Clash of Powers

The training grounds buzzed with anticipation. I stood at the edge of the field, heart racing, as the wind howled across the open space, tugging at my robes.

Today wasn't just any training session—this was my first real spar, and all eyes were on me.

Whispers of the mysterious Ophiuchus powers had spread like wildfire, and my classmates expected to see what I was truly made of.

But the truth was, even I didn't know what I was capable of.

My opponent for this combat session wasn't just another student. He was Marcus, one of the most skilled noble combatants, known for his mastery over elemental energy and sheer tactical prowess.

He wore the same cocky smirk he always had, the kind that made you want to wipe it off his face. Today, I hoped to do just that.

"In this corner," the instructor's voice boomed, "Avant Dekus, Ophiuchus wielder. And in the other, Marcus of the Aries family. Let the combat begin!"

Before I had time to settle my nerves, Marcus was already moving. With a flick of his wrist, a fiery burst of energy erupted from his hand, spiraling toward me.

Instinct kicked in as I raised my arm, summoning a shimmering shield of star energy to block the attack. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, forcing me to dig my heels into the dirt to maintain my balance.

"Not bad, Dekus," Marcus taunted, circling me like a predator. "But blocking is all you've got?"

Ignoring him, I focused on steadying my breathing. My hidden system had been fluctuating ever since I had unlocked it, but I hadn't yet figured out how to harness its full power. It was erratic, like a wild beast roaring inside me, but I needed to control it—especially now.

Marcus didn't wait. He charged at me, his fist igniting with flames as he closed the distance. I sidestepped, feeling the heat from his attack singe the air beside me.

I countered with a burst of star energy, sending a shockwave in his direction. He dodged, laughing.

"Is that it? You're not going to beat me with party tricks, Dekus."

His words stung, but I could feel something stirring deep within. The star energy around me fluctuated, growing more intense, more erratic.

My heart pounded in my chest as the familiar sensation of the hidden system's power surged through my veins.

"Focus," I muttered to myself. "Control it."

This time, as Marcus came at me again, I let go—not of control, but of fear. I summoned the power of the hidden system and felt the energy twist and transform.

As if answering my call, my passive ability, Celestial Resonance, activated. With the Ophiuchus power flowing abundantly within me, I channeled that energy to fuel the constellation's might.

The ground beneath me glowed with a celestial light, and my hands crackled with raw power. A new notification blinked before my eyes, my status window flashing:

[ZUA System]

Skill Unlocked: Star Energy Absorption

For a moment, everything clicked into place. I could feel the energy around me—Marcus's flames, the air, even the ground beneath our feet. I absorbed it all, channeling the power into myself.

Marcus's eyes widened as I caught his next punch in my hand, the fire extinguishing against the radiant energy swirling around me.

"Impossible," he muttered, stumbling back.

But I wasn't done. With a fierce yell, I unleashed a devastating counterattack. Star energy surged from my palm in a spiraling vortex, launching Marcus into the air.

The force of the blast shook the entire training ground, and gasps echoed around the arena. My classmates were no longer whispering—they were staring in stunned silence.

I could feel the power pulsing within me, but it wasn't stable. It was like trying to hold onto a lightning bolt with bare hands. The energy crackled and sparked, threatening to spiral out of control.

"Damn it," I gritted through clenched teeth, trying to contain the surge.

Marcus recovered quickly, blood trickling down his lip but a fire still blazing in his eyes. He wasn't going to back down.

With a roar, he summoned a massive column of flame, far larger than anything he had used before. The heat was intense, almost unbearable, as the flames roared toward me, threatening to incinerate everything in their path.

I had only one option.

I closed my eyes and tapped deeper into the hidden system, unlocking more of the Ophiuchus power buried inside me. My body burned with energy as I raised my hand toward the incoming inferno.

[ZUA System]

Skill Unlocked: Star Energy Manipulation

The flames collided with my outstretched hand, but instead of being consumed, I absorbed them. The fire twisted and swirled around me, drawn into the core of my energy.

For a brief moment, I held both the flames and the star energy within me, merging them into something new, something powerful.

When I opened my eyes, Marcus was staring in disbelief. I launched the combined energy back at him in a blinding flash of light. The impact was catastrophic, and Marcus was thrown across the training ground, landing in a heap at the far end.

I stood in the aftermath, panting heavily, my hands still crackling with residual energy. The fight was over. Marcus lay motionless, defeated, but alive. The instructors rushed forward to check on him, and the crowd erupted in murmurs of shock and awe.

But I wasn't listening. My hands were shaking, and the energy inside me still surged uncontrollably. I had won, but it hadn't been clean. The power had taken over, and for a moment, I had almost lost control completely.

Before I could even process what had just happened, a figure stepped forward—one of the academy's senior instructors, a man known for his cold, calculating demeanor.

He studied me for a long moment, his eyes narrowing as if assessing the full extent of what he had just witnessed.

"You're stronger than I expected, Dekus," he said, his voice low and measured. "But strength without control is dangerous. You've unlocked something powerful, but if you don't learn to master it…"

He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to. The warning was clear.

As the adrenaline from the fight began to wear off, I nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. I had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

There was more to this power—more to the Ophiuchus—than I had ever imagined. And if I couldn't control it… it would consume me.

The instructor's eyes flickered with something else—something like curiosity or even fear. "Your next challenge will test you more than anything you've faced so far. Prepare yourself, Avant. The real trials are just beginning."

And with that, the instructor turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of the cracked and scorched training ground, my mind racing.

The academy had no idea what was coming. Neither did I.

[ZUA System]

Name: Avant Dekus

Class: Star

Rank: Apprentice

Tier: 2

Zodiac: Ophiuchus

Level: 12

Attributes:

Strength: 28

Agility: 24

Endurance: 30

Energy Control: 45

Intelligence: 22

Luck: 18

Charisma: 20