Chapter 70: Into the Arena

The Academy’s training facility hummed with the usual controlled energy. Rory Blake walked alongside Dana Wright through the sterile corridors, feeling the familiar weight of anticipation settle in his stomach. Today, something was obviously different. The message they’d received earlier had been vague, just a directive to report to the training arena. The kind of message that usually led to something unexpected.

“You’re quiet today,” Dana commented, her tone light but curious. She glanced sideways at him, her fingers absentmindedly flicking light in and out of existence as they walked. She’d always been able to keep her nerves in check better than him.

Rory shrugged, feeling the knot tighten in his stomach. “Just wondering what they’ve got in store for us.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” Dana said, smirking. “Whatever it is, I hope it’s not another ‘simulation.’ Those always leave me feeling like I’ve been run over by a truck.”

Rory grunted in agreement, his mind already running through the possibilities. The Academy was always throwing surprises their way, especially when it came to pushing them past their limits. He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers. His strength had grown since arriving at the Academy, but there was always a sense that no matter how much progress he made, the Academy wanted more.

The corridor ahead of them opened into a large, reinforced door. The arena. This wasn’t just any training room; this was where the higher-level metahumans were tested, a space designed to withstand extreme powers without tearing the whole place apart. He had seen the door before, but he had never been asked to enter it—until today.

As they approached, Dana’s light flickered out, and she cast a wary glance at him. “You think we’re getting tested in the arena?”

Rory nodded, his throat dry. “Looks like it.”

The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the vast circular space inside. It was massive, far bigger than any training room they had been in before. The walls were lined with observation windows, where scientists and guards stood behind thick glass, watching like hawks. It wasn’t just an evaluation. It was a test. A real one.

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Rory stepped in first, feeling the cool air hit his skin. The floor beneath them hummed with energy, the surface a special material designed to absorb and withstand extreme impacts. It reminded him of the simulation rooms, only this felt much more… real.

Dana followed him in, her posture unusually tense. “Why here, though? They could have just used the regular training rooms.”

Rory didn’t answer. The same question had been running through his mind ever since they got the directive. Whatever this was, it wasn’t just about regular training. The arena wasn’t used for everyday exercises. It was used when the Academy wanted to see something specific, something dangerous.

From across the room, one of the scientists, dressed in the typical white coat, appeared behind the observation window. The intercom crackled to life.

“Blake. Wright. You will each be engaging in individual sparring sessions today. Prepare yourselves for combat.”

Rory’s heart sank. Sparring. That wasn’t the kind of word they threw around lightly, especially not in this place. His eyes flicked over to Dana, who had tensed up as well. This wasn’t going to be an ordinary session.

The intercom buzzed again, but this time it was more specific. “Blake, you’ll be going first. Please step forward.”

Rory swallowed hard, stepping toward the center of the arena. His mind was racing with questions. Who was he sparring with? Was it another student? Or was it one of the Academy’s enhanced simulations? He scanned the edges of the room, searching for any sign of what was to come, but the space was empty except for him and the hum of the energy fields.

Dana gave him a small, reassuring nod as she moved toward the edge of the room, leaving him alone in the center. “Good luck, Rory. Try not to get squashed.”

He forced a weak smile. “Thanks for the confidence boost.”

Then the door at the far side of the arena slid open, and Rory’s stomach dropped.

Stepping into the room was Isaac Voss.

Rory had seen Isaac before. Everyone had. Isaac was one of the few Class 4 metahumans they’d all heard about but would rarely see up close. He was known for his density-shifting powers, a literal beast of a man that could turn himself into an indestructible force or move like a ghost through walls. He wasn’t someone you’d want to face in a fight.

Isaac walked into the arena with the kind of calm confidence that only someone who knew they couldn’t be hurt could have. His eyes met Rory’s, and a small, almost amused smile played at the corner of his lips.

“Blake,” Isaac greeted him, his voice low and steady, the kind of tone that didn’t need to be loud to convey strength. “Looks like we’re up.”

Rory’s heart pounded in his chest. Of all the people they could’ve paired him with… it had to be Isaac.

The intercom buzzed again, the scientist’s voice cold and clinical. “Standard sparring protocol. No lethal force. Begin when ready.”

Isaac didn’t hesitate. He cracked his knuckles, and Rory could see the subtle shimmer around him as he shifted his density, his body becoming denser, harder. There was no need for words. This wasn’t about exchanging pleasantries. Isaac was here to fight.

Rory took a deep breath, trying to focus. This wasn’t a simulation. This was real. He had to treat it that way. If Isaac was going to hit him, he needed to be ready.

Isaac’s foot hit the ground, the vibrations shaking the floor beneath them. Rory barely had time to react before Isaac moved, faster than he expected, closing the distance between them in seconds.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Blake.”

The fight had begun.