“So what’s the plan?” Yuna asked.

Yuki finished his bottle and placed it on the table. Erica had already finished her own drink and Akira was finishing her water. He paid for the drinks and stood up.

“Let’s walk while we talk,” he said. 

Yuna nodded and they all rose from their seats as Akira quickly finished her glass. Then they exited the bar, their waiter bidding them goodbye. Yuki looked around for a bit before setting off in a direction.

“Where are we heading to?” Yuna asked.

“You’ll see. Let’s continue with our conversation,” he said. “The plan hasn’t been developed yet. I just saw what the tournament was going to include so I didn’t have time to come up with anything.”

“I see.”

“Yuki, did the file specify anything about what the objectives for the first two rounds are?” Akira said.

“They’re pages, but I haven’t looked at them yet,” he replied. “I only looked at the overview for now. I’ll give those a read later.”

“Okay.”

“But from what I have seen, I’ve come up with two categories where Yuna and I have to improve in or at least practice.” He quieted for a bit, considering his next words before continuing as they walked. “We need to work on teamwork and physical abilities.”

“I assume you have a general idea about what the rounds are then,” Akira said.

“I do,” Yuki nodded. “The first two, like I said, are objective based. They are not directly combat related. There are combat components, but they aren’t the main purpose of the rounds. From what I read, it’ll be an obstacle course of sorts. So that’s why I want to focus on physical abilities. Yuna, what are your physical stats at?”

“Um, I’m rank B,” she replied. “Most of my physical stats are mid to high B rank.”

“Any A rank?”

“Not yet. My strength and speed at almost there, though.”

“How about your mana? Stamina?”

“Stamina is around mid rank B. My mana is a bit on the low side though,” she said. “I never really had the chance to practice my magic that often.”

“I see,” Yuki mumbled. “Hmm. It’s good that your strength and agility are high. We’re going to need that for the first two rounds if it is an obstacle course. We’ll just do some training exercises for a multitude of different environments.”

“That seems like a plan,” Yuna said.

“You’re not going to ask me about my own status?” he said, glancing at her.

“I don’t need to know that. I already can guess that it’s higher than mine,” she replied with a faint smile. “You were able to punch a solid steel door and warp the entire thing. That’s more than I think I can do.”

“Mmm. I guess.” 

Yuki walked through the automatic sliding doors of the transportation station in Junction. He made his way to a small console, one of many that lined the front wall of the building. After a few taps, he requested transportation to Fenrir for himself and his group.

“Besides physical exercise, we’ll also need to practice working together,” Yuki continued. He started walking to the line for the transporters. “Yuna, you and I haven’t actually fought together or worked together all that often. I think the last time it was just us two was during the test in the Academy Forest?”

“It was,” she nodded.

“Mmm, I thought so. So we really need to work on our coordination,” he said. “Us two will probably be doing team building exercises for the most part. Actually, Akira. Erica. I’ll ask you two to join us at times. All four of us a team, right?”

“We are?” Erica asked, tilting her head. 

“I always thought we were. Are we not?”

“I think we could be considered one,” Akira said. “We’ve worked together for a while.”

“Not really me,” Yuna said. “I’ve really only worked with you three once.”

“That’s more times than most people have,” Erica laughed.

“I’ll say we are a team. Maybe not a formal one, but a team nonetheless,” Yuki nodded. “I predict in the future that we’ll be working together a lot. So it would be beneficial if we learned how to fight with one another.”

‘And maybe find that trust I promised them,’ he thought. 

“That sounds great,” Akira smiled.

“Yuna, are you fine with starting the practicing today?” Yuki asked.

“I don’t mind. I didn’t have much to do anyway.”

“Oh, also. I’ll plan out the training regimens for you two later,” Yuki said, turning his attention to Erica and Akira. “Akira has a class now and Erica, you’re assimilated with your current self right?”

“Mhm.”

“Perfect, then I can start creating the plans.”

“Akira didn’t have a class before?” Yuna asked.

“No. She never had the opportunity to do so. You know she’s the same age as me, right?”

“She doesn’t attend school?”

