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The training dome's air was still.
Unit 06 stood quietly, sweat dripping down their foreheads, uniforms soaked from morning drills. The silence wasn't from fatigue—it was anticipation. Something important was coming, and even Henry wasn't cracking jokes.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the entrance.
Leo, cold and composed as always, entered the dome. His military boots tapped against the steel floor with a rhythm that demanded attention. Without a word, he walked to the center of the group.
His sharp gaze scanned each of them.
Then he spoke.
"The Freshers Tournament begins in Five days."
A subtle shift went through the squad. Kayden's jaw tightened. Kira blinked once, her stance perfect. Devin pushed up his glasses. Zane cracked his knuckles. Henry... quietly muttered something under his breath about fainting.
Leo didn't pause.
"It is not an ordinary test. It's a battleground designed to break you or define you. Rank. Reputation. Recognition. Everything will be determined there. No one will protect you. No one will stop the fight when you're losing. This is the reality of this academy."
Zane's lips curled into a smirk. "Sounds fun."
Leo turned his eyes to him. "You'll think differently when your opponent crushes you."
Zane fell silent.
Leo began pacing slowly around them. "Now, today begins something far more important than anything you've trained so far—Soul Skills."
That word hung in the air like thunder.
"Soul Skill," Leo said clearly, "is the weaponized form of your soul. It is what separates warriors from legends."
Devin tilted his head. "What does that mean, exactly?"
"It means," Leo answered, "your soul can create. It can manifest into a physical form—something unique to you alone. That's your SoulSkill. A weapon. A force. A technique. And if refined... a legacy."
Henry raised a finger. "What if your soul's, like... confused?"
Leo gave him a long stare.
"Then you will die in confusion."
Henry quietly lowered his hand.
Leo continued. "You will learn to channel the energy from your Soul sphere, visualize its shape, and bring it into battle. No meditation. No fancy rituals. This is real. Structured. Tactical."
Elliot's mind drifted—unintentionally—back to that day.
The day he fought the StoneGod.
So that was soul skills Elliot muttered
And now, standing here, listening to Leo speak of soul-based power, Elliot realized the truth: if he had known his SoulSkill that day, the battle would've ended differently. Not in panic. But in precision.
Back in the present, Leo's voice snapped him back.
"In two days," Leo said, "you will learn to create your soul skills—alone. Each of you will face your own inner world and unlock what lies within."
The squad stiffened.
Leo looked at each of them. "This is not a team exercise. Your soul is yours alone. The others will not see your weakness. Or your power."
Kayden cracked his neck. "Good. I like it private."
Henry nudged Kira. "I hope mine's got snacks. Like, cosmic food skill?"
Kira ignored him.
Leo clapped his hands once. "That's it. Follow me."
He turned and began walking out of the dome, his long coat brushing the floor.
Though not aware of their destination Unit 06 followed him