The Core Training Grounds were far larger than where they had been training before.

  Giant concrete walls surrounded a wide circular field, with many buildings scattered throughout the area to create different combat scenarios. The walls were clearly built to withstand powerful abilities.

  But today, none of the students were looking at the training field.

  All eyes were on the man standing beside Clarence.

  Haruto had a wide grin on his face as he studied the students in front of him.

  His relaxed smile didn’t match the tension building across the arena.

  Several initiates shifted nervously.

  Kakeru cracked his knuckles.

  “So… this is the strongest Guardian in the world?”

  Alexander studied Haruto carefully.

  “He doesn’t look that intimidating.”

  Haruto chuckled softly.

  “Oh?”

  Alexander immediately went quiet.

  Clarence stepped forward.

  “For the next week, your training will be overseen by Haruto.”

  Murmurs spread through the class.

  Charlotte whispered to Kageka.

  “Why do I feel like we’re about to regret this?”

  Kageka didn’t answer.

  Haruto calmly stepped backward into the center of the arena.

  The moment he stopped moving, the atmosphere changed.

  Even the wind seemed to still.

  Haruto looked across the students.

  “Before we start,” he said casually, “I want to see what you can do.”

  The students straightened.

  Haruto waved his fingers.

  “All of you.”

  The class blinked in confusion.

  Haruto’s smile widened.

  “Attack me.”

  The courtyard went silent.

  Alexander grinned.

  “Hell yeah.”

  Aster frowned.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  Oscar rolled his shoulders.

  “We don’t have a choice.”

  Clarence began walking away.

  “Don’t hold back if you don’t want to get hurt.”

  For a split second, no one moved.

  Then Vega stepped forward.

  “Champion Core: Conqueror’s Cleave!”

  His sword came crashing down in a heavy arc.

  Haruto shifted slightly and caught the blade between two fingers.

  Vega froze.

  He… just caught my blade.

  Haruto smiled.

  “Do you think your father ever hit me?”

  Before Vega could react, Alexander appeared beside him.

  “Storm Core: Lightning Lance!”

  A spear of lightning shot toward Haruto’s head.

  Haruto grabbed Vega by the collar and threw him aside.

  The lightning lance sliced through the space where Haruto had been standing.

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  Tokiya launched in from the side.

  “Velocity Core: Inertia Grip!”

  Haruto didn’t even turn.

  “Not fast enough.”

  He flicked his wrist.

  A violent gust of wind exploded outward, sending Tokiya flying across the arena.

  Alexander attacked again.

  “Storm Core: Lightning Crash!”

  A bolt of electricity slammed down from above.

  The ground erupted in sparks.

  Haruto raised one hand.

  The lightning stopped.

  It twisted around his palm before fading into nothing.

  “Not strong enough.”

  Haruto stepped forward and threw a quick jab.

  Alexander didn’t even see the punch coming.

  The impact sent him flying past Charlotte and Kageka just as they launched their attack.

  “Spider Core: Spiraling Threads!”

  “Ninja Core: Nightfall Cut!”

  Threads and a flashing blade shot toward Haruto’s chest.

  Haruto waved his hand.

  The threads unraveled.

  The slash dissolved in the air.

  He grabbed both of their wrists.

  And threw them across the arena.

  Behind him, Yuki and Tsukiko attacked together.

  “Ice Core: Piercing Ice!”

  “Shadow Core: Phantom Punch!”

  A massive spike of ice shot toward Haruto.

  Hidden within it was Tsukiko’s strike.

  In a blink—

  Haruto stood directly in front of them.

  “Right idea.”

  Both girls froze.

  Haruto grabbed their arms and hurled them across the battlefield.

  Aster’s voice cut across the arena.

  “Everyone spread out!”

  The remaining students quickly repositioned.

  Lillie strummed her guitar.

  “Sound Core: Singer’s Symphony!”

  Music echoed across the field, boosting the energy of everyone nearby.

