"Satomi?" Reina stammers, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of the collapsing building. He looks at her with a mix of surprise and concern, struggling to comprehend her presence in this perilous situation. "What are you doing here?"
"Saving your butt," Satomi replies, her voice resolute and unwavering. She refuses to let her emotions seep through, channeling all her focus into their desperate escape.
Reina halts abruptly, his pain momentarily overshadowing his determination. He gestures for Satomi to leave him behind, his voice tinged with despair. "Satomi... Look, I'm slowing you down. Just let me die... Leave me here and save yourself."
"There's no point in saving someone who can't get out of harm's way on his own..."
His words hang heavy in the air, carrying a sense of resignation and self-doubt. Satomi's eyes widen in shock, and an unwelcome surge of thoughts floods her mind. She never expected to hear such despair from someone she holds dear.
"Shut... Shut your mouth!" Satomi finally stammers, her voice quivering with a mix of anger and sadness. She grabs onto him, pulling him closer and resuming their precarious journey through the crumbling building. Determination fills her very action.
"But..." Reina's voice falters, his pain threatening to consume him.
"I told you to shut up!" Satomi's words cut through the chaos, her voice reaching him amidst the crumbling surroundings. Her tone carries a mix of frustration and desperation. "You won't be saved just because you're a savior? Is that what you're trying to say? Shut your damn mouth, you idiot!"
Tears well up in Satomi's vermillion eyes, her emotions surging forth uncontrollably. The shaking of her shoulders matches the tremor in her voice. "Don't you get it?" she pleads, her words laced with raw emotion. "You're not a god, Reina! There is no shame in being saved by others. And it's perfectly fine to be defeated once in a millennium."
Reina's mouth falls silent under the weight of her words, as understanding begins to flicker within him. Satomi's heartfelt declaration pierces through his despair, igniting a flame of hope within his battered soul.
"So... Don't you dare say that you've given up on life... When it has only just begun!" Satomi's voice cracks, tears streaming down her face. The depth of her emotions overwhelms her, forcing her to close her eyes, the tears slipping through her lashes. "I'll kill you myself if you say it again!"
As Reina becomes aware of the gravity of her words, her emotions overwhelm her, evident in the tears welling up in her eyes. In that vulnerable moment, he, ever perceptive, raises his broken arm, extending it toward her cheek. With the last vestiges of his power, he tenderly brushes away a solitary tear with his hand, leaving an indelible mark upon her heart.
As his touch graces her skin, an electric surge courses through Satomi's veins, an infusion of determination that ignites a blazing fire within her. It fuels her resolve to forge ahead, undeterred by the insurmountable odds that lay before them.
The temple's collapse escalates, the disintegration hastening with each passing moment. Satomi strains against the forces that threaten to consume them, but her efforts prove futile. The entrance through which she had entered has already been sealed by the weighty pillars of rocks, sealing their fate within its crumbling confines. Panic sets in, and her frantic gaze darts around, desperately seeking an escape route.
Time slips through her fingers, the weight of responsibility pressing upon her shoulders as she comprehends the life hanging in the balance. Doubt creeps into their minds, whispering the possibility of their ultimate demise. Yet, in the blink of an eye, a miracle unfolds before them. A wall, once solid and impenetrable, shatters into a thousand shards, and Nobu emerges from the breach, his left fist extended toward the freshly broken opening. The very essence of All For One surge through him, empowering him to break through that seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
"It's so good to see you..." he utters, his hand gracefully descending to his side, a smile of overwhelming relief gracing his countenance. His eyes, once filled with worry, now shimmer with a grateful hue of orange. For in that fleeting moment, all is right in his world.
But the battle wages on, relentless in its pursuit of destruction. The weight of the collapsing ceiling bears down upon them, an inexorable force threatening to snuff out their lives. Satomi and Reina, bracing themselves for the inevitable impact, close their eyes, seeking solace in the darkness, hoping to shield themselves from the impending agony.
And then, an unexpected respite stirs the air—a gentle zephyr, tenderly caressing their skin. Their eyes flutter open, anticipation mingling with trepidation, only to be met by a surreal scene. The sky stretches above them, a vast expanse of unblemished cerulean, basking in the warm embrace of the sun's golden rays. The temple, once towering and formidable, lays in ruins behind them, a testament to the chaos they had narrowly escaped.
