"Nobu... Nobu... Where have you been all these years..." Kira mutters hollowly, his voice echoing through the dark void. Nobu stands frozen, his eyes are all black and his heart heavy with guilt.
"I thought... I thought you died in my hands that day..." Nobu stammers, his voice barely audible.
"You... You abandoned me!" Kira's voice is filled with anger and hurt as he moves closer to Nobu, his body beginning to decay. "You broke your promise! YOU... You destroyed our little garden and our Paradise."
Nobu steps back in horror, only to find himself trapped by roots that have grown from the ground. He falls to the floor, his face twisted with sorrow as he watches Kira deteriorate in front of him.
"It's because of you..." Kira's voice is barely a whisper now, as he holds out Nobu's necklace. "I died because of you! It's your fault!"
Nobu looks around at the surrounding corpses, his heart sinking at the realization of what Kira is saying. "Look around you!" Kira shouts, his body crumbling away. "All these people got killed because of you... Because of you! You cursed child!"
Nobu feels the weight of his past crushing him as the words "It's your fault!" echo through the chamber, growing louder and louder until they fill his ears completely. The other corpses begin to chant the words, their hollow eyes fixed on him, and Nobu realizes that he can't escape from his past.
Tears finally stream down his face as he accepts his responsibility for the destruction he has caused. He looks up at Kira, who is now nothing more than a pile of dust, and whispers, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
"I'm so sorry... Please... Please forgive me... It's my fault... All of it..."
"NONO!!" Sayuri's voice pierces through Nobu's dream, jolting him awake in the infirmary. As he opens his eyes, he's surrounded by his friends, but Sayuri's expression is the most shocked of all.
"Nono, are you okay?" she asks, her voice shaking with concern.
Nobu sits up slowly, feeling a tear roll down his cheek. He wipes it away and realizes that he's relieved it was just a dream. "It was just a dream," he mutters to himself, his eyes still fixed on his worried friends.
Sayuri leans in closer to him. "You were fidgeting and apologizing in your sleep," she says, her eyes searching his face. "What was it about?"
Nobu's smile finally returns, and he assures his friends, "I'm okay, don't worry." He then asks, "Anyways, why do I always end up in here?"
Satomi replies with a light flick to Nobu's forehead, "It's because you keep hurting yourself!" Nobu winces slightly at the flick, but Satomi's expression eases as she sees that her friend is safe and sound. "I'm glad you're okay!" she adds, handing him a cup of water.
"It's true," Yagami chimes in as he enters the room, waving gently to Nobu. "You only slept for five hours or a little more, but it was a bit sudden, so we were all worried."
"And I couldn't heal you with my magic either," He continues, "There was nothing to heal, but the way you lost your energy worried me a bit, to be honest!"
Sayuri and Satomi leave the room as they walk down the hallway towards Kaeya and Shinso to report that Nobu has woken up. As they stroll, Sayuri hesitates before finally mustering the courage to speak her mind. "Satomi, can I ask you something?" She requests, her expression betraying her hesitation.
"What is it Sayuri?" Satomi inquires as she turns to face her friend.
"It's about Nono," Sayuri confesses. "It felt like he had some kind of a nightmare. Does it happen that often?"
A heavy silence descends as Sayuri scrutinizes her friend's face for a response. Eventually, Satomi lets out a deep sigh before answering, "He has been having the same nightmare every time he falls asleep," she reveals. "A dream about the people of Paradise blaming him for their deaths."
Satomi continues, "He has been having it since the first night of Paradise's corruption. Most of the times, he wakes up crying or with a pale face. But whenever we ask about his well-being, he brushes it off with that smile and a simple 'I'm fine.' That's just how Nobu is, I guess."
Sayuri looks down, her face etched with sadness. "Is there anything we can do to ease his feelings?" she asks, her voice choked with worry.
Satomi stares at the void for a moment, gritting her teeth as she attempts to hold back her emotions. "No," she answers. "We can't help him...I'm sorry."
As for the boys, they gather around Nobu, bombarding him with questions about his mastery of All For One, "How did you do it?" Reina asks, "All For One, how did you master it? How did you pull it off, Nobu?"
"It's Chi," answers Nobu, his voice barely audible. "I used Chi."
"Chi?" adds Ash.
"It's what energizes our physical abilities," explains Yagami. "Just like magical energy, Chi flows all over our bodies as well. But I didn't think that you could condense your Chi like magical energy though..."
"No, it's possible!" corrects Magnus, sitting in the corner of the room. "I've heard one of my family members talking about it once. There are few people who have the ability to concentrate their Chi, just like Nobu did. But the body becomes deprived of energy, and you'll become motionless for some time because, unlike magic, Chi recovers slowly."
