The five stepped out through the test building's door… the air was thick with overlapping sounds, shouts, sighs, the noise of contestants everywhere. The moment they walked outside, they all stopped. Two groups were already standing at a distance, having finished before them.
Mabushi raised an eyebrow and said:
"So two teams beat us out."
Akio laughed:
"Heeey! At least we weren't the last! Plenty of people are still inside."
Suddenly, the director's voice boomed:
"Yukaji Ken team… has successfully passed the test."
A shiver ran through Mabushi's chest… not fear this time, but a stunned disbelief:
"Man… I can't believe it… we actually survived…"
Ann lifted her hand and pointed to the giant wall where the timer was displayed. The countdown was still running.
10:32 … 10:31 … 10:30
She said quietly:
"Only ten minutes left before time runs out."
Akio took a long breath:
"We were right on the edge…"
Silvara spoke behind them:
"And yet… we made it."
Akio froze for a second… then his eyes widened as if a spark hit his brain.
He shouted, shocked:
"Wait… that means… that means we're… officially accepted into the organization!!!"
He jumped into the air, clicked his heels together, and threw his arms up in excitement.
"Yeeeees!!! We're officially in Arkan!!!"
He jumped again… then a third time… spinning around Silvara and Ann like a tornado.
"I'm gonna be a certified samurai! I'm a part of Arkan!"
Mabushi staggered back, trying to keep his balance:
"Calm down!! You're going to trample me!"
Ann yelled:
"Akio! Stop hopping around like a rabbit!!!"
But Akio didn't stop, his excitement only grew as he moved toward Ken.
"Ken! Do you understand what this means?! We're… we're going to fight together as an official team!!!"
Akio suddenly spread his arms wide toward him.
"Come here, my friend!!!"
At that moment… a vein popped on Ken's forehead, so visibly it was almost funny, like he was trying very hard not to kill someone. His teeth clenched.
But Akio only opened his arms wider and leapt forward to hug him. Ken stepped aside at lightning speed… and Akio hugged the air instead.
He stayed frozen, his arms are wrapped around nothing for two seconds… then slowly opened his eyes and whispered:
"…Huh? Where—?"
He looked to the side and saw Ken standing two meters away, his hands in his pockets, and a cold expression on his face and that same throbbing vein still warning him.
The last ten minutes of the timer passed in front of everyone's eyes. All eyes remained were fixed on the test gates, and tension was rising with every passing second.
00:09:48
00:05:20
00:03:11
00:01:00
In the final minute… only one door opened. One late team emerged, collapsing, clearly having barely survived. The gathered contestants looked at them with pity, because everyone understood that any team still inside had already lost.
The director raised his hand, his voice was echoing across the entire square:
"Time is over."
All the countdown screens shut off. Only whispers remained.
Then he continued with a loud formal voice:
"Congratulations to the four teams that cleared the final stage. Out of all these participants… only you finished."
He lifted his hand once more, pointing toward the corridor leading into the inner hall:
"Victorious teams… proceed to the inner hall. It is time to record your names as new members of Arkan."
Akio looked at Ken with blazing excitement:
"Did you hear?! Officially! Officially we're members!!!"
Mabushi groaned as he stumbled forward:
"Just… let me reach the hall without dying…"
The five walked into the corridor leading to the inner hall. Once they stepped inside, the size of the place became clear, a wide courtyard paved with polished stone.
Each team stood behind the lines drawn on the floor. The director stepped forward and sat on his stone seat, behind him tall columns glowing with Arkan's symbolic engravings.
He opened a heavy metallic book and began writing names. He went through each team in order. Names were written. Seals were pressed. And when he finished, he closed the book slowly. Its echo filled the entire hall.
He declared clearly:
"From this moment… you are part of Arkan."
The director rose from his seat and pointed at the stone panel beside him:
"The four teams will receive their first mission in a few days. Instructions will be sent to each team depending on its members and the strength of its leader."
The contestants exchanged glances… none of them knowing what awaited them next.
The director continued:
"Now… each team will be assigned private lodging within Arkan grounds. You will receive a room, a training area, and a small weapon storage. A doctor will also be assigned to your team, and you must consult him after every mission."
The guards standing at the sides nodded and opened a side gate that led to a new corridor.
"Follow the hallway, and each team will be guided to its designated quarters."
The five walked behind the guards, their footsteps tapping against the long stone corridor, while the guards' steps ahead of them echoed in a steady rhythm. They crossed a short bridge connecting the main courtyard to the Arkan residences… and with every step, they felt themselves drifting further away from being mere contestants… becoming part of something larger, and far more dangerous.
The guards led them down the widening corridor. After several turns, one guard stopped before a large gate engraved with Arkan's emblem. He pushed it open… and it slowly swung aside, revealing an entire wing prepared for Ken's team.
All five froze. The place looked more like a luxury home than a military facility… smooth stone walls, dim lights, polished flooring, and elegant furniture arranged with care.
The guard said:
"This is your wing. It has been prepared according to Arkan's standards for new teams."
They stepped inside, and Akio immediately lost control:
"Woooooow! Look at this place!!!"
He ran straight toward the spacious training room, filled with weights, dummy targets, and a wide area for running.
"A full training room!! Weights!! A sword-ready floor!! This is better than school!!"
Mabushi rushed after him, touching the weights like he'd found treasure:
"Man… even the equipment is high quality! Arkan really doesn't play around!"
