Regalia Power of the King

The week had passed in a blur of training and preparation, and now the day of the tournament had finally arrived. The academy had summoned us to the grand assembly hall once more. The room, as imposing as ever, was filled with the hum of anticipation. Students from every cohort filled the seats, their faces a mixture of excitement and nervousness. The Vanguard Trials were about to begin.

The massive screens at the front of the hall flickered to life, displaying the tournament's emblem—a symbol of unity and strength. At the podium stood an instructor in formal military attire, their sharp gaze sweeping across the room.

"Welcome to the Vanguard Trials," the instructor began, their voice carrying effortlessly over the murmurs. "Today marks the start of a test designed to challenge not only your individual skills but also your ability to work as a team. The first match will set the tone for what lies ahead."

The room fell silent as the instructor continued. "The opening round will be a capture-the-flag scenario. Teams of three will face off in specially designed combat arenas. Your objective is to either retrieve the opposing team's flag or incapacitate their members. Each match will be timed, and strategies will play a critical role in determining your success."

Whispers broke out among the students as they absorbed the rules. Capture the flag was a classic scenario, but knowing the academy, there would be unforeseen twists. The instructor raised a hand, silencing the room once more.

"The arenas are dynamic and will present their own challenges. Terrain, visibility, and hazards have been carefully designed to test your adaptability. Remember, the Vanguard Trials are not just about winning. They are about demonstrating your potential as a team under pressure."

The screens shifted, showcasing a variety of arenas, each designed to challenge competitors in unique ways. One displayed a snowstorm arena, where thick flurries obscured visibility, icy ground made every step precarious, and jagged cliffs and frozen lakes added layers of danger. Another revealed a desert arena, an unforgiving landscape of shifting dunes under a blazing sun, where sandstorms swept through and sparse rock formations offered little cover. A third featured a water-filled battlefield, its terrain dominated by interconnected lakes and streams with small islands serving as precarious refuges. These were just a few examples, with many other arenas—each with distinct hazards and terrain—waiting to push competitors to their limits.

"The first matchups have been decided," the instructor said, as the screen changed once more. A list of names appeared, organized into columns representing the competing teams. My eyes scanned the list quickly, searching for my name.

Arena C:

Team 17: Natsuya Kiyotaka, Takeshi Nakamura, Jin Park

Team 5: Alex Morgan, Lina Carter, Ethan Hayes

A murmur rippled through the room as the matchups were revealed. I caught sight of Ryuji, his ever-confident smirk firmly in place as he exchanged a few words with Emily and Haruto. Meanwhile, Jin stood beside me, his expression calm as always, while Takeshi crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the screen.

"You have thirty minutes to prepare. Teams, report to your designated briefing stations for final instructions."

The hall erupted in conversation as students rose from their seats, the tension in the air almost tangible. I felt a mix of nerves and anticipation as I turned to my teammates.

"Well," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "I don't know much about their abilities, but we should prepare for anything."

"They'll be tough," Takeshi said bluntly, his piercing eyes narrowing as he looked at the name Ethan Hayes.

Jin noticed Takeshi's unease. "Why do you say that?"

Takeshi crossed his arms, his tone steady but serious. "Ethan Hayes is a speedster. He's not just fast—he's calculated. He can cover ground in seconds, making him a nightmare in capture-the-flag. If we don't anticipate his movements, he'll run circles around us."

Jin raised an eyebrow, considering Takeshi's words. "So, we'll have to pin him down somehow. Easier said than done."

"Exactly," Takeshi said, his voice firm. "It's going to take precision and coordination to counter someone like him. No mistakes."

I nodded, understanding the difficulty of the challenge ahead. "Let's head to Arena C," I said, my voice resolute. "We'll need every second to strategize and prepare for what's coming."

The three of us made our way through the crowd. The Vanguard Trials had begun, and we were facing an opponent whose skills seemed tailor-made for this challenge. This was going to be an uphill battle from the very beginning.

•

The break room buzzed with quiet tension. The space, reminiscent of the locker rooms athletes used before a big game, was lined with benches and lockers. A holographic display in the corner displayed a countdown timer, steadily ticking away the minutes until the match began. Each team had been assigned a space to prepare, and ours felt both cramped and eerily quiet.

