Gladiator

As I stood there, still trying to make sense of the encounter, the woman rushed toward me with genuine concern etched on her face. "Oh, are you okay?" she asked urgently, her voice filled with care.

"I'm fine," I replied hastily, still a bit bewildered by the sudden altercation. Wanting some clarity, I inquired, "What was all that about?"

With a brief but informative response, she explained, "That's one of my students, Shogo Ikeda. He has a real short temper, and he's been held back a year, which might explain his behavior." 'Another problem to deal with,' I thought to myself, but before I could say anything, she bowed with sincerity and added, "I'm very sorry about what happened."

"It's not a problem," I reassured her, keen to move on from the incident. "This is 'KEC Theory,' right?" I emphasized, already knowing the answer but wanting to get to the class.

"Yes, it is," she confirmed. "You must be the student the Chairman informed me about. Sorry for the late introduction. I'm Mrs. Inoue. Please follow me into the classroom."

As I followed Mrs. Inoue, I felt a mix of nerves and excitement. This was a fresh start, a chance to make up for what was lost, and I was determined to make my parents proud.

We entered the classroom, and numerous eyes turned toward us—some curious, some judgmental. But their opinions didn't matter to me. I was here to focus on my studies and my goal. I clenched my fist, walking proudly behind Mrs. Inoue.

As we reached the front, all eyes fixed on us, Mrs. Inoue took charge and began speaking to the class, "Okay, class, sorry for the disturbance. We have another student joining us today." She paused for a moment, and I wondered if it was my turn to introduce myself.

Feeling a faint sigh escape me, I took a breath and spoke up, "I-I'm Akira Nakamura. Nice to meet you all." I bowed politely, hoping to make a good impression despite the awkwardness of the situation.

I slowly looked up and it was even more awkward than before.

"What's your KEC Type," Someone from the ascending rows of seats said.

A surge of panic washed over me, and my face turned pale. It felt as if my soul was attempting to escape from my body. I stood there, frozen in silence, grappling with the fear that they would discover my lack of ability. If they found out the truth, I knew I'd be in serious trouble.

In that moment of desperation, an idea flashed through my mind – a perfect answer that could buy me some time. With a trembling voice, I managed to muster up the courage and replied, "I'm an enhancer."

Despite the frantic tremors that coursed through my body, I pretended to be brave. I knew it was a lie, but I felt like I had no choice. I had to deceive them just to protect myself and gain some time to figure things out.

"Thanks for introducing yourself, Akira. You may sit wherever there's a seat available," Mrs. Inoue said, her warm smile putting me somewhat at ease.

Surveying the classroom, I found a spot in the back row next to a timid-looking blonde kid with glasses. He seemed a bit frail, but there was something kind in his eyes. As I settled into my seat, a wave of relief washed over me. I had made it through the initial introduction, but I knew this was just the beginning. The challenges that lay ahead were undoubtedly numerous.

Mrs. Inoue began her lecture, but today's topic was about general information about the academy, nothing too critical on the second day. As the class progressed, I listened attentively, taking in everything I could about this extraordinary place.

Finally, the class came to an end, and the bell signaled our freedom. I glanced at my schedule, only to find that my next class was 'combat training.' I let out a sigh of apprehension; I didn't even know where that class was located. My time lost due to my accident had left me feeling embarrassed and unprepared.

Just then, the blonde kid from earlier approached me, concern evident in his voice. "Hey, do you need help?" he asked.

Realizing he was in the same class as me, I replied with a hint of embarrassment, "Yeah, do you know where this class is? I'm a bit lost."

With a reassuring smile, he said, "Don't worry, we're in the same class. Follow me, I'll show you the way."

I gratefully followed him outside the classroom and into the academy's grounds. The scenery was unlike any ordinary school; it looked more like a battleground. The exterior was a classroom door leading into what looked like the interior of a colosseum.

In the distance, I could see training dummies, obstacle courses, and various training areas designed for honing kinetic energy control.

I was staring at the ground taking in all that it was and turned my head to speak to the blonde guy who helped me get here.

