The hum of Sigma Hall never really stopped — just shifted from one heartbeat to the next.

  Every match left something behind: a new crack in pride, a lesson no scoreboard could measure.

  Now, as the platforms reset and the next teams stepped forward, the trials weren’t just testing power anymore — they were starting to show what lived underneath it.

  The Nexus arena glowed under the floodlights, its polished floor humming with power.

  “NEXT MATCH — Team Edge versus Team Null,” the announcer’s voice boomed across the chamber.

  “Cadets, report to your lifts.”

  ?

  Up in the stands, Team Pulse sat scattered.

  Speedy leaned forward with a bandage wrapped dramatically around his head, grin stretching wide despite the bruise.

  “I fought for love~,” he sang under his breath, voice as off-key as his timing.

  Perma didn’t look at him — arms crossed, body turned away, glare sharp as a blade.

  Mateo lifted a hand between them, trying for peace.

  “Let it go, guys…”

  “Don’t talk to me,” Perma snapped.

  The platform below rumbled.

  Ironclad’s trio sat in the stands above, slouched in silence, heads bowed low.

  Their fatigue showed in every stiff line of their bodies.

  Behind them, Captain Varric stood tall, arms crossed, eyes cold.

  The earlier victory still felt like defeat.

  ?

  Below the stands, the lifts came alive.

  Team Edge stepped forward in perfect formation, each movement calm and locked in.

  Valor’s voice carried with steady authority.

  “We’re not failing this one. Follow my lead — this is our edge.”

  Mirage and Sync only nodded, silent but firm.

  Opposite them, Team Null approached their own platform.

  Selena’s steps faltered with hesitation, eyes flicking to the floor as if she could hide from the moment.

  Beside her, Ditto’s jaw was tight, unsure but resolute.

  Gale cracked her neck, smirk curling as she rolled her shoulders with cocky ease.

  The six lifts rose, bringing the teams face to face.

  Selena’s console flickered differently than the rest.

  An automated voice came through the PA:

  [Note: Due to the lack of a detectable Niche, your reading will simulate energy output based on strategic input and battle analysis.]

  The rest of the cadets pressed their hands to the glowing Conduits.

  Sparks of light crackled under their palms.

  One by one, their eyes flickered yellow — aura whipping and pulsing from their bodies.

  [NICHES CALIBRATED]

  The Nexus Core pulsed once.

  THUUM!

  “BEGIN!”

  ?

  The Nexus screen lit up with fresh readings, bars climbing and flickering across the display.

  On Edge’s side, all three glowed clean and solid — full green, locked in perfect sync.

  Ditto’s bar shook as it climbed, flickering yellow before inching upward under sheer willpower.

  Selena’s lit up green the moment her simulations appeared, hands moving fast — completing battle calculations with ease.

  And Gale’s… stayed red. Flat. Unmoving.

  A hush rippled through the crowd.

  The Nexus Core brightened, pressure surging as it lurched toward Team Null’s goal.

  20 m… 15 m… 12 m… 10 m…

  Selena’s voice rang out, sharp but steady.

  “Gale! Focus! You’ve got this—”

  “Shut up!” Gale’s voice cracked like a whip. “You’re distracting me — I had it!”

  The Core pushed closer.

  ?

  Up in the stands, Silverline stood up, eyes wide.

  “What is she doing? She has no control at all.”

  Captain Null was seated a couple rows down from Team Vitalis, face unchanged — but his knuckles whitened with the clench of his fist.

  ?

  Ditto’s grip shook against the conduit, sweat already on her brow.

  “You got this, Gale — stay with us!”

  “Shut up, both of you!!” Gale snapped, louder than before.

  3 m… 2 m… 1 m…

  BZZZZZT!

  The match cut in a sharp flash.

  [MATCH COMPLETE]

  [WINNER: Team Edge]

  [LOSER: Team Null]

  Cheers burst on one side.

  Team Edge jumped together, Valor raising a clenched fist.

  ?

  Up in the stands, Kaito leaned back with a cold smirk.

  “…Expected.”

  Elsewhere, Team Titan slouched in their seats.

  Ayasha groaned into her hands.

  “Oh, we’re definitely gonna hear about this.”

  “And it’s still morning…” Lior muttered.

  Cael sighed, glasses sliding down his nose.

  “He’s gonna bask in this all day.”

  ?

  As the lifts hit the floor, Selena turned quietly, already walking away.

