Chapter 29: CHALLENGE UNDER THE SHADY TREE

The school day finally ended. The long bell echoed through the corridors of Phoenix Academy, signaling that the tiring Friday had come to a close. Students started streaming out of their classrooms with light steps and relieved faces, bags swinging from their shoulders, laughter and chatter filling the afternoon air.

But in Class IX-9, the atmosphere was different. No one was in a hurry to go home. No one was rushing to leave the room. All the students remained in their seats, waiting patiently. Books had been tidied, bags were ready beside their desks, and in their eyes, there was an unquenchable spirit—a spirit to train, a spirit to prepare for the festival that was drawing nearer.

Kai stood at the front of the class, looking at all his students with a firm expression. In front of him were gathered nine girls from Class IX-9 and six girls from Class 2-2. A total of fifteen students ready to give their best.

"Alright, everyone," Kai said in a firm voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Today is Friday, and according to the schedule, we’ll focus on chess and tactical training. But since we now have a bigger team, I want to divide the tasks for today."

Kai’s eyes moved from one face to another, making sure everyone was listening carefully.

"For those of you participating in events other than chess," Kai continued, his voice softer but still clear, "I want you to practice independently today. You can train on the field as usual, or anywhere else you feel comfortable. What matters is, I want you to focus on your individual weaknesses and improve them."

Rin, sitting in the front row, immediately raised her hand, her fiery eyes looking at Kai with curiosity she couldn’t contain. Her fingers stopped tapping on the desk, showing she was fully focused.

"Sir, if we’re training independently, what should we practice? Are there any specific techniques we need to focus on?" she asked in a firm voice, impatient to get started.

Kai nodded, smiling slightly at Rin’s enthusiasm. "Good question. I’ll give some tips for each event."

He walked closer to the basketball group—Rin, Katrin, Maya, and Sera. Rin was already holding a basketball in her hand, ready to listen. Katrin stood beside her with determined eyes. Maya was slightly behind, her cold hands nervously playing with the edge of her uniform, but her eyes remained fixed on Kai with full attention. Sera stood with her arms crossed, as usual, her expression firm.

"For basketball," Kai said, his voice firm and full of conviction. "Focus on three things. First, movement without the ball. Don’t just stand still waiting for the ball to come. Move, find open spaces, and make yourself available to receive passes. Opponents will have a harder time guarding you if you keep moving."

He turned toward Maya, who still looked a little nervous. Her big eyes looked at Kai, and Kai could see the anxiety there—anxiety that had become part of her. "Maya, you still often stand in one place when waiting for the ball. Try to move more actively. Move left and right, don’t let your opponent guess where you’re going. I know you can do it."

Maya nodded quickly, her cold hands gripping the edge of her uniform tightly. "O-okay, Sir. I’ll try." Her voice trembled, but there was determination in her eyes.

Katrin, with her natural leadership quality, immediately patted Maya’s shoulder. "I’ll help you practice movement without the ball later, Maya. We can do it together."

Kai nodded, smiling slightly at Katrin’s initiative, then continued. "Second, communication. Basketball is a team sport. You need to tell each other your positions, tell each other if there’s an open opponent, tell each other if you need help. Don’t let your teammates play alone. And third, don’t be afraid to fail. Every missed shot is a lesson. Every failed pass is a chance to learn. Keep trying."

Katrin, hearing that, smiled slightly, nodding to herself. Her sharp eyes looked at Kai with full determination, like she was absorbing every word that came out of his mouth.

Kai turned to the volleyball group led by Ella, along with Liliana, Irene, and Rina. Ella sat with her back straight, her notebook already open on her lap, pen in hand ready to take notes. Liliana sat beside her calmly, her dark blue eyes observing everything quietly—like a lake that never rippled. Irene was already hopping lightly in place, unable to contain her energy. And Rina had already opened her small notebook, waiting for instructions.

"For volleyball," Kai said, his eyes looking at Ella who sat with her back straight. "Focus on two things. First, body position when receiving the ball. Make sure your knees are always slightly bent, and your hands are ready in front. Don’t let the ball fall between you because you weren’t ready. Second, communication. Just like basketball, volleyball also requires good communication. Tell your teammates if the ball is going to land near them. Tell them if you’re going to take the ball."