A hushed whisper escapes Reina's trembling lips, disbelief lacing each word. "No... No..." His voice quivers, mirroring the intensity of his body's tremors. Panic surges through him as he scans the surroundings, his eyes frantically searching for any sign of Nobu. "He... He didn't switch with us... Did he?"
As those heart-wrenching words left his lips, Satomi's agony surges forth, cascading down her cheeks in an anguished torrent. The weight of Nobu's selflessness bore down upon her, a burden too heavy to bear. For Nobu, a soul so pure, would readily surrender his own life to save even the most insignificant creature, without a moment's hesitation.
Rooted in their places, Satomi and Reina stand as silent witnesses to their friend's sacrifice, their bodies immobilized by grief and despair. But amidst the anguish, a flicker of joy shimmers on the horizon—a figure, small yet filled with fervor, drawing closer with animated gestures.
"Guys!" Sayuri's jubilant voice pierces the air, her silver eyes shining with delight as she beams a wide smile. "You made it! You got out of there!"
But the joy within her quickly gives way to concern as she takes in the sight before her. Satomi's unrestrained tears and Reina's vacant stare send shockwaves through their group, leaving them all stricken with a profound sense of dread. Sayuri, in particular, can't contain her distress.
"Nono..." she whispers, her voice trembling, inching closer to Reina with tentative steps. Her hand inadvertently brushes against his torn and blood-stained shirt, causing her breath to catch. "W... Where is he? Where is Nono?"
A deep sorrow resonates in Reina's voice, his words barely a whisper. "He... He's not here, Sayuri.
"He's not here..."
A tumultuous surge of emotions seizes hold of Sayuri, her tears mingling with the dust at her feet. She clutches Reina's shirt with both hands, her grip tight and trembling. "Where is he? What do you mean he's not here?" Her voice cracks, raw with anguish. "Where is Nono?"
Her composure shatters, and Sayuri crumbles to the ground, her fists striking the unforgiving surface in a desperate rhythm. The weight of the truth crashes upon her, a realization that gouges at her soul. "He... He promised me," she gasps between sobs, her words choked with grief. "He said he'd be helping you... Then he'd catch up to us... He said all three of you would come together. S-so... W-wh-ere is he?"
In that profound moment of despair, as their hearts hang heavy with grief, Katsu raises his head, and a glimmer of hope alights upon his face, banishing the bitterness that had consumed him. "It's... It's Nobu," he mutters, the weight of sorrow dissipating from his eyes.
"Quiet down," Sayuri stammers, her voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and trepidation.
"No!" But Katsu can't contain his excitement as he points in a particular direction, his voice filled with newfound elation. "It's Nobu!"
"Yo!" And there, as if emerging from the very depths of their despair, their hero materializes. Nobu appears out of nowhere, his demeanor as nonchalant as always, steadily walking toward them. A collective burst of joy erupts within the group, excluding the bruised and battered Satomi and Reina. Sayuri, unable to restrain herself, lungs toward Nobu, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace, tears of happiness streaming down her face.
"Nono..." she cries out, her grip tightening as she tugs at his hair, a mixture of relief and frustration in her voice. "Why the hell did you do that? And here I was already planning your funeral!"
"Ow ow ow ow..." Nobu winces, trying to alleviate the pain caused by Sayuri's hair-pulling. "Pipsqueak, that hurts! And what's with the funeral talk?"
"We thought you were gone," Magnus interjects, his hand gently resting on Nobu's shoulder. "We believed you had sacrificed yourself to save Reina and Satomi. But here you are..."
A solitary tear escapes Katsu's right eye, shimmering like a diamond, before he continues, a smile of relief etching across his face. "You're alive and perfectly fine! That's all that matters for now."
Understanding the gravity of their concern, Nobu's voice softens. "Oh, I see... I'm sorry I scared you..." His apology, however, is short-lived as he yelps in pain once again. "OUCH! Pipsqueak, stop pulling my hair already!" He places his hands over hers, attempting to alleviate the discomfort.
"But... But I need to punish you!" Sayuri manages to speak through her tears, her voice laced with a mixture of relief and exasperation. "You scared the crap out of me..."
