Dorm 304 — common room.

  Ethan Parker and Tessa Blake were sprawled on the couch with snacks like they were watching a show.

  Evan Cross was cleaning the suite—nobody made him. Caleb Shaw’s obsession with neatness had infected him so badly Evan actually developed standards.

  Tessa crunched chips loudly. “You’re seriously a jerk, you know that? You go bully Janelle without inviting me? I’ve hated that fake-ass woman forever. I would’ve loved to get a few hits in.”

  Ethan laughed. “Everybody knows you’re the Deputy Director’s daughter. If you showed up, she wouldn’t have dared run her mouth, and none of the fun would’ve happened.”

  Tessa squinted. “You’re kind of evil.”

  Ethan shrugged. “By the way—just so you guys know—I’m entering the Reverse World tomorrow.”

  “What?!” Tessa and Evan blurted at the same time.

  Tessa stared. “You’ve been awakened for, like, five minutes and you’re already going in? That’s way too fast. I’ve only been in once.”

  Evan took a deep breath, like he was about to deliver a TED Talk.

  “Boss, I’m not a professional, but I’d like to offer a suggestion. This suggestion may not be fully mature, as stated at the beginning, I am not a professional—”

  Ethan cut him off. “Tessa. You cleared your first mission, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then what’s the problem?” Ethan smirked. “If you can do it, what am I supposed to be scared of?”

  Tessa kicked him with her bare foot. “You’re so punchable.”

  Then she reached into a storage pouch and tossed him a gray-white sphere with a sleek, techy finish.

  Ethan caught it. “What’s this?”

  “Press the side button. Five seconds later it detonates and releases a lightning burst,” Tessa said. “I boosted it with my own Sequence too. It should paralyze most monsters.”

  Ethan nodded once. “Thanks, Boss.”

  That “Boss” landed exactly where it was meant to. Tessa’s mouth twitched—satisfied. Like, okay, maybe the grenade was worth it.

  Later, Ethan also told Caleb Shaw he was going in. Caleb didn’t try to stop him—he just delivered a meticulous list of warnings and rules like a man reading a safety manual at gunpoint. He even handed Ethan a translation earpiece.

  “The Reverse World isn’t guaranteed to be local,” Caleb said. “You may run into foreign operatives.”

  The next morning—early.

  Ethan was still asleep when Tessa burst into his room like a fire alarm.

  “Wake up!”

  Ethan sat up instantly. “What the hell?”

  “Forum. Right now.” Tessa shoved her terminal at him. “Janelle posted a challenge letter. She’s calling you out.”

  Ethan blinked. “She’s challenging me? Is her brain broken?”

  “Not exactly,” Tessa said. “She’s posting on behalf of Jackson Raines. Those two are always tangled up.”

  Tessa scrolled. “Jackson’s still salty about losing to you in the simulation drill. He wants a real fight to ‘wash away the shame.’”

  The hottest thread on the forum was screaming in bold:

  [CHALLENGE LETTER!! Who’s the strongest probationary investigator? Jackson Raines formally invites Ethan Parker to a duel]

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  Time: 10:00

  Location: Arena

  Comments were already in the hundreds:

  “OOOHHHH this is gonna be good!”

  “Real peak showdown!”

  “Isn’t Ethan not even Mountain-Shift yet? Jackson’s kind of bullying.”

  “Jackson says he’ll suppress his power down to Channeling.”

  “Bro I woke the whole dorm up. MOVE!”

  “Question is—does Ethan even accept?”

  “He HAS to. Ethan’s too arrogant to dodge. If he ducks it, he’s a coward.”

  Ethan’s eyes narrowed. Half these comments were bait—trying to corner him into taking it.

  Tessa crossed her arms. “Ignore him. You’re going to the Reverse World—why waste time on this clown?”

  Ethan’s gaze flicked to the time.

  10:00 was also his Reverse World entry.

  It was just past eight. Less than two hours left on the countdown.

  “He said ten?” Ethan asked.

  Tessa nodded. “Yeah. Don’t tell me you’re actually—”

  “If you’re worried about pride,” Tessa added quickly, “I can accept for you. I’ll say ‘beat me first’ before you get the right to challenge him. How’s that?”

  Ethan stared at her. “You’d even go lose for me. I’m touched.”

  “Shut up.” Tessa shoved him. “This is special circumstances, okay? And you saved my ass before. Consider it paying back.”

  Ethan opened his account and replied under the challenge thread—one line.

  [I’ll fight. Two minutes early. I’ve got something at 10. Also, I don’t do pointless fights—wager 100 contribution points.]

  The hype instantly spiked like gasoline on a match.

