Part 7 – Chaos in Fifteen Minutes
The flag remained in her hands.
14 Minutes
The timer kept ticking.
One minute remained.
Across the battlefield several teams had lost possession of their flags.
Team 2.
Team 3.
Team 6.
Team 7.
Team 12.
But the round wasn't over yet.
Any team that failed to recover a flag before the fifteen minutes ended would be eliminated.
Haruto took a slow breath.
He focused.
The Seiryu inside him sharpened, flowing through his body.
Saki moved again, trying to escape.
Haruto dashed forward.
This time faster.
Saki reacted—
But Haruto's strike reached her wrist first.
The flag slipped from her hand.
It fell to the ground.
Haruto grabbed it instantly.
Then he turned and ran.
Behind him—
Kento and Akio chased after him.
The final seconds of the round were approaching.
The final seconds slipped away.
The timer reached fifteen minutes.
A sharp horn echoed across the entire battlefield.
Almost immediately, the instructors appeared across every zone, stepping between the teams.
"Stop. The round is over. No further movement."
Students froze where they stood. No one tried to chase, attack, or run anymore.
"Return to the center with the flags you currently possess."
Across the arena, teams began walking back toward the central field.
Some carried their own flags.
Others carried captured ones.
Soon, all twelve teams gathered again in the center, standing in a wide circle around the instructors.
The main instructor stepped forward.
"Teams will now present the flags currently in their possession."
One by one, teams stepped forward.
Team 1 approached first.
Kaito held two flags.
"Our flag," he said calmly, handing it over.
Then he held up the second.
"And Team Six's."
The instructor nodded and accepted them.
Team 2 stepped forward next.
Haruto handed over their flag.
"Team Two."
The instructor took it without comment.
Team 3 followed.
Raizo handed over two flags.
"Team Three and Team Twelve."
Team 4 stepped forward.
Tetsu held up their flag and gave it to the instructor.
Then Team 11 stepped forward.
Yamashita Taro raised his hand.
"Hey," he said confidently. "We captured Team Four's flag."
He held up two flags.
Some students murmured in surprise.
But Ayame Inazuma suddenly spoke.
"…You really think we would take the risk of leaving our real flag behind?"
Everyone looked at her.
Yamashita frowned.
"What?"
Ayame calmly turned to the instructor.
"Sensei, our defensive area was the rocky zone. From the very start, we hid the real flag exactly where you originally placed it."
She gestured slightly toward Katsuo.
"The one Katsuo was guarding was only a copy."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the students.
"You fell into the trap," Ayame finished calmly.
The instructor took both flags from Yamashita and examined them carefully.
After a moment, he nodded.
"…Very well."
He lifted one of the flags.
"This one is the original Team Four flag."
Then he handed the other back to Team 11.
Several students looked impressed.
Next, Team 8 stepped forward.
They handed over two flags.
"The first is ours," Zenzo said.
"And the second belongs to Team Seven."
The instructor accepted them.
The remaining teams stepped forward one by one, handing over the flags in their possession.
Soon all the flags were accounted for.
The instructor scanned the results.
Then he spoke clearly.
"Teams Six, Seven, and Twelve do not currently possess their flags."
The eliminated students slowly lowered their heads.
"Therefore… those teams are eliminated from the Vanguard Tournament."
He read the names.
"Haruki Aoba.
Hayame Muramatsu.
Itsuki Okamoto.
Emi Fumio.
Sanae Fujikawa.
Kira Arakawa.
Yori Senzaki.
Higashi Fujiwara.
Kagawa Ootani.
Shogo Tokugawa.
Marito Nishitani.
Kiyoshi Kaoru."
The twelve students stepped forward and quietly left the formation.
The instructor looked over the remaining students.
"Nine teams remain."
The first round of the Vanguard Tournament had ended.
As the eliminated students slowly stepped away from the formation, some of the remaining participants watched them quietly.
Amaya Homura hesitated for a moment.
Then she walked over toward Sanae Fujikawa, who had just stepped out with the rest of Team 7.
"Sanae."
Sanae turned around.
Amaya stopped in front of her.
"…I'm sorry for taking your flag."
Sanae blinked.
"I didn't really have another choice."
For a moment Sanae just stared at her.
Then her eyes widened slightly.
"Wait…"
"You really took the flag?"
Amaya nodded.
"Yes."
Sanae looked genuinely shocked.
"…I can't believe it."
Then she suddenly stretched her arms behind her head casually.
"Eh, anyway it's not a problem."
Amaya looked a little surprised.
Sanae grinned slightly.
"But do one thing for me in exchange."
Amaya tilted her head.
"What?"
Sanae pointed toward the remaining teams.
"Don't let Saki win."
Amaya stared at her for a second.
Then she gave a small nod.
"…Alright."
"I won't."
Nearby, Haruto and Kaito walked toward Team 4.
Ayame and Tetsu were standing together when they approached.
Haruto smiled slightly.
"Ayame."
"That was a really good strategy."
Ayame shrugged lightly.
"It worked, didn't it?"
Tetsu chuckled.
"Your sister comes up with some really clever ideas."
He glanced at Haruto.
"At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if she wins the whole tournament."
Kaito nodded in agreement.
"Yeah."
Haruto crossed his arms with a small smile.
"…She might."
The four of them stood there for a moment as the instructors finished recording the results of the round.
The arena was buzzing with the aftermath of Round 1. Students whispered in small groups, some laughing, some silently replaying their moments from the battlefield.
The main instructor raised his voice, cutting through the chatter.
"Attention."
The arena went quiet.
"You have fifteen minutes to rest and recover. All teams who advanced will prepare for Round 2. Those who did not advance, you are not dismissed."
Some students frowned.
"You will remain here. You may watch Round 2 unfold, but you will not interfere in any way. Consider this an opportunity to study and learn from those who continue."
He let the words sink in.
"The break is long enough to channel Seiryu and regain focus, but not so long that the battle leaves your mind. Use it wisely. After the break, the second round will begin immediately."
The students nodded, some heading to the nearby shaded areas, others stretching or quietly meditating.
Amaya Homura approached Sanae Fujikawa.
"I'm sorry again for taking your flag," she said softly.
Sanae shook her head, still surprised but relaxed.
"You really did take it… but it's fine. Just one thing—don't let Saki win next round."
Amaya smiled faintly.
"I won't."
The break was short, but filled with quiet preparation, reflection, and determination.
The fifteen-minute break ended almost as quickly as it had begun.
All 36 students who had advanced gathered in the center of the arena, stretching their limbs, checking their weapons, and quietly sizing up their opponents.
The main instructor stepped forward, his presence instantly commanding attention.
"Attention, students."
The chatter died down, and the forest seemed to grow quieter around them.
"Round 2 of the Vanguard Tournament will begin immediately."