As Kai walked from the back of the room, he saw the other forty-nine recruits already adorned in their new robes. Six wore the prestigious red, nineteen were in black, and the remaining twenty-five were dressed in green. Kai's heart hammered like a drum, and a thin layer of sweat coated his forehead. This trash somehow survived the mountain, Darius thought, glaring at Kai with mounting annoyance. He's definitely going to the green robes the weakest of the weak. Darius was right about the hierarchy: green robes signified E and D-rank potential; black robes were for C and B-rank; and the red robes were reserved for the "cream of the crop" those with S and A-rank potential. All eyes were on the red-haired Kai as he placed his hand on the orb. It began to pulse, eventually settling into a pale gray glow as a bold letter "C" manifested in its center. Mo and Dominic looked genuinely overjoyed, while Shelly's expression remained unreadable. Kai's eyes immediately welled with tears as he stared at the letter.
I did it. I actually became strong, Kai thought, the weight of his hard work finally paying off. Memories surged through him: running away from foster care, the cold nights, and the countless times he had nearly died in the underground fight clubs. The hellish training had been worth it. Dominic handed Kai a set of black robes. As he donned them, they felt as though they had been tailored for him; his red hair seemed livelier and more vibrant against the dark fabric. Across the room, Darius looked like he might explode with rage. How am I equal to this trash? he fumed. Lucien, however, offered Kai a small, friendly smile. "So, in total," Mo announced with glee, "we have six in red, twenty in black, and twenty-five in green. "The recruits murmured in shock. The idea of an E-rank reawakening into a higher potential was a rarity they had never witnessed.
Kai walked back to his seat with a grin and a visible hop in his step, sharing a high-five with Lucien as he sat down. "As you have seen, there is hope for anyone to grow stronger if the right conditions are met," Dominic said, his eyes scanning the room. "However, reawakening with higher potential does not make ranking up easy. In fact, the requirements to reach your limit are now much higher. Take Lucien, for example: reaching A-rank will now be more difficult for him than it would have been before his potential shifted to S." "There will be no more training today," Mo added with a smile. "Go and celebrate your new ranks. "As the recruits dispersed, Lucien approached Kai. "So, how are you feeling?" "I've never felt more alive," Kai said, standing up. In his excitement, the horror of yesterday and the way he had accidentally drained Tobias seemed like a distant, fading nightmare. The two engaged in small talk as they walked toward the well. "What's your plan for the day?" Lucien asked. "Refining my sword technique," Kai said, gripping the hilt of his katana.
He reminded himself that he needed to master this blade so that what happened to Tobias would never happen again. "You have a technique for that?" "Yeah. It's called the Ancient Technique," Kai explained. "I learned it from watching a fighter at the clubs." Lucien looked confused. "You learned a refined style just by watching?" "It has six forms," Kai continued with determination. "Cutting Edge, Blazing Blade, Moon Crescent Slash, Motion Cleave, Blazing Slash Motion, and Moon Slashing Dance. I've only been able to use Cutting Edge because my body wasn't strong enough for the others. But now… maybe I can." Lucien frowned. "You're just revealing your trump card to me? Aren't you afraid I'll use that against you if we ever have to fight?" Kai let out a hearty chuckle. "They say revealing your technique to someone strong makes the technique even stronger. "Lucien looked relieved, his tension breaking. "I was about to call you stupid. Well, I'll leave you to it." Lucien walked away, his red robes trailing behind him. He looked like royalty majestic and untouchable.
"Time to get to work," Kai whispered. He drew his sword and tapped into his core. The "abyss" was there, dark as ever, but in the corner of his mind's eye, Kai saw something new: a glowing sphere as large as a house, radiating a vibrant yellow-orange light. It was the Chi he had absorbed. He reached out and made contact with the sphere. Immediately, his body began to evolve. It felt as if he were shedding an old, tight skin. Kai quickly sat in a cross-legged position as the change took hold. His pores seemed to open wide, drinking in the surrounding air. Fresh Chi rushed into his system, reinforcing his muscles and hardening his bones. Whoosh. Kai exhaled a plume of white vapor. He stood up and looked at his hands; his skin was clearer, his movements more fluid."I feel… lighter," he remarked. He took a practice swing with the katana, the blade whistling through the air with a speed he had never achieved before.