In November, despite rumors that Fyrnic and Malthen would lead the season, the first match turned out to be between Kaelen and Tavian. The players from both sides were imposing figures; even the female athletes appeared sturdier and more powerful than some of the boys their age.
Since the match was held in the western woods, spectators flocked toward the stadium nestled within the forest. Simon felt a surge of excitement even though his own Chamber wasn't competing, this was his first time witnessing Exigros in person. They arrived at the stadium, a circular structure that served as both the starting point and the finish line for the players. The spectator stands rose gradually, providing a perfect view of the entire field.
Slowly, the seats filled with eager students. Soon, the cheerleaders emerged, clad in the teams' colors brown and red waving flags to the beat of rhythmic chants. The crowd erupted into a deafening roar. Tavian's emblem, a bright yellow sun on a dark brown flag, stood out vividly, while Kaelen's emblem, a black lion's face on a crimson flag, looked majestic and fierce in the wind.
The first-year students stared, mouths agape, at the stunning performance of the cheerleaders. It was their very first time seeing such a show. The cheerleaders were dancing to the hit Ordinary-world song, "Waka Waka." While a few conservative Old-Bloods looked on with disapproval at the use of a "mundane" song, the vast majority of the crowd was fully caught up in the vibe.
Kai, unable to contain his excitement, was already up from his seat and dancing. He and Toad seemed perfectly synced, as if they were connected via Bluetooth. Nearby students watched them with amusement. Simon joined in by swaying along, though he couldn't bring himself to stand up and dance like Kai—he was too shy for that. Still, he cheered Kai on from the sidelines. Jack rolled his eyes at Kai's antics, but a faint, genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Oliver was simply at a loss for words, amazed by the sheer lack of shame shown by Kai and Toad.
Further away, Oscar and Damien were mocking them, but Kai and Toad couldn't care less. Logan, however, sat beside them with his arms crossed, staring at Kai with pure disdain. This was exactly why he loathed New-Bloods.
After the grand opening, the cheerleaders waved goodbye and made their exit. To everyone's surprise, they blew kisses toward Kai and Toad, acknowledging their enthusiastic support. The two boys were over the moon, having received such attention from their beautiful seniors.
As Kai took his seat, Jack chimed in dryly. "I'm certain that by next year, you'll be Willowgate's very first male cheerleader."
"Well, if I get to dance like that, I wouldn't mind being a cheerleader for life!" Kai shot back with a grin. Jack could only shake his head in defeat.
Finn then pointed out that some of the Old-Bloods were glaring at them with clear disapproval. Kai simply shrugged. "Well, I don't care. I'm having fun because I want to. Why should their bad mood stop me from enjoying myself?"
Simon couldn't help but admire Kai's unshakable confidence. Turning his attention back to the Arena, he noticed the players had yet to emerge. In that moment of anticipation, his eyes began to wander through the crowd, searching for a specific pair of green eyes. He looked toward the section where the Daven Chamber students were seated, but Henry was nowhere to be found. He wasn't sitting next to Logan either. Simon wondered if Henry had decided not to attend the match at all.
Just then, Dean slid into the seat next to Simon, looking completely out of breath. He must have sprinted all the way here.
"Did I miss anything important?" he panted.
"Well, you missed the cheerleaders' performance... and an unforgettable dance from Kai and Toad," Simon replied.
"Really? Man, I definitely should have seen that!"
"You sure should have," Simon said with a chuckle, returning the smile.
At the very top of the stands sat the Masters, overlooking the entire field, while just below them, the commentator—a spirited third-year student took his place.
"The stunning opening performance by our beautiful seniors was truly breathtaking! And now, let's welcome our players! While Malthen and Fyrnic were originally meant to kick off the season, neither was quite ready. So, stepping up to the challenge, always prepared for whatever comes their way, we have Kaelen and Tavian taking the spotlight today!"
At that moment, the gates on opposite sides swung open, and the players marched into the arena. Each carried their own unique weapon, looking battle-ready. They wore gleaming silver chestplates, with their Chamber emblems proudly displayed over their hearts. Underneath, they donned long-sleeved shirts in their respective team colors, reinforced with knee and elbow pads. The Kaelen Exigros team was led by a fierce female Captain, while the Tavian team was spearheaded by a commanding male Captain.
The roar of the crowd was deafening. Kaelen's supporters and Tavian's followers cheered with equal passion, while students from other Chambers cheered for both sides in the spirit of the game.
"With the pride and bravery of a lion—Kaelen!" The announcer's voice boomed.
"Radiant and majestic like the sun—Tavian!" The crowd erupted once more.
Both teams stood facing each other, ready for the whistle.
"The match will begin shortly!" the third-year commentator announced. "For this round, the special objective for both teams is the Teyran Root. Miss Lora has hidden it somewhere within the competition woods. If a team finds this root, they will be declared the winners instantly—even if the time hasn't run out, regardless of how many flags they've captured or if they've defeated the opposing Captain!"
Simon was confused. When Dean had explained Exigros before, he hadn't mentioned anything about a 'Quest.' He turned to Dean and asked,
"Isn't Exigros about finding flags and gathering points before time is up?"
"Yeah, that's the main goal of the game," Dean explained. "But the Quest is like the 'Golden Ticket.' Basically, Exigros players need to be knowledgeable in other subjects too. You'd only know about the Teyran Root if you've taken Master Kit's fourth-year classes."
"So the game is..."
"Search for flags, steal points from the other team, rack up the score... that's the standard. But the Quest? That's the Cheat Code."
"Oh, I see."
