What's going on!

The Selection Trials & A Shift in The Shield

Finalizing the Teams

The sports ground was dimly lit by the setting sun, but Wick and Nick showed no signs of stopping. The selection trials had been exhausting, yet there was still more work to be done.

Wick sighed, rubbing his temple. "Let's go. We still have more work to do."

Nick stretched his arms, grinning. "Yeah, let's move. No rest for the champions, huh?"

As they walked, Wick listed their progress. "Archery, shooting, wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, karate, chess, and weightlifting are almost confirmed. But now, we need to check on the women's team and the combined events."

They headed towards the selection area for the women's team, where Annu was trying to manage everything.

Issues in the Women's Selection

Wick crossed his arms. "So, how's it going here?"

Annu sighed dramatically. "Not well. Please help. Without you guys, it's getting hard to manage. Besides..." she smirked, lowering her voice, "most of them only listen to you guys because they want to impress you."

Aryan laughed, nudging Wick. "Seems like your presence alone is enough motivation."

Before Wick could respond, Shristi approached them, looking unimpressed.

"There's no decent runner for the three-legged race in this whole college. No one can keep up with me."

Wick arched an eyebrow. "Are you actually planning to do something useful for once, or are you just complaining?"

Shristi's eyes widened. "Excuse me? Did you just call me useless?! How dare you?"

Wick smirked. "Then prove me wrong. Let's run."

Shristi scoffed. "Fine! You'll see why everyone else failed to match my speed."

As the two prepared, Annu sighed. "Uhh... what was that?"

Aryan chuckled. "They're totally different from each other. And Wick showing emotions? That's like finding water in a desert-rare, but not impossible."

They started running.

Shristi glanced at Wick and smirked. "Hah! Is that all you got? You're slower than the others!"

Wick remained quiet before casually responding, "I was just warming up."

Then, without warning, he picked up speed.

Shristi's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh, wait-hold on-!"

Wick continued. "What happened? Weren't you just boasting a minute ago?"

Shristi, struggling to match his pace, panted. "Just stop already! Or at least slow down-we're going to trip at this rate!"

Wick finally slowed, allowing them to come to a stop.

Annu clapped her hands together. "Great. You've got your partner now. Three-legged race team confirmed."

Till now wick wasn't one who was among the best(he was dominating)but it looks like he was not holding back anymore.

The Next Challenge - Badminton

Wick brushed off the dust. "Alright, what's next?"

Annu sighed. "Same problem again. The duel badminton event. We need strong male-female pairs."

Wick nodded. "Who are our best players?"

Annu called over Dev, who had been silently observing the boys' matches.

Annu: "Dev, who are the strongest players in badminton?"

Dev thought for a moment. "For the girls, it's Shristi, Bhumi, Muskaan, and Kritika. For the boys-Vaibhav, Vivek, Kumar, Vyshank... and Wick himself."

Annu turned back to Wick. "So, what do you think? Who makes the best pair?"

Wick shrugged. "No idea. Maybe Bhumi and Vaibhav... or me and Shristi."

Annu frowned. "But the strongest players are Kriti and Vivek."

Wick shook his head. "Maybe, but I don't see any coordination between them. And in doubles, teamwork matters more than individual skill."

Annu sighed, realizing he was right. "So, it's decided-Shristi and Wick for the main team."

Later that day, in the quiet of the library, Shristi flipped through the pages of a thick textbook, completely absorbed-until she felt a sudden, sharp sting on her fingertip.

She hissed softly, jerking her hand back. A thin red line appeared on her skin, the fresh cut stinging more than it should have.

Wick, who had been seated across from her, barely paying attention, suddenly snapped his gaze to her. His entire demeanor shifted in an instant.

"What happened?" His voice was sharp, almost urgent.

Shristi blinked, surprised by his reaction. "It's just a paper cut." She let out a small, awkward laugh. "Nothing serious."

But Wick wasn't convinced. His eyes locked onto her injured finger, a frown deepening between his brows. Without a word, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small pack of tissues, and slid one across the table to her.

She hesitated, glancing between the tissue and him. "You-?"

"Take it," he said gruffly, as if the act of kindness itself annoyed him.

A strange silence settled between them. Shristi took the tissue, pressing it against the tiny wound. It was barely a scratch, yet Wick was watching her as if she had been gravely injured. His usual cold, untouchable expression was gone, replaced by something... unfamiliar.

Concern.

"You're overreacting," she murmured, amused.

Wick leaned back, arms crossed. "And you're careless."

Shristi couldn't help but smile at that. The infamous, heartless Wick-worried over a paper cut.

Maybe he wasn't as heartless as everyone thought.

Three days Later - The Final Night Before the Big Match

The preparations had been long and grueling, but the team was finally set. Wick stood before them, his expression unreadable.

Wick stood before the assembled team, his sharp gaze scanning the faces of those awaiting his words. The tension in the air was undeniable. Everyone knew that the tournament was drawing closer, much sooner than expected.

"As per the latest news, the tournament is set to begin in one to two months," Wick announced, his voice steady and commanding. "But before that, we have to compete against other gangs. Things are moving faster than we anticipated. We initially thought the selection competition would take place in a week, but the time is now. This is our moment to prove ourselves."

He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "I know many of you are stressed about the adventure sports and mystery game rounds, but I urge you not to dwell on it. Worrying won't change the outcome. The only thing that matters is how well you perform. Give your best in every event, and the results will follow."

With that, he took a deep breath and looked around. "Everyone may leave and rest."

Just as the team began to disperse, an unexpected announcement echoed through the air-one that sent a shockwave through the group.

Aryan was not part of any team.

Gasps and murmurs spread like wildfire. Aryan, the one person who had never been excluded from anything, was now completely left out of the team games.

Annu, unable to ignore the unsettling feeling creeping up her spine, quickly made her way to Wick. Standing beside him, she lowered her voice but didn't mask her concern.

"Don't you think something strange is going on?" she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Wick, his face impassive, turned slightly towards her. "Why do you think that?"

Annu let out a sigh, trying to piece her thoughts together. "It's just... Hazel's inclusion in the team is surprising. She was never really part of our group. And then there's the sudden fallout between you and Aryan. It feels like something bigger is happening behind the scenes."

Wick's expression remained unreadable. His voice, however, was firm. "I don't think this is something we need to be concerned about."

Annu blinked, taken aback by his lack of reaction. "Wick, Aryan is your closest ally. How can you just brush this off?"

"He's doing what he wants," Wick replied, his tone unwavering. "And I am doing what I need to do-for the team and for the college. His actions are unacceptable to me, and I cannot have someone like that in the team. My focus is on what's best for everyone, and I stand by my decision."

Annu studied him carefully, searching for any sign of hesitation. But Wick was resolute. Whatever had transpired between him and Aryan, he had already made his peace with it-or at least convinced himself that he had.

In these 3 days, something happened that would change The Shield forever...

To be continued...