Jelo hadn’t betrayed Atlas.
He had been playing along the entire ti.
On the stage, Jelo didn’t respond to Xino’s outburst. Instead, he turned slightly, his hand still glowing with residual fire energy, and fired again.
Another Dragon Claw shot out, this ti aid at a group of Class 2 students standing near the edge of the stage.
They yelped and scattered, diving in different directions as the attack tore through the space they’d been occupying. One of them wasn’t fast enough, the edge of the energy clipping his shoulder and sending him spinning to the ground with a cry of pain.
Jelo fired again.
And again.
Red energy claws exploded across the stage in rapid succession, each one forcing the Class 2 students to scramble for cover. So dove behind pillars. Others threw themselves flat on the ground. A few tried to counter with their own abilities, but Jelo’s attacks were too fast, too relentless, keeping them on the defensive.
The hall descended into chaos.
Class 1 students pressed themselves against the walls, trying to stay out of the line of fire. Shouts and curses filled the air. The acrid sll of burned stone and singed clothing spread through the room.
Xino staggered back to his feet, chest heaving, his face twisted with fury. His hands ca together in front of him, fingers splaying wide as energy began to gather between his palms. The air around him shimred, distorting like heat waves rising from pavent, and then a translucent barrier materialized in front of him, a shimring shield of pale blue energy that crackled with power.
"You’ll pay for that!" Xino shouted, his voice echoing through the hall. His eyes blazed with rage. "You have no idea how long I’ve been holding back! How long I’ve been patient with you for your own sake! But not anymore!"
He took a step forward, the shield moving with him, solid and imposing.
"You just made the biggest mistake of your life, Jelo!"
Atlas, who had been standing frozen during the entire exchange, suddenly moved.
He took three quick steps to the side, positioning himself directly next to Jelo. His stance shifted, feet spreading slightly, hands coming up into a ready position. His expression had changed from confusion to determination, his jaw set, eyes hard.
"If you want him," Atlas said, his voice cutting through the chaos, loud and clear, "you’ll have to go through both of us."
Xino’s eyes flicked to Atlas, and for a mont, sothing like surprise crossed his face. Then it hardened into cold anger.
"Fine," he spat. "Two idiots instead of one."
The other Class 2 students, who had scattered during Jelo’s assault, began to regroup. They moved quickly, instinctively, closing ranks around Xino. One by one, they ford up behind him, their expressions shifting from shock to determination, from fear to collective aggression.
There were at least ten of them now, maybe more, all standing together in a loose formation. So flexed their hands, energy beginning to glow around their fists. Others activated their abilities, the air around them shimring with power.
Xino stood at the front, his shield still raised, his face dark with fury.
"Get them," he growled.
As one, the Class 2 students began to advance, moving toward Jelo and Atlas with slow, deliberate steps that echoed ominously through the hall.
Jelo glanced sideways at Atlas, breathing hard, his hands still crackling faintly with residual fire energy. The adrenaline was wearing thin now, and exhaustion was creeping back into his limbs. He could feel it in his muscles, the dull ache spreading through his shoulders and legs.
"We’re in serious trouble now," Jelo muttered, his voice low but urgent.
Atlas turned to look at him, and for a mont, Jelo expected to see fear or hesitation. But instead, Atlas just smiled. It wasn’t a nervous smile or a forced one. It was genuine, almost casual, like they were standing in the cafeteria talking about lunch instead of facing down a mob of angry second-years.
"We beat Xino and his friends the first ti," Atlas said, shrugging slightly. "We can try again."
Jelo blinked, caught off guard by the sheer confidence in Atlas’s tone. He wanted to argue, to point out that the situation was completely different now, that Xino wasn’t ambushed this ti, that they were outnumbered and exhausted. But before he could say anything, Xino’s voice cut through the air like a blade.
"The first ti?" Xino snarled, his face twisted with fury. He took another step forward, his energy shield shimring in front of him. "The first ti, you caught off guard. You ambushed . I didn’t even use my powers."
His voice rose, echoing through the hall, each word dripping with venom.
"But this ti?" he continued, his eyes blazing. "This ti will be different. I’ll show you what true power is. What true strength looks like. What it ans to be at the top of the hierarchy."
He thrust a finger toward Jelo and Atlas, his entire body trembling with rage.
"You think you’re special because you got a few lucky hits in? You think you’re strong because you beat a couple of my guys?" He laughed bitterly. "You have no idea what you’re dealing with."
The Class 2 students behind him shifted, their expressions hardening, energy beginning to flare more visibly around their hands and bodies. So cracked their knuckles. Others rolled their shoulders, loosening up like fighters preparing to step into a ring.
Xino’s shield pulsed once, brighter, the energy rippling outward in a wave that distorted the air around him.
"Let’s go," he growled.
The Class 2 students surged forward.
They moved as one, a coordinated rush of bodies and energy, closing the distance between them and Jelo and Atlas in seconds. Their footsteps thundered across the stage, the sound like an oncoming storm.
Jelo tensed, raising his hands, energy flickering weakly around his fingers. Atlas shifted his stance, ready to et them head-on.
But just as the first Class 2 student reached them, just as his fist pulled back to strike, another figure suddenly leapt onto the stage.
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