The sun rose gently over the river bridge, its morning light spilling across the fields and shimmering against the water. Around 8 a.m., the steady rhythm of push-ups echoed through the crisp air. Salazar, Divy, Oiki, and Niko, all shirtless and drenched in sweat, moved in unison, their voices counting together—"Two hundred thirty-one… two hundred thirty-two… two hundred thirty-three…" Each repetition pounded like a drumbeat of determination.
Not far away, Ella and Eve faced each other in a small clearing, their movements sharp and precise as they exchanged blows and counters, the crack of their sparring breaking the morning calm.
A few steps back, seated on a worn wooden stool, an old man sipped slowly from his steaming cup of tea. His gaze never left the group, his sharp eyes following every strike, every drop of sweat, every ounce of willpower. Silent yet steady, he observed them with the patience of someone who had seen countless fighters rise and fall—quietly measuring their progress for the looming district championship.
The group finally shouted together, "Two hundred and fiftyy!" before collapsing to the ground in a puddle of sweat—except Divy. He stood tall, his breath steady, grabbing a towel from the old man to wipe himself down with a heavy sigh.
Meanwhile, Oiki and Niko dragged themselves up, leaning against each other, and plopped beside the old man. He handed them towels as Niko, still catching his breath, muttered, "Weow… that was exhausting."
"Yeah… it was," Oiki agreed, then glanced at Divy. "Although you don't seem nearly as wrecked as us."
Divy's reply came flat, almost too casual. "Two-fifty isn't much for me. I can push to five hundred easily."
"Cocky as ever," Niko exhaled, shaking his head. "You're the complete opposite of Salazar. Look at him."
All three turned. Salazar lay sprawled out flat on the ground, arms and legs wide like a starfish, chest heaving. His towel was still clenched in his hand, but it wasn't on his face—it was just barely hanging off one finger, as if even gravity was too heavy for him.
The three stared at him in silence.
"...Eh?" they all muttered at once, half-bewildered, half-amused.
The old man chuckles lightly and says,
"Ahaha… look at him, lying there like someone just ripped out his chest and put his organs up for sale in the Sunday market. Oh my, oh my."
The three of them freeze, staring at him in horror.
Niko's glasses almost slip off his face, Oiki's jaw drops, and even Divy's stoic look cracks a little.
"…Old man… what the heck do you watch in your free time?" Niko mutters nervously.
The old man just takes another sip of tea with a sly grin, "Oh, nothing much… just a little imagination to keep me young."
The three of them freeze, faces stiff with horror.
Niko's thoughts raced: "This oldass doesn't know the difference between funny and horror…"
Oiki gulped, thinking: "Sometimes I think he's a psycho or something."
And Divy, stone-faced as ever, still couldn't help but think: "This old man is scarier than demons."
All three sat there, staring at him like he was the real monster of the night, while the old man just sipped his tea, completely unknown of his words effects.
Ella and Eve walked over, taking the towels from the old man.
Ella, sounding like she's scolding a kid, said,
"Grandpa, you need to control your imagination or else you'll scar the boys."
The old man chuckled, unfazed.
"Oh my my, they're grown men now. I doubt they're bothered by my imagination… right, boys?"
The three gave him a blank, stoic stare—like they were silently asking if he was actually brain-dead.
Oiki broke the silence, calm and almost whispering,
"We're 15, old man. Not even legal age yet."
The old man blinked, confused, then sighed.
"Hmm… in my era 13 was the legal age. The new era's just so… sensitive."
All three stared at him again, their faces practically screaming without words:
"This old fossil needs to die already."
Ella's eyes narrowed.
"Did you guys say something about my grandpa?"
All three instantly panicked.
"Nope!"
Eve chuckled softly at the back-and-forth, her laugh carrying a kind of charm that caught Oiki's eyes. He froze—his expression shifting to one of alarm. He subtly signaled Divy and Niko to look, and when they did, their faces mirrored Oiki's.
Even Ella noticed. She frowned and turned her head… only for her expression to change too.
Confused, Eve asked,
"What happened, guys?"
Then she felt a little tug at her skirt. Slowly, she glanced to the side—
There was Salazar, crouched down, innocently wiping his wet face with her skirt, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Eve yanked herself back, shrieking,
"WHAT THE HELL?!!"
Salazar blinked up at her as the fabric slipped from his hand.
"Huh? What the—"
Before he could finish, SMACK!
Ella's palm slapped across his face in a loud, cartoonish whap that sent his head wobbling comically.
"WHAT KIND OF DUMBASS ARE YOU?!!" she yelled, fuming.
The scene cuts to Salazar sitting silently, half his face still red from the slap, his expression screaming: "but what did I even do?"
Everyone else continues their breakfast with the old man, who casually raises a question while munching,
Old Man: "Well well well, how much time is remaining for your championship?"
Niko (chewing on his sandwich): "Two weeks."
Oiki (looking up): "It's supposed to happen in the district capital, right?"
Niko nods.
Ella: "Myran City—also known as the City of Flowers. The matches will be at Rouge Stadium, and we'll be staying in Hibiscus Villa, the old castle of the city's former rulers."
Eve (with sparkling eyes, dreamy tone): "I want to smell the flowers… I heard there are hundreds of varieties there."
The three boys freeze, staring at her blissful expression like it's a bad omen.
Salazar (casually sipping orange juice): "Also the birthplace and hometown of Reiny Pils, the woman warrior from the past."
The old man chuckles, shaking his head.
Old Man: "Well well well, she was beautiful like a goddess. Cruel to her enemies too. Ah… I regret that I never banged her."
Instantly, the group spits out their orange juice in perfect cartoonish synchronization.
Niko (panicked, slamming the table): "Old man, at least behave! We're still underage kids for talks like that!"
Old Man (chuckling, scratching his head): "Oh my my… sorry, sorry. I sometimes forget about that."
The kids stare at him in dead silence, faces saying the same thing: "This guy's a real dumbass."
The old man walking away with his hands behind his back, humming to himself as the group stays behind in the training field.
Niko dusts his palms and says, "Alright, combat practice time. Who'll pair with who?"
Oiki immediately steps forward, "Me with you."
Ella, without hesitation, adds, "Me with Eve, as always."
That leaves only two.
Niko glances at Salazar and then at Divy. His tone dips slightly, conflicted, "So… Salazar and Divy together."
The air tightens for a moment. Ella's eyes flicker with unease at the thought, but she presses her lips shut, deciding not to interfere.
Niko lets out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Fine. Who'll go first then?"
Before anyone else can speak, both Salazar and Divy lock eyes and answer in perfect unison, voices sharp with determination:
"Us."
A still silence falls across the field, the kind that comes before a storm.
Chapter 3 Ends.