Chapter 4: The Class Tournament Begins
The day of the Annual Class Tournament arrived. Every student from the academy who had survived their initial trials gathered in the Grand Arena, a massive coliseum capable of holding thousands of spectators. Banners representing every class fluttered in the wind, from the flashy Warrior's Crest to the blazing Mage's Flame.
Arin stood at the edge of the arena, his legendary scavenger armor glinting under the sun. The shards that orbited him now pulsed with faint energy, sensing the power around him. His reputation had preceded him: whispers of the Trash King had spread across the academy. Some doubted him, some were curious, and a few were genuinely fearful.
Kael appeared across the arena, muscles tense, sword in hand. "This ends today, Arin," he growled. "I'm taking my victory—no more luck."
Arin smirked, adjusting a shard that hovered near his shoulder. "Luck? I don't need luck, Kael. I have trash."
The Tournament Begins
The first rounds were simple: one-on-one duels against students of similar ranks. Most students relied on brute force or flashy magic. Arin, as always, relied on improvisation and scavenging.
In one duel, a fire mage attempted to incinerate him. Arin caught a broken metal tray from the arena floor, reflecting the flames back in a controlled arc. In another match, a warrior swung a massive hammer; Arin used shards from a shattered bench to create a spinning cage that deflected the blows and trapped his opponent long enough to claim victory.
By the time the first round ended, Arin had won every match, often using items others discarded, earning him the amazed—and sometimes terrified—gaze of the crowd.
A Test of Ingenuity
In the quarter-finals, Arin faced Selena, a top-ranked mage known for her offensive spells and deadly precision. The moment the duel began, she unleashed a torrent of ice and lightning, forcing Arin to dodge and weave.
Arin scanned the arena. Broken stands, discarded banners, and shattered benches littered the floor. "Perfect…" he muttered.
He tossed pieces of metal into the air; they spun, forming a protective dome. He attached shards to banners, creating tripwires that triggered bursts of arcane energy from Selena's own spells.
Selena blinked. "How… how are you controlling the environment like this?"
Arin shrugged. "Just paying attention to what everyone else ignores."
By the end, Arin had deflected every attack, turned the arena into a trap-laden maze, and won without even striking Selena directly. The crowd erupted in cheers. For the first time, many students saw him not as a joke, but as a force to be reckoned with.
The Council Watches
From the stands, the Council of Classes observed silently. One elder, a stern woman with piercing eyes, muttered, "A Scavenger like this… he's no ordinary student. His potential is… alarming."
Another elder nodded. "If he continues like this, he may surpass even the strongest warriors. We must monitor him carefully."
Arin, unaware of their scrutiny, was already thinking ahead. His scavenger skills weren't just for survival—they were his ticket to reshaping the rules of the academy itself.
The Next Round
As Arin prepared for the semi-finals, Kael approached once more. His aura radiated determination and frustration. "This is it, Arin. Only one of us leaves this arena undefeated."
Arin tapped a shard spinning near his wrist. "Then let's make it interesting."
In the distance, shards and scraps hummed with latent energy, reacting to Arin's growing strength. The Trash King was no longer an underdog—he was a strategic genius, a walking arsenal, and a rising legend.
The semi-final battle would test everything he had learned so far—and set the stage for the first real confrontation against the academy's elite, where the world would start to fear his ingenuity.