He turned toward Liliana who sat quietly at the edge of the group. Her dark blue hair swayed gently as she nodded slowly. "Liliana, as a setter, you’re the brain of the team. You’re the one who sets up the attacks. Make sure you always know where your spikers are and give them the right sets. I know you can read the game well."

Liliana nodded slowly, her calm eyes looking at Kai with full attention. "Okay, Sir. I’ll pay attention to that." Her voice was soft, but there was confidence in it.

"And for Irene," Kai continued, looking at Irene who had stopped hopping and now stood tall with sparkling eyes, "as a libero, you’re the last line of defense. Don’t let the ball hit the ground. Chase every ball, even the ones that seem impossible. Sometimes, one save can change the course of a match."

Irene stopped her hopping and stood tall, her eyes sparkling with a spirit that couldn’t be extinguished. "Ready, Sir! I’ll chase every ball! No ball will fall in front of me!" she exclaimed with full conviction, her fists clenched in front of her chest.

Kai smiled slightly at Irene’s contagious enthusiasm, then turned to the relay race group—Mira and Iris who sat on the edge of the bench. Mira was already half-standing from her seat, impatient to start running. Iris sat casually, a mysterious smile on her face, her green eyes watching Kai with curiosity.

"For the relay race," Kai said, approaching them, "the most important thing is the baton exchange. Keep practicing until the movement becomes reflex. And one more thing—keep your rhythm. Don’t go too fast at the start, because you’ll tire out at the end. Find a speed you can maintain throughout the race."

"But Mira likes fast, Sir!" Mira exclaimed with a pout, her fists clenched in front of her chest. "Mira wants to run as fast as possible from the start! Mira doesn’t like slow!"

Kai looked at Mira gently but firmly. "Mira, trust me. I’ve seen many runners lose victory because they went too fast at the start and ran out of energy at the end. The relay race isn’t about who’s fastest at the start, but who still has energy at the end. I know you can control yourself."

Mira pouted her lips, but finally nodded. Her usually sparkling eyes now showed a hint of doubt, but she trusted Kai. "Alright, Sir. Mira will try to follow your advice. But Mira will still run as fast as possible at the end!"

"Good," Kai said, then turned to Nora and Luna who sat in the corner with their bows beside them. Nora sat with her back straight, her pale blue eyes looking at Kai seriously. Luna sat beside her quietly, her silver-gray hair hanging over her shoulders, her half-closed eyes occasionally glancing at Kai then back to the bow in her hands.

"For archery," Kai said, approaching them, "focus on breathing and concentration. Don’t let distractions around you break your focus. Inhale as you draw the bowstring, and exhale as you release. And remember, the arrow will follow your belief."

Nora nodded seriously, her hand gripping the bow tightly. "Okay, Sir. I’ll practice with focus." Her voice was flat and calm, but there was determination in it.

Luna, sitting beside her, just smiled slightly, her calm eyes looking at Kai with full attention. "I’ll practice with Nora," she whispered softly, almost inaudible.

Then Kai turned to Aria and Fay who sat in the corner with bags full of food and drinks. Aria sat restlessly, her fingers biting her already-short nails, her eyes darting back and forth. Fay beside her smiled to herself, her gaze drifting in an unclear direction, occasionally laughing softly for no reason.

"Aria, Fay—you remain the support team as usual," Kai said, approaching them with gentle steps so as not to startle Aria. "But today, I want you to pay more attention. Note who needs more water, who looks exhausted, and tell them to rest. Sometimes, support from the sidelines is just as important as what happens on the field."

Aria nodded quickly, her fingers that had been biting her nails now holding a notebook. "Okay, Sir. I’ll note everything! I’ve prepared drinking water and snacks for everyone!" Her voice still trembled, but there was spirit in it.

Fay smiled to herself, her eyes looking at Kai with an empty gaze. "I’ll keep their spirits up," she said softly, then laughed quietly. "I like seeing them smile."

Kai smiled slightly at Fay, then turned to Eve who had already opened her laptop on the desk, her fingers dancing across the keyboard at high speed.

"And for Eve," Kai said, approaching the desk where Eve sat with her round glasses slipping down her nose, "you’ll continue to observe and record everything that happens. I want a report after training ends. Analyze our strengths and weaknesses, and give suggestions for improvement."

