CHAPTER 37: THE RACE OF PAWNS AND KINGS

Crimson Vale Academy – Sports Festival Grounds

The sky blazed gold as morning light spilled across the freshly marked field. Streamers danced in the wind like fluttering war banners, casting a vibrant palette of red, blue, and silver over the academy’s vast sports complex. The air hummed with tension — students bustling in white shirts trimmed in navy blue, trousers neat and clean, insignias glowing with pride. The war of athletics was about to begin.

Referees adjusted clipboards. Megaphones crackled. Students stretched, jogged, whispered strategies. This wasn’t just sport — this was reputation. Power. Class standing.

And at the heart of it... Class D.

They stood unified, outcasted but unwavering. Riven tied his headband. Aria folded her arms, eyes locked forward. Kairon... as always, stood apart, hands in his pockets, calm like a ghost in a battlefield.

Then came the call.

"Boys’ 100-meter dash. To the track."

The crowd shifted, the cheers building like a slow drumbeat.

Kei stepped forward.

His jaw was set, arms loose, feet sharp. Every muscle pulsed with tension. His gaze drifted across his opponents:

— Adrien, from Class A, lean and elegant, stretching with perfect grace.

— Ken, from Class B, solid and composed, headphones hanging from his neck.

— Tyler, from Class C, grinning cockily as he flexed for the crowd.

The ref raised a hand.

"On your mark..."

The students crouched.

"Set..."

A pause. A breath.

BANG!

They launched.

Kei’s form exploded forward like lightning. His eyes narrowed. Wind burned against his cheeks. Adrien kept up at first, smooth and focused. Tyler surged with raw muscle. Ken followed with quiet grit.

But halfway down the track, Kei shifted.

He burst forward, feet slicing the track like blades. He passed Adrien. Then Tyler.

Then it was silence — the world slowed, and Kei’s figure streaked like a comet toward the finish.

First Place: Class D — Kei.

The crowd roared.

Class D erupted with cheers.

"That’s my boy!" Caden shouted, leaping up.

Torin and Riven tackled Kei in a hug, arms wrapped around him from behind.

Ivy nodded with her signature cool smile. "Good work."

Yua and Sena ran up with drinks in their hands.

"Here!" Yua grinned. "Hydrate!"

"You did amazing!" Sena beamed.

Kei took it, panting but smiling. Akira stepped forward shyly, holding her hands behind her back.

"...C-congratulations," she said, barely audible.

Kei turned. "Thanks."

From across the field, Ken walked back toward Class B, head low.

"...Sorry I didn’t win."

Lizzy stood and smiled gently. "It’s okay, Ken. You don’t have to carry it all. We’ve still got more events."

Mae clapped his back. "She’s right. Listen to Lizzy."

They hugged him tightly, Mae and Hana pulling him in. "We’re a team."

But over at Class C...

Tyler knelt before Ren, drenched in sweat, hands trembling.

Ren didn’t stand. He didn’t even flinch. He remained seated under the shade, sunglasses on, smile sharp.

"Why," he asked, "did you lose?"

Tyler opened his mouth... nothing.

Ren sighed. He snapped his fingers.

Albert stepped forward instantly. Tyler panicked.

"Wait—wait! Please—!"

Albert grabbed him from behind.

"No! No!!"

He was dragged away.

Miya approached as Tyler’s screams echoed behind.

"What now?" she asked.

Ren licked his lips, eyes narrowing toward the Class D section.

"We keep going. The game is far from over... right, Aria Nyre?"

Back in Class A’s tent, Adrien returned, quiet.

"...Sorry. I came in third."

Adams didn’t flinch. "Third’s not bad. Now we adjust. Shift formation. Refocus."

Adrien nodded and sat, exhaling slowly.

---

"Next race — Girls’ 100-meter dash."

The girls stepped to the line.

— Aria, Class D. Sharp eyes. Calm breath.

— Miya, Class C. Smirked already.

— Seraphina, Class A. Radiant and proud.

— Mae, Class B. Warm, determined.

The ref signaled.

"On your mark... set..."

BOOM!

They shot off.

Mae surged forward with a strong start. Seraphina ran with grace. Aria kept her form tight, fast and controlled.

