Kyren and Hiro settled into their newly renovated hut, the scent of fresh wood and varnish still lingering in the air.

"You guys are resourceful, aren't you?" Zeeha remarked, swinging her feet in the high chair they had painstakingly crafted from salvaged materials.

Hiro's smile was warm. "Not really, we just need this to survive."

"Well, I think this is the max we can do about it. We can't expand it anymore because it will not be a hideout anymore if it becomes too big," Kyren observed, gazing around the snug space with satisfaction.

"Yeah, I think about that too," Hiro agreed, adjusting a makeshift curtain to block out the last rays of the setting sun.

...

The three companions paused, taking in the spectacle of the sun sinking below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink.

"So, Zeeha, where did you get that root enhancement for your sword? And how do you control it?" Kyren inquired, his curiosity piqued by the mysterious powers of Zeeha's weapon.

Zeeha's eyes sparkled with excitement as she leaned forward. "Oh, yes, it's from this," she said, extending her hand to reveal a delicately crafted ring adorned with intricate runes. "My friend customized an accessory like this ring. It stores roots and can be fused to your weapon."

"WHAT? Is that possible? I've never heard of that," Hiro exclaimed, his interest thoroughly piqued.

"No, Hiro, we heard about it from Alaine, but it's a little bit different. Can you tell us more about that, Zeeha?" Kyren pressed, eager to learn the intricacies of this enchanting device.

"Of course, we don't have anything to do..." Zeeha began, her voice trailing off as she stretched her arms in a leisurely manner.

...

"So, first of all, I have two friends of mine here in the academy, but in different sections. Unfortunately, we are all getting separated after that qualifying exam," Zeeha explained, a hint of melancholy coloring her tone.

"I see, that's different from us, I guess," Hiro remarked sympathetically.

"Yeah, very different. My friends are also GAs in sections 11 and 12," Zeeha continued, a fond smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she reminisced about her companions.

"I remember that in the coronation of the GA, 11 is a orc race, am I right?" Kyren interjected, recalling the event.

"Yeah, but he doesn't look like one of them right? like the 8th GA, and he's more like a pure elf." Zeeha finished the tea. "he's the one building and giving us these accessories with 12," Zeeha confirmed, nodding appreciatively at the memory of her friend's craftsmanship.

"So, how does it work? How do you control it? And how do you avoid getting struck by the electricity?" Hiro inquired, his mind abuzz with questions about the mechanics of Zeeha's electrifying sword.

"Well, it's really simple... I guess not so simple, but he also gave us gloves and a sleeve that resist electric roots," Zeeha explained, gesturing to the protective gear she wore with a sense of pride.

"Whoa! So how do you release the roots inside that ring?" Hiro asked eagerly, leaning in closer to examine the intricate details of the magical accessory.

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"Well, if I grip the handle of my sword, it releases electricity, and the harder I grip it, the more electricity is released, like this," Zeeha demonstrated, her movements fluid and confident as she wielded her weapon with practiced ease.

"This ring can store various elemental roots, like wind, water, and others, but our studies have shown that electric is the most effective for dealing damage and enhancing sharpness. Wind can be used for mid-range slashing attacks, and fire is also lethal. However, the problem with fire is that it drains the weapon's energy quickly, leading to potential destruction during battle. Water and earth are not advisable as they make the weapon harder to wield and dull its edge," Zeeha explained while demonstrating the ring releasing an electric root, her explanation highlighting the strategic considerations behind her choice of elemental enhancements.

Kyren, intrigued by the ring, asked, "What is the capacity of that ring? How much electric root can it store?"

"Hmm, how can I explain it?" Zeeha mused, grabbing her chin as she thought of a simple explanation. "If used at full power, it can last up to half an hour. In a typical fight like the one we just had, it can last about two hours. Recharging it depends on our friend, but he usually takes three days to recharge it."

"It's pretty useful, isn't it? How can that ring store something like that? I bet it's pretty expensive," Hiro said, amazed as he looked at the ring.

"Yeah! It's quite expensive. I only got this because my friend from the 12th GA, who belongs to a semi-royal family, gifted it to me," Zeeha replied, sheathing her sword and sitting down.

"You guys have a pretty solid friendship, don't you?" Hiro remarked.

"Yeah! It's like a give-and-take, but we don't mind it," Zeeha smiled.

"I wonder what Zeeha gives them that makes them trust each other so much. Should I ask her?" Kyren thought to himself.

...

"Anyway, guys, what are your plans for tomorrow? Our section is pretty awful, right?" Zeeha sighed.

"Well, we have a routine. Kyren will study in the library, and I'll be at the gym observing the other sections' sparring sessions and trying to learn from them myself," Hiro said, sounding proud of his efforts.

Zeeha felt a bit of sympathy. "It's really unfair, isn't it? Our section is at a disadvantage. It's like giving us a broken boat ready to sink in a ship race," she said, feeling the night wind coming through their hut.

Hiro began to feel the weight of Zeeha's words. "Yeah, maybe we really need to work with others in our section. For sure, some of them aren't like the rest."

"I thought that too," Zeeha replied. "But look at what they've done. They betrayed me. They might think the same way we do, but their approach is different. They really want to stick with whoever they see as the strongest in our section." She began to lie down, the frustration clear in her voice.

"I don't want to sound sentimental, but don't you think the three of us can have each other's backs?" Hiro suggested.

Meanwhile, Kyren couldn't help but notice how easily Hiro formed attachments with people he could talk to, unlike himself. He still didn't fully trust Zeeha, but he decided to play along and remain vigilant.

"Well, I still don't trust you guys, but I can say and see that you're not one of Calir's puppets," Zeeha stated, closing her eyes.

"Oh, I remember now! You witnessed our showdown in our room before, right?" Hiro exclaimed excitedly.

"Yeah, and you were terrible," Zeeha remarked.

"What? I managed to tire him out," Hiro defended himself.

"Well, he was just testing his own stamina and wanted to show off to others. That's why he lost. If you were to fight him again, you'd surely lose," Zeeha yawned. "Anyway, guys, aren't you going to sleep?"

Kyren realized that Zeeha was also smart, as she had figured things out too, and he began to understand her strength.

Hiro began to speak, "Wait! That's what Kyren said befo—" but Kyren interrupted, "Well, I'm pretty tired too."

As they go the newly built room for Zeeha, Kyren and Hiro started to settled their head to rest.

...

..

.

"Why aren't you sleeping, Kyren?" Hiro noticed after an hour of resting that Kyren couldn't fall asleep.

"Hiro, honestly, I still don't trust Zeeha," Kyren admitted, shifting his position.

"I see. This time, my thoughts are right. I can't blame you; after all that's happened to us, it's not easy to move on, is it?" Hiro responded.

"Yeah... I don't like to think about it, but I'm starting to feel like we're up against everyone, and they don't really have any intention of making a good deal with us," Kyren confessed.

Hiro remained silent.

"But I still want to believe Zeeha has a good heart. I just need more time to absorb it," Kyren added.

He then heard Hiro's soft snores, a sign that he had fallen asleep.

...

Kyren remembered the scroll he had found in the library. "I can't imagine handing it over to the highly respected warrior..... he's almost a god here..." he thought as he closed his eyes. "But it feels like it's my mission to give it to him..."

...