  Peter and Aurelia raised defensive walls.

  Aster and Elaina climbed onto the structure.

  “Water Convergence: Geyser!”

  “World Balancer Core: Black Hole Arrows!”

  Archer stood behind them.

  He pulled back his bowstring.

  “Line Manipulation Core: Trajectory Bend!”

  The arrow shot high into the air before curving sharply toward Haruto’s back.

  At the same time, Kaori moved in from the side.

  “Fragrance Core: Paralyzing Aroma!”

  A thick scent drifted toward Haruto.

  Yet Haruto remained completely unfazed.

  The wind around him suddenly stopped.

  The air itself began collapsing toward him.

  “Airbreaker.”

  The entire arena erupted with a crushing shockwave.

  Every attack vanished.

  The barriers Peter and Aurelia created shattered instantly.

  Oscar stepped forward.

  “Combat Mode: Dead Man’s Intuition.”

  A skeletal aura formed around him before merging with his body.

  Oscar lunged forward.

  “Dead Man’s Intuition: Death Knuckle!”

  His fist shot toward Haruto’s ribs.

  Haruto caught the punch.

  Oscar’s eyes widened.

  No way.

  His instincts screamed.

  Move.

  Haruto clenched his fist.

  In the distance, Kakeru appeared behind him.

  “Flame Core: Flash Flame!”

  Fire erupted toward Haruto.

  Oscar teleported away.

  Haruto swung his arm.

  The flames vanished instantly.

  The force of the motion blasted Kakeru through a nearby building.

  Before Oscar even landed—

  Haruto was standing behind him.

  Oscar’s Dead Man’s Intuition couldn’t even track the movement.

  Oscar attacked again.

  “Dead Man’s Dance!”

  Bones erupted around Haruto.

  For a brief moment, the attack caught him off guard.

  Elaina and Aster recovered and attacked at the same time.

  “Water Convergence: Water Prison!”

  “World Balancer Core: Celestial Pressure!”

  The combined attack slammed toward Haruto.

  The pressure was enormous.

  Even Elaina struggled to control it.

  Still—

  Haruto changed his stance.

  At that exact moment, Vega and Alexander attacked again.

  “Champion Core: Undominable Slash!”

  “Storm Core: Thunderstorm Clap!”

  Their attacks collided with Elaina’s pressure.

  The battlefield erupted in chaos.

  Oscar was crushed under the gravity of Elaina’s technique.

  Yet Haruto stood calmly in the center.

  Completely unaffected.

  Then—

  He disappeared.

  Haruto appeared behind Aster and Elaina.

  “Well… that’s that.”

  The two froze.

  “There is definitely a lot to work on.”

  All around them, the other students lay scattered across the destroyed battlefield.

  Every attack they launched—

  Meaningless.

  Clothes torn.

  Weapons scattered.

  The arena was barely recognizable.

  Haruto stepped forward calmly.

  The silence was overwhelming.

  Several students looked around in disbelief.

  “…That was embarrassing,” Kakeru muttered.

  The fight had ended almost as quickly as it began.

  Haruto stood in the center of the ruined field.

  “You all are clearly strong.”

  His gaze moved across the class.

  “Individually.”

  The students listened carefully.

  “But all of you, at one point, fought alone.”

  He gestured to the battlefield.

  “Real Guardians fight as one.”

  Oscar groaned.

  “We lacked coordination.”

  Haruto stood over him.

  “Exactly.”

  He glanced briefly at Clarence.

  Clarence remained silent.

  Haruto looked back at the class.

  “For the next week,” he said,

  “I will get rid of every bad habit you individually have.”

  He smiled.

  "I will turn you into incredible Guardians."

  Haruto's eyes drifted briefly toward Oscar.

  Smiled.

  Then looked away.

  "Tomorrow," he said calmly.

  "The real training starts."

  The students suddenly realized something terrifying.

  Haruto's training...

  Had only just begun.