"Alright."
Oscar clapped his hands together.
"To make things a little more interesting, today's first match will be a three-versus-one battle."
A wave of excitement spread across the training grounds.
Oscar rubbed his chin as he scanned the crowd.
"Now then..."
"Let's see who gets the honor of fighting me."
Evans' eyes sparkled with excitement.
This is amazing!
I hope he picks me.
I can't stop thinking about fighting Mr. Oscar.
Just imagine it...
Me standing victoriously with my foot on his head...
A grin slowly spread across his face.
Suddenly...
Someone slipped an arm playfully around his shoulders from behind.
Evans' body instinctively tensed.
For the briefest moment, irritation flashed across his face before he forced himself to calm down.
He turned around.
Ruby stood there wearing her usual bright, innocent smile.
Her dark crimson eyes seemed to sparkle with mischief.
"I missed you."
She giggled softly.
"Finally, we get to meet again."
Evans stood frozen for a moment.
A stiff smile appeared on his face.
Seriously...
What's with this girl?
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Mike, Alex, and several other boys staring at him.
Their expressions were a strange mix of jealousy, suspicion, and playful disappointment.
Mike slowly folded his arms.
"Oh, really?"
"I thought you said nothing was going on between you two."
He shook his head dramatically.
"And yet here she is wrapping herself around you."
He sighed.
"You've officially abandoned us, Your Majesty."
"Long live the King of Virgin Town."
The boys nodded in exaggerated agreement.
Evans nearly choked.
"W-Wait!"
"It's not what you think!"
Ruby tilted her head innocently before smiling.
"Oh..."
"I think it's exactly what he thinks."
Mike's expression instantly became even more suspicious.
Evans looked completely defeated.
"No..."
"Seriously..."
"I can expl—"
Before he could finish...
Oscar's voice echoed across the arena.
"I've made my decision."
The entire training ground became silent.
"The fighters will be..."
"C-Rank Sacred Warrior Isaac Stone."
"C-Rank Sacred Warrior Mike Martinez."
"C-Rank Sacred Warrior Evans Ashford."
He smiled lazily.
"So come on up here..."
"...and prepare to get your asses kicked."
Evans' smile froze.
"...Wait."
He blinked.
"Shouldn't there be at least one B-Rank to make this fair?"
Mike sighed as though he had already accepted his fate.
"He changes the teams every session."
"Last time he fought two B-Ranks and one C-Rank."
Mike shrugged helplessly.
"They still lost."
"So yeah..."
"As Mr. Oscar said..."
"Prepare to get destroyed."
For a brief second, Evans was silent.
Then...
A confident smile slowly returned to his face.
"That's fine."
"I've always wanted to see how strong a Peak A-Rank really is."
Without another word, Evans, Mike, and Isaac stepped into the arena.
Standing several meters ahead of them...
Oscar Oliver wore the same relaxed smile as always.
As if he weren't facing three Sacred Warriors.
As if victory had never once been in doubt.
"Alright, sir..."
Isaac stepped forward, determination burning in his eyes.
"Here I come!
"Wait, I don't think you should—"
Before Evans could finish his warning, Isaac unleashed his Sacred Energy.
A surge of pale green energy flowed around his body as he charged toward Oscar with everything he had.
Oscar simply sighed.
"...So impatient."
Without losing the relaxed smile on his face, he calmly assumed a fighting stance.
Isaac's fist shot toward Oscar's face with incredible speed.
At the very last moment...
Oscar tilted his head and effortlessly avoided the punch.
In one smooth motion, he grabbed Isaac by the face.
Using Isaac's own momentum, Oscar swept his supporting leg out from beneath him with the back of his own leg.
Isaac instantly lost his balance.
Before he could react—
Bam!
His face slammed into the arena floor.
The impact echoed across the training grounds.
Isaac coughed violently before his body went completely limp.
Oscar released him and dusted off his hands.
"All I did was use your own momentum against you.
He looked down at the unconscious boy.
"Guess that's one down."
He turned toward the remaining two fighters.
Isaac lay motionless at his feet.
Evans stared with widened eyes.
He slowly looked at Mike.
"...How are you so calm after seeing that?"
Mike shrugged.
"I've already accepted my fate."
He laughed nervously.
"So I might as well look cool while getting my ass kicked."
With that, he stepped forward.
Stopping several meters from Oscar, he calmly raised his right arm.
"Sacred Ability..."
"Holy Armor."
A surge of green Sacred Energy burst from his body.
The energy wrapped around his right arm before solidifying into a larger, heavily muscled emerald arm made entirely of condensed Sacred Energy.
Oscar's smile widened.
"Looks like you've improved."
Mike dashed from where he stood and appeared in front of Oscar, driving a devastating punch toward his abdomen.
This time...
Even Oscar couldn't dodge.
Instead, he caught the massive energy fist with one hand.
BOOM!
The collision unleashed a powerful shockwave.
A violent gust of wind swept across the arena as Oscar was pushed backward several steps.
Oscar glanced at the hand that had blocked the attack.
A pleased smile crossed his face.
"I'll admit it."
"You've gotten stronger."
Mike smirked despite the sweat running down his forehead.
"I'll accept the compliment..."
"...after I beat you."
The emerald armor around his arm dissolved.
A moment later, it reformed around his right leg.
Without hesitation, Mike dashed forward once again.
His speed nearly doubled.
He swept his enhanced leg toward Oscar's ankles.
Oscar instantly jumped.
Suspended in midair, he looked down...
...and noticed Mike smiling.
I see...
So that's your plan.
At that exact moment—
Evans exploded forward.
His fist raced toward Oscar's chest while the latter remained airborne.
