Shin stood frozen, his legs trembling with fear, his eyes crossing as if resigning himself to his fate.
George glanced at him, frustration and urgency burning in his gaze. "WAKE UP, SHIN!" he yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos.
As George turned to the sky, his heart sank—a second fireball hurtled toward them, even larger than the first. "Damn it,"he muttered. He assessed the situation quickly. If I rush to Shin, the blast will still reach me. If I stop the fireball head-on, I'll barely have time to react to the aftermath."
Clenching his fists, George made his choice. He leapt toward the fireball, his muscles straining with the effort. Pivoting his hips and driving his left hand forward, he roared, "SHATTERING STRAIGHT!" His punch connected with the fireball's surface.
A sharp, agonizing crack echoed as his left arm shattered from the sheer intensity of the impact. But his strike was not in vain. A fissure spread across the fireball's surface, rapidly splintering into countless cracks before the entire mass disintegrated into fragments.
BOOM!
The explosion sent a shockwave through the air, but George's focus remained on Shin. He turned, panic setting in as he saw the shattered remnants raining down dangerously close to him.
"Shit, it's still heading for him!" George's eyes darted around frantically, searching for a way to intercept. His feet scraped against the ground, but he found nothing solid to launch from.
Suddenly, a shadow darted above him. A figure used George's head as a springboard, leaping with precision and speed.
"Who—?!" George looked up in shock.
The man soared through the air, his right leg extended and poised for impact. A cocky smirk curled on his lips.
"SHATTERING OBLIVION KICK!"
His kick collided with the fireball fragment, obliterating it into harmless embers. But his trajectory remained unbroken—he was headed straight for Shin.
"No!" George, ignoring his shattered arm, launched himself forward in a burst of lightning speed. His body moved on instinct, just in time to grab Shin and pull him out of harm's way.
They tumbled to the ground as the man landed gracefully nearby, his grin widening.
"Oops," the man teased, his tone dripping with mockery. "Looks like you saved your boyfriend just in time."
George's jaw tightened, fury flickering in his eyes as he shielded Shin protectively. "Who the hell are you?"
The man shrugged nonchalantly, his smirk never fading. "Just someone who doesn't like seeing scared little kids freeze up. Try to keep him alive next time, yeah"
George stormed toward Eclid, his right fist clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. The smirk on Eclid's mud-streaked face only made his blood boil. But before George could close the distance, a muscular, bald man stepped in his path, blocking him with an unyielding stance.
The man gave George an intense, wordless glare that could freeze most opponents in their tracks.
Eclid, now perched lazily on a chunk of rubble, began wiping the mud from his face. "Seriously, George? You don't recognize me? Ouch. Same tier of mana, same academy—no love for an old friend?"
"You fucker! It's Eclid!" George roared, his voice echoing with a mix of anger and disbelief. He lunged forward, aiming to land a punch, but the bald man intercepted it effortlessly. The man's massive hand engulfed George's fist, stopping it cold.
George's eyes narrowed as he yanked at his arm. "Let go of me, you bald fucker! Who even are you?"
The bald man remained silent, his glare unwavering, his grip like iron.
Shin stepped forward, placing a hand on George's shoulder. "It's okay, George. He… saved me." His voice trembled slightly but carried a hint of resolve. "I know our academy's techniques are hard to control. He probably didn't mean to—"
George froze, his rage cooling ever so slightly. He turned to look at Shin's calm, pleading expression and exhaled sharply. After a tense pause, George nodded, pulling his arm free from the bald man's grip.
"Fine," George muttered, stepping back. "But you're still an asshole, Eclid."
Eclid grinned, slapping his bald companion on the shoulder. "Well, that's the George I know and love! Puri, let's bounce!"
Before George could fire back, Eclid climbed onto the bald man's broad shoulders, settling into a comfortable ride.
With an exaggerated wave, Eclid smirked down at them. "Catch you later, lovebirds! Try not to die before our next reunion."
