seth nodded, still a bit flustered from earlier. "That was amazing, Emily."

She laughed softly, her eyes twinkling. "Thanks, Seth. Now let's see how you do."

After some more students were called, Seth was finally up. 'So how should we do this Thally'

'Depends, you can hide your strength so people underestimate you like what Emily and that girl did, Zack hid his full abilities too but that Haiki…her ability is different….it kinda feels familiar but at the same time it's not, you know it's like something you have never seen before but you know the feeling' Thally said.

Seth nodded, considering Thally's advice. The crowd watched him with varying degrees of interest and skepticism. He stepped up to the cylinder, feeling the weight of their gaze.

Taking a deep breath, Seth focused on channeling his energy. He let his vines subtly extend from his skin, weaving them into a complex pattern that would enhance his strike without revealing too much. He wanted to show his true capabilities but keep some surprises in reserve.

As Seth approached the cylinder, his vines seemed to pulse with a life of their own, wrapping around his arms and extending into his fists. The air around him crackled with the buildup of energy. He aimed his punch with precision, directing the energy from his vines to amplify the force of his blow.

With a decisive motion, Seth struck the cylinder. The impact was swift and powerful, sending a visible shockwave through the air. The ground beneath him trembled slightly, but he controlled his energy to prevent any excessive disruption.

The cylinder absorbed the force, glowing brightly as it processed the impact. The display flickered, then settled on a number.

"Thirty-five," the device announced.

Seth's punch had outdone Zack's, though he tried to keep his expression neutral. The crowd murmured in surprise, and Zack's confident grin faltered slightly.

Seth turned to face his peers with a calm smile. "Guess that wasn't too bad."

Emily clapped, her eyes full of approval. "Great job, Seth! Looks like you've set the bar high."

Zack's expression darkened, his pride wounded but masked by a forced smirk. "Hmph, that's impressive, but let's see how you handle the next task."

Seth shrugged, feeling a mix of satisfaction and anticipation. "I'm ready for whatever comes next."

The next objective was speed, Ardus then started explaining. "Now I will test your speed and defense….By seeing you dodge holographic arrows, you will be called here one by one"

First, it was Haiki again. "Oh this seems more fun"

The drones in the sky suddenly lit up and a barrage of blue-colored 'arrows' started attacking her, I smiled the arrows disappeared whenever they came near her as if the light there was non-existent, Occasionally she dodged them with no problem at all.

"Another 50…" Ardus muttered and Zack went next.

Zack stepped forward, his demeanor shifting to one of intense focus. The barrage of blue arrows was about to begin, and he cracked his knuckles with a determined glint in his eyes.

The drones above activated, and the arrows began to rain down upon him. Zack's body tensed as he prepared to demonstrate his prowess. He unleashed a burst of dark energy, enveloping himself in a protective barrier. The arrows struck the barrier with a series of sharp impacts, but Zack's energy shield absorbed and deflected them with ease.

As the barrage continued, Zack deftly maneuvered within his shield, avoiding the arrows with swift, calculated movements. His agility and control over his dark energy were evident as he navigated the assault with impressive speed.

Finally, when the barrage ceased, Ardus's device displayed Zack's result. "28" Ardus announced.

Zack, though slightly taken aback, managed to mask his disappointment with a smirk. He shrugged and turned to face the group. "Not bad, but I'm just getting warmed up."

Next up was Emily. She stepped up with confidence, her previous success bolstering her spirits. The drones hovered into position, and the blue arrows began to fire.

Emily's approach was different. Instead of relying on a protective barrier, she manipulated the moisture in the air, creating a dense mist around her. The mist acted as a shield, causing the arrows to dissolve or deflect upon contact. As the arrows continued to shoot at her, Emily navigated through the mist with graceful precision, her control over the liquid around her seeming effortless.

When the barrage ended, Ardus's device displayed her result. "Thirty-five."

Emily returned to Seth, her expression one of quiet triumph. "I guess I did alright."

Seth nodded in agreement. "You did great, Emily. I think you've got a real knack for this."

As the last few students took their turns, Ardus observed their performances with a critical eye. The speed and defense test was proving to be a true measure of their abilities.

Next was the blue-haired girl, from Seth's observation, she could create wind pockets around her or something similar to that to attack or defend.

The blue-haired girl stepped up with a calm, collected demeanor. Her eyes, a striking shade of azure, scanned the area with an air of confidence. As the drones prepared for the next round, she took a deep breath, her expression focused.

