The Mind & Pattern Wing was unlike anything Damien had ever seen.
As he and Zeke stepped through the automatic glass doors, the hum of electricity filled the air. Digital streams floated like holographic river currents between the walls, while towers of glowing data rotated lazily in midair. Students in sleek neural visors sat silently, interfacing with patterns and probability simulations far beyond Damien's comprehension.
But Zeke walked like he belonged there.
"You sure she's here?" Damien whispered, nervously glancing at his reflection in the polished obsidian tiles.
Zeke didn't look back. "Amara Veyne never leaves this wing for long. It's like her Divinity feeds on data."
They found her exactly where he expected—in Lab Chamber Theta.
She sat on a levitating chair at the center of a simulation dome, pale pink threads of her Chamael-class Divinity floating around her like strands of silk. Her eyes were glowing, and numbers shifted across them in unreadable equations.
Damien stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Uh, hi. You're Amara, right?"
She didn't respond.
Zeke rolled his eyes. "Amara, we want you on our team."
Still no response.
Then, slowly, she turned.
"I know." Her voice was soft, measured. "I already calculated this possibility three days ago. The probability of your approach rose to 84% after your fifth failed recruitment attempt yesterday."
Damien blinked. "Wait—you predicted we'd ask?"
She smiled faintly. "I predicted you'd try. Whether you pass my test is another matter."
---
The Test
The simulation dome came alive. Walls vanished, replaced by a shifting field of obstacles: jagged terrain, glowing glyph traps, illusion walls. A countdown ticked above them.
"Test One: Combat Adaptability," Amara said, now fully immersed in the system. "You'll face ten opponents. They evolve with each defeat. No use of Cross Constructs. No external tools."
Zeke cracked his knuckles. "Let's go."
Damien followed.
For seven brutal minutes, they fought simulated constructs—fast, unpredictable, intelligent. Zeke's flame-based brawling shone, and Damien moved with raw instinct, dodging and countering even when overpowered. They compensated for each other's weaknesses, instinctively covering flanks.
Amara's voice echoed again.
"Test Two: Behavioral Analysis. I will simulate three separate crises. Your reaction will determine your strategic class."
First scenario: A collapsing roof above simulated innocents.
Zeke moved to destroy the debris.
Damien shielded the civilians.
Second scenario: A wounded ally and a clear win opportunity.
Damien turned back to help.
Zeke hesitated—but followed.
Third scenario: Betrayal.
Amara appeared as a teammate stabbing them in the back.
Zeke raised his fist.
Damien grabbed his arm. "Ask why before you strike."
Silence.
The dome vanished.
Amara stood up. Her silver hair fell around her shoulders as her Divinity faded.
"You're unrefined. Emotionally flawed. Underpowered."
She walked toward them.
"But…" She held out her hand. "You'll do."
Zeke blinked. "Wait. You're joining us?"
Amara nodded. "You both passed. Barely. But I've been waiting for a team with heart. Not just power."
And just like that, Team 11 was born.
---
Breaking News: Tournament Roster Announced!
Throughout Saint Academy, live broadcasts began streaming across wristbands, wallscreens, and holographic tablets. The Team Combat Tournament Roster was official.
Format: Eighteen teams divided into three years. Six teams per year. Each class (A, B, C) fielded two teams. The tournament would test:
Team Combat: Standard 3v3 elimination battle.
Gauntlet Trials: Maze, traps, energy walls, and beast simulations.
Mind Riddles: Strategic puzzles under pressure.
Combat Sports: Capture-the-Flag, Break-the-Core, and Survival Rounds.
Point System: Teams earn points across all challenges. Top 4 highest-scoring teams enter semifinals.
---
Team Profiles (Highlights)
Team 1: Third Year A - "Seraph's Edge"
Ronan Varell – Gabriel Rank – Year 3 – Tactical Swordsman with Radiant Slash System
Callista Drae – Gabriel Rank – Year 3 – Gravity-Archer with Orbital Divinity
Thorne Kael – Uriel Rank – Year 3 – Bulwark Knight, Divine Steel Construct User
Team 2: Third Year B - "Dominion Creed"
Valyn Crowe – Gabriel Rank – Year 3 – Lightstorm Channeler, Solar Flare System
Eris Vonn – Raphael Rank – Year 3 – Mind-Breaker Illusionist
Jet Ryn – Raphael Rank – Year 3 – Chrono-Speed Combatant
Team 7: Second Year C - "Wyrmfang"
Korrin Dhal – Uriel Rank – Year 2 – Elemental Beast Summoner
Zeva Cain – Raphael Rank – Year 2 – Explosive Rune Caster
Lys Enrai – Raphael Rank – Year 2 – Aerial Saber Monk
Team 12: First Year A - "Theo's Wrath"
Theo Shaw – Uriel Rank – Year 1 – The chrono master
Cassiel Mourn – Jophiel Rank – Year 1 – Spear Dancer with Thunder Flow
Elise Thorne – Jophiel Rank – Year 1 – Ice Sniper with Cryo-Marksmanship
Team 11: First Year B – "Unnamed" (Zeke's Team)
Zeke Alastair – Jophiel Rank – Flame-Fist Brawler, Phoenix Compression Style
Damien Gray – Zadkiel Rank – Divinity Suppressed, Potential Unknown
Amara Veyne – Chamael Rank – Strategic Visionary, Mind Grid Operator
Reactions across the academy were... stunned.
Amara Veyne—the prodigy tactician every team begged for—had joined two low-tier underdogs. Some called her crazy. Others began watching Team 11 very closely.
Training Begins
That night, the trio stood in Training Hall Delta. Digital terrain simulations, moving targets, and gravity chambers loomed around them.
"Name the team?" Zeke asked.
Damien shrugge
d. "Let's earn the name in battle."
Amara smiled faintly. "Poetic."
"Then let's begin," Damien said.
The lights dimmed.
The floor shifted.
Their training... began.