As Nobu and Reina finally cross the finish line, their friends are waiting eagerly for them. The group erupts into cheers and applause as they join the center of the battlefield, their Ash and the others running up to congratulate them with high-fives, hugs, and pats on the back.
"Congratulations, you two! You did amazing!" Shouts Ash, beaming with pride as he claps Reina on the back.
As the rest of their friends continue to celebrate, Satomi rushes toward Reina and Nobu, her face filled with concern. "It took you long enough," she says, her voice trembling with worry.
"Satomi...", Reina tries to speak, but before he can say anything, Satomi throws herself at both of them, knocking them to the ground in a tight embrace. Tears stream down her face as she clings to her friends.
"You made me worry, idiots!" she chokes out, her voice muffled by their bodies. "I even started thinking that some other participants will steal the last two spots, you know..."
Reina and Nobu exchange a look before returning to Satomi's embrace, overwhelmed by her display of affection and concern. She keeps pulling them closer, wiping her tears on their clothes with a small smile. "Congratulations... Both of you," she continues, her voice now filled with pride.
A wide smile spreads across Reina's face as Satomi envelops him and Nobu in a tight embrace. Nobu's eyes sparkle with a lively orange hue, reflecting the joy and excitement that they all feel. "Yeah... Congratulations," Reina interjects, raising his hand and placing it gently on Satomi's shoulder. "We couldn't have done it without you."
Satomi's grip on them tightens, and Reina can finally feel the warmth of her tears against his skin. "Sorry, we made you worry!" he adds, feeling a pang of guilt at the thought of causing Satomi unnecessary stress.
As Nobu and Reina bask in the glow of their victory and the warmth of their friends' congratulations, they can hardly believe that they've made it this far. The exhaustion and pain that they've been carrying for so long begin to melt away, replaced by a deep sense of accomplishment and pride.
"We did it," Reina whispers to Nobu, his voice trembling with emotion.
Nobu nods, a small smile spreading across his face. "Yeah, we did...," he replies, his eyes shining with a mixture of happiness and relief. But just as the elation of their success begins to settle in, Nobu's body betrays him, and he collapses to the ground, writhing in agony.
"What can I say?", Adds Reina, pride etched on his face as he quickly scoops Nobu up and supports him on his back, carefully carrying him, "That fight took a whole out of you after all!"
"Sayuri is out cold too after feeling the shockwave from earlier!" Yagami chimes in, still hovering over Sayuri's still form, "Let's give them both some time to rest and recuperate. They deserve it after everything they've been through."
As the newbies take a much-needed break before the next phase, Nobu and Sayuri find themselves in the infirmary, lying on beds and recovering from their strenuous ordeal. After a peaceful nap, Nobu begins to stir, his head feeling heavy and his body still sore.
"Ow ow ow," he mutters as he slowly raises himself, his hand cradling his aching head. He takes in his surroundings, trying to get his bearings. "Where am I? OW!" he cries out, his headache intensifying.
Sayuri, leaning against the window frame and enjoying the gentle breeze, turns to face him. "I thought you were a goner there for a minute, Nono," she says with a smile. "Congratulations on passing the exam."
"Pipsqueak..." Nobu mutters in response, before wincing again in pain. "OUCH!"
Sayuri chuckles at his reaction. "You sure got into quite the fight, huh?" she asks. "Reina already filled us in on what happened. Great job standing up against that maniac! I bet it was a tough one!"
She jumps onto Nobu's bed, startling him. "I can't believe I have to compete with guys like you to prove myself as a sacred soldier," she continues, gazing into his blue eyes. "But I'll just work my butt off to keep up!"
Nobu finally speaks up, his voice quiet and uncertain. "Th...thank you," he says. "But I'm not that amazing, really. I only managed to bring that man down because I was consumed by anger. It wasn't something to be proud of."
Sayuri looks at him with a mixture of admiration and sympathy. "You did what you had to do at the moment," she says softly. "And that's something to be proud of, Nono."
Nobu looks up at her, his expression conflicted but grateful. He nods slowly, taking in her words. "Thank you," he says again. "I'll try to remember that."
The boy's grip on his blanket tightens as his eyes gradually turn a deep shade of black. He mutters unintelligible words under his breath, as though he's on the verge of confessing something but can't bring himself to do it. Sayuri watches him intently, wondering what's going through his mind.
