The warm air thickens rapidly as the café's music subtly shifts to smooth jazz, establishing the mood. A mystery begins to unfold before them as the breakfast area grows livelier—ordinary conversations, yet seemingly crucial for those seeking the truth about the foul tournament. What exactly is it? Can these answers be provided straightforwardly? Huntsman's mind raced with these thoughts, sharp and relentless.
She tilted slightly to address Huntsman, watching him dead in the eye as Alice's mood shifted from a happy demeanor to a slightly stoic look, making Huntsman straighten. Shft!
Alice leans forward enough not to fall off the chair as it tilts slightly, getting into Huntsman's face with excitement in her voice, she whispers,
"The foul looked for the piece missing inside their minds, searching for meaning in life that was once hidden; soon reality itself became a wonder of endless mystery, so is the life of the foul."
The boy shook his body slightly, turning away in confusion, thinking to himself what could it mean? The words she spoke sounded like nonsense, yet were intriguing at the same time.
He shifts back towards her as his teeth grind to utter the words from his mouth in curiosity, he asked. "What could it possibly mean?"
She leans back, looking at her mother, then looking at the sigils in the room. Soon after, Huntsman found himself looking as well, wondering what she would say next. She, with a stoic look on her face, murmured strongly with a smirk on her face.
"The very words from the grandmaster, not mine, what it means truly depends on the ambition of the foul. So tell me, are you truly ready for this tournament as you say you are, because when I begin this explanation, there is no going back."
"Yes, I am sure. I am ready for anything that will come my way in the future, and what I strive for is the very thing to become somebody not forgotten." Said Huntsman with a strong ambition as she slightly nodded in agreement.
"You sound like my mother for a moment there. It's normal to feel inspired, so I'll let it pass," said Alice Everlast, eyes closing tightly and tilting her head downward, with a smirk on her face. She then remarked, "You notice my eyes shifted from my mother to the sigils inside the café."
"Yes, I did. Are those the same markings of the Galactic Union or the Sigil of the faction that each GoShot recognizes?" Huntsman said while raising his finger, pointing at the sigils and then at Xu with a goofy expression, as she was simply trying to enjoy her meal peacefully without interference.
Alice, in shock, maybe her first impression of the dude was wrong, and he may have some sense in that brain of his, "So you may have some brain cells in that dorm after all."
"HuH?" Huntsman, slightly annoyed, looked at her, ready to just probably pinch her for being so smug suddenly.
"Enough! Don't worry much about what I said," she said, folding her arms and closing her eyes, giving a mean look on her face. " Ok, The Tournament of the Foul, as the name suggests, is made for the fouler (Rouge Surger) who wants to try their hand to become a Galactic Soldier that fight for the greater good of the universe."
Huntsman straighten taking a small bite into the pancake on his plate, realizing it had gotten a little cold from the small conversation.
Alice looked slightly smug as she watched Huntsman, thinking he was just trying to annoy her at this point, but ignored it and continued to talk,
"As for what you said before, you are correct, the sigil is the symbol of the faction each GoShot owns, but the thing about faction is that we only join them after a few years inside the academy, 3 years to be exact, then you graduate, and the Vice Goshot either selects you personally for the Faction. The Tournament is just for you to enter the academy. If you do fail in the tournament, that just means you have to try next quarter."
"That means Xu kind of lied to me about joining her faction to start investigations after I finished the tournament," said Huntsman, recalling that what Xu told him in the van was definitely not the truth, as he expected.
His eyes glance at a shamed Xu as she tries to get away, her face blank with guilt.
"I'm going inside to let you two talk. Just remember, Huntsman, I will be training you tomorrow," said Xu as she tried to get away from the situation quickly before it dissolved into something else.
"YOU ALSO LIED ABOUT TRAINING ME THE DAY AFTER, HI COME BACK HERE!" Said Huntsman, slightly angered, as he stands hitting the table slightly enough to get her attention.
Xu looks at Huntsman, angry and annoyed, shadows swallowed her features, leaving only the lethal, white-hot intensity of her eyes. "I will accept many things, but don't disrespect me in my daughter's presence. I was busy these past few days, alright!"
Huntsman shocked sit back down, realizing he probably taken it a little too far. She was just keeping her cool the whole time with him before. He replied, "Alright, madam, sorry about shouting just now. I didn't mean anything, I swear!"
"It's alright, just return to the conversation. Starting tomorrow, I will give you an official test to see if you have any chance of assisting me in this mission, so be prepared," Xu said, her angry expression lingering. She hesitated slightly, realizing it might be time to assert herself more. As the top GoShot in the Union, her title is highly important to her.
