If you asked Dale how the situation had escalated so quickly, he wouldn’t be able to answer you because he, himself, didn’t know.

Austin bounced from one foot to another, clearly getting excited about the upcoming spar.

The both of them were in a sparring room. It was just like the landing room except far smaller and with no laser rods... hopefully.

’Why do they even have this sort of room?’ He couldn’t help but ponder. Then his eyes landed on his roommate.

That was probably why for crazies like him who challenged people to spars on their first day.

Dale shifted slightly and touched the soft material of the military tracksuit he was wearing.

A few minutes before Austin dragged him, he had put it on because he couldn’t risk his only decent pair of clothes getting destroyed.

Plus it didn’t hurt that the tracksuit was impossibly soft, light, and tough at the same time. ’I guess the military is using tax-payers money well.’

Austin clapped his hands, getting his attention. Dale raised an eyebrow, "What?"

His roommate tilted his head. "You’re getting distracted. Are you ready?"

Dale frowned. "I have already tried to tell you that my ability isn’t battle-oriented." But it didn’t seem like the other was listening so he sighed, giving up.

He immediately shoved all thoughts aside and took on a proper stance... the best one he could. It wasn’t like he actually knew any martial arts.

An excited smile spread on Austin’s face. "GO!"

Dale was about to charge in when an immense force slammed into his stomach, knocking the wind out of his lungs.

His mouth opened in an attempt to gasp for air but instead, another force landed on him, tossing him across the room and slamming him against the wall.

The force reverberated through his bones, dazing him.

He didn’t even notice when he fell to the ground and coughed up a little blood.

Dale weakly pressed his hands into the ground and pushed himself up while ignoring the metallic taste in his mouth.

The figure of Austin was a little blurry but he still looked to be standing in his original position. "Kinetic thrust. Not bad for a dormant ability right?"

’Damn! Is this what people in the military are having as casual abilities?’ He knew that not all abilities were battle-oriented.

In fact, a large number of them were actually utility and efficiency-based. As such, each had its unique value.

One couldn’t claim that Doctor Edmond’s scanning ability was useless at all considering it allowed him to check for any irregularities in the human body.

Plus, unlike soldiers who were killed if caught, utility ability users were often taken hostage to be used by enemies. Being a forced worker was better than death.

Yet despite knowing all these, Dale couldn’t swallow his jealousy. Shouldn’t it be him who could toss someone across the room with his mind?

Shouldn’t it be him who could bend reality as he saw fit?!

Life has been unfair to him so why shouldn’t he get all the good that it could offer, now that he has the ability?

He gritted his teeth and his eyes focused on Austin’s figure.

Throwing caution to the wind, he charged in again.

A few steps in and he felt the world tilt, his legs in the air and his arms rather close to the ground. No, the world hadn’t tilted, Austin had used his ability to flip him.

Suspended in the air for that split second, a greater force squared in on his chest, sending him hitting the same wall.

Dale landed, facing the wall. ’That was definitely concussive.’ He shook his head, feeling a small headache brewing. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

He stood and turned to Austin. By then, his vision had gained focus and his eyes lightly widened.

Austin seemed paler, his skin drenched in sweat and his eyes slightly red. Even his muscles seemed to tremble slightly.

Dale suddenly remembered what Austin had said to him. ’How do you expect me to push something with my mind if I can’t with my body?’

Realization dawned on him and all of the pain that cascaded through his body seemed to disappear. Naturally, they had not but he was beyond focused at the moment.

They stared at each other for a minute, with both catching their breath. Granted, the fight wasn’t flashy but it was anything but easy for both of them.

’I hope I am right.’ Dale kissed his teeth and sprinted forward, keeping a clear line of sight with Austin’s muscles.

Just as he approached, they clenched and Dale reacted just as quickly. He planted his right foot firmly into the ground and kicked it, rapidly changing direction to his left.

Austin’s eyes widened and he tried again. Yet each time, Dale suddenly changed direction, dodging the attack.

The logic behind Dale’s tactic was quite simple. If one wanted to push a box and it suddenly swerved, what would happen?

Simple. You’ll push nothing and have to try again.

Austin had made a point of emphasis that his ability allowed him to push. So naturally, he had assumed the same rule would apply to him.

Yet in a world of mystical powers, there was also the chance he was wrong. Luckily, he wasn’t.

Dale closed in the distance and slammed an open palm onto Austin’s chest. Without thinking, he used [Energy Pulse].

As the wave of energy ran through his roommate’s body, Austin paused and fell to the ground, screaming.

He twisted on the ground, clawing at his chest with his nails, however, the fabric of his tracksuit held up.

"Shit!" Dale knelt beside his roommate whose screams only grew louder until they became quiet.

Dale held his breath. He couldn’t become a murderer so soon.

Austin suddenly let out a loud gasp, chuckling lightly as the pain that had ravaged him ceased.