Chapter 2:
Highschool life
Birigan- Rise of the water swordsman
Four years later, Wei had turned sixteen and was now a Grade 11 student.
Every morning, he woke up at around nine o'clock. He got out of bed, ate breakfast, took a bath, and prepared for school.
His mother made a living selling vegetables at the public market. Before sunrise, she would already be leaving the house on her tricycle, carrying fresh vegetables harvested from their farm.
Wei's school was located in the city, several miles away from their home in the mountains. For most students, the distance would have been exhausting.
For Wei, however, it was never a problem.
Standing in front of their house, Wei stretched his arms and loosened his muscles.
"All right..."
After finishing his warm-up, Wei sprinted down the grassy mountainside, effortlessly leaping over rocks, streams, and fallen logs as if the rugged terrain were nothing more than a flat road. This had become his daily routine.
Rather than riding a vehicle to school, Wei preferred to run the entire way. Besides, he had no choice; he and his mother could not afford to buy him his own motorcycle.
It took Wei only three minutes to reach the foot of the mountain.
He stopped for a moment at the outskirts of Montalban, looking toward the city where his school stood in the distance. A smile spread across his face.
"Good morning, Montalban! Let's go!"
Without another second to spare, Wei sprinted toward the city once again.
As he entered the streets, students walking to school couldn't help but notice him. He ran past them at an incredible pace, yet his breathing remained calm and steady, as if he had only just begun.
The students stared in amazement and began whispering among themselves.
"How is he doing that?" one girl asked. "He doesn't even look out of breath."
Another boy laughed.
"Well, he grew up in the mountains. I guess living there turned him into a cheetah!"
Wei jogged through the school gate and continued all the way to his classroom.As soon as he entered, his teacher noticed him.
"Hey, Wei!" she called with a smile. "Why do you always jog into the classroom every single day?"
Wei chuckled.
"Well, Ma'am, I actually run all the way here from the mountains every morning."
The entire class turned to look at him."Ever since I started Grade 11, my schedule changed from seven in the morning to ten.
My mom used to drive me to school on our tricycle, but she can't anymore because she has to leave early to sell vegetables at the market."
He scratched the back of his head and smiled.
"So... running is the only way for me to get here on time."
"Really?" his teacher said, clearly intrigued. "That's impressive. I also heard you're attending the basketball varsity tryouts later today. Is that true?"
The moment she mentioned the tryouts, Wei's classmates erupted in excitement.
"Yes, Ma'am! We'll definitely watch him later!" one of the boys exclaimed. "He can actually dunk even though he's only five-foot-five!"
"We'll be cheering for you, Wei!" several of the girls said enthusiastically.
The classroom buzzed with excitement.Wei looked around at his classmates, overwhelmed by their encouragement.
A grateful smile spread across his face.
"Thanks, everyone!" he said. "And yes, Ma'am. I'll be attending the tryouts later."
His teacher smiled proudly.
"That's wonderful, Wei. Best of luck. I'm sure the whole class will be there to support you."
The classroom filled with cheers once again, making Wei even more determined to give his best at the tryouts.
1:30 p.m. – Covered Court, Montalban High School
The varsity basketball tryouts had just begun.The covered court was packed with students, their cheers echoing through the gym.
Among the loudest supporters were Wei's classmates and adviser, eagerly watching as the ball found its way into his hands.
Standing just beyond the three-point line, Wei faced a muscular defender who stood around 5'9", refusing to give him any space.
Wei calmly dribbled the ball.
Left hand.
Right hand.
Then between his legs.
Faster.
And faster.
The basketball became a blur as it bounced rapidly beneath him.
His defender's eyes widened.
"How is he dribbling that fast?!" he thought in disbelief.
Without warning—
WHOOSH!
Wei exploded to his left, accelerating so quickly that his defender was left frozen in place.
The crowd gasped.
Dribbling with his left hand, Wei charged toward the basket.
Another defender stepped into his path, ready to stop him.
But Wei spun around him in one smooth motion, leaving the defender reaching for nothing but air.
One step.
He gathered the ball into his right hand.Second step.
Then—
He launched himself into the air.The entire gymnasium fell silent.
For someone standing only 5'5", Wei's leap was unbelievable. It looked as though he were flying straight toward the rim.
Every player beneath the basket looked up in astonishment as he soared above them.
SLAM!!
Wei threw down a thunderous one-handed dunk.
The backboard shook from the impact.For a heartbeat, the gym was silent.
Then—
The entire covered court erupted.
"NO WAY!!"
"HE DUNKED IT!!"
Students leaped from their seats, screaming and cheering. Even the teachers watching from the sidelines stared in disbelief.
