THE FINAL TASK
STORY: ZUNAN FIGHTERS
AUTHOR: CHRISTIAN KACHINGWE
VOLUME 1: HOPE OF HUMANITY
CHAPTER 1: THE FINAL TASK
It was a calm morning, and the golden rays of the sun spread across the ocean. The water gently rippled as the waves lapped at the shore, perfectly reflecting the cloudless sky. In the distance, an island appeared, with signs of human settlement clearly visible. From above, the island's many walls could be seen, and at the center was a large lagoon.
One of the walls bore a flag of Japan, marking the island as part of Japan's territory. The walls were incredibly strong and well-fortified, topped with electric shock wires. Inside the walls, there was a mix of infrastructure, including farms that displayed the island's independence. At the heart of the settlement stood a grand statue of a man with his hands stretched toward the heavens.
There was a massive building at the center, a hall where students gathered. The chairs inside were arranged in such a way that the seats closer to the front were lower, while those further back were higher, ensuring that everyone could see the stage. The hall buzzed with noise as the students talked among themselves. The boys wore blue shirts, red ties, black trousers, black shoes, and white socks. The girls wore the same blue shirts and red ties, but with black skirts and black shoes, also paired with white socks.
Among the students, two boys were talking named Pathro and Kiligaku while the rest continued their discussions. Pathro said, "It's finally happening, huh? Man, it felt like this day would never come."
Kiligaku replied, "Five years is a long time. You might even start thinking of the island as home. But tomorrow, we leave. Too bad our sons will miss us-they'll be like, 'Pathro, please come visit us!'"
Pathro laughed and replied, "I'm not coming back anytime soon. Too bad for them. It's time they spend five years here and become the fathers of the next class."
The other boy smirked. "Well, we're sure to make a supremely cool exit."
Pathro chuckled. "You? Sure, but with your introverted nature, you'll hardly be remembered. The name Kiligaku will be erased from existence."
Kiligaku sighed. "You just had to rub it in like that."
Just then, a lady walked onto the stage, wearing office attire and holding a microphone. "Okay, quiet down now," she said.
The students slowly quieted, and she continued, "Thank you all for gathering today. I am Miss Hinata, representing the board. We would like to thank all the graduates who have been with us since 2015. You arrived on the 13th of September 2015 and will be leaving tomorrow, which is the 3rd of July, 2020. It has been five years since you arrived here, and tomorrow you will return to the mainland. Originally, we had 150 students as the intake, but sadly, we lost two along the way. However, we are thankful that 148 of you have made it to this day. We have trained you well, not only academically but physically. We expect each one of you to become exemplary Zunan Fighters upon your return to the mainland. With that said, let me pass the floor to my colleague to continue the ceremony."
The students clapped as she returned to her seat.
A man stepped onto the stage and spoke, "Wow, I really thought this day would never come. You students have been incredible, and I will miss you so much. You know, I told my colleagues, 'Maybe we should give them one more year,'" he said, causing the students to laugh. "But you've been great, and you need your rest, don't you?"
The graduates shouted, "So it is!!"
The man smiled and said, "Wonderful, just wonderful. This ceremony is mainly to present the top 10 students of this class. Don't get me wrong, everyone here passed, but as always, we look for the best. Just because you're in the top 10 doesn't guarantee your success in the world. Opportunities will be easier, but if you let it get to your head, you'll end up scratching your head in confusion. The students I'll be announcing today are not only the best academically but also the ones who excelled in Karate. Perhaps physically speaking, this is a bit vague..." He paused and then asked, "Are you ready to hear the top 10?"
The students shouted, "Yeah!"
The teacher grinned and raised the volume. "Ah, come on now! You can do better than that! Are you ready?!"
The students shouted louder, "YEEEAHHH!!!"
The teacher smiled, "Alright, then! On number 10, we have Konan Sikuto!"
The students clapped as Konan stepped forward to receive his certificate.
The teacher continued, "On number 9, we have our house prefect from the FURNACE hostel, Samuel Tyson!"
The students clapped as Samuel walked up to receive his certificate.
"On number 8," the teacher said, "we have our very own sports prefect, Kiran Kenton!"
The students cheered as Kiran stepped forward to accept his certificate.
