The boisterous applause of the crowd echoed throughout the stadium as they eagerly awaited the commencement of the Annual Rumble Fest. The venue was illuminated with radiant lights in every corner, nearly outshining the sun's rays that filtered in.
"Finally, another rumble fest," exclaimed some members of the crowd as new spectators took their seats.
The Annual Rumble Fest was a highly anticipated event, both for the competing students and the spectating audience. It served as a send-off for the students, preparing them physically for the upcoming holidays.
As the first school, Phoenix Gauge, a Kyoto prefectural high school, made their entrance, the spectators cheered enthusiastically. The students looked immaculate in their red and white jackets and trousers, radiating an aura of formidability.
"Undoubtedly a distinguished institution," commented a member of the crowd, with others concurring.
Soon after, a fan club located near the battlefield began to cheer as the Storm Breakers, another denomination of the Slay Corp, arrived. Six more schools followed suit, except the Tokyo prefectural high school, Slay Force.
Bang!
Bang!
Ace was awoken by a loud noise.
"Dang!" exclaimed Ace in frustration as he threw his blanket aside. He jumped out of bed and peered out the window, only to be momentarily blinded by the sun's intense rays.
"Shoot, I'm running late," muttered Ace under his breath as he quickly showered, dressed, and made his way downstairs.
"Ace, you're late," scolded Nichole as she watched him come down the stairs.
He hurried to the dining room, greeted his parents, and began to eat his breakfast.
"This year, all contestants will engage in three matchups. However, we are still waiting for the arrival of a school," announced the newscaster on television.
"You're late, dear. Perhaps the school is waiting for your arrival, which is why they have not yet arrived," quipped Nichole, returning to her duties.
"I am aware, mother," replied Ace, still chewing on his food.
William, who was engrossed in reading the newspaper, looked up and smiled.
"Emma, go and cheer up your brother," said William.
"Daddy, he has not yet earned his place at my level. He must first compensate me," retorted Emma.
"What?!" exclaimed Ace, his mouth agape in disbelief. He was about to smack Emma on her head, but Nichole and William quickly intervened.
"Now, now, let us all calm down," soothed the two of them.
"Mom," Ace said, hoping for a better response from both his parents. He looked away and gazed at Emma for a while before continuing to eat his miso soup and rice balls.
"Truly a delicacy," Ace exclaimed as he savored the last bite. He stepped out of the house and his father followed him into the car as they drove to school.
As they reached the school, Ace's classmates began scolding him for his unorganized nature. But Ace didn't seem to care. They got on the bus and headed to the arena.
"The last institution has arrived," announced the event commentator.
The crowd cheered on seeing the arrival of the final contestants. They walked in standing out from the rest, giving a fearful vibe to those around. The crowd didn't care, they continued their cheer.
"As I said, you all will compete in three matchups but, you have to be grouped."
"Each group will have a total of at least 50 students with students from the seven schools," the commentator continued.
With a total of 639 students from all seven schools, 12 groups were formed. 30% of these students would end up being part of the Slay Corp and protect the whole of Japan from the deadly demons.
Although the numbers were few, they would certainly do the job right if they were able to pass through the rigorous training in their academy.
"The three matchups will be a physical test, a simulation test, and a battle royale," the commentator said.
He explained the match thus:
"The physical test will be a series of individual athletics. All the students will be evaluated and each group will be eliminated based on the failure rate of the majority in the group."
"The second matchup will be a simulation test, where harmless demons will be simulated, testing your emotional and mental ability. You will be put through a series of horrific events to test your ability to handle situations with demons."
"The third, as we all know will be a battle royale. It's self-explanatory but it's a 1 v 1 battle."
"Just to enlighten you, as the battle royale is a 1v1 battle, the number of students will be reduced exponentially with each round."
"And the battle commences," the commentator concluded.
Thereafter, the crowd started cheering once again and the first matchup began.
All participants engaged in athletic events, some tired out quickly leaving the rest in the lead. A sequence of tough activities. They all tried to keep up, as there was no time to rest.
"I think I'm gonna die," students in different groups said as sweat dripped from their bodies.
Some students broke down and medical personnel rushed in to handle them. As usual, Ace had already started his series of training and was on his way to finishing all the activities left.
Ten minutes later, the first round was over and a whopping 5 teams were eliminated, leaving 7 teams in the running. Ace was thrilled to learn that his team had won the first round, but their joy was short-lived.
"You have 1 hour to rest and the second matchup will commence," the commentator said.
"I hope you will be ready as the next matchup will be worse than this."
All contenders exerted themselves to the fullest in order to rest and recuperate for the forthcoming round, having been forewarned of its rigorous nature.
"Your break is swiftly drawing to a close," announced the event commentator.
All participants arose and commenced their exercises in preparation for the ensuing round. They ceased all other activities and centered their attention on the impending simulation.
"The allotted time has elapsed. All competitors must proceed to the battle arena," declared the commentator, as the students entered with a sense of trepidation.