Ezra's patience snapped like a taut string.
His voice rang out, sharp and challenging, cutting through the tension in the room.
"Enough talk, Rey. If you're so confident, fight me. Show me that you're as superior as you claim to be."
Rey raised an eyebrow, his expression bored. "Fight you? That's a waste of my time."
Ezra's lips curled into a sneer. "Afraid you'll lose?"
Before Rey could respond, Admiral Skylar's voice interjected with a commanding tone. "If you defeat Ezra, you'll take his position, Rey. He'll be stripped of his rank, and you'll rise in his place."
Lisa stepped forward, her arms crossed, nodding in agreement.
"That's only fair. If you truly believe you're more capable, prove it here and now. No more words—just action."
Rey let out a low chuckle, shaking his head.
"Fine," he said, his voice carrying a quiet confidence. "If that's what it takes to end this pointless drama, I'll humor you."
The room quickly became a flurry of movement as everyone relocated to the sparring arena, a massive chamber designed for combat training. The space was vast, with reinforced walls and a glowing barrier forming around the designated fighting area.
The crowd gathered just outside the barrier, a mix of tension and anticipation filling the air.
Josh and the rest of the squad huddled together, their excitement quickly overwriting the exhaustion they felt from their trip.
"This is going to be good," Josh said, grinning. "Rey's going to wipe the floor with him."
"I've got ten credits on Rey," another squad member added, laughing.
But Tess stood apart, her arms crossed and her expression somber.
"Be careful, Rey," she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible.
Memories of her one glimpse of Ezra in combat surfaced, a match that ended in the blink of an eye. She never saw what happened or even discerned his Special Ability.
Her unease grew, though she kept it to herself.
Inside the barrier, Ezra rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, his confidence oozing from every movement.
"Ready to regret your arrogance?" he taunted, his voice echoing in the chamber.
Rey stood relaxed, his hands by his sides, his gaze steady.
"Bring it on."
Lisa and Admiral Skylar stood off to the side, observing with sharp eyes. Both wore faint smiles, their certainty in Ezra's victory apparent.
"Ezra will destroy him," Lisa whispered to the Admiral.
"Of course," Admiral Skylar replied, his grin widening.
Ezra's grin mirrored his father's as he stepped into position, his aura flaring faintly. Rey, meanwhile, stood calm, his expression betraying no concern.
The Admiral raised a hand, his voice commanding the room.
"Begin!"
The moment the Admiral's voice echoed through the sparring arena, Ezra vanished from his spot. A gust of wind followed his movement, leaving the faintest blur in his wake.
~WHUUSH!~
Ezra's voice rang out, taunting,
"You're too slow, Rey. This will be over before you can even blink."
But Rey didn't flinch.
He stood still, his eyes narrowing as he followed Ezra's rapid movements with surprising ease. Ezra materialized in front of him, his fist cocked back and glowing faintly as his ability surged through his body, accelerating his movements to near-incomprehensible speeds.
"Got you!" Ezra roared, driving his fist forward with brutal force.
Instead of connecting, Ezra's fist met nothing but air. Rey had already sidestepped, his counterattack swift and precise.
His fist collided with Ezra's jaw, the sound reverberating through the arena.
"Ack!"
Ezra stumbled back, his speed faltering momentarily as he clutched his face in disbelief.
"How—?!" Ezra growled, his eyes wide.
Rey smirked, shaking his hand as though the punch had been an annoyance.
"You think a little speed is enough to beat me? You'll have to do better than that, Ezra."
Ezra's expression darkened, and he lunged forward again, this time aiming for Rey's chest.
His hand brushed Rey's shoulder, and in that instant, Rey felt a strange sensation. Time around him seemed to slow, as if the world had been dipped in molasses.
"That's more like it," Ezra sneered, standing straight. "Let's see you dodge now."
Rey, however, only grinned. "Nice trick," he said, his voice steady despite the altered tempo. "Too bad it won't work on me."
Using his ability, [Doppel], Rey replicated Ezra's power the moment their skin made contact. His grin widened as he flexed his fingers, feeling the new ability surge through him. With a thought, he countered Ezra's temporal manipulation, restoring his normal speed and canceling Ezra's enhancements.
'You can increase your speed and reduce the speed of your targets, and now I can do the same. If use the ability on myself and counter the effects of your abilities, I still have my superior stats to rely on. But you…' Rey smiled.
Ezra froze, confusion clouding his features as he tried to activate his ability again.
Nothing happened.
"What—?"
Rey's fist slammed into Ezra's gut, sending him skidding backward.
"What's wrong?" Rey asked mockingly, cracking his knuckles. "Is your little power broken?"
Ezra growled, scrambling to his feet and lunging again.
But this time, his movements were sluggish—ordinary.
Rey sidestepped effortlessly, planting a brutal uppercut that lifted Ezra off his feet.
"Guack!"
"You were saying something about being faster?" Rey taunted, his voice dripping with amusement.
Ezra hit the ground hard, coughing as he struggled to get up. Rey didn't give him a moment to recover. He stepped forward, grabbing Ezra by the collar and lifting him effortlessly.
"Let me show you what real power looks like," Rey said, slamming his fist into Ezra's ribs.
The force of the blow echoed through the arena, causing the onlookers to wince.
Ezra's struggles weakened as Rey unleashed a barrage of punches, each one precise and devastating. Blood trickled from Ezra's nose and mouth as he tried in vain to block the attacks.
"You call yourself my superior?" Rey spat, tossing Ezra across the arena like a ragdoll. "You're nothing but a weakling pretending to be strong."
Ezra staggered to his feet, his legs shaking as he tried to summon his ability again.
Nothing happened.
Rey's replication had nullified it completely.
Rey approached him slowly, his steps deliberate. "What's wrong, Ezra? You were so confident a moment ago. Where's all that bravado now?"
Ezra swung a desperate punch, but Rey caught his wrist mid-swing, twisting it painfully.
"AAAARRRGHHH!!" Ezra cried out, falling to his knees.
"I don't even need to use my abilities to beat you," Rey said coldly, delivering a swift kick to Ezra's chest. "This is just me, my raw strength, and you can't even handle that."
On the sidelines, Tess and the squad exchanged glances.
Josh's earlier excitement had turned into stunned silence. Even Tess, who had been worried about Ezra's hidden capabilities, couldn't hide her shock.
Lisa's grin faltered as she watched Ezra get dismantled. She glanced at Admiral Skylar, whose expression remained stoic but tense.
Rey grabbed Ezra by the collar again, lifting him to eye level.
"Do you know what your problem is, Ezra?" he asked, his voice low and menacing. "You've always relied on your powers to make you feel superior. But real strength isn't something you can cheat your way into."
With that, Rey tossed Ezra to the ground, standing over him. Ezra groaned, barely able to move.
"That's enough," Admiral Skylar's voice boomed, cutting through the tension. He stepped forward, his tone grudging as he declared, "Rey is the victor."
Rey dusted off his hands, looking down at Ezra with disdain. "I told you it would be a waste of time."
Without another word, Rey turned and walked toward the exit, his steps calm and confident.
Behind him, the sparring arena was silent, save for Ezra's labored breaths and the murmurs of the stunned crowd.
The fight had been nothing short of a massacre.