  “Where are you going?” Gale’s mocking voice cut into her back.

  “…To sit down,” Selena said softly.

  “I hope it’s in the trash,” Gale sneered. “’Cause that’s where people like you belong.”

  Ditto hesitated, voice small.

  “…Yeah… tr—trash…”

  Selena kept walking, her pace calm, her expression unreadable.

  But Gale’s boots struck hard as she stepped closer, fury in every movement.

  “We lost ‘cause of YOU. You don’t even have a Niche! You don’t belong here! People like you drag us down!”

  Her hand slammed against Selena’s shoulder.

  The shove sent her stumbling forward onto the floor.

  No tears, no cry — just silence, and a stunned look up.

  Selena’s voice came quiet, but it cut clean.

  “My bar was green. Ditto’s made it hers too. Yours never left red. We all saw it.”

  “That’s because you were distracting me!” Gale shot back, voice high and desperate.

  “No.” Selena’s gaze didn’t waver.

  “It was red from the beginning.”

  “SHUT UP!!” Gale roared, her fist drawing back.

  By the stairs, Lior, Ayasha, and Perma were already rushing down — but they were still too far.

  Selena closed her eyes and braced for the punch.

  — But it never landed.

  A single hand caught Gale’s wrist mid-swing, stopping it cold.

  Fingers like iron pressed into her shoulder.

  Captain Null.

  His face unreadable, his tone quiet as stone.

  “I’m not here to be a hero. But this doesn’t look good for my image.”

  His breath ghosted her ear.

  “Drop your arm. Go sit down.”

  Gale ripped her hand free with a scoff, lip curled.

  “Hmph. Come on, Ditto.”

  Ditto hesitated, giving Selena a soft look.

  “Ditto, come on,” Gale said, irritation flaring as Ditto jogged to catch up.

  Selena remained seated on the floor, the sting of the shove fading — but the weight of her words still hanging in the air, her hand trembling as she lifted it slightly.

  “…Thanks, Captain,” she whispered.

  Null didn’t even glance back. His steps carried him past her like she wasn’t there.

  “I didn’t do it for you,” his voice cut, flat and cold.

  “It doesn’t look good to let my best fighter attack the weakling of the team. Get up yourself.”

  The words landed heavier than the shove.

  His shadow stretched across her a moment longer before disappearing.

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  ?

  For a few breaths, Selena didn’t move.

  Her palms pressed against the floor, her body trembling more from humiliation than the fall.

  Then hurried footsteps pounded down the stairs.

  “Selena—!”

  Lior, Ayasha, and Perma dropped into a crouch beside her.

  Lior’s hand reached first, steady and warm.

  Ayasha’s gaze softened as she studied the tears brimming in Selena’s eyes — tears that refused to fall.

  “People like him…” Ayasha muttered, voice sharp with quiet fury. “Always remind me how cold this place really is.”

  “Come on, Selena,” Lior said gently, still offering his hand. “I’m sorry you have to deal with this.”

  Selena’s lips parted, voice barely audible.

  “It’s okay. I’m used to it.”

  “That’s the problem.”

  Perma’s voice came from behind, firm, arms crossed as she looked down at them.

  “I need a one-on-one with her… make sure she never says that again.”

  Lior glanced up at her, a faint smile tugging at his tired expression.

  “I’d watch that.”

  Selena gave a hint of a smile.

  Lior smiled back.

  “That’s what I’ve been waiting for.”

  She grabbed his hands, and together they began to walk back toward the stairs.

  Selena looked at Lior and his confident smile, thoughts beginning to run.

  Is this what friends are? He’s nothing like they said he would be.

  ?

  The hum of Sigma Hall lingered as the announcer’s voice thundered across the chamber.

  “Team SnapBack, Team Vitalis — please head to your lifts.”

  From the Vitalis side, Grid trudged lazily toward the platform.

  “Let’s get this over with.”

  Silverline’s eyes narrowed, sharp as her words.

  “You better get your head right before it ends up with two more knots.”

  Grid rolled his eyes, looking away.

  “…Tch.”

  ?

  Across the stands, Captain Vitalis leaned toward SnapBack with a teasing smile.

  “Ryu.”

  SnapBack tilted his head.

  “Yes, Róisín?”

  Her grin widened.

  “Wanna watch together?”

  He hesitated — just long enough to earn her playful pout.

  “…Sure.”

