Phantom Rings

After Cesar explained he would be running next, a young man around 22 with dark hair spoke confidently, capturing everyone's attention. "Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jin Takahashi. I will run after Cesar."

Following Jin-Shen's assertion, a timid voice emerged from the crowd as a short, chubby girl stepped forward. Speaking softly, she said, "Um, hello, everyone. My name is Ellie Sophia Jung. If it's alright, I would like to run after Jin. I hope we all can get along!"

Observing the group, the red-haired girl named Louis swiftly intervened. "Very well, it appears we have our lineup. I shall run after Ellie, followed by Matthew, and finally, Al." The group nodded in agreement.

Having decided their running order, Cesar and Jin began their warm-up exercises. Louis, Matthew, and Ellie positioned themselves cross-legged and began breathing deeply. Meanwhile, Al surveyed the small gathering, his gaze shifting between his group and the now-dispersing groups in other fields. Only a few lingering groups mirrored their own.

Breaking the quietness of preparation, Al told his group, "So, all of you with robes, your teachers fought in the 300th Mortal Rings Tournament. I figure they've all gone through something similar to what we're doing now?"

The group looked around each other except for Cesar, who was also curious about his team. Al pressed on without waiting for a response. "There is more to be gained in sharing than not sharing your experience. If we are being trained to work as a team, that information would be invaluable..."

His words hung in the air, prompting the group to contemplate sharing what their teachers had taught them. Al calmly sat down, patiently waiting for his turn. Matthew was the first to respond. "Nice try. You would obviously benefit the most, so why would we give you information that can end up helping you in the tournament even if it is decades from now?" Louise nodded in agreement with Matthew.

Al scoffed at his response. "Can't you see the bigger picture here? Why do you think we're training as a team to prepare for the tournament?"

Matthew shook his head, dismissing Al's leading questions. "What exactly are you trying to imply? This is just training?"

With a sigh, Al chose not to respond, but Jin took the opportunity to speak up. "I see what Al's saying and he's right. I think it's quite clear that those with the most reliable team do the best in the tournament. Probably because of things being able to share valuable perspectives with each other."

Ellie nodded softly, offering her agreement. "Moreover, the likelihood of facing each other in the tournament is exceedingly low. I've heard from my mother that they prefer matches between strangers, although that might not always be possible."

A faint smile played beneath Al's helmet. Louis had been partially correct in her suspicion, as Al truly desired their voluntary sharing of personal knowledge to address his own questions.

The atmosphere within the group shifted as a newfound understanding and a glimmer of trust began to take hold.

While Al's true intentions were not lost on Cesar, he couldn't help but share a curiosity about Al's inquiries. On the other hand, Louise had started to resent Al, their previous interactions leaving a sour taste. She decided to interrupt the conversation, expressing her concerns. "Since it's clear only those with a robe have a teacher with prior experience. I can't help but feel like you're slightly taking advantage of us Alexander."

Al's bit his lip under his helmet, a hint of frustration seeping through. "Didn't you hear? Cesar and I killed a Chimera within the Mental Domain. I'm certain each one of you would be interested in the intricate details of how we accomplished it." Al replied in a condescending tone to the fiery-haired girl.

Louis locked eyes with Al, an array of unspoken words lingering between them. Like most of the group, she recognized the immense difficulty of slaying a creature within the Mental Domain, considering their teachers resided within that realm.

Suddenly, Jīn's exclamation drew their attention away from the brewing tension. "Look! He's already back, and it's only been 44 minutes! That's inhuman! He must have been running each mile in around 4 minutes." Their gazes fixed upon a tall, brown, young man jogging steadily. Despite his exertion, he appeared composed, slightly sweating.

Cesar swiftly positioned himself, ready to take off. Unlike the others, Cesar remained unfazed by the young man's incredible speed. Ignoring the commotion around him, he focused solely on the path ahead, his thoughts consumed by determination. "Impressive time, no doubt, but I will beat him!" With a quick slap of hands, Cesar propelled himself into a lightning-fast sprint.

As Cesar disappeared from sight, the young man who had returned gathered the items he had tossed aside, retrieving a canteen and taking a few swigs. He used some water to cleanse his face before donning his robe, turning towards the eager group.

