CHAPTER 164: JAYDEN VS CARL S2

The atmosphere in the arena shifted again. The echoes of reconciliation between Cassandra and Tasha still lingered in the air, but now something else had taken root—tension, thick and electric.

All eyes were glued to the holographic screen:

[Jayden Starrk vs. Carl Danvers]

A low murmur swept across the audience like a rising tide. Students leaned forward in their seats. Parents stopped whispering. Even Mrs. Valerie stood a little straighter, lips drawn in a tight line.

Jayden had proved himself to be extraordinary powerful, having won all his duels without an ability and within seconds. While Carl was a known powerhouse who was second to Tasha in terms of ability mastery and strength.

This would be an epic fight, and unlike Cassandra and Tasha. This would be more interesting.

Jayden walked toward the arena with quiet, deliberate steps, his expression unreadable, completely devoid of excitement or fear. His eyes scanned the battlefield as if already plotting the next hundred moves. Not a trace of nervousness.

Carl, in contrast, strutted in, jacket flaring behind him like a cloak of flame. His very presence radiated confidence, the kind born from too many victories and not enough humility.

He cracked his knuckles, sparks dancing along his fingers.

"Well, well," Carl said, his voice loud enough for the audience to hear. "Didn’t think you’d make it this far, Starrk. But hey, surprises are what make tournaments fun, right?"

Jayden said nothing. He didn’t even look at Carl.

Carl’s grin faltered.

"I said," he repeated, louder, "You made it pretty far. Hope you enjoyed the journey... because it ends here."

Jayden blinked slowly. Still nothing.

Carl clenched his jaw. "What, too good to talk? Or just scared?"

No response.

The silence hit Carl harder than any insult would have. His grin curled bitter at the edges.

"Tch. I’ll make you scream by the time I’m done," he muttered, stepping into position.

Mrs. Valerie raised her hand.

"Combatants, ready?"

Jayden nodded once. Carl clenched his fists.

Then Mrs. Valerie dropped her hands. "Begin."

Carl wasted no time.

FWOOOM!

Twin jets of fire erupted from his palms, blazing toward Jayden like twin comets. The heat distorted the air, the ground beneath scorched black as the attack rocketed forward.

But Jayden dodged. A single, fluid motion. He slipped to the side like a whisper on the wind, the flames missing him by inches. But he didn’t retaliate. He didn’t speak. He simply observed.

The crowd leaned in.

Carl snarled and launched again. This time with a volley of rapid fireballs, each one aimed with lethal precision. Left, right, center... every angle accounted for.

Jayden flowed between them. He spun, ducked, glided.

Still no counter.

Still no reaction.

Still no words.

The ground cracked beneath Carl’s feet as he jumped, blazing fists aimed like hammers straight for Jayden’s head.

Jayden raised his arm, but he didn’t block. Instead, he parried.

One smooth redirection of Carl’s momentum, sending the fire-user stumbling off balance. Jayden stepped back again, posture calm, untouched.

Carl roared, face twisted with fury. "Stop running and fight me!"

His entire body ignited now, surrounded by a vortex of heat. He slammed his palms together, drawing in his power.

BOOM!

A massive wave of fire burst forward like a tsunami. The ground fractured, the air exploded into heatwaves... too fast, too wide.

There was no escape.

The flames engulfed the spot where Jayden stood, heat so intense the arena floor melted.

Carl grinned. "Gotcha."

But when the smoke cleared, there was nothing in sight, no sight of Jayden.

The fire hit nothing.

Just air.

Jayden had vanished from the spot right before Carl unleashed his attack.

The crowd gasped.

One second he was there, the next—a blur of motion. Then empty space.

Carl turned rapidly, scanning.

Jayden reappeared ten feet away, relaxed as ever, not a single burn on him. Not even a scratch.

The crowd couldn’t believe it. Not just the students—even the parents and teachers.

Mrs. Valerie’s eyes narrowed. "That wasn’t teleportation," she thought. "That was speed. Raw, physical speed. But no ordinary evolved human should be able to move that fast."

Carl’s hands trembled with fury. "You think you’re better than me? You’re just scared! You haven’t landed one real hit!"

Jayden didn’t reply. His silence was worse than mockery.

Carl got more furious, he opened his mouth to say something when suddenly... Jayden disappeared from the spot.

Then... WHOOH!

He reappeared inches in front of Carl. Too fast to track. His fist rose like lightning.

Carl barely had time to react, quickly raising his arm to protect his chest.

CRACK.

Carl’s eyes bulged as Jayden’s fist connected with his forearm. It was like being hit with a sledgehammer. The shock reverberated up his arm, numbing his shoulder. He stumbled backward, feet skidding across the burnt floor.

He growled, recovering quickly, and thrust his palm forward, point blank.

"You’re done!"

A beam of concentrated flame roared from his hand—

WHOOSH!

But Jayden was already gone, leaping backwards just as Carl attacked, the flames hitting nothing but air.

He landed on the ground with a soft thud, his breathing steady as ever. He didn’t even look like he took the fight serious.

"QUIT RUNNING!!" Carl exploded toward him in a fiery burst, flames arcing around his fists like molten blades. He aimed high, then low... then midsection.

Jayden didn’t dodge.

Not this time.

He stepped forward. Fast. Untraceably fast. Sidestepped. And pivoted, his leg raised from the ground.

BAM!

His knee crashed into Carl’s gut. And the impact was devastating.

Carl’s mouth flew open, the wind torn from his lungs. His entire body folded in half before launching backward like a ragdoll, tumbling head over heels across the charred floor.

Silence

The audience didn’t breathe.

Not even a cheer.

Because nobody expected that. Not from Jayden.

Carl hit the ground hard, coughing, smoke rising from his burnt jacket sleeves. He groaned, clutching his ribs. He didn’t even see when Jayden moved. He never saw the attack coming.

Whispers began to arise in the crowd.

"He just... sent Carl flying... with one hit?"

"But he hasn’t even used his ability yet."

"Is he really stronger than Tasha?"

"No way. That knee wasn’t normal. He must be hiding something. Maybe his ability is strength. It has to be."

One of the Eva agents... the woman with pink hair, narrowed her eyes. "This kid... there’s something different about him." she muttered.

The second agent.. the man, nodded in agreement. "Yes, I don’t know why but.. his aura intensity is higher than that of a normal student. It’s almost similar to a person who’s at level 30 or above."

The woman exhaled, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Then I guess we’ve found what we were looking for."