Laughter echoes through the clearing, mingling with the remnants of their lingering sorrow. In that shared moment of joyous reunion, the weight of their recent turmoil momentarily lifts, replaced by a renewed sense of camaraderie and an indomitable spirit. They stand there, in the embrace of friendship and unyielding bonds, ready to face the trials that await them with the knowledge that, together, they can weather any storm.
"How... How did you do it though?" Reina's voice finally finds its way through the air, and Satomi's steps bring both of them closer to the group. "How did you pull it off? I thought you switched with me and Satomi back then."
Nobu, taking a moment to check every pocket he has, nods in confirmation. "Well, I did use the switch thing... But who said I switched my location with yours?"
"What?" The group erupts in a chorus of incredulous exclamations, their voices overlapping in a symphony of surprise and confusion. Only Nobu stands there, momentarily taken aback by their sudden outburst. "Geez, what are you all screaming for?" he adds, before being lightly struck on the head by Magnus, earning another "Ow."
Curiosity brimming within her, Satomi's trembling voice cuts through the commotion. "Then what happened? How did it all unfold?"
Nobu pauses, his expression one of contemplation, before he speaks again. "Well, I don't know exactly how... but at that moment, when my eyes fell upon both of you, I simply wished for you to switch with thin air or something, to emerge unharmed from that chaotic situation." His words carry a sense of wonder as he retrieves a chocolate bar from one of his pockets. "Oh, here it is!"
The group stands in awe, their initial shock giving way to amazement. Sayuri's tears subside as she finds herself impressed by Nobu's revelation. "So, not only can you switch your own position, but now you can also switch the locations of two other objects, even if you're not one of them, right?"
Nobu's eyes lit up with childlike enthusiasm, a grin spreading across his face. "Really?" he exclaims, savoring the taste of the chocolate. "I can actually use my switch thing like that? That is so cool." At that moment, a spark of newfound discovery shimmers within their gazes, as if the boundaries of his abilities have expanded beyond Nobu's previous understanding.
"Your switch skill evolved then, I see..." Magnus chimes in, his voice carrying a hint of intrigue as they begin their journey back to the city. "But, isn't this a little bit... off?"
"Off?" Sayuri adds, her fingers gently combing through Nobu's hair. "What do you mean, Magnus?"
Katsu, his gaze focused ahead, narrows his eyes in contemplation. "Magnus is right!" he interjects, his voice laced with suspicion. "Switch is supposed to be Nobu's unique skill, and unique skills don't typically evolve. It's quite unusual for a unique skill to gain a power-up like this."
Turning to Nobu, Katsu seeks answers. "So, what do you think, Nobu?" he inquires, only to be met with a poker face.
Nobu, nonchalantly slipping the chocolate wrapper into his pocket, responds, "Eh? What do I think? I think I need some rest."
His words hang in the air, met with a momentary silence and a chorus of perplexed expressions from his friends. Then, as if struck by some unspoken revelation, the group erupts into wholesome laughter.
"Yup!" Reina chimes in, his laughter echoing alongside the others. "That's our Nobu, without a doubt!"
The mission had been a resounding success. Reina is safely rescued, and now, most of them are taking the time to rest and heal, relaying the details of their harrowing adventure to their masters. Their first mission had been nothing short of extraordinary.
After five days of much-needed respite, Shinso and Kaeya summon the new recruits to gather at the main gate of the Grim Ruins. Nobu, his arms crossed, observes Kaeya and Shinso with keen interest, "So?" he prods, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.
"First of all, good job on standing your ground against those formidable adversaries," Kaeya commends, his voice laced with pride. "You have truly proven yourselves as sacred soldiers."
"And..." Nobu begins to interject, a sly smile forming on his lips.
"Just cut it out," Sayuri playfully chides, perched on Nobu's back as she lightly drums on his head.
"Alright..." Shinso sighs, running a hand across his forehead before focusing his attention on Magnus. "Magnus, you're coming with me. There's something we need to discuss... if you catch my drift."
Magnus nods knowingly, his expression betraying his understanding of the matter at hand. "Yeah, I have a pretty good idea where this is heading."
