The train station buzzed with energy. Stalls offering free food and commemorative gear lined the platforms, and a neon sign beckoned newcomers to the "Youngster Bar," where a dizzying array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages glowed behind the counter. Inside, three rookies occupied a worn leather booth: Shi Ji cradled a shot glass of water, Akarui nursed a glass of milk, and Shade gripped a frosty bottle of "Anatafade!" orange soda. Shi Ji and Akarui sat shoulder to shoulder; Shade had drifted to an adjacent table with a small cluster of fellow recruits.
Shi Ji tilted his head, eyes narrowed. "Akarui, you look… suspicious."
Akarui smirked, lips staining white with milk. "I get that a lot. It's just my face."
Shi Ji frowned. "You're impossible to read."
Akarui leaned back, balancing the glass on the edge of the table. "I hear that too. But unpredictability can be a strength." He knocked back the last drop, leaving a milk mustache that glinted under the bar lights.
Shi Ji stifled a laugh. "Do you realize you've got—"
Akarui wiped his lip, brows knit. "What? Something on my face?"
Shi Ji blushed. "N-no… nothing."
Meanwhile, Shade's laughter mingled with others' as he chatted with two unusual rookies. One was a bright-blue-furred monkey, a long bo-staff strapped across his back. This was Xing Tong, nineteenth pick of the Eastern Conference's Red Tigers.
"I heard this stretch of the Faulty Tilt has its own legend," Xing Tong whispered, leaning in.
Shade cocked an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
"Absolutely. Just beyond the jungle here is a team called Zesty Parade. They're a Northern Conference outlier."
Shade frowned, cradling his soda. "I've heard rumors. But what makes them strange?"
Xing Tong's eyes sparkled. "They vanished from records—traded every member and future pick for one fighter in a ten-team deal. No one knows who they got. Even the commissioner clams up."
"A one-man team?" Shade's voice dropped.
"Exactly. And the Roundhouse Diesels—one of the North's best—always face them. Yet you never see the mystery fighter's face. No crowds, no cameras."
Shade's grin was genuine. "That's… respectful."
Xing Tong slapped the table. "But word is, this fighter conjures cannons on their arms!"
Shade almost spat out his soda. "Cannons? That's insane!"
"The power and destruction are unreal," Xing Tong agreed.
A second voice cut in. A human-looking recruit with crimson skin and a closed third eye, long black hair drifting to his waist—Yaku Qatina, twenty-fourth pick of the Western Conference's Wild Cowboys.
"I heard they summon an endless swarm of swords," Yaku said coolly.
Xing Tong shook his head. "Cool story, but…?"
Yaku's lips curved. "True."
At that moment, the chatter died. All eyes turned as Nalcolm Signa strode in—legendary, imposing, every punter's dream. He slid into the booth beside Shade, smiling with faint amusement.
Shade rose, nearly spilling his soda. "Nalcolm Signa?"
Inwardly, Xing Tong's jaw dropped: He's talking to a living legend! Yaku's third eye twitched: He just addressed the greatest draft pick ever! Akarui stiffened; Shi Ji went pale.
Nalcolm's features softened. "That's me. You're Shade Shaid? I respect your skill—shame you went lower in the draft."
Shade's eyes lit. "That means a lot. I'm looking forward to facing you in the ring."
Yaku thought wildly: He's eager to spar with Nalcolm Signa? Has he lost his mind?
Nalcolm inclined his head. "And I you."
Akarui glanced at the wall clock. "Shi Ji, our train leaves in ten minutes."
Shi Ji sighed. "We should head out."
Yaku cleared his throat. "Um, Nalcolm… about Zesty Parade's secret fighter—"
Nalcolm laughed softly. "I've heard the rumors too. Some say they can open holes to tear through defenses."
Xing Tong and Yaku exchanged stunned looks: He knows the theories?!
Xing Tong protested, "No way—his gimmick are cannons—there's footage!"
Yaku added, "But they're endless swords near their HQ!"