Miya?

She cheated.

She stepped into Mae’s lane.

Shove.

Mae stumbled.

She hit the ground hard.

Gasps echoed.

Miya kept running.

She moved again — this time toward Aria.

She lunged.

But Aria sidestepped, keeping balance, never breaking stride.

Then came Seraphina. Miya rammed her shoulder.

Seraphina lost rhythm.

Aria flew ahead, eyes burning.

First Place: Class D — Aria.

Cheers thundered again.

She returned, walking calm as ever.

Riven raised a brow. "Good work out there."

Aria nodded. "Thanks."

Ivy smiled. "That was smooth. Really smooth."

Kei stepped forward, extending his hand.

"I didn’t know you were good at this. Let’s win this together."

Aria reached for his hand... then paused.

Her eyes caught Kairon.

He didn’t look up. Just stared blankly at the crowd.

She sighed... and shook Kei’s hand anyway.

Miya approached Ren.

"Sorry. I came second."

Ren smiled. "Second’s fine. I’m sure Classes A and B are wondering what happened."

And indeed—

Mae was crying, surrounded by her friends.

Lizzy, Hana, Ken, and May sat her down carefully. Cedric ran off for a first aid kit.

Ken fumed. "Class C cheated! That wasn’t even a race."

May clenched her fists. "This is so wrong!"

Lizzy stood. "I’ll go talk to them."

"I should come too—" Ken began.

"No. Alone," Lizzy said firmly.

She marched to Class C’s canopy.

Albert blocked her path.

"You can’t enter."

"I want to speak with Ren."

Albert smirked. "Turn around."

A voice behind: "Let her in. Glue always sticks to its prey."

Lizzy pushed through.

Ren stood, arms folded, smiling.

"What’s the problem?"

Lizzy stood tall. "Class C is cheating. Miya tripped Mae. That’s not sportsmanship."

Ren chuckled. "Cheating? They tripped because they lacked balance. Stamina. Control."

"They were pushed."

"No proof. If it were real cheating, the ref would’ve disqualified her. He didn’t. That means... your class was just weak."

Lizzy stared. "You bribed the ref, didn’t you?"

Ren tilted his head. "Desperate much? Is your class making you this irrational?"

Lizzy glared.

"Now, if that’s all," Ren said, "you may leave."

Albert escorted her out.

---

Class D’s Canopy

Kairon sat at the edge, expression unreadable.

Aria approached, folding her arms beside him.

"What are you planning?"

He blinked. "Planning?"

"Don’t play dumb."

He shrugged. "You expecting me to read your mind?"

"Fine. What’s your plan to win this festival?"

Kairon looked out at the field.

"...I don’t have one."

"What? Why not?!"

"This is sports. You can’t plan strength. You either have it or don’t."

Aria’s voice rose. "If we work as one—"

"A strong formation only works if the pieces are competent," Kairon said.

"What do you mean?"

He walked to the table. Picked up a jug.

"When the vessel is weak..." he poured into a glass. The water spilled over. "Effort overflows. Pointless. You can’t pour more into a broken vessel."

"So what—give up?"

"No. You widen the vessel. Change the scope."

He turned to her, voice cold.

"In this festival, only one thing matters... personal ability. Not teamwork. Not faith. Not planning. Strength."

Aria stared, words caught in her throat.

---

Council Room

Kael sat at the head, Juan behind him. The atmosphere was tense.

A voice interrupted.

"President... I heard you challenged a Class D student. And lost."

Juan jumped. "That’s not true—he won!"

The boy smirked. "Really? I heard... Kairon let you win."

Kael remained still.

The boy threw his legs on the table. "He must be special, huh? To rattle the great Kael Nyre."

Kael’s hand tightened.

"...Stay away from him."

The room froze.

Kael’s voice turned to ice. "Kairon Vale is mine. Anyone who touches him answers to me."

Juan gulped. "P-president..."

The boy raised a hand, smiling. "Hai, hai. I won’t touch him..."

He stood, slamming the door as he left.

In the hallway, his lips curled.

"Kairon Vale..." he whispered.

"I wonder what kind of game you like to play."

He disappeared into the light.

---

To Be Continued...

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