After the match, both Bright and Rina were rushed to the treatment room. Bright's family hurried inside—his mother and big sister leading the way, their faces tight with worry. Rina's father also arrived, quickly moving to his daughter's side.
Bright's mother, unable to hide her anxiety, immediately grabbed the doctor's arm and asked, "Is everything alright? Please tell me he's okay!"
The doctor offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, madam. Your son is fine. His injuries are minor and he'll recover after some rest."
However, when it came to Rina, the doctor's tone grew a little heavier. Turning to Rina's father, he said, "Your daughter sustained more serious injuries. She's unconscious for now. She has internal injuries... and her right hand is fractured."
Rina's father, heart sinking, sat down beside her bed and gently took her uninjured hand in his own. The doctor added quickly, "But please don't worry too much. Our academy's medical team is highly skilled in healing. With treatment, she will recover fully."
Meanwhile, in another part of the academy, the staff, teachers, and principal gathered in a serious meeting room. The atmosphere was heavy, tension thick in the air. Everyone's mind was occupied by the same thought—the monstrous aura that had erupted during the battle, and how it had suddenly vanished without a trace.
One of the senior teachers broke the silence, "That power… it wasn't normal at all. For a moment, it felt like the whole academy was going to collapse."
The principal, with a deep, thoughtful expression, finally spoke, his voice grave, "Bright... we'll have to conduct an inspection on him. We need to understand what his true ability is."
All the teachers and staff nodded seriously, agreeing without a word of protest.
The principal, his face set with determination, stared out of the window silently, lost in thought about the boy who had unleashed something so terrifying yet so hidden.
Meanwhile, the scene shifts to Rahul.
Unable to hide his worry, he quickly heads toward the treatment room where Bright is resting. Bright's family — his two mothers and big sister — are already present, surrounding the bed with concerned but slightly relieved faces.
Rahul steps inside, smiling to lighten the mood.
"Hey Bright, how are you feeling? Is everything okay?" he asks.
Bright smiles weakly and nods. Meanwhile, Rahul's parents also arrive and start a warm conversation with Bright's family, exchanging words of relief and support.
After a few moments, Bright looks toward Rahul and asks curiously,
"By the way, what happened with your match? Did it already happen?"
Rahul lets out a sheepish laugh and scratches the back of his head.
"Because of the damage you caused during your fight with Rina, the arena was left half destroyed.
The academy decided to postpone the matches for a day so they can repair everything. So, my fight will be tomorrow instead," he explained.
Bright chuckles softly.
"Good. Now I'll be able to watch your match properly."
Suddenly, with a mischievous grin, Rahul lightly slaps Bright's back — careful not to hurt him — and says in an excited tone,
"But seriously, man, what the hell happened during your fight?! That crazy aura... that massive domain!
How did you two end up so injured? And why did Rina get hurt even worse? I'm dying to know!"
His excitement was practically radiating off him as he leaned closer, eager to hear .
Bright's face slowly shifted into a more serious expression.
He took a slow breath, then spoke in a low tone,
"I... I don't know exactly what happened.
During the battle, my body suddenly started heating up from the inside, like something powerful — something divine — was trying to break free.
I couldn't control it. My whole body turned red, and I felt... overwhelmed.
And then... everything went blank."
He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice steady but heavy,
"When I regained my senses, I saw Rina lying unconscious at my feet.
At that moment... I didn't even know what to feel.
I only knew... that I had somehow won."
Listening to Bright's words, Rahul's face twisted in confusion, unable to fully understand what his friend had just experienced.
His excitement faded into deep thought, sensing that something much bigger was happening than just a simple fight.
Meanwhile, at a distance, unnoticed by the two man's, Rahul's mother and Rina's father were silently listening to the conversation.
Their expressions turned grave, realizing the truth:
Something ancient and monstrous had awakened inside Bright — and it was only the beginning.
Bright awoke to the gentle of the treatment room's lights. His body felt surprisingly light—his wounds already stitched and bandaged, his bruises fading as if they had never been. The academy's medical team had employed both their advanced healing technologies and Bright's own accelerated regeneration to bring him back to health almost instantly. He flexed his fingers experimentally, then sat up as his father pushed open the door.
"Feeling better?" his father asked, relief and pride mingling in his voice.
Bright nodded, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. In moments, his two mothers and his big sister crowded around, fussing over him with warm smiles and gentle scolds about overtraining. His father led them all down the hallway to the academy's parking lot, where a sleek car waited under the glow of the streetlamps.
Soon they were all buckled in—Bright in the backseat with his big sister, his mothers sharing the front passenger seat, and his father behind the wheel. As the car pulled away, Bright pressed his forehead against the cool window, watching the academy's towers recede into the night.
Unseen by the family, a lone figure stood in the shadows at the edge of the parking lot. Cloaked in darkness, he watched the car's taillights disappear down the road. A low, sinister chuckle escaped him. "The time has come for my first move," he murmured, voice dripping with anticipation. With that, he melted back into the night, as if swallowed by the shadows themselves.
Back at home, the front door swung open to reveal a cozy living room bathed in lamplight. Bright's sister tossed him a soft blanket, and his mothers directed him to the sofa, insisting he rest. Plates of warm soup and steaming tea appeared as if by magic, and Bright sank into the cushions, grateful for the quiet comfort.
Later, as the household settled and the street outside grew silent, Bright climbed the stairs to his bedroom. The soft glow of the moon filtered through the curtains, casting gentle patterns on the floor. He sat on the edge of his bed, unwrapping the bandages on his forearm to inspect the healing progress. His mind raced with flashes of the battle: the crackling ice domain, the surge of godly heat inside him, and Rina's collapse at his feet.
He closed his eyes and whispered into the darkness, "Whatever that power was… I need to understand it before the finals." With that final thought swirling in his mind, he lay back, the weight of his journey pressing on his eyelids. As sleep claimed him, visions of thunder and ice danced behind his closed lids, carrying him toward the next challenge waiting on the horizon.
Meanwhile, not far away in the academy's grand training hall, Rahul was already hard at work. The morning sun slanted through towering windows, illuminating the polished wooden floor where he and his father practiced their katas. Each graceful martial-arts form blended seamlessly with bursts of flame that curled around Rahul's fists and ankles.
"Control the energy," his father instructed, his voice calm but insistent. "Feel its warmth—don't fight it. Let it move through you."
Rahul inhaled deeply, muscles tensing as he drew on the Phoenix fire within. He moved through another spinning kick, planting both feet firmly and summoning a ball of living flame in his palm. The fire hovered there, vibrant and breathing, as he struggled to keep it steady. Sweat beaded on his brow, but he forced a smile.
"Better," his father nodded. "Now, shape it into your signature strike."
Rahul closed his eyes for a moment, then thrust his hand forward. The flames surged into a narrow jet of fire that sizzled across the hall, scorching the practice dummy's armor. He stepped back, heart pounding with exhilaration.
"I've got it," he said, voice ringing with triumph. Then, grinning as his father offered a proud nod, Rahul added, "Tomorrow's match—I'll fill the arena with fire."
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To be continue...