“How did you get so strong?” Jao Fuu asked Wang Zen.

Zen and his cousin were sitting in front of Jao Cong’s penthouse.

“I trained.” Zen said.

“That seems a little unlikely.” Jao Cong said, appearing with a tray of 3 cups of tea.

Zen and Fuu took a cup leaving the last for the boy.

“You are telling us that in the space of a week your power grew by more than 3 ranks?” Jao Cong said, sitting on the other side of Zen.

“Yes,” Zen said, trying to figure out how to drink the hot beverage while having his mask on. He gave it to Shibi who took a sip and spat it out.

“Wang Zen, you’re back?” Deng Ai said. “Oh, Jao Fuu! Good to see you here.”

“How does everyone know who I am behind this mask?” Zen said.

“You’re the only one I know with a Scorch Ape.” Deng Ai said. “So, will Li Ao and I see you at the dorm tonight?”

Zen shook his head.

“Wang Zen?” Another voice joined.

“Honestly, does everyone know who I am under this…” his breath caught in his throat when he saw the girl he loves. “Xue Shaonu?”

He jogged to her and was surprised when she hugged him.

“Ooooh!” Jao Fuu said.

“Hello everyone!” Xue Shaonu said, separating from Zen, her pale face turning red.

They greeted her while Zen kept quiet, growing equally red.

Shibi leapt over Zen’s shoulders and into her arms.

“Shibi! It is good to see you too!” She said, struggling to keep her balance when she caught the Scorch Ape. “Wow, you have gotten big.” She looked up from Shibi at Zen. “Walk with me?”

They walked together up the mountain. Shibi was following behind, studying the fauna and anything else around them.

“I am glad to see you’re okay?”

“Yes, its thanks to you and my cousins. Thanks for your help.”

“What are friends for?” she smiled.

“I’m your friend?”

“Of course, one of my best.” She said. “I thought you would spend more time at home.”

A silence lingered as they made their way further up the mountain.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know. I’m sad. I’m confused but I think I’m okay, or I will be.”

She nodded. “I felt similar when my father died.”

“How did you move on?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure I have.” Looking at him, she asked, “Why are you wearing that mask?”

Zen touched the cold mask. “Different reasons really.”

“Does it have anything to do with your father?”

“Yes.” He said. “Anyways, I’ll be wearing it throughout the tournament. I guess I’ll fight you there.”

She giggled, “You’d really fight me?”

“Uh well… not if you… that is if…” Zen flustered.

“I’m teasing you!” she giggled. “I’m not going to be entering the tournament. But I’ll cheer you on from the side.”

He smiled at that. “That would be appreciated, Xue Shaonu.”

The day of the tournament had arrived. Wang Zen was with his cousins at the Academy stadium. There was a giant screen made of water. That was floating above the stadium.

“This must take a lot of Elemental energy and control to form.” Cong said, looking up at the pool of water suspended over the stadium.

“Why is this place so full?” Zen said, looking around at the packed stadium.

“Its community building”

They looked at Deng Ai who was following Li Ao. Li Ao was combing his shiny thick hair.

“Hey guys,” Zen nodded at his two former roommates.

“Yo!” Li Ao said. “Hey,, Jao Fuu.” Li Ao winked at Jao Fuu. “Deng Ai, say hi.” He pushed the bespectacled boy towards the female Jao twin.

Deng Ai stopped himself before he crashed into her. “Hello, Jao Fuu.”

“Hey, Deng Ai.” She nodded at him. “What did you mean earlier? When you said the stadium is full for community building?”

“Well,” he looked around to check if there was no one within earshot, when he was sure it was safe, he continued. “The Civil War has driven a wedge between the nobles and commoners… well, a bigger wedge than usual. The Empire… the city needs to try and mend the broken relationship, what better than allowing them to view a tournament, with both commoners and nobles.”

“Makes sense.” Jao Cong said. “I heard there are more participants this year than any other. The entrance requirements were probably relaxed.

“What?” Zen said, remembering how he struggled to write his name and enter the tournament. “They relaxed the entrance requirements and I still struggled.” He whined to himself.

“Heads up, Everyone!” Li Ao said looking up.

They all looked up as a murmur of excitement grew from the crowd. There was movement in the pool floating above the stadium. There was a ripple that spread throughout the pool and names appeared, each connected to a tree diagram

Zen’s eyes immediately looked for his name and branch, then his opponent. He then searched for another name, Chen Jian.

He found it and calculated how many matches he and Chen Jian would have to have if they were to fight each other.

“Six,” he said to himself. “I just need to win my next four matches and I can fight him.”

“Oh no!” Jao Fuu said.

Everyone looked at her.

“What’s wrong, Sister?” Jao Cong said.

“Its-Its awful, Cong’er!” She said pointing to the pool in the sky. “Look, someone has entered you in the tournament!”