Kazuki gathered what remained of his dust, forming it into a swirling vortex between them. "You’re clever," he admitted, voice strained. "But you can’t approach me without walking through this. And we both know what happens when you touch my dust."
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Noah studied the vortex, noting its uneven density and erratic movement. Kazuki was struggling to maintain control.
’He’s exhausted too. This is his final play.’
Noah didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he took a deep breath, gathering his remaining chi into his core. Then, with deliberate precision, he extended his hand, palm facing outward.
Kazuki tensed, expecting an attack.
But Noah simply pushed his chi outward in gentle, rhythmic pulses—like ripples on a pond.
The dust vortex began to waver, its rotation faltering as it synchronized with Noah’s chi waves.
’Every substance has a resonant frequency,’ Noah thought, remembering his lessons. ’Find it, and you can either strengthen or shatter it.’
Kazuki’s eyes widened in horror as he realized what Noah was doing. He frantically tried to counter, his fingers dancing in complex patterns to reassert control.
But Noah had found the perfect frequency. Each pulse of his chi amplified the natural vibration of the dust particles, driving them beyond Kazuki’s ability to contain.
The vortex began to disintegrate, particles scattering in harmless streams.
"Impossible," Kazuki whispered.
Noah didn’t waste the opening. With the last of his chi, he propelled himself forward, crossing the distance between them in a heartbeat.
Kazuki tried to form one last barrier, but his control was gone.
Noah’s fist connected with Kazuki’s solar plexus—a normal punch, without chi enhancement. It didn’t need to be, Noah’s normal output now was too strong.
The 1C representative crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.
As the healers worked on Noah’s minor injuries, their hands glowing with soft amber light, healing all his wounds.
’The resonant frequency was the key,’ he thought, wincing slightly as the healer’s energy knitted together the shallow cut on his shoulder. ’I wouldn’t have figured that out without Master Anng’s lessons on harmonizing chi with external elements.’
Nearby, another healer attended to Kazuki, whose exhaustion seemed more severe than any physical wounds. The dust manipulator gave Noah a respectful nod from across the ring area.
There was still one match left in this stage of the competition, but Noah had already qualified. He’d secured his spot into the next phase as 1B’s representative, just as he’d hoped. Every real-life encounter where he used chi improved his application and understanding. The basics—chi infusion, body strengthening, energy transfer—were becoming more intuitive with each fight.
’Plus having my stats at level 20 makes channeling chi much easier,’ he realized. His recent growth had made a significant difference in how efficiently he could distribute energy throughout his body.
All of these factors had contributed to his win. But most importantly, he’d earned another 5 points from the knockdown, bringing his total to a respectable sum that would open new opportunities for training and advancement.
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What satisfied him most was how those who attended Master Anng’s martial arts class would recognize his techniques. To them, his chi manipulation would appear as nothing more than advanced applications of what they were all learning.
’Perfect cover,’ he thought with quiet satisfaction. ’Hiding in plain sight.’
The more he used chi, the more he realized its versatility. Today’s battle had shown him new possibilities—resonance manipulation, air filtering, controlled shockwaves. The potential seemed limitless with enough creativity and practice.
As the healers finished their work, Noah spotted Sophie waiting at the edge of the ring area. Her smile lit up when their eyes met.
She hurried over as soon as the healers cleared him to leave, wrapping him in a tight hug that made his newly-healed muscles protest slightly.
"That was incredible!" she exclaimed, pulling back to look at him with shining eyes. "The way you figured out his dust technique mid-battle? Absolutely brilliant!"
Noah laughed, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with chi energy. "It was all thanks to practice," he said modestly. "Master Anng’s lessons are finally sinking in."
Sophie’s smile turned knowing. "Don’t downplay it. You have a gift for combat analysis that goes beyond training."
Before Noah could respond, he spotted —Oba, Lucas, and Bailey—waving enthusiastically from the spectator area. They converged on him as he and Sophie approached.
"Noah Eclipse, the one-man wrecking machine!" Bailey shouted, clapping him on the back with enough force to make Noah stumble forward.
"Two for two," Oba added, her usual stoic expression softened by an impressed smile. "One match left in the circuit, and you’re already qualified."
Noah glanced toward the other rings where the Year 2 and Year 3 students were still competing in their own qualification matches. The sounds of combat and cheering crowds created a chaotic backdrop to their conversation.
"Let’s not get ahead of ourselves," Noah cautioned. "The interschool competition will be a completely different level. Those students have been training for years."
Lucas pulled him slightly aside, lowering his voice. "We need to do the needful after your success today. The usual?"
Noah understood the implication. Their post-victory ritual—breaking down Noah’s earnings and letting him have his share from the win.
He was about to agree when a familiar figure in rumpled pajamas pushed through the crowd, clutching a tablet to his chest. Kelvin looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, his hair sticking up at odd angles and his eyes wide with urgency.
He grabbed Noah’s wrist without preamble. "Congrats on the match, by the way," he said breathlessly. "Made a small fortune betting on you. But we need to talk. Now."
The intensity in Kelvin’s voice caught Noah off guard. He exchanged a quick glance with Sophie, who nodded in understanding.
"Go ahead," she said. "We’ll catch up later at the celebration."
Noah allowed Kelvin to pull him away from the group, following him out of the arena and into the relative quiet of the hallway beyond. Once they were alone, Kelvin thrust the tablet into Noah’s hands.
"Why are you trending?" Kelvin demanded, his voice a harsh whisper.
Noah blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Look," Kelvin said, tapping the screen to bring up a social media feed.
Noah’s stomach dropped as he saw the hashtag: #ShadowOracle.
’Oh no.’