OMNITRIX IN FANTASY WORLD

The taxi lurched to a sudden, jarring halt, throwing Ethan forward in his seat. He craned his neck out the open window and his jaw went slack. An endless river of brake lights pulsed ahead, a sea of steel and glass stretching as far as the eye could see.

"What's going on up there?" he asked, the question aimed at no one in particular.

The driver, a weary-looking man with tired eyes, sighed heavily. "No way around this, kid. It's the city-wide opening competition for all the major psionic high schools. Every proud parent in New Veridia is driving their future champion to the arena. Clogs up the whole district like this every year."

Simon, Ethan's father, nodded from the front seat. "We never bought a car, so we've always missed this part of the fun. It's no surprise you weren't aware of it, Ethan."

"The school's not that far from here," Ethan suggested, already feeling restless. "We could just walk. Call it a pre-competition warm-up."

"I think that's our only option," Sarah, his mother, agreed with a decisive nod.

Simon paid the fare, and as they stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk, the driver leaned out his window. "Hey!" he called after them. "Good luck in there, kid! Bring home the gold!"

"Thanks, we appreciate it!" Simon called back, a broad, pleased smile on his face. The unexpected encouragement from a stranger felt like a good omen.

They joined the throng of people flowing down the sidewalk, a current of excitement in the air.

"Your uncle and aunt just messaged," Sarah mentioned, her fingers tapping on her phone. "They're on their way to watch you, too."

Ethan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "They are? What about Leo? Isn't it a school day for him?" Leo, his younger cousin, was a second-year at Northwood Psionics High, and the two were as close as brothers.

"He's taking the day off," Sarah explained. "Their classes haven't officially started yet, so the teachers are just handling orientation. It's no problem. Besides, he wouldn't miss this."

"Oh, cool," Ethan said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "But wait, if they're coming, there's no half-price family ticket discount for them, right?"

Sarah laughed warmly, reaching over to squeeze his arm. "Don't worry about that, sweetie. A full-price ticket is nothing. Having them here to cheer for you is what matters."

Ethan's mind drifted back a few days to his aunt Lily's farewell dinner. His other aunt and uncle had been there with Leo, and the two cousins had spent the whole night catching up. To his cousin's utter delight, Ethan had even put on a small fireworks display, conjuring dancing flames and sparks from his palms as Heatblast. It was the only form he had ever revealed to his family. For that reason, he'd decided Heatblast would be his primary weapon in this competition. He wouldn't—couldn't—switch unless his back was completely against the wall.

He had already set a firm, internal limit for himself: three. He would never reveal more than three alien forms to the public. He remembered Lily telling him about transform-type psionicists at Pinnacle University. The most versatile one she had ever heard of, a prodigy with a Legendary-rank talent, could only manage four distinct forms. By setting his own cap at three, Ethan hoped to appear as a gifted, but not impossible, talent. It was a careful calculation designed to avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention.

Before long, the imposing facade of New Veridia Psionic Academy rose before them. The competition itself would be held at the official municipal arena, but first came the mandatory rank tests and the drawing of lots.

"Dad, Mom, the parent waiting area is over there," Ethan said, pointing toward a set of designated bleachers already filling up. "I'll head over as soon as we're done here."

"Alright, son. We'll be watching. Good luck."

After seeing his parents find their seats, Ethan made his way to the main field where students were gathering under their class banners. He found his group and waited, the low murmur of anxious and excited conversations buzzing around him. Half an hour later, once everyone had arrived, their homeroom teacher, Mr. Gordon, stepped forward. There were no long-winded speeches, just a few sharp words of encouragement before the official testing began.

The school had set up a dozen portable rank detectors. The process was simple: place your hand on the scanner, wait three seconds, and let the truth be known.

A proctor's voice cut through the nervous chatter. "Iris Thorne, please step up."

A hush fell over the crowd as Iris, a girl with an air of quiet nobility, gracefully placed her hand on the device. Three seconds later, the proctor's voice boomed, filled with undisguised awe.

"Iris Thorne: Rank Two, Level One!"

A wave of shock and admiration rippled through the student body. Ethan, Seraphina, and Marcus exchanged wide-eyed glances. So that's the power of a first-tier family, Ethan thought. They hadn't slacked off all summer, not for a second. They had bled and sweat in The Gauntlet and faced real danger in the wilderness. Their ranks were high, but Iris had reached the next tier entirely. Still, they knew rank wasn't everything. She may have had the best tutors, but she had never faced a true life-or-death struggle. Their combat experience was the hidden ace up their sleeves.

The procession continued.

"Hank Vance: Rank One, Level Six!"

"Liam Sterling: Rank One, Level Three!"

For every student who beamed with pride, another walked away dejected. The gap between innate talent and resources was a chasm that hard work alone often struggled to cross.

Then came their turn.

"Seraphina Linley: Rank One, Level Nine!"

"Marcus Vance: Rank One, Level Ten!"

A respectful murmur went through the crowd. These were expected results from known, high-talent individuals. Then it was Ethan's turn. He stepped up, placed his hand on the cool surface of the scanner, and held his breath.

"Ethan Atherton: Rank One, Level Ten!"

For a moment, there was silence. Then, the field absolutely erupted.

"No way! That's impossible!"

"He was a 'no-rank'! We all saw it at the Awakening Ceremony!"

"Is he on some kind of forbidden stimulant? That has to be it!"

"Maybe Seraphina and Marcus just funneled their family's resources into him?"

"Are you crazy? The resources it would take to get a 'no-rank' that high? They could have used that to push themselves to Rank Two!"

The speculation grew wilder and more venomous until the school principal strode to the central microphone, his expression stern.

"QUIET!" his voice boomed across the field, instantly silencing the chaos. "I understand your confusion. I assure you, student Ethan Atherton has not taken any forbidden substances. There was an anomaly during his initial Awakening test—a machine malfunction that resulted in an incorrect reading. We have since re-tested him under controlled conditions and can confirm his innate talent is, in fact, Earth-rank. His file has been officially revised. The rank he has achieved is a direct result of his own tremendous effort. I will not tolerate the spreading of baseless rumors. Is that clear?"

The principal's definitive statement washed over the students. The doubt in their eyes was replaced by a new, complex mixture of shock, envy, and a grudging respect.

Next came the drawing of lots. With 327 participants, 163 lots were drawn, granting one lucky student a bye in the first round. It wasn't Ethan. He drew lot number 108.

Once the process was complete, a fleet of school buses transported them to the New Veridia Municipal Arena. The sheer scale of the venue was a statement in itself. While other psionic high schools in the city shared ten fighting rings between them, New Veridia Academy had been allocated twenty rings all to itself.

With twenty matches running simultaneously, Ethan calculated he'd be up in the fifth or sixth wave. It was impossible to say for sure—some fights would be over in seconds, others grueling wars of attrition. To say he wasn't nervous would be a lie. It was the same electric, stomach-churning anxiety he used to get before major exams in his past life, a feeling that made his calves tremble.

Taking a deep, centering breath, he circled the stands until he spotted his family. His parents were there, and right beside them, his uncle, aunt, and a bouncing Leo, who waved frantically the moment he saw Ethan.

Ethan waved back, a determined smile locking into place. He rubbed his fists together, the nervous energy solidifying into resolve. It was time to put on a show.

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