As Marl walked through the corridors, he noticed a young man with piercing blue eyes and jet-black hair, styled in a way that screamed wealth and privilege.
He wore the insignia of the Azure Dawn Clan on his lapel, and his entire demeanor radiated arrogance. On his robe, Marl noticed three stars embroidered on the sleeve, a symbol of his rank and status within the clan.
The young man, Ryker, seemed to be surveying the surroundings, his eyes scanning the corridors with an air of superiority. As his gaze landed on Marl, he raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued by the younger student's presence.
"You're a new student, I presume?" Ryker asked, his voice dripping with condescension. "I don't think I've seen you around before."
Marl nodded, feeling a sense of unease. "Yeah, I'm Marl. I'm a first-year student."
Ryker's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in Marl's appearance. "What family do you come from?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
Marl's expression turned somber. "My parents are dead," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ryker's expression changed, his eyes flashing with interest. "Ah, a nobody, then," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Well, that's... unfortunate."
Ryker's eyes sparkled with amusement as he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "So, Marl, tell me... what type of foundation ability do you have?" he asked, his voice dripping with condescension.
Marl hesitated for a moment before answering. "I have a utility foundation ability," he said, trying to sound confident.
Ryker's expression changed in an instant, his face contorting in a mixture of surprise and disdain. "Utility?" he scoffed, his voice heavy with mockery. "You mean you're one of those jack-of-all-trades, master of none? How quaint."
Marl's face burned with embarrassment and anger, his fists clenching at his sides. "Hey, utility abilities are useful in their own right," he said, trying to defend himself.
Ryker laughed, the sound echoing through the corridor. "Useful?" he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You think being a utility is going to get you anywhere in this world? Think again, Marl. The only people who settle for utility abilities are those who can't hack it in the real world."
The insult hung in the air, and Marl's eyes narrowed, his anger simmering just below the surface. The tension between them was palpable, and it seemed like Ryker was just getting started.
Ryker's expression turned incredulous. "Your utility foundation ability affects your weight?" he repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism. "What, does it make you heavier or something? How exactly does that work?"
Marl's face reddened slightly as he explained. "It allows me to manipulate my weight to some extent. I can make myself lighter or heavier depending on the situation."
Ryker's laughter was loud and mocking. "Oh, wow. That's... impressive. I'm sure that'll be super useful in a fight or something. 'Hey, watch me levitate here for a sec while I try to dodge your attacks.'"
Marl's eyes narrowed, his anger simmering. "It's more useful than you think," he said, his voice low and even.
Ryker grinned, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm sure it is. I mean, who wouldn't want to be able to change their weight at will? It's not like it's a completely useless ability or anything."
The mockery in Ryker's voice was palpable, and Marl's anger was starting to boil over. It seemed like Ryker was determined to belittle him, and Marl was getting tired of it.
Ryker's eyes gleamed with amusement as he turned to his companions, two imposing figures who stood behind him like loyal hounds. "Did you guys hear that? This guy's utility ability affects his weight. How... quaint."
The two lackeys snickered, their faces twisted in mockery. One of them, a burly guy with a cruel grin, chimed in. "Yeah, that's gonna be super useful when we're fighting for our lives. 'Hey, watch me float away while you guys get slaughtered.'"
The bystanders watched the exchange with bated breath, their eyes darting back and forth between Marl and Ryker. Some of them seemed to be hoping for a confrontation, their faces lit up with excitement. Others looked on with concern, sensing that things might escalate quickly.
One of the onlookers, a quiet girl with a notebook clutched in her hand, whispered to her friend. "I don't know what's going to happen, but this is getting good. Ryker's really going for it."
Her friend nodded, her eyes fixed on Marl. "Yeah, and Marl doesn't seem like the type to back down. This could get interesting."
Ryker's smile grew wider as he turned back to Marl. "So, Marl, what do you say? Want to show me what your precious weight-affecting ability can do? I'm sure it'll be... enlightening."
The air was thick with tension, and it seemed like a confrontation was brewing. Marl's eyes locked onto Ryker's, his anger simmering just below the surface. The question was, would he take the bait?
Ryker's eyes flashed with excitement as he raised his hand, and a brilliant light burst forth, illuminating the corridor. The air seemed to shimmer and ripple, and a blast of energy shot out from Ryker's palm, striking the wall with incredible force.
The sound of the impact was like thunder, and the ground shook beneath their feet. The bystanders gasped in awe, their eyes wide with wonder.
"Whoa, did you see that?" one of them whispered. "Ryker's ability is insane!"
Ryker's smile grew wider as he turned to Marl, his eyes gleaming with superiority. "That's the power of a foundation ability like mine," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "Not some trivial weight-affecting ability, but real power."
The display of Ryker's ability left Marl looking unimpressed, but his eyes narrowed slightly, his jaw clenched in determination. The gauntlet had been thrown, and it seemed like Marl was ready to take on the challenge
Just a friendly demonstration of my abilities, Professor. I was just showing Marl here the difference between a truly powerful foundation ability and... well, something less impressive.
The professor's expression was stern, his eyes narrowing slightly as he gazed at Ryker. "I don't care what you were doing, Ryker. You're disrupting the students and causing a scene. Let's keep the demonstrations to the training rooms, shall we?"
Ryker's smile never wavered, but he nodded graciously. "Of course, Professor. My apologies."
The professor's gaze swept the area, his eyes lingering on Marl before moving on. "Let's everyone just calm down and get to class, shall we?"
As the professor walked away, Ryker's smile turned mocking once more, his eyes locked onto Marl's. The unspoken challenge still hung in the air, and it seemed like this wasn't the end of their confrontation.