The two behemoths, Ethan as the crimson-skinned Four Arms and Marcus with his psionically enhanced, bulging muscles, fiercely collided once more. The impact emitted a dull, resonant thud that vibrated through the arena floor. They pushed against each other, a raw contest of pure, unadulterated strength, neither giving an inch. For a moment, it was a perfect stalemate, a breathtaking display of power. Then, sure enough, Four Arms, with the inherent advantage of his alien physiology and multiple limbs, began to gain an edge. The incredible power Four Arms could exert was just slightly greater, and after a tense moment where muscles strained and psionic energies flared, he began to slowly, inexorably, push Marcus back.
Ethan, as Four Arms, had just gained a slight, hard-won advantage, ready to press his attack, when unexpectedly, Marcus, that crafty fellow, didn't play by the conventional rules of a strength contest. With a sudden, surprising grunt, Marcus abruptly leaned back, deliberately collapsing and falling to the ground. Ethan, who had been exerting immense forward force, was caught off balance and stumbled forward, right over Marcus's prone form. Under normal circumstances, Ethan would have definitely capitalized on this, aiming to press down on Marcus and pin him. However, Marcus, with astonishing speed and cunning for his size, directly lifted both his powerful legs and propped them firmly against Four Arms' incoming stomach. With a forceful, explosive push from his legs, he sent Ethan, still in his Four Arms form, flying backward from his position on top, tumbling through the air before crashing heavily.
Marcus scrambled to his feet, grinning triumphantly. "Hahaha, you totally fell for it, Ethan!"
Four Arms picked himself up, dusting off his red hide, a look of mock indignation on his alien face. "You're truly despicable, Marcus! That was a dirty trick!"
Marcus just shrugged, unrepentant. "Hey, all's fair in war, buddy! And in sparring with a four-armed alien!"
Ethan, as Four Arms, didn't seem annoyed at all; in fact, a predatory grin stretched across his face. He twisted the Omnitrix symbol emblazoned on his shoulder. With another flash of green light, his massive, red form dissolved, and a new, crystalline figure took his place.
"Diamondhead!" Ethan's new voice was resonant, with a faint, crystalline chime to it. Diamondhead, whose entire body was composed of sharp, cyan-colored Taydenite crystals, stood proudly. He knew this form could arbitrarily change its molecular structure, freely control its body to become any shape – blades, projectiles, shields – and could even control the growth of these incredibly durable crystals from any surface, even thin air. The Omnitrix symbol now rested on his left chest. The moment he transformed into Diamondhead, Seraphina's Bedrock Armor, which had clung to Four Arms, shimmered and disappeared, unable to bond with his new crystalline structure.
Marcus whistled, eyeing the glittering alien. "Whoa! So this is your new form, huh? It looks… very valuable. Like, literally."
Diamondhead flexed a crystalline hand. "It's a pity it's not real terrestrial diamond, Marcus, or we'd all be rich. But it's still pretty tough." Ethan willed his right arm to morph, the crystals shifting and elongating into a sharp, wicked-looking diamond sword. Then, reconsidering, he changed it again, the sword retracting and reforming into a massive, brutal sledgehammer. "Behold my self-proclaimed Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique!" Diamondhead declared with a grin, lifting the giant crystalline hammer and smashing it down towards Marcus with incredible force.
Marcus braced himself, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit. "Diamond is also just a type of stone! And stones are meant to be broken! Behold my Shattering Fist!" Marcus's right fist lit up with that familiar, intense psionic light as he launched his attack directly at the descending giant hammer.
CLANG!!!
The two attacks collided with a deafening, metallic bang that echoed through the arena. Diamondhead, Ethan knew, was a silicon-based lifeform, and the Taydenite material of his body was, in its pure form, theoretically harder than any terrestrial diamond. However, Ethan's current psionic rank was still relatively low, so he couldn't achieve that absolute level of nigh-invulnerable hardness yet. Still, with the lingering buff from Seraphina's Defensive Aura, his crystalline body's hardness was not to be underestimated. Marcus's talent, on the other hand, significantly strengthened his muscle density and striking power. Coupled with the remnants of Seraphina's Defensive Aura and his own Bedrock Armor (which had just reformed around him after Diamondhead's appearance), his overall hardness in that fist was only slightly inferior to this current phase of Diamondhead, but he still held a distinct advantage in raw, explosive strength.
In this direct collision of force, Ethan, as Diamondhead, was at a slight disadvantage. He felt the shockwave rattle through his crystalline structure and was forced to retreat several steps. Marcus, sensing an opening, pressed his advantage, swinging his glowing fist to smash down again. But Ethan reacted instantly, his left arm transforming into a broad, incredibly durable crystalline shield, blocking the blow with another jarring clang. Then, with a thought, Ethan controlled the very floor beneath them. Sharp, jagged Taydenite spikes erupted from the ground, shooting upwards towards Marcus. Marcus, with a startled yelp, leaped back to dodge the sudden crystal barrage, but the sharp spikes pursued him relentlessly, erupting wherever he tried to land. Helpless to find purchase, he could only leap higher into the air to avoid being impaled. But this maneuver played right into Ethan's hands. A giant, crystalline hand suddenly erupted from the ground directly beneath Marcus's airborne form and, with surprising speed, snatched him out of the air, its grip like iron. Marcus thrashed, but he was completely unable to break free from the massive crystal construct.
