"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Haenkang Railway Complex!"
The announcement echoed across the massive station, the words amplified by unseen speakers.
"The much-awaited Dragon Feast will soon commence! Please proceed to your designated waiting lounges. Details about this year's Dragon Feast will be announced shortly!"
The announcement was followed by indistinct chatter. The station buzzed with activity—groups of excited teenagers whispering eagerly about the event, families saying their goodbyes, and vendors shouting about refreshments.
______
Kano stirred, his senses groggy and his head pounding. He was lying on a cold, hard floor. His fingers brushed the ground beneath him as he slowly opened his eyes, the world blurring into focus.
"Where… where am I?" he muttered under his breath. Images of the subway attack flooded his mind—chaos, pain, and fear. His heart clenched. What happened to Tim, Iami, and the others?
"So, you've finally come to your senses, huh, you little lad?"
The voice startled him. Kano's blurry vision cleared, and he found himself staring at an older man, his face lined with deep wrinkles and kind but piercing eyes. The man crouched beside him, his movements deliberate and calm.
"Who… who are you?" Kano asked, his voice still hoarse.
The man chuckled softly. "Relax, boy. I'm the one who carried you here. You can call me Mr. Stack. Or, if it makes you more comfortable, just think of me as your old grandpa for the time being. Trust me, the situation may not be ideal, but you're safe with me—for now."
Kano studied the man carefully. There was no malice in his expression, no hostility in his kensan aura. He seemed calm, almost unnervingly so.
"Where's Tim?" Kano asked urgently, his voice gaining strength. "I was with him before… before the incident. Did you see him? Did he make it out alive?"
Mr. Stack sighed, shaking his head. "When I found you, there was no one else around. I believe you were the only one pulled from the wreckage alive. Perhaps you should check with the local authorities or the Dragon Feast organizing staff. They might know more."
Kano's heart sank, but he didn't let his fear show. He needed to stay calm—for Tim's sake and his own.
"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked.
Mr. Stack leaned back and crossed his arms. "All I know is that I found you lying unconscious near the entrance to the Dragon Feast zone. You were heavily bruised but alive."
Kano reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Relief rushed over him when he saw that it was still intact, though a small scratch marred the corner of the screen.
"I'll call Tim," he muttered to himself as he opened the contacts app.
But before he could dial, an announcement boomed overhead:
"Attention, all participants. For safety reasons, mobile calling and camera services are restricted within the Dragon Feast activity zone. If you require assistance or need to report a lost person, please visit the nearest help desk. Staff members are stationed every 100 meters for your convenience. Thank you, and enjoy the Dragon Feast!"
Kano's jaw dropped. "What?! Why would they block calls here?! How am I supposed to find my friends?"
Mr. Stack chuckled, clearly amused by Kano's frustration. "Don't be so upset, boy. It's a rule that's been in place for years. The Dragon Feast is meant to be experienced directly—no outside distractions, no recording devices. It's all part of the tradition."
Kano scowled. He hated feeling so powerless.
The Rules of the Feast
"So," Mr. Stack began, leaning forward slightly. "Is this your first Dragon Feast, boy?"
"Yeah," Kano admitted. "Tim and I turned sixteen this year, and we've been waiting for this moment forever. But now…" His voice trailed off.
Mr. Stack nodded thoughtfully. "Your parents didn't tell you about the rules, did they? Typical. Most people like to keep certain things about the Dragon Feast hidden—especially from children."
"Rules?" Kano asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Listen carefully, boy." Mr. Stack's tone grew serious, and Kano instinctively leaned closer.
"Rule one: Once you step into the Dragon Feast activity zone, you cannot leave until the event is officially over. Doesn't matter if you want to call your friends, leave the station, or anything else—it's all impossible. This entire railway complex is currently classified as part of the activity zone."
Kano frowned, the weight of the rule sinking in.
"Rule two: You'll be provided with enough resources to sustain yourself, but you must stay within the activity zone boundaries. No exceptions."
"Rule three: To ensure fairness and prevent cheating, all participants' kensan energy output is restricted to one-tenth of its usual strength while inside the activity zone."
"What?" Kano interrupted, his voice rising in disbelief. "Why would they restrict kensan energy? That doesn't make any sense!"
"Don't interrupt me, boy," Mr. Stack said sharply, his expression stern. "I'll explain everything soon."
Kano bit his tongue, forcing himself to stay quiet.
"Rule four: Every single person inside the activity zone is monitored. Any sudden surge in kensan energy beyond a specific threshold will trigger a red alarm, and the Royal Military of Kinetan will intervene immediately. Let me be clear—if you lose control of your energy, you'll regret it for the rest of your life… assuming you survive."
Kano swallowed hard. The strictness of the rules made him feel uneasy.
"One last thing," Mr. Stack continued. "The Dragon Feast typically takes place in one of the kensan arenas within the five innermost circles of the city. These arenas aren't physical places—they're constructed entirely out of kensan energy by high-ranking Kinnes. For those inside the arenas, it feels completely real, but in reality, they don't exist."
Kano's brows furrowed. "I've never heard of these arenas before. Are they really so advanced that they feel real?"
Mr. Stack smirked. "There's a lot about the Dragon Feast that remains a mystery to most people."
A Strange Encounter
An orange-uniformed woman, carrying a tray of drinks, approached their table. "Coffee or tea, sir?" she asked politely.
"Coffee for me," Mr. Stack replied with a smile. "And bring one for the boy, too."
As the woman handed over their drinks, Mr. Stack's demeanor suddenly shifted. He locked eyes with her, his expression sharp.
"Let me see your contract," he said evenly.
The woman faltered, her movements stiff. "I… I don't have it with me right now," she stammered.
Mr. Stack smiled knowingly. "Relax, I was just joking. No need to be so nervous!" He chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee.
Kano, however, couldn't shake the lingering tension from that brief exchange. Something about Mr. Stack's reaction felt… calculated.
"Anyway," Mr. Stack said, turning back to Kano. "Do you know what they use to monitor the Dragon Feast zones? Detectors capable of tracking every single participant's kensan energy. If there's an unregistered or uncontrolled source of energy, the alarms go off immediately."
Kano's mind raced. Would the Golden Ring's aura be detectable? He didn't dare bring it up, not yet.
__________
Meanwhile, just 1.5 kilometers away, Reshya, Iami, and Tim raced toward Haenkang Station.
"We're cutting it close," Reshya muttered, glancing at her watch.
"Can't we enter the feast later if we miss the official start?" Tim asked breathlessly.
"We can," Reshya confirmed, "but each arena has specific entry portals. If we miss the opening, we might end up in a completely different arena—and that means we might not meet Kano at all."
Iami gritted her teeth. "We can't let that happen! We need to make it in time!"
With renewed determination, Iami released the full extent of her speed, flying ahead of the others.
Countdown to the Dragon Feast: 10 minutes.