"So, what did you say, kid?" Chief Kaito asked, his voice calm but firm.
A shadow crossed Ito's face.
His jaw clenched, eyes dropping.
The world around him blurred—voices fading into a distant hum.
If it were just about himself, maybe he'd accept without protest.
But then he saw them—his friends—in his mind:
Zayden's cocky grin.Shion's cheerful voice.Sara's steady gaze.
He couldn't do this for himself alone.
His fists trembled—not with fear, but with the weight of doing what's right.
Before he could speak, Zayden, Shion, and Sara stepped forward together, shouting:
"Yes, he will win!"
Their voices rang out with fierce conviction, slicing through the tension like a blade.
Ito's eyes widened.
He turned toward them, emotion flooding his gaze.
"Your hands are in bad shape," Zayden said firmly, "but we know how much this tournament means to you."
"We're in this together. That's what friends do, right?" Shion added, calm and resolute.
Ito looked to Sara.
She didn't speak—just met his eyes with a gentle, reassuring look.
A faint smile tugged at her lips—soft and sincere.
No grand gestures. No words.
Just a nod.
Quiet, but powerful.
Confidence slowly lit Ito's eyes.
He turned back to Chief Kaito and said with determination,"I promise—we'll win this tournament."
Chief Kaito smirked."Alright then. It's decided. Let him take part."
"Yes, sir," the registration officer replied.
"If everything's settled, I should get going, be—"
A sharp voice cut through the moment like a blade.
"Chief Kaito, didn't you have a mountain of paperwork waiting? What are you doing loitering here?"
Kaito froze mid-step.
His towering presence, once intimidating, seemed to shrink under that voice.
A bead of sweat slid down his temple.
The students turned—and behind him stood a woman in a pristine white uniform.
Crisp. Spotless. Almost glowing under the sunlight.
Her long blue hair flowed down her back like a silken waterfall, swaying gently as she approached.
The crowd watched in awe as the mighty Chief looked like he was about to faint.
"Ahaha! Captain Elira! I—I was just checking on the students! Making sure everything's running smoothly, you know?"
Ito leaned toward Shion and whispered,"She's really just a captain?"
Shion grinned,"At this point, I think she's the final boss."
Elira's eyes sparkled with a dangerous glint."Well then, Chief… let's get you back to that mountain of unfinished work, shall we?"
"...Yes, ma'am."
With that, the mighty Chief of the Supreme Knights was led away like a schoolboy caught skipping class.
The crowd was too stunned to laugh… almost.
"Thank you for your help, sir," Ito said, watching Kaito disappear behind Elira's firm stride.
Hours later, registration finally ended.
Ito and the other students stood lined up in formation.
A massive crowd had gathered—spectators from every nation, buzzing with excitement for the grand tournament.
A man stepped forward, holding a shimmering crystal microphone.
His voice rang out across the grounds, clear and commanding.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. I'm your host—Rock!"
A wave of cheers erupted, thundering across the arena.
"After the grand celebrations of the Knights Festival, we've arrived at the moment everyone's been waiting for!"
Excitement rippled through nobles, warriors, and citizens from the twenty-five nations.
"The greatest tournament across all realms—graced today by none other than…"
He let suspense hang for a beat.
"…Her Highness, Princess Valeria!"
Gasps swept the arena as every eye turned to the royal balcony.
There she stood—poised, radiant, her serene gaze sweeping the crowd.
Applause thundered, heads bowed in reverence.
So, she's the princess… Ito thought.
Wait—hold on. Is that Chief Kaito standing behind her?
"Hey, Shion, why's only the princess up there? Where's the king?" Zayden asked, leaning in.
"The king's been sick for a few years now," Shion replied."She's been managing everything in his place."
Ito looked back to the balcony—and froze.
Something moved.
A shadow glided above the princess, circling slowly in the air.
Huh? A… crow? Ito narrowed his eyes. Didn't know this world had animals like that…
He nudged Shion and pointed."Do you see that?"
Zayden and Sara followed his gaze, but their faces stayed blank.
No reaction. No recognition.
As if there was nothing there at all.
Ito looked back.
Gone.
The space where the bird circled was empty, untouched, like it never existed.
Was I... imagining it?
Sara's voice broke through his daze.
"Is something wrong? Are you alright?" she asked, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"…Nothing. Everything's fine," Ito said quietly, forcing a smile—though his chest felt heavy.
"So, moving on," Rock's booming voice echoed.
"After the first round, two hundred students remain."
"These contenders now face two more rounds to decide who claims victory."
A hush fell.
"For the second round," Rock continued, his voice cutting through like a drumbeat,"All participants must enter Ronko Forest and retrieve one of the small red flags hidden inside."
"There are exactly one hundred flags. Each student must secure one to advance."
Murmurs rippled among the students.
"You may go solo or form teams—but fighting over flags is strictly prohibited."
"Knights will patrol the forest to ensure safety and enforce the rules."
"You'll have four hours. If all flags are claimed before time's up, the round ends immediately."
He let the weight of the challenge hang in the air.
"And finally," he added, "in the third and last round… you must survive until sunset—while holding your flags."
"The ones with the most flags at the end will be declared champions."
"Did you get all that, Ito?" Zayden asked, pointing at Rock.
"Half of it," Ito admitted.
"What about you, Shion? Sara?" he asked.
"Well, that's expected from you," Shion teased with a grin.
"But don't worry—you can leave the understanding part to us."
"Wait, Shion—he's still talking," Sara said, voice calm but sharp enough to quiet them both.
Rock's voice rose again, full of energy.
"Get ready!"
A deep horn roared—BOOOOM—followed by war drums pounding like thunder.
"The moment you hear this sound—run! The Ronko Forest awaits!"
Tension snapped taut.
All eyes fixed on the towering trees in the distance.
Then—
BOOOOOOOM!
The signal echoed again.
And just like that—the tournament began.