"And when did you master it? All For One that is," adds Ash.
"From the first day of our training," reveals Nobu, leaving his friends surprised. "I was thinking; what if I use my physical energy since I don't have magic? And it just happened. Just like last time, I was unable to move for a while, but I didn't fall asleep, to be honest."
"From the first day... So you used Chi, ha?" adds Reina before shifting the conversation to Sayuri. "Sayuri told us that you helped her master All For One."
Nobu nods at Reina's words. "Just like old man Kaeya, she has some special vein that can help her control her magical energy while condensing it in her core. Even though she can only apply All For One using her right hand, it should be a good bonus for her!"
"Your presence thing is really something..." gasps Ash, unable to contain his amazement. "I'm curious! Is there another one who has those veins? Except for Sayuri and Master Kaeya?"
Nobu nods again and raises his hand, pointing at someone inside the room. "Reina has them as well," he clarifies, turning the others' attention to Reina. "And just like old man Kaeya, you have multiple veins."
Reina keeps looking confused as he avoids leaking a word. But Nobu doesn't hesitate to amaze the others even more with Reina's potential. "To tell you even more, every inch of Reina's veins has a magic condensed as much as All For One!"
"Reina doesn't need All For One," continues Nobu, his voice low and steady. "Trying to master it will just hinder his abilities!"
"Just wait, Reina," says Nobu as he stands up, revealing the sword form of his Soul-Edge. "Even though you got quite the head start from the beginning, I will surpass you! I'll control my powers and defeat you someday!"
"I won't be staying actionless, you know!" clarifies Reina, a proud smile on his face as he accepts Nobu's challenge. "I'll keep moving forward and getting stronger and stronger! And, to be clear, I'm interested in seeing how far you can go as well!"
Nobu nods, a determined look on his face. "Yeah, keep moving forward! That's what I want you to do!"
Their eyes lock, and with those words, the fire of their rivalry gets even brighter. They both know that they have a long road ahead of them, but they are ready to take it on together.
Kaeya and Shinso are just analyzing and planning for the next steps that the newbies need to finish as they share their views about Nobu and Sayuri mastering All For One.
"Despite Nobu and Sayuri's newly acquired ability to use All for One, they still face challenges in applying it effectively," Says Shinso, "Sayuri struggles with shaping the power between her palms, while Nobu becomes immobilized due to the depletion of his chi after each use."
"At least two soldiers became able to master it," Admits Kaeya proudly, remaining optimistic about their progress, " It's the first time that someone mastered All For One. Don't forget about that! Let's see if it'll be a valuable asset for Nobu once he can use it without losing Chi."
"Regarding Sayuri, I encouraged her to take a break and experiment with applying All for One to one of her basic skills," Continues Kaeya, having faith that she will find a way to use it effectively.
"But, for Nobu to notice those veins using his sense... That ability is truly out of this world. It's almost terrifying," Muses Shinso, shaking his head in disbelief. "We can even consider it a unique skill!"
Kaeya, lost in thought, looks up and agrees with a nod. "It is terrifying," he confirms, his gaze fixed on the wall. "Ever since he was little, he had this heightened sensation. He was born with it."
The room falls silent as they complement the immense power of Nobu's abilities. Finally, Shinso speaks up, "As for their training, they've completed all the tasks set out for them, including the ability to fly. Even though Nobu didn't participate in the test, I'm sure that he won't be able to fly!"
Kaeya's eyes widen as he recalls the breathtaking sight of Reina's flight. "The way Reina flies is the one that caught me off-guard the most though," he remarks, still amazed by the young man's talent. "He seemed unable to fly at first. But the way he creates invisible stairs to walk on and move at a rapid pace in the air... He can't stop amazing me..."
Shinso nods in agreement. "Yes, their progress has been exceptional. Only one more training session is planned before the tournament begins," he reveals. "Maybe they'll head to Kapital after one month, I guess?"
Kaeya chuckles as he spots someone lingering outside the door. "Okay, Satomi! Enough eavesdropping! You can come in!" he chides, trying to hide his amusement. Then, two girls blush and shuffle in, their embarrassment palpable. "We... We weren't eavesdropping!" stammers Sayuri, her eyes darting nervously around the room.
"I was facing the door this whole time," Kaeya adds, pointing to his eye. "I can see through the walls and everything, you know. So I can tell since when you've been hearing our conversation!"
Sayuri sighs, clearly caught in the act. "Well, that wasn't expected..." she mutters under her breath.
