Days passed, and our training continued and get harder by days. Sophia spent most of her free time with Andrew, refining her fighting style under his guidance, while I focused on observing our classmates with patience.
My goal was clear enough, identify the most capable people for our team. Many of them caught my attention, but I noticed something; some looked at me with a hint of fear in their eyes. I couldn't understand why. It wasn't unsettling, just… curious, I think.
On the seventh night, I was lying on my bed, immersed in my book, when Andrew broke the silence like always... He lowered his head from the top bunk and asked, "So brother, how's the search for team members going? Found anyone promising yet?"
I closed my book and replied, "There are plenty of skilled people here. It's clear that only the best was selected for this program."
Andrew grinned. "Sounds like you've got a shortlist. Have you talked to any of them yet or you're just waiting?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Talk to them? Huh… When would I had the chance? You're always with Sophia during our free time."
Andrew chuckled. "Come on Roy, you know I'm helping her improve her fighting skills, and honestly you should work on your own social skills. You should join us sometime. Train with us and help out, staying away won't help you; joining us might make things easier for you to talk to others."
I shook my head. "No, I'd rather not. You seem to get along well with her don't you. Besides…" I hesitated, then smirked slightly. "You like her, don't you?"
Andrew blinked, visibly caught off guard. "What? Nah... We're just friends."
"Friends?" my tone teasing.
He scratched the back of his neck and quickly lay down on his bed. "Yes, friends. That's all. Don't start with your weird theories, Roy."
"Whatever you say," I muttered.
Andrew sighed. "Anyway brother, if you need help talking to anyone, just let me know, I am always on your side. You've got to make an effort Roy. Building a strong team starts with making connections."
His words stayed in my mind. He was right; if I wanted to form the best team, I couldn't rely on observation. It was time to finally step out of my comfort zone and try to connect with others, no matter how awkward it might feel, I should do this.
During the training session the next day, everyone was focused on improving their fighting skills. My attention went to someone in particular. I didn't know his name yet, but his precision with a bow was remarkable; I could easily call him a sniper. He had an Asian appearance, not too tall but clearly strong and physically good.
There was something about him that made me want to approach him to meet him, but I hesitated, I don't know why. I decided to wait until free time to figure out how to start a conversation with him and maybe get some help.
As the day wound down, I made my way to Andrew, hoping that he could really give me some useful advice. As I expected, he was with Sophia, the two of them engrossed in a discussion, probably about medicine, given the technical terms she was throwing around. I stepped in, interrupting them, and spoke.
"Guys, sorry for interrupting, but... I have a question to ask."
Sophia looked at me with her calm expression as always and said, "Ohh Roy, it's ok, don't worry about this."
I said, "I've been watching this guy during training all the time, the one who has excellent talent with the bow. His sword skills aren't bad too. I want to talk to him, maybe see if he's interested in joining us, but I don't know, how should I start the conversation with him? Do you have any suggestions?"
Andrew replied, smirking, "So, Roy's finally making a move to talk to someone. You're growing up, brother."
Sophia chuckled softly, then said, "You could try what I did with you two."
I replied unexpectedly, "What do you mean by that?"
"A challenge maybe," she said, her eyes lighting up with the suggestion. "When I challenged Andrew, it broke the tension with him and gave us a chance to understand each other's strengths. If you challenge him to a friendly battle, it might help you connect, I think, and you'll see in the firsthand how skilled he is. And in the second-hand, it's a language everyone here speaks—combat, you know what I mean right."
Andrew nodded thoughtfully. "That's actually not a bad idea at all brother. And knowing you, you'll probably learn a lot about him in this. Just don't hold back."
I mulled it over, realizing she might be right. A challenge could be the perfect icebreaker here. "Alright," I said. "I'll do it. Thanks."
Sophia gave me an encouraging nod. "I'll be watching; let's see what you're really capable of, Roy celgius."
I decided to find him and see if we could sort this out today. After some searching, I spotted him resting on the top of a tree, a strange place to relax. Now the challenge was how to approach him, I took a deep breath and, I decided to just go for it.
As I got closer, he suddenly spoke in a calm "Roy Celgius. Are you stalking me or something?"
