The moment I stepped through the gates of the training grounds, a strange mix of excitement and dread swelled inside me.

Everywhere I looked, students from across the Celestial Academy were preparing for the next phase of our journey—combat training. For most of them, it was another step toward honing their Zodiac powers.

For me, it felt like walking a tightrope over a bottomless pit.

I wasn't just any student. I was Avant Dekus, the bearer of the rare Ophiuchus constellation. There were expectations from the instructors, whispers from the students, and glances—glances that carried envy, curiosity, and, most of all, doubt.

"Did you hear? He can't even control it."

"I bet his powers are all talk. No one's seen him do anything impressive yet."

"Isn't the Ophiuchus supposed to be the strongest? He's nothing special."

The rumors were like buzzing flies, impossible to ignore. My fists clenched by my sides as I made my way to the sparring grounds.

The weight of their doubts was crushing, but what stung the most was the truth behind their words. Despite the potential I knew was inside me, my abilities felt like a wild animal I couldn't tame

"Hey, Avant!"

I turned to see Serin, the ever-serious Capricorn, jogging up beside me. His intense gaze softened slightly as he fell into step with me. "Heard you've got your first combat training today."

"Yeah," I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. "Should be… interesting."

Serin raised an eyebrow. "Interesting is one way to put it. You ready?"

I wanted to say yes, but the word got stuck in my throat. Instead, I gave him a shrug, trying to brush off the uncertainty gnawing at me.

Serin didn't press further, his expression hardening into the familiar focused mask. "Look, just remember—no matter what, it's about control. You've got power that most people here can only dream of. If you can harness it, you'll be unstoppable."

Easier said than done.

We arrived at the training grounds, where other students were already warming up. The tension in the air was palpable, charged with the energy of hundreds of Zodiacs preparing for combat.

I scanned the arena, taking in the shimmering auras of students channeling their powers, feeling the sheer weight of the moment pressing down on me.

A familiar face caught my eye—Xander, the arrogant Sagittarius. He was sparring with Iris, the sharp-eyed Virgo, and even from a distance, I could see the smug confidence radiating from him. He spotted me and sneered, making sure I saw the easy way he dodged Iris's attacks, like it was child's play.

"Hey, Ophiuchus!" Xander called out, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Think you'll actually manage to stay on your feet today, or are you going to blow the place up again?"

I could feel the heat rising in my chest, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. Xander's taunts were nothing new, but today, they hit harder. Today, I had to prove them all wrong.

"Focus, Avant," I muttered to myself. "Just focus."

"Alright, students!" The sharp voice of our instructor cut through the chatter. "Today is a special day. We're going to push your combat abilities to the limit, and by the end of it, you'll know where you stand in the rankings. Some of you will rise… and some of you will fall."

The instructor's eyes landed on me for just a second longer than the others, and I could feel the silent judgment in that gaze. He knew, just like everyone else, that I was the wild card in the academy—untapped potential, but unstable.

"Pair up!" he barked. "We're going full combat today. No holding back!"

As the students scrambled to find their partners, I saw Marcus, the noble from the Aries family, striding toward me with an air of overconfidence. He looked me up and down like I was nothing more than a stepping stone.

"Looks like we're paired up, Dekus," Marcus said, his voice oozing superiority. "Try not to embarrass yourself, alright? I'd hate to see you flounder in front of everyone."

I bit back the sharp retort burning on my tongue. The last thing I needed was to lose my cool before the fight even started.

I took a deep breath, feeling the pulse of star energy deep inside me, flickering like an unsteady flame. I had to control it. I couldn't afford another screw-up.

We took our places in the arena, the crowd already gathering to watch. My heart pounded in my chest, but I forced myself to focus on Marcus. This was my chance to prove to them all that I wasn't just the kid with dangerous powers I couldn't control.

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The instructor raised his hand. "Begin!"

Marcus didn't waste a second. He charged at me, his Aries aura flaring around him, and I barely had time to raise my defenses. His fist, glowing with red-hot energy, came crashing toward me.

Focus.

I blocked, feeling the force of the blow reverberate through my arms. Marcus wasn't holding back, and I knew I couldn't either. But as I prepared to strike back, the familiar surge of chaotic energy flared inside me, wild and uncontrolled.

Not now. Come on, stay steady.

I swung at Marcus, but the energy was too unpredictable. My fist glowed with unstable light, missing its mark as Marcus sidestepped easily. His laughter rang in my ears.

"Pathetic. You really can't control it, can you?"

Another strike came, faster this time. I barely dodged, feeling the heat of his energy sear past me. My mind raced, trying to pull the energy back, but it was slipping through my fingers like sand.

The crowd murmured, and I could feel the weight of their stares. They were waiting for me to fail, to lose control again.

No. Not this time.

