The master didn't move again. He just stood there. Watching the water. Waiting to find out.
Underneath the water, everything slowed. The sound disappeared first. Then urgency.
Newton floated in that heavy silence, his body steady, his movements reduced to the barest minimum. The world above no longer existed. No noise. No pressure from watching eyes. Just him, and time.
His fingers adjusted the oxygen tube again. Three minutes in. Three minutes off.
A rhythm. Not rushed. Not desperate, but measured.
Each inhale was controlled. Each pause was deliberate. He didn't fight the water. He let it hold him. Let it carry part of his weight so his body wouldn't waste energy resisting.
The gauge dropped. Slowly, but not slow enough.
Newton's eyes flicked to it again. Then away. Back to it. He calculated, and adjusted.
He repeated the sequence.
Minutes passed. Or maybe they stretched. It was hard to tell down here.
Above, the chaos had already begun to fade, but below, Newton remained untouched by it. He stayed deeper than the others had dared to go. Far enough that the shadows thickened slightly.
Then, the resistance came..Subtle at first. His inhale felt thinner.
He frowned slightly. Pulled again. Nothing, his eyes dropped to the bottle.
Empty.
The gauge had fallen to nothing. Newton stilled. For a second, his body reacted on instinct. His chest tightened, demanding air.
He hissed silently and pulled the tube away. Then let the bottle drift. It sank.
Slow, useless now. His hand moved to his wrist. The glow pulsed faintly.
Four.
His jaw tightened. "I need to stay put for four more minutes." The thought came sharp.
Clear.
No hesitation. He drew in one last controlled breath.
Then, he held it. Seconds passed. His body adjusted at first. Used to the rhythm. Used to the pause.
But this was different. There was no return inhale waiting. No backup. No margin. One minute.
His chest rose slightly. Then stilled. Two minutes. The pressure began. His lungs tightened, slowly squeezing inward like they were folding into themselves.
Three minutes. His heartbeat picked up. Not loud, but faster, and sharper.
His vision flickered slightly at the edges. The instinct came. Strong, violent, and swim up.
Now.
Newton's fingers twitched. His body shifted slightly upward. Then stopped. He forced it down.
No, not yet. The glow on his wrist still held. Time hadn't finished. He clenched his teeth. His chest burned now.
Not mild. Not distant. It spread.
Hot, and demanding. His throat tightened. His body betrayed him.
His mouth opened slightly, water slipped in.
Cold, and sharp. He jerked instinctively. But he didn't move upward.
Not yet. Not yet. His wrist glowed.
One.
His vision blurred again. His hands trembled slightly. Every part of him screamed now.
End it. Go up.
So that you can breathe, and live. But something else held him. Something colder. Something harder.
He endured. Then, the number on his wrist changed.
Zero.
The glow vanished. Newton moved, fast and explosive. His body shot upward. His arms cut through the water, fast, desperate, powerful. His legs followed, pushing hard against the weight below.
The surface rushed toward him. Closer, and closer. Then, he broke through. Air hit him like a blow. He coughed violently.
Water spilled from his mouth. His body folded forward as he dragged in breath after breath, each one sharp, painful, but real.
The world rushed back all at once. Noise and voices.
Movement. "Wow!".The sound spread quickly.
Shock, and disbelief.
"The new student just aced the only task everybody failed."
Newton barely heard them. He was still coughing. Still forcing the water out of his lungs.
A hand grabbed his arm. Firm, and strong. The master.
He pulled Newton out of the pool in one clean motion. Newton staggered slightly as his feet hit the ground.
Water dripped from his clothes. His chest still heaved. Then the blue glow flickered In front of him.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION.
TASK ACHIEVED.
FOUR CPD POINT HAVE BEEN CREDITED.
Newton blinked. Four. The number settled in slowly. Heavy, and real.
Around him, the murmurs grew louder. Eyes followed him. Everywhere.
The master looked at him. Then, Something changed. His lips curved. A smile.
Small, but unmistakable. The arena stilled completely. No one moved. No one spoke. It was the first time.
Since they arrived. A master was smiling. "You have distinguished yourself from the others, Mister Hills."
Newton straightened slightly. His breathing steadied. Then he returned the smile.
Simple, and controlled. But there. Behind him, Gregory's fingers curled into fists. His jaw tightened so hard the muscles along his face twitched.
Watching, and burning. Newton didn't look at him. The master's expression shifted again. The warmth vanished. Replaced by cold order. "This session is over."
Just like that, the moment ended. The spell broke. Students began to move. Slow at first. Then faster. They left the arena in groups.
Some were still whispering. Some were silent. All glancing back at Newton. At the boy who stayed under when everyone else failed.
The canteen filled quickly. The air here felt different: warmer.
But not lighter. Trays slid across tables. Seats filled. Newton and Samuel sat together. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, food arrived. Served by a group of girls. Quiet, and efficient. They placed the trays down and moved on.
Samuel frowned slightly. "We do not need to pay with Ninja coins?" The waitress paused. Then shook her head. "No."
Her voice was calm. "You are entitled to two free meals per day."
Samuel blinked. "Free?" She nodded once. Then she walked away. Newton looked down at the food.
Then smiled slightly. A small thing. But real. The idea of eating without cost. It settled differently here.
Almost strange. He picked up his utensil..Took a bite. The tension didn't leave. But it shifted. Just slightly.
Then, the door burst open. The sound cut through the hall instantly. Every head turned.
Gregory.
And his boys. Maxwell among them. They walked in like they owned the place.
Slow, and deliberate. The hall went silent. No one dared speak. They didn't head for food. Didn't look for seats.
Gregory's eyes scanned the hall. One table to another. Then, they stopped on Newton.
He pointed. "You." The word landed sharp. Gregory moved. Straight toward him. No hesitation.
No pause.
Newton didn't stand. He didn't move. He just watched. Gregory reached him and grabbed his shirt, pulling him up slightly. "Do you think you are so special now that you aced a task?"
His grip tightened. His voice was low, but dangerous.
He paused.
Waiting, testing. "Learn to be humble." His eyes burned. "Getting successful when everyone else fails will put you in my bad book."
Newton's gaze didn't change. Not even slightly. Then he moved fast. He broke Gregory's grip and shoved him back.
Clean, and controlled. "Go suit your failed heart," he hissed. The words landed harder than the push.
Gregory's fist clenched instantly..Tight..His body leaned forward slightly. "Be rest assured." His voice dropped.
Cold.
"If we both get matched in a fight." A pause. "I won't fail to drive my sword into your chest."
Newton smiled. Not wide. Not loud. But sharp. "The feeling is mutual." The words barely left his mouth. When the air shifted. Both of them froze. The blue glow flickered at the same time.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION. The words burned into their vision.
NEW TASK.
YOU HAVE BEEN PAIRED WITH GREGORY SMITHWORTH.
DATE: FRIDAY 24TH 2024.
TIME: 6PM.
TYPE: FIGHT IN DARKNESS.
RESULT: A FIGHT TO THE DEATH.
REWARD: KILL GREGORY SMITHWORTH AND EARN FIVE CPD POINT.
FAIL, YOU DIE.
Silence fell again. Heavier this time..Gregory read it. Then smiled.
Slow, and satisfied.
"It seems even the system wants you dead." He paused. His eyes locked into Newton's. "Consider your life over."
"Newton is dead," a student said. Others shook their heads in pity. Newton's heart thundered against his ribs.