Ann entered quietly, but her eyes were shining:
"This place is… really beautiful. I didn't expect this."
She ran her fingers along the smooth wooden table.
Silvara was calmer, but inspected everything carefully:
"The layout is good… and the space is excellent…"
Then she stopped abruptly when she saw the back window:
"There's a pool."
Akio sprinted to the window:
"A pool?!!! This… this is insane! I'm swimming every day!"
Mabushi chuckled under his breath:
"A pool and a training hall… feels like we're in a five-star hotel."
Amid the excitement, Ken entered slowly. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and glanced at the side corridor leading to the bedrooms. He exhaled lightly, while thinking:
'I need the farthest room from the noise… or I won't sleep a single minute with these lunatics.'
He walked into the hallway and checked the first room on the right. He pushed the door halfway open, it was medium size, with a comfortable bed, the window is overlooking the courtyard, and a wide closet.
'Too close to the training room. That means Akio's noise all night.'
He shut the door immediately. He checked the second one, it was slightly larger, with a nicer decor, but still close to the living room and training area.
'I'll hear every step.'
He moved to the third room and opened it slowly. It looked similar to the second. He paused for a moment, staring at the ceiling.
'This one… is very good.'
But he didn't stop, he started checking the fourth room, only to find it overlooked the pool.
'Absolutely not.'
He closed it and went to the fifth room at the end of the hallway, completely distant from everything. When he opened it, it was quiet and completely isolated. Ken slid his hand across the wall, then sat on the edge of the bed.
'This is it.'
He put out his cigarette in the metal ashtray on the table and thought:
'I won't hear Akio screaming… or Mabushi complaining… or the pool noise… perfect.'
Meanwhile outside, Akio headed straight to the pool. He yanked his shirt off in one motion and tossed it aside, then sprinted forward and jumped into the water.
From underwater, Akio shouted:
"Haah! This is the life!!"
Mabushi stood at the entrance, still holding a set of weights in one hand. He watched Akio for a moment… then took a deep breath. Already shirtless, he stepped forward… then another step… then plunged into the pool, still holding the weights. Water exploded around him, and he surfaced, breathing hard.
Akio said as he swam away:
"Are you normal?! Why bring the weights with you?!"
Mabushi shook them underwater, then slid his hand over his shoulder and flexed his arm proudly, speaking in a confident, blunt tone with zero humility:
"Of course I brought them. You think I'm going to let my muscles go soft? I worked hard for this body… and I'm not losing it."
He lifted his chin, water droplets glistening on his sculpted chest:
"This perfect shape doesn't maintain itself."
He laughed, slicking his hair back:
"If I skip even one day… I'll feel like I turned into an ordinary man. And I'm not ordinary."
Akio swam closer, eyes scanning Mabushi from top to bottom with clear admiration:
"Man… honestly… your body is terrifying. I want to reach your level someday."
Mabushi smirked:
"If you want to reach my level… you have to throw yourself into the fire every single day. There's no such thing as rest."
Then he slapped the water hard:
"Come on! Start now! Let's see if you can become a real man… or just another loud wannabe with no results!"
Akio laughed and dove underwater with renewed excitement:
"I'll prove I can!"
Ann stood at the pool's edge, arms crossed, watching Akio and Mabushi splash around like children.
She whispered to herself:
"Where… where did Ken disappear to?"
Then her imagination betrayed her, she pictured Ken walking toward the pool, muscles defined, broad shoulders… that cold expression.
Her face turned bright red as she shook her head hard:
'Stop! What are you imagining, Ann?!'
But her imagination won. She pictured Ken shirtless, abs defined… and suddenly… Ken really walked in.
He wore simple gray shorts and an open vest that showed his lean, athletic physique. His muscles weren't as big as Mabushi's, but they were sharp, firm, and incredibly well-defined. He stood at the pool's edge, staring at Mabushi swimming with the weights.
He said, confused and low:
"Is… that normal? You barely survived an hour ago."
Mabushi waved a hand:
"A strong body doesn't need rest!"
Ken sighed, grabbed the edge of his vest… and slid it off slowly to enter the pool.
At that exact second, Ann froze. Her eyes widened. Her lips parted slightly. Then…
"Ha… haaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!"
A fountain of blood shot from her nose and she collapsed instantly.
Silvara yelled in startled disbelief:
"What… what was that?!"
She rushed to Ann as she hit the floor, knelt beside her quickly, placed a hand on her shoulder, and asked gently:
"Ann… are you alright?"
Ann opened one eye… lifted a trembling finger, and pointed toward the pool.
"…K-… Ken…"
Silvara raised a brow:
"Ken what? Did he hit you? Did something happen?"
Ann shook her head frantically and covered her nose:
"No… no… he… he took off his vest… it was… too much… too much…"
Silvara stood still for a moment, staring at the scene, then back at Ann… then at Ken swimming calmly as if he lived in another dimension, while Mabushi and Akio splashed around like hyperactive dolphins.
Her expression shifted to a flat, unimpressed deadpan:
"For that?"
Ann slowly lifted her head, still bleeding:
"He was… dangerously handsome…"
Meanwhile, none of the boys noticed anything.
Mabushi shouted:
"Akio! Stop splashing water on me!"
Akio shouted back:
"You started it!!"
Ken swam quietly, unaware that removing his vest had nearly killed one of his teammates.
Silvara muttered as she stood:
"A truly bizarre group."