Satomi lightly hits her head. "Masters, Nobu woke up a while ago. And he's doing good now!" she reports.
"Ah, excellent news," Kaeya says, standing up with Shinso. "Well, it's time we get to your last task, I guess. Call the rest of the team and meet us in the training ground!"
The girls nod and make a hasty exit. As the door closes, Shinso turns to Kaeya, an impressed look on his face. "Mr. Kaeya, you do know what I'm about to bring up, right?" he asks.
"Sayuri..." Kaeya nods, getting straight to the point. "I wasn't able to see her behind the wall. She can conceal her magical energy. This team is going to be unstoppable!"
The two men share a knowing look before heading out to the training ground to meet the rest of the team. With their exceptional abilities and unwavering dedication, they are confident that they will surpass the last generation of sacred soldiers.
Ash paces back and forth as they gather in the promised spot, nervous energy radiating from him, "Come on, tell us already! Who am I going to fight?" He demands.
Shinso holds up a hand, "Not now. We have something important to discuss first. Before the tournament, we have one last training session. Do any of you know about the skill called Overpower?" He asks.
Katsu nods, "I do," he answers confidently.
Kaeya raises an eyebrow, "Really? Then explain it to us," he challenges.
Katsu clears his throat and begins to explain, "It's a skill that's connected to your power level and your opponent's power level. You need to have a sword and any type of magic energy. If you're fighting against someone with a lower power level than yours, you enhance your sword with magic energy, causing a small shockwave when it clashes with your enemy's weapon. The impact will make your enemy lose balance for a few seconds."
Kaeya nods in approval, "Good job, Katsu. However, this won't be your training. Sayuri doesn't know if she has a sacred weapon or not. And you have a bow, not a sword. You'll need to figure out how to master it on your own. As for your training, it will be..."
Shinso interrupts, "All eight of you will be fighting against Kaeya and me at the same time!" he announces, his voice ringing with excitement.
The group stares at him in disbelief, "What?!" they all exclaim.
"And if you can't even land a hit on us, none of you will become a Sacred Soldier!" Shinso adds, a challenge in his tone.
"But... But I thought that we already became soldiers!" The group gulps, realizing the enormity of the task before them. But they also feel a surge of determination. They'll do whatever it takes to become Sacred Soldiers and protect their world.
The atmosphere is electric as the eight students prepare for the ultimate showdown that will determine their fate. The air is thick with tension, and a palpable silence hangs over the arena as each student strategizes how they can possibly land a single blow against the formidable duo of sacred knights.
The long-awaited battle finally commences, and the eight students charge into action with a fierce determination burning in their eyes. Kaeya, quick and nimble, wastes no time in unleashing his signature move - Weakness Insight - a skill that allows him to pinpoint the weak points of his adversaries. With a steely focus, he surveys his opponents, searching for any weakness that he can exploit to gain the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Shinso, with his formidable time power and strategic mind, conjures up a complex circle of energy that surrounds the entire arena - Chrono suppression - The circle slows down any and all aerial attacks, rendering them almost useless against the grounded fighters. It's a calculated move that could prove to be a game-changer in this battle.
Every student is giving it their all. Magnus, the burly and imposing fighter, calls upon his mastery of metal to cover his entire body in shimmering steel armor. He channels his energy into the ground, causing a barrage of sharp steel spears to burst forth from beneath his opponents' feet.
But Shinso proves to be more than up to the challenge. With a mighty swing of his greatsword, he shatters the spears as if they were mere toothpicks. His movements are fluid and effortless, each strike delivered with deadly precision.
Suddenly, Satomi bursts onto the scene, flames licking at her heels. She launches a fierce attack on both Kaeya and Shinso, hoping to catch them off-guard.
But the two sacred knights are ready for her, and they quickly move to defend themselves. Shinso raises his greatsword, the blade glowing with intense energy as he blocks Satomi's fiery assault. Kaeya, ever the agile fighter, dodges and weaves through the flames, his eyes flickering with determination.
Satomi, undeterred, presses on, drawing her sword and charging at Kaeya with all her might. But the cunning fighter is more than a match for her, and he quickly overpowers her with his sword. With a swift movement, he knocks her sword aside and delivers a powerful All For One blow to her chest, sending her reeling.
As the battle continues to escalate, Ash and Katsu launch a powerful combination attack, channeling their respective demon powers and wind magic into a fierce assault. But their efforts are quickly met with resistance, as Shinso steps forward to meet them head-on.
With a calm and focused expression, Shinso readies his greatsword, its blade glinting menacingly in the light, "Future slices!" He channels, slicing through the air with precision, creating an invisible force that cuts straight through the attackers' onslaught. The force of his strike sends Ash and Katsu tumbling backward, their attack rendered ineffective.
