Second Reality: Surge of Power

Chapter XI: Critical Zero

Hook stared at the boy in front of him who was shaking barely being able to keep his arms up. "Calm your nerves young warrior! I see the fire deep within your eyes!"

"Fire?" Ren looked at him confused.

"A burning potential! I'll show you what I mean! I'll tell you where I'll attack, and you only need to defend yourself!" Hook proposed the idea. Ren didn't have time to agree as Hook appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye. "First a right to your face!" Ren heard the instructions and spun out of the way barely dodging.

"Next! A knee to your stomach!" This time he had no chance of dodging, so he covered his torso in a thick layer of ice. He was launched up, with air escaping his lungs from the impact. Then Hook grabbed him and dragged him back to the ground slamming him in the dirt.

"Finally, a stomp on the back!" But as he stepped back to stomp on Ren, the boy froze the ground and pushed himself away from Hook's leg. As Ren was sliding away, so was Hook who had to find his balance, but it was suddenly corrected.

"Look at his feet!" Luna pointed at Hook's shoes which were torn at the sides with small hooks peeking out and grabbing hold of the ground.

"I can create hooks anywhere on my body and turn my body parts into hooks! But that seems like nothing compared to your ability! Creating ice is a strong power" Hook flexed his muscles with every fiber on his pecks becoming metallic hooks for a second.

"Did you see enough?" Ren stood up slowly recovering from the pummeling he got.

"Hm... it seems like you're not taking this seriously." The temporary peace between the two of them was crushed, along with Ren's glasses. Hook hit him with a jab knocking Ren onto the ropes. Niel was ready to jump in when he was stopped by Medicine. "It's a one on one."

"I'm not going to watch as my friend is being pummeled!" Niel pushed Medicine's hand out of the way and made his way to the ring.

"Niel! Don't worry! I'll be fine!" Ren gathered himself on the ground, throwing his glasses out of the ring.

"Kid!" Sledge, the purple haired girl addressed Niel. "If you cannot accept, that your friend has his own battles, just kill him yourself! If you pamper your friend too much; one day when he's alone and shit hits the fan... your buddy will die." Sledge's words halted Niel's advances. He stood for a second looking at his friend slowly getting up clinging to the ropes, wiping the blood off his face. Their eyes met for a second and Niel saw something he never saw before. A flicker of fighting spirit in Ren.

"Ren!" Niel addressed his friend. "Show him what you're made of!" They exchanged determined looks before Ren straightened his posture and raised his fists.

Ren rushed Hook who was taken aback by the attack. Ren slid under his legs and froze his foot. As Hook turned his head Ren jumped off the rope and punched him in the face. After the impact the sweat on Hook's body sealed him in a thick layer of ice. "Ice capsule!" Ren panted as he finished freezing Hook's body.

"That's it Ren! You are great!" Everyone cheered for the boy who slid into a sitting position in a corner of the ring. He dropped his head for a second as tiredness came over him and only raised his head when he heard the cracking of ice.

"Good one! You surprised me with your swift movements!" Hook chuckled and shattered the ice with a flex of his muscles. Ren's face went pale as his opponent only had a slight bruise on his face after all of that. "How about this? Try staying in the ring for six more seconds and I give up!"

"Six seconds?" Ren repeated sweating just from the thought.

"That's nothing! You can do it Ren!" His classmates cheered him on.