Nalcolm shrugged. "Could be coincidence."
Their chorus of denial rang out: "Never a coincidence!"
Nalcolm rose. "Well, I've got places to be. See you soon." With that, he vanished into the crowd.
Akarui exhaled. "He didn't even order a drink."
Shi Ji glanced after him. "Maybe he just wanted to talk."
Akarui shook his head. "That felt so forced… so unnatural."
Shade stared at the door. Cannons, holes, swords… how could any of it be true? All gimmicks, right? But how can it be this many..?
The bustling market of the train station blurred with voices, colors, and motion. Nalcolm Signa strode steadily through the crowd, his steps commanding space, his aura enough to make merchants and rookies alike glance twice. Then, abruptly, he stopped. His head turned, gaze narrowing on… something. No, not something—someone.
It felt as if his eyes pierced straight through the story itself, staring beyond the scene, beyond the words, beyond the fourth wall.
What is this sensation? he thought. Wait—my author abilities… they're vanishing?!
And then, a voice shifted.
"Hello there," Nalcolm said aloud, smirking faintly. "The usual narrator isn't here right now. My name is Nalcolm Signa, and I'm the protagonist of this story."
The world seemed to freeze, bending around his declaration.
"You may be wondering what just happened, but rest assured—everything is fine. This tale is about how I'll win it all. No matter what comes, I won't lose." His tone hardened, voice vibrating with conviction. Then he laughed lightly, stepping aside. "That's enough from me. I'll hand things back to the narrator."
And just like that, the narrative snapped back into place.
Meanwhile, inside the bar...
Shade leaned forward, calling across the table. "Hey, Xing Tong!"
The blue-furred monkey tilted his head. "Yes, Shade?"
Shade grinned. "Do you know anything about… monkey dragons?"
Xing Tong's tail twitched in mild annoyance. "Yes. Why ask that? Because I'm a monkey?"
Shade chuckled. "Yeah! How does that even work? And how are you able to talk?"
Xing Tong puffed out his chest proudly. "I'm a Legsho Monkey, the most intelligent and capable monkey species in existence! Monkey dragons aren't even monkeys, though. They're massive, humanoid dragons. Extinct—or so most say. They can't fly, they can't breathe fire, but they move like monkeys."
Shade's eyes gleamed. "Yeah, correct! But… they're not extinct."
Xing Tong froze. "They're not? I swore they were hunted for their scales."
Shade leaned back, smirking. "I knew one. Sparred with it when I was younger."
Xing Tong nearly toppled from his chair. "That has to be a lie! Those beasts are enormous and absurdly powerful! Dragons may terrify with breath and wings, but physically, monkey dragons are ten times stronger!"
"I know," Shade said simply. "He was strong when we fought."
Yaku, lounging nearby, snapped to attention. "Wait, wait, wait. You're saying you fought a monkey dragon? At what age?"
"Ten," Shade replied without hesitation.
Yaku and Xing Tong shouted in unison, "You've got to be lying!"
"I swear I'm not!"
Xing Tong suddenly stood, gripping his staff. "Yeah, sure. I'd love to see your strength in the arena. Good luck, Shade." He strutted toward the door, exiting without another glance.
Yaku followed quickly behind. "Yeah. See you."
Shade raised his bottle of soda after them. "See you both someday."
When the bar settled again, Akarui and Shi Ji approached Shade.
Akarui smirked. "I see you're finished talking."
Shade leaned back in his chair, looking satisfied. "Yeah. Nice chatting with other rookies—even if I'll have to kick their asses later."
Shi Ji sighed softly. "Everyone seems so strong…"
Shade clapped him on the shoulder. "You don't need to worry. If I take them all out first, you won't even have to lift a finger."
"I guess that's true," Shi Ji admitted.
Akarui crossed his arms. "Yeah, Shi Ji, looks like you'll be riding the bench, buddy. Unless we get swept, you won't even feel pain—you'll never see the floor."
Shi Ji nodded quietly. "That's also true."
