"i mean.. when it comes to pure talent... who do u think is the best of us?.... did u forget the incident" 5 minutes before, as Soobin walked up to the tree of life, Jisoo kept thinking of what Taehyun meant..

And then it hit..

The scene begins in the middle school training hall, a vast space with a soft yet sturdy floor and various weapons displayed along the walls. It’s time for the joint physical practice session, where all classes are mixed together. The room buzzes with chatter and excitement as students stretch and prepare for the session.

Even though the spirit that is contracted can vary from healing spirits to artifact making to combat related.. in the practical classes for the future spirit energy users, they are taught basic combat techniques to prepare them for the future.

Taehyun stood at one corner, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles. A sly grin spread across his face as he started stretching. “Ah… it’ll be fun today,” he said to no one in particular, his voice tinged with anticipation. “My condition is at its peak.”

Jisoo, standing a few feet away, raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Oh really?” she said, her tone half-teasing. “Let’s test it out then. Be my sparring partner.”

Taehyun glanced at her but shook his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Nah,” he said, straightening up. “I have someone else in mind. Today will be the day.”

He turned his gaze towards Jiho, who was standing a bit away from them, adjusting his wristband. “Hey, Jiho! It’s you and me today! Let’s settle this… let’s spar!” Taehun called out, his voice ringing through the hall.

Jiho looked over his shoulder, his expression momentarily confused before softening into a warm smile. He walked over to them and said, “Okay, Taehyun-ah. Let’s do this.”

Jisoo groaned and facepalmed. “This guy…” she muttered under her breath before stepping aside. “Go for it, then.”

Just as they were about to begin, two boys entered the hall and approached them. Soobin, witha sheepish smile, waved as he called out, “Taehyun-ah, you’re here!”

Taehyun turned and blinked in surprise. “Soob?!” he exclaimed.

Soobin smiled broadly, and Taehyun’s gaze shifted to the boy beside him. His expression turned from surprise to slight concern. “Wait, you’re attending practical classes today?” Taehyun asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Hanbin. “Hanbin-ah, why’s he here?”

Hanbin, who had been silently standing beside Soobin, scratched the back of his neck and made a worried face. “D.. Don’t ask me. I tried to stop him many times, but he got permission from the principal,” he said, sighing deeply.

“What?” Taehyun said, his voice rising. “Soob, why?”

Soobin waved a dismissive hand and said, “Taehyun, don’t overreact. I’m also part of this school, and I can hold my own. Don’t worry.”

“What do you mean, don’t worry?! What has gotten into you?” Taehyun’s voice grew sharper, his concern evident. “I can’t allow this.”

Soobin sighed again, his cheerful expression dimming slightly. “Taehyun… trust me,” he said, extending his fist.

Taehyun hesitated before sighing heavily. “Fine,” he muttered, fist-bumping Soobin. “But the moment I see anything wrong, I’m taking you out, you… you idiot.”

Soobin laughed and patted Taehyun’s shoulder. “Okay, okay. Trust.”

Jisoo and Jiho, who had been watching the interaction, exchanged glances. They had never seen this side of the usually rowdy Taehyun and couldn’t understand why he was so against Soobin being in the class.

The instructor’s voice cut through the room. “Students! Select your weapons and pick your partners. I’ll evaluate your spars one by one.”

The students began tapping their sleek, metallic wristbands—Meta Bands—designed by the global corporation Beuroo. The bands morphed into their chosen weapons.

Taehyun’s band morphed into a pair of heavy gauntlets. He clenched his fists and grinned. “Haha! Let’s do it!” he exclaimed.

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Jisoo’s band shifted into dual pistols, which she spun deftly, while Jiho’s band turned into a single, elegant sword. Taehyun turned to Soobin. His Meta Band had morphed into two daggers.

“Daggers?” Jisoo said, tilting her head. “Isn’t that kind of a disadvantage? Others will have better weapons.”

Soobin gave her an awkward smile and said, “I’ll just try these for now.”

Taehyun crossed his arms and said, “Ah, you guys haven’t met each other, right?” He gestured to the group. “Soobin and Hanbin, meet Jisoo and Jiho.”

The four of them exchanged greetings, though it was clear that the atmosphere was slightly awkward.

“Soobin and Hanbin are my childhood friends,” Taehyun explained. “Soobin’s parents also own a guild that produces artifacts for us.”

“Jisoo is Jisoo, and Jiho is my rival.”

“Only you think he’s your rival,” Jisoo muttered, frowning.

Jiho laughed awkwardly and said, “Taehyun is really strong.”

As the introductions wrapped up, Hanbin tapped his wristband, and it morphed into two massive, intimidating whips. The other four stared at him in silence, their expressions ranging from confusion to amusement.

Taehyun was the first to break the silence. “Hanbin-ah… I didn’t know you were into this,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Hanbin’s face turned red. “Huh? What?”

