The academy's dorm room was bright and spacious, sunlight streaming through tall windows onto polished wooden floors. Yunna sat at a sturdy table, her notebook open, pen tapping as she eyed Yui and Tatsu lounging nearby. She clapped her hands, her voice sharp and lively. "Alright, you two, let's start. Tell me your names."
Yui tilted her head, smirking. "You already know our names, don't you?"
Tatsu nodded, his voice soft. "Yeah, we told you before."
Yunna laughed, tapping her forehead. "Whoops, my bad! Alright, how about your ages?"
Yui crossed her arms, attitude dripping. "I'm 17."
Tatsu shrugged, barely audible. "Me too. 17."
Yunna scribbled quickly, nodding. "Good, I'll handle the rest." She muttered as she wrote, Tatsu: 17-year-old boy, timid, almost cowardly, but has thunder manipulation powers. Yui: 17-year-old girl, full of attitude, loves picking fights, wields earth manipulation. She snapped her notebook shut. "Done!"
Rin bounced excitedly, her eyes gleaming. "Awesome, that's sorted! Let's train together now. It'll be so fun!"
Yui's gaze locked onto Kaito, her tone challenging. "Yeah, let's do it. I wanna see who's got what. Especially you, Kaito. You're not getting off easy."
Kaito rolled his eyes, waving her off lazily. "Whatever."
Before the group could spiral into banter, Yunna raised a hand. "Hold up. Training can wait. First, we study. You need to know the basics—our country, how things work, the tournament, the academy. It's important. Study now, train later."
Rin's face lit up. "Sweet, let's do it!" Tatsu nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I'm in. Let's study."
But Kaito slouched, frowning, and Yui's expression soured at "study." They exchanged a glance, plotting to slip away. Yunna's sharp eyes caught them, and she grabbed their arms. "Oh no, you two aren't escaping. You need this the most. Come on."
Kaito yanked free, glaring. "What's your deal? You think you can force me to study? I'm not doing it."
Rin spun on him, incredulous. "What, big brother? You're saying you don't want to study? I thought you were good at this!"
Kaito's bravado faltered, his cheeks reddening. "I-I didn't say that! Studying's fine. Let's do it." He slumped into a chair, avoiding Rin's glare.
Yunna grinned slyly at Yui. "Yui, study hard, and I might toss in some extra cash."
Yui's eyes sparked at "cash," her reluctance gone. "Deal. I'm studying." She sat, suddenly focused.
They moved to a sleek classroom, walls adorned with maps and charts. Yunna stood at the front, her tone commanding. "Alright, everyone, pay attention."
She began, voice clear. "Our world has 12 known continents, and we live on one. Our country's medium-sized, with 12 legendary figures—some of the strongest alive." Rin and Tatsu scribbled notes, engrossed, while Kaito doodled and Yui stared out a window.
Yunna continued. "The tournament happens every few years, a huge deal. Top academies compete, plus strong smaller ones. Only students can join, but they must form teams, recruiting powerful people from across the country, like I did with you. Only the strong can compete, and they have to lead their team in battle."
Her voice grew intense. "The tournament has two goals. First, to find unknown kids with powers—those overlooked in remote areas—and bring them into academies to train. Second, to test the best. Each academy sends a top student, paired with outsiders. It's unpredictable; even a top student must manage a new team, fight tough battles, and learn leadership. It's brutal."
She leaned forward. "It's broadcast nationwide, a massive event. Winners get huge rewards—money, fame, and a golden stone, insanely rare. People would kill for one."
Rin's hand shot up. "Yunna, what's a golden stone? And regular stone? What are they?"
Yunna nodded, impressed. "Good question. There are three stone types. Regular stones have one ability—like fire, water, thunder, or earth, matching your powers. They're not too rare. If you have a matching power, they boost your strength a bit, like a level-up."
She raised two fingers. "Silver stones are rarer, for those with two abilities, like water and wind or earth and thunder. They amplify power a lot."
Her voice dropped, reverent. "Golden stones are beyond rare. They multiply your power tenfold and can heal anything—fatal diseases, broken bodies, even someone near death. But when exposed to air, you have 10 seconds to claim their power, or they disintegrate."
Yunna's eyes hardened. "I need that golden stone. My best friend needs it to survive. I'm winning this tournament, no matter what."
Rin and Tatsu clapped wildly, awestruck. "That was amazing!" Rin cheered. "You explained it so well!"
Kaito, startled from a nap, blinked. "Huh? It's over?" Seeing the applause, he joined in, clueless.
Yui, who hadn't followed, grinned anyway. "Yeah, that was… great."
Tatsu swallowed, his voice trembling but determined. "Yeah, I have a question. You said silver stones boost the power of someone with two abilities. Does that mean… in this world, can a person have two abilities? Or even more?"
Yunna's face lit up, impressed. "That's a great question, Tatsu. You're spot-on. Yes, in our world, a person can have more than one ability. One is common, two is rare, and three is even rarer. The 12 legends in our country? Some of them have two or three abilities. A couple even had four, and they were insanely powerful. So, yeah, people like that exist."
Kaito, who'd been half-asleep, perked up, his curiosity piqued. He leaned forward, his voice skeptical but intrigued. "Wait, so does that mean these abilities are something you're born with? Or can you, like, earn them? Is it just from birth, or is there another way to get them?"
Yunna grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Look at you, actually paying attention. That's a good question too, Kaito. Honestly, we don't know everything about it—research is still ongoing. But the belief is that abilities are born with you. Everyone might have some potential, but it depends on how much you can awaken. Some people have the knack to unlock one ability, others none at all. Rare ones awaken two, and the truly talented might even hit three. It's all about your innate capacity."
Yui opened her mouth, ready to toss in her own question, her expression a mix of curiosity and impatience. But Yunna raised a hand, her voice firm but kind. "That's enough for today. We'll pick up the rest later. Let's switch gears—time for some training."
The group stirred, a ripple of excitement passing through them. Rin's eyes sparkled as she leapt to her feet, Tatsu gave a shy nod, and even Kaito and Yui perked up at the prospect of action. They filed out of the classroom, their footsteps echoing in the academy's polished halls, heading toward the training grounds outside.
For now, the story pauses here. What will unfold in their training? Whose powers will shine, and how will they stack up? Another team—equally strong—awaits to challenge them in a mock battle. Who wields what abilities, and who will prove the strongest? To find out, wait for the next chapter.