Gladiator pt. II

Mei took a deep breath and charged straight at Kenta. Her gauntlets crackled with energy, and she was ready to strike with all her might. It was a risky move, but Mei felt that she had to go all out to have any chance of defeating him.

Kenta stood his ground, seemingly unphased by Mei's bold approach. As she swung her gauntlet at him, Kenta's body shimmered, and a translucent barrier materialized around him, reflecting Mei's attack at her with even greater force.

"Whoa!" Mei barely managed to dodge her attack, realizing that Kenta's manipulation of reflections made him nearly impervious to her strikes.

Mei thought of various strategies to break through Kenta's reflective barriers. She knew she couldn't afford any more mistakes, as every attack she launched seemed to backfire against her.

"Come on, Mei, think! There has to be a way to get past his defenses," she muttered to herself, trying to stay focused amidst the chaos of the fight.

As Mei dodged another reflected attack, she noticed a slight pattern in Kenta's use of reflections. He seemed to need a brief moment to activate the barriers, and that's when they were most vulnerable. Aside from those she noticed the attacks weren't instantly reflected, they had a delay! But seizing that moment was easier said than done, especially with Shogo also trying to take advantage of Kenta's openings.

Mei knew she had to act quickly and decisively. She stepped back, creating some distance between her and Kenta, while keeping a close eye on his movements.

Observing how Kenta's barriers formed, Mei realized that there was a slight delay between the activation and the full manifestation of the reflections. She decided to use this timing to her advantage.

With a plan in mind, Mei focused on her kinetic energy control. Instead of launching a direct attack, she began to charge her gauntlets with energy, channeling it into a condensed sphere between her hands.

'Let's see how he handles this!' Mei thought determinedly.

'What is she thinking...? Does she not realize she can't win this fight?' Kenta stood in anticipation waiting to reflect on her new attack.

She launched the charged energy sphere at Kenta, not aiming directly at him, but at the ground in front of him. The sphere exploded on impact, creating a cloud of dust and debris.

*Cough cough cough* 'I can't see and this dust got into my throat, what does she hope to accomplish by doing this?'

The dust cloud obscured Kenta's vision momentarily, causing him to react instinctively by activating his reflective barriers. Mei used this brief window of opportunity to close the gap between them, moving swiftly and silently through the debris.

As the dust settled, Mei found herself mere inches away from Kenta, who was still trying to assess the situation. With lightning-fast reflexes, she unleashed a series of quick and precise strikes, aiming at the seams of Kenta's reflective barriers.

'When did she get so close!? I can only see out of one eye the dust in my other', Kenta's mind began to race as he tried to activate his ability.

With each hit, the barriers flickered and cracked, but Kenta managed to maintain his composure and repel most of Mei's attacks.

However, her relentless assault forced him into a defensive stance, giving Shogo an opening to strike from the side.

"Gotcha!"

Shogo took this opening and swung his sword with all of his might, it was like he was ready to kill.

Kenta couldn't block both attacks so he has a swift decision to make. But it was no use, even though he was dominating this whole match, he couldn't defend against a head-on 1 vs 2.

In a brief moment, Kenta became a genius, he switched the defense on to Shogo absorbing his attack ready to reflect it was people's first Initiative, but he doubled back around towards Mei.

SHOOOF, BOOOOM!

'She took that attack head-on!? No way she survived.' Shogo thought to himself.

Kenta, taken aback by Mei's resilience, turned his attention back to Shogo, ready to shut him down next. However, to his surprise, Shogo raised his arm, conceding defeat.

"I resign," Shogo declared, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

Kenta couldn't help but snicker at Shogo's decision. "Wise choice," he remarked with a smirk, "You saw what I did to her."

They both looked at her body, almost unrecognizable in all of the blood, scars, and debris.

Akira couldn't help but bite his lip and grind his teeth together.

'How could this even be allowed for a training camp for us when we are supposed to be allies? That kid is insane.'

Matsuda without hesitation called for the on-sight healers to tend to the wounded and get them to the nurse for a check-up.

"Alright next in the group step ahead and begin once you are ready," Matsuda said in a very calm voice, almost as if this was expected.

I glanced towards Takumi who was simply staring at Kenta. Not a hint of resentment or anger was in his eyes, he was just watching closely. His demeanor had also changed from when I first met him.

"I guess that means I'm up.. hehe.." I let out a small laugh. Takumi didn't even acknowledge me. He kept his eyes on everyone else and their teams.

I walked away from Takumi and left towards the center where Kenta and yet another unknown face were standing.