Wei landed lightly on the court, flashed a confident grin, and jogged back on defense as the crowd continued chanting his name.
"WEI! WEI! WEI!"
Wei was unstoppable on the court.Although he wasn't known for his long-range shooting, he dominated in every other aspect of the game.
He grabbed rebound after rebound, finished difficult layups, threw down powerful dunks, stole passes with incredible reflexes, and led countless fast breaks.
What impressed everyone the most was his stamina.
He sprinted from one end of the court to the other without ever looking tired.
Both teammates and opponents couldn't help but talk about him.
"That's Tarzan."
"Yeah," another player laughed. "That's what happens when you grow up in the mountains."
Wei simply smiled and laughed along with them.
A whistle blew.
"Time-out!"
As both teams headed toward their benches, Wei casually walked across the court, still catching his breath with ease.
Then—
A cold, emotionless voice echoed inside his mind.
"Slow down."
Wei's smile disappeared.
"Don't show off too much... or I'll stop you by controlling your heartbeat."
His footsteps came to a halt.
"Remember your mission."
"Keep your true power hidden until you arrive in Birigan."
A chill ran down Wei's spine.
No one else had heard the voice.
Only him.
Wei walked back to his team's bench and sat down quietly.
His coach was saying something, but Wei barely heard a word.
His mind was still occupied by the mysterious voice that had echoed inside his head.
"Hey, Wei."
The teammate sitting beside him gave him a gentle tap on the shoulder.
"Coach is talking to you."
Wei snapped back to reality.
"Oh! Sorry, Coach!" he said apologetically.
His coach chuckled.
"Hahaha! You must be exhausted after running up and down the court and throwing down all those dunks, aren't you?"
Wei hesitated.
He wanted to proudly say that he wasn't tired at all.
Not even a little.
But the warning from the mysterious voice echoed in his mind once more.
"Slow down."
"Don't show off too much..."
"Y-Yes, Coach," Wei replied with a forced smile.
His coach nodded in satisfaction.
"Don't worry, Wei. You played an incredible game today.
I can already tell you're going to make the varsity team."
The coach patted him on the shoulder.
"You've done more than enough. Sit back and get some rest. Let your teammates finish the game. We're already ahead by twenty points, and that's mostly because of you."
The rest of the team nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, Wei!"
"That was insane!"
"You're definitely making the varsity!"
Wei smiled at them.
"Thanks, everyone."
Although he looked calm on the outside, his thoughts remained fixed on the mysterious warning.
Whoever had spoken to him...
...had reminded him that his true strength was never meant to be revealed.
The final buzzer echoed throughout the covered court.
Wei's team had won.
Although the opposing team fought hard and tried to close the gap, the game ended with the scoreboard reading 50–40, giving Wei's team a convincing ten-point victory.
Cheers erupted from the players as they celebrated their win.
Just then, the varsity team manager arrived at the court.
His name was Tristan.
Standing at 5'10", Tristan was the ace player of Montalban High School's varsity basketball team. Handsome, confident, and born into a wealthy family, he naturally commanded attention wherever he went.
Walking beside him was his beautiful girlfriend, Sam, one of the campus crushes.
The moment Wei's teammates saw Tristan, they hurried over to greet him.
"Hey, Boss! What's up?"
"Tristan, we've been waiting for you! Did you see how our star player performed?"
Tristan remained expressionless.Ignoring most of the excitement around him, he spoke in a calm, authoritative voice.
"As I promised, if you won this game, all of you will be accepted into my new varsity team."
One of the players looked surprised."All five of us? Wouldn't that make the team too big? I thought there are already ten players, including you."
Tristan nodded.
"Five of them already graduated.""Oh... I see."
At that moment, the coach walked over with Wei beside him.
"Tristan," the coach said proudly, "I'd like you to meet Wei. You should've seen him play today."
Sam smiled warmly and offered her hand in greeting.
"Hi, Wei! Tristan and I watched one of your games before. You were amazing! I still can't believe how high you can jump."Wei smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
Before he could answer, Tristan spoke."Yeah, Coach. I've already met him."
His eyes shifted toward Wei's feet.
"I also told him before not to keep playing in those rubber shoes."
Everyone looked down.
Wei's old rubber shoes were completely worn out. The soles were peeling away, and one of them had ripped open enough for his toes to stick out during the game.
Tristan sighed.
"Tomorrow we'll have our first practice."He looked at the five new players.
"Make sure all of you have new shoes... or at least something decent enough to play in. If you show up wearing shoes like those, I won't let you join the practice."
Without waiting for a reply, Tristan turned around and walked away.
Sam gave Wei one last encouraging smile before following her boyfriend.
Wei glanced down at his torn shoes.He smiled faintly...
