Inter islands - WHAT'S LEFT

Kaisen lowered his blade slowly, the grin still on his face. "It's been a while."

Zain relaxed his stance. "You haven't changed a bit." He glanced around at the crew behind Kaisen. "Neither has your crew."

A woman with long purple hair and sharp black eyes stepped forward. "You made it just in time for the Inter-Islands."

Abraham's head snapped up instantly. "Wait — the Inter-Islands? That's actually real?" He turned to Zain, eyes wide. "Captain, can we join? Please?"

Zain looked at him. "Let's get through introductions first."

Sulaiman leaned toward Zain. "Captain, who are these people?"

Bob was already moving. He shrank the ship down in one smooth motion, sealed it inside a protective bubble and slipped it into his pocket. Then he turned to Sulaiman.

Zain glanced back. "Thank you, Bob."

Kaisen stared at the android. "Bob?"

"The Revolt," Bob began, his voice even and unhurried. "Currently seven members. Each carries a bounty exceeding one billion Zeos. They were once part of Rolencia — until they did the unthinkable and escaped. After breaking free they declared war on Rolencia directly. In response Rolencia placed bounties on every member, branding them the world's most dangerous criminal organization."

Ryo looked at them for a moment. "Criminal for what? Defying Rolencia?"

Bob continued. "Rolencia is currently the most influential nation in the world. Most nations resent their reach but cannot deny it. What Rolencia declares tends to become accepted truth — whether the world agrees or not."

Ryo said nothing for a second. Then quietly — "That's some bullshit."

"Thank you, Bob," Zain said. "I think that covers it."

"Understood," Bob said, and stepped back.

Rika crossed her arms. "So. Are you going to stand in our way or are you joining?"

Before anyone could answer Abraham was already turning to Zain. "Captain please. Can we join? I heard about this growing up — I thought it was a myth."

Benjamin, Rimazu and Ryo exchanged a look.

"If Abraham thinks it's worth getting excited about," Benjamin said.

"Let's go," Rimazu added.

All three turned to Zain simultaneously. "Captain, please."

Leona, Ruqqaya, Aisha and Scarlet looked at each other in silence.

Do they share a single brain cell between them?

Scarlet glanced sideways. "At least Sulaiman isn't—"

"IF BIG BROTHER IS JOINING THEN SO AM I!"

Scarlet closed her eyes. "Never mind."

Zain looked at all of them for a long moment. Then he sighed. "Fine. But Kaisen is going to explain how this works."

The boys all rushed toward Kaisen at once.

Kaisen turned to Zain with an expression of pure betrayal. "You bastard."

Zain was already turning away. He stepped close to Rika and lowered his voice. "Take the girls. By the end of this I need them to know how to use Absolute Zero."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "And what do I get in return?"

"I'll be your sparring monkey."

A slow smile crossed her face. "Deal." She turned. "Girls — come with me."

Zain looked over at Ali, who had been watching everything quietly. "You want in?"

Ali considered it. "Will it improve my Raiki?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll go."

Zain nodded. "Good." He turned to Bob. "You and me — we're taking a tour of the island. Let's go."

"Understood."

Zain glanced back at the group one last time. "Have fun."

"Bye Captain!" "Bye Bob!"

Kaisen looked at the line of faces in front of him — Team Z, all of them standing in a row along the shore, more or less at attention.

"Rika, take it away."

Rika stepped forward. "Listen carefully. The Inter-Island Tournament is an annual event held across all four islands of Halihalu. Each island represents a color and a figure. The island you're standing on right now is the Red Island. Every person born here carries red Raiki. The figure they believe in is called the Originator — Revallo. The first red Raiki user. Known simply as Originator Red."

Ali raised his hand. "So the same goes for the pink, green and blue islands?"

"Exactly. Despite their differences Halihalu has never gone to war with itself. This is one of the most peaceful nations in the world. The tournament is purely a celebration — respect and competition. Nothing more."

Ryo looked around at the island stretching behind them. "When does it start?"

Cole stepped forward, calm and unhurried. "The Inter-Island Tournament is tomorrow afternoon. But before that — each island holds its own internal tournament today. Every Raiki user on the island competes to decide who will represent their island tomorrow. Whoever wins today's tournament becomes their island's representative for the main event."

Abraham's eyes lit up. "So we could represent the island?"

Cole nodded. "If you win."

The group exchanged glances. Something shifted in the air — the kind of quiet that happens right before everyone decides to take something seriously.

Kaisen turned back to the group. "While Cole sorts out the timing with the four chiefs — we're splitting up. You'll each be heading to your island based on your Raiki color." He looked down the line. "I'm red. Whoever else is red stays here with me." He pointed. "Pink goes with Rika and Cole when he's back. Green goes with Philip and Hamilton. Blue goes with Hannah and Zack."

Cole returned a few minutes later. "They agreed. Tomorrow afternoon for the Inter-Islands. Today's island tournaments start in three hours."

"Good." Kaisen looked at Team Z. "One more thing. I'm assuming you all know how to fly?"

Team Z looked at each other.

Aisha spoke carefully. "We can stand on air. And water. Does that count?"

The Revolt went quiet for a moment.

Hamilton said, mostly to himself, "Zain never taught them."

"He knows how," Kaisen said, shaking his head slowly. "He just doesn't do it. Doesn't want to show off." He paused. "Actually knowing him he probably just forgot."

Benjamin, Abraham, Rimazu and Ryo all said at exactly the same time — "Yeah, I'll bet."

Sulaiman and Ali looked at each other.

"They talk from experience," Sulaiman said.

"Clearly," Ali agreed.

Kaisen clapped his hands together. "Alright. By tomorrow your Raiki will be on a completely different level. I won't be modest — I'm the second best Raiki user in the world. The rest of the list is standing right behind me." He looked down the line one more time. "Enough talk. Everyone get to your islands. You've got three hours before the island tournaments begin. Use the time wisely."

The Revolt members took off — lifting into the air effortlessly, moving across the sky toward the other islands like it cost them nothing.

Team Z watched them go. Then they ran — across the water, feet barely touching the surface. Most of them, anyway.

Kaisen walked along the shore alongside Ryo and Ruqqaya, the three of them moving at the same pace. He glanced sideways at Ryo and his eyes caught the scarf wrapped around his neck.

He slowed slightly.

"Hey kid. Whose scarf is that?"

Ryo didn't look at him. "A late friend's."

"What was her name?"

Ryo looked at him then. "Elizabeth."

Kaisen's eyes went wide. Something moved across his face — surprise, then something older than that. He looked at Ryo for a long moment.

Then he smiled.

"I'm going to go extra hard on you, kid."

He turned toward the island. "We're not spending the whole day on the shore. Come to my place first — the island tournament starts in three hours. You need to be ready."

Ruqqaya glanced at Ryo as they followed. "Looks like I don't even have to teach you." A small smile. "And I get stronger in the process. Not a bad day."

Ryo shook his head. "Yeah, yeah." He looked ahead at Kaisen's back. "Hey — Mr. Kaisen."

Kaisen didn't turn around.

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