Nero gnced at Zeke, noticing the deep frown that had settled on his friend's face. He nudged him with his elbow. "Alright, you've been making that face for the past five minutes. What's up?"

  Zeke exhaled through his nose before looking at the three of them. "Garden Zero... It's not just some training ground. It's a controlled battlefield. Each floor has a different difficulty, and they're filled with all sorts of creatures, things we haven't even learned to deal with yet."

  Iris tilted her head. "Creatures? Like simutions?"

  Zeke shook his head. "No. Real creatures. The academy controls the environment, but once you step inside, you're on your own. You only clear a floor by defeating the 'Floor King.'"

  Jaris blinked. "Floor King? What's that?"

  "No idea," Zeke admitted. "But whatever it is, it won't be easy."

  Nero leaned back, crossing his arms with a grin. "Sounds like a challenge. And with all four of us combined, we're strong enough to handle it."

  Jaris nodded. "That's true, but... Nero, you still need to awaken your ability first."

  Zeke gave a small nod. "Yeah. This could be a good opportunity for you to push yourself. The sooner you awaken, the better."

  Iris agreed. "It would help you catch up faster."

  Jaris stretched, letting out a zy sigh. "Besides, anything's better than sitting through those boring csses."

  Nero hesitated for a moment, debating. Should he tell them now? He had already awakened, but… he hadn't told anyone yet. His ability. It wasn't normal.

  His fingers tapped against the table before he finally made up his mind.

  "Actually… I have to tell you guys something." He stood up, slinging his jacket over his shoulder. "Let's grab some coffee first."

  * * *

  Nero had braced himself for their reactions. Maybe pity, maybe a few awkward attempts at reassurance. He disliked his ability, it was too unreliable, too luck-based. He had been expecting something aggressive, something like short-distance teleportation or a raw offensive power. Instead, he got… this.

  But instead of the sympathy he anticipated, he got three very different expressions.

  Jaris looked amazed, his eyes practically shining with excitement.

  Iris looked concerned, as if he'd just told her he'd developed a chronic illness.

  And Zeke… Zeke just had a deep, contemptive frown, like he was already trying to solve a problem he hadn't voiced yet.

  "So let me get this straight," Jaris finally said, leaning forward. "You flip a coin, and if it nds on heads, you get a power-up?"

  Nero nodded.

  "But if it nds on tails, you get debuffed? Or, like, hurt?" Jaris continued.

  Nero exhaled through his nose. "Yeah. Or nauseated. Or paralyzed. Or just, you know, any kind of bad effect the world decides to throw at me that day."

  Jaris blinked. Then, to Nero's complete and utter disbelief, his lips curled into a grin.

  "Dude. That's insane."

  Nero stared at him. "Insane is one word for it."

  "I mean, think about it! You're literally gambling with fate in real-time. One second, you're a god, and the next, you're on the floor regretting life decisions. That's kind of awesome."

  "No, it's not," Nero groaned, rubbing his temples. "It's completely unreliable! How am I supposed to use an ability I can't even control?"

  Iris leaned forward, her concern still evident. "Have you tested it properly? There might be a pattern or some kind of condition to influence the outcome."

  Nero shook his head. "I've been flipping coins since my awakening. It's random, Iris. Straight fifty-fifty."

  Jaris hummed. "So, in a fight, you just… flip and hope?"

  "Pretty much."

  Jaris whistled. "Man. That's rough, buddy."

  Zeke finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "It's not as simple as luck."

  Nero looked at him. "It literally is."

  Zeke shook his head. "No. There's always a way to work around a system. Even if the results are random, the timing of when you flip, how you adapt to the outcome, that's where strategy comes in."

  Nero wasn't sure if that was actual advice or just Zeke trying to force logic into a completely illogical situation.

  Jaris, meanwhile, was still grinning. "Damn. So we're teaming up with a walking casino. This is going to be fun."

  Iris shot him a look. "Jaris."

  "What? I mean, sure, it's unpredictable, but imagine the moments. Nero flips, boom, instant power-up. Or—" He snickered. "Boom, instant disaster. Either way, it's going to be memorable."

  Zeke sighed, clearly already regretting his life choices. "We're going to need to work on risk management."

  "Risk management?" Nero scoffed. "Just say damage control at this point."

  Jaris leaned back, arms crossed. "Nah, I think we just let fate decide. Live a little."

  Nero groaned. He was doomed.

  "It doesn't matter," Iris said firmly, cutting off any further debate. "We can't take the challenges unless Skyreach approves it first."

  The weight of her words settled over them, a reminder that, no matter how excited—or horrified—any of them were about Nero's ability, the decision wasn't entirely in their hands.

  "They're only letting 'deemed capable' students enter, right?" Jaris leaned back in his seat, tapping his fingers against the table. "So we might not even get the chance."

  "True," Zeke said, his expression unreadable. "But if they're opening Garden Zero to first-years now, it means they're expecting a certain level of strength and adaptability from us. We're going to be tested, whether we like it or not."

