Tremor stands at the opposite entrance, a hulking guy with gray-tinted skin that looks like it's made of living granite. He pounds his fists together, sending visible shockwaves rippling through the ground between us. Small rocks actually float up and orbit around him, a power display meant to intimidate.
"Combatants, take your positions," the announcer's voice echoes. "Combat begins in 3..."
I tune out everything else, the crowd, the announcer, the observers analyzing my every move. There's only Tremor, the space between us, and what I'm about to do.
"...2..."
I drop into a slight crouch, feeling my enhanced muscles coil like springs. My telekinesis rises to the surface, no longer carefully contained but humming through every cell in my body.
"...1..."
Time to show them what I can really do.
"COMBAT INITIATED."
The moment the words echo through the arena, I launch forward with everything I have. Not just running, I explode across the arena floor, my telekinesis propelling me forward with such force that the ground cracks beneath my starting position. Even with all my enhancements, the force almost feels like too much for my body to handle.
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Tremor's eyes widen with shock as I cross the entire battlefield in a heartbeat, moving too fast for him to even begin his attack. He starts to raise his hands, stone formations rising to protect him, but he's way too slow.
I pour every ounce of my telekinetic power into my right fist as I drive it forward, creating a visible distortion in the air around my hand. My enhanced strength combines with telekinetic force in a way I've never shown before, not two separate abilities but one seamless power.
My fist connects with Tremor's chest with a sound like a fucking bomb going off.
The impact sends him flying backward, his stone armor shattering completely as he slams into the arena wall with enough force to crack the reinforced material. His body goes limp instantly, sliding down to the floor in an unconscious heap, gray skin returning to normal human coloration as his powers automatically deactivate.
Total silence falls across the arena. One punch. One decisive statement about what I'm really capable of.
I stand in the center of the battlefield, not even breathing hard, as medical staff rush to check on Tremor. The stunned silence continues for several heartbeats before the arena erupts into absolute chaos, independents shouting, sponsors frantically checking data readings, facility staff rushing to confirm what just happened.
"Combat concluded," the system finally announces, sounding almost confused by the brevity. "Victory by incapacitation: Kinetic. Combat duration: 1.7 seconds."
As I turn to exit, I catch multiple sets of eyes following my every move. Nova's luminescent patterns are pulsing with rapid, intense colors I've never seen from her before. Marcus stands frozen mid-conversation, electrical energy crackling around him in erratic bursts that suggest he's lost control of his usual composure. Even Karis is visible in the administrative section, those unusual amber eyes narrowed in what might be calculation or reevaluation.
I make eye contact with Ember in the combatant observation area. She's no longer pretending disinterest, her fiery hair actually flickering with small flames as she watches me leave. Message received, I think. Show me something real, she'd said. Well, that was fucking real.
Two down, eight to go.
CHARACTER PROFILE
Tremor
STR: 40 – Exceptional brute strength, amplified by geokinetic reinforcement
SPD: 16 – Below average agility; movement is deliberate and heavy
RES: 51 – Extremely high physical durability while geokinetically reinforced
CTL: 22 – Moderate control over terrain manipulation and defensive constructs
AWR: 18 – Basic situational awareness, reliant on reactive defense rather than proactive sensing
Primary: Geokinesis
- Able to manipulate stone and mineral-based terrain
- Can reinforce body with geological armor (increased mass, resilience)
- Capable of localized seismic shockwaves for offense and disruption
- Environmental reshaping (terrain control) favors drawn-out engagements
Secondary: Kinetic Absorption Layer
- Converts incoming kinetic force into structural reinforcement
- Effective against blunt trauma, less effective against focused penetration or hybrid attacks