An Assassin's Respite

The Coalition Festival is Finally Here!

It was finally the day of the competition and excitement was in the air. All the events will be separated by year. During the first day there will be an opening ceremony and then an obstacle course that every student from each year will participate in. The second day will include a sniper shootout tournament, swim race, and foot race as well as other similar events which will be a tournament-style where the winner of each group will move on in the bracket. Each school can have five students participate in each event but one student can’t be in more than one event for the second day. After the second day, the top 16 students per grade will be permitted to enter the elimination-style one-on-one tournament on the final day. The third day will host a tag team tournament where the two students from each school closest to the top 16 will participate. The final day will hold the one-on-one tournament where the top 16 students will duke it out to see who will be recognized as the best prospect for secret agents to keep an eye on. These tournaments will all be taking place in different areas. A special trophy will be awarded for this student as well. Of course, powers are allowed for every event and weapons will be permitted for the tournaments that involve fighting since the arenas at the Coalition's arenas have the same technology as the ones from GA, that way every student can fight at their best.

All the schools head to the main arena where the big tournament for the second years on the final day will be held. They had their tournament on the biggest stage since they were the most lucrative prospects for scouting. The arena was so massive that all the students from every school were able to fit in. Although, there weren't many students attending schools that focused on creating special agents since it is a job that is dangerous and requires a lot of skill. There was a little over 1,000 students in attendance. They line up with their schools with the third years in front and the first years in the back. From right to left the schools went Galestorm Academy, Winter Academy, Light Academy, and, finally, Terrestia Academy. There was a lot of commotion due to both excitement and nerves. After a few minutes of chatter, someone begins to walk onto a podium that was at the far end of the field. He was a tall man with an athletic body type and jet black hair. He had a piercing gaze that could only be worn by those that had overwhelming strength. He reaches the podium and raises his hand for silence.

He waits for a bit before he begins to speak. "I guess I'll start by welcoming all of you to Coalition Headquarters. There is a lot of history here. In the walls, the ground, the landscape, and the people that are standing here today. We are here today because of the strong beliefs of the founding members, so make sure you give them a good show. Fight with heart, with determination, fight with everything you have, and show all of us here what you are made of. You can't win on talent alone. You must also rely on skill, cunning, intellect, and luck of course. Whatever the outcome may be, fight so that you can leave today with no regrets. Fight for yourself. Fight for your school. Fight for your future." He finishes leading to an uproar of cheers from those in the stands and on the field alike. 

He stands there scanning the crowd when he rests his gaze on a particular student. He stares at him for just a second before moving on. It wasn't long and he doubted anyone noticed, but Kazuna did. He was looking for Kazuna and it seemed as if he wanted Kazuna to know that.

Kazuna's eyes follow him as he leaves the podium. Just before he walks through the hall off the field he looks back and he and Kazuna make eye contact for a brief moment before he exits out of view. The schools follow suit and head to their rooms to change for the first event, the obstacle course. The first years went first and WA won that. After the course was cleared and changed for the second years to go. They all line up wearing the special attire of the Festival which were shorts and a t-shirt that sported their respective school colors and the student's name on the back.

Students were awarded points based on where they finished with 1st place receiving 150pts, 2nd receiving 125pts, 3rd receiving 100pts, and so on. If you placed somewhere between 11-50 you got 50pts. 51-100 received 25pts. 101-150 received 15pts. Anyone placing below 150 received 10pts.

"I can't believe that they have the money to get everyone custom jerseys as well as hiring all this staff to create these courses." Kazuna notes. 

"Well, they are funded by every major agency as well as the government and other wealthy investors." Kagura says.

"I see." Kazuna replies. 

He notices someone walking to the center of the starting line of the obstacle course. He assumed it was a referee since he had black and white stripes clothing on. The ref. raises a white flag, signaling for the students to line up at the starting line. Kagura rushes to the front.

"Hurry up Kazuna or we won't get in front." Kagura warns.

"I'll be fine you go on ahead." He reassures her. 

She shrugs her shoulders and lines up at the front of the line. Kazuna can hear what he could only assume was a countdown. He looks at the starting line and above it was a countdown that was at seven. The countdown continues 5...4...3...2...1. There's a loud alarm and the students burst forward. 

Kazuna walks to the starting line as the students that were in the back cross over. "Guess it's time for me to get moving." He says while stretching. 

He sets up as if he was getting ready for a sprint and he takes a long deep breath. Lightning surges throughout his body and he bursts forward, catching those that were in the back of the pack instantly. The first obstacle was robotic combatants, most of which had already been destroyed by those that were in front. Kazuna quickly slices through the few remaining bits that were in front of him. 

