Chapter 33: Meteorite Strike!
As soon as Coach Jefferson shouted for the game to begin, the stadium erupted in chaos. The senior team, led by the imposing Lukas, moved with the swiftness of seasoned athletes, their experience evident in every motion. Balls flew from their hands like missiles, hurtling across the court with terrifying speed. The newbies, on the other hand, scrambled, their inexperience showing as they tried to dodge the onslaught, clumsy and frantic.
Rex, standing casually among them, stretched his arms above his head, eyes half-closed as if he hadn't a care in the world. "All this fuss for a game of dodgeball?" he muttered to himself, watching the scene unfold.
The first few seconds saw several of Rex's teammates knocked out, their reflexes no match for the speed and precision of the senior team's throws. The newbie team was shrinking fast, and the remaining players were already starting to panic.
Rex, however, was different.
A ball dashed through the air, rushing toward Rex with the wind gushing from its behind. Rex quickly jumped over the ball by throwing a stunning flip and then caught the ball in mid-air sending it back toward one of the seniors who had absolutely no time to react. The ball knocked him out, all of this happening in a split second.
He wasn't the strongest, but his agility and intelligence made him a force to be reckoned with. As balls came his way, Rex ducked, twisted, and sidestepped with an almost lazy grace, making it look effortless. The first few throws aimed at him flew wide or hit the floor where he'd been standing a second ago.
"Show me the field," Rex thought, and in an instant, god's Eyes kicked in. The entire stadium seemed to slow down, every movement around him growing clearer as his perception heightened. The positions of his teammates, the angles of the seniors' throws, even the subtle shifts in Lukas's stance, all of it came into focus.
With each dodge, Rex was calculating. Every throw, every step, every breath of his opponents was processed in his mind like pieces of a puzzle. He could feel the rhythm of the game, the ebb and flow of the action, and more importantly, the mistakes his opponents were making. Aether Control hummed faintly under his skin, but he refrained from using it. This was purely a test of skill, no powers allowed. He'd win with wits and speed alone. "Well..god's eyes isn't much of an ability tho"
"Let's have some fun with this," Rex thought, a smirk tugging at his lips as he danced around another ball.
Across the stadium, the crowd buzzed with excitement. Among them, Rex noticed a familiar face, Seraphina Valenbrook. She sat gracefully in the stands, her presence like a beacon that seemed to pull the attention of every boy on the field. A slight smile curved her lips, her gaze steady as she watched the game unfold. Rex could almost feel the shift in the atmosphere. The boys, especially the seniors, were starting to play harder, trying to show off their skills, eager to impress her.
"Ah, Seraphina's here. Of course, they're going to go all out," Rex mused. He could see the intensity in Lukas's eyes sharpen, the desire to prove himself burning even brighter now that Seraphina was watching.
A ball instantly whooshed past Rex and hit the girl beside him. She was the one from the first day. He didn't wanna bother checking her stats out cos he was uninterested.
The senior team was starting to pressure the juniors. A ball whooshed again but just as it was about to hit one of the juniors, he ducked under it but luck wasn't on his side as another ball instantly struck him, sending him flying backwards. The junior team was becoming tensed up....
But Rex? He was the same as ever, unflappable, confident, and far more interested in toying with his opponents than showing off.
A ball came flying at him from Lukas's side of the court. Rex leaned back, narrowly dodging it. The wind from its speed brushed against his cheek, but his expression didn't change.
Lukas, clearly growing frustrated, barked orders at his teammates. "Focus on the green-haired kid! Don't let him get comfortable!"
Rex grinned. "Comfortable? Oh, I've been comfortable this whole time."
One by one, his fellow newbies were knocked out, leaving Rex and a handful of others. The game was quickly turning into a rout, the senior team dominating with sheer force and experience.
"What the hell is a Meteorite Strike? Are you gonna use your abilities?" Lukas muttered, his brow furrowed.
Rex didn't give him time to figure it out. Using the moment of confusion to his advantage, Rex pivoted sharply on his heel, hurling the ball with pinpoint accuracy. It sailed through the air and slammed into Lukas's chest with a satisfying thud.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Lukas stumbled back, the ball dropping from his hands. He blinked in disbelief, looking down at the ball at his feet.
Rex chuckled, walking up to him. "Guess you weren't ready for my Meteorite Strike."
Lukas glared at him, his face red with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "That... wasn't fair."
Rex shrugged. "All's fair in love and dodgeball, and besides, why do you think I asked that question before we started"
Coach Jefferson stepped forward, blowing the whistle to officially end the game. His eyes lingered on Rex for a moment, as if assessing him more closely than before. Rex met his gaze, wondering if Jefferson had noticed just how much control and strategy he had employed.
"Well done, Rex," Jefferson said, his tone neutral but with a hint of respect. "Looks like you've got more potential than I thought."
Rex grinned, giving a mock salute. "All part of the plan, Coach."
As the crowd continued to cheer, Rex glanced over at Seraphina once more. This time, she wasn't just smiling, she was clapping, a soft but genuine applause that made Rex's grin widen.
"Not bad, Rex," she mouthed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Rex winked again, hands still casually in his pockets as if he hadn't just outplayed one of the academy's strongest seniors. "Not bad at all," he muttered to himself, but this time when he winked at her, he activated god's eyes
Name: Seraphina Valenbrook
Class???
?????
?????
????
????
"What in the actual fuck is this?!!!" Rex cursed inwardly. How couldn't he even see a glimpse of her stats with his level 8 god's eyes? Just how strong was she?