Chapter 61: Crash Dummy

Jake Foster stood in the center of the training chamber, his body tense, his hands flexing at his sides as energy simmered just beneath the surface. The walls of the training room loomed around him—smooth, sterile, reinforced to withstand the immense power of the metahumans within. Across the room, Isaac Voss, the self proclaimed walking tank, was already rolling his shoulders, his expression calm, though his massive form exuded power.

“Ready for another beatdown, Foster?” Isaac grinned, his voice booming in the quiet chamber.

Jake smirked, his eyes narrowing slightly. Isaac wasn’t a guy who did subtlety. He was straightforward, sometimes painfully so, and he always approached their training sessions like it was a good-natured brawl. But Jake knew better. Isaac’s power was a dangerous thing to underestimate.

“Let’s see if you can keep up this time, Voss,” Jake shot back, his voice low, already feeling the adrenaline building.

Isaac chuckled, the sound deep and rumbling, like the distant thunder of an approaching storm. “Don’t make me embarrass you, kid.”

The two had trained together before, and while Jake had grown accustomed to Isaac’s sheer brute strength and durability, there was always that moment of hesitation. Isaac could shift the density of his body—becoming as light as air or as solid as stone in an instant. The result? He was both a tank and a ghost, capable of taking hits no one else could survive, or phasing through attacks like they were nothing.

Jake felt the charge building in his core, the energy swirling in his chest, aching to be unleashed. This time, he wouldn’t hold back. His control had improved. The blasts that had once been wild and untamed now obeyed him, but they were still dangerous—enough to level the room if he slipped.

Isaac dropped into a wide stance, bouncing slightly on his feet like a boxer ready for a match. “You thinking, or you fighting?” he said, his grin widening. “Come on, man. Let’s get this over with!”

Without another word, Jake unleashed a brilliant beam of energy from his palms, a focused burst that ripped through the air, crackling with intensity. Isaac’s smirk didn’t falter as he shifted his density just in time, his body becoming intangible as the energy shot straight through him, leaving him untouched.

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Jake gritted his teeth, already expecting that move. Isaac always opened with a dodge, buying himself time to gauge Jake’s attack. But Jake wasn’t finished.

Before Isaac could phase back into his normal state, Jake launched another burst of energy, smaller, more concentrated, directly at his feet. The ground exploded under Isaac, sending shards of reinforced concrete scattering across the chamber.

“Whoa!” Isaac stumbled, his body reverting to its solid form as he fell back, the sudden shift catching him off guard. He raised his arms, but Jake was already on him.

Jake rushed forward, his hands glowing as he focused the energy into a controlled strike. He slammed into Isaac, sending the larger man skidding backward across the floor. But Isaac’s density shifted again, and instead of crashing into the wall, he became almost impossibly heavy, his body rooted to the spot like an immovable boulder.

“Nice try, Foster,” Isaac said, grinning as he dusted off the remnants of the explosion. “But you know how this ends.”

Before Jake could respond, Isaac’s fist was already in motion. He surged forward, moving faster than anyone his size had the right to. His punch connected with Jake’s midsection like a freight train, sending him flying backward across the chamber. Jake crashed into the far wall, the impact rattling through his body as he gasped for breath.

Isaac didn’t let up. He charged at Jake, his fist raised to finish the job. But this time, Jake was ready. At the last second, he rolled to the side, avoiding the blow as Isaac’s fist embedded itself into the wall, leaving a dent where Jake’s head had been moments earlier.

Jake scrambled to his feet, his hands already glowing again. “You hit like a truck, Isaac. Too bad you’re as slow as one.”

Isaac barked a laugh, pulling his fist from the wall. “Says the guy who just got flattened!”

Before Jake could retort, Isaac charged again, but this time, Jake was prepared. He sidestepped the attack, releasing another blast of energy, this one aimed at Isaac’s legs. The beam hit its mark, sending Isaac tumbling to the ground with a thud.

Isaac’s body shifted, his form becoming dense and heavy again, rooting him to the floor. He pushed himself up with a grunt, shaking off the blast like it was nothing. “That all you got?”

Jake narrowed his eyes. He was starting to feel the strain, the energy in his body demanding more focus, more control. But he wasn’t done yet.

Isaac charged once more, his fist raised. But instead of dodging, Jake planted his feet and released a concentrated beam of energy directly at Isaac’s chest. The force of it knocked Isaac backward, but before he could recover, Jake was on him, releasing another blast that sent him sprawling across the chamber.

This time, Isaac didn’t get up right away. He lay on the ground, groaning as he rolled onto his back, blinking up at the ceiling.

“Ow,” Isaac muttered. He pushed himself up on his elbows, grinning through the pain. “Okay, okay, I’ll admit it. You’re getting faster.”

Jake, breathing hard, smirked. “You’re getting slower.”

Isaac chuckled as he finally stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just letting you win today.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Sure, let’s go with that.”

Despite the intense sparring session, there was a mutual respect between the two. Isaac was powerful, and his ability to shift density made him nearly impossible to hit—unless you were fast enough. And Jake had gotten faster. The months of training were paying off, and he could feel it in every fight, every session.

But as much as Jake enjoyed these fights, he knew they weren’t just for fun. The Academy was watching. They were always watching.