Round 1 just started and—
"Hello, Kelly, long time no see," said some random guy as he threw an iron rod in front of us.
"This is just so cheesy, Haiku. The games just literally started," Kelly said in a disturbed tone.
"I guess I just have to put you and your teammates six feets under," James replied.
"Should I help you?" Shinka asked.
"Nah, he's my problem, just gimme 5 minutes."
James used his Azure technique: Metal Rod Shower, and Kelly protected us----
Azure Link activate, Azure technique: Protective shell
And she proceeded to attack him using her Azure technique: Gravity Crush.
She was flattening James like a pancake, but he broke free the moment he used his Azure technique: Roshin's Sword, Form 1: Luster, creating sharp metal rounds on the ground, followed by Form 2: Spear Piercer. He created a large sharp spear which he launched at Kelly.
I thought she wouldn't be able to stop it given the speed, but—
Azure technique: Gravity Zone, output 200%.
Using her technique, she broke the spear and the rods popping out of the ground, and as for James, he became one with the ground—literally.
"This isn't over, Kelly," James murmured as he was stuffed in the ground.
"I guess you would have to wait for your teammates to help out there, buddy, 'cause we have a flag to get," Soroa said sarcastically as we left the scene.
"I forgot to ask you, Kelly, what's your last name?" I asked.
"Rodwick," she answered.
"Oh, you must be the daughter of the 'Forceful Descent' Heidon Rodwick, the six-starred general," Shinka said implausibly.
"Yeah, I am," Kelly answered.
"It's super nice to have you on our team, ma'am, hahahaha," Soroa said as he laughed.
We came across several traps as we approached the finish line, but with no flag in sight.
"Teams 1, 7, 8, 29, 15, 12, and 30 have all crossed the finish line with their flags. Time remaining: 10 minutes," the Hagarin Source announced.
Whoa, we certainly don't have much time remaining.
We finally found a flag just lying on the floor, but something wasn't right.
"The flags are supposed to be on a floating panel. Why is it on the ground?" I asked in a disturbed manner.
"I think it's a malfunction, or maybe it's a trap," Shinka replied.
"I think we should confirm—from afar, that is," Soroa suggested.
check if it was a trap.
"Wait!! Is that blood? Where is it coming from?" Kelly asked.
"Guys, I think there's a body over there," Shinka said as he sighted a leg by a tree.
"Oh, would you like to join me in savouring this delectable meal?" said a humanoid rabbit in a black-and-white suit as he tore off the arm of an unconscious candidate.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh, help me pleaseeeee!" screamed the unconscious candidate.
"TF, what's a Gukaku doing in this area? Quick, sis, send a distress signal while am holding him off," Shinka said as he activated his Azure Link and used his Azure technique: Chronoa Pause.
I sent the distress signal quickly, but—
"Boy, that's a nice Azure Link you have there, but I'm afraid your technique is far too weak to hold a being of my calibre," the humanoid rabbit said as he broke free from Shinka's technique and slashed him.
Azure technique: Gravity Crush. Kelly cut in to save Shinka.
Shinka used his Azure technique: Slow Down, to reduce the bleeding.
Azure Link activate, Azure technique: Space Rift.
"Stay away from my brother, you piece of shit," Soroa said as he attacked the rabbit with multiple space rifts.
"OHOHOH, you got som—"
Azure Links activate: Sword and Cryokinesis.
Azure technique: Quintuple Glacier Slash.
I used my Azure Link to stop his annoying speech.
"It seems one of my rather annoying playmates is coming this way. Till next time, my all-too-delightful prospective Hagarins. Chao," the humanoid rabbit said as he teleported away.
I quickly carried the flag, then suddenly—
"Isn't it getting a bit hot over here?" Shinka said as the trees started to burn.
"I heard a Gukaku was spotted here," said a lady with purple hair and red eyes, covered in purple flames, as she descended from the sky.
"Yes, we were the ones that sent the distress signal. It just escaped," I answered.
"What did it look like?" the lady continued to ask.
"It was a humanoid man-eating rabbit," Kelly answered as she helped Shinka up.
"It must have been Vacan, that bastard. Your teammate's injured, huh?" she said as she approached Shinka.
Azure technique: Phoenix's Revitalisation Zone.
She used her Azure technique, which completely healed Shinka and four other injured candidates. The guy that lost his arm couldn't get it back, unfortunately, and the four of them were still unconscious.
"Teams 6, 23, 17, 26, 5, 19, and 11 have all crossed the finish line with their flags. Time remaining: 2 minutes," the Hagarin Source announced.
"You guys need to hurry up and get going," the lady said as she called the medics to carry the unconscious candidates.
"Thanks for the help," I said as we hurriedly ran to the finish line.
"I kinda feel bad that we had to carry their flags," Soroa said as we approached the finish line.
"Things happen, bro, and we did save them, didn't we?" Shinka replied.
Just as we were about crossing the finish line—
"Azure technique: Vine Bind," said a very desperate guy with black hair and green eyes as he tried to bind us.
"Like, seriously?" I said as I glared at him.
"Azure technique: Chronoa Pause."
Shinka stopped the vines.
And we successfully crossed the finish line with our flag in hand.
"Team 10 just made their way across the finish line, and with that, ladies and gentlemen, Round 1 has come to a close. Please await further instructions in the waiting room," the Hagarin Source announced.
Somewhere in the Gukaku Supremacy—
"Vacan, how was your trip to Azure Academy?" said a shadowy figure that appeared from a wall.
"It was full of some splendid surprises," Vacan replied in a delightful tone.
"Calling out to all of the 10 Hagbore Distaints, it is time to commence the Kasmel Summit."
"OHOHOH, this is going to be fun. I heard from Porlicen that everyone is going to be present this year," Vacan said to the shadowy figure.
"That poisonous fox really knows how to supply quality info," the shadowy figure replied.