"Hey wha-"

I looked around in a circle thinking and then sighed,

'I was too busy looking at the scenery, I didn't even notice the blonde kid who helped me get here vanished. He wasn't standing next to me anymore. I wonder where he went...

"ALRIGHT LISTEN UP!"

A familiar voice echoed throughout the entire grounds. I turned to meet the gaze of the speaker. It was Matsuda. Her demeanor was different, almost as if she was a different person.

"First years this will be your first test of skill. There are 9 members in total and it can be split evenly. This will be a test of many different attributes. We will be doing a draft to create the groups of 3. Your teams will be completely random. The drafts will be pulled within the next 10 minutes, prepare as you see fit."

'I want to go talk to Matsuda and ask if can I be exempt, but something about the aura surrounding her was a completely different feel than what I remember feeling before.'

My thoughts were cut short quickly by my name being called.

"Akira Nakamura,

What felt like a few seconds, was actually the entire 10 minutes. I was lost in my thoughts and completely voided myself from reality.

'How did time move this fast...? Was I that nervous?'

'All that aside I have to make sure I'm at the top of my game, I can't let my team down. This is my first test I have to get as high a ranking as possible.'

"Kenta Nakajima"

'Kenta Nakajima...' Akira thought to himself as he looked at the blonde-haired kid who helped him before, 'So that's his name...'

Matsuda finished calling out the names of the other first years and the respective groups they would participate in. She spoke very briefly telling all groups to meet their selected partners and learn as much as possible such as names, abilities, and finally what they hoped to achieve.

I walked towards my group, it was a boy and a girl. They seemed to already know each other and were somewhat comfortable with each other's presence.

The girl turned to look at me and I was able to get a good look at her.

She was around two inches shorter than me with a slender yet athletic build. Her glossy-black hair was around the mid-back level, and she had a few strands hanging in front of her face.

Her eyes were pretty average-sized with a warm honey color. She was wearing an all-black jumpsuit with silver highlights around it. She wore a necklace that reflected all light off of it, showing its elegance, she had a matching ring on her right hand as well. Her outfit was simple yet a good fit for her.

My other teammate was looking at me from a side point of view. He seemed to be around my height and wasn't much bigger than the girl in terms of bulk. He wore black glasses with glass blue eyes.

His white hair was vibrant and seemed like he spent a large amount of time maintaining his appearance. He wore a deep-blue jacket and underneath the jacket, he wore a black shirt that had a very strange feel coming from it. His pants were also black and went straight into the boots he was wearing.

"Hi, stranger!"

The girl spoke and her voice was so calming that my nerves relaxed on their own.

"My name is Mei Hasegawa and this is Takumi Kobayashi, We're your teammates for today's event!"

"Oh, hello! My name is Akira Nakamura, nice to meet you both."

I glanced toward Takumi, and he pushed his glasses up and then spoke.

"This is our first event together, so let's make sure we do the best we can so we can be accepted into the high-ranking missions faster."

"Yea-yeah!" I stammered at his remark.

Mei was gleaming with joy, almost as if she had never seen tragedy a day in her life. It made me remember the days I used to be just like her... the day my mother was taken from me that all changed..

I was dragged suddenly out of my thoughts as Matsuda began to speak again.

"Everyone it is now time to commence the first annual Gladatiors for the first years of Kin Corp."

She cleared her throat and began to speak once more,

"Can the first selected fighters of the teams come forth to the stadium?"

"I guess that's me, guys!"

Mei ran from our group toward the center of the Colosseum while turning to us to speak again,

"Wish me luck!" with yet again a gleaming smile, showing off confidence and positive energy.

She was in the center with someone I'd seen before and the blonde kid from before...

He was the one from the classroom... Shogo..? I believe? He looks the same... tall and fiery orange hair. I couldn't really get a good look at him after he took off from the classroom, but I can see he's been here for a while.

All three of them standing together looking at each other... waiting...

Mei began to think to herself,

'The world went quiet... if I can take these two down, I'll be doing my team a favor to continue winning. The guy with the strange hair color looks strong, but the blonde one looks very timid and is smaller than me. I should go for the stronger one as fast as possible.