"My name is Yusuf Dymek Aziz, a student of Dymek Ghulam. I look forward to getting to know all of you better. So, I assume everyone has already decided on the order of who goes next, right?" The group nodded in agreement.

Louis spoke up, providing the predetermined sequence. "Yes, it's Cesar first, Jin second, Ellie charmingly takes the third spot to his left, I'm fifth, Matthew is sixth, and Al, the one donning the armor, will go last."

Having taken a moment to connect names to faces, Yusuf addressed the group with a friendly smile. Yusuf took note of each individual, pausing momentarily when his gaze fell upon Al's armor. However, he chose to remain silent, withholding any comments.

Louis continued, "We were just discussing if it was a good idea to share the experience of our teachers. I was saying the" Yusuf interjected. "I think it's a splendid idea. As my teacher has informed me, small groups known as phantom rings are formed after the initial three months of training. These rings are presented with exclusive tasks, available only to such groups, typically lasting until the tournament. This is how my teacher accumulated a wealth of merits to supplement his training."

The group was taken aback by Yusuf's openness in sharing his teacher's knowledge.

Al seized the opportunity to inquire further. "But did all that supplementation help your teacher qualify for the tournament?" Louis shot Al a stern look, but Yusuf raised his hand, signaling that it was alright.

With a calm demeanor, Yusuf responded, "Unfortunately, no. My teacher, Dymek Ghulam, placed 120th in that tournament, just a few spots shy of qualifying. So, if you're wondering whether supplementation alone can guarantee success, the answer is no. It can only take you so far. My teacher emphasized that the most crucial aspect is training with intention."

The group listened intently, absorbing this new insight. They had all gained valuable knowledge.

Prompted by a lingering feeling, Al turned to the entire group and asked, "Wait, did any of your teachers actually qualify? It makes sense that those who fail become teachers back home and train someone familiar to them."

The group collectively cast their eyes downward, a somber silence enveloping them. Louis, however, looked at Jin and addressed him directly. "Oh, now you don't want to share. Tell us how your grandfather, Ling-Shen Hatakashi, managed to secure 97th place and still chose to return to his family and take on a student?"

Al found himself both intrigued and astonished. The image of the short, skinny Jin with glasses seemed incongruous with the notion of a powerful individual in his lineage. Jin began to shed light on his family's extraordinary history with his well-spoken voice.

"My grandfather is not the only Hatakashi to have qualified in a Mortal Rings tournament. Our family has followed their Will's path for nearly 500 years. The Will within my bloodline has been honed and refined for centuries, typically manifesting as lightning. However, my grandfather was a prodigy, born with an Exotic Will, which allowed him to secure 97th place in the last tournament. He didn't teach me much because he didn't believe in studying. He relied solely on his innate talent when he ascended through the Physical Domain. But thanks to the abundant resources available to him and my parents, my training has been smooth. One of those resources was a collection of breathing technique scrolls generously provided by the Evergreen Leaf to my grandfather. Since my grandfather had no interest in studying them, he allowed me to explore their contents, even though it isn't technically permitted. Before coming here, I committed every breathing technique in those scrolls to memory."

As Jin concluded his revelation, he surveyed the shocked expressions of his peers. Then his gaze shifted to Louis, deftly redirecting the focus back to her. Louis let out a sigh.

Louis began speaking, sharing her own story. "My teacher is actually my great-great-great-grandfather, Ronald Jacob Mitchell. His will manifests itself through density. Interestingly enough, he not only failed to qualify for one Mortal Rings tournament but two. During the 299th tournament, he faced a near-fatal encounter. Then, 50 years later, he placed 119th in his second attempt. By that time, my great grandfather and grandfather had already passed away, leaving my father and uncles as the remaining members his family. They welcomed the old man back with open arms, although they dismissed his strength and age as merely good genes. Grandpa-Ronald had resigned himself to his fate, ready to take his knowledge with him until he saw the potential within me to awaken my own will. And now, here I am."

As Louis finished her account, the group nodded, acknowledging her contribution. Some, like Matthew, were astonished by the fact that her teacher had participated in two different half-century tournaments.

