IMPERIUM:Earth’s Champion

Fort Eisenhower – 11 Days Until the Next Fight

The moment Orion stepped into the training room, he knew one thing for certain—he wasn't the same person who fought Bakari.

His body had recovered, the soreness fading into something more manageable, but it wasn't just physical. Something inside him had shifted. He could feel it. Imperium no longer felt like an external force he had to pull at—it was closer now, more responsive, like it was becoming an extension of himself rather than something he had to strain to use.

And that meant one thing.

It was time to push further.

Monroe was already waiting for him when he arrived at the private training facility. She had a clipboard, a coffee, and an expression that said, you better not collapse on me today.

"Alright, Graves," she said, scanning her notes. "You've got two objectives today—increase your stamina with Imperium and prepare for whatever freakshow we're dealing with next."

Orion cracked his neck. "Sounds fun."

"Yeah, fun," Monroe said dryly. "First off, the strategists want you to push your limits again—see how much you can alter before you hit exhaustion."

Orion exhaled. He had learned the hard way that Imperium wasn't limitless. He could erase, manipulate, and rewrite reality itself, but the more complex the change, the more it drained him.

And exhaustion wasn't just a little fatigue—it was a full-system shutdown.

Last time, erasing Bakari's balance and momentum mid-fight had nearly wiped him out. That meant his limits were still tight.

Time to change that.

The first exercise was simple: erasure.

A steel weight rack stood in the corner of the room, loaded with several hundred pounds. Orion raised his hand, focused, and let Imperium flow.

The rack vanished.

No sound. No residue. Just… gone.

Orion exhaled.

No strain.

Good.

He upped the scale.

He erased a full weight machine.

Then an entire row of benches.

Still nothing.

Monroe scribbled notes. "That's already better than last time. Try something more complex."

Orion nodded, adjusting his approach. This time, he didn't just erase—he altered.

A punching bag hung from the ceiling. Orion rewrote its density, making it as light as a feather. Then, with a snap of his fingers, made it impossibly heavy.

His breathing picked up. A little strain.

But nowhere near as bad as before.

He grinned.

He was getting stronger.

After training, Orion sat down in the war room, a high-tech space where government analysts, military strategists, and intelligence officers had gathered to prepare him for his next battle.

A large screen displayed footage of all the remaining champions.

Carter stood at the front, arms crossed. Monroe sat beside Orion, flipping through a tablet.

"Alright, Graves," Carter said. "You won your first fight. But so did over 100 other champions. We need to figure out who's next, and how to beat them."

The screen flashed with images of potential opponents.

Wei Zhen (China) – "Titan's Fortitude"

• Takes damage and grows stronger over time.

• Strategy: Avoid prolonged combat. Find a way to disable him early.

Dimitri Volkov (Russia) – "Iron Executioner"

• Strength multiplies the longer he fights.

• Strategy: Disrupt his momentum, don't let him build up power.

Camille Durand (France) – "Afterimage Reflex"

• Moves at speeds that create illusion-like afterimages.

• Strategy: Find a way to trap her, force her into a predictable pattern.

Ayanna Okafor (Kenya) – "Velocity Burst"

• Short bursts of extreme speed.

• Strategy: Bait out her movement, then strike before she can reset.

Orion studied the profiles, absorbing the information.

None of them had abilities like his.

None of them could bend reality.

That was his advantage.

Now he just had to figure out how to use it.

7 Days Until the Fight – Half-Day Leave

For the first time in weeks, Orion was allowed out.

From 12 A.M. to 12 P.M., he had complete freedom. No training. No strategists breathing down his neck. Just time to see his family and friends.

At least, that was the plan.

Reality?

Reality had other ideas.

Brooklyn – Graves Apartment

The moment Orion stepped out of the blacked-out government SUV, his mother was waiting.

Sophia Graves didn't say anything at first. She just looked at him.

And then—she hugged him.

Tightly.

Orion froze.

He hadn't realized how much he missed this.

"You look tired," she murmured.

"Yeah," Orion admitted. "Kinda comes with the whole 'fighting for my life' thing."

She pulled back, cupping his face. "You're getting stronger."

Orion smirked. "You keeping up with my fights?"

She sighed. "I don't have a choice. The entire world is watching you."

Orion exhaled. "Yeah… about that."

– Brooklyn –

He had wanted to see his friends.

Play some video games. Eat some real food. Just be normal for a few hours.

But normal wasn't possible anymore.

The second he stepped outside, people noticed.

First, a few glances.

Then, whispers.

Then—the crowd.

"Yo! That's Orion Graves!"

"Bro, can I get a picture?"

"Orion! What's your next fight?!"

"How does your power work?"

It spiraled fast.

He tried ignoring it.

Tried walking away.

But they followed.

Phones were out. Cameras flashing. Some people cheering, some just staring like he was an animal in a zoo.

A guy shoved a microphone in his face. "Orion, any comments on the tournament? Do you think you'll win?"

Orion clenched his jaw.

This was a mistake.

He had half a day of freedom.

And he couldn't even breathe without someone recognizing him.

– Brooklyn –

He finally got away.

Slipped into an old alley, climbed the fire escape, and found himself on the rooftop of an old apartment building.

The city stretched out below.

For a few minutes, he just breathed.

Then—his phone buzzed.

A message from Caleb.

Caleb: "Dude, where are you? We've been waiting."

Orion stared at the screen.

He could go.

Sneak back down, find his friends, try to pretend things were normal.

But they weren't.

They never would be again.

He exhaled sharply, typing back.

Orion: "Sorry, man. Got caught up. Next time."

Then, without waiting for a reply—he shut off his phone.

– Back to Fort Eisenhower –

When Orion walked back through the military base gates, Monroe was waiting.

"Have fun?" she asked.

Orion scoffed. "Yeah. Loved it."

Monroe smirked. "Welcome to being famous."

Orion sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Then, without another word, he headed to his quarters, collapsed onto the bed—

And fell asleep.

7 Days Until the Fight.

To Be Continued…