Puri turned without a word, sprinting off with surprising speed, carrying Eclid like a king on a throne.
"Hey, Shin, let's go!" George called out, already jogging ahead.
Shin nodded, quickly following him.
After a while of running, they finally reached the first checkpoint. A wooden sign stood crookedly in the ground, with the words "First Checkpoint" carved into it. Both Shin and George glanced at the sky and saw a rope hanging from above, leading to a tall mountain towering in front of them.
"Are we supposed to climb this?" Shin asked, tilting his head.
George looked around and noticed other students already scaling the mountain. "Looks like it. Everyone else is climbing."
Without hesitation, the two grabbed onto the rope tightly and started their ascent.
Halfway up, Shin turned to look at George and noticed he was only using one hand to climb.
"Whoa, George is strong," Shin thought, impressed.
Suddenly, a loud scream pierced the air.
"AHHHHHhhh—!"
Shin and George both froze, watching as one of the climbers above plummeted, his scream growing fainter as he disappeared into the depths below.
"What the hell?!" Shin exclaimed.
"Hahaha!" George laughed darkly. "Seems like someone got sabotaged."
They continued climbing, the incident lingering in Shin's mind. As they reached the halfway point, Shin noticed George slowing down, his movements more strained.
"He's getting tired," Shin thought, furrowing his brows. "Why doesn't he use both hands?"
His gaze shifted to George's left hand. It was covered in bruises and cuts, trembling slightly as it hung at his side.
The sight triggered a memory from Shin's training with Sir Bajar.
"Hey, do you know what the core of our academy's martial arts is?" Shin had asked during one grueling session.
Bajar had turned to him, tilting his head slightly. "It's raw strength," he said firmly. "The body must sacrifice itself to master it"
Shin looked ahead and saw the top of the mountain was finally within reach. His arms ached, and sweat dripped down his brow, but the sight filled him with determination.
"Hey, George," Shin called, glancing back at his struggling companion. "Give me your left hand. I'll hold it for you."
George hesitated, gripping the rope tighter with his good hand. "B-but…" he stammered, clearly conflicted.
"Just do it!" Shin urged.
After a moment, George sighed and let go of the rope with his bruised left hand, trusting Shin. With a firm grip, Shin supported George as they continued climbing together.
After a few more grueling minutes, they finally reached the top. Panting, George looked ahead and spotted a glowing portal shimmering in front of them.
"It seems… this is the finish line," George said, his voice weak but relieved.
"Yeah, I think so," Shin replied, nodding. "Let's go."
Without wasting a second, the two stepped into the portal.
The moment they emerged, their eyes widened in amazement. They stood in a vast open area, surrounded by tables piled high with food of every kind—succulent meats, fresh fruits, vibrant vegetables, and more. The air was filled with tantalizing aromas.
Shin's face lit up with a grin, and his mouth practically watered as he stared at the feast. "Food!" he exclaimed, saliva dripping. Without hesitation, he bolted toward the tables.
Grabbing plate after plate of meat, Shin began devouring everything in sight as if he hadn't eaten in days.
Meanwhile, George walked over more calmly, picking out a balanced selection of meat, vegetables, and fruits for his plate.
Shin stuffed his mouth full of food, his voice muffled as he said, "Finally! We got here with empty stomachs, and now we can eat to our hearts' content!"
George chuckled softly, watching Shin's unrelenting appetite. "Yeah," he said, smiling briefly before his expression darkened.
As Shin continued to devour his food, George took a moment to scan the area. His sharp eyes counted the students present—113 in total.
"There were 300 students participating in the festival," George thought, his mind racing. "Where are the others? Lloyd and Jack haven't arrived yet… What happened to them?"
A chill ran down his spine as his thoughts grew darker. "Did something happen on the climb?"
Despite the lively atmosphere around them, George couldn't shake the gnawing unease in his chest.