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On Martial Island, the great Arena was closed for most of the year except for special occasions. For instance, the space would be opened every year for the annual competition of the different elite clans and the families under their wings. The affair was an entrenched tradition.

Of course, the Arena would also be opened to the locals and the outsiders every three years during the greatest competition that determined the rank of the clans. 

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In preparation for the triennial championship, it was not uncommon for the elite families to spend the first two years scouring the globe for great talent. While Martial Island was quite xenophobic, they welcomed people with power in their flesh and bones with minimal prejudice. 

However, before a champion could join the Martial Island and become a respected powerhouse, they had to prove their mettle by placing well during the triennial championship. 

The outsiders were not expected to win. As recruits, it was sufficient for them not to be eliminated within the first few rounds. The top positions were always taken by the true members of the Martial Island, usually from the elite clans. 

This arrangement did not mean that the outsiders who were drawn in from around the globe were not valued. It was just that the combat competition was unfair, to begin with. The children of Martial Island were trained from when they could walk. 

Furthermore, the families had secret methods and even medicinal formulas to ensure exceptional physical well-being. Not to mention, the environment of the island was designed to foster physical development from childhood to adulthood. 

For instance, a random salaryman on the island could beat some of the best fighters in the outside world without effort.

Therefore, even though the triennial championship valued outsiders with talent and their fresh blood, they were not expected to win. This matter was unspoken but known. It was a rite of passage before official recruitment into one of the families on Martial Island. 

Unfortunately, following the recent events on the island, the importance of outsiders could not be overemphasised. They had become indispensable. A lot of the lower and middle families that were under elite families were out of commission. 

Some had sustained injuries and even damaged their foundations permanently with the faulty manuals. Those who were doing well wanted to fight under their own flag instead of being champions while the glory was stolen by the top families. 

For this reason, the elite clans were more aggressive than ever in recruiting outsiders to fight for them. Even if they could not push out the middle families and force them to bow to them, they could overwhelm them with numbers. 

The turbulent situation had led to a lot of outsiders being brought in to train in preparation for the championship about one year later. All these potential recruits were placed in the Training Centre. The Training Centre was not too far from the great Arena although both were outside the city centre. 

This Training Centre was not too shabby. The actual building was a towering skyscraper with assigned rooms and countless resources for training, from gyms and dojos to boxing rings and relaxation spas. Most of the recruits were only too pleased to enjoy the facilities. 

Of course, that did not include Kaito, who was there against his will. 

The handsome man looked outside the window as he often did. His room, no, the suite was facing the majestic Arena. The imposing building was built like a glorious stadium or gladiator arena, with the stage at the centre. 

The place was always empty and dark, except for the few guards patrolling the exterior areas. He could not see them clearly, but he could see figures in black walking around the so-called Arena. Looking at the strange property was the only interesting thing he got to do. 

By his mental count, he had been on the island for a little over a month. Life was not bad for the outsiders, as the locals who worked in the Training Centre and the members of the martial families who came to train in the building called them. 

The regular meals were exceptional. Their rooms were comfortable with all modern amenities. Their movement and interaction within the centre were not restricted. Furthermore, the training facilities were every exercise enthusiast\'s dream. 

If it were a few years, no, even a year before, Kaito would not have minded being in this gilded prison for a year. The time would have passed without his notice. His life used to be that of a drifter, taking on missions and managing his business without a care. 

But things were different. 

He did not care about being the strongest anymore. 

And he was not a drifter without a home. 

He had Akira. She was his home. He would rather spend the evening arguing over one of her nonsensical magical girl anime shows than in this place. He could not deny the heart retching emptiness in his soul every day he woke up. 

But he could not find a way out of the prison before him. He had studied everything he could about this tower called Training Centre, but he could not find a way out of it. He had always believed that there was no prison without an escape.

He still held this belief without reserve.

But all the methods he would have used before, he would not use now. 

He would rather remain in the tower forever than do anything that would dishonour his Akira. 

He continued standing at the window until the security lights around the Arena came on. He turned from the window and walked towards the door. Before he reached it, there were three light knocks. He would have been amused if he had a sense of humour remaining. 

Every evening, when the lights around the arena were turned on, his uncle would knock on the door and take him out for training for about three hours. It was like both the lights and Taiki Iekami were on an automated timer. 

Kaito opened the door and found his uncle standing in his black robes as usual. However, something was different from the routine. An extra person was accompanying his uncle. It was an unfamiliar young woman.

"Hello. I am Nicole Jiang." The young lady spoke up cheerfully.