"Oh man, did you see his face?" the girl laughed, wiping a tear from her eye. "He actually fell for it!"
"Alright, that's enough laughing. Did you even get what we came for?" one of the boys asked, catching his breath between chuckles.
"I checked all his pockets, but…" She sighed, brushing her hair back. "He didn't have a flag."
"What?" the first boy snapped. "You said he had a flag!"
"Hey, don't dump it all on me!" she shot back. "You two agreed to this too!"
The boy scoffed, folding his arms. "Only because you swore you saw it. Don't make it sound like this was my idea."
Their voices escalated quickly—petty accusations flying in every direction.
The second boy groaned and stepped back, arms raised in frustration. "Will you both shut up already?"
He jabbed a finger at them. "You're forgetting something. He wasn't alone. That other guy's bound to come looking."
His lips curled into a sharp grin. "And when he does… we'll take his flag instead."
"What trap are you talking about?" the girl scowled. "We already used the only one we had."
"Not a trap exactly," the second boy said, his grin widening. "We use the guy in the pit as leverage—offer a trade. His friend for their flags."
A soft chuckle echoed up from the hole.
It started small. Then it grew, calm and steady. Kajin's laughter reverberated through the dirt walls like he'd just heard a great joke.
The second boy stepped to the edge of the pit and squinted downward.
"What the hell's so funny?" he called. "Did you hit your head or something?"
Kajin's voice floated up, dry and amused. "Sorry to burst your bubble... but he's not my friend."
A pause. Then he added, "And unlike me, he's not the type to help strangers."
"Why should we believe you?"
Kajin shrugged, voice calm. "Believe what you want. I just told you the truth."
The trio exchanged uneasy glances.
"What now?" the girl muttered. "We can't waste time."
"We find someone else," the first boy said, already turning away.
"What a waste," the second boy muttered.
Kajin raised his voice again. "Hey! If you're leaving, mind giving me a hand?"
The three burst out laughing.
"You serious?" the second boy sneered. "A musclehead like you belongs down there."
Their laughter faded into the trees. Silence followed.
Then—
Crunch. Crunch.
Footsteps approached, slow and deliberate. From the underbrush, Zayden emerged.
Kajin peered up. "Didn't you say you don't help strangers? So why are you here?"
Zayden sighed, hands in his pockets. "If I didn't show up, Ito and the others would've started searching for you. That'd waste time."
He extended his hand down.
Kajin blinked. Then he took it.
With one firm pull, Zayden hoisted him out.
"Am I supposed to thank you now?" Kajin muttered.
"No need," Zayden said, already walking away. "Let's go."
The forest fell behind them as rising noise swelled ahead. The cheers of the crowd echoed like a storm.
Inside the stadium, spectators leaned forward, eyes locked on the battlefield.
A voice cut through the excitement:
"Everyone, listen! Twenty minutes remain in this round. Let's see how many can seize the moment and advance!"
The crowd erupted once more.
Meanwhile, in a forest clearing—
Ito and his friends sat on a fallen log. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the trees, dappled across the ground.
Eriska stood nearby, arms tightly crossed. Her foot tapped a steady rhythm, gaze fixed on the trail ahead.
"Eriska, you should calm down," Shion said gently.
"How can I when that idiot's probably off doing something ridiculous again?" she muttered.
"Don't worry. Zayden's with him," Shion reassured. "They'll be fine."
Shhh.
Gakurei's ears perked. His expression sharpened.
"I hear footsteps," he whispered.
"Huh?" Ito tilted his head. "What? I don't hear anything."
Shion chuckled. "Your name's Gakurei, right? Those ears—are they some kind of superpower?"
Eriska didn't look away. "No. He was born like that. He can hear anything—no matter how far."
Ito's jaw dropped. "That's so cool…"
Shion shaded his eyes, squinting. "Yeah… Zayden and Kajin are coming."
A bush rustled nearby.
Everyone turned, tense.
Leaves trembled.
From the foliage stepped a tall figure in the black-and-white uniform of the Supreme Knights. Dark eyes sparkled with mischief. A grin stretched across his face.
He waved.
"Hiii!"
Everyone blinked.
Eriska looked at Shion, arms still crossed. "Hey… do you know that guy?"
Shion frowned. "Never seen him before. Right, Sara? Ito?"
Sara and Ito both shook their heads.
The knight strolled out from the bushes. His uniform crisp, his presence oddly cheerful.
"Heyyy, kids! Can you tell me which way is north? This forest is so confusing."
Shion pointed. "That way, sir."
The knight smiled. "Thanks so much for your help."
Then he stopped right in front of Ito and looked down.
"What's your name, boy?"
Ito blinked. "Huh? Me? Uh… it's Ito."
The knight chuckled, eyes half-closed. "Ito, huh? Got any flags yet?"
"Not yet," Ito said slowly. "But… why are you asking?"
The knight's smile widened. "Then here's some advice—find one quick before time runs out."
Ito straightened, locking eyes with him. "Thanks. But I don't plan on failing. Flag or no flag."
The knight chuckled. "Huh. I like your confidence."
He leaned in close, whispering into Ito's ear—
"Watch your back."
And in the next instant… he was gone.
No sound. No trace. Just the leaves rustling behind where he'd stood.
Everyone stared, frozen.
"Did he just… disappear?" Ito whispered.
Eriska's gaze swept the trees. "I don't like this."
Shion's tone dropped. "Stay alert. That was no ordinary knight."
The silence that followed felt heavier than before.
Something had changed.