Chapter 4 - Training Battles I

The cement-like ground of the arena trembled as a sprawling cityscape rose from beneath the surface, towering buildings and narrow streets materialising in the blink of an eye. The squads took their positions, with Squad 3 on the left side and Squad 1 on the right. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, each team eyeing the other, sizing up their competition.

Misimi stood at the centre of Squad 1, his muscular frame emanating raw power. With a clenched fist, he cracked his knuckles, eager for the battle ahead. "I've been waiting for this," he muttered, his gaze fixed on the opposing squad. His brother, Remilekun, was to his left, a stark contrast with his leaner build and quick, agile movements. Remilekun's eyes darted around the mock city, calculating the best routes for speed and surprise attacks. "Don't be too rough and end up killing them," he advised, his voice steady but sharp.

Meanwhile, on Squad 3's side, Viktor stood at the right, his calm demeanour masking the intense focus within. He adjusted his kami gear, the reflective surface glinting in the artificial light. Alia, positioned on the left, stretched her limbs, her energy coiled like a spring ready to snap. Pedro, the powerhouse of the group, stood solidly at the centre. Unlike the others, he preferred brute force over strategy, much like Misimi.The arena buzzed with tension as the robotic voice announced, "Let the battle commence."Misimi charged forward right at Pedro with a powerful punch, who countered it with a fierce kick. Viktor and Alia leapt in opposite directions, avoiding the clash of the two giants. Viktor, after landing on a mock construction site, dug his hands quickly into the ground. Remilekun, who was dashing towards him, stopped abruptly at Viktor's odd action. Suddenly, the ground beneath Remilekun cracked and flew up into the air. Remilekun jumped up with the rubble, confused by this sudden development. He looked down and saw the cause of the destruction—Viktor's hands, each enlarged to the size of cars. Upon landing, Remilekun dashed right at Viktor, who lifted his now-massive right hand to block the attack.

Meanwhile, another clash of abilities ensued. Alia picked up a stone and threw it into a small, swirling purple vortex beside her. A similar vortex appeared above the first, and the stone fell out of it, re-entering the first vortex and repeating the cycle, increasing in speed. Suddenly, a vortex appeared behind Olive, sending the now high-velocity stone hurtling towards her. Reacting quickly, Olive twisted her body unnaturally, her elongated leg kicking the stone aside just in time. The stone flew past her, smashing into a wall and cracking it significantly. Alia dashed right at Olive, her fist ready to strike, but before she could land the punch, she stumbled. Olive had dislocated her knee and thigh, elongating her leg to deliver a powerful kick that knocked Alia off balance. But before hitting the ground, Alia deployed a vortex beneath her, thrusting her hand through it. Another vortex appeared behind Olive, who was preparing to deliver another kick. Alia's hand emerged from the vortex, grabbing Olive's hair and yanking her off balance.On the sidelines, Squad 2 observed the battle with growing intensity. Rion leaned forward, his eyes darting between the different clashes. "Look at Viktor. He's using that Size-kinesis of his to keep Remilekun at bay, but Remilekun's too fast for him."

Kasuto, arms crossed, nodded as he watched Misimi and Pedro's exchange. "Misimi's holding back—he hasn't even tapped into his kami. Pedro's going all out with his Impulse Augmentation, though. You can see it in the way his punches are shaking the ground."

Hanne, now standing, watched Olive and Alia with a hint of admiration. "Olive's flexibility is insane. She's practically dancing around Alia's vortexes. But Alia's not giving up either. She's resourceful, using her kami to keep Olive on her toes."

Back in the heat of battle, Pedro grew increasingly frustrated with Misimi's ability to evade his attacks. His Impulse Augmentation was in full effect, each movement of his muscles releasing bursts of energy that amplified his speed and power. Misimi dodged each punch with ease, his calm expression never faltering.

Rion shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Pedro's losing his cool. Misimi's in control, even without his kami. If this keeps up, Pedro's done for."

Kasuto added, "Yeah, and look at how Misimi is reading Pedro's moves. It's like he's two steps ahead, predicting every strike."

As the fight between Viktor and Remilekun continued, Viktor's limbs swelled to enormous proportions, his kami in full display. He brought down his massive hand, aiming to crush Remilekun, but the latter's speed allowed him to dodge the attack just in time."Viktor's not used to someone as fast as Remilekun," Hanne observed. "He's struggling to keep up."

"And Remilekun's not even breaking a sweat," Rion noted, his voice tinged with excitement. "But Viktor's no slouch either. He's keeping Remilekun on his toes."

Meanwhile, Olive and Alia were locked in their fierce duel. Olive's body twisted and turned in ways that seemed impossible, evading Alia's attacks with precision. With each move, she countered Alia's vortexes, never letting herself get caught in their pull."

Olive's got this," Hanne said, confidence in her voice. "Alia's trying, but she can't land a hit on Olive."

Back with Misimi and Pedro, the tension peaked as Pedro prepared for one final, all-out attack. His entire body pulsed with energy as he charged at Misimi, determined to land a decisive blow. But Misimi stood his ground, waiting until the last possible moment. As Pedro's fist hurtled towards him, Misimi moved—this time, not to dodge, but to intercept. With an effortless motion, Misimi caught Pedro's fist in his hand, the impact sending a shockwave through the arena. Pedro's eyes widened in disbelief as Misimi tightened his grip and, with a single, fluid motion, flipped Pedro onto the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

Rion let out a low whistle. "That's it—Pedro's done. Misimi didn't even need to use his kami. That was pure strength."

Kasuto nodded, impressed. "Misimi's something else. If he had used his kami, Pedro wouldn't have stood a chance."

As the dust settled, Viktor and Remilekun's battle reached a stalemate. Viktor's size manipulation allowed him to hold his ground, but Remilekun's speed made it impossible for him to land a decisive hit. Just as it seemed they were at an impasse, Misimi arrived. With a single, powerful step, he closed the distance between himself and Remilekun, pulling him back with one hand. "Time to end this," Misimi said calmly, his attention shifting back to Pedro.

On the other side, Olive finally gained the upper hand over Alia. With a final, agile manoeuvre, Olive wrapped her elongated leg around Alia's arm, using her momentum to flip Alia onto her back. Olive stood over her, victorious.

"That's the fight," Hanne said, satisfied. "Squad 3 didn't stand a chance. They put up a good fight, but Squad 1 was on another level, especially because of Misimi."

Kasuto uncrossed his arms, a thoughtful look on his face. "We're going to need to bring our A-game when it's our turn. They're strong, but we're better."

Rion smirked. "Let's see how they handle us. For now, though, we're facing squad 3."