Looking at this poor kid, with sunken eyes and pale face, I couldn’t help but sigh. Maybe this was how dragons were different from humans, or maybe that was simply an extension of the mind’s cruel nature. I couldn’t know.

  Ignoring the celebration in the room, and running past Ivaldie, who was about to speak to me, I led Kory out of the classroom. She mumbled quietly, paler than ever, “Don’t worry about me.”

  “What a stupid thing to say.” I supported her, trying to help her move. “Don’t stop strengthening, or I’ll kill you myself.” I shouldn’t be worrying that much about someone I met only two days ago. But this wasn’t right.

  “Keep walking,” I ordered, as we came ever closer to Avennture’s lab.

  “Y-yes…” She didn’t even look at me, breathing weakly.

  Passing dragons looked at us, sometimes mumbling things about weakness and sometimes showing pity. Their glances didn’t matter; they refused to act.

  “We’re here. Hang on, Kory.” I opened the door, gently leading her inside. She tried saying something, but no words came out.

  “Emergency!” I shouted as loud as I could, making Avennture drop a whole beaker on the floor. “She needs healing now!”

  Avennture tilted his head, but as his eyes settled on Kory, a smile crept its way on his face. “That I can do.” Nonchalantly, he approached me and grabbed Kory.

  Making some kind of modified detection form, he stared closely at her. “Curious. I haven’t seen a case that bad for a long time.” Avennture’s hands glowed green as he put his hand on her shoulders.

  Her eyes jolted open as Avennture made contact. Her breathing became clearer. “Thank you…” She said quietly.

  “How did you live for so long?” There was morbid curiosity in his tone. The healing light grew brighter.

  Kory let out a breath of relief. “I used the Improved Rest technique… It reached Knight.”

  I gasped in surprise. She has a knight-rank technique? Unbelievable.

  “Don’t lie, girl. A sleep technique won’t be able to stop genomic decay.” Avennture widened his smile. Was Kory impressive?

  “It’s… I changed the technique…” She said sheepishly. “I experimented a lot.”

  Avennture scratched his chin, laser focused on her.

  “So how do we cure her?” I said bluntly.

  “You’ll need a genome restoration ritual.” Avennture moved his hands carefully, hovering over her limbs.

  Kory clenched her fists. “I know… But I won’t be able to win the tournament.”

  The pieces fell together. The reason she approached me. There would be an exam at the end of the year, one that measures combat abilities. But upon closer examination of the information package, I quickly realized that it was a tournament, one that promised to improve the winner’s bloodline. That could only be the genome restoration ritual. None of the clones were perfect. “You want me to win the tournament and make them heal you.” This clever dragon planned our meeting from the start. How curious.

  Kory groaned, hiding her face. “I’m sorry for lying to you.” She couldn’t look me in the eyes, averting her face and wheezing. “D-don’t look...” She groaned as Avennture’s healing technique intensified.

  “Hey, Avennture, can you do the ritual for her on my tab?”

  The man laughed at my suggestion. “That’s far beyond some healing pills, kid. I’ll need at least four other biocrafters and the genome blueprint that the dean stores. Just win the tournament.” He shook his head.

  I sighed. “Can’t you do anything at all? I’ll promise you ten thousand elementum once I graduate.”

  The little dragon let out a pathetic sob, mumbling something incoherent.

  Avennture laughed again. His aura enveloped Kory, hiding the tears falling from her eyes. “My healing might stop the cell apoptosis, but she’ll still be dead soon.”

  “I won’t die!” She shouted suddenly. “I- My technique. It can put me in a coma, suspend my death.” She coughed, looking down.

  Was she lying? I didn’t care. An annoying feeling clawed at my stomach, screeching at me to not stand aside, to do something. I silenced it. “Can you truly do that?”

  Avennture finally stopped healing her, revealing the shaking girl with reddened eyes. She wasn’t pale anymore. The man grinned. “Yes, tell me how you can do this.”

  She took a heavy breath, looking at her palms. When she raised her gaze, there was a flame burning, a desperate desire to stay alive. “I added a divination form to the Restful Sleep technique.” I felt nothing but respect for her. “Then I used Overmind to put the information from the dreamscape into reality... I’ve been doing it ever since I got access to the Archive.”