A rack of sleek, black military suits stood at one end of the room. Each suit was designed to track vitals, movements, and Regalia usage in real time. I slipped mine on, feeling the snug fit and the faint hum of embedded technology coming to life. Jin and Takeshi were already suited up, each adjusting their gear.

"They track everything, huh?" Jin said, breaking the silence as he tapped the panel on his wrist. The suit displayed his heart rate and a series of unreadable metrics. "Guess there's no hiding if you're slacking."

Takeshi didn't respond immediately, his piercing eyes focused as he tightened his gloves. "They're not just monitoring us. They're analyzing everything—how we fight, how we think, how we handle pressure. This isn't just a trial. It's an evaluation."

"That's encouraging," I muttered, pulling my suit snug around my shoulders. "No pressure, right?"

Jin chuckled, leaning back against the wall. "Pressure's what makes it interesting."

We all turned our attention to the small table in the center of the room, where a holographic map of Arena C was displayed. The terrain was vast and sprawling—an open expanse of grasslands dotted with clusters of trees and gently sloping hills. At its center, two flags stood on opposing hilltops, each visible from a distance but surrounded by natural obstacles that would make reaching them a challenge.

"So, how do we deal with Ethan?" I asked, cutting to the heart of our concern. "Speedsters are hard enough to counter, but he's got experience on top of that."

Takeshi folded his arms, staring at the map displayed before us. It showed the vast grasslands of Arena C, dotted with clusters of trees and gently rolling hills. Our flag stood atop one of the larger hills, its position both a strategic advantage and a glaring target. Takeshi's gaze hardened. "We're not chasing him. He's too fast to funnel or corner. Instead, we stay near our post and let him come to us."

Jin tilted his head, intrigued. "You think he'll just charge in?"

"He will," Takeshi said with certainty. "I know Ethan. He's confident—overconfident—in his speed. He'll take the shortest, most direct route to our flag because he thinks we can't stop him."

I leaned over the map, tracing the path Takeshi was pointing at. It was a clear line between two hills, the most obvious route Ethan would take. "If that's the case, I can lay a trap here," I said, marking the spot. "Something to slow him down or trip him up. Once he's off balance, we can hit him hard before he recovers."

"Good idea," Takeshi said with a nod. "The trap buys us time, but we need to finish him quickly. Ethan won't stay down for long."

"What about the others?" Jin asked. "Alex and Lina aren't just going to sit back and watch."

"We'll deal with them if they come," Takeshi said, his tone unwavering. "But Ethan is the priority. If we take him out first, the rest of the team will lose their edge."

Jin grinned, his usual laid-back demeanor giving way to a flicker of excitement. "Alright. Stick close, set the trap, and let him fall right into it. Sounds simple enough."

"It's not simple," Takeshi corrected, his voice sharp. "If anyone breaks position or hesitates, he'll exploit it."

I nodded. The plan made sense, but it left no room for error. "We'll have to act fast. The second he's caught, we go all in."

The timer on the display hit the five-minute mark, and a soft chime signaled the time to finalize preparations. Jin stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as he cracked a smile. "Well, here's to not getting completely obliterated."

I chuckled, despite the tension. "Let's make sure they're the ones saying that by the end of the match."

Takeshi didn't laugh, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, a rare hint of amusement. "Stay sharp. Trust the plan."

The Vanguard Trials weren't just a test—they were a proving ground. And our first challenge demanded nothing less than perfection.

•

The open grasslands stretched endlessly before us, the cool morning air filled with tension. Hills rolled gently across the terrain, dotted with clusters of trees that provided the only semblance of cover. The sheer vastness of the arena made every movement feel exposed, every decision critical. Our flag stood tall atop one of the hills, its vibrant colors fluttering in the wind.

"Alright," Takeshi said as we crouched behind a tree cluster near our flag. "Stick to the plan. Natsuya, set a trap here to slow him down." He pointed to a narrow path between two hills. "Jin, stay close to the flag and watch for anyone trying to flank us. I'll handle Ethan if he gets through."

I nodded, focusing my Regalia to prepare the trap. My hands moved methodically as I created a set of spikes concealed beneath the grass, triggered by the pressure of a footstep. It wasn't flashy, but it was effective. Ethan's speed would mean nothing if we could slow him down.

