CHAPTER ONE: ULTRA SECURITY HOUSE UNIT

Unity World Academy



"Chess isn't just a game." My Teacher/Coach said,

I was stuck in the middle of our club room, it was a seminar for all new-coming chess players who wanted to try out for the chess club.

"Chess isn’t just a game—it’s a battlefield of the mind. Every piece you move carries your intentions, every strategy reveals your character." He said, grabbing the rook and a queen

I'm not an avid chess player, I've only played a few tournaments and won some-- Well, granted they were more like tournaments you'd hold at your neighborhood but I still counted it as a great win."

"Here, you’ll learn not just how to play, but how to think, plan, and adapt. Because in chess, like in life, it’s not just about winning; it’s about the story your moves tell. Ready to let your mind speak on the board?"

Suddenly, a student slammed his hand on his table, got up and said "BUUUUULLSHIIT!! No hate to you Mr-Balding-Chess-Senior, But personally! I don't play chess with analytical plays and 'thinking it out'. You go with what you feel is the most best. Screw that analytical shit! What makes chess fun aren't those 30 seconds of thinking and 5 seconds of success, It's all about the risk!"

Our coach laid the chess pieces back on the board placed at the table and looked directly at the student and said "Alright, If you're so confident, how about we play a match? If I win, You get 1 week suspension. And if You win, I'll forgive you of this entire thing and I'll quit chess, permanently."

The student walked up towards the teachers table and said "You feelin full of yourself? Huh?"

There was a moment of silence, they both stared at each other, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Fine, I'll play with you! But one more condition; if I win, I'll take your place as coach!"

He replied "Fine."

The crowd buzzed with energy as the students rushed towards the board. In one chair, the student, grinning and putting his elbow on the chair showcasing his confidence. 

"What are you guys huddling around me for, the victor is clear!"

The teacher, contrasting his overconfident behavior, was calm and steady, keeping his eyes only on the board and his arms tucked in to himself.

"You sure you're ready for this old man?" He quipped, pushing his e4 pawn

The teacher only nodded, responding with e5, as if to say, Let your moves do the talking.

The student opted for 2. f4—the King’s Gambit—a risky opening that's designed an unprepared opponent. A ripple of excitement rushed through the crowd. "He's going all in!" A student whispered. The teacher’s response was measured: 2...exf4, accepting the gambit without hesitation.

The student smirked, developing his knight to f3 and lunging toward the center, eager to dictate the game’s pace. The teacher calmly developed their pieces, placing the bishop on c5 and the knight on f6, targeting the weaknesses the gambit created. 

The student pressed forward confidently, sacrificing another pawn to bring out the powerhouse, the queen. "I'm going for the jugular old man!"

By move 12, the student’s pieces were scattered across the board like soldiers charging out without a plan. His queen loomed threateningly on h5, targeting the teachers castled king, but his pawn structure was broken, and his defense practically nonexistent.

The teacher glanced at the student, unfazed, and maneuvered his knight and bishop.  One knight landed on e5, threatening a fork, while the other controlled critical squares on the queenside.

"I'm not that naive." the student said, with his eyes darting across the board, He pushed a pawn to g4, attacking the knight but weakening his own king’s safety further. The teacher didn’t reply, instead moving his queen to f6, aligning it with the rook for a deadly battery down the f-file.

The room fell silent as the student realized his attack had stalled. His overextended queen had no support, and his king was exposed. "Don't underestimate me!" He yelled out, , he tried to keep the momentum, moving his bishop to g5, pinning the teacher’s knight.

The teacher moved their pawn to h6, forcing the bishop to retreat. The student hesitated, shifting in his chair, the confidence slipping from his grin. 

And then it happened. The teacher sacrificed their knight on g3 with a resounding thud. Everyone felt the chills down their spine, If you aren't a chess player, you wouldn't understand, but we sure did, We all did. "Wait what happened?  . . . OOOHH SHIIIIT." a student remarked. The sacrifice opened a devastating attack on the king.