  Avennture asked for clarification, “The local Archive?”

  “Yes.”

  The place stank with sadness and drama; it was ruining my mood. I put on my best, brightest smile and clapped loudly. “It is decided. I will win the tournament and heal you.” I was planning on winning it anyway.

  Kory gasped, staring at me with a strange expression, I couldn’t quite decipher. “You will do that?”

  The biocrafter spoke before I could respond, “Hold your willghis, kid. Don’t raise anyone’s hopes. They won’t allow you to transfer the reward.” A creepy smile appeared on his face as he stared at the girl. “Let me examine that technique of yours and I’ll put a word in.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Kory exchanged glances with me, and I nodded. Slowly, she said, “Okay… I’ll tell you everything.”

  Avennture clapped. “Most excellent.” He grabbed a data-pad from the table. “Get out of here, Magnus. Your time is better used elsewhere.” He made a force form, making a pill bottle fly from the shelf and into my hands. I caught it.

  “Now, don’t you rush, Avennture. How do I know you won’t do anything suspicious?”

  He sighed. “The dean has developed a trait to know where someone breaks the law. She’ll be here in a minute if I do something bad. Not that I ever would do something like that.” His smile didn’t bring that kind of trust.

  “It’s fine… My technique is very hard to demonstrate and use... You should train instead and tell Steel everything. I’ll meet you tomorrow.” Kory said, looking down with a frown.

  “Listen to her, the tournament is no joke.”

  She was right, I had to learn combat techniques, even if they weren’t as interesting as others. “I won’t forget your help, Avennture,” I said quietly.

  The door burst open as Steel, panting heavily, broke in. “I found you! What happened to Kory?” Steel’s eyes darted between us.

  “I’m okay!” Kory said loudly, trying to appear confident.

  “Take the other girl with you.” The biocrafter rolled his eyes.

  “I’ll explain everything. We should go.” I met her gaze.

  “Okay.” She accepted it easier than I expected; her green aura still surging through her body. Kory mumbled something on the way out. We left Avennture’s lab and headed towards the cafeteria, the shiny bottle of pills shaking in my hands.

  I told her about Kory’s technique, about the need to win the tournament, and about Avennture’s role in this. “Do you understand?”

  Steel nodded, a silent determination in her eyes. “We become strong together and save Kory.” Her aura only grew brighter. I didn’t stop my strengthening either, even if my stomach hurt from hunger.

  “How’s your strengthening progress?” I asked quietly, annoyed at the constant eyes of the passerby.

  “2 more points before adept.” She looked more confident than ever.

  “Then let’s eat and then train. I’ll show them what they’ll get for underestimating me.”

  “I’ll show them a dragon’s wrath.” She grinned, her torn wings spread wide,

  The idea of someone as young as Kory thinking of using me to survive was weird. I didn’t know everything, but I didn’t need to. There were questions I needed to ask, but I wasn’t certain about fulfilling my promise either. I hoped Avennture was going to help her...

  After quickly eating in the cafeteria, the incredible hunger was sated. The growth acceleration panacea made me feel hungry all the time. Soon we reached the gym, but near the entrance, there was a certain someone.

  “Hello, class leader?” I waved to the girl, whose head snapped to me immediately.

  “Magnus Glanzvoll. I call you to a spar.” She said loudly, staring right into my soul. Her SE has grown by two since my last scout.

  “Were you waiting for me?” I turned to Steel. “Is this something she does?”

  Steel nodded. “Ivaldie tested me, too.”

  “Magnus Glanzvoll. I need to know your intentions, so spar with me.” She didn’t seem concerned at all.

  “I’m not a fan of fighting, you know. If you want to know me, just ask.” Such twisted logic this one had.

  “Words can lie. Actions always reflect truth.” She gestured into the gym.

  I looked to Steel, who nodded again. “Ivaldie holds back.”

  It was so bothersome, but I didn’t think she would get off me… Plus, she saved me from Varaxis. “Fine. Spar it is, but don’t cry when I beat you.” I smirked, projecting confidence. I didn’t learn boxing to be pushed around by little girls, even if they were suspicious of being otherworldly emmissaries.

