We were the first to arrive.
Our footsteps settled into the soil of Hokkoi — a forest older than any map dared record, nestled just off the boundaries of the upper floors. It had once been a training ground, or so the stories went. Before samurai folded themselves into kingdoms and cities, they had lived here — bled here — in silence, with only the wind and trees as witnesses.
Now, the wind still spoke their names.
Roots knotted beneath my boots like the veins of giants. The skeletons of old wooden homes, some little more than beams and broken stone foundations, leaned like tired guardians against the wild underbrush. No threat. Just memory. But not forgotten.
Rōko moved through it all like she was home.
I could feel it radiating off her — her mana so calm it barely stirred the air, but beneath that? Something deep. Old. She didn't say a word, but she didn't need to. This place knew her, and she knew it.
"Have you been here before?" I asked Rōko
Her mana turned to me "I have, only once when my father brought me here to train, my village is a lot further inland so it felt like a special occasion back then…sure brings back memories of how tough he was on me."
I smiled "homefield advantage for you then, i better not hear you getting defeated within the first hour…ya hear?!"
"Trust me i'm not losing."
The others took their time getting comfortable. Fay muttered something under her breath while adjusting the leather straps at her wrist. Lirael paced once around the clearing like she was mapping every inch, she was in her natural element here in the woods. Raphos, despite his size, leaned casually against a tilted wooden post, arms folded — calm but ready.
And Salem sat just behind me, her warmth undeniable — a low, steady hum, sharp edged with fire at its core. Demon, girlfriend, quiet my bond. I felt her mana shift, brushing against mine, like a nudge.
Then came the first ripple — five signatures breaking through the treeline. Familiar shapes, familiar rhythm.
Julius's squad.
Julius approached with ease. Measured steps. Balanced, grounded. Sir Myron walked beside him like a blade still in its sheath — sharp, heavy, composed. Rosie and Lilly followed, their similar mana dancing like mirrored currents. And Levi… well, he was trying to look unimpressed, but I could feel the pride humming off him under the fatigue.
Next to arrive was Shinobu's group. I picked her up even before she stepped into the forest — her mana always sugar sweet on the surface, and dense core of grief right underneath. she just passed by with a quiet nod and a sparkle of amusement in her aura, as if to say let's see what you've planned now.
Nora came next, a precise, cutting mana that felt like glass wrapped in silk. William behind her, his signature warm and snappy, familiar. Then Renji — short, energetic, a twitchy little storm of motion and eagerness.
I felt him pause near me longer than most.
Then Geras.
Solid like bedrock. No unnecessary flares in his mana. I could practically feel Raphos twitch beside me.
"Oh no," Lirael muttered dryly. "He found a rival."
I smirked.
Finally, the last squad. Feanor, stepping like the wind couldn't catch her. Alven right behind, his outline cocky, but more balanced than before. Thorkell's mana hit like a wall — stocky, rooted, proud. And two new ones — Feanor's voice cut through the air before I could ask.
"Those are Xavimaru and Kassia," she called out from across the circle. "Don't let them fool you. They hit harder than they look."
I raised a hand in greeting. "Looking forward to seeing that."
Then, with a flick of her wrist, Rōko summoned the metal. Threads shimmered across the air ,shaped in her practiced style, fine and strong, and I helped guide them into locks and clasps, sealing each necklace.
They landed in every hand with a satisfying weight.
"These," I said, lifting mine just a bit, "are your keys to victory, or your markers of failure."
I stepped into the center, mana brushing lightly outward, just enough to gather their attention.
"Thanks for coming. I know it's not easy getting all the way out here. But I can feel it — every one of you is stronger than when we started the platform training"
The forest felt alive. Breath held in ancient bark. Wind whispering through the ruins.
"I was given a leadership role. You all know that. So thats why i got you all here.
I gestured to the worn circle around me — the open dirt ring that had once marked duels between blades.
"We're doing a free-for-all. No teams. No backups. Just you, your weapon, your magic."
Faint shifts in mana — excitement, worry, drive. Hunger.
"Your goal is simple: take other people their necklaces and place them in this circle. If yours is taken, you can retrieve it until it's dropped here."
I tapped my staff lightly on the earth.
"That's the only way you lose."
I felt focus sharpen all around me.
"There are no other rules. Don't hold back. Trees can be broken. Stone can be split. This forest has lived through worse."
Another ripple of anticipation. A few dark blurs shifted from foot to foot, waiting for my word.
"Healing potions are here, center circle — courtesy of Arwen from the academy. Use them as needed."
And then I let my mana fill the space. Not overwhelming. Just steady. Confident. Sure.
"You've got thirty minutes to spread out. I'll release a bang spell when it's time to begin."
A beat passed. Breath drawn.
"And good luck all of you. Including my own squad."
I smirked, letting just a sliver of challenge enter my voice.
"Because I don't plan on losing."
The forest broke into motion like a pulse. A storm of limbs and mana and intent vanishing into the wild.
And I stood alone in the circle, hand still on my staff, listening to the silence wrap around me again.
Thirty minutes.
Then it begins.