Logan sat near the back of the academy's combat training hall, quietly observing the students paired up for sparring. His sharp eyes analyzed their fighting styles, gauging weaknesses and strengths.
Then his name was called.
"Logan Holt, Matthew Carter, and William Dawson—step forward."
Logan sighed. He wasn't thrilled about teaming up with Matthew, especially after their last encounter. William, however, was a different story.
William Dawson was a unique Titan—a regular build,stronger, faster, and more durable than most. Unlike regular Titans who relied solely on brute force, William had exceptional combat instincts and the discipline of a martial artist.
The instructor spoke. "Three versus three. No abilities, no synth tech, just pure skill."
Logan cracked his neck. "Sounds fair."
---
Before the match started, Matthew made a dumb joke about Titans being all muscle and no brain.
William did not take it well.
Instead of treating the match like a friendly spar, William turned it into a personal grudge match. His punches were brutal, and his movements were aggressive, targeting Matthew with full force.
"Damn, man!" Matthew groaned, barely dodging a heavy blow. "It was just a joke!"
William didn't respond. He just kept pressing forward, unrelenting.
Logan quickly stepped in, parrying one of William's punches with ease. "Alright, big guy. I think he gets the message."
William smirked. "Then let's see if you can handle me."
---
Without warning, William launched forward, throwing a devastating punch aimed at Logan's ribs.
Logan sidestepped at the last second. He could feel the air shift from the sheer power of the strike. If that hit landed, he'd be out cold.
Logan countered with a precise kick to William's knee, forcing him to stumble, but William recovered instantly and responded with a spinning backfist.
Logan barely ducked. The force of the strike sent wind whipping past his ear.
William wasn't just powerful—he was fast.
The fight escalated. Logan used his calculated footwork and quick strikes to stay ahead, but William's durability was insane. No matter how many hits Logan landed, William just kept going.
After a grueling exchange, Logan saw his opening.
He feinted left, baiting William into a counter. The moment William took the bait, Logan twisted mid-air and landed a devastating elbow to the side of William's head.
William collapsed—knocked out cold.
The room went silent.
---
A few minutes later, William regained consciousness. Instead of being angry, he smirked.
"Damn, Holt. You hit hard for a esper"
Logan shrugged. "And you take hits like a damn tank."
William laughed. "I like you, man. I think we'll get along."
Logan smirked. Seems like he had just met his first real recruit.
After their grueling sparring session, Matthew took a seat on a bench, nursing his bruised ribs. He was quiet for a moment, deep in thought. Finally, he let out a sigh and turned toward Logan.
"Look, man," Matthew began, his voice low. "I was an asshole back there." He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his tone genuine. "I was trying to get a rise out of you, and I acted like a dick. But... you still had my back, even though I didn't deserve it."
Logan leaned back, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Matthew. "You've got a lot of pride, but you're not a complete asshole. Just a little misguided."
Matthew chuckled, then winced. "Yeah, well, that's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. I owe you, man. And I know this sounds lame, but... I was really trying to get Amara's attention. That didn't work out so well." He shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face. "She didn't even acknowledge me."
Logan raised an eyebrow. "You're going after Amara Salvador?" He shook his head. "I don't think that's your type, man."
Matthew rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze on the floor. "Yeah, I guess. She's way out of my league anyway. I just figured, you know, if I acted tough enough—"
Logan cut him off with a slight grin. "You're better off finding someone who actually values you, man. Trust me."
At that moment, William chimed in with a smirk. "Like the chick who picks up Logan after classes , maybe?"
Logan raised an eyebrow. "She's my partner, William."
Matthew smirked. "It doesn't seem so," he teased.
Logan rolled his eyes. "I liked you more when you were a jerk, you know that?"
Matthew laughed, nodding. "Okay, okay. Point taken." Then he turned to William. "Big guy, my bad. I know I fucked up earlier. But, seriously, you're literally a one-man army." He grinned. "I'd rather be on your side than against you."
William let out a hearty laugh. "Don't worry about it, man. We've all been there."
---
The conversation shifted when Matthew suddenly perked up. "Hey, speaking of things coming up, the professors just announced that the three of us—me, you, and Logan—we're all on the same team for the upcoming Wilderness Event."
Logan nodded. "I heard about it. What exactly is that about?"
Matthew scratched his chin. "It's some crazy survival exam. We'll have to survive in the wilderness for a week with no abilities." He let out a low whistle. "They'll be restricting everyone. No esper powers, no tech for synths, and no Titan strength,no shifter transformation,no arcanists abilities".
William grinned. "Yeah, and the best part? You guys won't be able to use your super abilities. Every Titan gets injected with a serum that dulls their enhancements every six hours." He looked over at William. "You might feel that one, huh?"
William just shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I can handle it."
Logan raised his eyebrows. "What about the rest of the abilities? Like, shifters and arcanists?"
William nodded. "Yeah, the shifters get a bracelet that zaps them if they try to transform. The more they resist, the stronger the current gets." He grinned. "And arcanists? They get their weapons stripped down to plain wood and plastic."
Logan asked"What about regular humans? They'll be on the same course, right?"
William's smile faded a little. "Yeah, that's the kicker. The regular humans won't have their capabilities restricted at all. They'll be running around in the same environment, with all their supplies and stuff intact."
Matthew's face twisted with concern. "That doesn't sound fair. What if they get a bunch of backwoods guys who think they're invincible?"
Logan cracked a slight grin. "Then we make sure they don't make it to the end."
William slapped Logan on the back. "That's the spirit. As long as we stick together, we'll be fine." He looked at Logan with a sense of confidence. "You seem like the kind of guy who can handle a few scuffles, if that other academy gets in the way."
Logan nodded. "I can take care of myself."
Matthew looked at them both and grinned. "Well, hell. If we survive this, I'm treating you both to a beer. You guys earned it."
---
Logan glanced at his two teammates, the beginning of something new forming in his mind. They were an unlikely trio, but there was no denying that together, they had the potential to become something far greater. The Wilderness Event would test them like never before, but in the end, Logan knew they'd come out on top.
"Let's make sure we survive first," Logan said, his voice firm and determined. "After that, we'll see about the beer."
---
With that, the three of them walked off together, already planning their next move, and a bond was formed—a bond of strength, survival, and teamwork.