By move 30, the student was down to a rook and a few pawns, his king trapped in the center of the board. The teacher, now in complete control, orchestrated his pieces like a play in a theater, and we were his crowd. The student quivered, like he was terrified, his hands were shaky and he was sweating buckets. 

The final move came quickly: the teacher’s queen slid to g1, delivering a majestic checkmate.  

"Woah! Zhis shis unpreshidented!" a student remarked

"Calm down booger face I just lost that's all!" The student remarked, clutching onto his confidence

As the student was standing up, the teacher said "Wait, before you go, What's your name?"

He replied "Wouldn't you like to know."

The teacher sighed, adding "Tell me before I send you to the principals office."

"For what?!?"

"For the names you called me."

"Mateo Rivera, don't be surprised if I beat you next time we play, old man." He said walking
 away

"He always does that Teach, think's he's better than everyone.."

"Yeah, but didn't you notice he looked kind of scared? like losing really hit him hard."

"Ever since last year, He's been like that. I don't think he knows how to deal with loss."

I walked towards the teacher and said "Sir.. If you don't mind me asking, How were you so confident you were gonna win. I mean, the stakes were so high."

He let out a breath of air "Ohhh man.. I don't even know how I did that, I was certain I was gonna lose by the 12th move!"

He checked the list of the new-comers in the chess club

"Wait, his name isn't even here, Did he just waltz in here?"

"Oh.. Haha.." I replied

"Now, everyone take your seats the seminar isn't over."



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After classes, I decided to walk up to Mateo Rivera, he interested me, he wasn't like any chess player I knew, He didn't play analytically and only played with what he thought was the best move!

I saw him walking outside the school gate, and I decided to approach him

"Hey!!" I yelled out

He glanced at me, looked away and continued walking

I went up against him and said "Dude! What's your elo? We should play sometime."

". . ."

"Uhhhh... I don't know if that's how you greet a new pal, With dead silence and all."

"What do you want, who even are you?"

"Uhh!! We're from the same grade! My classrooms just 2 classrooms away! I just... I wanted to say because you piqued my interest!"

"What am I? Some rat-dumb-tester-dummy for you to get to know? Get lost, I've had my fair share of annoying brats like you coming up to me like they know me, I've had enough of it."

Suddenly, someone tackled Mateo from behind

"MATEO, YOUR PLAYSHTYLE IS RAPIDLY IMPROVING"

I thought "Oh great, it's that weirdo from earlier, There's no way these two can be friends."

"Thanks." Mateo replied "I've been trying to get better at openings, positional play and other stuff-- a whole lot basically."

"YEAH, BUT I THINK I CAN COME CLOSH TO BEATING YOUSH NEOW" he said, patting Mateo on the shoulder

He chuckled, saying "In your dreams."

"ANYWAYSH, WHOS THISH KID?" He asked pointing at me

"Oh uh, NOTHING, I just wanted to be friends with Mateo! I never expected you two to be friends though!"

"OH HAHA!! ME AND HIM BEEN FRIENDSH FOR A WHILE NOW. WE MET BACK IN ELEMENTARY, HE WASH MY ONLY FRIEND."

"Why are you talking about me like we're lovers or something...."

"AM NOT!!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT!!"

"Anyways, you guys should scram. my mother is not exactly the peace-loving-lets-you-stay-out-for-long kind." Mateo said

"WAIT!! WE SHOULD EXCHANGSH CONTACTS!"

Mateo hesitated for a second, he looked at me, and back at his friend. saying "Fine, but only because he said so."

After we exchanged contacts, I got to know their names, "Liam Nobert Suen huh" I thought

"MARCO VILLANUEVA?? YO, ARE YOU... FILIPINO!!"

"I mean.. yeah I am."

"WOAHHHH!!!.... BY THE WAY, WE SHOULD ALL HANG OUT TOMORROW."

"Do I really have to..?" Mateo replied 

"YES  YOU DO!!"

We all went home after that, I thought about the new friends I had made. I looked at my phones contacts and stared at their names like some psycho ex-girlfriend.

"Marcoooo!! Kain na tayoo!!" 

"Oh!! Right, Yes mom!!"