A day later, in Alice's room.

After all the shenanigans, Alice and the rest gathered for a meeting.

"So, what is our goal?" Asked Yulia, in her bear pajama.

In front of her was a small barrier of snacks, half open, and some even finished.

"What do you mean our goal is? The first day was a disaster. We need to fix our reputation!" Jonathan said as he bit a slice of pizza.

"I mean, is our reputation even in a bad position? We just showed them a reason to respect us." Yulia offered a counterargument.

"Yeah..." Jonathan gulped his bite. "But we are not enemies here, neither our goal is to trample others."

Alice raised her hand before she spoke. "Since this was my fault too, I like to give my opinion."

"Yeah, go on." Both said unanimously.

"Since we started it with a fight, why not end it with one?" Alice got up and looked around her room until she found something to draw on.

Others watched as she hastily scribbled a graph on the paper. "Look, let's do a tournament."

Trio moved closer to the paper.

"You know this isn't that bad of an idea," Yin said, inspecting the graph closely while caressing his chin.

"I am not sure about that," Jonathan said. "Other kids seem to be eager for a fight, but

"I know what you are thinking, but look from my perspective. We need to solidify our status as leaders of our respective academies, but we can't be bullies, so why not handle everything in a fair environment?" Alice added more to her argument.

Yin got up. "Alright, votes in. If you agree, sit up, and if you don't, keep your ass on the floor."

Alice followed him, then Yulia, and after some thinking and glances.

"Alright, you got me too, you maniacs."

Jonathan.

****

Two days later. On training grounds.

****

"I can't believe you made them agree on it this quickly," Jonathan said to Alice, standing in line.

"Don't need to be surprised," Alice smirked. "They want us to beat the life out of each other but can't do that without students agreeing."

Soon, three advisors and medical staff entered the training grounds. Advisors moved to different parts of the room.

"Alright, you little psychopaths, I assume all of them had got and read the informative text, but for ones against the technology, your friendly representatives asked for a tournament. They said everyone can show their skills fairly." One of the advisors said, patroling on a path.

"There are 32 of you little monsters, so we are making a simple, five-step tournament." The advisor on the left side of the room shouted.

"All matchups are randomized. If you find yourself against someone who counters your ability, don't cry. Try to overcome it." The advisor on the right side of the room added.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"And we will keep it short to finish this thing in a reasonable time." He moved in front of one of the battlegrounds. "Students that I call their names move in!" He opened a tablet. "Jonathan, and Cillian Serpentine.

"Good luck, big guy." Yulia slapped Jonathan's back as he flew towards the arena.

"He is surprisingly quiet," Alice noted.

"Not like him, right?" Yin said.

Alice nodded, her eyes locked on Jonathan's. He was looking at his opponent, barely even blinking.

Compared to him, Serpentine looked calm. He brushed his snow-white hair into shape as he walked to the arena. With each of his steps, his body moved in such elegance one could assume he was gliding.

"Mys, you look tense, dear," Serpentine said with a smile.

"Your name tells me that I should be extra careful." Jonathan landed on his corner.

Serpentine also reached his corner. He wore white leather gloves. He slowly pulled them, revealing long, scaly fingers with sharp, black fingernails.

"Don't need to be tense, dear. I am not here to hunt, just to spar." He opened his mouth. It looked like a human closed when he talked, but when he fully opened it, it extended beyond anyone expected, revealing four large hidden fangs.

He dripped a yellowish-green liquid on his hands and directed it towards his nails.

"How can he even?" Alice said aloud.

"He is in Horizon, right?" Yulia said. "Good luck with your weirdo number one."

Meanwhile, Jonathan stayed the same.

"Don't let him pierce your skin. Strike fast and hard." He repeated in his head.

One advisor moved between the two and raised his hand. "On my mark! Go!" He slashed his hand down and dashed out of the arena.

Jonathan watched as the snake boy approached him. His movements were almost random and unpredictable, but there was one critical problem.

"He is slow." Jonathan took this opportunity and flew forward, lifting sand from the ground.

Cillian smiled, compressing his body like a coil in an unnatural manner.

"Somethings wrong." Jonathan changed his trajectory and flew into the air moments before the clash.

"Somethings wrong? Scared of bites, perhaps?" Cillian said, showing his forked tongue each word.

"I don't know why, but my instincts tell me he would land his strike first if we clashed directly."

He knew about Cillians bloodline. Their poisons were matched by no other, and considering he stood here with them, he was no joke.

"I don't call it being scared. I prefer self-preservation." He looked at the advisors watching the match. "How deep is the arena?" He shouted.

The advisor in the middle smiled. "Three meters."

Jonathan nodded, aimed his body down, and rushed to the ground, fist forward.

"What are you-!" Before Cillian finished his sentence, the entire floor shook as Jonathan dived deep into the floor.

So much sand and dirt raised from the attack that the arena felt like someone threw smoke grenades at it.

From the dust cloud, Jonathan rose, holding a large piece of the ground above his head.

"Every one of the kids here has a special ability, be it super speed and electric manipulation, Aura, energy reflection, or a vampiric blade. Compared to them, I am a crude guy."

"And what does that mean exactly?" Cillian shouted. "Just because you are crude doesn't mean you should damage a UN facility."

Jonathan shook his head. "No, you got everything wrong. I am crude, but I am very good at being crude." He started spinning like an Olympic ball thrower and launched the piece of ground he was holding to Cillian.

Cillian condensed himself once more and leaped backward, making a great distance between himself and the impact area.

The debris Jonathan threw exploded into a million pieces and rained dirt, gravel, and sand.

"Ha, I knew it!" Jonathan leaped out of the falling pieces. He rushed at Cillian at full speed and landed a punch to him before he recovered.

The punch was strong enough to make a loud crack and send Cillian flying through the facility.

"What the fuck was that?" Cillian thought. "Did I get hit by a train or something?" His consciousness barely stayed open.

He tried to get up, but his shaky arms barely managed to lift his chest from the air.

He looked at himself. "My shirt is completely obliterated, and my scales got shattered." He slammed his fist to the ground. "Damn it!"

Jonathan towards Cillian and landed close to him. "Are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?" Cillian snapped, but it didn't take him long to get his self-control back.

"No, I am not."

Jonathan approached him and offered his hand. "Here."

"No, I still have poison on my hands." Cillian tried to get himself up, but failed once more, hitting the floor. "Just grab me from the back."

Jonathan did as asked, and helped Cillian.

When he got up, Cillian almost fell back but managed to stay up.

"Are you sure you are alright?" Jonathan asked. "Medical team is approaching, just sit down."

"Alright, alright. I am better now." He said, soundly breathing. Cillian touched his chest. "Good, I have no broken ribs, you monster."

"I just gave it my all."

"I know it, I was on the receiving end of your all."

Soon, the medical team arrived and took Cillian to the infirmary.

When Jonathan moved back to the arena, one of the advisors raised his hand like he won a boxing match. "First winner, Jonathan!" The advisor shouted, hyping other students.

Trio clapped from the side. Yulia took it one step forward by whistling.

Other students watched from them from their side, bitter. For them, a massive gap just got bigger.