“No.”

“But with her skills, she could easily qualify to attend the Academy. How did she learn all she knows now if she never had an education?”

“She has a multitude of resources to help her learn,” Yuki replied vaguely. “And what she may lack, I make up for that.”

“I see. What’s her class then?”

“It was a hybrid class,” Yuki said. “It combined her sword skills and her magic talent.”

“Oh.”

“We’re next to use the transporters,” Erica announced.

Yuki faced forward and waited until the attendant guided him and his group to four pods. Erica gave him a little wave before he walked into one of the pods. The cover was shut and less than a minute later, the countdown started. Then in a flash, they were in Fenrir. To pod opened up and he walked out, grouping back up with the three girls.

“Now. Let’s get started with the training,” he said. “And Yuna, let’s show you the new place.”

---

 

They voiced their agreement and together walked down the streets of the city.

Yuki, Erica, and Akira walked back to their apartment, chatting with each other. They were coming back from the transportation station where they walked with Yuna to. They saw her off before heading back home. 

“I didn’t know you programmed an obstacle course in the training room,” Akira said as they walked.

“I made it while I was creating the place. I didn’t do it because of the tournament,” Yuki replied. “I just thought that having some sort of training for reactions and speed was a good idea.”

“That was a pretty hard course,” Erica commented. “Jumping multiple feet in the air while trying to dodge stuff was fun though.”

“You did pretty good,” Yuki said. “You’re at least rank A, right?”

“Of course,” she smiled. “I reached rank A quite a while ago. It didn’t rise because of my circumstances.”

“I see. Well, that was the first level of difficulty for the course. I have two more versions that are harder and I can adjust some things as we go along. From what I saw, you probably exceed my own abilities.”

“That’s so nice of you to say,” she smiled.

“No, I’m being honest. Your rank is probably higher than mine. You’ll start to notice once I begin using the harder courses.”

“I need to get stronger,” Akira said with a small frown. “I feel like I’m behind you both.”

“You’re not that much behind,” Yuki replied. “Now that you have a class, you can grow much faster since you have a set direction.”

“I hope.”

Yuki stopped walking, just a few buildings away from their house. There was a person standing outside of the place, their tall figure standing out among the others that walked around them.

‘Oh. He’s back. That was fast.’

“Who’s that?” Akira asked.

“You’ll see,” Yuki said.

They approached the man and he turned towards them. A bright smile sprouted across his face and he spread his arms wide.

“My liege! I have returned!” Mathali announced.

“I can see that, Mat,” Yuki replied. “How long were you waiting out here?”

“Only a few hours,” he replied.

“I see. You finished much quicker than I had expected.”

“The quicker I complete my task, the earlier you shall receive the information you requested of me. Time is valuable, my liege, and so I do not wish to waste yours,” Mat said grandly.

“Well that’s...considerate. Come in,” Yuki said, tilting his head to the door of the apartment.

Akira quickly opened the door, Yuki thanking her, and the lights automatically flicked on as they walked in. Erica went to the bathroom, saying that she needed to do something. Mathali stayed standing in the middle of the living room. 

“Mat, you can sit, you know?” Yuki said as he walked to the kitchen. Akira followed him.

“Ah, thank you my lady,” he replied and promptly sat on a chair, his back upright and rigid. 

“Do you want something to drink?” Yuki asked, opening the refrigerator.

“No, I am fine, thank you. I do not wish to impede on my liege’s home.”

“What do you want to drink?” Yuki repeated.

“No, really. I am fine, thank you.”

“I hope you like cola,” Yuki said. He grabbed a can and handed it to Mathali.

“Ah, thank you my lady.”

He opened the can and began to inhale its contents, finishing the can in a few seconds. Erica came out of the bathroom at the same time. Yuki handed her a bottle of water and gave one to Akira as well. 

“So tell, Mat. What did you find at the border?” Yuki asked, sitting on the couch, Mat at an angle from him. 

“Nothing particularly good, my liege,” Mathali replied, his mood noticeably darker. “I’m afraid a war of sorts may be inevitable.”