  “Wanna hold hands?” she teased.

  SnapBack barked a laugh.

  “Don’t push it.”

  “Oh, alright,” she said, pretending to sulk.

  But his grin shifted, turning slightly more serious.

  “This will be a test to see if Lava Lily can keep her head together and make the right choice.”

  Vitalis leaned on the railing, resting her chin on her hands, eyes glinting.

  “Oooo… I love this serious SnapBack. Brings back the old days.”

  He snapped back instantly, waving both arms in exaggerated flourish.

  “She just needs to lead for once!”

  His voice boomed across the hall, directed at the lift.

  “You got this, Lava Lily! I believe in you!”

  Sunstrike’s head lowered in visible annoyance.

  ?

  All six lifts reached the top of the pillars.

  The announcer’s voice came through the speakers sharply.

  “Please place your hands on the Conduit.”

  The cadets obeyed.

  Light sparked to life.

  Their eyes flickered yellow, auras briefly stirring — flames trailing from Sunstrike, faint shimmer spilling from Halo, electric edges tightening around Arcline.

  Across from them, Grid’s body was covered in lines of silver-blue data cascading like digital rain; Thorn’s arms rippled with waterlight; Silverline’s limbs shimmered with elegant silver arcs.

  [NICHES CALIBRATED]

  “BEGIN!”

  ?

  The bars spiked to life.

  Green. Yellow. Back and forth, the Nexus Core shuddered as it rocked between their goals.

  Neither side broke.

  For nearly a minute, they matched each other pulse for pulse.

  BEEP!

  On both sides of the Nexus Core, the remaining thirty seconds began to count down.

  [00:30]

  Team SnapBack gained the advantage — but only by a small margin.

  Each team trembled — none of the bars on green.

  Halo swayed.

  “I… feel light-headed.”

  “Come on, Halo — you got this,” Sunstrike urged.

  “Y… yeah, I got this.”

  Halo’s aura shimmer faltered, thinning at the edges.

  THUMP!

  Halo’s body hit the floor, unconscious.

  “HALO!” Arcline’s voice cracked as he reached for her.

  Sunstrike froze.

  Her eyes darted between Halo’s limp form and the still-glowing Conduits.

  We’re winning. If me and Arcline stay with it… we can hold long enough to fini—

  Arcline’s voice reached her through the haze, dragging each word like slow motion.

  “What… is… the… call?!”

  Time snapped back to speed.

  Sunstrike’s decision came sharp.

  She released the Conduit.

  Arcline followed.

  Together, they jumped over to Halo’s pillar.

  Arcline screamed from the top of his lungs.

  “SHE NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION NOW!!!”

  The lift sank, lowering the cadets toward the arena floor.

  ?

  Up on the terrace, SnapBack moved first.

  WVRMM!

  He vanished in a blur of distortion — light bending where he’d stood beside Captain Vitalis.

  KRCHK!

  He reappeared on the arena floor, boots skidding a half-step before he straightened.

  Before the echo could fade —

  WHOOOOM!

  Vitalis dropped from the railing like a comet.

  Her coat flared wide, hair whipping behind her as she struck the ground beside him.

  A pulse of light rippled outward — Thumm-thumm.

  Both captains’ eyes flickered bright yellow in the haze.

  From above, Lior froze mid-breath.

  “Did she just — jump?”

  Cael blinked hard, voice cracking.

  “That’s at least fifteen meters!”

  ?

  Vitalis’s body was wrapped in pink-gold aura, her legs glowing green.

  SnapBack smirked, glancing sideways without looking up.

  “Still don’t like stairs, huh?”

  Vitalis didn’t answer.

  Both moved quickly toward Halo’s side — still unconscious but breathing slowly.

  Arcline handed Halo to Captain Vitalis.

  Her hands glowed green as she checked Halo’s vitals.

  “Yeah. Energy drained, maybe some muscle strain. I’ll run tests to be sure, but nothing serious.”

  Team Vitalis had arrived shortly after the two captains.

  Grid crossed his arms.

  “We’ll call this a draw.”

  SnapBack shook his head immediately.

  “Nope. This is about Niche use. It’s part of the game. You win.”

  As the medical crew pushed Halo away, SnapBack walked over to Sunstrike, who stood apart from the others, shoulders tight with guilt.

  “Great job, Lava Lily,” SnapBack said.

  She spun on him.

