The laughter and music of the festival faded behind them as Ito and his friends walked down the stone path, the soft glow of lanterns flickering in the distance.
Ito suddenly slowed, narrowing his eyes at a familiar figure ahead.
Captain Zeth stood at the edge of the courtyard—hands in his coat pockets, posture effortlessly cool. A small crowd had gathered around him, mostly female students trying to sneak photos or steal another glance.
"Wow," Shion muttered. "He's still got that unshakable aura, huh?"
Sara said nothing, her gaze locked onto Zeth with unreadable intensity.
Ito scratched his cheek, awkward. "Didn't expect him to be this popular."
Zayden smirked. "What rock have you been living under?"
Ito stepped forward. "Captain Zeth? I thought you were on official business. What are you doing here?"
Zeth met his gaze, calm amusement flickering in his eyes. "Wrapped up early. Just came to check on things before the tournament."
The girls nearby giggled, snapping more photos of the elusive captain.
"Enjoying the festival, Ito?"
"Yes, Captain," Ito replied with a respectful bow.
Zeth's lips curled into a faint smile. "Good. Moments like this are rare. Make the most of them."
Then—a strange noise echoed from around the corner. Groans of pain… or was it pleasure?
They turned the bend and froze.
Captain Naeris stood tall, a skewer of grilled festival meat in one hand, the other resting casually on her hip. Beneath her boots were three boys—flat on the ground, grinning like idiots—as she nonchalantly stepped on them.
"Captain Naeris's divine footwork…" one of them gasped in awe.
"I can't feel my spine… but I've never felt more alive," another whispered, eyes sparkling.
Naeris didn't seem fazed—just mildly entertained. She shifted her weight from one heel to the other, triggering another wave of delighted groans.
Ito waved, trying to save the boys from total humiliation. "Captain Naeris! Over here!"
She glanced up, one brow raised. "Hmm? Oh. It's just you lot."
Shion blinked. "W-Wow… she really is as beautiful as the rumors say."
Sara remained silent, her expression unreadable.
Zayden chuckled. "Beautiful or not, those dudes look like they've reached enlightenment."
Naeris stepped off one of them and casually walked over. "How's the festival treating you?"
"We're enjoying it," Ito said. "We were heading to the fireworks when we ran into you and Captain Zeth. You coming with us?"
Naeris shook her head. "Tempting… but we've got work to finish. Go enjoy yourselves."
"Alright. We'll be at the show," Ito said with a smile.
Zeth's tone shifted slightly as he turned to her. "Did you find anything?"
Naeris's amusement vanished. "I searched the entire academy. No signs of infiltration."
"Same here," Zeth nodded. "Nothing strange… yet."
Naeris glanced toward the darkening sky. "Let's just hope the tournament isn't disrupted."
Zeth began to walk off, pausing briefly. "If anything happens, report to the Chief immediately."
"I don't need reminders," Naeris said coolly.
Later That Night…
Fireworks bloomed across the sky, painting the world in brilliant bursts of light and color.
But their beauty marked the end of calm—
Because the day of the tournament had arrived.
The academy grounds buzzed with anticipation. Ito and Sara moved with quiet determination through the crowd.
From above, a cartoonish chibi-version of Rayan floated in—arms outstretched, legs dangling. "Good luck, you two! Try not to trip in front of the whole audience!"
Sara sighed. "Brother, you're hopeless."
The words hit like a magical blast. Rayan spiraled dramatically to the ground. "Oof! A critical hit…!"
Ito laughed, giving a thumbs-up. "Thanks, Rayan. We've got this."
From the grass, Rayan raised a weak thumbs-up in return.
Hours Later – Tournament Carriage
Ito and Sara climbed into the grand carriage heading to the tournament grounds. Inside, they spotted Shion and Zayden already seated.
Three other students—fellow participants—sat nearby, chatting quietly.
"Well, look who finally decided to show," Shion said, nodding at them.
"Hope you're not still half-asleep, Ito," Zayden added with a smirk.
Ito grinned. "Wide awake. But seriously—where are we even going?"
Shion stretched. "Guess nobody read the notice. We're heading to the Imperial Nation—Violin. The heart of all twenty-five nations. Ruled by the Emperor. Founder of the Supreme Knights."
Zayden raised an eyebrow. "You sound like a tour guide."
Shion smirked. "Hey, someone's gotta bring the brains."
Ito leaned back, overwhelmed. "A tournament… in Violin? This is huge."
The scenery changed as the hours passed. Open fields gave way to winding mountain roads. The air grew colder. Thinner.
Then—
The carriage jolted to a sudden stop.
A massive boulder blocked the narrow road ahead. Too wide to go around. Too solid to move casually.
"You've gotta be kidding," Shion muttered. "If we don't move that, we'll miss the tournament!"
Tension rippled through the group.
Ito stepped off the carriage, the others following silently. He stared at the obstruction—then clenched his fists.
"If I can't face this… everything I've done means nothing."
A dark aura began to rise from his body—slow, silent, and heavy with power.
The others watched, stunned.
Ito stepped forward, took a deep breath—
CRACK!
A smaller boulder nearby shattered as he punched through it, dust exploding into the air.
Strike after strike followed. More rocks crumbled. His black aura surged with every blow.
Then he turned to the massive boulder.
"Your turn."
He launched into it—fists flying, knuckles splitting, blood painting the stone.
The ground trembled.
"I won't stop… not now!" he roared.
Zayden's smirk had vanished. "He's really…"
Shion whispered, "He's not just breaking rocks. He's breaking limits."
Sara stood motionless, voice steady. "He'll do it."
Cracks began to form.
But the boulder still stood—barely.
And the clock ticked mercilessly.
Twenty minutes left…Or they wouldn't even get the chance to fight.