“What do you mean by Elena won’t be participating in the festival?!” I question since she is one of the most important members of the team.

“I think you know that my daughter is cursed.” Fishie says.

“I do, Missus Fishie.” I say.

“I am not a Missus any more, I am a widow so I prefer being called Miss.” Fishie says with a poker face. This woman is definitely not right in her mind, I feel it.

“Anyways, I don’t want my daughter to be seen as a cursed girl like that other girl from your class. I don’t want her to go through a hard time. That is why I have always kept it a secret from everyone and even have her keep it a secret but recently...It looks like she doesn’t care about it. It scares me if something were to happen to her. That is why I don’t want her to enter the festival.” Fishie says to me.

“Maa! What are you saying?!” Elena arrives and walks into our conversation.

“It’s you...” Fishie still has a poker face.

I sigh, “I don’t want you to participate today and that is all I was talking to your teacher about.” Fishie says to Elena.

Elena pouts her face, “I am not sitting out of today’s festival! It’s an important day for Mister Handsome and there is no way that I am sitting out of it!” Elena says as she seems to be pouting her face.

“What if you unleash your curse?!” Fishie seems to be concerned.

“I don’t care about that. After all, if I don’t think that I am cursed whatsoever.” Elena looks at her palm than she looks towards me.

“I believe that this curse is the power to protect another’s smile that I wanted.” Elena says with a smile.

Did she look at me and say that?

Fishie looks towards me with her stone-cold face.

“I think my daughter has lost it, please explain to her why it’s important that she keeps it a secret.” Fishie is requesting me.

I smile and reply to her, “Sorry madam but you are wrong here today. It’s just your daughter is a little different from others, so what? She is still a human no matter how I look at her. So don’t be afraid because if anybody comes to hurt your daughter because of her curse. You can trust me to mess that bastard up.”

Fishie sighs, “Why the hell are both of you so weirdly familiar?” Fishie asks me.

“That’s how I try to get close to my students because there is some kinda experience we share.” I say with a smile.

“I am taking your word for it, Dan ThunderField. You won’t let anything happen to my daughter.” Fishie says.

“Yes, mam!” I say with a smile.

“I will take my leave then.” Fishie says and goes towards the stadium.

“Mister Handsome...”

Elena looks towards me with sparkling eyes.

“What is it?!” I ask with a nervous smile.

“You were...Totally cool there! Like totally, totally cool! Like handsomely cool! The way you handled Maa, it’s amazing! Amazing!”

She seems to be quite happy.

*Pat*

I soothe Elena’s head.

Smile to protect huh? I guess I will add another person whose smile I wanna protect.

She does have a cute smile not gonna lie...

No! No! No! No! Carly’s smile is cuter! Yes!

“Anyways, Mister Handsome, could you stop? We need to get going.” Elena says.

“Oh sorry!” I apologize and take my hand away from her head.

“Let’s go.” I say.

Elena nods with a smile.

XXXXXX

Everyone from my team has gathered in our locker room. We didn’t encounter the other team 1-A on our way here. I would have liked to see them again but knowing our game plan is more important.

I lay down a tournament map, “Here is a structure of the tournament. The first round is the battle royale with about 50 classes participating. This includes not only our academy but other academies who are gathering here too.

We will be given paintballs, we have to spray the paintballs on different players from different classes and get as many points as we can within 30 minutes. Top 25 classes will qualify for the next round.” I give an explanation on the first round.

“Sir!” Izumi raises her hand, “Go on, Izumi.” I say.

“How are the points of this paintball round going to be distributed?” Izumi asks.

“This is basically to test your skills as a sniper, so headshots will give you 20 points, body shots 10 points, shots on leg, shoulder, hands and stuff will give you 5 points.” I explain.

“Understood! I will need to make a plan in such a way that only leaves our arms and legs vulnerable so that we can’t give away many points.” Izumi is thinking hard.

She is the leader after all. Even if I explain the round to everyone, the decisions will be made by her.

“Anything else?” I ask.

Everyone shakes their heads.

“Alright then, after the 25 teams qualify, we have the second round, this is basically a show of strength and endurance. This will be where our teamwork will be very important. We will need to defeat a total of 100 golems within an hour to move onto the next round. Only 16 best teams will move onto the next round.” I say.

“How strong are the golems, Sir?!” Izumi asks.

“Each golem is as strong as Freed, that guy you defeated a month ago with your teamwork.” I say.

Izumi nods, “Understood! Continue on sir!” Izumi says.

Izumi is thinking of strategies already. I can see it.

“Then we will have the final round.” I say.

“What will that be?” Jack asks.

“This round will start tomorrow and will go on for four days.” I say.

“Four days?” Everyone looks to be confused.

“Tag Team Bout, that’s what it is. It means depending on what the King draws it will either be a two on two or a one on one. This will be a best of 5 where each team will have to send someone from their team and win atleast 3 rounds to qualify to the top 8.” I say.

“Sir!” Izumi raises her hand.

“Hmm?”

“Will the teachers participate?” Izumi asks.

“The teachers will be participating in the final round, until that, it’s all up to you five.” I say.

“I see...” Izumi smiles.

“I guess we, will get through this fight and qualify without any problems and meet you at the finals.” Izumi says with a smirk.

“Yeah, that’s the only thing we can do if we want the teach to survive here.” Jack says.

“Let’s do this for our buddy!” Luke pushes his fist in the middle of the table.

I smile and push my fist in the middle of the table.

Everyone else does it too except Jack.

Everyone looks at Jack.

Jack seems to be annoyed, “Urgh! Fine!”

“We will win for our buddy!” Luke says.

“For Mister Handsome!” Elena smiles.

“For the teach!”Jack says.

“For the person who saved my life.” Horrell says.

Horrell...

“For the person who believes in me even if I am an airhead.” Izumi says with a smile.

Everyone...

“For my students...No...For my family.” I say.

That’s right...The past month, our bonds have been built to a point where everyone one of us can believe in each other that is why...

“LET’S WIN THIS AND GET BACK EVERYONE ELSE!!!”

“YEAH!!!”

THEY HAVE ALL PREPARED

THEMSELVES FOR THIS MOMENT