  “We lost — and Halo’s injured.”

  “Oh, she’s fine. Happens to everyone. I’m talking about your decision.”

  His grin widened.

  “I knew you’d make the right one.”

  Sunstrike’s brow furrowed.

  “You knew this would happen?”

  “Not precisely.”

  Sunstrike’s voice rose, anger cutting through.

  “You idiot… why is everything a game to you?”

  For once, his grin dimmed, his voice steady but not unkind.

  “Halo isn’t a strong Niche user yet. There’ll be times you’ll face a choice — mission success or a comrade’s safety. If you’d chosen wrong… I’d have had to find another third cadet.”

  He turned to leave, slipping back into his playful tone.

  “But I knew you’d choose right, Lava Lily… because you still have a heart.”

  Sunstrike stood stunned, watching his back as he walked away.

  With the last trial of Nexus Push ending, the cadets filed out of the Hall.

  ?

  Arcline and Sunstrike barely had time to get themselves together before Team Titan, Seraph, Vitalis, and Pulse closed in around them.

  Replica leaned forward, eyes wide.

  “Is she going to be okay?”

  Sunstrike’s gaze was distant, still half-caught in SnapBack’s earlier words.

  “Sh… she’s going to be fine.”

  Silverline slipped through the crowd and placed a steady hand on her shoulder.

  “Yeah. Just leave it to our captain. It’ll be like it never happened.”

  Arcline exhaled, relief softening his features.

  “I’m glad she’s fine.”

  ?

  The med team had already rushed Halo ahead.

  By the time Sunstrike and Arcline pushed through the ward doors, the roar of Sigma Hall felt a world away.

  Halo slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling in rhythm with the monitor’s quiet beep.

  SnapBack sat beside her bed, legs crossed, reading a book.

  The door cracked open.

  Sunstrike and Arcline stepped inside, their movements hushed.

  “How is she?” Sunstrike whispered.

  “Tired,” SnapBack said without looking up. “Vitalis said she’ll be good as new when she wakes up.”

  Arcline smiled faintly.

  “That’s awesome.”

  SnapBack finally lowered the newspaper.

  “Y’all go get some rest. I’ll stay here until she wakes.”

  Arcline nodded.

  “Thanks, Captain.”

  He exited, the door clicking softly shut behind him.

  Sunstrike started toward the door, then stopped.

  Her hands trembled.

  She turned back, her voice breaking as tears swelled in her eyes.

  “I’m not worthy to be on this team… I… I contemplated winning and leaving her. I didn’t want to lose. I almost—”

  Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing.

  SnapBack rose slowly, still carrying that trademark grin — though his tone softened.

  He crouched beside her, and for the first time, over the rim of his glasses, she saw the teal-colored eyes of her captain.

  The softness in them contradicted everything about the loud, carefree man she thought she knew — calm, steady, but with something deeper hiding behind them.

  “I was right where you are once — talking to that old man with the cane.”

  Through her tears, her gaze sharpened.

  “You know what he told me?” SnapBack asked, light flashing across the tint of his lenses.

  “A thought may tempt the heart, but the path is written by the step you take. You took the right steps — and that’s all I’ll judge you on.”

  He stood again, smirk tugging back into place.

  “Plus… who else would call Lava Lily ‘Lava Lily’?”

  Sunstrike raised her hand suddenly.

  SnapBack flinched —

  — but instead of swinging, she pulled him into a hug.

  His eyes widened — then softened as he returned it.

  “…Thank you, stupid,” she whispered.

  The hospital room held its quiet warmth, sunlight spilling across Halo’s bed.

  For a moment, Veritas felt like a sanctuary.

  ?

  But far away, beneath storm-lit skies, another place stirred.

  Steel walls rose like a fortress of shadows, windows bleeding faint red light into the war room.

  At the head of a long table, a figure waited — silent, patient.

  “Bring him in,” the leader commanded.

  The door hissed open, and a boy stepped through — tall, deliberate, his face hidden in the fall of his hair.

  He stopped just inside the circle of dim light.

  The leader’s smirk cut through the silence.

  “So… you are the boy the prophecy spoke of.”

  Lightning flashed outside the tower.

  CRACK-BOOM!

  For an instant, white light filled the room as the boy raised his head to meet the U.S. Chancellor’s gaze.

  When the light faded, all that remained was the glint —

  Flickering red.

  Crimson.

  End of Chapter 28