Soobin grinned mischievously and chimed in. “Hanbin, what have you been watching these days?”

“What? I… no! It’s not like that!” Hanbin stammered, flustered.

The group burst into laughter, the tension easing as they teased Hanbin good-naturedly. Even Jisoo cracked a small smile, and Jiho shook his head, chuckling softly.

It was time for the spar.

Taehyun stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as he looked at Jiho. “Jiho, come on. Let’s do this.”

Jiho’s lips curved into his usual warm smile. “Alright, Taehyun-ah. Let’s.”

The two stepped forward, and as they entered the sparring circle, the barrier sprang up around them in a soft glow. It was an unspoken signal that the match was about to begin. The instructor goes.... " The first one to get a hit wins, now start"

Excitement buzzed through the crowd of students. They gathered quickly, craning their necks to get a good view of the spar. Jisoo, Soobin, and Hanbin lingered near the edge of the circle. The tension was subtle but noticeable; Soobin and Hanbin stood slightly apart from Jisoo, unsure how to break the silence between them. But as the spar kicked off, any awkwardness melted away.

Taehyun wasted no time, surging forward with explosive speed. His gauntlets gleamed as he threw a straight punch, aiming for Jiho’s center. Jiho twisted away gracefully, the blade of his sword shifting to guide the strike off course.

“Damn,” someone in the crowd muttered. “Look at Taehyun go.”

“Is Jiho finally gonna lose today?” another whispered.

Soobin’s eyes flitted between the students’ murmurs and the sparring ring, while Hanbin remained focused on the fight.

Jisoo quiet, crossed her arms. “Hmm… Is he, though?”

Her comment made Soobin glance at her, but before he could respond, the spar intensified.

Taehyun unleashed a flurry of punches, relentless and powerful. Jiho was nimble, his footwork impeccable as he sidestepped and redirected each attack with minimal effort. But even Jiho seemed to be giving ground, his movements carrying him closer and closer to the barrier.

“Is Jiho being pushed back?” someone said aloud, voice tinged with hope.

Just as it seemed Taehyun had the upper hand, Jiho made his move. In one swift motion, he sidestepped, pivoting behind Taehyun with a spin , balancing on one leg.

Taehyun reacted immediately, without even looking back , twisting his torso and throwing an elbow backward, aiming for Jiho’s face. The strike was lightning fast, the air rippling with its speed.

Jiho leaned back, his balance shifting as his body bent almost impossibly low. The elbow following his face and touching Jihos face for the entire period of motion. If Jiho was a second slower , then Taehyuns elbow would have smashed his face.

Jiho then swiftly grabs Taehyuns hand between his elbow. Using the momentum, Jiho lifted Taehyun off his feet and slammed him down on the opposite side of the ring with a resounding thud, all on one leg.

The impact was enough to make Soobin and Jisoo wince, their eyes instinctively shutting for a second. The room was silent for a heartbeat before the eruption of cheers and gasps.

Taehyun groaned from where he lay sprawled on the ground, staring up at the ceiling. “Ugh… I lost again.”

Jisoo shook her head, muttering, “What a monster…” as she stared at Jiho.

The instructor clapped his hands once, loud enough to cut through the noise. “Choi Jiho wins! Taehyun, your technique is solid, but you still need to work on your control.”

Jiho exhaled and stepped forward, offering Taehyun a hand. “Taehyun-ah, you did great. If I’d been even a second slower, I would’ve been on the ground instead.”

Taehyun grumbled but took the hand, letting Jiho pull him up.

As the barrier dissolved, Jisoo walked over and handed Taehyun a small pill. “Here. Wasn’t your ‘condition at its peak’ today?”

Taehyun snatched the pill from her, his cheeks coloring slightly. “Whatever,” he muttered, avoiding her amused gaze.

She turned to Jiho, handing him a pill as well. “Nice work, Jiho.”

Soobin smiled as he stepped closer. “Taehyun, that was impressive. Your speed’s gotten way better.”

Taehyun scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. “Thanks, Soob. But what about you? Who are you sparring with? Wait—I’ll find someone for you.”

He began scanning the room eagerly, his eyes darting between the students. “How about Joonyoung? He’s not great physically. Perfect for you. Or Jongwoo? He’s weak too.”

It was painfully obvious that Taehyun was trying to pair Soobin with the easiest opponents possible.

Soobin chuckled awkwardly, scratching his neck. “Actually… I’ve already picked someone to spar with.”

Taehyun blinked, tilting his head in confusion. “Huh? Who?”

Jisoo and Hanbin also turned to Soobin, curiosity written on their faces.

Soobin tilted his head toward the boy standing beside Taehyun.

Taehyun froze. His expression darkened, and he spoke in a low, disbelieving voice. “No.”

Soobin’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Jiho-yah, want to go for a round?”