Chapter 21: My moment

The energy in the air was electric as I stood at the entrance of the specialist gymnasium, the final stop for today's demonstrations. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for—my moment.

I could hear the crowd already buzzing inside, eager to see what I had brought to the table. Dad had been hyping this up for days, and somehow, he managed to rope in a local announcer to act as the Lord Steward for today. 

The poor man looked a bit out of place, dressed in royal-style garb that Dad had insisted on, but he seemed to be getting into it. He stood at the centre of the gymnasium with a grand, booming voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and honoured allies! Prepare yourselves for the most anticipated display of the day! It is with great honour and excitement that I present to you the Crown Prince of Paradis, the future of the nation, Aiden Wilhelm Fritz!"

The gymnasium exploded with cheers and applause. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, feeling the weight of all those eyes on me. I wasn't nervous, but I was definitely focused.

This was my first big public demonstration, and I needed to show everyone the fruits of my labour.

As I entered the gymnasium, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight followed me to the centre. The crowd quieted down as I held up the newly-developed ODM gear, sleek and modern, with some slight changes to its original design.

It looked more futuristic now—streamlined, with a glossy black finish and golden accents, and far more advanced than the ODM gear from my past life.

"Today, I'm going to show you something that was once a key part of Paradis' history, now reborn and reimagined for the future. I give you… the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear!"

I strapped on the gear with practised ease, feeling the familiar weight settle on my waist and legs. The supercapacitors hummed softly, a sound that always excited me. With the flick of a switch, the hooks shot out and latched onto the walls around the gymnasium. The crowd leaned in, curious.

"First, let me show you its practical uses. The ODM gear was initially designed to combat Titans, but with no Titans left to fight, I've adapted it for everyday life. Imagine needing to reach somewhere high—no problem. With this, you can get anywhere in no time."

I leapt into the air, the hooks retracting as the plasma powered thrusters propelled me upward. I zipped from wall to wall, skimming the ceiling with ease. My body twisted and turned as I spun mid-air, narrowly dodging the beams that jutted out from the roof.

The crowd let out an impressed gasp as I landed gracefully on a high platform at the far end of the gym.

With a grin, I shot another hook and flung myself off the platform, diving headfirst toward the ground, only to pull up at the last second and glide smoothly across the floor. It was exhilarating—like flying.

The room erupted in applause, and I wasn't even done yet.

"But it's not just for reaching places," I said, still moving effortlessly through the air. "This gear also provides a thrilling new way to travel. It's fast, efficient, and... pretty fun."

To demonstrate, I cranked up the speed and zipped from one end of the gym to the other, weaving in and out of the support beams and dodging obstacles that had been set up.

I performed a series of acrobatic flips, spinning and twisting mid-air before landing softly in front of the crowd, barely breaking a sweat.

The crowd was eating it up, especially when I added a few more daring moves for flair. 

Next, I hovered just above the ground, maintaining a low, fluid motion as I manoeuvred through a maze of beams. The plasma powered thrust provided instant acceleration, letting me zigzag at a speed no normal person could ever achieve.

As I made sharp turns, I stretched out my arms, allowing the wind to whip past me, enhancing the drama of the moment. 

"But it's not just about movement," I continued, catching my breath as I perched on a ledge high up. "The ODM gear can also be used for rescue operations and emergency evacuations. Imagine a burning building—how do you save people trapped on the top floor? With this, it's no problem."

I shot the hooks at the walls and swung back down to the ground, landing in a crouch, light as a feather. I grinned, hearing the murmurs of approval from the crowd.

"For example," I said, motioning to a mock-up structure in the centre of the room, "you can use it to lift heavy objects or evacuate people in dangerous situations."

The hooks fired once more, latching onto a weighted platform. I gave it a tug, and the powerful motors lifted it with ease. The weight didn't matter—the gear could handle it all.

"But now," I said, walking to the centre of the gymnasium and pausing dramatically, "let's see what this gear can really do."

The crowd quieted, leaning in, eager for the next part of the demonstration. This was what they were waiting for—the combat demonstration. I felt the adrenaline coursing through me. It was time to showcase everything I had trained for.

I took a deep breath and called out, my voice echoing through the gymnasium.

"Captain Alaric Thorn! Would you do me the honour of helping me demonstrate the combat abilities of this gear?"

There was a murmur in the crowd as Captain Alaric, the Royal Guard's most skilled warrior, stepped forward with a smile. He gave a formal bow to me and then took his position, ready to engage in what was sure to be an epic spar.

The tension in the room grew as we prepared for the battle. The stage was set, and now it was time to prove just how powerful the new ODM gear could be.

