The dawn broke over the forest, casting a golden hue upon the landscape as Ryoshi stirred from his slumber.
"Perfect timing, I was just about to wake you up the hard way," Fuyu remarked, his voice cutting through the morning stillness.
"The what way?" Ryoshi blinked, still groggy from sleep.
"You see him?" Fuyu gestured towards Toruri, who was still lost in dreams.
Without warning, Fuyu hurled a rock at Toruri, who yelped in surprise. "OW, WHY FUYU, WHY?!!!" he protested, rubbing his bruised side.
"You're kind of overreacting," Ryoshi observed, bemused by Toruri's dramatic response.
"I was having an amazing dream, that no one could ever think of," Toruri lamented, his voice tinged with disappointment.
"That being?" Ryoshi inquired, curiosity piqued.
"I'm not telling you, or anyone! You just have to imagine," Toruri declared, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Ah- ok," Ryoshi conceded, realizing that some dreams were meant to remain a mystery.
"You two get up, we have 20 minutes to make it to the summer season's place," Fuyu announced, his tone brisk.
"Oh, we're fighting the summer season first," Toruri remarked, excitement bubbling in his voice.
"Yup! And because last time we did this, the autumn season traveled instead of hosting a match at their respective zone. So we get to travel!" Fuyu explained, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"When was the last test?" Ryoshi queried, eager to learn more about the traditions of Negative Point.
"1100 years ago... yeah, about everyone who's a rank up being trained... The seasons only train people once every 1100 years, so you're lucky," Fuyu revealed, a hint of nostalgia coloring his words.
"So this is your first time hosting your own test?" Ryoshi surmised, marveling at the significance of the occasion.
"Yup, now let's get going! Kuroshi is waiting for us at the summer area," Fuyu declared, already moving towards the exit.
"Yessir," Ryoshi replied dutifully, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them.
"I'm already excited!" Toruri exclaimed, bounding after Fuyu with youthful enthusiasm.
"As you should be. Let's go," Fuyu urged, his voice tinged with excitement.
They exited the winter zone and entered the living area of the Negative Point, the bustling energy of the day ahead propelling them forward.
"Since the summer season is all the way across the gosh darn continent, this might take a while, unless you guys find a way to keep up with my speed," Fuyu remarked, his pace quickening.
"I would try to keep up with your speed, but one more question, Fuyu," Ryoshi interjected, seizing the opportunity to satisfy his curiosity.
"Geez, you ask a lot of questions," Fuyu chuckled, his demeanor lightening.
"Yeah, sorry for that, I'm just new to a lot of things," Ryoshi apologized, his eagerness to learn shining through.
"I know, that's why I don't scold you for that stuff," Fuyu reassured him, his gaze warm with understanding.
"Ok. Who is that old guy on the newspaper claiming to be a founder of Negative Point?" Ryoshi inquired, his curiosity piqued by the mysterious figure.
"Oh, that guy! He was taken out by the hit-man team because he wanted to leave the Negative Point and wanted to tell the world about the Negative Point. So they rapidly aged him, and erased 98% of his memory about the Negative Point. We didn't know he had the photo though," Fuyu explained, shedding light on the enigmatic figure.
"Oh, nice. Well, Toruri- wait, where did Toruri go?" Ryoshi scanned the area, realizing that Toruri had vanished in the midst of their conversation.
"He flew off while I was talking, time to speed up," Fuyu declared, his form blurring as he disappeared into the distance, leaving Ryoshi to follow in his wake.
Ryoshi panted as he came to a sudden stop, his heart pounding in his chest.
"I- well damn, left behind once again! I wonder how fast I am now," he mused aloud, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
With determination burning in his veins, Ryoshi began to run, his strides growing longer and more powerful with each passing moment.
"I'm going so fast right now!" Ryoshi exclaimed, exhilaration coursing through his veins as he pushed himself to new limits.
As he ran, Ryoshi felt a strange sensation washing over him, a tingling in his limbs and a sense of weightlessness that seemed to defy explanation.