"Oh, Akira Nakamura was it?" Kentas voice was unsettling, 'nothing like how it was before...' Akira thought to himself before replying,

"Yes, and you're Kenta Nakajima."

"Yes, I am. Glad we can formally introduce ourselves, but I would like to finish this gladiator as fast as possible. Since I was kind enough to help you, do you think you can just forfeit as well?"

'The images of how hard Mei struggled and looked in her fight against Kenta. A red light practically flashed across my brain with anger.' The words Akira uttered were something nobody was expecting, judging from his nice character.

"You thought you could escape the consequences of your actions, but I'm here to show you that karma has a way of catching up, and it's my pleasure to deliver it. Mei didn't deserve to get battered like that, I may have just met her but she was kind."

Akira began to grind his teeth together as he spoke once more,

"You will pay."

Kenta side-eyed Akira and began to laugh hysterically.

"You- AHAH- You think YOU will be able to put ME on the ground? HAAAHA", man Akira you're such a funny guy.

Kentas smile and laugh vanished in almost an instant and he looked at him with not a pinch of light in his eyes and spoke once again.

"I will crush you and anyone else who gets in my way. I will not falter to such fodder."

Our conversation was cut into once a random guy walked up ready to begin the battle.

"Hey, hey, hey guys, let's make sure we are being friendly okay?" Akira glanced in the direction of the guy speaking.

'Who the hell-'

'Before I could even finish my sentence, a guy came up to us and pulled both Kenta and I into a hug and smiled wide.'

"LET'S NOT GET SO BENT OUT OF SHAPE GUYS! WERE HERE TO LEARN NOT TO BECOME ENEMIES! HAA HAA!"

Akira began to think while trying to cover his ears.

'He was so loud and overbearing, his voice echoed from just him yelling.. who is this guy?'

Kenta uttered a few words under his breath,

"Get... Your hands... Off.. of me.."

"Hmm?" The guys smile lower just a bit looking at Kenta.

"What the problem little guy? Were all just here for some fun sparing, no need to get so aggressive. What's your deal?"

Akira looked at this guy with pure confusion,

'Did he not watch the last fight? This kid Kenta has no shame in his fighting, he beat them to the point that only one could think of him as an enemy.'

"Oh right, introductions. My name is Daichi Furuta, and you both are Akira Nakamura and Kenta Nakajima."

Both Kenta and Akira slightly raised their eyebrows at Daichi.

'What is to this guy... he's so bizarre.'

Akira and Kenta jumped back and instantly put their guard up.

"Let's have a good fight guys."

Daichi's smile was gone and everything around him was different. His being overall sent chills throughout Kenta and Akira.

'What just happened?' Akira began to retrace everything leading up to Kenta and him jumping backward. 'He was smiling and then suddenly stopped, but that wasn't the issue. The issue is the way the air changed around him almost as if a warning was just issued.

"BEGIN"

Without warning Matsuda shouted to start the battle.

I glanced up at her to see her looking at the center of the field.

Daichi.

Standing there, not moving a single muscle.

In what felt like an instant flash of time something that sounded similar to that of a jet engine made a slight whistle in the air.

Daichi was standing right in front of me... towering above me.

'Wh-'

It was as if the world had just shattered in half. I visibly saw the world in front of me crack like it was broken glass. I was blasted into the wall behind me, and I couldn't even think correctly.

'What- Where- How-' My thoughts wouldn't fully process, I was stumbling around and I still didn't know what was going on. How was Daichi doing this?

As my vision started to come back to me he was now standing strong above Kenta, who was caught off guard just like I was, but something was different.

Kenta who never seemed to falter, now had a hint of an emotion in his eyes. I began to question while getting my baring back.

'Anger? No. Confusion? Not that either. Wait... is he...? Fear..? No, that can't be right, unless it's more of a shocked feeling..?

*CRASH*

Burdened by invisible forces, what appeared to be the air began to tremble. A delicate chime of crystalline notes played, as if teasing the oncoming rupture.

In a flash, Kenta got sent flying into the wall behind him as well.

Everyone who was watching was confused, shocked, and even some in disbelief.

How did he just launch him and what was that cracking sound?

Akira who was now wiping blood from his chin, was still trying to figure it all out.

'What was that cracking sound? It sounded like... glass.

Daichi cleared his throat and spoke it left behind a moment of anticipation, even for me who was trying to fix myself to stand properly. I wanted to know what he was going to say.