But deep inside, he knew buying a new pair wouldn't be easy.
Every morning, he woke up at around nine o'clock. He got out of bed, ate breakfast, took a bath, and prepared for school.
His mother made a living selling vegetables at the public market. Before sunrise, she would already be leaving the house on her tricycle, carrying fresh vegetables harvested from their farm.
Wei's school was located in the city, several miles away from their home in the mountains. For most students, the distance would have been exhausting.
For Wei, however, it was never a problem.
Standing in front of their house, Wei stretched his arms and loosened his muscles.
"All right..."
After finishing his warm-up, Wei sprinted down the grassy mountainside, effortlessly leaping over rocks, streams, and fallen logs as if the rugged terrain were nothing more than a flat road. This had become his daily routine.
Rather than riding a vehicle to school, Wei preferred to run the entire way. Besides, he had no choice; he and his mother could not afford to buy him his own motorcycle.
It took Wei only three minutes to reach the foot of the mountain.
He stopped for a moment at the outskirts of Montalban, looking toward the city where his school stood in the distance. A smile spread across his face.
"Good morning, Montalban! Let's go!"
Without another second to spare, Wei sprinted toward the city once again.
As he entered the streets, students walking to school couldn't help but notice him. He ran past them at an incredible pace, yet his breathing remained calm and steady, as if he had only just begun.
The students stared in amazement and began whispering among themselves.
"How is he doing that?" one girl asked. "He doesn't even look out of breath."
Another boy laughed.
"Well, he grew up in the mountains. I guess living there turned him into a cheetah!"
Wei jogged through the school gate and continued all the way to his classroom.As soon as he entered, his teacher noticed him.
"Hey, Wei!" she called with a smile. "Why do you always jog into the classroom every single day?"
Wei chuckled.
"Well, Ma'am, I actually run all the way here from the mountains every morning."
The entire class turned to look at him."Ever since I started Grade 11, my schedule changed from seven in the morning to ten.
My mom used to drive me to school on our tricycle, but she can't anymore because she has to leave early to sell vegetables at the market."
He scratched the back of his head and smiled.
"So... running is the only way for me to get here on time."
"Really?" his teacher said, clearly intrigued. "That's impressive. I also heard you're attending the basketball varsity tryouts later today. Is that true?"
The moment she mentioned the tryouts, Wei's classmates erupted in excitement.
"Yes, Ma'am! We'll definitely watch him later!" one of the boys exclaimed. "He can actually dunk even though he's only five-foot-five!"
"We'll be cheering for you, Wei!" several of the girls said enthusiastically.
The classroom buzzed with excitement.Wei looked around at his classmates, overwhelmed by their encouragement.
A grateful smile spread across his face.
"Thanks, everyone!" he said. "And yes, Ma'am. I'll be attending the tryouts later."
His teacher smiled proudly.
"That's wonderful, Wei. Best of luck. I'm sure the whole class will be there to support you."
The classroom filled with cheers once again, making Wei even more determined to give his best at the tryouts.
1:30 p.m. – Covered Court, Montalban High School
The varsity basketball tryouts had just begun.The covered court was packed with students, their cheers echoing through the gym.
Among the loudest supporters were Wei's classmates and adviser, eagerly watching as the ball found its way into his hands.
Standing just beyond the three-point line, Wei faced a muscular defender who stood around 5'9", refusing to give him any space.
Wei calmly dribbled the ball.
Left hand.
Right hand.
Then between his legs.
Faster.
And faster.
The basketball became a blur as it bounced rapidly beneath him.
His defender's eyes widened.
"How is he dribbling that fast?!" he thought in disbelief.
Without warning—
WHOOSH!
Wei exploded to his left, accelerating so quickly that his defender was left frozen in place.
The crowd gasped.
Dribbling with his left hand, Wei charged toward the basket.
Another defender stepped into his path, ready to stop him.
But Wei spun around him in one smooth motion, leaving the defender reaching for nothing but air.
One step.
He gathered the ball into his right hand.Second step.
Then—
He launched himself into the air.The entire gymnasium fell silent.
For someone standing only 5'5", Wei's leap was unbelievable. It looked as though he were flying straight toward the rim.
Every player beneath the basket looked up in astonishment as he soared above them.
SLAM!!
Wei threw down a thunderous one-handed dunk.
The backboard shook from the impact.For a heartbeat, the gym was silent.
Then—
The entire covered court erupted.
"NO WAY!!"
"HE DUNKED IT!!"
Students leaped from their seats, screaming and cheering. Even the teachers watching from the sidelines stared in disbelief.
Wei landed lightly on the court, flashed a confident grin, and jogged back on defense as the crowd continued chanting his name.
