As Zara gradually regained consciousness, she found herself in an unfamiliar location. Panic gripped her as she glanced around, realizing that Azuma was nowhere to be found. Her worry turned to fear, and she shouted, "Where is Azuma!"
Frantically, she scanned her surroundings until her gaze settled on a teacher. She sprinted towards him, her voice filled with desperation as she asked, "Where's Azuma?" The teacher hesitated for a moment before replying, "I'm sorry, young one, but we're afraid we don't know. The last thing he said was that they were attacking the academy. And you are not in a good state to be going back. You're staying here while he takes care of the issue in the academy."
Zara's determination to find Azuma overrode her physical condition. She pushed the teacher away and started to run towards the academy. But before she could reach the training grounds' exit, the same teacher reappeared before her, intercepting her path. He grabbed her and forcefully pushed her to the ground, holding her down.
Fighting back tears, Zara yelled, "NO, I AM NOT. I NEED TO FIND AZUMA, LET ME GO!" However, the teacher's grip only tightened, and with a swift, painless strike to her neck, Zara was knocked unconscious.
Another teacher arrived on the scene and inquired about the situation. The one holding Zara explained, "She tried to escape to look for Azuma, and in her state, she can't leave." The second teacher contemplated the situation and said, "I think we should at least try to find him. What if something terrible really happened?"
The teacher holding Zara reluctantly agreed, "You may be right, but we can't do anything either way. We aren't strong enough to fight by his side; we would only slow him down. Azuma is better when he fights alone."
Meanwhile, the Nanotech storage pods had completed their journey across Tokyo, finally reaching a distinct landscape. The ground split apart, allowing the pods to descend. Upon arrival, the pods entered a massive, underground facility. The people inside the pods emerged, with one individual holding the Eternitron Cube.
As they moved further into the facility, they encountered the Sargent in charge of the operation. The Sargent was resolute in his purpose, declaring, "Unload the cube to the laboratory. We are going to examine and experiment with it. We will harness this chaotic energy for our advantage and gain control over it."
While the group moved through the super high-tech hallways of the facility, they passed by various rooms. One of these rooms contained an intriguing sight—a young woman with distinctive features. She had black horns protruding from her forehead, long brown hair, and striking red eyes. She appeared unclothed, but her long hair modestly concealed her front.
Her hands were suspended from the ceiling, and she seemed to be in a state of suspended animation, her form held in place by some unknown force. Her existence raised a multitude of questions, but the group moved on, focused on their mission.
Finally, the individuals carrying the Eternitron Cube reached the laboratory and placed the cube on a specialized table that sealed it within. The Sargent, with a satisfied smile, declared, "Perfect." The stage was set for an examination and experimentation that would unveil the true potential and mysteries of the chaotic energy held within the Eternitron Cube.
we cut back to Zara's perspective. She lay unconscious in a room, where the teachers were engaged in a heated discussion. Suddenly, a noise from outside the room drew their attention, and the door swung open. In walked Hiromi Mae, The Knight of Creation.
Hiromi, with her distinctive short pink hair, white shirt, grey shorts, and a white hat, exuded a calm yet somewhat cold demeanor. She announced her intention with an air of authority. "I will check up on Azuma," she said.
A teacher voiced concern, "Are you sure? What if it's dangerous?" Hiromi responded with an evil grin, "Are you calling me weak?" The teacher quickly backpedaled, "No."
With a sense of foreboding, Hiromi left the room and used teleportation magic to arrive at the academy, where she was met with a scene of utter destruction. She said to herself "What in the world happened here. With a simple snap of her fingers, Hiromi harnessed her incredible power of creation, and the academy miraculously reconstructed itself, as if the damage had never occurred.
While she marveled at her own abilities, her attention was drawn to a peculiar portal hovering above the academy. Puzzled, Hiromi muttered, "What the actual hell?" With curiosity piqued, she began to hover over the academy towards the portal.