"As for the rest of you..." Shinso raises both hands toward the assembled group of new soldiers, his voice resonating with excitement. "Congratulations! You're about to embark on a journey to the capital, where you will meet our esteemed Queen."
A wave of anticipation and thrill sweeps through the recruits, their hearts swelling with a mixture of pride and nerves. The realization that they are about to step foot into the realm of their revered monarch fills them with a sense of purpose and determination.
The news of their impending journey to the capital and the prospect of meeting the Queen ignite a frenzy of joy within their souls. Elation fills the air as they leap and bound, their spirits buoyant with the weight of their accomplishment.
"The capital! Finally!" Ash exclaims, his arm wrapped tightly around Katsu. "And not only that! We're going to meet the Queen herself!"
"The Queen wants to meet us?" Satomi murmurs in a composed manner. "This is an opportunity that doesn't come by every day."
"Exactly as Mr. Shinso said," Kaeya affirms, his attention shifting towards Nobu, "You'll finally go to the capital, another step taken in making you closer to joining the greatest event in our world."
However, Nobu seems preoccupied with playfully squeezing Sayuri's cheeks, momentarily oblivious to the excitement surrounding him. As soon as he notices Kaeya's gaze upon him, he hastily releases his grip and fixes his gaze on the man. "Whatever I did, I'm really sorry!" Nobu blurts out, his words rushed and filled with concern.
Kaeya chuckles, dispelling any apprehension. "No, you haven't done anything this time, surprisingly," he assures Nobu. "I simply wanted to inform you that the Queen herself is most eager to meet you."
"Me?" Nobu questions, surprise lacing his voice. "But why me?"
"Yes, you," Kaeya nods affirmatively. "Because, my dear Nobu, only Her Majesty has the power to reveal your true element."
The significance of Kaeya's words settles upon the group, leaving them in awe of the mysteries that lay ahead. The prospect of discovering Nobu's true element, a revelation that can reshape his destiny, imbues their journey with an air of anticipation and wonder.
Meanwhile, in the desolate expanse outside the Fire Kingdom, an air of foreboding danger hangs thickly, serving as a stern reminder for all to tread cautiously upon the fragile tapestry of existence. Within this eerie backdrop looms a colossal, titanic tree, its gargantuan form reaching toward the heavens. Its massive roots snake across the earth, converging to create a cavernous abyss, a grotesque monument to the macabre.
Deep within the heart of the cavern, an otherworldly presence stirs, emanating a spectral aura of purplish and grey hues. Its ethereal form flickers with unsettling intensity, its eyes aglow with a sinister radiance that embodies the essence of fear itself. The cavern, an accursed abode, serves as a repository for the morbid aftermath of countless lives lost, the remnants of grotesque experiments left to rot in perpetuity.
At the farthest recesses of the cave, a hushed silence prevails, disturbed only by the distant echo of approaching footsteps. As if attuned to the impending intrusion, the purplish and grey spirit turns ever so slightly, its gaze fixating upon the source of the sound. With an air of regal command, Yamato kneels humbly before the spectral entity.
"Your Majesty," Yamato's voice reverberates, laden with deference and subservience, "I have returned from the Grim Ruins to deliver my report as commanded."
A voice, dark and resonant, emanates from the apparition before him. "There is no need for a formal report," Warhammer intones, his words carrying a weighty menace as he draws closer to Yamato. "I am well aware of the events that have transpired. What concerns me now is whether you have obtained the coveted artifact."
"Indeed, Your Majesty," Yamato replies, his smile unnerving in its malevolence, as he extends his hand, revealing a radiant sphere cradled within his palm. "This, my liege, is the Arcane Energy required to facilitate your forthcoming project."
In the vast expanse of our arduous journey, the threat looms ominously, refusing to recede. The very fabric of our planet teeters on the precipice of impending demise, yearning for a gentle touch to mend its wounds. Desperate hearts reverberate with fervent prayers, beseeching the emergence of a valiant guardian to shield them from impending perils. The world, aching for restoration, yearns for selflessness to permeate every action, birthing indomitable heroes who will heed the resounding cries of the afflicted, and rise to their aid with unwavering resolve. Thus the second arc - The Grim-Temple Arc - ends here, our Saga is far from over!