'This girl might be something to deal with. The pipsqueak with the blonde hair won't be much of a problem,' Shogo grinned with pure malice at the thoughts and plans he made for how to go about this situation.

Mei spoke with no fear in her voice,

"Good luck you two, may the best continue onwards she said with a gleaming smile," She spoke with such merit, that everyone watching couldn't help but feel her kindness.

Matsuda's commanding voice reverberated throughout the arena, setting the stage for an epic showdown.

"The fight may begin," she announced, and the crowd held its breath in anticipation.

In a mere fraction of a second, something materialized around Mei's hands – gauntlets that glimmered with an aura of power. Akira's eyes widened with confusion, marveling at this mysterious manifestation.

'Gauntlets?' Akira pondered, 'Where did they come from...?'

'I'm going straight for you!' Mei without hesitation lunged at Shogo with her fist seeming to be wrapped around with gauntlets, her agile build made for a perfect match with her combative abilities.

"Hmph! Do you think going straight for me would do you any good? Not a chance!"

Shogo jumped above Mei as she lunged straight under him.

As she gazed up at Shogo, her mind raced with strategies. "You can't dodge an attack mid-air," she thought, using the split-second opportunity to channel every ounce of strength within her.

In an explosive burst of power, Mei pushed off the ground with incredible force, propelling herself straight at Shogo. Her gauntlets crackled with energy, ready to deliver a potent blow.

Shogo grabbed the sword that was stashed underneath his scarf, and his body seemingly bulked up.

'He must be an Enhancer, his physical attributes are probably much higher than mine, but that doesn't mean he can take a fully charged-up punch from my gauntlets, I'll get him out in one blow and go fight the blonde kid.'

Shogo looked at Mei with a bit of unease, 'Hey, hey, hey, this girl isn't half bad...' He grinned with a smile that showed he was ready for a true fight. Shogo sent more energy towards his legs as he pressed them in a crouch position from the sky.

He exerted his energy through his legs in order to bounce off the sky as if it were the ground itself to return the lunge attack back at Mei.

'I'll finish this off in one hit!' both of them thought as they were closing in proximity, but time almost stopped for both of the fighters Mei and Shogo.

Suddenly both Shogo and Mei were caught off guard completely.

'What's going on...?' both of them thought to themselves. They were taken off guard by the sudden change in the battle. They were no longer looking at the enemy they had set their sights on.

They were looking at themselves, a sort of reflection.

The speed they were both coming in at was too great for either of them to stop before slamming into the reflections.

Mei's only thought was,

'I have to brace myself for the impact of this!'

*CRASH*

Everyone who was watching the fight slowly looked up to see who was going to be the most injured from such an impact, but to their surprise, nobody had a single scratch.

'What just happened...?' both Mei and Shogo looked at where the reflections were floating.

"I think you both should just give in and call a forfeit."

Everyone including the fighters looked in the direction of the voice. It was Kenta Nakajima speaking.

"And what would we do that for pipsqueak?" Shogo said as he put his sword back in its hilt. The rage was steaming off of him for the interruption of their battle.

"This isn't for debate. I was simply suggesting you do the reasonable and safe option so nobody leaves with major injuries." Kenta spoke with such literacy and confidence it was nerve-racking.

"I'm sorry?" Mei asked with confusion written on her face. "You want us to quit without a fight actually taking place?"

"Yes, exactly. Doing so will help me advance quicker and getting this over with is all I care about." Yet again Kenta's demeanor was symbolizing not a hint of fear.

"You know I never would've thought you could speak like that kid. It's exhilarating and refreshing to know that I can take not one, but two KEC users and prove my worth."

Akira thought to himself while they were standing around talking, 'I never would've thought someone as kind as him could speak in such a condescending way... He speaks as if he's never had to try in a fight, let alone that he won't have to try in this Gladiator either.'

Yet again it seemed as if the air itself began to shift. The wind blew a minor dusk wind that sent chills down the spines of all who looked at the battlefield. The anticipation was something to behold as each fighter held a form looking at each other wondering who would strike first.