"Am I reaching the speed!?" Ryoshi wondered aloud, his voice barely audible over the rush of wind in his ears.
Suddenly, without warning, Ryoshi collided with something solid, the impact knocking him off his feet and sending him sprawling onto the ground.
"Owww," Ryoshi groaned, rubbing his aching limbs as he struggled to sit up.
"Took you long enough," Fuyu remarked, his voice tinged with amusement as he helped Ryoshi to his feet.
"Tch-" Kuroshi grunted, his expression unreadable as he brushed himself off.
"You okay, Kuroshi?" Toruri asked, concern etched upon his features.
"Yes," Kuroshi replied curtly, his gaze flickering towards Ryoshi with a hint of annoyance.
"I'm sorry, Kuroshi," Ryoshi apologized, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Okay, now that everyone's here, we can enter the arena!" Fuyu announced, his excitement palpable as he gestured towards the imposing structure before them.
"Arena?" Ryoshi echoed, rising to his feet and scanning his surroundings.
To his astonishment, he saw a volcano in the shape of a dog's head, complete with two long, pointy boulders for ears. The ground was covered in ash, and the grass beneath their feet seemed to smolder with heat. Nearby, a beach stretched out alongside the volcano, the tranquil waves lapping gently against the shore.
"Whoa..." Ryoshi breathed, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in the surreal landscape before him.
With a sense of anticipation building in his chest, Ryoshi followed Fuyu and the others towards the entrance of the arena, eager to discover what challenges awaited them within.
"Yeah, the arena is behind the volcano, so let's hurry before we're late," Fuyu urged, his voice tinged with urgency.
"Ok!" Ryoshi replied eagerly, his heart pounding with anticipation.
The group sprinted to the other side of the volcano, where the imposing structure of the arena loomed before them. Four figures stood beside it, each exuding an aura of strength and determination.
"Hey, Taiyo!" Fuyu called out, drawing the attention of the shirtless man who approached them.
"Fuyu! My long-time rival! How's it been?" Taiyo greeted him with a grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Good! So, do you want to get started or what?" Fuyu replied, his own grin mirroring Taiyo's.
"Sure thing, I'll just introduce my students to the newbie," Taiyo agreed, turning his attention to Ryoshi.
Ryoshi's heart skipped a beat as he realized Taiyo was referring to him.
"Toruri, Kuroshi, you already know who they are. The one in the black vest is Shimisu, he's my adopted son and is the trapper of my team. The girl beside him is Sani, she is my daughter and the sniper of the team, and the one in the coat is Hiyoku, he's the one that you'll be fighting, he's the inheritor of the group," Taiyo explained, introducing his team members with pride.
Ryoshi felt a surge of confidence swell within him as he sized up his opponent, Hiyoku.
"That guy? I can take him!" Ryoshi thought to himself, determination blazing in his eyes.
"It's about time I get to fight someone again! You better be strong," Hiyoku taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"No... YOU BETTER BE STRONG!" Ryoshi shot back, refusing to back down.
"I could toss you around like some salad if I wanted to. You don't look like that much yourself," Hiyoku retorted, his smirk widening.
"I'll show you a salad after I beat you!" Ryoshi declared, his fists clenched in determination.
"Save that energy for the fight for you two... which is now. The both of you go into the arena and stand on separate sides," Fuyu instructed, his voice cutting through the tension.
Ryoshi and Hiyoku entered the arena, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze as they prepared to face off.
"Alright, the rules are as follows..." Taiyo began, outlining the rules of the battle with authority.
Ryoshi's heart pounded with anticipation as the countdown began.
"One... Two... Three... GO!!!" Taiyo's voice rang out, signaling the start of the match.
The arena was surrounded by a huge see-through square barrier, isolating Ryoshi and Hiyoku from the outside world.
"Try your best, Ryoshi, I know you can do it," Fuyu's words echoed in Ryoshi's mind as he braced himself for the fight of his life.