"WEI! WEI! WEI!"
Wei was unstoppable on the court.Although he wasn't known for his long-range shooting, he dominated in every other aspect of the game.
He grabbed rebound after rebound, finished difficult layups, threw down powerful dunks, stole passes with incredible reflexes, and led countless fast breaks.
What impressed everyone the most was his stamina.
He sprinted from one end of the court to the other without ever looking tired.
Both teammates and opponents couldn't help but talk about him.
"That's Tarzan."
"Yeah," another player laughed. "That's what happens when you grow up in the mountains."
Wei simply smiled and laughed along with them.
A whistle blew.
"Time-out!"
As both teams headed toward their benches, Wei casually walked across the court, still catching his breath with ease.
Then—
A cold, emotionless voice echoed inside his mind.
"Slow down."
Wei's smile disappeared.
"Don't show off too much... or I'll stop you by controlling your heartbeat."
His footsteps came to a halt.
"Remember your mission."
"Keep your true power hidden until you arrive in Birigan."
A chill ran down Wei's spine.
No one else had heard the voice.
Only him.
Wei walked back to his team's bench and sat down quietly.
His coach was saying something, but Wei barely heard a word.
His mind was still occupied by the mysterious voice that had echoed inside his head.
"Hey, Wei."
The teammate sitting beside him gave him a gentle tap on the shoulder.
"Coach is talking to you."
Wei snapped back to reality.
"Oh! Sorry, Coach!" he said apologetically.
His coach chuckled.
"Hahaha! You must be exhausted after running up and down the court and throwing down all those dunks, aren't you?"
Wei hesitated.
He wanted to proudly say that he wasn't tired at all.
Not even a little.
But the warning from the mysterious voice echoed in his mind once more.
"Slow down."
"Don't show off too much..."
"Y-Yes, Coach," Wei replied with a forced smile.
His coach nodded in satisfaction.
"Don't worry, Wei. You played an incredible game today.
I can already tell you're going to make the varsity team."
The coach patted him on the shoulder.
"You've done more than enough. Sit back and get some rest. Let your teammates finish the game. We're already ahead by twenty points, and that's mostly because of you."
The rest of the team nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, Wei!"
"That was insane!"
"You're definitely making the varsity!"
Wei smiled at them.
"Thanks, everyone."
Although he looked calm on the outside, his thoughts remained fixed on the mysterious warning.
Whoever had spoken to him...
...had reminded him that his true strength was never meant to be revealed.
The final buzzer echoed throughout the covered court.
Wei's team had won.
Although the opposing team fought hard and tried to close the gap, the game ended with the scoreboard reading 50–40, giving Wei's team a convincing ten-point victory.
Cheers erupted from the players as they celebrated their win.
Just then, the varsity team manager arrived at the court.
His name was Tristan.
Standing at 5'10", Tristan was the ace player of Montalban High School's varsity basketball team. Handsome, confident, and born into a wealthy family, he naturally commanded attention wherever he went.
Walking beside him was his beautiful girlfriend, Sam, one of the campus crushes.
The moment Wei's teammates saw Tristan, they hurried over to greet him.
"Hey, Boss! What's up?"
"Tristan, we've been waiting for you! Did you see how our star player performed?"
Tristan remained expressionless.Ignoring most of the excitement around him, he spoke in a calm, authoritative voice.
"As I promised, if you won this game, all of you will be accepted into my new varsity team."
One of the players looked surprised."All five of us? Wouldn't that make the team too big? I thought there are already ten players, including you."
Tristan nodded.
"Five of them already graduated.""Oh... I see."
At that moment, the coach walked over with Wei beside him.
"Tristan," the coach said proudly, "I'd like you to meet Wei. You should've seen him play today."
Sam smiled warmly and offered her hand in greeting.
"Hi, Wei! Tristan and I watched one of your games before. You were amazing! I still can't believe how high you can jump."Wei smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
Before he could answer, Tristan spoke."Yeah, Coach. I've already met him."
His eyes shifted toward Wei's feet.
"I also told him before not to keep playing in those rubber shoes."
Everyone looked down.
Wei's old rubber shoes were completely worn out. The soles were peeling away, and one of them had ripped open enough for his toes to stick out during the game.
Tristan sighed.
"Tomorrow we'll have our first practice."He looked at the five new players.
"Make sure all of you have new shoes... or at least something decent enough to play in. If you show up wearing shoes like those, I won't let you join the practice."
Without waiting for a reply, Tristan turned around and walked away.
Sam gave Wei one last encouraging smile before following her boyfriend.
Wei glanced down at his torn shoes.He smiled faintly...
But deep inside, he knew buying a new pair wouldn't be easy.
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