"Attention, students!" Master Kamato’s voice echoed through the training hall. "Today, we have a special guest. This is Kiro, one of the Overseers. He will teach you combat secrets that many veterans don't even know."

  Kiro stepped forward, his eyes sharp. "Welcome, students. I am Kiro. As you all know, there are three csses of power: Strikers, Defensive, and Rushers. Each has a fatal fw."

  He paced across the room. "Strikers suffer from short range; they must risk their lives to get close. Defensiveck speed and finishing power; they struggle to end a fight quickly. And Rushers? They

  are fragile. A single solid hit can shatter them."

  Kiro stopped and scanned the room. "Now, a question. To survive, you must know your enemy's css just by looking at them. Tell me... what css am I?"

  Silence filled the hall. Students looked at each other, confused. Then, a single hand rose. It was Soko.

  "You’re a Rusher," Soko said calmly.

  Kiro’s eyebrows shot up. "Oh? And why is that?"

  "The dagger at your hip," Soko pointed. "The hilt is weighted for easy throwing, and the bde is aerodynamic—specifically crafted for high-

  velocity projectiles. That is a Rusher's weapon."

  Kiro stared at him for a long moment, then smiled. "Impressive. You’re quite sharp, kid. Who taught you that?"

  Soko gave a small, modest ugh. "My grandfather owned a carpentry shop. He taught me how to craft tools and weapons. I learned the difference between steel meant for holding a line and steel meant for flight."

  "Exactly!" Kiro shouted to the css. "Look at your enemy’s gear. Their weapons will tell you their secrets before the fight even begins."

  Later, during the break, Fancy caught up with

  Soko,

  punching him pyfully on the shoulder.

  "Soko, you jerk! You never told me your grandpa had a shop!" Fancy ughed, still looking amazed. "Did you see the look on Kiro's face? He was totally stunned. I didn't know you were such a genius!"

  Soko grinned with a touch of pride. "Well, I guess I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

  Suddenly, the ground groaned. A violent tremor shook the hall, stronger than anything they had felt before. Dust fell from the ceiling, and students

  stumbled, grabbing onto their desks in terror.

  "Stay calm!" Master Kamato roared. "It’s just a tremor! Do not panic, stay in your pces!"

  Amidst the chaos, Soko reached for his cup of

  water to steady himself, but his hand froze.

  The water inside was bubbling. At first, it was a few pearls of air, then it turned into a roaring boil, steam hissing from the rim.

  "Soko! Drop the cup! It's boiling!" Fancy yelled, his eyes wide with confusion and fear.

  Soko reacted instinctively, throwing the cup across the floor. As soon as the gss shattered, the

  shaking stopped.

  A heavy, eerie silence fell over the cssroom.

  Fancy wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Damn... that tremor was way stronger than the st one."

  Soko looked down at the cracks in the floor, his voice low and bitter. "Why does the earth always shake? You hate us that much, don’t you, you cursed ground?"

  Fancy, sensing the heavy mood, spped Soko on the back to cheer him up. "Hey, forget about the floor! How about a race?"

  "Forget it," Soko muttered. "I’m not in the mood."

  "Wait! If you win, I’ll give you my stash of Sun-Drops!" Fancy grinned, knowing Soko’s weakness for the sweet candy.

  Soko’s eyes lit up instantly. "Sun-Drops? Fine. You're on."

  They headed to the edge of the Academy—a steep, treacherous mountain slope that led down to the vilge gates.

  "Are you ready?" Fancy asked, his legs already sparking with the energy of a Rusher.

  Soko looked down the jagged incline. "Are you sure about this? It’s a literal cliff, Fancy."

  "Don't be a coward! On my count... One. Two. Three. GO!"

  Fancy took off instantly, his feet hitting the gravel path with a fast, steady rhythm. He stayed on the main trail, his body leaning forward as he pushed

  his speed to the limit.

  He was ahead, and he knew it, feeling confident as he rounded the first bend.

  But Soko didn't follow the path. He took a deep breath and jumped straight onto the steep, grassy

  side of the hill.

  Instead of running, Soko used the incline to his advantage, sliding down the smooth grass and using the rge rocks as stepping stones to unch himself forward.

  While Fancy had to slow down for the sharp turns and zig-zags of the trail, Soko moved in a straight line, cutting through the slope with nimble leaps. He reached the bottom just seconds before Fancy, leaning against the vilge gate and catching his breath.

  Fancy skidded to a halt, his face turning red with frustration. "No way! That’s impossible!"

  He looked at Soko, then at the steep slope, then back at Soko. He was clearly annoyed, his chest

  heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

  "You... you just threw yourself down the mountain! That wasn't a real race, Soko! You cheated by taking the cliff! I’m a Rusher, I’m supposed to be the fast one here!"

  Soko ughed, reaching out his hand with a grin. "A win is a win, Fancy. I got here first. Now, where are my Sun-Drops?"

  Fancy grumbled, reaching into his pocket and tossing the small bag of colorful candies at Soko. "You’re a pain in the neck, you know that? You won by luck!"

  Soko popped a Sun-Drop into his mouth, savoring the sweet, sugary taste. "Call it what you want, it still tastes like victory.".

  Fancy turned to head back toward the school, but then he paused and looked at Soko with a small, challenging smirk.

  "Don't get too comfortable, Soko," Fancy said. "Come at me again next time. I won't lose twice!"

  Soko watched him walk away, still smiling. "Looking "forward to it, Fancy."

  "Hope you liked the beginning! Don't forget to 'Favorite' and 'Follow' if you want to see what happens next to Soko. Your comments mean the world to me!"