I froze for a second. His awareness was amazing, though it was also my fault for not being subtle. He jumped down from the tree, closing the distance between us. He extended a hand with a slight smirk. "I'm Crimzo Lee. Heard a lot about you. So, what do you want?"
Crimzo Lee had the sharp, calm look of someone who never missed his mark. His black hair was tied back loosely, with a few strands falling over his narrow eyes that seemed to notice everything. His build was lean but strong, made for speed and precision.
This was easier than I thought. Maybe I really overthink things sometimes. I shook his hand and said, "Since you already know me, I'll be direct. I've been observing our colleagues to find out who's the best here, and your skills stood out. We have the chance to pick team members, and I'm impressed with what you can do. I'd like to get to know you better."
He raised an eyebrow, then said. "Teams, hah? Not interested. There are plenty of others more skilled than me. Go talk to them."
Turning his back to me, he climbed the tree again.
I wasn't ready to give up. "What if we spar? A friendly fight to decide maybe or even a sniper challenge. If I win, you hear me out. So? What do you think"
Crimzo paused and glanced down at me, his expression unreadable. Then he shook his head. "Seriously? I know who you are, Roy. I've seen what you can do, all the time here. If my calculations are right, you'd crush me. No thanks."
His refusal caught me off guard, leaving me at a loss for words. This wasn't how I thought things would play out.
I took a moment to gather my thoughts, took a deep breath then I spoke. "You're too quick to assume, didn't you" I said, my tone cool and controlled. "I wasn't offering a fight to prove anything. It was a simple proposition; so, you can see for yourself what I'm capable of, that what I believe."
Crimzo didn't flinch. He turned his head a little. "You're wasting your time, Roy" he said flatly. "I don't need you to prove anything for me. If you want to talk, then talk, I am all ears. But don't waste my time about joining you. I'm not interested."
It was obviously clear now that I wouldn't get anywhere with him today. This is just like I expected. I nodded, accepting that my attempt had failed. "Ok fine, but remember Crimzo, you can't just hide in the trees forever. Eventually, you'll have to make a choice."
And without waiting for a response from him, I simply turned and left the place.
As I walked away, I could feel that this wasn't over. I've failed to make an impression today maybe, but I was certain Crimzo wasn't someone who could be ignored. I just needed to figure out how to crack him and know the truth behind him.
That night, I sat on my bed, reading my book. The room was quiet, I barely noticed when Andrew entered, his footsteps are light as always. He sat on the chair with his arms crossed, a curious smile on his face.
"So, Roy, did you go and talk to him?" he asked.
I looked up from my book looking at him and replied. "I did. His name is Crimzo Lee. That's all what I got of him." I paused, looked back to my book. "He didn't accept my offer to join us."
Andrew raised a brow. "Really? Did you try to convince him? Challenge him to a friendly fight or something?"
"I did," I replied. "He completely brushed it off and said that he wasn't interested. What I got from him is that he doesn't like responsibilities. He seems... distant, like he's avoiding something, that what I felt."
Andrew frowned.
"Huh. That's going to be hard. But, then again, everyone here has their own dark story, that what I believe. No one grows up in a world like this without scars."
I don't know why, but I feel that the air is getting heavier with his words. After a pause, Andrew spoke again, with a quiet voice now.
"Do you remember that day Roy? The day our mother gave her life for us?"
I stared at the floor, the images flashing in my mind.
"Of course, I do. How could I forget? I was 10 years old, even when I can't remember anything, she's the only one I could not forget, every memory of her is here in my mind."
Andrew's look was distant, like he was staring into the past. "I can still see her face," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The way she looked at us... There was no fear, just love. She didn't even hesitate that time."
"That day," I began, my voice steady but cold, "was when I made my decision. I swore I'd change this world. No one should have to make a choice like she did. No one should feel the feelings of losing someone."
Andrew nodded. "She believed in us. She saw something in us worth protecting. We owe it to her, not only her but also to everyone we've lost."
I closed my book and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "We'll do it, Andrew. We'll build a team, stronger than anything, then we will get to the top and crush the system of this world. And when the time comes, we'll make them pay for every life they've destroyed."
Andrew smiled. "That's my brother. Cold, determined, and unshakable."
For a moment, there was a strange comfort in the quiet. No words were needed; we both understood what was at stake. All the scars we carried made us stronger; those scars were like fuel for the fire burning in both of us.