Then, with a deliberate, almost playful motion, that giant crystal hand swung Marcus through the air, throwing him like a projectile directly towards where Diamondhead stood waiting.
"Aaaah!!!" Marcus yelled, pinwheeling through the air, unable to exert any force or change his trajectory. He could only watch helplessly as Ethan, with a wicked grin, transformed his right hand into a giant, flat, crystalline frying pan.
CLANG!!!
Ethan swung his arm with gusto, using the makeshift frying pan to smack Marcus soundly on the backside, sending him flying back towards the giant crystal hand. Then the large hand swung again, and Marcus was once again sent sailing through the air towards Diamondhead. Just like that, back and forth, Ethan and Marcus merrily, if somewhat violently, played an impromptu game of psionic badminton, with Marcus as the unfortunate shuttlecock. This "game" continued, much to Marcus's vocal dismay and Seraphina's horrified amusement, until Ethan's psionic energy reserves began to run dangerously low from maintaining the Diamondhead form and controlling the crystal constructs. He was finally forced to revert to his original human form, and the game came to an abrupt, undignified halt.
Bleargh~~
The moment the giant crystal hand released him and he stopped spinning, Marcus, after steadying himself slightly on wobbly legs, made a wretched dash to a nearby trash can and promptly threw up. While vomiting, he gasped out between heaves, "You little… ugh… so… so mean! That was… ugh… barbaric!"
Seraphina, though still trying to suppress a giggle, patted his back sympathetically. "Although this particular battle was, um… a bit strange, Marcus, the overall effect was undeniably good. The excess psionic energy I had accumulated in my body from the potions has now been completely digested and assimilated, and my rank has even advanced a tiny bit further into Level Four."
Ethan, also panting slightly but grinning, nodded in agreement. "Exactly! After exercising for so long, and using so many different abilities, my psionic energy has also been nicely digested. That feeling of 'fullness' is completely gone."
Marcus, finally finished retching, straightened up, looking pale. "I was purely, utterly, f***ing tormented! That wasn't a spar, that was… advanced interrogation! Ugh~"
Seraphina just chuckled. "Hehe! Well, Marcus, it seems that fighting, even like that, is also a very good method for stimulating growth."
After a little while, once Marcus had finally recovered his composure and some of his color, he said weakly, glaring at Ethan, "If I ever agree to fight you again, Ethan, I swear, I'm a dog!"
Ethan just grinned. "Aw, come on, Marcus. If you don't fight me, who will you fight? You need the practice too."
Marcus straightened up, a new thought occurring to him. "Hmph! I'll go to The Gauntlet. Not only can I fight real opponents there, but I can also earn some serious credits if I win."
Ethan's interest was immediately piqued. "The Gauntlet? What's that?"
Seraphina's expression became more serious. "That place, Ethan, is similar in nature to The Undercurrent Market we visited, but it operates under even fewer rules and has absolutely no official government backing; it's run entirely by powerful private forces within the city. There, you can fight against complete strangers, accumulate brutal, no-holds-barred combat experience, and if you manage to win your matches, there are indeed substantial prizes, often in credits or valuable resources. However," her voice dropped, "it's also a place that disregards life to a terrifying extent. People dying in the ring there, or being permanently crippled, is a depressingly common occurrence."
Ethan frowned. "The city officials don't intervene in such a dangerous place? It sounds so lawless and unmanaged."
Seraphina sighed. "They'd have to be capable of effectively managing it first, and willing to pay the price. Our New Veridia's current Mayor, Mayor Everett Thorne, is a powerful Rank Four psionicist, which is already considered the highest publicly known individual combat power in this entire city. New Veridia only has three confirmed Rank Three psionicists: Mayor Thorne himself, the Military Commander General Valerius, and one other… who just so happens to be the shadowy figure in charge of that very Gauntlet. Because this powerful individual decreed that anyone who fights in his club is exempt from paying city taxes on their winnings, even if someone dies illegally within its walls, not a single cent of potential tax revenue is technically lost to the city coffers. Moreover, that place, for all its brutality, does give the vast majority of ordinary, less privileged psionicists a desperate chance to earn credits or resources they couldn't get otherwise. So, even if it's incredibly dangerous, many people, especially those struggling at the bottom, don't actually want this place to disappear."
Ethan processed this complex situation. "Shouldn't the Global Concord, the central government, also have some kind of share or oversight in such a significant, if illicit, place?"