"On number 7," the teacher said, "we have a girl. Now this is significant because, for the last five years, no girl has ever been in the top 10. When I was preparing to announce, I had the audacity to say 'Top 10 boys only,' but now this is beautiful. We have Sumire Kaito!"
The girls screamed and rushed forward, lifting Sumire to the stage, cheering her name.
Pathro whispered to Kiligaku, "Looks like Sumire kept this as a surprise for us."
Kiligaku smiled. "Well, that definitely sounds like something Sumire would do."
The teacher laughed and said, "Wow, look at you, Miss Sumire! Congratulations! I was tired of calling this a boys-only top 10," and the students laughed.
The teacher continued, "On number 6, we have our dining prefect, Simon Paul!"
The students clapped as Simon received his certificate.
"Your job of stealing food is over, Simon!" the teacher joked. "No more snacks for you!"
The students laughed, and the teacher said, "Now, let's move on to number 5. I'm thrilled to announce that for the second time, we have another girl in the top 10. This girl has beaten every other girl! Her name is..."
The girls screamed, "Kaile Kamoto!"
The crowd cheered loudly as they carried Kaile to the stage, chanting her name, "Kaile! Kaile!"
The teacher laughed and said, "You already knew, didn't you? Wow, you people are dangerous! Yes, it's none other than our head girl, Kaile Kamoto!"
The students clapped and cheered.
"On number 4," the teacher said, "we have a key figure in our school. He's none other than Kazuya Masaki, AKA the vice-head boy!"
The students cheered as Kazuya stepped forward to receive his certificate.
"Now, it's time for the top 3," the teacher said, grinning. "These students are just... amazing!"
The students laughed, eager for the final reveal.
The teacher asked, "Are you ready for the top 3?"
The students shouted, "YEEEAHHH!"
The teacher continued, "At number 3... we have a rather peculiar person. He was easily an attention grabber. This person is none other than Kiligaku Keizo!"
The students jumped to their feet, shouting and cheering as they carried Kiligaku to the stage, chanting, "Captain! Captain!"
Pathro, Kaile, and Sumire laughed at the excitement.
The teacher continued, "On number 2, we have someone I can't even fully describe. But here it is-this person is..."
The students shouted, "Eh heh!!"
The teacher grinned and announced, "Pathro Kitsimoyo!!!"
The hall erupted in cheers, music played, and students rushed forward, lifting Pathro onto their shoulders while chanting, "Head Boy! Head Boy!"
Pathro, lifted high above the crowd, thought to himself, This is a little over the top... but I can't really complain.
Finally, the teacher announced, "And at number 1-the top of the class, the dominant force in both academics and combat, the pragmatic and ambitious secretary of the Student Board... Iguro Saito!"
The hall shook with cheers as the boys carried Iguro to the stage, chanting, "BIG BRAIN! BIG BRAIN!"
The teacher smiled proudly. "Look at them, standing tall. The best among their peers. This is a rare moment."
Once the applause died down, the teacher addressed the graduates.
"As a reward for your hard work, we have prepared a gift for each of you. From 10th to 4th place, you will receive 53,380 yen. For 2nd and 3rd place, 80,070 yen. And for our top student, Iguro, 106,760 yen!"
Gasps of amazement filled the hall.
With that, the ceremony concluded. The teacher then dismissed the other students, keeping only the graduates behind. Once the hall was empty, the teacher's tone turned serious.
"You have all trained for five years, but you are not yet Zunan Fighters."
A tense silence filled the room.
"To earn that title, you must leave these walls and reach the lagoon at the center of the island. Once you drink its water, you will gain your superpowers. Until then, you are just ordinary humans. The problem is, the Zunans outside will try to stop you."
Iguro folded his arms. "You already have powers. Why not clear a path for us?"
The teacher sighed. "Because this is a test. The Zunans on this island are manageable if you use your skills and intelligence. If you're too scared to fight or not smart enough to survive, then you won't last in the real world. You are soldiers. You must handle things on your own."
Pathro thought, Iguro must have known that answer already... Was he asking for the sake of the others?
The teacher continued, "You will leave at 6 PM tonight. Take weapons. Fighting a Zunan barehanded without powers is suicide. Good luck."
The real test was about to begin.
THE END OF CHAPTER 1