The road stretched endlessly ahead.
Benji walked alone.
Backpack resting on his shoulder.
Steps steady.
Unshaken.
Soon—
A signboard appeared.
Ravenfall City
The town felt… normal.
Peaceful.
Benji stepped into the streets.
People walked casually.
Vendors called out to customers.
Children laughed without fear.
His eyes scanned everything.
Careful.
Observant.
No chaos… no gangs…
Peaceful.
Then—
Cheers erupted.
Loud.
Sudden.
Benji turned.
A crowd had gathered nearby.
At the center—
A boy.
Yellow hair.
Moving fast.
A skateboard beneath his feet.
He dashed between obstacles.
Jumped.
Spun mid-air.
Landed perfectly.
The crowd was amazed.
"That guy's insane!"
Boys saying he is cool
Girls loving him because of his looks
Benji watched silently.
The boy landed smoothly.
A confident smile on his face.
After a moment—
He grabbed a bottle of water.
Relaxed.
Like it was nothing.
Benji stepped closer.
"That was… quite cool."
The boy smirked.
"I know"
But his eyes—
They weren't casual anymore.
Behind them—
A large poster fluttered slightly.
FOREST DUO TOURNAMENT
Only teams of two allowed
Prize: 30,000
Benji read it carefully.
"30,000…
That's huge."
"A good opportunity missed." said by the boy.
Benji turned.
"You wanted to enter?"
The boy shrugged.
"Yeah. But no partner."
Benji spoke calmly.
"I'm a fighter."
A pause.
The boy raised an eyebrow.
"You serious?"
"Yes." replied by Benji
Silence.
Then—
A small smile.
"You want that we make a duo for this tournament."
Benji nodded
"Yes"
"Fine. Tell me your name."
"Benji Arata."
"And yours?"
"Cynus."
Benji asked Cynus about his rank.
Cynus stretched slightly.
"Last time when I checked it was middle class. Yours?"
"Lower Class."
For a second—
Nothing.
Then Cynus laughed lightly.
"No problem."
His smile turned sharper.
"But I won't babysit ?"
"I don't need one."
That answer—
Made Cynus pause.
They extended their hands.
A firm handshake.
"Let's win, partner."
Benji looked at him.
This guy's different.
Together—
They walked toward the registration point.
At the edge of the city—
A massive forest stood.
Restricted.
Silent.
Tournament staff gathered all participants. And explaining the tournament.
"There are five zones in the forest. Each zone has a little flag."
"The duo which has all the flags will win."
A pause.
"Fight each other to gather the flags ."
Benji listened carefully.
Every word mattered.
Beside him—
Cynus stretched casually.
Like this was just fun for him.
A map displayed the forest zones.
Strategy matters more than brute force.
Around them—
Other teams.
A muscular duo laughed loudly.
Confident.
A slim duo observed quietly.
Calculating.
Cynus leaned slightly toward Benji.
"Don't overthink . Everything will be fine""
Benji nodded.
Then—
A horn echoed.
The tournament began.
Everyone rushed forward.
Into the forest.
Benji and Cynus moved—
Perfectly in sync.
Suddenly—
Two opponents blocked their path.
"Stay behind mosquitos "
Cynus cracked his neck.
"Bad choice."
In an instant—
He moved.
Fast.
One step.
An elbow strike.
Clean.
Before the second opponent reacted—
A spinning kick.
Both collapsed.
Benji watched carefully.
Efficient…
No wasted motion.
But another duo's attacker rushed him.
A punch came fast.
Benji blocked.
Then—
A knee strike.
The opponent staggered.
A controlled finishing blow.
Silence.
The fight was over.
They reached the first zone and collects the flag.
Secured.
Cynus glanced at him.
"Not bad, Lower Class."
"You're strong." said by Benji
Cynus smiles
"I already know this."
Without wasting time—
They moved deeper into the forest.
Sunlight filtered through the trees.
Shadows stretched across the ground.
Benji's eyes sharpened.
"This tournament…
will change me."
Ahead—
Cynus rode downhill on his skateboard.
Smooth.
Fast.
Benji ran beside him.
Matching pace.
In the distance—
The forest grew darker.
More dangerous.
A battlefield waiting to unfold.
And together—
They stepped into it.