"So, what did you say, kid?" Chief Kaito asked, his voice calm but firm.
A shadow crossed Ito's face.
His jaw clenched, eyes lowered. The world around him blurred—voices fading into a distant hum.
If it were only about himself, he might've accepted without protest. But then—he saw them in his mind:
Zayden's cocky grin.
Shion's cheerful voice.
Sara's steady gaze.
He couldn't use them for his own sake.
His fists trembled—not with fear, but with the weight of choosing what's right.
Before he could speak, the three of them—Zayden, Shion, and Sara—stepped forward in unison and shouted:
"Yes, he will win!"
Their voices rang out with unwavering conviction, slicing through the tension like a blade.
Ito's eyes widened. He turned to them, emotion flooding his gaze.
"Your hands are in bad shape," Zayden said firmly, "but we also know how much this tournament means to you."
"And we're in this together. That's what friends do, right?" Shion added with a calm, resolute glint in her eyes.
Ito's gaze shifted to Sara.
She didn't speak—just met his eyes with a gentle, reassuring look.
A faint smile tugged at her lips, soft and sincere. No grand gestures. No words.
Only a nod. Quiet, but powerful.
Confidence slowly lit up in Ito's eyes. He turned toward Chief Kaito and said with determination,
"I promise—we'll win this tournament."
Chief Kaito smirked. "Alright then. It's decided. Let him take part."
"Yes, sir," the registration officer replied.
"If everything's solved now, then I should get going, be—"
A sharp voice cut through the moment like a blade.
"Chief Kaito, didn't you have a mountain of paperwork waiting? What are you doing loitering around here?"
Kaito froze mid-step. His towering presence, so intimidating a moment ago, seemed to shrink under the weight of that voice.
A bead of sweat slid down his temple.
The students turned. Behind him stood a woman in a pristine white uniform—crisp, spotless, almost glowing under the sunlight. Her long blue hair flowed down her back like a silken waterfall, swaying gently as she approached.
The crowd watched in awe as the unshakable Chief looked like he was about to faint.
"Ahaha! Captain Elira! I—I was just checking on the students! Making sure everything's running smoothly, you know?"
Ito leaned toward Shion and whispered, "She's really just a captain?"
Shion grinned. "At this point, I think she's the final boss."
Elira's eyes sparkled with a dangerous glint. "Well then, Chief… let's smoothly get you back to that mountain of unfinished work, shall we?"
"…Yes, ma'am."
And with that, the mighty Chief of the Supreme Knights was led away like a schoolboy caught skipping class. The crowd was too stunned to laugh… almost.
"Thank you for your help, sir," Ito said, watching Chief Kaito disappear behind Elira's firm stride.
Hours later, the registration process finally ended. Ito and the other students stood lined up in formation. A massive crowd had gathered—spectators from every nation, their voices buzzing with excitement in anticipation of the grand tournament.
Then, a man stepped forward, holding a shimmering crystal mic. His voice rang out across the grounds, clear and commanding.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. I'm your host—Rock!"
A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd, the sound thundering across the arena.
Here's a refined version that tightens the pacing, strengthens the atmosphere, and leans more into the eerie mystery while keeping the natural flow:
"After the grand celebrations of the Knights Festival, we've arrived at the moment everyone's been waiting for!"
Excitement rippled through the audience—nobles, warriors, and citizens from across the twenty-five nations.
"The greatest tournament across all realms—graced today by none other than…" He let the suspense hang for a beat.
"…Her Highness, Princess Valeria!"
A wave of gasps swept the arena as every eye turned to the royal balcony. There she stood—poised, radiant, her serene gaze sweeping over the crowd. Applause thundered, heads bowed in reverence.
So, she's the princess… Ito thought. Wait—hold on. Is that Chief Kaito standing behind her?
"Hey, Shion, why's only the princess up there? Where's the king?" Zayden asked, leaning in.
"Apparently, the king's been sick for a few years now," Shion replied. "She's been managing everything in his place."
Ito looked back toward the balcony—then froze.
Something moved.
A shadow glided above the princess, circling slowly in the air.
Huh? A… crow? Ito narrowed his eyes. Didn't know this world had animals like that…
He nudged Shion and pointed. "Do you see that?"
Zayden and Sara followed his gaze, but their expressions remained blank. Nothing.
No reaction. No recognition.
As if there was nothing there at all.
Ito looked back.
Gone.
The space where the bird had circled was completely empty, untouched—like it had never existed.
Was I… imagining it?
Sara's voice broke through his daze. "Is something wrong? Are you alright?" she asked, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"…Nothing. Everything's fine," Ito said quietly, forcing a smile—though the feeling in his chest said otherwise.
The passage is already solid, but here's a lightly refined version that enhances pacing, clarity, and atmosphere while keeping your structure intact:
"So, moving on to the next," Rock's booming voice echoed across the arena.
Ito perked up as the announcement continued.
"After the first round, two hundred students remain. These contenders will now face two more rounds to determine who claims victory in this grand tournament."
A hush fell over the crowd.
"Now, for the second round," Rock continued, his voice cutting through the air like a drumbeat. "All participants must enter Ronko Forest and retrieve one of the small red flags hidden within. There are exactly one hundred flags. Each student must secure one to advance."
Murmurs rippled among the students.
"You may go solo or form teams—but be warned, fighting over flags is strictly prohibited. Knights will patrol the forest for your safety and to enforce the rules. You'll have four hours. If all the flags are claimed before time's up, the round will end immediately."
He let the weight of the challenge hang in the air.
"And finally," he added, "in the third and last round… you'll have to survive until sunset—while holding on to your flags. The ones with the most at the end will be declared the champions."
"Did you get what he was saying, Ito?" Zayden asked, pointing toward Rock.
"Half of it. What about you, Shion? Sara?" Ito turned to them, his brows raised.
"Well, that's expected from you," Shion said with a teasing grin. "But don't worry—you can leave the understanding part to us."
"Wait, Shion—he's still going," Sara said, her voice steady, calm, but with a sharpness that quieted them both.
Rock's voice rose again, now brimming with energy.
"Get ready!"
A deep horn roared—BOOOOM—followed by a surge of war drums pounding like thunder across the ground.
"The moment you hear this sound—run! The Ronko Forest awaits!"
The tension snapped taut.
All eyes fixed on the towering trees in the distance.
Then—
BOOOOOOOM!
The signal echoed again.
And just like that—the tournament began.