Chapter 311 - 310. Familiar Opponents

The match had already started but as Asger dodged the boy's first few punches he didn't attack back. He was completely caught in the fact that the rumors going around were about him eating luck. He had no idea how that started. 

"Ah! Dang it Art. Didn't you ask that when I first told you about my super power?" Asher remembered that Art had that same idea. "Stupid people must have overheard and that's how it started." Asher had stopped for just a second as he recalled this. 

This stop was enough for the boy to attack and start a combo of five punches. Unfortunately, Asher was too well trained to let a hit land. He had been practicing footwork too much to just let anything hit. 

"How!? You aren't even taking me seriously. You are just mumbling to yourself like a crazy person and dodging. This makes no sense! I trained for a week straight at the gym with the seniors teaching me. I should be able to wipe the floor with you!" The boy had trained a lot in the past weeks after the camp. Asher had sparked a desire to become stronger in him. 

"Huh? Sorry, I was annoyed because there are some rumors going around about my super power. I guess it's good to think that my luck runs out but that's not true. Not that I need it in this match and you aren't an enemy so I won't be putting you in to any super bad luck. Although I will kt guarantee that you won't fall or get hurt somehow, I don't really have control over all of it." Asher laughed it off a little infuriating his opponent even more. 

The reaction caused Asher to shake his head and let the boy punch more and more. After a full five minutes of this, he saw his opponent begin to stumble and sweat. He had lost his adrenaline and used a lot of energy only to miss every chance he had to hit Asher. 

"I'm sorry this isn't what you thought it would be but I didn't want to make a bad impression and just beat you up. Now that you are tired out," Asher ducked under his opponent and used a leg to trip him. With a quick motion, he pulled an arm behind the boy's back and held it tight. "I can stop you safely without harm to myself or you." 

"Ugh..come on. I trained hard and this is where I am?" The boy lamented the hours he spent. They felt like a waste. 

"You're definitely way better than before, don't get that wrong. But I have been training too. I just have a group behind me that trains furiously too. I bet you will have a pretty great grade if you get control of your one track revenge thing. You could easily stand equal to some of the best." Asher wasn't making it up. His opponent was like night and day compared to the kid at camp that came mocking him. 

"Asher is deemed the winner. Extra credit has been awarded. Supplementary lessons are recommended for the loser of this match. Please proceed to the evaluation room to meet a potential mentor." 

The announcement surprised Asher's opponent. A potential mentor wanted to speak to him? "I bet that's Garnet. She is looking for people who want to use martial arts to make a living. You kind of fit her type of student. Good luck." Asher gave him a wave and looked around to find that Jane was close to him during this break. 

"Asher, did you win too?" She was excited to make it through the second round without even using her super powers at all. 

"I did, and I got extra credit. Apparently offering some guidance to my opponent was a good idea. Not that I wanted the extra credit, I just thought that that kid that challenged us from the martial arts club could become more with a little mental strengthening." Asher shrugged a little trying to brush it off but Jane was already smiling in awe. She had not heard of anyone getting extra credit this way. 

"It's amazing that they are also listening to our matches. I thought it was just a video. I wonder how much more in depth they are going?" Jane suddenly became more pensive. The evaluations were not some small thing. This was the way the school would grade them and guide their classes in the future. Their senior years did allow them to have some choices but the decisions they made after this first evaluation would shape those years that came later. That's why it was done earlier. 

"By the way, how have your matches gone so far? Have you seen anyone else get moved to a circle near you yet? I managed to talk with Laura and Louis for a bit on the last break." Asher wanted to make sure that everyone was still doing well. 

"Oh, mine were easy. I went against a kid who was able to manifest turtle shell shields. It was cool and really good for protecting people. Then this last match I went against another girl who could control wind. But compared to Sammy she controls a sneeze where Sammy controls a typhoon." Jane was not worried at all when it had come to these opponents. The matches had been child's play. 

"I saw Art but no one else. He said the first match his opponent basically gave up. It was sad but after all of us were televised and plastered on the internet he didn't want to get hurt. So Art won. I don't know where he went now." Jane shrugged and put her hands up at a loss. 

"Well, at least Art shouldn't lose points for that. But it's rough he didn't have a chance to show off yet. I'm surprised it hasn't happened more often though. Apparently, there is a rumor about me eating luck like a snack." Asher chuckled as Jane tried t hold her own laughter back a little. 

"My first opponent said they were afraid my hair would turn in to snakes and try to eat him. That's why he started the match by hiding behind a turtle shell shield." Jane was also the victim of some of the rumors. The wild things that poeple were coming up with had no end. 

"If your hair ever turns in to snakes and starts to eat people just give me a call so I can hide too. I feel like they would try and eat me right away." Asher was joking but when he noticed Jane check her hair just in case he became worried. 

"They would never eat you. I like you too much." She more mumbled this to herself, but Asher was able to hear it clearly. He was thrown for a loop and turned redder than a tomato for the first time in a while. For the remainder of the break, they ended up just standing in silence since Jane had noticed Asher had heard her. 

When the announcement sounded for them to return to the rings specified Jane rushed off a little faster than usual. Asher also headed off but he managed to look back to see Jane heading to the far side of the gym. When he found the ring he needed to be in he also found a familiar face. 

"Well, this is just not fair." Louis stood in the ring with his hood up. He had thought that he would need to face one of his friends much later. This was just not fair to him since he had seen Asher fight too many times and knew just how outmatched he was. 

"Well, at least I know I will have to be serious this match. I'm glad we are getting to face someone we train with. It will be a good warm up for us to really get in to the matches." Asher started to bunch around before falling in to his rag doll style stance. 

"I know, but do we really need to fight if we know each other so well? Bah, whatever. Be ready to get zapped. I have charged up a little." Louis was swearing his gear as he should but had modifies a few pieces. The gloves in particular had sections of metal added so he could use them better as a stun gun effect. The lighting was dancing on them showing off the control Louis had been fighting for. 

"Bring it on, maybe you will zap yourself." Asher teased and the two took steps toward each other. Louis had mostly practiced the basics. This was giving him the disadvantage because he knew them best. However, when Louis punched out a small zap of lightning also shot out. It was the style he was slowly evolving and creating. It made his close combat attacks slightly ranged. It was perfect for his super powers. 

"Ha! Nice try. But I know how tricky your strategy is. I will have to exhaust that lighting of yours. Sorry, not sorry!" Asher started to move around Louis forcing him to punch over and over.. He knew that if he made contact with Louis he would get zapped and it could all be over. The plan to tire Louis out and claim victory was underway!