Part 6 – The Battlefield Awakens
A sharp bell echoed across the arena.
The instructor's voice followed immediately.
"The break has ended."
Students opened their eyes one after another.
"Teams, move to your starting positions."
The calm atmosphere vanished as the competitors rose to their feet.
The first round of The Vanguard Tournament was about to begin.
The sharp sound of the bell echoed across the arena.
Students slowly rose from where they had been sitting during the break. The calm silence of Seiryu channeling faded as the tension of the tournament returned.
Haruto opened his eyes and stood, brushing the dust from his clothes. The faint flow of Seiryu inside him felt steady.
Beside him, Daichi stretched his arms and let out a breath.
"Okay… I think I'm good now," he said, though his voice still carried a hint of nervousness.
Haruto glanced at him.
"Good," he said simply. "Let's meet the others."
The two walked across the stone ground toward the other members of their team.
A tall boy with sharp eyes noticed them approaching and raised his hand slightly.
"Kento Ishida," he introduced himself.
Haruto nodded. "Haruto Inazuma."
Daichi stepped forward next. "Daichi Mori."
The last boy beside them folded his arms.
"Akio Akebono."
For a moment the four of them stood there, silently looking at one another as the reality of their team settled in.
Around the arena, other teams were also gathering.
Not far away, Team 1 had already formed near one of the stone walkways.
Kaito Inazuma stood calmly with his arms crossed while Hina Kobayashi looked between their teammates.
Naoko Minami stepped forward slightly, already thinking.
"Alright, listen," she said. "We shouldn't all stay near the flag. Two defend, two attack. That way we can pressure other teams while still protecting ours."
Before anyone else could respond, Hiroki Hasegawa frowned.
"That's a bad idea."
Naoko turned to him sharply. "What?"
"If two people leave, the flag becomes too easy to take," Hiroki said. "Someone could just sneak in."
Naoko crossed her arms.
"So you want all four of us to just sit there guarding? That's even worse."
"At least we wouldn't lose," Hiroki shot back.
Naoko scoffed. "You're not thinking at all."
"And you think you know everything?" Hiroki snapped.
The argument quickly started heating up.
Hina quickly stepped between them.
"Hey, hey—calm down," she said gently.
At the same time, Kaito sighed quietly and uncrossed his arms.
"That's enough."
Both Naoko and Hiroki stopped and looked at him.
Kaito's expression remained calm.
"Arguing now wastes time."
The two stayed silent.
"We'll adjust once the round begins," Kaito continued. "For now, focus on the objective."
Hina nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. Let's just work together first."
Naoko exhaled and looked away slightly.
"…Fine."
Hiroki rubbed the back of his neck but didn't argue further.
Not far away, Team 1 had already formed near one of the stone walkways.
Kaito Inazuma stood calmly with his arms crossed while Hina Kobayashi looked between their teammates.
Naoko Minami stepped forward slightly, already thinking.
"Alright, listen," she said. "We shouldn't all stay near the flag. Two defend, two attack. That way we can pressure other teams while still protecting ours."
Before anyone else could respond, Hiroki Hasegawa frowned.
"That's a bad idea."
Naoko turned to him sharply. "What?"
"If two people leave, the flag becomes too easy to take," Hiroki said. "Someone could just sneak in."
Naoko crossed her arms.
"So you want all four of us to just sit there guarding? That's even worse."
"At least we wouldn't lose," Hiroki shot back.
Naoko scoffed. "You're not thinking at all."
"And you think you know everything?" Hiroki snapped.
The argument quickly started heating up.
Hina quickly stepped between them.
"Hey, hey—calm down," she said gently.
At the same time, Kaito sighed quietly and uncrossed his arms.
"That's enough."
Both Naoko and Hiroki stopped and looked at him.
Kaito's expression remained calm.
"Arguing now wastes time."
The two stayed silent.
"We'll adjust once the round begins," Kaito continued. "For now, focus on the objective."
Hina nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. Let's just work together first."
Naoko exhaled and looked away slightly.
"…Fine."
Hiroki rubbed the back of his neck but didn't argue further.
Elsewhere on the field, Ayame Inazuma stood with Tetsu Yonamine, Nabu Mizuno, and Katsuo Shimura.
Tetsu stretched his shoulders.
"So… protect first?"
Ayame nodded calmly.
"Yes. We observe the battlefield first. Then we move."
Tetsu grinned. "Sounds good."
Across another section of the arena, Souta Nishikawa stood with Saki Aizawa, Chiharu Phoenix, and Bunjiro Uesugi.
Souta looked a little unsure.
"Maybe… two people defend and two scout?"
Chiharu nodded thoughtfully. "That might work."
Nearby, Arashi Homura leaned casually beside Misaki Hoshino while Leo Junpei and Mei Shibata stood with them.
Misaki pointed toward the terrain ahead.
"Those pillars will block vision. We can use that."
Arashi smirked.
"Good. I was hoping this wouldn't be boring."
Soon all twelve teams had gathered near the edge of the battlefield.