Eve lifted her head, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with a habitual movement. "Of course, Sir. I’ll record every detail and provide a comprehensive analysis. Data is the key to improvement." Her voice was flat and logical, but her eyes sparkled with a spirit rarely seen.

Kai nodded, then looked at all his students with full conviction. "Alright. Those are my suggestions. Now, you can start training. Remember, if anyone wants to ask questions or needs help, I’ll be at the chess training spot. Eve will find me if anything important comes up."

The students started to move. Rin and Katrin immediately ran toward the basketball court with balls in hand, followed by Maya who was still a little hesitant and Sera who walked with firm steps. "Let’s go!" Rin called out enthusiastically, "I want to see how fast you can move without the ball!"

Katrin smiled, her eyes full of determination. "We’ll prove it, Rin. We’ll prove that we can." Maya followed behind, biting her lip but still stepping forward.

Ella led the volleyball group to the other side of the field, with Liliana walking calmly behind her and Irene already hopping ahead. "Liliana, you’ll set our positions today," Ella said firmly. "I want to see how you read the game."

Liliana nodded slowly, her calm eyes observing the field. "Okay, Ella. I’ll try."

Irene had already run to her position, her hands spread wide. "Let’s start! I’m ready to save every ball!"

Mira and Iris started stretching at the edge of the field. Mira was already impatient, her legs moving like a racehorse. "Iris, let’s start the baton exchange practice! I can’t wait!"

Iris smiled mysteriously, holding the baton casually in her hand. "Calm down, Mira. We have to do it correctly, not quickly. If we make mistakes at the start, we’ll lose time at the end."

Nora and Luna were already holding their bows and walking toward the archery area. "We’ll practice breathing today," Nora said in a flat voice. "Focus on concentration."

Luna nodded slightly, her fingers carefully feeling the bowstring. "Okay, Nora. I’ll follow your way."

Aria and Fay were preparing drinks at the table on the field’s edge. Aria arranged the bottles neatly, checking every cap. Fay smiled while helping, occasionally laughing softly at something only she could see.

Eve opened her laptop and started typing, her eyes moving quickly observing all the activity on the field. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, recording every detail with precision.

Kai watched everything from a distance, smiling slightly. They were already moving on their own. They were starting to take initiative. And that was the most precious thing.

After all the students started their activities, Kai turned to one person still standing near him—Eve. The girl with round glasses had already closed her laptop and put it in her bag, waiting patiently.

"Eve, come with me. We’ll practice chess in a quieter place," Kai said.

Eve nodded, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with a habitual movement. "Okay, Sir. But where will we practice? At the library?"

"Something better," Kai answered with a mysterious smile. "Follow me."

Kai and Eve walked away from the field, passing through the school corridors that were starting to empty, then exited through the rarely used back door. They walked along a path that was starting to be overgrown with grass, far from the crowd.

"Sir, where are we actually going?" Eve asked with curiosity, her eyes behind her round glasses moving quickly observing their surroundings. Her intelligent eyes analyzed every detail—grass that was too tall, rare footprints, trees that were getting denser. "This place seems quite remote. I didn’t know there was an area like this behind the school. I’ve explored almost the entire school area for research, but I’ve never seen this place before."

Kai kept walking without turning around. "You’ll see later. The place is quite far, but I guarantee it’s suitable for chess practice. Very quiet and no one will disturb us. No noise, no distractions, just us and the chessboard."

Eve frowned, trying to remember any information she’d collected about the area around the school. "Sir, as far as I know, this place has been closed off. There’s a wire fence around that area. I’ve heard from some teachers that no one is allowed to enter that area. According to the data I’ve collected, this area hasn’t been used for several years. Why are you taking me there? Did you get permission?"

Kai smiled slightly, not turning around. "I’ve prepared everything. Don’t worry."

Eve didn’t ask further, but her curiosity grew. She kept following Kai through tall bushes, through shady trees, until they finally reached a tall wire fence. The fence was rusted in several places, and at its entrance, hung a thick chain with a large padlock that was also rusted.

