Kairos slowly rose to his feet, dusting himself off. The sting of defeat clung to him like an unshakable shadow, and his pride burned hotter than his aching muscles. This wasn't a fair match—he knew it. Despite the rules prohibiting beast-enhanced strength, Rivet's movements had been anything but human.
"Come on, stand up and come or are you done?" Rivet called out, standing at the edge of the platform, looking down at Kairos with that same smug expression that made his blood boil.
Kairos clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. He could see it in Rivet's eyes—he wasn't just calling him out; he was mocking him, trying to bait him into another fight, despite already securing his victory.
Kairos gritted his teeth and threw up his middle finger. "You cheated in the match anyway. You used your abnormal strength. I would've won if not for that."
A smirk bloomed on Rivet's face, his posture shifting into one of absolute confidence. He licked his lips in amusement. "Why don't we go on with Summon's ability? I doubt it would make any difference."
Kairos hesitated, shaking his head in response. 'That would make matters worse. He has too much experience and knowledge about Summons. I can't beat him either way.'
But Rivet had no intention of letting Kairos off so easily. He suddenly lunged from the platform, moving with a speed that was twice as fast as in their match. Kairos barely had time to register the attack. He wasn't prepared—there was no way to block it. He braced himself, expecting a devastating impact.
However, at the last second, someone stepped between them. A hand shot out, catching Rivet's fist mid-strike, stopping it like it carried no force at all.
"That's enough, Rivet. You won't lay a hand on my friend," Carlos said, his voice sharp and unwavering. His grip remained firm around Rivet's fist, his serious gaze locked onto his opponent.
For the first time, Rivet's arrogance faltered. His bravado shrank in the face of Carlos's intervention, and he instinctively pulled his hand away. He didn't want this fight, not against Carlos.
Kairos, still catching his breath, watched the exchange in confusion.
Rivet clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed by the situation. "Sheesh, I don't know when some Family members became so disgusting, caring for trash." He scoffed, turning on his heel and walking away into the crowd, leaving the two behind.
Kairos remained frozen, his mind running in circles. Why had Carlos stepped in? What did he gain from this? He wasn't used to kindness that came without a price.
Carlos turned to him with an easy smile. "Hope you're alright? You did well too."
Kairos stared at him blankly before blurting out, "Why did you help me?"
The question seemed to catch Carlos off guard, but Kairos wasn't playing dumb. In the city where he had grown up, no one helped others unless there was something to gain. He had been raised in a world where trust was a liability, where kindness was a debt that always came with an interest.
Carlos furrowed his brows before letting out a short chuckle. "What do you mean? Friends protect other friends. The only reason you lost is that you haven't learned proper Summon integration."
He gestured toward the ongoing matches, and Kairos turned his gaze toward them.
For the first time, he truly observed the way others fought. At first, he had thought they were simply stronger, faster, more skilled. But now, as he paid closer attention, he saw something else entirely.
Their movements were fluid—like water, fast and steady.
'So that's it… they're using their Summons to increase their physical capabilities,' Kairos thought, realization dawning on him. His mind rewound to his first fight with Darnell. At the time, he had simply thought Darnell was stronger, but now he understood. It wasn't just an enhancement of strength and speed. Darnell had merged with his Summon, becoming something greater.
"So that's why I lost…" Kairos muttered under his breath, the weight of his own inexperience settling heavily on him.
Carlos, seeing the grim expression on his face, slung an arm over his shoulders with a laugh. "Come on, idiot, don't be so down. Let's watch the other fights. You did well for a beginner, and I can teach you how to integrate later when we get home."
Kairos let out a sigh but nodded. He had a long way to go, but at least now, he had a clearer understanding of what he lacked.
Together, they turned their attention to the final matches. One after the other, battles concluded swiftly, with victors emerging within seconds. Then, a particular match caught Kairos's attention. A female student stepped onto the platform, facing off against a male opponent. There was something familiar about her.
He squinted, straining his memory. Then, it clicked.
'Kaela—'
He had met her during the environmental survival class the other day.
The match began, and unlike many of the others, this one was utterly one-sided—but not in the male student's favor. He charged at Kaela with impressive speed, but she barely moved. And yet, despite her lack of exaggerated movement, her attacks were precise, decisive, and devastatingly quick.
Kaela ended the match with just two blows, sending her opponent flying off the platform with almost no effort.
As soon as her victory was confirmed, she simply stepped off the stage and disappeared into the crowd without fanfare.
'She's more silent than yesterday…' Kairos noted, watching her retreat.
The rest of the battles continued, but none were as surprising as hers. Eventually, when all the matches concluded, Sergeant Lloyd stepped forward, commanding the attention of the students.
"I have taken all your battles into consideration. You have done well, though some of you still need to work harder." His gaze swept over the exhausted students before glancing at his watch. With a sigh, he crossed his arms. "Looks like we've run past my lecture period. Proceed to your other classes. We'll continue next time."
With that, the students were dismissed.