"Combat training starts in five minutes. Don't be late."
Professor Vance's voice echoed through the dorm halls before dawn. Jayden rolled out of bed, muscles still sore from yesterday.
Marcus was already up, stretching. "Ready to get our asses kicked?"
"Always."
The training grounds were massive an open field with practice dummies, obstacle courses, and marked dueling circles. Fifty students stood in loose formation. Most looked half asleep.
Professor Vance appeared, arms crossed. "Today we assess your baseline. You'll spar. I'll watch. Questions?"
Silence.
"Good. First match Jayden Cross versus Drake Crimson."
*Of course.*
Drake stepped forward, smirking. The same kid from yesterday. Fire affinity, Expert rank. His red armor gleamed in the morning sun.
Jayden walked to the circle. No armor. Just his blade and worn training clothes.
"Beggar versus Expert." Drake laughed. "This'll be quick."
"Begin!" Vance called.
Drake launched a fireball immediately.
Jayden's right eye pulsed.
The world slowed.
Red and black bled through his iris. Information flooded his vision like a video game HUD:
**[DRAKE CRIMSON]**
**Rank: Expert**
**Speed: 8.2 units**
**Power: 12.5 units**
**Current Action: Fire Blast (Trajectory: Center Mass, Impact: 0.8 seconds)**
*What the *
The fireball crawled through the air. Jayden sidestepped, still processing.
*It's scanning him. Omni is scanning his stats.*
Drake's eyes widened. "How "
Another fireball. Omni highlighted its path in his vision. Jayden ducked.
**[JAYDEN CROSS]**
**Rank: Beggar**
**Speed: 3.1 units**
**Power: 2.8 units**
*Three point one. He's eight point two. Almost three times faster.*
But Omni showed him everything Drake's weight shifts, his breathing, the exact moment before each attack.
Drake charged, flame sword forming in his hand.
**[Incoming Strike: Left Shoulder, 0.3 seconds]**
Jayden raised his blade, blocked. The impact rattled his bones.
*Too strong.*
Drake pressed forward, slashing. Jayden deflected, barely. Each block sent shockwaves up his arms.
"Just die already!"
**[Speed Burst Incoming: 15% increase, Duration: 3 seconds]**
Drake blurred.
But Omni saw it coming. Saw the exact path. The exact timing.
Jayden's body moved on instinct. Dodge left. Duck. Spin right. Drake's blade missed by inches every time.
"Stop MOVING!"
The crowd murmured. Professor Vance leaned forward.
Drake launched five fireballs at once.
Omni mapped them all. Five trajectories, five timings, five dodge windows.
Jayden flowed between them like water.
His eye burned. Information kept flooding in.
**[ANALYSIS COMPLETE]**
**Optimal Counter: Exploit recovery time after Fire Burst (0.4 second window)]**
*Recovery time?*
Drake threw another blast. Jayden dodged then saw it. The split second where Drake's essence flickered, where his stance opened.
*There.*
Jayden moved.
His body felt wrong. Light. Too fast.
**[PASSIVE GROWTH ACTIVATED]**
**Speed: 3.1 → 4.2 units**
He closed the distance in a heartbeat. Drake's eyes went wide.
Jayden's blade pressed against his throat.
Silence.
"Match over," Vance called. "Winner: Jayden Cross."
The crowd exploded in whispers.
Drake stumbled back, face red. "That's that's impossible. You're Beggar rank!"
"Yeah." Jayden lowered his blade, breathing hard. "I am."
His eye pulsed one more time, then faded back to normal brown.
*Speed increased by one full unit. In one fight.*
Marcus was grinning like an idiot. The silver haired girl Elena, he'd learned her name watched with calculating eyes.
Vance approached. "Interesting technique. What affinity lets you predict attacks?"
"I don't know, Professor." Not a lie. "I've never trained with essence before. Never used my abilities consciously."
Her expression shifted. "Never?"
"My parents taught me basic combat. No powers. Just fundamentals."
"And you just… awakened something during the fight?"
"I guess."
She studied him for a long moment. "Your eye. It changed color."
"It does that sometimes."
"Come to my office after class. We need to run tests." She turned to the crowd. "Next match!"
After training, Jayden collapsed on a bench. Marcus sat beside him, offering water.
"Dude. What was that?"
"Honestly? No idea." Jayden drank deep. "My eye started showing me stuff. His speed, his attacks before they happened. Everything."
"That's insane."
"Yeah."
"And you got faster. I saw it. You were moving way quicker at the end."
Jayden flexed his hand. It still felt strange. "The broken limiter. I think it's finally kicking in."
"What do you mean?"
"When I reincarnated, I asked for " He paused. Couldn't exactly explain the goddess conversation. "I was born with the potential to grow faster than normal. But I've never pushed myself until now."
"So fighting strong opponents makes you stronger?"
"I think so."
Marcus whistled. "That's broken as hell."
"Maybe." Jayden stood, testing his legs. Everything felt sharper. More responsive. "But I'm still Beggar rank. I just got lucky reading Drake's movements."
"That wasn't luck. That was skill."
Footsteps approached. Elena stopped in front of them, arms crossed. Up close, she was striking silver hair, ice blue eyes, perfect posture.
"Jayden Cross."
"That's me."
"You dodged seventeen consecutive attacks from an Expert rank fire user while being Beggar rank yourself." Her tone was flat. "Explain."
"Good reflexes?"
"Don't play dumb. I watched your eye. It changed. You have a scanning ability."
*Shit. She noticed.*
"What do you want?" Marcus said, standing.
"Information." Elena looked at Jayden. "I need training partners who can challenge me. You're interesting. Spar with me tomorrow."
"Is that a request or an order?"
"Does it matter?"
Jayden smiled despite himself. "Tomorrow morning. Training ground seven."
"Don't be late." She walked away.
Marcus stared. "Did she just… invite you to fight?"
"I think so."
"And you said yes?"
"Why not?" Jayden watched her go. His eye pulsed faintly, involuntarily scanning her.
**[ELENA NORTHSTAR]**
**Rank: Sonnet**
**Speed: 11.8 units**
**Power: 14.2 units**
*She's way stronger than Drake.*
His heart pounded. Not from fear.
From excitement.
"Tomorrow's gonna hurt," Marcus muttered.
"Probably." Jayden grinned. "Can't wait."
That night, alone in his dorm room, Jayden stared at his reflection. His right eye flickered red and black for a moment.
Text appeared in his vision:
**[OMNI Talent Analysis]**
**Abilities Unlocked:**
** Combat Prediction (Passive)**
** Speed Scaling (Passive)**
** Stat Analysis (Active)**
**Current Growth Rate: 340% above baseline**
**Warning: Rapid growth attracts attention.**
The text faded.
Jayden touched his eye. "So that's what you are. A scanner. An analyzer."
*And I just got thirty five percent faster in one fight.*
He thought about Drake. About Elena. About everyone at this Academy who'd spent years training while he'd done nothing.
*If I fight strong opponents every day…*
The possibilities were terrifying.
And absolutely thrilling.
He laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Alright, Omni. Let's see how far you can take me."
His eye pulsed once in response.
**End of Chapter 3**