UNIFIED W

Chapter 3: Phase one, part 1

Countdown to the test.

15:59:59.

"Come on, Kai, punch harder. Is our last training before the test."

"Ah.... ah...... ah, I am doing my best here."

"I must prepare us for anything, Kai."

"If you care so much about the test, why choose me for your team? I am sure you could find someone powerful that could take my place."

"I do not care if you are powerless or which armband you are wearing. I lost my parents in the great clan war, and I don't even know if my older brother is still alive or not."

"I am very sorry for your loss, Zeru."

"You came to our house when you were just a kid and also lost your father at a very young age."

"Yeah."

"We are a family now, and I always choose family over anything else."

"Thanks for saying that, Zeru."

" Anytime."

"I want to visit my father's grave before the test."

"Are you sure? There is not much time left."

"Yeah. I haven't visited his grave for a while now, and I think now is the perfect time to do so."

"Alright. But before you go, there's something I want you to know."

"What."

"Remember yesterday after the fight with May?"

"What about it?"

"She told me that some people will try to eliminate the participant to secure their position. So be careful out there and hurry back home."

" Sure."

"One more thing. I bought the dark grey-blue tracksuit you love so much."

"For real. I needed a new one considering what happened to my old one yesterday."

Kai took the tracksuit and gave Zeru a fist bump, and left for the train station.

***

Countdown to the test.

09:59:59.

Kai was heading to his hometown, Buur city. The city is covered with mountains and hills.

Buur city is smaller than Von city but much larger than Alba city.

Kai and his late father lived on the outskirts of the city. His father's name was Aqil, and he was an overly kind person, especially towards Kai.

Aqil was not the biological father of Kai, but he was the one who raised him. Aqil was very secretive and didn't tell anyone anything before trusting them.

He was a person who was both wise and collective.

"We will soon approach Buur city in a few minutes. Before you leave the train, do not forget to scan your ID. Thanks for choosing to travel with us and have a nice day."

Kai scanned his ID on the band watch, and a voice welcomed him into the city.

"ok. First thing first, I must visit the grave before anything else."

Kai went to his old house, and behind was a big river that he used to bathe in it all the time.

There was an enormous tree near the river, and there was the grave.

"Hello, father. I'm sorry I didn't visit you sooner."

"A lot has happened to me these past couple of days, and guess what I will take part in the test. Crazy right. I wish you could...se...see me win and be with me."

After a few minutes of silence, Kai wiped away his tears and headed back to the city.

***

"Hello..... Hello. Is anybody here?"

"Well... well... well, look who is here."

"Long time no see, Tony."

"Look at you, kiddo. You have grown so much since the last time I saw you."

"And you are becoming an old man."

"Aw... come on, Kai. I am not even 40 yet, and you call me an old man."

Tony was a famous blacksmith in Buur city. He was good friends with Aqil, and they used to help each other a lot back in the day.

Tony owns a workshop, and he hopes that one day he will forge legendary or epic-type weapons.

He once mentioned to Kai that he met the person who made Eclipse an epic-type weapon and now owned by the firstborn son of the king.

Rumour has it that Tony was trained by that person and the workshop belongs to him.

"Tony, can you check my sword for me before I go to the test?"

"The test?. You sure have grown up, kid, but if you are going to take part, I suggest you use a better sword than that old rusty sword of yours."

"NO. This sword is all I have left of Aqil, and I feel like he is with me when I wield it."

"Sorry. I didn't mean that. Let's have a look."

Tony worked on the sword, and the only thing Kai could do was watch him work.

After one hour, Tony was done with the sword, and it looked like it was forged recently.

"All done, kid."

"Nice. How many points will that cost me?"

"This one is on the house, so go out there and make me proud kid."

"Really. Thanks."

Kai said his goodbyes and went back to Von city.

***

Countdown to the test.

00:10:59.

Kai met Zeru and May standing outside the arena where the test would take place. He noticed May was tired and Zeru energetic as ever.

He was wearing some battle-fire clan tradition clothing, and he had his red hair with black-tops pushed back with a headband.

But what shocked everybody was that he was holding the legendary chain knife, Inferno.

 His grandfather must trust him very much if he gave the most valuable weapon in the fire clan to a kid.

"Kai, over here."

"It's a good thing I made it in time."

"Zeru, can you tell Kai the plan before it's too late?"

"Yeah, right! We all know that to take part in the test, we must have a team that comprises three persons." 

"Right."

"So what if the test and the teams are related somehow?"

"You could be right or overthinking right now."

"Is better to be safe, so whatever happens, we hold together as a group and face it together."

***

Countdown to the test.

00:00:00.

"Welcome all participants. The moment has finally arrived to start the test. And now I welcome the fire clan leader."

"Welcome to Von city, everyone. The day has finally arrived for you to change your life completely, and it starts here in this city."

The whole arena shouted out loud with joy.

"But as you can see, there are too many people here today, and the king decided that phase one would have two parts."

"What?"

"What are you saying?"

"The first phase will be a battle royale, and the team that loses a single member from their team gets disqualified immediately. Only 20 teams will move on to the next phase."

"So, let the first phase begin now....."