Finally, he raises his head to meet her innocent silver gaze, only to quickly look away, still clearly uncomfortable.
Sayuri gets off his bed and takes a few light steps away before turning back to face him. "I think I know what you want to say," she says with a faint smile. "You were about to bring up 'That' incident, right?"
Nobu's hand brushes the back of his neck as he asks, "You sensed it, didn't you? The shockwave at the end of the entrance exam."
Sayuri nods, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "It was the same energy that corrupted Paradise," she says, her short golden hair waving gently in the breeze as she starts to dance lightly. "But it was weaker, and it didn't drain life essence as it did before."
Suddenly, she turns to Nobu, "It was your power, wasn't it?" she asks, seeking confirmation. Nobu's eyes widen in shock as he slowly bows his head. "I'm genuinely sorry," he says, his voice thick with emotion. "It was just in the heat of the moment that I corrupted Paradise. My brother's cadaver was right in front of me, and I felt the pain of being treated as cursed and unwanted. I... I... I didn't know I was capable of doing such a thing either, so..."
His words trail off as he lets out a heavy sigh, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry," he continues, still bowing to her. "I destroyed your land, pipsqueak! I'm so so..."
"Why are you apologizing?" Interrupts Sayuri with a gentle voice that forced him to raise his head. To his surprise, she still has a smile on her face. "It should be me who is apologizing!"
"Eh?", Mutters Nobu, looking at her in confusion.
"Why are you looking confused?" asks Sayuri, stretching her hands out in front of her. "So you're the poor boy that the whole Paradise kept resenting because he couldn't control his powers."
Nobu's face falls, his heart sinking at the reminder of his past struggles. He looks down at his hands, clenching and unclenching them anxiously.
As Sayuri walks toward him again, she suddenly bows down, her forehead touching the floor. "As the daughter of the Violra family, the head of Paradise, I deeply apologize for the way the citizens treated you all that time," she says, her voice filled with sincerity.
"No, no, no," stammers Nobu, suddenly forgetting his pain and getting on his knees with his hands on Sayuri's shoulders, begging her to get up. "Pipsqueak, please stop! It's not your fault!"
"It is!" insists Sayuri, feeling guilty. "Even though I knew it was wrong, I wasn't able to convince my family to give a piece of mind to the citizens." She raises her body, a look of concern on her face. "It must've been hard for you, bearing all that pain by yourself, along with the guilt of corrupting Paradise and the death of your brother in front of your eyes!"
Nobu feels his throat constrict with emotion as he looks at the girl in front of him. "Nono," continues Sayuri, her voice gentle. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to be there for you when you needed it the most. I should have reached out to you and offered you help."
At last, Nobu's eyes soften as they get back to the dark blue, looking at her. "Why would a royalty care about a nameless commoner?" he says, absorbing the fact that Sayuri is one of the fire kingdom's royals, "The fact that you're feeling guilty, is enough to heal a bit of my wound! You're thanked! pipsqueak!"
"Really?" As the girl hears Nobu's response, a smile spreads across her face, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Really?" she exclaims again with joy, her voice ringing with enthusiasm. "You're not mad at me or anything?" she asks, still surprised by his forgiveness.
Nobu simply nods, a small smile playing on his lips. "I mean, I'm not in a position to be mad or anything," he says, his voice gentle and reassuring.
Sayuri's joy is infectious, and she begins jumping up and down in excitement. She feels a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, and she can't help but let out a little laugh of relief. "Yahoo!" she cries out, feeling a wave of happiness wash over her. She turns to Nobu, a look of determination on her face as she lightly composes herself. "I'm looking forward to working with you," she says, her voice filled with excitement.
"You're quite a handful", Giggles Nobu, getting back on his bed.
Sayuri grins at Nobu's comment, feeling more at ease around him as she gets on his back. "I've been told that before," she says, her voice lighthearted as she leans her head over his. "But don't worry, I'll make sure to keep things interesting."
Nobu chuckles, raising his hand to squish her cheeks. "I don't doubt that for a second," he says, his eyes sparkling with amusement, "Oh! By the way!"
"Well, the thing is..." Nobu begins, looking confused. "You told us that you're 17 years old, but that body of yours looks definitely younger."
Sayuri sighs, knowing that she can't keep up the facade any longer. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she says, her voice soft. "Paradise got destroyed 12 years ago, right?"