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Captain Alaric and I stood across from each other in the centre of the gymnasium, the air thick with anticipation. His presence alone was enough to make anyone nervous.

As the captain of the Royal Guard, he was known throughout Paradis as a fierce warrior, and now I was about to face him in a mock battle, again. The crowd grew silent, waiting for the first move.

"Are you ready, Your Highness?" Alaric asked with a smirk, his tone respectful but playful. He was clearly enjoying this.

I smirked back, adjusting my grip on the ODM triggers. "I was born ready."

Without another word, we sprang into action. Alaric moved first, closing the gap between us in an instant with his immense speed. I barely had time to react as his fist shot toward me, but I fired the hooks from my ODM gear, propelling myself backward in a sharp burst of speed.

The crowd gasped as I twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding his strike. My body flew in a controlled arc, the plasma-powered thrusters whirring as I soared up towards the ceiling. Using the high ground to my advantage, I darted around the beams and shot back down toward him.

My speed was unmatched, allowing me to outmanoeuvre him for the time being.

"Not bad," Alaric called, his voice echoing through the gymnasium.

But he wasn't holding back. The moment my feet touched the ground, Alaric was on me again, moving with a grace and speed that defied his size.

His quirk—a superhuman strength enhancement—allowed him to hit with the force of a titan.

He swung at me with a powerful kick, and I barely managed to dodge, using the ODM gear to propel myself to the side. The force of his kick hit the ground where I had just been, sending a shockwave that made the whole floor tremble.

I could feel the vibration through my boots.

I quickly shot another hook, pulling myself up toward the ceiling, using the gym's vertical space to my advantage. The ODM gear thrived in environments where movement was essential, and that's what I was banking on.

I fired the hooks again, launching myself at Alaric from a different angle. As I zoomed towards him, I swung a kick toward his side, aiming to knock him off balance.

But the captain wasn't so easily caught off guard. He raised an arm and blocked my kick with ease, the impact barely making him flinch.

"Nice try," he grinned.

He grabbed my leg, pulling me out of mid-air and throwing me across the gym. I twisted my body, firing the hooks to stop myself from crashing into the wall. With a quick flick of the triggers, I retracted the hooks and landed gracefully on my feet, skidding slightly.

This wasn't going to be easy.

"Come on, Aiden," I muttered to myself, tightening my grip on the triggers.

Alaric rushed at me again, his body a blur of movement. This time, I was ready. As he swung a punch, I leapt into the air, twisting my body at the last second. I fired the hooks at the opposite wall, pulling myself out of his reach.

As I swung across the gymnasium, I aimed another hook at him, releasing it just before reaching the wall.

I zigzagged through the air, attacking from multiple directions, my movements fluid and precise. Each time Alaric tried to counter, I would slip out of his range, using the gear to zip around him like a blur. I could tell the crowd was amazed, watching me move so effortlessly.

But Alaric wasn't going down easily. With a roar, he used his quirk to slam his fist into the ground, sending debris flying into the air.

I dodged the chunks of floor as they whizzed past me, but I could see his strategy. He was creating obstacles, making it harder for me to move freely. 

Smart.

I fired the hooks again, swinging above the debris, but Alaric was quick. He leapt into the air with a surprising burst of speed and slammed his fist down. I had no choice but to block, crossing my arms as his quirk-enhanced punch sent me crashing into the ground.

I groaned, feeling the impact, but managed to roll to the side before he could follow up with another hit.

"Impressive, Your Highness," Alaric called as he landed on his feet, giving me a moment to catch my breath. "But you'll need to do better than that."

I wiped the sweat from my brow, my mind racing. I had the advantage in mobility, but Alaric's raw power was on another level. I needed to use the gear's full potential, or I wasn't going to make it out of this mock battle victorious.

I fired the hooks again, this time launching myself high into the air. I moved faster than before, focusing on my agility and precision. As I zipped through the gymnasium, I began to anticipate Alaric's movements, dodging and weaving between his attacks.

And then, I saw my opening.

With a quick twist of my body, I fired the hooks at the floor, retracting them as fast as I could. I shot downwards like a bullet, aiming directly for Alaric.

As I closed in, I activated the plasma thrusters at full blast, sending me rocketing toward him with a speed that caught even him off guard.

He raised his arms to block, but this time, I was ready. At the last second, I fired the hooks again, pulling myself behind him. Using the momentum, I kicked off the ground and swung my leg toward his back with all the force I could muster. 

The impact hit, and Alaric stumbled forward, caught off guard by the sudden move. The crowd roared in approval as I flipped backward, landing gracefully on the other side of the gym.

Alaric turned around, a wide grin on his face. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

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