I clenched my fists, feeling the star energy surge again, stronger, brighter. My body hummed with power. If I couldn't control it… maybe I could overwhelm him with it.

"Here goes nothing," I whispered under my breath, preparing for the fight of my life.

Before I had time to settle my nerves, Marcus was already moving. With a flick of his wrist, a fiery burst of energy erupted from his hand, spiraling toward me.

Instinct kicked in as I raised my arm, summoning a shimmering shield of star energy to block the attack. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, forcing me to dig my heels into the dirt to maintain my balance.

"Not bad, Dekus," Marcus taunted, circling me like a predator. "But blocking is all you've got?"

Ignoring him, I focused on steadying my breathing.

My system had been fluctuating with celestial energy ever since I had unlocked it, but I hadn't yet figured out how to harness its full power. It was erratic, like a wild beast roaring inside me, but I needed to control it—especially now.

Marcus didn't wait. He charged at me, his fist igniting with flames as he closed the distance. I sidestepped, feeling the heat from his attack singe the air beside me.

I countered with a burst of star energy, sending a shockwave in his direction. He dodged, laughing. "Is that it? You're not going to beat me with party tricks, Dekus."

His words stung, but I could feel something stirring deep within. The star energy around me fluctuated, growing more intense, more erratic.

My heart pounded in my chest as the familiar sensation of the hidden system's power surged through my veins.

"Focus," I muttered to myself. "Control it."

This time, as Marcus came at me again, I let go—not of control, but of fear. I summoned the power that is raging to break free within the system and felt the energy twist and transform.

The ground beneath me glowed with a celestial light, and my hands crackled with raw power. A new notification blinked before my eyes, my status window flashing:

[Skill Unlocked: Star Energy Absorption]

For a moment, everything clicked into place. I could feel the energy around me—Marcus's flames, the air, even the ground beneath our feet. I absorbed it all, channeling the power into myself.

Marcus's eyes widened as I caught his next punch in my hand, the fire extinguishing against the radiant energy swirling around me.

"Impossible," he muttered, stumbling back.

But I wasn't done. With a fierce yell, I unleashed a devastating counterattack. Star energy surged from my palm in a spiraling vortex, launching Marcus into the air.

The force of the blast shook the entire training ground, and gasps echoed around the arena. My classmates were no longer whispering—they were staring in stunned silence.

I could feel the power pulsing within me, but it wasn't stable. It was like trying to hold onto a lightning bolt with bare hands. The energy crackled and sparked, threatening to spiral out of control.

"Damn it," I gritted through clenched teeth, trying to contain the surge.

Marcus recovered quickly, blood trickling down his lip but a fire still blazing in his eyes. He wasn't going to back down.

With a roar, he summoned a massive column of flame, far larger than anything he had used before.

The heat was intense, almost unbearable, as the flames roared toward me, threatening to incinerate everything in their path.

I had only one option.

I closed my eyes and tapped deeper into the energy within the system, unlocking more of the Ophiuchus power buried inside me. My body burned with energy as I raised my hand toward the incoming inferno.

[Activating: Star Energy Absorption - Energy Manipulation]

The flames collided with my outstretched hand, but instead of being consumed, I absorbed them. The fire twisted and swirled around me, drawn into the core of my energy.

For a brief moment, I held both the flames and the star energy within me, merging them into something new, something powerful.

When I opened my eyes, Marcus was staring in disbelief. I launched the combined energy back at him in a blinding flash of light. The impact was catastrophic, and Marcus was thrown across the training ground, landing in a heap at the far end.

I stood in the aftermath, panting heavily, my hands still crackling with residual energy. The fight was over. Marcus lay motionless, defeated, but alive.

The instructors rushed forward to check on him, and the crowd erupted in murmurs of shock and awe.

But I wasn't listening. My hands were shaking, and the energy inside me still surged uncontrollably.

I had won, but it hadn't been clean. The power had taken over, and for a moment, I had almost lost control completely.

Before I could even process what had just happened, a figure stepped forward—one of the academy's senior instructors, a man known for his cold, calculating demeanor. He studied me for a long moment, his eyes narrowing as if assessing the full extent of what he had just witnessed.

"You're stronger than I expected, Dekus," he said, his voice low and measured. "But strength without control is dangerous. You've unlocked something powerful, but if you don't learn to master it…"

He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to. The warning was clear.

As the adrenaline from the fight began to wear off, I nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. I had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

There was more to this power—more to the Ophiuchus—than I had ever imagined. And if I couldn't control it… it would consume me.

The instructor's eyes flickered with something else—something like curiosity or even fear. "Your next challenge will test you more than anything you've faced so far. Prepare yourself, Avant. The real trials are just beginning."

And with that, the instructor turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of the cracked and scorched training ground, my mind racing.

The academy had no idea what was coming. Neither did I.