Beyond the fence, there was a wide area with tall bamboo trees, their leaves swaying gently in the evening breeze. There were several not-too-large trees arranged neatly, as if deliberately planted to create a cool and peaceful atmosphere. The afternoon sunlight penetrated through gaps in the leaves, creating dancing patterns of light on the ground below.

Eve observed everything with sparkling eyes. "Sir, this place... is beautiful," she murmured softly, her eyes moving quickly to record every detail. "From the data I have, there shouldn’t be a place like this behind the school. I need to update my data. Why was this place closed off? And how do you know about this place?"

"I don’t know," Kai answered. "But today, we’re going to use it."

Kai reached into his pocket, pulling out an old rusted key. He tried to insert the key into the padlock, but it wouldn’t go in. He tried again a little harder, but the key still refused. Then with a movement that was slightly too forceful, a sound of crack was heard—the key snapped in his hand.

"Ah..." Kai sighed, looking at the broken key with an annoyed expression.

Eve, seeing that, was slightly startled, her eyes widening behind her glasses. "Sir, the key broke."

"Yes, I see," Kai answered in a flat tone. "I thought this key could still be used, but it turns out it was too old."

Kai had no other choice. He gripped the padlock with both hands. His fingers wrapped around the cold, rusted iron. He pulled hard, the muscles in his arms tensing. The padlock didn’t move. Kai pulled once more, harder, and this time, with a loud crack, the padlock came off the chain.

Eve blinked. Her eyes looked at Kai with an expression that was hard to read—between admiration and disbelief. As someone who always analyzed everything with data and logic, she tried to find a rational explanation. "Sir... you just broke an iron padlock with your bare hands? Based on the data I have, even rusted iron requires a very large amount of force to break. How much strength did you use?"

Kai set the broken padlock on the ground with a flat expression. "The padlock was old and rusted. That’s why it came off easily."

Eve didn’t answer, but her eyes still looked at Kai with deep curiosity. She didn’t believe that even a rusted padlock could come off that easily. But she chose not to ask further. There was something about Kai that made her feel like there were many things she didn’t know. As an analyst, she noted this incident in her mind to be analyzed later.

Kai opened the iron gate with a loud creaking sound, then stepped inside. Eve followed with careful steps, her eyes continuing to observe their surroundings with undisguised wonder. She noted every detail—types of trees, angles of light, humidity levels, all the data she could collect.

Inside the area, the atmosphere felt very different. The air felt cooler and fresher, far from the school’s noise. The tall bamboo trees created a natural canopy protecting them from the afternoon sunlight. In several places, there were old wooden benches covered in moss, as if they had once been seating for someone in the past. The sound of wind rustling through the bamboo leaves created a soothing natural melody, and the chirping of birds in the distance added to the peaceful atmosphere.

Eve paused for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Sir, this... is amazing," she said softly. "The air here is different. Fresher. And the atmosphere... quiet. Very quiet. This will be great for concentration."

And not far from the entrance, there was a large tree standing tall in the center of the area. Its leaves were almost all yellow, starting to fall gently to the ground like a soft golden rain. Under that tree, there was a small hut made of wood, with a thatched roof starting to moss over in some places. Around the hut, tall bamboo trees stood like faithful guards, creating a peaceful and sheltered atmosphere.

"Wow..." Eve murmured softly, her eyes not blinking. "This... this is like a secret garden. I never imagined there was a place like this. I need to update my data immediately."

Kai smiled slightly at Eve’s expression. "I thought this place would be suitable for chess practice. Quiet, no one to disturb us, and the air is fresh. Good for thinking."

They both walked toward the hut. Their footsteps were soft on the ground covered with fallen dry leaves. The sound of crunch-crunch was heard every time they stepped, like walking on a natural carpet.

The hut was small and simple, with walls of woven bamboo that were starting to age. Inside, there was a small wooden table and two chairs that looked sturdy despite their age. The floor was made of plastered wooden planks, and on the walls, there were small holes that let in light from outside.

Eve entered the hut with careful steps. Her intelligent eyes moved quickly observing every corner of the room. "Sir, this place is well-maintained even though it’s old. There are signs of care. Are you the one who maintains it?"