Shade suddenly leaned forward, grinning wide. "Which means you just have to get stronger!"
"Shade—"
"I'll train you!"
Shi Ji's eyes widened. "You really will?!"
"I promise!!!"
Akarui winced, rubbing his ear. "Jesus, don't scream it into my ear!"
Just then, from outside, came a deafening roar of a horn—the train.
Akarui spun toward the window. "That's the—"
They froze. The bar was empty. Every rookie had left. Panic set in as they bolted outside—only to see the train already speeding away, vanishing into the horizon.
"No!" Akarui's voice cracked.
Shi Ji's face paled. "We missed it! Akarui, I thought you were keeping time!"
"I was! Time just… slipped. The train left faster than I expected!"
Shade lifted his bottle, unbothered. "Don't stress. It comes back tomorrow, right?"
"It does," Akarui muttered, "but now we've got another day of waiting…"
Shade shrugged. "We could just wait in the bar until morning—"
The door slammed behind them. A "Closed" sign flipped into place.
Shi Ji's jaw dropped. "What?! It's only morning!"
Akarui sighed. "It closes once the train leaves."
Shi Ji groaned. "So… back to sleeping in the forest?"
"We could set up camp here—" Akarui stopped short. Shade was gone.
"What the—? Where did he—" His eyes caught Shade already sprinting into the jungle.
"Shade, what are you doing!?"
Shade's laughter echoed back. "If we're stuck another night, I want to have fun!"
Akarui cursed under his breath. "Grr—his dumbass is going to die one day!" He tore off after him, Shi Ji reluctantly following.
Hours bled away. Darkness swallowed the forest. The trio trudged beneath twisted branches, their breaths clouding in the cool night. Shi Ji's face carried raw distress, his hands trembling. Akarui looked exhausted, his expression carved with irritation. Shade, however, was practically glowing, still bounding with reckless excitement as though the shadows themselves fueled him.
"So many… Ton Beetles…" Shi Ji's voice quivered, his eyes darting nervously across the jungle floor where the monstrous carapaces had vanished.
Shade, on the other hand, practically glowed with excitement, his grin splitting wide. "That was fun, wasn't it?!"
Akarui brushed past him, shaking his head. "Fun for you, maybe. Anyway, we need to find shelter. We need rest."
Shade tilted his head, still buzzing with energy. "I suppose… we could split up."
Shi Ji froze. "S-split up—?!"
Akarui didn't hesitate. "Sounds like a good idea to me."
Shi Ji's face went pale. "We can't just do that! What if a Ton Beetle finds me?!"
Shade glanced back at him, smile calm, almost disarming. "You'll be fine! Just scream, and I'll find you!" Without another word, he sprinted into the trees to the left, his laughter fading into the darkness.
Akarui lingered only a moment, turning his gaze onto Shi Ji. His tone was colder, sharper. "If you simply can't survive on your own… then you don't deserve to be here right now." Then, without pause, he slipped into the trees on the right.
"Wait—!" Shi Ji reached out, but they were already gone.
Silence pressed down on him like a weight. "…Dang it…" He dropped his head, shoulders slumping, and forced himself to keep walking, one reluctant step after another.
Is this really what it takes to live in this world? His thoughts clawed at him as he trudged deeper into the oppressive dark. Akarui's been nothing but cruel. I bet he hates the fact I'm even here… And Shade—he's kind, but… something about him feels off.
The jungle stretched endlessly ahead, barren and hollow. Not even the faint chirp of an insect broke the air.
Why is it so quiet? Shi Ji's mind reeled. Back home, forests were alive at night. Sounds of crickets, birds, anything… But here, it's like I'm the only living thing left.
Minutes dragged by in the lifeless dark, the silence gnawing at his nerves—until his eyes widened.
Through the twisting trees loomed a massive structure: a tent so large it rivaled a tower, its fabric walls rising ominously against the starless sky.
Shi Ji's breath caught. "What is this…?" His fists clenched at his sides. "I have to find the others…"