The short, chubby girl, Ellie, adjusted her curly black hair that was in disarray before stepping forward to speak. "As I mentioned earlier, my name is Ellie Sochia Jung, and my teacher is actually my mother, Marcie Jung. I never knew my father. My mother introduced me to the Path when I was around 11 years old, but eventually, I chose to pursue a normal life and attend school. I was accepted into University I wanted, but after an incident occurred, I decided to drop out and return home. Then, my mother spoke to me about the Blood Leaf, and now I'm here. My mother took a different path from your teacher Louis. After nearly dying in the 300th tournament, she decided to continue following the Path independently. She remains youthful and healthy, just as she was in her early twenties. Although it wasn't necessary, she advised me that it's still best to try and join a God Leaf. Her biggest advice was to let go of fear regarding the Physical Domain. As for how her will manifests, I don't know. She never told me." With her words spoken, Ellie stepped away from the center, leaving an impression on Al with her intriguing story. Particularly fascinating was how her teacher succeeded after choosing to leave the God Leafs influence.

Next was Matthew, the last person with a teacher. As everyone turned their attention to him, Luke stuttered, feeling the pressure. Sensing his unease, Yusuf, tried to offer reassurance. "Relax, kid. Since it looks like we'll be forming a phantom ring together, we've got each other's backs. Don't feel pressured to share anything you don't want to," Yusuf kindly reassured Matthew.

Listening to Yusuf's words, Matthew took a deep breath and exhaled before finding the courage to speak. "As most of you heard from Senior Romann, my father wasn't particularly gifted or apparently hardworking. After he nearly died and returned home to meet my mother and have me. His will revolved around flames, and he often mentioned that his spark had been taken away by losing the tournament. Just before sending me here, he advised me to pay attention to what my mentors tell me and to train diligently." As Matthew finished speaking, a collective sigh filled the air, accompanied by wry smiles from the group, except for Louis, who questioned Matthew's age.

"How old are you? I think you were sent here a little too early," she remarked. Matthew hesitated before answering, "I'm 15, but my dad has told me about all this since I was a baby." Yusuf smiled and placed his hand on Luke's shoulder. "Haha, no worries, kid. I've got your back. I'm 23 years old, making me the oldest, I think. Just call me Akhi or big bro," Yusuf said, his candidness making Matthew even more timid.

Jin, once again the first to spot the runner, exclaimed, "Oh wow, this guy is another superhuman! He's already on his way back." Jin continued observing the runner's time, "He's coming in at about 49 minutes, only 5 minutes away from Yusuf."

Jin then put away his belongings and removed his robe, revealing a spandex suit underneath. After organizing his things neatly and addressing everyone, he made a playful remark, "It would be a shame if I came back to find my stuff missing after guarding Yusuf's over there." He walked over to the road, positioning himself for the run. Yusuf shouted, "Don't worry, bro. We'll take good care of your stuff. Just do your best!"

Despite his pale complexion and being drenched in sweat, Cesar displayed an even stronger determination in his eyes than when he had started. He mustered the strength to shout out, "Time?!" before slapping Jīn's palm and collapsing to the floor, completely exhausted.

Jin set off steadily, with Al shouting, "49 minutes! You were just 5 minutes too late, you almost had him." Cesar's reaction to this news was a torrent of curses, his fist colliding with the ground.

After his brief outburst and a moment to catch his breath, Cesar rose to his feet and approached the small group gathered near Al, where his nameless gray robe lay. "So, let's assume most of us finish in under an hour. What does that give us?" Cesar inquired, using his hands to count.

Ellie swiftly interjected, "That amounts to roughly 70 hours, nearly three entire days, assuming no one slows down and completes the 10-mile run in over an hour." Cesar walked over to Al, who handed him his canteen filled with the mystical Ever-life infused water.

Before taking a sip, Cesar remarked, "Yeah, I felt it was some dumb long like that. I have a task with a five-day deadline, or else I'll lose 150 merits. If we get around six hours of rest before running again, I suppose I'll see you all in approximately six hours, right?" With that, he turned and headed towards Al, saying, "Thanks for the water. Holy shit, I feel incredible, like brand new."

Despite Cesar appearing slow-witted, his practicality in his thought process was remarkable. This practicality seemed to have eluded the rest of the group, except for Al, who seemed to be the only one without an impending task. The others were utterly dumbstruck, not even contemplating leaving, let alone considering the tasks they had yet to complete.

However, after hearing Cesar's words, they too began to disperse, leaving Al, Ellie, who was next in line to run, and Yusuf behind.