PREPARATIONS

In her room at nighttime, Megan is peacefully sleeping, and within her dream, she finds herself in a first-person perspective, engaged in a thrilling battle against a shield warrior in an arena. As she fires her magic gun, the shield warrior adeptly blocks each shot. In response, the shield warrior counterattacks with a spear thrust, forcing Megan to narrowly dodge the attack. Undeterred, she tosses her knife into the air and casts a spell, causing the knife to radiate a dazzling light that blinds the shield warrior. Seizing the opportunity, Megan charges up her gun, unleashing a massive magic beam that strikes the shield warrior with precision. Celebrating her hard-fought victory, she scans the crowd and notices a faceless man also joining in her celebration.

As Megan wakes up from her dream, she is left contemplating her true identity and purpose. Shortly after, we find Kiren and Mikey engaging in training with wooden swords, with Mikey gaining the upper hand in their exchange of blows. Curious, Mikey inquires about his brother Michael, questioning whether he has truly turned into a zombie. In response, Kiren reveals that Michael has not merely transformed into a zombie but has somehow managed to become a unique blend of both human and zombie qualities. This revelation leaves Mikey astonished.

Continuing their training, Kiren receives a blow to the head and falls down. While recovering, Kiren asks about the intriguing system of entertainment they are a part of. Mikey proceeds to explain that this entertainment system has existed for centuries, passed down through the Rider family. The Rider family, known for their immense wealth, stumbled upon an ancient face machine once used by the Gods in ancient times. This face machine forms the core of the entertainment system, seeking amusement and granting rewards based on performance. However, it also has the power to eliminate those deemed unworthy of entertainment. The system serves as a chance for individuals worldwide to seek rewards through combat, especially for those who struggle to adapt to the changing nature of human work. Those who cannot conform to the current societal norms often find themselves joining the ship, becoming part of this elaborate entertainment spectacle. The Rider family's position at the pinnacle of society allows them to maintain their methods without facing opposition. Having shared this intriguing history, Mikey concludes the explanation about the Rider family and their role in the world.

In the morning, Adam lies in bed, listening to music playing through the room's speakers. He notices people passing by the window next to the door. Kayla, Jean, and Duke come to the window, waving at Adam, but he ignores them. Barbra intervenes, asking them to play elsewhere, as she holds Leona in her arms. Adam glances at Leona's face, and tears start to fall from his eyes. He clutches his head in pain, and Barbra quickly leaves with Leona.

As Adam's distress grows, magical energy begins to leak from his body. However, the situation takes a turn when the TV turns on, showing a lighthearted movie that helps calm Adam down. Meanwhile, Mai and Barbra observe Adam from the window, with Mai expressing concern about Adam's mental well-being. Barbra acknowledges that his mental health has worsened, and Mai wonders what she did last time to assist Adam. Barbra struggles to recall the moment when she was inside Adam's realm, admitting she can't remember but promising to try again to save him. Mai hopes for Adam's quick recovery, recognizing their need for him in the upcoming war. She then heads to her room, where Ezzy enters and insists they must quickly train all the Berry warriors to use the new weapons obtained from the prison and rescue Megan and Kiren as soon as possible.

Mai agrees that they need to train everyone in weaponry, but she believes saving Megan and Kiren will take time, as they must wait for Adam to regain his powers. Ezzy grows frustrated, citing the suffering of her people at the mansion with each passing day. Mai empathizes but explains they are not yet prepared for the war. Ezzy argues that they have sufficient firepower to win, citing Michael's lightning powers as an asset. Mai counters that being more prepared for war is always better, and Michael still needs time to understand and master his abilities. Mai reveals that the Riders also have an A-Star zombie fighting on their side, having overheard the conversation between Luka and Megan just before Megan's bodycam battery died. Ezzy reluctantly accepts this, expressing hope that Kiren and Megan can hold their own in the entertainment system for a while longer.

Later on, Stella, Agustin, Simbad, and Rune are clearing out zombies around the mall area streets, while Xai constructs a protective wall around the block of the mall. Meanwhile, Michael walks down the streets, drawing the attention of zombies with his voice that shortly after the all zombies in the streets surrounds him. He releases powerful lightning from his body, creating a thunderous explosion that obliterates the zombies around him. Nearby, a young boy covered in Shadow magic cloak observes Michael and silently slips away from the scene.

After finishing his training with Mikey, Kiren returns to his room where Ragnar awaits him. Ragnar informs Kiren that he, Mikey, and Cain will be part of the opening bout on the fight card. It's going to be a three vs three battle between the Bulls and Donkeys for the first round, followed by a one vs one matchup against the Elephants and Horses in the second round. Finally, the last battle will feature a random fighter against a member of the Rider faction. Ragnar urges Kiren to train hard as the fight card is scheduled to take place in twelve weeks. Motivated by the challenge ahead, Kiren starts doing push-ups to push himself further.

Seeing Kiren's determination, Ragnar asks Kiren if he can finally feel the adrenaline rush he had been seeking in his life. Kiren is puzzled and asks for clarification. Ragnar explains that he hails from a group of people in the northern region called the Nors, who live in the snow-capped mountains. He reveals that Nors usually undergo rigorous training from childhood, but Kiren's family was among those who fled the Nors to seek a normal life. As a result, Kiren and the other Nors children didn't get the opportunity to train hard until they met others from the Nors, which triggered an adrenaline boost rooted in their heritage, allowing them to become stronger.