Simon finally understood. If you didn't know what the Quest item was, you'd miss out on a sudden-death victory. It was a test of both brawn and brain.
Miss Lora stepped between the two rival teams, holding a coin engraved with the emblems of Tavian and Kaelen on either side. The winning team would gain a one-minute head start into the dense competition woods.
"Everyone, watch closely! Miss Lora is about to toss the coin!"
With those words, the coin spun high into the air, gleaming under the sunlight, before landing firmly in her palm. She covered it swiftly and then slowly revealed the result: it was Tavian.
Without wasting a second, she blew the whistle she had been holding ready. The match had officially begun! The Tavian students bolted toward the forest at a blistering pace. As soon as they crossed the gate, they vanished into the play zone, claiming their precious sixty-second lead.
A minute after Tavian disappeared into the woods, the Kaelen students charged in after them. Now, both teams were officially within the play zone. At that very moment, the center of the stadium—the area where the cheerleaders had performed and the players had stood—transformed into a high-tech magical 3D map of the forest. Within this hologram, tiny, glowing figures moved in their respective team colors, with their names hovering clearly above their heads. This was how the spectators would track every move and strategy in real-time.
The crowd was already roaring with anticipation. Through the 3D hologram, spectators could see some players discovering flags while others clashed, attempting to snatch the Chamber emblems from each other's chests to score points. It was incredibly thrilling. To provide a clear view of the intense action, specially-engineered magic dragonflies buzzed around the forest, capturing the battles in real-time. On the 3D map, when players engaged, a small, square-like projection—much like a dialogue box in a comic book would pop up, showing the actual live combat in vivid detail.
Simon watched in absolute awe. This was the true essence of Exigros—as thrilling as it was intensely brutal. Now he fully understood why the players had to undergo such rigorous training.
At that moment, a magic dragonfly captured a live feed of a Tavian player deep within the woods. The projection revealed a pair of massive figures, standing twice the height of an average man. Their bodies were composed entirely of earth and ancient stone, with patches of green moss clinging to their rocky skin. They brandished enormous stone hammers in their hands, looking like immovable guardians of the forest.
"W-What? What is that thing?" Simon stammered, turning to Dean in shock.
Dean remained perfectly calm. "Those are Stone Golems. They're one of the primary obstacles for Exigros players. Miss Lora created them using her magic..she's master at Earth magic. So, the enemy isn't just the other team; it's those golems as well."
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Simon asked, still stunned.
"Well, I wanted you to see it for yourself. To understand that this is what Exigros truly is," Dean replied.
Simon was in disbelief. He had imagined Exigros as a simple game of finding flags and collecting points, but today he realized it was far more grueling than he ever expected. On top of that, magic is strictly forbidden for the players. He suddenly remembered Dean's words from before that 45 minutes wasn't nearly enough time. Looking at those giants, he finally understood why.
As the clock ticked down to the final minutes, the scores continued to climb in a fierce neck-and-neck race. Currently, Kaelen holds the lead, having successfully neutralized Tavian's most vital assets—their Captain and their Seeker. The stadium is buzzing with excitement, with almost everyone betting on a Kaelen victory.
However, the atmosphere is thickening with tension outside the game as well. Oscar and Damien have already begun mocking the Tavian students, and the air is thick with the scent of an impending brawl between the spectators long before the match even concludes.
With only twenty seconds remaining, the point gap seemed insurmountable. But in that fleeting moment, a lone Tavian player unearthed the Teyran Root just seconds before the buzzer, flipping the entire match on its head.
"Exigros!" the student roared, hoisting the golden root high as the magic dragonflies captured the historic moment.
"Tavian wins!!" the announcer screamed. The Tavian section erupted in a frenzy of joy. Oscar, Damien, and several Kaelen supporters were left speechless, their mouths agape in disbelief. Yet, some showed true sportsmanship, applauding Tavian's incredible comeback despite their own team's loss. Kai and Toad, though unrelated to the match, were shouting at the top of their lungs. Simon stood there, stunned by the sheer unpredictability of it all.
"See? That's Exigros, Simon," Dean said with a knowing smile from beside him.
Both teams re-emerged into the arena. The Tavian Captain carried the boy who found the root on his shoulders in a triumphant parade. On the other side, the Kaelen players returned exhausted and crestfallen. Losing when victory was so close was a bitter pill to swallow; some were even in tears, being comforted by their Captain.
Simon and his friends watched, moved by the sight. Both sides had given their all.
Kaelen had fought with relentless persistence, and Tavian had pushed forward without ever giving up. While it was heartbreaking for Kaelen, everyone could see they had played their best. Simon finally understood why Dean called the Quest a "Cheat Code"—it truly was a game-changer.
Interestingly, the two Captains, who had been fighting tooth and nail just moments ago, were now chatting and smiling at each other as if the battle had never happened.
The crowd's cheers remained deafening until the Headmistress stood up, instantly plunging the stadium into a respectful silence.
"Everyone, seeing you all compete with such dedication was truly inspiring. While I congratulate the victors, I also want to remind those who lost not to be discouraged. This is a game; it is not life itself. It is merely a practice to hone both your physical strength and your inner wisdom. Therefore, let us focus not on winning or losing, but on the experiences and moments you have gained today."
As the Headmistress concluded her speech, the stadium erupted in thunderous applause.
"Well, our Captain is the exact opposite of what she just said," Dean joked with a smirk.
"He treats Exigros like his entire life. Honestly, he's the type of guy who'd probably marry Exigros if he could."
Simon couldn't help but smile. What an incredible and surprising experience today had been. One thing was for certain: he would never forget this day.