Across the rugged, red terrain of Mars, chaos reigned. Students from different classes clashed, unleashing wild, unpredictable powers. The battlefield buzzed with tension—every move was survival.
Above the dust and madness, Stella floated with poise, gripping her staff. Her long black hair streamed behind her, her bluish-black aura letting her glide like a phantom. She spotted a student charging at her—boom, she dropped them with a single blow, sending shockwaves through the dirt. The student disintegrated in a flash of energy—eliminated.
Then came three B-Ranks: Ethan, Jaxon, and Miles.
"You might be an A-rank, Stella," Ethan said, "but you can't take all three of us."
"This isn't a movie," Jaxon sneered. "Taking you out gives us a huge advantage."
"Honestly," sighed Miles, "I just wanna pass and go home."
Stella smirked.
"You're too weak for me."
"Handled you in training before. I'll do it again."
Jaxon grinned.
"Yeah, well, that's why we planned ahead. Like nerds."
Stella attacked, striking Jaxon—but he vanished. Illusion.She spun and hit Miles instead, who absorbed the blow and unleashed it in a kinetic blast.
Stella dodged. But Ethan caught the blast and reflected it back, now even more powerful. Just as it neared her—it vanished. Another illusion.
Suddenly, the real blast charged. Miles fired. Ethan reflected.Jaxon nodded. "Do it."
Then—Miles appeared point-blank in front of Stella. He released the full energy in her face.
BOOM.
A crater formed. Dust everywhere. Stella was hit hard—actually hit. She staggered. Eyes wide. Shaken.
When the dust cleared, Miles lay bloodied on the ground, gasping.
A shadow loomed.
Stella.Unharmed.
"Damn you…" Miles rasped.
"I told you," Stella said coldly. "You're just too weak."
With one clean swing, she knocked him out—not fatally, but enough. A flash of light—Miles was teleported back to the lobby.
She scanned the area. No Jaxon. No Ethan.
They planned for this, she thought. They knew they might lose someone.
Still, Stella had won.
Suddenly, Selene, the Moon Goddess, appeared to her alone.
"That was cold," Selene said. "Didn't even use your full power. No honor."
"It had to be done," Stella replied. "It's an exam. No mercy."
"Always so practical," Selene chuckled. "But why am I here, then?"
"Get to the point," Stella said flatly.
Selene grew serious.
"I feel something ancient here. A power I cherished eons ago. Familiar... but hidden."
"What is it?" Stella asked.
"I'm not sure," Selene admitted. "But we'll find out. Soon."
And she vanished.
Then, the ground beneath Stella turned black and pulsing.It rose—engulfed her—and pulled her into the depths.
The battlefield fell silent.
Elsewhere, Jin and Arden wandered through the Martian desert.
"Scratch 'luckiest spot'," Arden muttered. "No enemies. Just a walking sim."
"Better to avoid conflict," Jin said.
"Bro, I wanna fight!"
Then Arden froze, grabbed Jin's arm.
"Get down!"
A monstrous creature slammed down where they stood. Four legs, skeletal, eyeless. Alien.
"What the hell is that?!" Jin asked.
"Mars dwellers," Arden whispered. "Every planet has life. We're not the center."
More dwellers emerged. They tapped their skulls rhythmically.
"They're communicating," Arden said, awestruck.
"Should we bail?" Jin asked.
"...We might die here," Arden admitted.
Then his eyes glowed. A vision flashed.
"Never mind. We're good."
"WHAT?" Jin yelled.
Then the dwellers attacked—but—
A blur slammed into one midair. A streak of motion too fast to follow.
It was Talon.
He obliterated the dwellers in seconds, air warping with his speed.
"Yo, Talon!" Arden grinned."You know I've got your back," Talon said.
They dapped up—the shockwave rippled the sand.
"Great," Jin muttered. "Another show-off."
"Who's this guy?" Talon asked.
"Newbie. We're allies—for now," Arden answered.
"Got it," Talon nodded, then cracked his knuckles. "I've got food to eat."
He vanished—invisible speed.
"Who was that?" Jin asked.
"Talon," Arden said. "One of the three A-ranks. Fastest thing alive."
"Overpowered."
"Yep."
They continued walking—Mars no longer felt so empty.
Meanwhile…
Beneath the sand, a robotic figure emerged. Towering, metallic, humming with energy. Its pink-blue aura glowed. One dweller tried to rise—the robot instantly crushed it.
"All operators functional," it said coldly.
It scanned the horizon, then disappeared into the distance, its purpose unknown.