Intrigued by this revelation, Kiren wonders why his family chose to run away from the North. Ragnar clarifies that Kiren's family likely didn't possess any special magic powers, so they opted to live among the lesser humans. He goes on to explain that the lesser humans are mortal beings, living up to 80 to 100 years, whereas pure humans like the Nors can live up to 500 to 1000 years. Learning about his extended lifespan, Kiren is amazed and grateful to be a part of the Nors lineage.

Curious about Ragnar's presence outside the North, Kiren asks why Ragnar isn't with the rest of the Nors. Ragnar reveals that he isn't gifted in magic, so he decided to embark on a journey to live a normal life among the lesser humans. However, he struggled to adapt to the new era's lifestyle. When he heard about the entertainment system, he quickly joined them and rose through the ranks to become a beast master. Ragnar finds the most joy in fighting on equal terms with the non-gifted individuals. Throughout the evening, Ragnar and Kiren continue sharing their stories.

As the weeks pass, Kiren diligently trains with Mikey and Cain under Ragnar's guidance, while Megan equally puts in effort with Luka's training, facing puzzling dreams once again during the night. As more weeks go by, Ezzy takes on the responsibility of training numerous people at the mall in gun usage and parkour techniques. Michael continues his mission of clearing out zombies in old Berry Town, displaying his formidable lightning powers while being observed by Mai, Xai, and Rune. Simbad focuses on honing Kayla, Jean, and Duke's swordsmanship skills, and Agustin pays visits to the gravesite of Will and Cameda accompanied by his brother, Angel.

During the nights, Barbra enters Adam's realm to mend the magic strings, tirelessly fixing as many knots as she can. Upon completing her work, she emerges from the realm and finds herself standing in a grassy field beneath a radiant tree. She then looks up at the tree and questions why she always forgets her experiences in this realm when she returns back to reality. A luminous ball emerges from the tree, revealing itself to be Gand. In response to Barbra's query, Gand explains that forgetting the moments inside Adam's realm is intentional, as it ensures that no information about the realm is divulged to anyone. Barbra comes to comprehend this reasoning, and as she glances around, she sees the older Adam lying on the grass field. Eventually, Barbra vanishes into the magic once again.

After 12 weeks have passed, the arena is teeming with enthusiastic spectators from the Riders and all the clans. Eleon steps onto the stage, announcing the commencement of the 3019th fight card as the crowd erupts in cheers. Jarvis and Volk also join him on stage, taking their seats. Inside the weapon room, Ragnar guides the team on their weapon selection. Cain opts for a short blade and a crossbow, Mikey chooses a long sword, and Kiren selects a short war hammer and a shield. Kiren notes that the war hammer reminds him of the one he has back in his room. Ragnar emphasizes the importance of performing their best in the upcoming battle to earn the most bonus rewards, and the team wholeheartedly agrees.

In a moment of reflection, Kiren realizes that he may not need Adam to come and save him; he is determined to become stronger and take down the Riders himself, ultimately saving everyone. Shortly after, Eleon introduces Team Donkey and Team Bull as both teams gather at the center of the arena. Kiren observes the other three warriors, one armed with a curve blade, another with a bow and arrows, and the last one wielding a battle axe. Eleon mentions that this battle involves two newcomers, and Volk wishes to test their loyalty to the system. Volk offers the warriors the choice of a battle to the death or a battle until someone yields. The three Donkey warriors raise their weapons and demand a battle to the death, prompting the crowd to echo the sentiment, sealing the fate of the battle as a deadly one.

Kiren is taken aback, expressing that he does not want to kill them but to save them. Mikey and Cain realize they have no other option and prepare themselves in their combat stances. Kiren glances at Ragnar from the spectator seats, finding determination in Ragnar's expression, which inspires him to accept the situation and ready himself for the fight. With Eleon's command, all the warriors engage in the intense battle that lies ahead.

Both teams engage in an intense battle, with Cain and a Donkey warrior exchanging arrows while skillfully dodging incoming shots. Meanwhile, Mikey faces off against a Donkey warrior armed with a curve blade, while Kiren blocks the powerful axe strikes from another Donkey warrior. Megan and Luka watch the battle unfold from the seats, with Megan remarking that Kiren has indeed grown stronger since their first meeting. Luka agrees but notes that Kiren still has a considerable distance to go before reaching Megan's level of power. As Megan gazes at her hands, she contemplates the peculiar dreams she has been experiencing, feeling as though she was destined to be a fighter., Cain sustains an arrow wound in his shoulder but manages to retaliate, shooting an arrow into the chest of the Donkey warrior, engaging in close dagger combat and emerging victorious.

Amidst the crowd's cheering, Mikey clashes swords with a Donkey warrior, seizing an opportunity to counter and thrusting his sword into the warrior's chest, dispatching him. Both Cain and Mikey then turn their attention to Kiren, who is struggling against the Donkey warrior before him. Kiren's opponent, like him, is a newcomer and swings his battle axe fiercely, making it challenging for Kiren to block. However, Kiren manages to strike the warrior's wrist, forcing him to drop his weapon. After kicking his adversary away from the axe, Kiren struggles to deliver the finishing blow. Seizing a moment of opportunity, the Donkey warrior punches Kiren in the face, causing him to drop his shield. The warrior then tackles Kiren to the ground, disarming him of his hammer, and relentlessly strikes downward with the hammer. Kiren uses his arms to defend against the onslaught of blows from the fierce Donkey warrior. While Kiren blocks, he grapples with the inner turmoil of deciding whether this lifestyle is truly meant for him.