At a signal from the main instructor, twelve instructors stepped forward, each carrying a cloth flag mounted on a wooden pole.
"Each team will be assigned its own defensive zone," the instructor announced. "Follow the instructor assigned to you."
Without delay, the teams began moving.
One by one, the instructors led their assigned teams across different sections of the arena—some toward rocky areas, others toward narrow stone paths, scattered pillars, or open clearings surrounded by low walls.
After reaching their positions, each instructor firmly planted the flagpole into the ground.
"This is your area of defense," they said.
Once the flags were secured, the instructors stepped back and quietly left the zones, returning toward the edge of the battlefield.
Soon, all twelve flags stood planted across the arena, each one guarded by its team.
The main instructor stepped forward once more.
The battlefield grew silent.
He slowly raised his arm.
"This round will last fifteen minutes."
The wind brushed lightly across the arena, causing the flags to flutter.
"Protect your flag. Capture another."
Then his arm dropped.
"Begin."
First 3 Minutes
In Team 1's zone, tension had already begun building.
Naoko Minami folded her arms, clearly irritated.
"I'm telling you, we should split. Two defend, two scout."
Hiroki Hasegawa shook his head immediately.
"That's risky. If someone sneaks in while we're gone, the flag's gone."
Naoko scoffed. "You're just scared."
Hiroki frowned. "I'm being realistic."
Their voices rose slightly.
Hina Kobayashi looked between them nervously.
"Hey—maybe we should—"
Before she could finish, Hiroki suddenly stepped back toward the flag.
"Fine," he said. "I'll stay here. You guys do whatever you want."
Naoko rolled her eyes.
But Kaito Inazuma stepped forward calmly.
"It doesn't work that way."
Both of them looked at him.
Kaito's voice remained steady.
"This is a team round."
His eyes moved between them.
"We work as a team. Stop arguing."
The brief silence that followed was enough for both Naoko and Hiroki to back down.
5 Minutes Into the Round
Movement across the battlefield slowly began increasing.
On the far side of the arena, Team 3 made the first big move.
Raizo Okabe and Shin Sugiyame pushed into Team 12's territory with precise coordination.
Within moments, Team 12's flag was taken.
A horn echoed across the arena.
"Team Twelve's flag has been captured."
Students glanced around in surprise.
But the instructor's voice followed immediately.
"Team Twelve still has time to reclaim it before the round ends."
The battle continued.
7 Minutes Into the Round
Team 9 had quietly gained control of their zone.
Near their flag, Souta Nishikawa and Bunjiro Uesugi stood guard, watching every movement in the distance.
Inside Team 2's territory, two figures waited silently behind a broken stone wall.
Saki Aizawa.
Chiharu Phoenix.
Both watched the defenders carefully.
"Not yet," Saki whispered.
Chiharu nodded.
They were waiting for the perfect opening.
9 Minutes Into the Round
Elsewhere, Team 8 had taken a fully defensive stance.
All four teammates remained near their flag.
The timer reached nine minutes.
Amaya Homura suddenly spoke.
"I'm heading out."
Her teammates immediately turned.
Nao Hoshi frowned. "That's not a good idea."
Zenzo Amana shook his head.
"You won't be able to do anything alone."
Amaya's expression remained calm.
"Trust me."
She pointed toward their flag.
"We only need to stay in the top nine teams."
"You three stay here and defend."
The others exchanged uneasy looks.
Finally they nodded.
"…Alright."
Amaya turned and ran out into the battlefield alone.
12 Minutes Into the Round
For a brief moment…
The battlefield became completely silent.
No attacks.
No movement.
Every team waited.
Everyone was searching for the perfect opportunity.
Then suddenly—
"Where did the flag go?!"
Sanae Fujikawa's voice echoed across the field.
Team 7's flag was missing.
Chaos erupted across the battlefield.
At the same moment, several teams moved.
Team 1 launched an attack into Team 6's territory, quickly seizing their flag.
Across another section of the battlefield, Team 10 struck.
Arashi Homura and Leo Junpei charged into Team 11's zone, clashing with their defenders.
Meanwhile, Team 9's plan succeeded.
Saki and Chiharu had managed to grab Team 2's flag.
But Team 2 was already chasing them.
Kento Ishida and Akio Akebono stayed right behind them, refusing to lose sight of the stolen flag.
Inside Team 4's territory, only Katsuo Shimura had remained to defend.
Suddenly—
Yamashita Taro from Team 11 slipped into the zone.
Before Katsuo could react, Yamashita grabbed the flag and escaped.
Saki and Chiharu attempted to hide behind a group of rocks.
But Kento and Akio stayed close behind them.
Then—
Haruto moved.
He sprinted forward and leapt directly toward Saki.
Saki ducked smoothly.
Haruto flew past her.
But he twisted and came back instantly with a kick.
Saki dodged it easily.
It almost looked effortless.
The flag remained in her hands.
14 Minutes
The timer kept ticking.
One minute remained.