The Round Table Room had been transformed into a training arena—futuristic sparring mats laid out, surrounded by advanced monitoring systems, and holographic simulations designed to push Elias to his limits. The Council stood at the ready, each preparing for what they assumed would be a carefully structured training session to help Elias harness his potential.
But what they hadn't prepared for was just how much potential Elias already had.
Combat Trials(part1)
Councilman 4 took the first challenge, stepping into the center of the mat with his usual calm demeanor. The air crackled with tension as he locked eyes with Elias.
"Let's see how well you do with someone your own age," he said, a small smirk forming at the corner of his lips.
Elias didn't even acknowledge the remark. He was already analyzing, calculating.
The moment the sparring session began, it was clear Elias wasn't just another fighter—he was a machine. His every move was a masterstroke of efficiency and precision. As Councilman 4 lunged, Elias sidestepped effortlessly, his body flowing like water, dodging and countering before even the older warrior could process it. A quick jab to the chest left Councilman 4 gasping for breath, and in the blink of an eye, Elias was already two steps ahead, his foot sweeping under Councilman 4's legs, knocking him to the ground.
A soft gasp rippled through the room as Elias stood over him, a quiet smirk on his face.
"Pathetic," Elias muttered, almost bored. "You're supposed to keep me grounded? This is what I'm dealing with?"
The rest of the Council was silent. Their eyes flicked to one another, unsure of what they were witnessing. Elias wasn't just fighting. He was analyzing, predicting, outwitting. There was a coldness in his movements—a clinical efficiency. His intellect was turning combat into a puzzle to solve, and no one was safe from his sharp mind.
Next came the 11v1.
The Council, uneasy but determined, stepped into the ring together. The strategy was simple: overwhelm Elias with numbers and force him into submission.
It was a disaster from the start.
Councilman 5 and Abyssion lunged first, hoping their combined strength and speed would catch Elias off guard. But he didn't need brute force or power. He needed only his mind.
Elias ducked under Councilman 5's strike, then flipped him over his back effortlessly. Abyssion, a powerhouse in his own right, found himself locked in a hold almost before he knew what was happening, his own momentum used against him. The others tried to get in on the action, but Elias was always two steps ahead, predicting their moves and countering before they could even touch him. His movements were fluid, precise, and deceptively fast. He was no longer just a kid—he was an unstoppable force.
The Smart Remarks began
As the Council struggled to land a single blow, Elias couldn't help but mock them, his voice dripping with disdain.
"You're all weak. Weak. And you're supposed to keep me grounded?" he taunted, effortlessly dodging another swing from Councilman 12. "Pathetic. You call yourselves warriors, gods, and beasts… yet here I am schooling all of you. You're supposed to be the best the universe has to offer, and I'm still wiping the floor with you."
His words were cutting, each remark more humiliating than the last, and they stung with the sharpness of truth. He wasn't wrong. He was outclassing them in every way.
But what was most unsettling was the look in his eyes—cold, calculating, detached. It was as though Elias wasn't even enjoying the sparring. It was just another data point to him, another part of his ever-expanding database of knowledge.
The Turning Point(part2)
When the last of the Council members fell to the ground in exhaustion or frustration, Elias stood in the middle of the arena, his breathing steady and composed, his face unreadable. The Council was battered, bruised, and silent, standing around him, all of them staring at him with wide eyes.
For a moment, it was quiet. The air felt heavy, and the unease in the room grew palpable.
Councilman 4 was the first to speak, his voice filled with frustration and disbelief. "How… how could this happen? We trained for years, and he's already far beyond us. He's 15!"
Councilman 10 shook his head, the unease in his voice evident. "This isn't just power… This is something else. He's already adapting, already exploiting our weaknesses. He's not just learning from us… he's learning about us."
The Council started to murmur, a growing fear settling in. They exchanged glances, their uncertainty creeping in.
Councilman 5, floating above the table, shook his head slowly, his expression turning grim. "I… I think we might be facing something worse than we thought. This isn't just genius. He's… he's already turning. His mind is so far ahead of us. It's like we're not even on the same plane anymore."
That's when Selene spoke, her voice cutting through the growing panic in the room. She stepped forward, calm yet concerned, and gave a soft sigh.
"No. Elias isn't turning evil. Not yet, at least. He just knows your weaknesses."
The room grew quiet again, the weight of her words sinking in. "What?" Elias asked, his voice cold but with a hint of curiosity.
Selene looked at her son, her eyes soft yet firm. "Look at his watch."
Elias glanced down, momentarily confused. The sleek, futuristic watch he wore on his wrist was a data collector—nothing unusual to him. But now that she pointed it out, something about it felt more intense. The Council watched in silence as Selene continued.
"Even as we speak, it's collecting data. About how you move, how you think, how we talk, how we fight, even how many atoms are in the air around us. It's tracking everything." She paused, her gaze shifting to the Council. "That's why Elias was able to outthink you all so easily. His intellect isn't just naturally gifted. He's gathering data on everything, analyzing every response and adapting in real-time. He fought alongside you in the Blank Zone, remember? He learned from your weaknesses, your habits, even your powers."
The room fell silent as realization dawned on them. Elias wasn't just winning because he was smarter; he was preparing—every fight, every spar, was a learning experience. He wasn't just testing them. He was cataloging them.
The New Realization(part3)
The Council looked at Elias differently now. He wasn't just a young genius; he was a prodigy capable of turning everything into data, analyzing every interaction to its smallest detail, and using that data to outmaneuver his opponents. He wasn't fighting to win—he was studying.
"This is just the beginning," Elias said, his voice cold and detached. "I don't need to beat you. I need to understand you."
The Council exchanged uneasy looks. They had underestimated the depth of Elias's intelligence—and now they were paying the price. What began as a protective mission had turned into something much more complex. Elias was not just the Apex Human. He was a force that could challenge the very fabric of the universe itself.
Would they be able to hold him back from going down a darker path? Or was Elias already too far gone to save?