  “HE ACCEPTED!!”

  “Holy shit—he added a wager. That’s insane.”

  “100 contribution points isn’t pocket change. Some people can’t save that in half a year.”

  “Arena, NOW. Go go go!”

  “Wait—he said he has something at 10. What?”

  “Probably making excuses in advance.”

  Tessa stared at him. “Two minutes early… you’re seriously trying to finish a duel and then walk into the Reverse World?”

  Ethan shrugged. “Two minutes is enough.”

  Tessa’s eyes narrowed. “Okay genius—where are you getting 100 contribution points?”

  Ethan looked at her like it was obvious. “You have them.”

  Tessa choked. “What?!”

  “If I lose, you pay. If I win, I give you half.” Ethan smiled. “Fair.”

  Tessa considered it—then grinned. “Deal.”

  …

  Mentor Office.

  Caleb Shaw pulled up the arena live feed, face rigid.

  Someone laughed. “Caleb, I heard your trainee’s about to throw down.”

  “Ethan versus Jackson,” another said. “That’s entertainment.”

  Caleb’s expression didn’t soften. “That kid has no sense of priorities.”

  A mentor blinked. “Wait—are you saying you don’t have confidence in him?”

  “Yeah, he’s Slaughter Domain,” someone scoffed. “Dueling is literally his lane.”

  Caleb shook his head. “No. I don’t think he’ll lose.”

  “Then why are you mad?”

  “Because he’s about to get teleported into the Reverse World,” Caleb said flatly.

  “…What?!”

  Every mentor in the room stared.

  “That fast?”

  “Then why the hell is he dueling? Shouldn’t he enter at peak condition?”

  “No way he’s actually doing this.”

  “Pull up the stream. All of it.”

  Chairs scraped. The room turned into a watch party.

  …

  Arena. Morning.

  There were already hundreds of people packed in—probationary investigators, staff, everyone who was currently stationed at HQ. Some were literally chewing breakfast buns while they watched.

  Old guard powerhouse Jackson Raines vs new black-horse monster Ethan Parker.

  Bad blood between them. Drama with Janelle. A 100-point wager.

  If you won, you got fame and profit.

  If you lost—congrats, you paid money to get embarrassed.

  Someone yelled, “This is the best morning ever. I was literally on the toilet and I clamped that shit off mid-drop to get here!”

  “Get the hell away from me,” another guy snapped. “I’m eating!”

  “Jackson’s here. Where’s Ethan? Ten minutes left.”

  “Eight,” someone corrected. “Ethan said he’s got ‘something.’”

  “He’s not seriously trying to settle it in two minutes, is he?”

  Megan Hayes was there too. She knew this whole thing was connected to yesterday’s training-floor mess.

  Luna Frost showed up as well—standing alone with a dead-zone of empty space around her. Nobody wanted to stand near her; the vibe was too cold.

  Chase Nolan was in the crowd. Nora Paige too. Half the people who’d ever shared a screen with Ethan wanted front-row seats.

  9:55.

  Ethan arrived with Tessa and Evan.

  “He’s here!”

  “Let’s go, Boss!”

  “WOOO—!”

  A lot of people were cheering for Ethan.

  Janelle folded her arms and sneered. “Try-hard.”

  Jackson was already standing at center stage.

  Red-streaked hair styled perfectly. Black gloves. Black boots. A confident smile like he’d rehearsed it.

  When Ethan stepped onto the floor, Jackson asked calmly, “Before we start—what’s this ‘thing’ you said you have at ten?”

  Ethan’s tone was casual. “Reverse World entry.”

  For a second, it was dead quiet.

  Then Jackson laughed—loud.

  “That’s perfect,” he said, shaking his head. “If you win, you’re a god. If you lose, you’ll say you were saving strength for the Reverse World. You built yourself an excuse-proof narrative. I should’ve thought of that.”

  The crowd buzzed.

  “Wait—Ethan’s entering the Reverse World today?”

  “For real?”

  Janelle sneered. “Look at that—big tough man making sure he’s got an exit ramp before the fight. Real strategic.”

  Evan whispered to Tessa, eyes wide. “Boss… is he actually—”

  Tessa smirked. “He is. And everyone here is about to get slapped in the face. It’s gonna be hilarious.”

  Jackson shrugged. “Funny enough, I’ve got something too. I didn’t sleep last night. I need to go back and take a nap after I beat you.”

  The crowd burst out laughing.

  Ethan raised his hand.

  Blood fell straight down from his palm, forming into a long crimson blade.

  His eyes locked onto Jackson.

  “Stop talking,” Ethan said, voice flat.

  “I’m on a timer.”