Standing face to face with our opponents was a weird situation. Training day in, day out, without hardly any human contact besides the doctors, soldiers, or other members of our group, made it a bit strange to meet others our age. Especially when the whole goal is to kill each other.

“Ah, so you are the ones we will be facing today huh. Looks like it will be an easy win hahaha.”

A boy from the other team stood forward scanning our members before scoffing. Their team seems to be a lot more experienced with these kinds of situations, it might be difficult going against a group that is used to handling situations that you will encounter out in the field. My mind was already trying to formulate a plan, looking at the enemy team before me looking for any sign of weakness or unsurety. Calm, collected, the feeling I got from this group was one of confidence, a victory being already decided in their minds. While looking through my brain for any ideas that could give us a winning shot, I heard Okin’s voice.

“Hah, why the struggle there little guy? Especially against a bunch of small fries.”

“What do you mean Okin? We have never gone against any other humans. Our only type of realistic training was during our time in the forest.”

“Exactly, you did well during that time. You are not like these other children Niko.”

“What do you mean I am not like these other children? Is this related to the experiment?”

“You could say that haha. There are many things you do not know yet, things you need to figure out yourself, but, until then, let's focus on training shall we?”

I could visualize a smirk on Okin's face as he spoke. What does he know? How does he know it? So many questions, so many mysteries to solve. AS the conversation I was having with Okin came to a conclusion, the group of children we are going to be fighting against began walking back to the doors on their side of the arena. I turned around leading the group back to our starting position, reaching our destination the soldier looks at the two of our groups holding up a pistol

“Ready?...BANG!!”

Seeing both groups ready to begin, the soldier fires his pistol into the air signaling for us to begin. Following the sound of the pistol firing the wind within the arena began to pick up throwing dust everywhere hindering the sight of everyone in the arena. I burst forward in the direction of a nearby car frame left for the sake of being used as cover.

“Daniel sit in the back, you will be in charge of strategy, use us to gain information on the enemy to relay orders, guiding everyone into suitable positions alright”

Daniel immediately began collecting information, guiding each member of the team to cover.

“Niko, I have gotten everyone into cover but we still do not know where the enemy is we have to find their positions.”

I take a few seconds to condense a medium sized ball of mana that fits in my palm then toss it. Landing 20 feet or so in front of me, the ball of mana rapidly expands. The mana expanded in a dome shape across the vicinity, after a few seconds, I managed to detect six bodies. During the process, one of the enemies began firing in my direction.

“Alright everyone, I succeeded in finding where they are taking cover, move forward, lay suppressing fire, then begin moving up.”

After shouting to my team, I begin shooting my rifle in the direction of the enemy that originally shot at me after I threw my sonar grenade. I tagged them in their arm stunning them, following that up with a shot to the chest dropping the target, no longer reading any life signs from the target, I can confirm they are defeated. One of the connections to a teammate disappeared, turning around I see the enemy flanking our side heavily. Seeing the team struggling to push back the enemy, I ran as fast as I could hopping from cover to cover while condensing another sonar grenade throwing it towards the enemy.

Before the grenade could land an enemy threw a ball of condensed mana, colliding with it, absorbing it, then dissipated. Immediately after I condensed four small sonar grenades in one hand while condensing one medium sized grenade in the other. I threw the grenade then directly after I threw the sonars, the sonars landed on obstacles around the area sticking to the surface before expanding. Due to the small size, also the fact that it was able to stick to surfaces, made it more difficult for the enemy to not only see them in these conditions but, also stopped them from destroying the sonars before they could take effect.

Even though they could not stop the smaller sonars grenades they attempted to stop my grenade by once again throwing out a ball of condensed mana. Right before the ball of condensed mana could come in contact with the grenade and negate it, the grenade split into two, one half colliding with the mana, the other half landing on the ground then exploding a few seconds later. The impact of the grenade did not manage to take any of the enemies out, but managed to disrupt them as well as take up some of their time, and focus.

Approaching my teammates that were taking cover behind a wall, a grenade lands directly in front of the wall blowing it up sending me flying. Standing to my feet while grabbing my head trying to shake the ringing out of my head, I look around me, Daniel, Eric, and Tyler are still managing to hold the enemies off at our flanks, while the other one in our group who is still alive had also been blown away. I wobble over to her trying to help her up but as she grabs my hand a bullet flies through her skull.

Following the shot that killed her, another comes directly at me. I hold my hand towards the bullet leaking out a bit of mana grabbing the bullet causing it to disintegrate. Three more shots come at me, I manage to stop two of them but one makes it through catching me in the leg. Grimacing in pain I concentrate mana in my legs running in the direction of the remaining members of my team.

“What’s the plan boys?”

“Hmm..the one in the back looks to be the one collecting information from the battlefield, and organizing the strategies for their group. If we can manage to take them out then it will make it more difficult for them to act as efficiently as they currently are.”

“Gotcha, cover me I will take him out.”

“Roger”

Nodding to Daniel I launch myself forward accelerating using my mana, heading straight for their back line. Right as I was about to reach the target the boy who scoffed at us, in the beginning, slid directly in front of me pulling out his pistol, and knife, swinging it at my throat. Leaning backward I managed to dodge the blade while taking out my own, then lunging at him swinging my knife at his wrist. He drops his grip on his knife changing the direction it was facing downwards intercepting the blade of my knife with his own.

“Wow!, what a surprise. I figured you were gonna be complete trash, just another boring, easy win. This time it looks like I can have some fun after all”

Ignoring his taunting I began to assault him with slashes and stabs. Managing to intercept my blade each time he began returning the attacks. Catching his knife with my own I created 3 needles, tossing them at his leg. Dodging the needles he jumped backward before wearing a grin while staring at me.

“Hoho lemme guess. Those needles stab into my leg then burst causing my leg to split open huh? Clever but you are gonna have to be quicker, Lemme show you a trick of my own.”

The mana in the air began to fluctuate while his aura started to become more, and more intense. I charge at him trying to prevent him from doing whatever he is about to do, but instead, he appears behind me grabbing me, then throwing me. Sending me flying a few feet, I hit the ground rolling a couple more inches before stopping. Looking up, I no longer see him, Sensing him from behind me I begin turning around, not being able to react fast enough I am thrown into the air, before being axe kicked straight into the ground again.

I hear my team trying to assist me, but they are being pushed back by the other enemies who are completely suppressing them. Managing to stand back up to my feet, my enemy walks in front of me with a large grin on his face, his mana cloak surrounding him as if made out of fire.

“Hahaha…. So, looks like you newbies haven't learned about mana burst yet have you. Ah, what a shame, you lot never stood a chance.”