Nobu nods in agreement. "Bingo," he says.
Sayuri begins counting on her fingers, murmuring to herself until her face lights up with realization. "Oh! I'm 20 years old then!" she exclaims.
Nobu's eyes widen in surprise. "That's more like it!" he says. "I mean, telling me that you're 17, you're way younger, that's obvy!"
He then raises the girl, putting her in front of him as he takes a closer look at Sayuri's face, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. "Come again?" he asks, his confusion evident.
"It's 20!" Sayuri repeats. "I'm 20 years old!"
Nobu's head is spinning as he tries to process this information. "How is that even possible?" he exclaims. "You're telling me that you're 3 years older than me?"
Sayuri nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "Well, the Paradise incident happened when I was 8 years old," she explains. "And as you said earlier, I'm a handful! So to save me without me causing any trouble, someone cast a spell on me to rewind my body to a baby of 2 years old."
She places a hand on her chest before pointing a finger over her head. "This body is 14 years old, you're right," she continues. "However, my mind and soul are actually 20 years old!"
Nobu is amazed by what he's hearing. "Come to think of it, I remember hearing that all of the Violra children are older than me," he says, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But to think that someone could actually rewind someone's body with magic... Impressive..."
Sayuri nods in agreement. "That man is pretty amazing, you're right about that," she says. "Let me ask you for a favor as well! Keep what I said between us, okay?" She winks at him, satisfied by Nobu's nod.
"Alrighty!" Reina pushes the door open with a triumphant flourish, allowing the rest of the gang to finally enter the room. "Enough lovey-dovey moments," he exclaims, a playful smile dancing across his lips. "And here I thought you were still in dreamland, Nobu."
"And Sayuri decided to stay inside even though she was awake," chimes in Ash, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he surveys the disheveled pair on the bed. "Looks like you were trying to sneak in some alone time, huh?"
"Hello!" Says Yagami warmly, clearly avoiding the commotion caused by his friends as he gets closer to Nobu, "Allow me to heal your wounds, okay?" Then he casts a light spell, starting to heal Nobu's wounds.
As forNobu and Sayuri, their faces mirror each other in confusion as they turn to face each other. "Private time?" they echo in unison before Sayuri's cheeks begin to redden with embarrassment. "Wh-what are you talking about?" she stutters, her frustration palpable as she gets off the bed. "It's... It's not like that at all!"
"Yeah yeah", Reina takes a step forward, his gaze serious as he confronts Nobu. "Listen, I don't know what's going on, but you owe us an explanation," he says firmly.
Nobu looks confused. "I do?" he asks.
Reina raises his left hand and points at his wrist, causing both Nobu and Sayuri to finally notice the strange bracer on Nobu's hand. "We're talking about that thing," Reina says.
Nobu's eyes widen. "Oh, the Soul-Edge," he says, looking innocently at his friend.
Sayuri shudders. "What the hell is that thing?" she asks while pointing at it. "And what's with the creepy closed eye on it?"
Reina shakes his head in disbelief. "You're only noticing it now, even though you've been talking to him all this time?"
Turning back to Nobu, Reina demands, "Anyways, what is that thing? First, you summoned a sword, and then it transformed into that monstrosity. This is all so confusing!"
"So, you've been holding back your powers all this time?" Satomi chimes in, her curiosity piqued.
Nobu shakes his head, holding up his left hand, palm facing the sky. "I had no idea this was inside me." He says, "When that guy threatened to kill you, I thought to myself that if I had some kind of a monster residing within, then it would be the perfect time for it to emerge. And a second after, this thing appeared!"
As he speaks, the bracer on his arm glows a deep shade of purple, and the matter begins to shift and move toward his palm. The transformation is mesmerizing, and the sword that emerges is like nothing they have ever seen before - veins crisscrossing the blade, with an eye closed in the center.
"This is the Soul-Edge," Nobu says, swinging the sword slowly and carefully. "And even though it was my first time seeing it, I felt as though it had always been a part of me. It's like a missing piece of my soul has finally been found."
Reina is spellbound, watching as the sword glimmers in the light. This newfound power is both thrilling and terrifying, "What other surprises are you holding dude?" He wonders.
