The forest roared with life, dense with towering trees whose thick canopies allowed only fractured sunlight to pierce through. Leaves rustled under the pounding feet of knight candidates sprinting along mossy trails, each one trying to reach the finish line or prove their strength in combat. The Forest Race had begun, and chaos bloomed like wildflowers.
Dan wiped the sweat from his brow, his breathing steady after taking down three fellow candidates—Brook, Ritch, and Vertz, but not without the help of the girl.
It was her—Rebecca, the girl he'd saved days ago but in return she saved him today
She crossed her arms, studying him like a disappointed older sister. "You're using your chi like a kid," she said bluntly.
Dan blinked. "Huh? What do you mean? I'm using it just fine."
Rebecca rolled her eyes and stepped forward, her boots crunching dry twigs beneath her. "Just like I said. You're not using it like other lightning users. You're throwing it around like a toddler throwing tantrums."
Dan narrowed his eyes, confused. "Okay… then show me how I'm supposed to use it."
Without another word, Rebecca clenched her fist. Sparks of lightning danced along her knuckles. Then, in a swift motion, she punched the tree beside her. The trunk split cleanly in two, crashing to the forest floor with a deafening crack.
Dan's jaw slackened. "What the—?! That output is insane."
Rebecca shook her hand out and smiled. "Did you see that clearly?"
Dan nodded, awe glittering in his eyes. "Yeah… your lightning… it looks nothing like mine. It's balanced. Controlled. It's on another level."
"That's right," she said, beaming with pride. "It's called a Bang."
Deeper in the forest, chaos brewed elsewhere.
Alexis was grinning like a wolf in a chicken coop, sword resting against his shoulder. His maroon eyes shimmered with mischief as he stepped forward, his blonde hair brushing against his brow. Around him, several knight candidates scattered like frightened prey.
"Come on," Alexis called. "Stop running and face me already!"
From behind a thick tree trunk, one of the knight participants whispered harshly, "What the hell? This kid is insane!"
"Let's just hide," another murmured. "Maybe he'll get bored and leave."
Before they could finish plotting their cowardly retreat, Alexis' grin widened. His voice echoed like a whisper caught in the wind. "Found ya."
Three terrified screams erupted in unison.
"Penalty for making me search for you…" Alexis twirled his sword lazily. "Three cuts each. Sounds fair, no?"
The trio bolted.
"You can run, but I'll still find you," Alexis taunted. He grabbed his blade with both hands as chi began to swirl around it like mist. "This'll be quick."
He dashed forward, his blade a silver blur. "Nine slashes!"
The three fell, their bodies rolling onto the forest floor, bruised and bloodied.
Alexis exhaled and admired his handiwork. "Damn… didn't think that would actually work, just made it. Am I a genius or what?"
As he turned to leave, something sharp and invisible sliced through the air toward him. He caught the movement and raised his sword just in time, the impact sending a gust of wind through his hair.
"Well, well," Alexis said, squinting. "Someone from the Air Nation, huh? Just come out already."
A figure dropped from the trees with fluid grace—tall, wiry, and clad in gray clothing that fluttered like feathers.
"Hello, Alexis," said Drake, knight candidate from the Air Nation's second sub-branch.
Alexis chuckled. "Drake? You're attacking me now? I thought we were buddies."
Drake's face twisted with anger. "Buddies? After how you embarrassed me?"
"Ohhh," Alexis smirked. "You mean the time I showed you how worthless you were against Esther, White your idol, and me?"
"You still think you're funny?"
"Very much yes."
Drake snarled. "Then die!"
Before Alexis could finish his retort, a burst of compressed air struck him square in the chest, hurling him backward through the underbrush. He landed hard, dirt spraying around him.
Drake stepped forward. "How do you like that?!"
Alexis coughed, then sat up, brushing twigs from his hair. "I was going to ignore your worthless ass… but I guess I do owe you another loss."
Drake growled and prepared another attack. But Alexis vanished from sight, reappearing in a flash in front of him.
Drake gasped. "What the—?!"
A strike from the flat of Alexis's blade sent Drake tumbling across the ground.
"You surprised?" Alexis asked. "I've gotten stronger since the last time. And don't worry—I'm still holding back. You're not worth going all-out on."
"Screw you!" Drake spat.
Back near the riverbank in the forest, Dan was still with Rebecca.
"A Bang?" he repeated.
Rebecca nodded. "Look at my hand."
She raised it again, producing a sphere of lightning. "This is how you do it—scattered, uncontrolled, no balance. Now watch."
She summoned a tighter, denser form of lightning, compacting it with her will. "Do you see the difference?"
Dan leaned in, eyes wide. "What the… you made it smooth. There's no wild discharge."
"Oh, there is," Rebecca corrected. "Look closely."
He narrowed his eyes—and then saw it. Tiny threads of lightning still arced around the surface, but they were structured, contained.
"Cool. How do I do that?"
Rebecca smiled. "You've got the Lightning Blood in you. We learn fast. Just follow me."
Dan held out his palm and focused. Lightning sparked erratically at first, but with Rebecca's guidance, he managed to compress it. Sweat dripped from his brow as he forced it into shape.
"Yes!" he exclaimed. "I did it!"
Rebecca nodded approvingly. "Now, punch the ground. See what it does."
Dan slammed his fist into the dirt. The ground erupted beneath him, splitting the forest floor. A wave of impact blew the leaves off nearby branches.
Dan looked at his hand, stunned. "Whoa… Freakin' cool. This… this is another level."
Back in the battle-scarred woods, Drake had retreated several paces, panting.
Why is he faster than before? he thought, panic rising. Good… I've got enough space now.
He launched three compressed air spheres at Alexis. "Eat this!"
Alexis spotted them and grinned. "Nice try."
He sliced through each one with a single stroke.
Drake's eyes widened. "How did you—?!"
"Simple," Alexis said with a shrug. "But even if I explained, you wouldn't get it."
He stepped forward again, sword glowing faintly. "You're not good enough to keep up with me. I hoped you'd improved, but I'm disappointed. So let's stop this charade."
Drake roared in defiance. "I'll end it when I say it ends!"
Alexis sighed, tightened his grip on his blade, and dropped into a fighting stance. "Sorry, Drake. But I've gotta end this."
He charged.
Drake panicked and sent a barrage of air slashes, but Alexis slipped between them, cutting through some and dodging the rest with lethal precision.
"Night night," Alexis whispered.
His blade gleamed, and then his special move, "Star slash".
A deep cut spread across Drake's chest as he collapsed to the ground, knocked unconscious.
Alexis stood over him, breathing softly. "What a waste of a move. You should be lucky the branch leader gave me this dull trainee sword as punishment… just because I said I was too good for this contest."
He looked at his blade, then at Drake's still body. "You didn't even push me to use my special eyes."
Alexis turned and walked off, the wind ruffling his shirt as he disappeared into the woods.
"I hope you get back up," he muttered. "And finish the race."