Moments after, Shinso's keen senses detect something amiss. He realizes with a start that Yagami has been quietly working behind the scenes, tending to the wounds of his fallen comrades.
Determined to put an end to this unfair advantage, Shinso quickly formulates a plan. With a sudden burst of speed, he races across the battlefield, his movements fluid and precise. He appears in front of Yagami as if he had used some sort of teleportation skill, catching the healer off guard.
Shinso raises his greatsword, the blade glowing with intense energy. He delivers a powerful blow to Yagami's chest, using the back of his sword to avoid causing serious harm. The force of the blow sends Yagami reeling backward, his body slamming into the ground with a thud.
Meanwhile, Sayuri steps forward, determined to take down one of the strongest opponents on the field - Kaeya. With a fierce glint in her eyes, she summons her shadow hands, reaching out to try and ensnare the powerful knight.
But Kaeya is not so easily caught. With a lightning-fast reflex, he dodges the shadows, his movements fluid and precise. Sayuri tries again, this time channeling all her power into a single attack - All For One.
But too bad for her - it was a wasted attempt as all of her shadows disappear, leaving her vulnerable to attack. Kaeya sees his opportunity and strikes, his sword flashing through the air as he delivers a devastating blow to Sayuri's weak point. With a loud thud, she crumples to the ground, her body wracked with pain.
The battle rages on, and it's clear that the students are reaching their limits. Reina and Nobu stand alone, their bodies battered and bruised from the relentless onslaught of the sacred knights.
Reina tries to launch attack after attack, but Shinso's area spell nullifies them all, leaving him frustrated and exhausted. Meanwhile, Nobu struggles to find an opening, even with the help of his trusty switch.
Shinso, sensing their exhaustion, goes in for the kill. He slices through the air with his greatsword, unleashing a flurry of blows that leaves Reina and Nobu scrambling to dodge.
But they refuse to give up. Despite their injuries and exhaustion, they stand their ground, determined to see this battle through to the bitter end.
That's when Kaeya steps in. He plants his sword into the ground, infusing the earth with his power. The ground beneath Reina and Nobu begins to shake, a powerful earthquake threatening to knock them off balance.
Still refusing to be shaken. With all their strength, they stand firm, weathering the tremors and pushing back against the knights with all their might.
Nobu grits his teeth as he glances around at the fallen bodies of his mates. "What the hell is happening here? They're not holding back, I'm sure of it. They're trying way too hard to take us down."
Reina nods in agreement, frustration etched on his face. "I've tried hitting them with everything I've got, but Master Shinso's spell keeps nullifying my power. If we don't land a hit soon, it's all over for us."
At that moment, Shinso's voice cuts through the air like a knife. "Oh, you're having a little chitchat, are you?" he sneers. "Maybe you're finally coming up with a plan? Too bad it won't matter - you're no match for us."
As Reina struggles to get back up, Nobu looks at him with determination. He knows they need to work together to have a chance. Reina nods, and they both charge toward Shinso.
Reina enhances his katana with arcane and tries to strike Shinso, but he effortlessly pushes him back with a flick of his hand. As Reina stumbles, Shinso readies another future slice, aiming for the final blow. But Nobu has other plans. He runs straight toward Shinso and just as the slice is about to hit his friend, he switches places with it and gets back to targeting his teacher. The two attacks converge, but just as they are about to hit their target, Kaeya intervenes. He uses All For One to push the slice away and Shinso neglects Nobu, focusing on Reina instead.
Shinso runs towards Reina, grabs him by the head, and throws him towards Nobu. But Nobu doesn't falter. He braces himself, catches Reina, and looks back at Shinso with fierce gleaming purple determination. Only he remains standing, and he knows that he must give it his all to have any chance of winning.
Nobu's purple eyes gleam with determination and desperation as he clutches his injuries. His body is bruised and battered, but his spirit remains unbroken. As he speaks, his voice quivers with emotion, his words laced with deep-seated pain.
"They called me cursed, unwanted," he says, gritting his teeth. "But I won't let their words define me. I'll prove them wrong, no matter what it takes."
With a fierce determination, Nobu rises to his feet, his body trembling with exertion. He swallows hard, his throat dry, and takes a step forward.
"I'll become a sacred soldier," he declares, his voice shaking with emotion. "Even if it means dying while trying, I'll gladly die! Because I refuse to let anyone else suffer the same fate as me."
"Then come at me!" Commands Shinso, asking Kaeya to step aside, "Prove to everyone, that you're worthy of their respect!"