The testing room looked more like a high-tech lab than an arena. Rows of advanced medical devices lined the walls, and several scientists with serious faces greeted them.
"Kaelan from Aethelgard, and Lin from the East," said a bespectacled scientist. "We need to make sure your abilities don't endanger yourselves—or anyone else."
Lin glanced at Kaelan.
"They're scared of us."
The test began with a basic scan. When the sensors touched Rustbucket, the whole room trembled. The spiral pattern on Kaelan's hand started glowing.
"Its energy… it's not like normal Aura," muttered one scientist. "It's showing multiple resonance patterns."
The second test was about control. They had to move their Artifacts through obstacles without touching anything.
Lin cleared the test easily—her black Artifact moved like a whispering wind.
Then it was Kaelan's turn. And something incredible happened.
Rustbucket didn't just pass through the obstacles—it actually repaired minor damages along the way. When it accidentally touched a broken panel, the red warning lights turned into a soft blue glow, and the panel was instantly fixed.
"Recovery mode!" shouted Riko from the observation room. "Rustbucket can switch modes!"
But the scientists looked uneasy.
"This ability… it's too unstable. How is he controlling it?"
Dr. Aris watched silently from behind the glass.
"That's enough. They've proven they can handle their Artifacts."
But the bespectacled scientist shook his head.
"Not yet. We still need one last test—compatibility and combat response."
They brought out a heavily damaged old Artifact.
"Try fixing this."
Lin went first. Her black Artifact released a subtle wave of energy, but the old Artifact didn't react.
"I can't. It's too far gone."
Then Kaelan stepped forward.
Rustbucket approached the old Artifact, glowing faintly blue.
With a gentle touch, it didn't just repair the Artifact—it restored it completely.
But then, something shocking appeared—
a spiral pattern identical to Rustbucket's formed on its surface.
"No way…" gasped everyone.
The old Artifact started to move, a faint voice emerging from within.
"Who… has awakened me?"
Panic erupted. Scientists scrambled as the Artifact began to thrash wildly.
"Kaelan, control it!" Dr. Aris yelled.
But Kaelan didn't have to—Rustbucket had already moved.
Two Artifacts, both with the same spiral mark, faced each other like long-lost siblings.
"You…" murmured the old one. "You carry their trace."
---
Aftermath
The semifinals were postponed. News of a "talking Artifact" spread like wildfire across the academies.
In the resting room, after the chaos had settled, Lin looked at Kaelan, puzzled.
Instead of asking about the old Artifact, she asked something else.
"Your power… it keeps changing. How does that even work?"
"I'm starting to understand," Kaelan replied.
"Rustbucket has several modes. Blue for Recovery, Red for Combat… and another one I haven't figured out yet."
Dr. Aris soon held an emergency meeting.
"That old Artifact—he's ancient. We thought it was long dead."
The old Artifact—now calling itself Elder—explained that it came from the same era as the First Artifact.
"The one you call the First Artifact… is not one being. There are three of them.
We called them the Trinity."
Before Elder could explain further, an alarm blared.
"Unknown attackers!" shouted a guard. "They're targeting the old Artifact!"
Kaelan and the others rushed out.
Dozens of strange Artifacts with unfamiliar designs stormed the facility, each with its own bizarre traits.
"Protect Elder!" Kaelan shouted.
The battle was brutal.
Kaelan switched between Rustbucket's modes:
Recovery Mode (Blue): Useless—it only strengthened the enemies.
Combat Mode (Red): Strong, but not enough.
Purification Mode (Green): Activated under pressure, throwing the enemies off balance.
"They are Hunters," Elder said. "Created by the Trinity to hunt the chosen."
Cornered, Kaelan unlocked a new form—
Resonance Mode (Gold).
Rustbucket shone with golden light, and for a moment, every Artifact nearby grew stronger.
Together, they repelled the Hunters. But Elder was fatally damaged.
"Listen…" the old voice whispered weakly. "The Trinity… they're not the enemies you think… they seek… perfection…"
And with that, Elder fell silent—its core completely dead.
Kaelan desperately tried to restart it, but Dr. Aris and the other scientists held him back.
"It's too dangerous," Dr. Aris said. "We still don't know which side Elder was on. We'll extract its data carefully."
---
The Revelation
Later that night, Kaelan secretly saw Dr. Aris studying Elder's data.
Dr. Aris looked shocked.
"Kaelan… you were right. The First Artifact isn't a single being. There are three—and they're searching for something."
"Are they enemies?"
"Not sure," Aris answered. "But one thing's clear—you are the key."
As Kaelan got ready to sleep, he suddenly felt three distinct presences in his mind.
Each one had its own kind of energy—and one of them felt… familiar.
It was enough to keep him WIDE AWAKE!!!!!!
Hours passed, but sleep wouldn't come.
So Kaelan grabbed his comm device, thinking of messaging someone who'd always been there for him—Lena.
But as he opened the chat window, he realized…
it had been a long time since he last talked to her.
Then, just as he hesitated—
a knock came from his door.
He opened it, and there she was.
Lena smiled.
> "Ah… Kaelan. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Kaelan stiffened a little.
> "Yeah… been a while, haha."
The air between them turned awkward for a moment.
Then Lena, as always, tried to lighten it up.
> "So, how's your Grit—and your teammates? Getting along well?"
Kaelan scratched his head, smiling faintly.
> "Yeah, we're doing fine. Starting to build some chemistry, I guess."
Lena tilted her head, still smiling—almost like she was pretending not to know something.
> "Actually, I wanted to talk about something important before,
but you and your team seemed so focused… I didn't want to interrupt.
You're in a tournament now, right?"
Kaelan nodded, his voice a bit uneasy.
> "Yeah… that's right."
They kept talking for a while—small talk, simple things—until finally Lena got to the point.
Her tone turned sharp, serious.
> "I knew it. The info I got before was already pointing to this, Kaelan!!
This is serious—really serious! We have to keep the casualties to a minimum!
The First Artifact isn't some joke you can handle with just a bunch of academy students!!!"
Kaelan's expression hardened.
He was about to tell Dr. Aris about this—
but Lena stopped him.
> "I already told her," she said, her voice firm.
"But Dr. Aris still insists on continuing the tournament.
That's why I came here—to make another plan."
Kaelan listened carefully, then nodded.
> "Alright… but I'll still take part in the tournament. I can't back out now."
Lena sighed softly, but eventually smiled.
> "Fine. I'll handle the rest. Just… be careful, Kaelan.
We're not just dealing with some machine this time.
We're facing the First Artifact itself."
As Lena left the room, Kaelan sat silently, staring at his hand—the spiral still faintly glowing.
(Kaelan's thoughts)
> The tournament continues tomorrow… but now I know—this isn't just a competition.
It's the start of something much bigger.
A preparation… for the inevitable meeting with the three known as the Trinity....