Shogo yet again reached for his blade and bolted to Kenta.

*Zing*

The sound that was produced was that only of Shogo's sword coming in and out of its hilt. It was as if Shogo cut straight through Kenta.

Shogo cackled as he turned around to look at Kenta.

"HAHAHA, yeah kid now you'll be out of-"

A sharp pain struck Shogo...

"Wha-"

A light dribble could be heard hitting the ground. It was similar to that of a light drizzle from the rain hitting the floor.

*plop plop plop*

Mei's eyes widen with shock.

'What did I just witness, I thought Shogo-'

It dawned upon Shogo as he looked at the ground to see a small puddle forming beneath him of a red substance.

'Blo-BLOOD? Whose blood is that..?'

Shogo looked up at Kenta who had not a single drop of blood near him.

'If this isn't his then-'

Almost as if a delayed strike was placed upon his body every minor cut and slice Shogo had used on Kenta was in fact not on him. It had struck his own body.

"ARGH, AHHH, WHAT IS- WHAT IS GOING ON!"

Shogo fell to his knees as the pain slowly tore at his body.

Mei in utter shock has not moved a single muscle, trying to figure out what happened.

"I told you to forfeit, and yet you didn't listen. So the outcome of this battle will be much more different than I had hoped.

Mei was still analyzing what just happened, 'This doesn't make any sense. I watched Shogo leap at him and his speed was clearly much higher than Kenta, so why is Shogo on the ground with so many cuts and injuries while Kenta is unphased...?"

'This doesn't make any sense. Even if Kenta was fast enough to keep up with Shogo, he wouldn't have the means to injure Shogo himse- wait...'

Mei's face slowly dropped as she attempted to connect the dots on these two.

'Shogo is an Enhancer, he changed his physical attributes to increase them and make him stronger and faster. I am a Raditor and can create my gauntlets.'

Mei glanced at her fist, 'I can charge and store energy in these created weapons to create more of a shockwave than normal.'

'Even with that being taken into account, this means Kenta isn't either one of those KEC types...'

Mei looked back towards them both and watched as Kenta stood tall over Shogo.

"Now this is your last chance... Leave. The. Match."

Akira watched in close shock, appraisal, and even confusion. A plethora of emotions each combating each other to come up with a good reason behind the things he was looking at.

'Kentas voice changed so much even some of the people from our class looked nervous'

Mei was still trying to connect the dots and make sense of all she had witnessed.

'Mirrors appeared in front of us and showed our reflection, but even so, we took no damage from them, now Shogo was cutting Kenta down and yet he still stands...?'

'Wait... *mirrors*, *Shogo took the damage*, and his absurd amount of confidence in his abilities despite not knowing anyone else's?

Mei slowly looked up with a revelation.

"KENTA! I FIGURED IT OUT!"

Kentas facial expression has not changed from the point of him looking away from Shogo to glance in my direction.

"Hmm?" He looked unbothered almost as if he didn't care that Mei could've figured out his ability.

"You are a manipulator, somehow able to use reflections as your ability!" Mei said with profound merit. Almost as if she cracked a code that was considered impossible.

This was an astounding discovery, with many different groups of people shocked, confused, or excited to see how this would turn out. Akira was none of the few who felt this way. Akira felt one thing and one thing only,

'I will win.'

Confidence.

Everyone was impressed with how Mei figured out such a complex ability with such little information, even teachers and others of higher rank couldn't figure it out, but the words that were uttered by Kenta were something that left such a powerful anxiety-like aura in the air.

"Do what you will with that information. Many have figured it out and they have all lost to me, what makes you different?"

Akira thought to himself,

'This can't be the same kid who helped me with my classes, This isn't real, right?

"Now Shogo and Mei... come at me as you see fit. Make sure you understand I gave you the easy way out."

Matsuda thought to herself 'The arrogance of this kid is astonishing, but even so he can back up his talk with his abilities.'

Even with knowing this knowledge, Mei made a move nobody would've expected.