  "Exactly," Iris nodded. "And while I'd like to believe we'll all get in, we have no idea how they're going to assess us. Skyreach doesn't take risks lightly."

  "Yeah, well," Nero muttered, spinning a coin between his fingers, "they better not leave it to luck."

  Jaris smirked. "Why? Afraid you'll roll snake eyes?"

  "Jaris, that's dice," Nero deadpanned.

  "Same thing."

  Zeke ignored them, his gaze distant as if he were already running calcutions in his head. "Either way, we should be prepared."

  "For something we don't even know is happening?" Jaris raised an eyebrow.

  "Yes," Zeke said simply.

  "Ugh. You sound like a professor."

  Iris ignored their banter and turned to Nero. Her gaze was steady, unwavering. "Even if you don't like your ability, you still want to be strong, right? You want to take this challenge."

  Nero went silent. The coin in his fingers stilled, its edges pressing into his skin.

  Of course he wanted to be strong. That was never in question. But this ability, this ridiculous, unpredictable gamble of a power, felt like an insult. Like he wasn't meant to stand among the strong, only to roll the dice and hope for the best.

  Even so…

  He clenched his jaw. "Yeah," he admitted. "I do."

  Iris nodded. "Then let's go train."

  Jaris groaned dramatically. "Training? I just suggested eating!"

  "Then run faster, and you'll earn your meal," Zeke said, already standing.

  Jaris sighed in defeat. "Man, I should've picked smarter friends."

  Nero flipped his coin into the air and caught it. "Too te for that."

  And with that, they left, determination simmering beneath their usual banter.

  * * *

  Nero rolled his shoulders, exhaling slowly as he faced Zeke across the training mat. The air between them buzzed with anticipation. It wasn't often they got the chance to go all out like this, and if Nero wanted to properly judge his strength, there was no better opponent.

  He tilted his head. "Come to think of it, Zeke, you never really told us what your power does."

  From the sidelines, Jaris and Iris sat comfortably with a bowl of popcorn between them, far more invested in spectating than training.

  Zeke rotated his neck, warming up his muscles. "It's mostly just enhanced reflexes, vision, senses… and strength."

  Jaris paused mid-bite. "So, you're basically a superhero."

  Zeke shot him a look.

  Jaris grinned. "Can you fly?"

  "Focus on your popcorn," Zeke deadpanned.

  Iris sighed. "Can you two not?"

  Nero smirked. "So, enhanced everything, huh? Sounds kinda overpowered."

  Zeke shrugged. "It's nothing crazy. Just means I react faster, hit harder, and see things more clearly."

  Jaris snorted. "Right, just minor things like being better than everyone else."

  "Wouldn't call it that," Zeke said, stretching his arms. "You could still beat me with the right tactics."

  Nero raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

  "Well, you could start by actually figuring out how your ability works before using it in a fight," Zeke said dryly.

  Jaris nudged Iris. "He's got a point. Nero's strategy so far has been flipping a coin and praying."

  Iris nodded, trying to suppress a smile. "A bold strategy. Not a great one, though."

  Nero scowled. "You guys act like I have any control over this."

  "Isn't that the problem?" Zeke said, cracking his knuckles. "Now hurry up. Flip the coin, so I can beat you already."

  Nero flipped the coin into the air, watching as it spun before nding neatly in his palm.

  Heads.

  "Oh, thank god."

  A sudden lightness filled his legs, a strange, springy sensation surging through his muscles. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion before curiosity took over. He bent his knees and pushed off the ground.

  And shot straight into the air.

  "What the—"

  The world blurred around him for a moment before gravity pulled him back down, nding with a solid thud that sent a slight tremor through his knees.

  There was a beat of silence.

  Then Jaris burst into uncontrolble ughter. "HAHA—Dude! You got frog legs!"

  Nero scowled. "That's not—"

  Jaris wheezed. "No, no, this is amazing. Imagine sprinting into battle just ribbit and then boing!" He mimicked exaggerated jumping motions, nearly dropping his popcorn in the process.

  Iris sighed, shooting him a look. "Jaris, stop it. We have to be supportive as friends."

  Jaris wiped a fake tear. "Oh, I am supportive. I'm supporting my own entertainment."

  "At least it's a buff this time," Zeke noted. "Could've been worse."

  "How?" Nero asked, still trying to shake the odd feeling in his legs.

  Zeke shrugged. "You could've gotten, I don't know, inverted controls? Maybe your arms go limp? The possibilities are endless."

  Jaris snapped his fingers. "Ooooh, imagine if he got a buff but also made him super slow at talking. Like, he'd try to yell a battle cry, but it'd take him two minutes to say a single word."

  Iris shook her head. "You two are terrible."

  Nero pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hate you all."

  Zeke, completely unfazed, simply rolled his shoulders again. "You done testing that out? Or do you need a lily pad to sit on?"

  Nero exhaled sharply. "Fight me."

  "Gdly."

  Jaris leaned toward Iris, whispering, "If he gets another buff, I'm calling it, Nero is actually just a chaotic summon creature."

  "Jaris," Iris warned.

  "What?"

  And just like that, the duel began.