  “I will make you spit those words.” She didn’t smile, but there was playfulness in her voice.

  Steel covered her mouth, trying to suppress astonishment.

  It wasn’t difficult for Ivaldie to track me, since there were only two kid gyms on the station, and the other one was on the opposite side. The place was massive, equipped with even more machines than Lacrimony. It was the size of a football field, stretching wide. Tiny dragons were training on all sorts of devices, working mostly on running, gymnastics, calisthenics, and other things that didn’t focus on muscle hypertrophy.

  There were two rings at the bottom of the gym, one was occupied with a pair of dragons, dishing it out, but the other was empty. Ivaldie climbed onto the ring, gesturing to me. She took her place in the corner.

  This brought back memories of my hobby. I certainly was a fan of violence while it lasted. Nothing good came out of it in that life, but it will be useful here. I climbed after her.

  “Steel, mind ringing the bell?” She looked utterly confused. “Tell us when to start the fight!”

  “There will be no need for that, Magnus.” Ivaldie shook her head and raised her hand, summoning a sword. Her constructs improved a lot, or maybe she was just hiding her proficiency. “Come at me when you are ready.”

  A smirk grew on my face. “Alright.” I focused inward, letting the starpower flare brighter. It was slightly sluggish from keeping strengthening active at all times, but I could manage.

  I started with the solidification, creating a staff for my purposes and putting it against the corner.

  “Pick up your weapon,” Ivaldie said sternly, looking strangely at the staff.

  “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll pick it up.” I made a solidification form with my left and the force form with my right. Energy flew clearly as I pictured a bullet.

  Immediately, Ivaldie raised her sword, ready to defend. Quickly, the bullet formed in the air, and I thrust with my other hand. The ring shook as full force was released into the tiny object.

  Ivaldie’s eyes glinted as she positioned her sword. A loud clang resounded through the ring as she blocked my bullet. I wasn’t done. Summoning another, I shot it at her.

  Her sword was not fast enough; the projectile landed squarely in her shoulder, making her groan. Blood started flowing from the wound. She clenched her legs and dashed at me. Fear bubbled beneath my calm demeanor, but I kept my hands steady.

  There was just enough time for another bullet, but Ivaldie raised her sword, intercepting the trajectory. The force was too much for her construct; the sword cracked in half and dissipated. That didn’t slow her momentum, nor did it discourage her.

  Before she could reach me, I grabbed my staff, slamming it at the approaching class leader. Her eyes glinted again, and with the tip of her finger, she struck right at the stick. What’s with her insane precision?

  I felt the flow of strengthening starpower being broken as a foreign force invaded my staff. Coiling around my willpower, it unwound the construct, turning my weapon into nothing. A page from Fundamental Forms appeared in my mind, showing me a diagram. Dispelling Form. It was, but a moment.

  I assumed the boxing stance, blocking an incoming punch. Her fist rocked my whole body, taking the breath out of me. This was insane! I tried dodging out of the way of another strike, but she was too fast.

  The punch hit me in the chest, crunching something. The pain was unbearable, but I was no stranger to it. It was like fighting someone in a higher weight class. I couldn’t remain on the defensive.

  The corners of Ivaldie’s mouth barely lifted as she forced another punch. Keeping the distance, I manage to slip out of the way. Her attack was precise, but she didn’t have an effective grasp of positioning.

  I saw it right there, an opening as she wound up for a punch, she forgot about her injury. I conjured more starpower, filling my body to the brim. My fist met her shoulder as I landed a sweet hook.

  She cried out in pain and narrowed her eyes. While she was dazed, I started a barrage of punches, but before even one could land, a lightning-fast kick struck my leg. It was too fast to react to. I nearly fell down, but managed to hold on.

  Lightning emanated from her skin, jumping over her VITA. Golden thunder crackled over, as her movements became too fast for me to see. I blocked as many punches as I could, all rocking my body, completely overwhelming me.

  Everything spun around as I tried my hardest to resist the onslaught. The pain in my ribs was unbearable. As I was about to lose strength in my legs, Ivaldie stopped.

  I could see it; a tiny smile was on her face. “You are not terrible. You even made me use my trait a little”