The barrage of blue arrows began to fire, and the girl's movements were swift and precise. She raised her hands, and the air around her seemed to ripple and distort. With a graceful wave of her hand, she created pockets of wind that intercepted and redirected the arrows, causing them to veer off course or be deflected harmlessly.

Each arrow that came near her was either deflected or absorbed by the swirling wind currents she generated. The blue-haired girl moved with fluidity, her control over the wind impeccable. She navigated through the arrows with ease, never breaking a sweat.

When the barrage ended, Ardus's device displayed her result. "Forty-two."

A few murmurs of awe spread through the crowd, and the blue-haired girl gave a small, satisfied nod. She returned to her place, her calm demeanor unchanged but pleased with her performance.

Seth watched her with interest, noting the impressive display of wind manipulation. Thally commented, "She's got some impressive control. Her ability to redirect attacks is top-notch."

Seth nodded, feeling the competitive spirit rising in him. "Yeah, she's someone to watch."

Next up it was Seth's turn. As he walked he decided to try a new trick. 'Quick advice, how do you make and control your leaves, are they like connected to you and can be controlled cause yo- I mean we are parasites now?, How can I make those leaves'

'It costs energy but it doesn't take that much, so what you have to do is grow leaves on the vines on your hair and then use your body and mind to control them.'

Seth took a deep breath, focusing on Thally's advice as he stepped up to the testing area. The blue arrows began their barrage from the drones, and he knew he had to act quickly.

First, he channeled his energy into the vines extending from his skin. He visualized the vines on his hair sprouting into delicate, leaf-like structures. Slowly, the vines began to grow leaves, which shimmered with a faint, verdant glow. Seth directed the leaves to spread out and form a protective layer around him.

As the arrows shot towards him, Seth's leaves fluttered and moved with a life of their own. They began to intercept the arrows, either catching them or redirecting them away from him. The leaves acted as a dynamic shield, adjusting their positions to cover different angles and deflecting the arrows with surprising precision.

Seth remained focused, using his mind to guide the leaves in intricate patterns, ensuring that no arrow made its way through the defense. His control over the leaves and vines was smooth and fluid, showcasing both his versatility and adaptability.

When the barrage ended, Ardus's device flickered and then displayed Seth's result. "Thirty-seven."

The crowd reacted with a mix of surprise and admiration. Seth turned to his peers, a satisfied smile on his face. "How was that?"

Emily gave him a thumbs-up. "You nailed it, Seth!"

Zack, still reeling from his earlier performance, tried to mask his frustration with a forced cheer. "Not bad, not bad at all."

With the speed and defense tests concluded, Ardus nodded, clearly impressed with the overall performances. "Well done, everyone. This is the last test, Shortly a drone will come and give you the numbers of your dorms, in there you will find your roommate, Your wristbands which you will need to store your credits and it will also show you your combined scores"

As the testing concluded, the students gathered in anticipation of the final announcement. A series of drones hovered over the group, each carrying a small, cylindrical device. The drones began distributing the devices to the students, which, upon activation, displayed their assigned dorm numbers and roommate information.

The students started to check their devices, murmurs of excitement and curiosity filling the air as they compared their results and discussed their new living arrangements. Seth glanced at his device and saw his dorm number.

"Looks like we're in different dorms," Emily said, peering at her device. "But I'm sure we'll catch up soon."

Seth nodded, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "Yeah, let's make the most of this experience. I'll see you around."

Zack, now visibly trying to regain his composure after the tests, scoffed lightly as he checked his device. "Well, looks like I'm in a dorm with some interesting company."

The blue-haired girl from earlier also checked her device, her calm demeanor unchanged. She glanced briefly at Seth, a hint of recognition in her eyes before she turned away.

Ardus, observing the distribution process, finally stepped forward. "Please proceed to your respective dorms. Your wristbands will be activated shortly, and you'll receive your combined scores and additional information there."

With that, the students began to make their way to their dorms. Seth and Emily exchanged one last wave before heading off in different directions.

Seth arrived at his dorm, a modern and spacious building with sleek design elements. He found his assigned room and entered, where he met his roommate

"The fuck are you doing here"….Seth was expecting Jake of all people to be his roommate…

"…" Seth did not answer him and directly entered the room, Jake didn't say anything and stared at his every movement.

After a while he clicked his tongue and went inside, the door closed behind him. Seth went towards his side of the room and saw that his bags were there, he knew his parents were the ones who set them, but he did not trust his dad because there was an ominous-looking briefcase next to his bed.

"…Are you sure it's safe to open that…" Thally asked more inclined to believe William put something in there.

Jake glanced at Thally for a moment and then went back to his business, He looked at his wristband which had the number 75 on it.

Seths was three levels behind him.