"I am a Radiator. My ability has changed over the years and I've mastered it to coat myself in nothing but my energy which increases my strength, speed, and defense while also making it so anything I come into contact with explodes on impact. The ability is known as Catalyst. The next group who will join me in this fight... Do what you will with this information"

*Cough Cough*

Kenta ground his teeth together.

"I don't care who you are, what your ability is, or how confident you are in them. You cannot compare to me."

Daichi looked over his shoulder at the now grounded Kenta.

"Your little reflections or shields won't be able to save you from my ability. Understand that."

Akira was at a loss.

'Someone who can create explosions on impact and another that reflects any and everything? I don't even have an ability how do I win something like this?'

Akira only had a good physical body, he didn't have something like to defend against this ability.

"Akira, you of all people should leave this fight. You have nothing to combat against my attacks, Kenta here has a form of shield to play defense, although it is futile to try to defend against me."

Akira still holding his stomach trying to regain whatever body strength he could looked back at Daichi.

'Something was off against this guy, he wasn't showing signs of anger, malice, or even ill-intent. He was still the good-natured guy that he was before, but the air was still changed- wait... The air never changed around him... He is expelling his energy to create the explosions... '

'Wouldn't that mean he is also running out his energy and exerting himself?'

Kenta stumbled to stand up and looked from Daichi to Akira.

"I don't care if I lose anymore as long as I take you down WITH ME!"

Kenta lunged towards Akira with a battle cry of pure spite.

Again... The sound of a jet-like engine whistled in the air, and suddenly Daichi was holding onto Kenta's hair.

Everyone watching the fight was in awe, shocked, and confused about how he was doing this. He explained his ability in full and yet he still seems to teleport.

'It makes no sense.' Akira scratched the thoughts in his mind and began to prepare to fight back once again regaining his strength.

Kenta still being held in the hands of Daichi, began to rive in anger started to strike Daichi repeatedly in his stomach.

"WHY! WHY! WHY! HOW CAN I LOSE? I'VE ALWAYS BEEN BETTER THAN EVERYONE, I CAN'T LOSE!"

Daichi threw Kenta to the ground and looked at him with pity,

"Kid, you got some learning to do. You aren't strong and you haven't even refined your ability to its maximum potential. You are weak."

Akira felt something snap and change yet again.

Kenta's eyes went cold.

As the words reached Kenta's ears, a visible shift took place behind his gaze. The once vengeful, spiteful, and anger-filled eyes had now begun to wane, fading into an icy, distant hue. A shadow seemed to creep over the depths of their irises, casting a chill over everyone watching.

"Weak...?"

A husk and distant sound fell from Kenta's mouth.

"HAHAHA WEAK? ME? HEY! HEY! AKIRA DID YOU HEAR THAT?"

'I was caught off guard by the sudden call of my name.'

Daichi even looked concerned.

"I was saving this part of my ability for when I had to fight that monster, but so be it."

Akira was taken off guard by the "monster" in question...

'Who is the monster he's referring to?'

The sound of something crystallized began to form in the air, almost like something was... materializing.

I looked towards Daichi, who was now in a stance almost as if he was nervous about a fight.

'It must be because of my lack in KEC, I can't see what everyone else is looking at.'

A light began to emit from Kenta and finally, something began to appear for Akira, it looked as if it was.. armor?

"Woah Kenta, hiding such a trump card? I guess I'll take this seriously then." Daichi spoke with nothing more than charisma.

Akira was watching the both of them closely. Something strange happened again, the jet sound whistled yet again, but this time it was Kenta who vanished.

"Ah... so that's how you do it..."

Kenta was now standing back to back with Daichi.

'What? how did he just-'

The air crackled with energy as the punch connected with a thunderous boom. The forceful collision echoed through the surroundings like a cannon shot.

Daichi was now engraved into the wall. Almost as if he was molded and sculpted into it.

Everyone including Akira himself, was stunned.

Daichi was now unconscious, nobody could even tell if he was breathing still.

"So you were never using your energy to cover your body? You were actually just propelling yourself with energy beams, and combing your punches with energy beams to create explosions. Such an interesting use of this KEC Type."

"Now... Akira... Where were we?"

Now shining in a reflective armor that made his body seem almost translucent, was Kenta standing tall.

Akira hunched slightly looked at Kenta and let out a sigh before focusing his eyesight on his now one and only target.

"Well, I guess this is what I wanted anyway..." Akira said towards Kenta, who was now grinning with pure malice.

"Let's get this over with Akira. I'm ready to win"