The following day, the group of recruits has been called to the bureau to sign up their forms, marking their official induction into the ranks of the sacred soldiers. As they wait for the staff to arrive, Sayuri can't help but notice that one of their own was missing.
"Is someone running late?" She speaks up, "There are only eight of us here."
Nobu, munching on a piece of chocolate, chimes in, "And I can't sense his presence in the whole building either." Confirms Nobu, making Ash's eyes widen in amazement, "You can sense the presence of everyone in the building?" he asks in disbelief.
"Your ability to sense things is quite a thing" Nods Katsu in agreement, hand under his chin, "It could be considered a unique technique in its own right."
"Hold on a second, Nobu", Continues Katsu, raising an eyebrow, "You said you can't sense 'his' presence. You're making it sound like..."
"You know who's missing," Nobu and Katsu say in unison, making Katsu's eyes widen in surprise. "It's the one with frost magic, guys!" Finishes Nobu.
The group stares at him, jaws dropping in disbelief. "Wait, you figured that out just by sensing what's so-called presence?" Reina asks incredulously.
"Yeah, it's like a feeling I get," Nods Nobu again as he explains. "And not only that, but I can tell he's stronger than old man Kaeya as well."
Yagami's eyes sparkle with a newfound respect for Nobu as he acknowledges his talent. "The thing is... You're right!" he exclaims, his amazement written all over his face. "Osamu is the missing one! He's a frost magic wielder, and he's already a sacred soldier, his rank is higher than Mr. Kaeya's as well! He just wanted to join the entrance exam to see the recruits' abilities with his own eyes."
Reina listens attentively, his mind whirring with curiosity. As Yagami finishes speaking, he finds himself pondering the meaning of the word 'presence'. "Just what is this presence thing, anyway?" he thinks to himself, his brows furrowed in concentration. "It can't be about power levels, or he would have mentioned ranks. And it's not just about magic, either - I mean, Nobu can't sense magic. It does seem a little similar to my perfect vision, but at this rate, perfect vision is way too limited compared to his high sensation."
As a woman with an air of confidence and warmth approaches the newest members, a collective hush falls over the group. She greets them with a beaming smile and genuine congratulations, and Nobu feels a thrill of excitement race through him at her words.
"The sacred soldier's corps is honored to welcome you," she continues, her voice ringing out with pride. "You have all proven yourselves worthy of this great honor, and we are eager to see the great things you will accomplish as part of our ranks."
Nobu looks around at his fellow newbies and sees the same triumphant smile mirrored on each of their faces, so his eyes sparkle with a vibrant orange hue, a symbol of the passion and determination that burned within him.
With a commanding presence, the woman instructs the group to introduce themselves. "We'll start with the basics," she says, her voice strong and clear. "I want each and every one of you to tell me your name, element, and the source of your magical power. Are we clear?" She finishes as she turns to Yagami.
The boy steps forward, his head held high and a confident gleam in his eye. "My name is Yagami," he declares, his voice ringing out clear and strong. "I am a Light-bearer. My magical resource is Mana."
"The name's Magnus," Says Magnus as he chimes in, his tone casual yet confident while still leaning back in his seat. "I'm a Steel magic wielder, and like Yagami, I draw my power from Mana."
"Satomi," she says, her voice ringing out clear and strong. "I'm a Fire magic wielder, and I draw my power from Mana."
"My name is Katsu," Adds Katsu, a determined look on his face as his voice clear and unwavering. "I specialize in Wind magic, and I draw my power from Mana."
"My name's Ash," he interjects, his expression one of unbridled uniqueness tagged with a voice tinged with an air of mystery. "I haven't been able to identify my element yet, but I draw my power from Demonic Energy."
Sayuri jumps in, her face lit up with an infectious smile. "I'm Sayuri Violra," she says, her voice chirping like a songbird "I specialize in Shadow magic, and I draw my power from Mana."
"It's Reina!" he announces, his voice ringing out clear and strong. "I specialize in Arcane magic and I use Pure Power!"
Finally, reaching Nobu. The other seven keep looking at him, wondering what answer he'll be bringing.
The other newbies leaned in eagerly as Nobu began his introduction. They were all curious to see what kind of magical resource and element he had.
"I'm Nobu!" he announces, grinning broadly. "And I'm the resident non-magical person here!" He pauses for a moment, pretending to think hard about his element. "Let's see, I think I'm a master of... absolutely nothing!"