To her surprise, Akari arrived at breakneck speed, attempting to land a punch. But Hiromi, with her unmatched strength and mastery of magic, effortlessly blocked the blow with her arm, even though her appearance seemed delicate.
With a sinister grin, Hiromi summoned five swords, aiming them at Akira. However, Akira's agility allowed him to dodge the attacks fluently. Unperturbed, Hiromi delivered a powerful punch, which Akira caught with ease. But before he could react, Hiromi conjured a titanium sword and thrust it into Akira's arm, severing it from his body.
Akira responded with maniacal laughter. "AHAHAHAAH! AMAZING!" He revealed his unique power, "Any magic or power that injures me, it instantly seals it temporarily. AHAHAA!!!" With blinding speed, Akira lunged at Hiromi, but he met a grim fate as she swiftly cut him in half with a sword that she had created earlier, which didn't dissipate immediately.
Hiromi, unfazed by the encounter, explained her prowess, "Creating something from magic doesn't make the object or thing magical as well. Yeah, you stopped me from creating, but the objects won't disappear if I don't want them to. You're too cocky, Akira."
Having triumphed over Akira, Hiromi made her way to the chaotic portal with a determined purpose—to locate Azuma. The enigmatic Knight of Creation left a trail of questions and astonishment in her wake as she ventured into the unknown.
As Hiromi entered the chaotic world, an overwhelming and sinister presence enveloped her. It was an unknown entity, but its sheer malevolence and dread sent shivers down her spine. She felt consumed by despair for a moment, unable to comprehend the source of this fear-inducing aura. With a sharp self-inflicted slap, she shook herself back to consciousness and resolved to confront this mysterious entity.
Determined to trace the origin of this malevolent presence, Hiromi began to navigate the chaotic world, jumping from island to island. Her path led her to a colossal castle, a substantial portion of which lay in ruins. Her gaze was then drawn upward, where she beheld a looming black sphere that emanated an ominous energy.
within AR004's Zone, Ace found himself amidst an astonishing spectacle. The Zone transformed into a whimsical circus, featuring various attractions and an ambiance filled with both wonder and danger. AR004 unveiled a crucial aspect of his power, explaining that the more confidence he possessed, the stronger he would become.
Without hesitation, AR004 launched a ferocious attack, propelling himself toward Ace. Swiftly, Ace intercepted his opponent, gripping AR004's arm and soaring high into the sky. In a powerful display of strength, he hurled AR004 to the ground, causing an attraction to collapse upon impact.
With a taunting tone, AR004 mocked Ace, declaring, "That's all you've got, weakling." Ace responded confidently, "No way you're taking this fight seriously, because if you are, the only weakling here is you."
Finally, Ace drew his sword, signaling his intent to elevate the battle. AR004 retrieved a bar from the broken attraction, taunting Ace further. The two adversaries clashed fiercely, their movements so rapid that it resembled a mesmerizing firework display. Ace seized the opportunity, relentlessly slashing AR004's arm, with then more consecutive slashes to his body. AR004's regeneration began to slow, and his confidence waned, giving way to despair.
However, AR004 wasn't ready to concede defeat. He grabbed Ace's sword, turned it around, and impaled Ace in the chest. Oddly, Ace seemed unperturbed, and with a calm demeanor, he inquired, "What did you think you would gain from this?"
Without hesitation, Ace seized AR004 by the arm and ripped him in two, then sent both halves hurtling to the ground, destroying AR004's entire Zone. Finally freed from the confines of AR004's Zone, Ace expressed his disappointment, "I'm bored of you. You are weak, plus I already know how to defeat you. Sigh. Plus this is a good time to learn how to use Zones, isn't it?"
With a resolute voice, Ace chanted, "Open, Zone. Kuroshin Sekai." The true potential of his Zone was about to be revealed, a power that surpassed even the copy's abilities. Everyone present was on the cusp of discovering the formidable capabilities of Ace's Zone, Kuroshin Sekai.