A vibrant red bus, emblazoned with the bold letters 'Keebo International Academy,' cut through the shimmering streets of Japan. Shiv remained pressed against the window, a deep smile etched on his face. As the bus left the swarming sea of cars and bikes behind, a sleek Monorail suddenly streaked across the elevated tracks above like a bolt of lightning.
Watching the futuristic train vanish into the skyline, Shiv's eyes sparked with wonder. He leaned in closer, whispering to himself, "Incredible... seeing the speed of that Sky-Liner, I can tell this journey is going to be one hell of a ride."
Just then, Veeru dropped a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, what's with you? Why are you staring out there like that?"
Shiv looked back at him with a faint, distant grin. "I just... remembered someone."
Veeru recoiled slightly and leaned toward Aarav, whispering, "Bro, did anyone check his mental health before we left?"
Aarav partially closed one eye, replying flatly, "No clue. Honestly, I don't think he was ever 'fine' to begin with." Having said his piece, he lapsed back into silence.
Veeru stood there, bewildered. 'How did I end up with these guys as friends?' he wondered. He glanced back at Shiv, but the boy had already drifted into a deep sleep. "Unbelievable. He's already out cold!"
The atmosphere at the front of the bus was entirely different. A boy was hunched over his phone, his expression dead serious as he gamed. He had a dusky complexion and jet-black hair, flanked by two other students who were snoring loudly. Veeru peeked over his shoulder. "Hey, I've played this game before!"
Suddenly, the boy shouted, "Round 200 Clear!"
Every head on the bus turned toward him. Startled and nervous, the boy quickly shut off his phone and shrank back into his seat. Veeru looked at him in shock. "You actually cleared 200 rounds? You really know your way around this game, huh?"
The boy stammered, "Yeah... well..." Internally, his mind was racing: 'I can't believe I'm finally talking to one of the top students in my class.'
Veeru waved a hand in front of his face. "Earth to gamer! Where'd you go?"
"Right! Sorry... I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Suresh Kumar," the boy said excitedly. "I know you're Veeru Verma. You're one of the top-rankers in our class."
Veeru flashed a cocky grin. "Well, that I am. But I don't think I've ever seen you in class before?"
Suresh gave a small, knowing smile as a flashback flickered through his mind—Class-A, the third seat directly behind Veeru. "I was always there, sitting right behind you."
Veeru brushed it off. "Anyway, forget that! You were playing 'Climb Sor,' right?"
"Yeah," Suresh asked nervously. "Do you play too?"
"Used to. Not anymore," Veeru said stylishly.
"Why not?"
"Because I cleared every single level," Veeru replied. The statement hit Suresh like a physical force. He yelled out, "SERIOUSLY?!"
Once again, the entire bus glared at Suresh. He turned to look at Veeru for backup, only to find him sitting peacefully in his seat, appearing to be fast asleep. The students next to Suresh nudged him sharply. "Sit down and shut up!"
Veeru cracked one eye open, thinking to himself, 'Sorry, man, but I can't take any more embarrassment today.'
A short while later, the bus pulled up in front of a magnificent hotel. Kavya began waking everyone up. "Alright, everyone, out!" Aarav gave Shiv and Veeru a rough shake.
Shiv rubbed his eyes and stepped outside, only to stand frozen in awe. Amidst the midnight hush of Tokyo, the 'Aurum White Residence' shimmered like a polished diamond. The golden and white walls were bathed in the glow of hidden LED lights, giving the entire structure a celestial radiance.
The air was thick with the scent of citrus and expensive jasmine wafting from the lobby. At the main entrance stood a Doorman, dressed in a crisp black formal suit and white gloves. He bowed with perfect, practiced humility.
Shiv felt a surge of nerves. Standing before the massive white entry doors, he looked up at the towering height of the hotel. It hit him then—he had stepped into a completely different world. The automatic doors slid open, and the group entered the lobby where the Principal of Virat Academy and the Vice Headmaster of Keebo Academy were waiting."
Students, gather around," the Principal commanded.
Shiv and Veer started forward at the same time. Veer tried to shoulder-check Shiv out of the way, but Shiv shoved back immediately. The two began jostling and pushing each other right in the middle of the path. Suddenly, Ritika swept past them, tossing her hair with a flick of her hand, followed closely by Kavya.
Shiv snapped, "I'm going first! This is your fault!"
Veer replied in a cold, biting tone, "Go to hell." He walked past without a second glance.
Shiv's face flushed red with rage, his pupils narrowing as he lunged at Veer like a starving wolf. But before he could make contact, Aarav caught him by the collar from behind, jerking him back. "Bhai, we're in a foreign country. Have some shame, at least for now!"
Shiv huffed, his chest heaving. "Where's Veeru?"
Aarav glanced back. "He's with Suresh. Since when did they become buddies?"
"Suresh? Who's Suresh?" Shiv asked, genuinely confused.
Aarav palmed his forehead. "The guy who sits right behind us in class. Have you seriously never noticed him?"
Shiv scratched the back of his head. "To be honest... I don't think I've ever looked at anyone else in class."
The Principal turned to Ritika and Kavya. "Your match against Keebo International is tomorrow. Get some rest tonight. The monitor will fill you in on the details. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Ritika replied seriously, while Kavya stood quietly by. With that, the Principal and the Vice Headmaster departed. Ritika then produced a Brown Box. Shiv jumped slightly. "Is that a weapon?"
"Relax," Kavya sighed.
Ritika opened the box to reveal several tiny micro-chips. Veer explained, "It's a Neural Link Translator."
Shiv picked up one of the one-centimeter black devices. It was etched with faint, glowing neon-blue lines. Following the others, he placed it behind his ear against the occipital area and pressed down.
There was a faint 'Click' as the device fused with his skin. "It's a Neural-Lock," Aarav added. "Once it's on, a hit in a fight won't knock it out. Only the wearer can remove it with a specific sensory touch."
As the device activated, a slight vibration hummed through Shiv's mind. Suddenly, the Japanese conversations echoing through the lobby became crystal clear. He overheard a man nearby saying, "These kids are from overseas... I wonder how they'll fare against Keebo International."
Shiv smirked. Seeing the others heading for the elevator, he called out, "Hey, wait for me!" He dashed inside just as the doors began to close.
As the elevator rose, a figure remained in the shadows of the lobby—a man in a blue jacket and black pants, his face obscured by a black mask. He lowered the mask slightly, revealing a sharp, calculating smile and eyes burning with cold determination.
The moment the man smiled, a sudden, icy shiver raced down Shiv's spine. His heart skipped a beat, and a heavy weight settled in his stomach. 'I have a really bad feeling about this,' Shiv thought, his grip tightening on his bag as the lift climbed higher.