The next obstacle was a cliffside that they had to scale. He could see that there were a lot of people still scaling it. He could just barely see Usagi running at the top. He speeds up just a little and starts to climb the cliffside with extreme ease. He used the pockets on the cliff to catapult himself upwards. He repeated this maneuver until he reached the top. Shiba turns around to see Kazuna practically erupt from the ground. In response, Shiba picks up his speed with Kazuna right behind him as they head to the next obstacle which was... trivia? There were tables with pencils laid out on them. There were also referees behind the tables that were probably there to make sure the students answer the questions correctly. Kazuna and Shiba both reach the trivia and see Usagi there grabbing his card. The two of them do the same and read what they have to solve. 

Kazuna's face goes pale as he looks at what was on his card. "Stoichiometry? Really? Out of everything, it had to be something I'm clueless at." Kazuna says to himself. He furiously attacks the problem as runner after runner answers their questions. Finally, Kazuna answers it and is past the third challenge. 

“FINALLY!!” He shouts. “Now to make up for lost ground.” He says with an intense focus. 

He sets his feet and utters one word. “Stream.” Lightning begins to surround him and with a roar of thunder, he bursts forward. 

For the fourth obstacle, students must use rope laid out like webbing to traverse a canyon. Kazuna easily crosses the canyon, allowing him to gain some ground on the front runners although he is still pretty far behind.

For the next obstacle, students have to climb down the mountain. It was just a large drop with footholds and ledges placed throughout. Kazuna rushes forward and jumps?!

 “WHA-” Mia chokes as Kazuna’s lighting filled body zips past. “Is he trying to kill himself?” She asks in surprise. 

Kazuna lands clearing all the trees within a 10-foot radius and continues to rush forward.

“I see.” Akeno says. “ That fall would normally kill someone, but he used his power to send the shock out his body in the form of lightning, allowing him to take very little damage from the fall.” Akeno notes. “He really is something else.” She says as she continues to climb down. 

Kazuna continues his mad dash and enters the final stretch. In front of him are Usagi and Shiba. They’re neck and neck. Kazuna turns his speed up to the max. He gets just behind Shiba and Usagi as the finish line starts to get closer. 

"I won't be able to pass Usagi at this rate." He says to himself. He places his hand on Shiba's back and gives him a push, sending him past the finish line and giving him and GA first in the obstacle race.

The three of them are left gasping for air when Shiba approaches Kazuna. “Why... did you just not try... and finish in first?” He asked in between him gasping for air.

 “I wouldn’t... have been able to pass Usagi, so I gave you a little push.” Kazuna says while giving Shiba a thumbs up. Shiba gives Kazuna a thumbs up 

“Thanks for the boost then.” Shiba says while smiling.

After the remaining students finished, the third years began. GA’s third year won the obstacle course as well.

Back at the hotel, class 1-A celebrated their victory. 

“Kazuna, I didn’t expect to see something you were bad at.” Kagura states. 

“Yeah.” Matt agreed. “What stumped you.” He asked. 

“The devil itself.” He answered with a terrified look. Matt and Kagura look at each other before laughing and continuing to eat. 

The second day was were students that weren’t able to use their power to the full extent in the obstacle race could excel. Ayame won the sharpshooting contest, Chiyo won the swim race, Usagi won the foot race, and Kazuna won the swordsman tournament where the winner was decided by who could slice the hardest object. Kagura came in second for this event. GA’s second and third years were leading a pretty dominant performance against the other schools. The first years were a lot closer with each school winning one event.

“Juro and Natsuki won the tag team tournament with WA coming in second. Due to WA coming in second for every event except for the foot race which they one, if they win the one-on-one tournament then they will be the overall victors.” Kagura stated. They were all sitting in the hotel's cafeteria. 

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to win.” Kazuna states. 

“I’ll make you fight for it.” Shiba jabs.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Kazuna replies. 

"I think you're forgetting something, like the fact that I'm going to be the one to win." Kagura says. 

"Hmm... Those extra training sessions with Kazuna making you feel confident." Matt teases. 

"Eak... H-How did y-you know about that?" She asks with a flustered expression.

"You weren't the only ones getting in some extra training." Matt says.

Kagura looks at everyone else as they nod their heads in agreement with what Matt said.

"So don't count us out just yet." Matt exclaims.

"I'm pretty sure we can count you out Matt since you didn't make it to the tournament." Haruna says coldly.

Matt flinches at this comment and everyone laughs. 

"Your comment kind of loses its weight after hearing that." Kazuna says.

Among the top 16 students, 6 were from GA, 4 from WA, 4 from LA, and 2 from TA.

Usagi approached them from the other side of the cafeteria. “So you’re in the top 16. Not that I’m surprised.” He says to Kazuna. 

“I could say the same to you.” Kazuna replies.

"I never got your name?” Usagi pointed out. 

“Kazuna Katsuchi.” He answered. 

“Usagi Saburo.” Usagi replied. 

The two gazed at each other with an intense look in their eyes. The other students could feel their intensity. 

Finally, Usagi breaks the silence. “I look forward to our battle.” He says before walking away.