For the first time...
Their teamwork had created an opening.
Oscar smiled.
"Sacred Ability..."
"Obedient Puppet."
A tiny wooden puppet materialized in the palm of his hand.
The instant Oscar caught Evans' fist—
The puppet vanished.
A matching puppet mark immediately appeared on Evans' hand.
Oscar casually spun his body and hurled Evans backward.
Evans flipped through the air before landing on both feet.
He stared at the strange mark on his hand.
"...What the hell is this?"
Mike's confident expression instantly disappeared.
"Oh no..."
"He touched you."
Oscar slowly lowered his hand.
His smile never faded.
"Kneel."
The puppet mark on Evans' hand suddenly bent its knees.
At the exact same instant—
CRACK!
Both of Evans' knees slammed into the arena floor with crushing force.
"Agh!"
Pain exploded through his legs.
His knees scraped against the stone, leaving streaks of blood behind.
Instinctively, Mike rushed forward to help him .
"Evans!"
The moment his hand came within inches of Evans...
Oscar appeared before him.
His speed was so overwhelming that neither of them even saw him move.
He caught Mike's wrist.
Another puppet mark instantly appeared.
Mike's eyes widened.
He desperately tried to pull away.
Too late.
Oscar calmly spoke a single word.
"Fall."
The puppet mark obeyed.
Mike's body immediately lost all balance.
He crashed face-first into the arena floor.
Blood slowly trickled from his forehead.
Within seconds...
He stopped moving.
Oscar let out a disappointed sigh.
"...Really?"
"Mike's already unconscious."
"That's disappointing."
Silence filled the arena.
Then—
Evans slowly pushed himself back to his feet.
Blood dripped from both knees.
His legs trembled violently.
Yet...
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"I'm..."
He took another step.
"...still standing."
He locked eyes with Oscar.
"So don't think..."
"...this fight is over yet."
Without wasting another second, Evans rushed forward.
His fist shot straight toward Oscar's face.
Oscar casually knocked it aside before driving a punch into Evans' ribs.
Thud!
Pain exploded through Evans' body.
He gritted his teeth and immediately threw another punch.
Oscar leaned to the side, avoiding it with ease.
A split second later, his own fist shot toward Evans' face.
Evans barely managed to duck beneath it.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
I can still react!
Without hesitation, he began increasing the speed of his punches.
One.
Two.
Three.
A relentless barrage rained down upon Oscar.
Despite the flurry of attacks, Oscar calmly slipped between every strike while landing precise blows against Evans' ribs, neck, and abdomen.
Each hit stole more of Evans' strength.
Blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Still...
He refused to stop.
Faster...
I just need to get a little faster...
Then—
His next punch exploded forward with even greater speed.
Bang!
For the first time...
His fist struck Oscar square in the abdomen.
Evans' eyes widened.
I actually hit him!
But his excitement lasted only an instant.
Oscar caught Evans' wrist.
With a sharp twist, pain shot through Evans' arm.
It wasn't enough to break the bone...
But it hurt badly enough to make him lose his balance.
Oscar calmly pulled him forward.
Then—
BOOM!
His fist crashed into Evans' face.
The impact launched Evans completely out of the arena.
He slammed across the tiled ground before finally coming to a stop.
For several moments...
He simply lay there, staring at the ceiling.
Blood stained the corner of his lips.
Our strategy didn't work.
Raw strength didn't work either.
A faint smile appeared on his battered face.
Honestly...
This fight would've been far more interesting if I could use everything I've got.
But I can't.
Not yet.
So... I'll accept this defeat.
Oscar glanced toward the fallen trio and smiled.
"That was entertaining."
His relaxed voice echoed across the arena.
"But all of you..."
He looked directly at Evans.
"Get stronger."
"Otherwise..."
"I'll never be able to fight seriously."
With that, he stretched lazily.
"Training's over for me."
"The rest of you..."
"Continue sparring among yourselves."
---
After the session, Evans, Mike, and Isaac were taken to the infirmary.
Their injuries were treated, bandaged, and they were discharged shortly afterward.
Although the fight had ended in complete defeat...
Evans wasn't discouraged.
I still didn't learn much.
Mr. Oscar wasn't even fighting seriously.
So I couldn't learn much about his true fighting style.
---
Later that afternoon...
Evans sat quietly inside the bustling cafeteria.
A simple meal of bread and butter rested on his tray.
Moments later, Alex, Mike, and Isaac joined him.
Alex smiled encouragingly.
"You guys did great out there."
Isaac scratched the bandage wrapped around his head before sighing.
"I don't know about that."
"I got knocked out almost immediately."
Alex chuckled.
"True."
"But you were fighting Mr. Oscar."
"Losing to him isn't exactly something to be embarrassed about."
Mike gently rubbed the bandages around his stomach before laughing.
"I'm just happy it's over."
"I knew I was going to get beaten."
He pointed at himself dramatically.
"Look at me."
"My head's wrapped up."
"My cheeks are swollen."
"My stomach hurts."
"I'm one bandage away from becoming a mummy."
Everyone laughed.
Even Evans couldn't help smiling.
Then—
WEEEEEEEEOOO!
A deafening siren echoed throughout the Delta Branch.
The cheerful atmosphere vanished instantly.
Every Sacred Warrior froze.
A loud voice thundered from the speakers overhead.
"Emergency alert!"
"Emergency alert!"
"A Rift has been detected!"
"I repeat—a Rift has opened!"
"All Sacred Warriors are to report immediately and prepare for combat!"
The cafeteria fell into complete silence.
The smiles on everyone's faces disappeared.
This was no training exercise.
This...
...was the real thing.