CHAPTER 16: THE CLASH OF THE SUPER ROOKIES
"I'll be honest with you," Doctor Henry Caster said, his voice returning to that clinical, haunting rasp as he adjusted his circular spectacles. "I was actually quite annoyed when you were first brought into my ward. Usually, my patients arrive with missing limbs or holes in their chests. But you? You were brought in without a single physical injury. Not a scratch. Yet, you were passed out as if your heart had stopped."
Dawn stayed silent, his hand still glowing with the steady blue hum of his newly stabilized Jinx energy. He could feel the doctor's eyes or where his eyes should be studying the flow of power.
"The conditions for 'Soul Power Recoil' differ from person to person," Henry continued, pacing the small room like a caged panther. "For most, it's a simple case of overexertion. But you... it's the first time I've seen a case like yours. Someone with such an ocean of power who somehow lacks the plumbing to drain it properly. Your Soul Power your Jinx Manipulation wasn't just leaking; it was backfiring into your central nervous system."
Henry stopped pacing and pointed a gloved finger at Dawn's chest. "You haven't been resting, kid. You've been wandering and fighting non-stop for years. That's what caused the blockage. Your soul was exhausted even if your body wasn't. So, listen to me: the exams start today. Make sure you don't strain yourself, or your soul might actually shatter before you even get your license."
"Yes, sir," Dawn said, bowing slightly. "I'll make sure to keep it under control."
BOOM!
The entire medical wing shuddered. Dust fell from the ceiling tiles, and the sound of cracking masonry echoed through the walls. It was followed by a sharp, high-pitched ringing the sound of Jinx energy clashing at high velocity.
"What the hell...?" Henry's calm demeanor vanished instantly. He turned toward the door, his face twisting into a mask of pure fury. "Those brats are doing it again! For the second time this morning!" he screamed, his voice reaching a pitch that could shatter glass.
A Few Minutes Prior
Outside in the corridor, the tension that had been simmering between Dario and the blue-haired boy whose name is Ray Arkwind had finally reached its boiling point.
"Do you really want to do this, you shitty bastard?" Dario growled. His face was flushed with anger, and the bandages on his arms were starting to glow as he channeled energy into his muscles. "I'll wipe that smug look off your face right here and now."
Ray Arkwind didn't even take his hands out of his pockets. He simply tilted his head, his eyes cold and mocking. "What? Me? Fight a weakling like you? I have a reputation to maintain, Dario. Beating up a wounded animal isn't exactly a challenge."
That was the final straw.
"YOU BASTARD!"
Dario lunged. He didn't care about the hospital rules or his lingering injuries. He surrounded his fists with a violent, flickering shroud of Jinx energy and swung a heavy haymaker. Ray Arkwindreacted instantly, his own energy flaring into a sharp, crystalline blue as they clashed for the first time. The resulting shockwave blew out the nearby windows and sent a row of plastic chairs tumbling down the hall.
The Present
"You are exactly the same as always," the blue-haired boy said, his voice calm even as he stood in the center of the wreckage. He had dodged Dario's initial assault with terrifying ease. "Always jumping into a fight without thinking about the consequences. No wonder you almost died on that train."
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Dario roared. He planted his feet, cracks spider-webbing across the floor tiles. He poured everything into a direct thrust.
"Jinx Manipulation: Shield!" Ray Arkwind commanded .
A geometric, translucent barrier of energy materialized in front of him. Dario's fist slammed into the shield with the sound of a thunderclap. A massive shockwave rippled through the hallway, knocking several nearby spectators off their feet and cracking the walls of the infirmary.
"Shouldn't we... shouldn't we stop them?" one of the spectators asked, a nervous-looking cadet clutching his registration papers. "They're going to destroy the whole wing before the exam even starts!"
"Are you out of your mind?" a second spectator hissed, pulling the first boy back behind a stone pillar. "Do you even know who those two are? If you get in the middle of that, you'll be going home in a body bag before the first bell rings."
The second spectator leaned out to watch the fight with a mix of awe and envy. "The one with the golden hair is Dario Cale. You've heard about the 'Syndicate Incident' on the train, right? He was one of the lead cadets who took down a whole organization. He's already made a massive name for himself. But the other guy... that's Ray Arkwind."
"Ray Arkwind?" the first boy whispered.
"Yeah. He's a 'Super Rookie' who emerged at the exact same time as Dario. They've been rivals since the academy prep days. Ray's output is top-tier; he isn't normal. He's a monster in human skin."
The first spectator looked at his friend with suspicion. "How do you know this much, man? You're just an extra like me. We're both bottom-rankers."
The second boy grinned, not taking his eyes off the fight. "Come on, bro. We should always keep tabs on the 'Big Guns.' If we want to climb the rankings, we have to know who to follow and who to avoid. Connections are everything in the Association."
"Huh... then what about that guy?" the first spectator asked, pointing down the hall.
A lone figure was walking directly towards where the two Cadets where fighting one another.
"Is he crazy?" the first boy gasped. "He's walking right into the line of fire!"
Ray Arkwind and Dario Cale were both preparing their next attacks, their energies reaching a fever pitch, when they felt a third presence enter their space. It wasn't loud or aggressive, but it was heavy.
Soul Power = Jinx Manipulation.