Alice worried about Huntsman's safety, looked at him with an interesting expression, is this petty, or is she trying not to laugh at him? She said to Huntsman,
Be cautious in how you talk to my mother; while she's often easygoing, when she is serious, her demeanor becomes sharp, like an alpha in a pack. You have a significant responsibility towards her. I heard she bailed you out, which suggests she expects something in return. If you fail to fulfill that, you could face serious consequences, like that politician who double-crossed her and met a grim end. So, tread carefully.
"You're right, even if it was Morina's request, it was still her money that made it all happened thinking maybe Morina had to beg her little sister just to even consider the request," said Huntsman as he began to shake a little by the thought of something going wrong.
Alice reached out to his hand in comfort, a hand so warm it can calm the nerves of anyone, as she replied, "For Xu to consider you,
That means she wanted to honor her sister's request, and even though I don't know my mother much, raising me, she only show kindess, she and dad are my everything."
"Mom really wants you to become the change this universe needs, her heart is pure like sugar – she wants you to keep fighting even if this world dealt you the wrong cards," she said with a warm feeling in her eyes as she realized they are shifting to much from the main topic at hand the tournament, she quickly pulled her hands away and fixed herself. Hmm! Hmm! " Anyways, back to what I was saying about the tournament, let me give you insight on everything about even the important details that Mom and Morina probably didn't tell you."
Huntsman begins to look more serious and pay attention this time because every word means a thousand lives.
Alice noticed the fire in his eyes, and she smiled slightly, feeling the emotions running like rapid fire. Naturally, this is what it means to be alive. CURIOSITY is something both she and Huntsman share. She spoke every word with meaning much more.
"The tournament lasts at least 3 weeks to complete three stages. The first stage is called the classification period, where the galactic union tests out your skills to determine early if you're good for detective, forger, or just becoming a regular soldier, using tests that assess each skill.
After a week of going through this period, they will classify you with a badge to begin the real events of the tournament.
The 2nd stage is called the grand race against time, which lasts another week, where the surger must traverse through the unforgiving forest of Yarim Serenity back to the academy. This is the first elimination part of the examination process. Where the grouping will be cut down from 40 to half that. In total, it will have 20 teams – only 10 of those teams will go on to the last part of the tournament.
Lastly, the 3rd stage is the true tournament in the arena of battle, where the last remaining 20 go through a small tournament where each fights for their spot. Only the top 10 will go on to enter the school with a name for themselves as rookie galactic union representatives, and after that, basic stuff like ranking and other boring stuff is done. Ok, now hearing all of this, do you understand the very importance of this tournament now?"
A shadow-filled huntsman face as he tilted his head downward before he spoke words that would determine his ambition wasn't just a bluff. He shuddered from his lungs tightening as he said,
"I will make sure I make it through this tournament to make Xu proud. I will make sure everything she put towards it becomes worth it."
"That is what I like to hear, Huntsman, Ok with that, I will be your teammate for the second half of the tournament, but after that your on your own." Said Alice with a smile on her face as she looked towards Huntsman.
Huntsman pauses and shakes slightly, struggling to hold back a tear. He then extends his hand in a handshake and says, "Alright, partner, let's make this tournament our battleground."
Alice hesitated a little, but she reached her hand out, smiling with her eyes close saying,
"Sure, just remember not to hold me back, kiddo HRUHRUHRU!"
Huntsman, a bit annoyed by her calling him kiddo, smirked and said, "Aren't we the same age? Don't call me kiddo yet; you might get gray hair."
"The fuck you mean! Oh HAHA I got the joke this time HAHAHAHAHA!" said Alice as her expression shifted into a positive mood.
The conversation continued as Morina soon joined, and they decided to spend the rest of the day playing games like Snakes and Ladders and other fun activities. The people in the bar shared in the excitement, creating a memorable moment worth treasuring, as everything in this café is meant to be celebrated. As dusk fell and night approached, everyone prepared for the next day. So begins the training he's been preparing for, learning from someone most similar to him—so much so that he doesn't even realize it. Huntsman and Xu are now training.
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At the same gym that Morina and Huntsman were in previously still that smell of sweat, leather, and metal that tainted the room. The beams are exposed to everyone to see within the gym.
Xu pulled a chair and began to sit on it without a worry in the world. She turned it backward, resting her arms on the rim as she spoke,
"Are you skilled at gunslinging? I heard from my sister that you underwent firearm training in the galactic prison, but I'm skeptical. Handling a gun properly—knowing its construction from the ground up—and being able to disassemble and reconfigure it quickly in battle require specific skills. Skills you might still need to develop."
I realize I still have a lot to learn. From this point on, I need to take it seriously if I truly want to evolve from a basic surgeon—
"You mean a 'Flicker,'" said Xu, as she felt the urge to correct him on the classification of the surge level.
"A flicker, what does that mean?" said Huntsman as her curiosity grew thicker.
"Lean forward and I will tell you, come closer," said Xu, instinctively feeling slightly annoyed as she waved her hand forward and back in a gesture urging him to move closer.
Chapter 8 – The Truth of Surge