Titan Rumble Ch 36: Plans For The Future, Signing Up For The Tournament For Titans!

Cain sat cross-legged on Yuna's shoulder, his arms folded across his chest as he looked down at the line of students gathered in the wide courtyard of the dojo. Morning sunlight spilled across the polished wooden floors and gravel paths, casting long shadows behind Rika, Emiko, Nao, Satsuki, and Kaito as they waited, backs straight, eyes forward. Aurora stood at the end of the line, arms crossed, looking like she'd rather set the entire place on fire than follow instructions.

From his perch, Cain let his gaze drift across them all. The mix of nerves, determination, and boredom was easy to read. He could tell who had eaten a proper breakfast and who hadn't just by how they stood. Rika's arms trembled with energy. Kaito's jaw was locked tight. Satsuki already looked like she was regretting waking up this morning.

Below him, Yuna's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "Today, we begin with endurance training. All of you—twenty laps around the dojo. Full speed."

"Yes, sensei!!!" the group shouted in unison.

Cain winced, covering his ears with both hands. The chorus was deafening at his size, like someone had set off fireworks right next to his head. "Ugh, they're gonna rupture my eardrums one of these days..." he muttered.

Yuna glanced at him from the corner of her eye, amused but saying nothing.

The students broke into a run, circling the dojo in a ragged line, gravel crunching beneath their feet. Dust kicked up with each step, drifting lazily through the morning air.

Cain's eyes widened when he spotted Aurora in the pack. She wasn't just running—she was fuming. Her jaw was clenched, her arms pumping with more aggression than anyone else, her golden hair snapping behind her like a whip. Every stride she took was twice as long as the others, her pace blistering, her annoyance radiating off her like heat waves.

"Would you look at that," Cain said, leaning forward slightly from Yuna's shoulder, one hand bracing on her collar. "She looks ready to murder the dirt under her feet."

Yuna smirked, her eyes tracking Aurora's movements. "She's still burning from losing yesterday. Let her stew. Pride can be a good motivator."

Cain chuckled, though the sound was tired. His body still carried the ghost of that mindscape battle, even if the injuries were gone. He rubbed the back of his neck, watching Aurora storm past the others with ease.

He knew better than anyone how much stronger she was compared to the rest of them. She could've run fifty laps without breaking a sweat, while half the group was already wheezing after five. But that was exactly the problem. If Aurora was always this far ahead, then there would never be a team—they'd just be a girl with pride and a handful of stragglers trying to keep up.

Cain leaned back against Yuna's neck, sighing. "First order of business," he said under his breath, "get everyone else to her level."

"What was that?" Yuna asked without looking at him.

"Nothing," Cain replied, though his eyes stayed locked on Aurora's annoyed expression as she looped around the courtyard again.

The students shouted breathless counts each time they completed a lap, their voices growing weaker with each round. Sweat soaked through uniforms, lungs burned, and by the tenth lap Kaito's legs looked like they were about to give out.

Aurora, of course, didn't break rhythm once. If anything, she looked more irritated with every lap, as though the exercise was beneath her.

Cain smirked, muttering just loud enough for himself to hear. "Good. Stay pissed. That's when you're easiest to push."

Yuna's sharp voice cut across the courtyard.

"Line up!"

The five students—Rika, Emiko, Nao, Satsuki, and Kaito—skidded to a stop mid-run, panting, their feet kicking up the dust from the dojo's grounds. Aurora, arms crossed and jaw tight, fell in line a little slower than the rest, though her eyes still burned with irritation.

Cain felt Yuna's massive hand close gently around him, lifting him from her shoulder. She opened her palm so he could stand on it, like a platform, elevated above the others. Cain planted his feet, brushing himself off, before looking down at the group. His voice carried confidence and just enough bite to make them listen.

"Alright, listen up. I want to enlist all of you into the Alpha Tournament Titan Rumble."

The students stiffened. Even Aurora's brow lifted slightly. Cain let the weight of his words hang a moment before he continued.

"But to do that, we need to qualify. And qualification means defeating the ten Combat Masters and earning their badges."

A collective gasp rippled through the lineup. Emiko was the first to speak, her voice trembling.

"Wait—you mean the Combat Masters? Each of them are—" 

"—monsters," Nao cut in, disbelief written all over his face. "They've all mastered aura. Nobody just beats a Combat Master."

Satsuki shook her head slowly. "They're on a whole different level. Even Alphas train for years before they can stand against them."

Even Yuna's brows rose. "Cain," she said softly, "do you understand what you're suggesting?"

Cain folded his arms, smirking down at all of them. "Of course I do. That's why it's the only way forward. You all want to stand among the strongest, don't you? Then you need to face the strongest. And to stand a chance against aura-users..." He let the words linger, scanning their anxious expressions. "...you'll have to learn aura yourselves."

Rika's eyes widened. "Us? Learn aura? But... can we even—"

"That's why it's a good thing we already have someone who can use it." Cain turned and pointed straight at Aurora.

Aurora's eyes narrowed, but before Cain could enjoy the moment, he suddenly felt the ground vanish beneath his feet. His stomach dropped, and the next thing he knew he was sliding down into the waiting cradle of Yuna's palm.

"What gives?" he barked, looking up at her towering figure, arms thrown out for balance.

Yuna smiled knowingly, tilting her head down at him. "Aurora isn't the only one who can use aura."

Cain's eyes widened as a soft hum filled the courtyard. Yuna's entire body began to glow, her skin outlined in a fierce, shimmering blue light. It rippled like living flame, pouring off her in radiant waves. Her hair floated slightly as though gravity had loosened its hold. The air itself seemed to vibrate around her, each breath she took radiating pure force.

"Whoa," Cain muttered, his bravado faltering for just a moment as he stared up at her. "Well... damn."

The students were frozen, their eyes wide, caught somewhere between awe and terror. Aurora, though still scowling, clenched her jaw tighter as though trying to keep her surprise hidden.

Yuna closed her hand slightly around Cain, bringing him closer to her glowing chest, her smile soft but edged with pride. "If you want them to learn aura, Cain... then they'll learn it from me."

Cain scratched the back of his neck, chuckling under his breath. "Guess I should've seen that coming."

The courtyard was quiet for a moment, save for the sound of Yuna's aura crackling like fire through the air. The students exchanged glances, their earlier doubts now twisted into a mix of fear and anticipation. Cain looked down at them all, smirk returning to his face.

"Well," he said, clapping his hands together. "Looks like class just got a whole lot more interesting."