The countdown stopped, and the match started.
Everyone rushed out from their bases, eyes focused and hearts racing.
As planned, Shin and Yūto slipped away behind the enemy base, moving low and fast like silent shadows. MyungJin and Haru sprinted toward the left side of the enemy base, zigzagging between trees and barrels. Zhi and Jim flanked from the same side, staying low while scanning for threats.
Meanwhile, Ren crept toward the center of the map, slinking behind walls and ducking under open ledges. From the shadows, he sniped silently, soaking enemies one after another.
SPLASH!SWISH!SPLAT!
Ren's attacks came so fast and quiet, the opponents barely realized what hit them.
Back at the base perimeter, Haru and MyungJin worked together without a word. MyungJin peeked from cover and fired—SPLOOSH!—a direct hit.
Shin and Yūto silently advanced from the rear, soaking two distracted enemies.
Zhi caught a player attempting to sneak out the back—SPLAT!—and Jim soaked another from above using his scope.
Ten minutes passed in a blur of movement and water sprays.
The buzzer sounded.
"Team A is out of the tournament. Team B moves to the final round," the announcer's voice rang across the stadium.
Zhi turned to Yūto, smiling faintly. "Thank you for believing me."
"It's okay," Yūto replied with a nod.
"Why didn't you join them?" Zhi asked curiously.
"The captain of the other group was just... talking about himself," Yūto shrugged.
Zhi smirked lightly. "Let's see what the last round is."
Just then, the announcer spoke again from the loudspeakers.
"The last round is also a battle royale, but there will be some extra enemies as well."
Zhi turned to Yūto and said, with a small grin, "This time, don't trust me."
"I won't," Yūto chuckled.
"Now, choose your drones!" the announcer announced.
Everyone rushed to the drone station and picked their flying bots.
The final battle royale began.
The sky was soon filled with dozens of drones, humming and whirring as they carried players across the map.
Just like before, Haru boldly landed in the center, confidently scanning his surroundings.
Ren, meanwhile, landed at the edge and immediately noticed something odd—new enemies who didn't attack each other, only players.
"Strange…" he muttered as he hid behind a wall and sniped at them.
SPLASH! SPLAT! SPLISH!Two down.
Haru encountered a similar group in the center. Without hesitation, he moved through them like a blur—WHOOSH! SPLASH! SWIPE! SPLAT!He soaked out all the extra enemies around him.
Just then, a group of players approached his position. Haru didn't even flinch.SPLASH! SPLAT! SPLAT!Three more soaked out, like targets in an arcade game.
On another side, Shin noticed a player battling one of the extra enemies. Just as the player soaked it out, Shin made his move—SPLAT!One clean shot, the player was out.
Elsewhere, MyungJin landed just as another player did. Neither had a water gun.
"Uh oh…" MyungJin whispered, and both sprinted in opposite directions.
He found a water gun quickly and scanned the area.
"Thermal vision, on," he muttered.
His eyes flickered orange for a moment. He spotted the heat signature of the other player still searching.
SPLASH!Eliminated.
Zhi spotted Yūto battling two extra enemies. Zhi dashed to help—TAP TAP TAP—
But just as he was a few steps away, Yūto was soaked and out.
"No!" Zhi shouted, raising his gun.
SPLAT! SPLASH!He managed to soak one, but the other caught him right after.
Yūto placed 9th. Zhi placed 8th.
Across the field, Jim crouched in hiding as two extra enemies stood ahead. He smirked.
"I'll let someone else soak one, then I'll finish the other…"
Suddenly—SPLAT! SPLASH!Both extra enemies were taken down by someone hidden.
"What the—?" Jim switched to thermal vision.
"Ah-ha." He spotted a heat signature inside a bush.
Jim sprinted forward, pulled out two water balloons, hurled them—SPLOOSH! SPLAT!—then jumped over the bush and fired—
SPPPRRTTT!!
It was Ren in the bush. Soaked and out.
Before Jim could turn, he was ambushed.
SPLAT-SPLAT!He spun, but it was too late. He was soaked out as well.
The mystery player ran toward the center… where Haru sat—casually drinking water by squeezing his water gun into his mouth.
"Seriously?" the player whispered, trying to snipe him.
SWISH! A shot missed Haru's head by inches.
But Haru tilted back, dodged, stood instantly, and—
SPLASH!The mystery player was out before he could blink.
Suddenly—TEN extra enemies stormed toward Haru from all directions.
At the other side of the field, MyungJin spotted a player in his view.Tap. Tap. Fire. SPLASH!Soaked.
But just as the mist cleared, MyungJin saw someone else.
"Shin?"
"Let's go!" Shin grinned, and they both fired.
SPLASH! SWISH! SPLAT!Streams of water crossed in the air. At last, Shin was hit and dropped to the ground.
"Gotcha," MyungJin whispered, refilling his gun.
"So it's only Haru and I left… He must be at the center," he murmured and turned to move.
Suddenly—ten more extra enemies surged toward MyungJin from the trees.
"Twenty of them?!" he panicked. "Even with a full tank, I can only take out five."
He darted through bushes and rocks, dodging water streams—SPLISH! SWOOSH! SLAP!—barely escaping as they chased him.
At the center, Haru dodged like lightning, zigzagging through the ten enemies—SPLASH! SWISH! SLIDE!—not even using much water, just reflexes.
Time finally ran out.
"It's a tie, Congratulations to both of you. In this situation, the winner will be the one with the most kills." The announcer's voice rang out.
Haru: 3 players + 2 extra enemiesMyungJin: 2 players
"That means Haru is the winner!"
"YEAH, I WON!" Haru jumped, throwing his empty water gun into the air in excitement.
"And now, all three position holders come to the stage for the prize," the announcer said.
Shin, MyungJin, and Haru walked toward the stage, smiling and soaked.
The announcer handed over the medals and cash prizes.
Shin received a bronze medal and $5,000.MyungJin got a silver medal and $10,000.Haru took a gold medal and $20,000.
"Congratulations to all of you," the announcer said with a grin, "but there is a surprise for the winner."
"You mean for me?" Haru asked curiously.
"Yes," the announcer nodded. "The winner will get an invitation from Japan for the Team Water Battle Tournament."
Haru blinked. "So I have to make a team for that?"
"And your coach will also go with you," the announcer added.
"But… I don't have any coach," Haru replied.
"You can't go without a coach," the announcer said firmly.
Just then, a man in a black suit stepped forward.
"I can be your coach," he said calmly.
"But we don't know who you are," MyungJin said suspiciously.
"My name is Kyo. I want to talk to all three of you," the man replied, his eyes serious.
"Alright… but you have to talk to the whole team," Shin insisted.
"Okay, take your invitation and choose your team," Kyo agreed.
Haru quickly chose: Shin, MyungJin, Zhi, Jim, and Ren.
They followed Kyo to a nearby restaurant for the real talk.