Jin leaned against a tree, his relaxed demeanor masking his readiness. "You really think he'll take this path?" he asked.

"He will," Takeshi replied with certainty. "It's the most direct route to our flag. He'll try to take the fastest route."

"Unless he's already calculated we'd think that," Jin muttered, his tone half-joking but laced with truth.

Before I could respond, a blur of motion caught my eye. Ethan. He was already moving, faster than I anticipated. The grass bent under his rapid strides, his form barely visible as he closed the distance. The trap lay just ahead of him, perfectly placed. My heart pounded as I waited for it to spring.

But Ethan's speed was unnatural. He darted sideways at the last possible moment, veering away from the trap as if he had seen it coming. In an instant, he was upon us, a streak of motion too fast to follow.

Takeshi moved without hesitation. He lunged forward, tackling Ethan mid-stride and slamming him into the ground with a force that echoed through the hills. The impact was jarring, but Ethan recovered almost instantly, twisting out of Takeshi's grip and leaping backward.

The two squared off, a stark contrast in styles. Ethan was a blur, his form darting back and forth with rapid, unpredictable movements. His fists flew in quick, stinging punches that seemed to come from every direction. Takeshi stood his ground, his stance unyielding, his movements deliberate. He wasn't as fast as Ethan, but there was a precision to him that made every step and strike feel inevitable, as if he could see Ethan's attacks before they even began.

I activated my Regalia, focusing my energy to track their movements. To the untrained eye, it was chaos—a flurry of motion too fast to comprehend. But through the lens of my ability, the patterns became clear. Ethan's punches, though fast, were wild and unrefined, lacking the discipline of a trained fighter. His reliance on his speed was evident in every dodge and strike, a crutch he had never been forced to abandon. Takeshi, on the other hand, was calm and methodical, his movements a masterclass in efficiency.

Ethan lunged forward, a blur of motion aimed at Takeshi's chest. Takeshi sidestepped with precise timing, his body shifting just enough to avoid the blow. In the same fluid motion, he countered with a sharp jab aimed at Ethan's exposed side. Ethan twisted away, narrowly avoiding the strike, his speed keeping him just out of reach.

The exchange continued, a relentless back-and-forth of attack and counterattack. Ethan's quick punches hammered against Takeshi's defenses, each one forcing him to adjust. Yet Takeshi never faltered. His blocks and dodges were perfectly timed, his movements economical. Every time Ethan seemed to gain the upper hand, Takeshi found a way to neutralize the advantage.

Frustration began to creep into Ethan's movements. His punches grew more erratic, his footwork less steady. He was fast, but speed alone wasn't enough to break through Takeshi's impenetrable defense. Ethan attempted to disengage, stepping back to reassess the fight, but Takeshi didn't let him go. With a burst of speed that belied his deliberate demeanor, Takeshi closed the distance, forcing Ethan to stay within his reach.

Ethan's frustration boiled over. He turned his attention away from Takeshi, his eyes darting toward Jin and me as we held our positions near the flag. He shifted his weight, preparing to sprint toward us, but Takeshi moved before he could take a step. His fist snapped forward, catching Ethan's arm mid-motion and pulling him back into the fight.

"You're not going anywhere," Takeshi said, his voice low and steady.

Ethan snarled, his speed a blur as he lashed out with a series of rapid strikes. Takeshi absorbed the onslaught, his defenses unwavering. Despite being slower, he was always in the right place at the right time, his positioning perfect.

As the fight dragged on, Ethan's breathing grew labored, his movements losing some of their edge. His speed, once an overwhelming advantage, was starting to betray him. Every burst of motion drained his stamina, while Takeshi's controlled style conserved his energy.

"He's wearing him down," Jin muttered beside me, his eyes glued to the fight.

"But he's still on the defensive," I replied, my mind racing for a way to tip the balance further. Takeshi might have been holding his own, but he couldn't afford a single mistake.

Ethan, desperate to shift the tide, launched himself at Takeshi with renewed ferocity. His punches came faster, his dodges sharper, but Takeshi met each attack with the same unshakable precision. The two fighters moved like dancers in a deadly rhythm, their styles clashing but neither gaining the upper hand.

I clenched my fists, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. Takeshi's discipline was keeping him in the fight, but he needed support. Ethan's speed was faltering, but it wasn't gone. The match wasn't over yet.