"I just cleaned it a little," Kai answered shortly. He opened a large wooden box in the corner of the hut—a box full of dust. Eve, watching from behind, followed every movement Kai made with great interest. She saw Kai take out a beautiful wooden chessboard, with fine carvings on its edges, and a box of chess pieces made from the same wood.

"Sir, that’s a very beautiful chessboard," Eve said, her voice full of admiration. "I’ve never seen a chessboard like this before. The carvings are very detailed. I can see complex geometric patterns on the edges. Based on the quality, this might be handmade, not mass-produced."

"I found it here a few days ago," Kai answered in a flat voice, setting the chessboard on the table. "I thought it would be useful."

Eve approached the table, her nimble fingers touching the smooth surface of the chessboard. It felt warm under her touch, like wood that was old and full of stories. "This wood... old teak wood," she murmured softly, analyzing by touch. "The quality is very good. This is a very valuable chessboard, Sir."

After all preparations were complete, Eve sat across from Kai. She pulled her chair slowly, her eyes looking at the chessboard in front of her with full concentration. Her nimble fingers moved across the board’s surface, feeling the smooth wood texture. Her intelligent eyes moved quickly, analyzing the positions of the neatly arranged pieces.

"Alright, Sir," Eve said, her voice firm and full of spirit—a spirit rarely seen on her usually flat face. "I’m ready to start. But before we begin, I want to ask—what are we practicing today? Are we going to play chess as usual, or is there something different? I need to know the rules that will be used so I can analyze correctly."

Kai looked at Eve with a serious expression. His hand reached for the chess pieces, placing them one by one on the board with calm, measured movements. His eyes didn’t blink, looking at Eve with a gaze that made her feel this wasn’t ordinary practice.

"Before we start," Kai said in a soft but firm voice, "I want to tell you that the chess rules we’ll be playing with will be a little different."

Eve blinked, slightly startled. Her intelligent eyes stopped moving, fully focused on Kai. "Different? What do you mean, Sir? What are the rules?"

Kai continued, his eyes not blinking. "Each player will have points. And each piece also has points. When a piece is captured, the player’s points will decrease according to the point value of the captured piece."

Eve blinked once more, trying to digest Kai’s words. Her eyes moved quickly, analyzing this new information from various angles. "So... each piece has a value? Like in positional analysis, but this time applied directly?"

"Exactly," Kai answered, his hand pointing to each piece on the board. "Pawns are worth 1 point. Knights and Bishops are worth 3 points. Rooks are worth 5 points. The Queen is worth 9 points. And the King... has no value, but if the King dies, the game ends."

Eve nodded slowly, her eyes following every word that came out of Kai’s mouth. "So, if I lose a Knight, my points will decrease by 3?"

"Correct. And if you lose your Queen, your points will decrease by 9."

"Then... what about promotion?" Eve asked, her curiosity growing. Her eyes sparkled behind her round glasses. "What if I want to promote a pawn to a Queen? Does the promotion rule still apply?"

Kai smiled slightly. "Good question. To promote a small piece to a super piece—Knight, Bishop, Rook, or Queen—you have to use the points you have according to the value of the piece you want to promote to. If you want to promote a pawn to a Queen, you have to pay 9 points. To a Rook, 5 points. To a Knight or Bishop, 3 points."

Hearing that, Eve fell silent. Her intelligent eyes moved quickly, analyzing every word she’d just heard. She looked at Kai with an expression between surprised and disbelieving. Her fingers, which had been moving across the chessboard, now stopped.

"Sir..." Eve said softly, her voice full of doubt—doubt rarely seen on her always-logical face. "This... this is impossible. These rules change the entire chess strategy. This isn’t chess anymore. This is a completely different game. From an analytical standpoint, this is a new system that requires total recalculation. There are no references I can use."

"Do you think this is just a joke?" Kai asked in a flat voice.

Eve looked at Kai’s face. There was no smile there. No doubt. All that remained was firmness and unshakable conviction. She knew her teacher was very serious about this practice. That this wasn’t an ordinary game. That this was a lesson she had to take seriously. And as someone who always relied on data and logic, she knew this was a new challenge she had to face.

"No, Sir," Eve finally answered, her voice starting to calm, to steady. "I know you’re serious. And as an analyst, I have to adapt to new data. This will be an interesting challenge."

"Good," Kai said. "Now, let’s begin."