Seraphina nodded. "Of course, they do, indirectly. The nation also has its own officially sanctioned, specialized arenas and combat tournaments. Those are generally more about prestige, honor, and winning for your city or province than just brutal fighting; they typically don't give out direct credit prizes, but you can earn ranking points and commendations, which can then be exchanged for higher-level, often exclusive, resources and opportunities. As for more specific details about those national-level circuits, I don't know much. But the level of competition, and the quality of things you can obtain there, definitely far exceed anything available in our relatively small, provincial New Veridia. Our city, frankly, doesn't have that much to offer to truly top-tier talents. If you can get into a powerful, nationally recognized university, maybe you'll get to see more of that world."
Marcus, his earlier nausea forgotten, puffed out his chest with renewed determination. "I, Marcus Vance, will definitely get into the most powerful and prestigious Pinnacle University in the entire Global Concord! Everyone knows that no one who comes out of that esteemed institution is weak!"
Seraphina added, a touch of wistfulness in her voice, "And anyone who can even get into that school is certainly not weak to begin with, Marcus."
Ethan felt a surge of ambition. "Alright then, there's still a full year until those university entrance exams. We have plenty of time to prepare, to get stronger. Besides, with us working so hard together, we'll definitely all get in! For now, though… Marcus, you have to take me to The Gauntlet. I want to check it out."
Seraphina looked concerned. "You want to go fight there, Ethan? That place is incredibly dangerous, as I just said. Besides, don't you lack the high-level resources you were aiming for right now? What good would cash winnings do you if you can't buy what you need?"
Ethan sighed. "I am indeed short on truly high-level resources, like those Aura Cores. But I'm also critically lacking in more intermediate-grade psionic potions for sustained training. I wouldn't dare use the two advanced potions I have left until I'm much higher in rank, probably around Rank Seven at least, and I definitely wouldn't dare touch those precious F-rank Aura Cores until I'm at a much higher rank and need them for a major breakthrough. Sigh," he ran a hand through his hair, "I reckon all those webnovels where the protagonist conveniently stumbles upon a mountain of low-level training resources right at the start are a complete and utter scam. Reality is much harsher."
Marcus, ever generous with his friends, immediately offered, "Hey, it's just intermediate-grade psionic potions, right? However many you want, Ethan, I'll give them to you. My family has plenty."
Ethan shook his head firmly. "No way, Marcus. How can I do that? I definitely won't become some kind of kept man by constantly relying on your family's wealth. That's not who I am. Besides," his eyes hardened with a new resolve, "I also really, desperately need to accumulate actual, practical combat experience. Our true mission, our long-term goal, is to fight those monstrous beasts that threaten our homes, to eventually snatch back our lost lands. This bit of friendly sparring between us now, as fun as it is, counts for almost nothing in the grand scheme of things. When we really go out there and fight those monsters for real, if we get hurt, we'll just have to suck it up and endure. And we certainly can't guarantee that we'll have good luck every single time, like we did with that lone Direwolf. Later on, as we venture into more dangerous territories, direct, brutal confrontation with powerful monsters will be absolutely unavoidable. So, we must adapt to pain, to injury, to the chaos of real battle beforehand. And isn't The Gauntlet, for all its dangers, the best possible training ground for that kind of harsh reality?"
Hearing Ethan's impassioned words, delivered with such conviction, Marcus and Seraphina couldn't help but feel a surge of hot blood, a thrill of shared empathy and understanding.
Marcus clenched his fists, his eyes shining. "Ethan is absolutely right! Our current sparring, as intense as it sometimes gets, is still too gentle, too controlled. If we don't experience truly cruel, unpredictable battles, we'll have no real chance of survival when we inevitably encounter such situations in the future! Ethan, man, count me in; I want to go fight there too!"
Seraphina, her earlier caution now overshadowed by a similar fierce determination, nodded decisively. "Indeed. And it's not just about having to fight monstrous beasts in the future. Just considering Pinnacle University, as we are now, we're simply not qualified enough. Although our Superior and Earth-rank talents are already considered very high here in New Veridia, Pinnacle University is the most formidable, most elite psionic university in all of the Global Concord. Students from every province, every city, the best of the best, all want to get in. There, Earth-rank talents are practically everywhere, and Superior-ranks like mine are probably considered worse than common street dogs. Their entrance exam, from what I've heard, doesn't actually have ridiculously high requirements for raw innate talent alone; the most important thing they assess is proven combat power, adaptability, and mental fortitude. Of course, the stronger the innate talent, the faster one's rank generally increases, and naturally, the higher their potential combat power. But with our current abilities and experience, if we don't push ourselves to the absolute limit, if we don't seek out real danger, we don't even have the basic qualifications to touch their entrance threshold."
Ethan's eyes blazed with resolve. "Then we absolutely must experience real, life-or-death battles beforehand. That's the only way we can possibly gain an advantage, or at least stand a chance, when facing those countless other geniuses with strong talents and deeper resources."
Marcus jumped to his feet, practically vibrating with eagerness. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go right now! To The Gauntlet!"
Ethan and Seraphina looked at each other, a shared, almost feral grin lighting up their faces. "Let's go!!!"
Shiny stones motivates me to throw CHAPTERS so throw them on these fic