After my encounter with the monstrous creatures at the coronation event, I found myself face to face with Nami, the boy who had initially tipped me off about the cleaning job. His keen eyes bore into mine, filled with curiosity and intrigue.
"I watched you and your abilities," Nami remarked, his voice tinged with fascination.
"What is it?" I shrugged, feeling a sense of uncertainty cloud my thoughts.
"I don't know. I can only use that hand," I admitted, gesturing towards the translucent green appendage that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere during the chaos.
Nami nodded understandingly. "Okay," he said simply, before turning his attention to Matt, who had approached us with a serious expression.
"Matt said I should tell you about the entrance exam," Nami explained, his tone shifting to one of urgency. "It's for joining the Anti-Matter Corps. It's like a bonus because you'll be given the Rank 5 title without passing through Rank 1."
I blinked in surprise at the revelation. "Really?" I exclaimed, my mind racing with possibilities. "Then I shall join the Anti-Matter Corps and become the protector of planet Earth."
Nami smiled, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "By the way, what's your anti-matter ability?" I asked.
"The Blue Sea," he replied, recalling the surge of power that had surged through me during the battle. Determined to embark on this new path, I made my way to the shop where I usually collected my wages.
Approaching the old man who oversaw the operation, I took a deep breath before delivering the news. "I quit," I announced firmly, meeting his surprised gaze head-on.
"Why?" the old man inquired, his wrinkled brow furrowing in confusion.
"I want to join the Anti-Matter Corps," I explained, a sense of resolve settling over me. The old man nodded sagely, a hint of pride shining in his eyes.
"Make sure you do your best, and remember the training I taught you," he said, his voice filled with encouragement. As I walked away from the shop, memories of my past flooded my mind, taking me back to a time of hardship and loss.
I remembered the hospital, where I had received the devastating news of my mother's death, and the bitter realization that my father had sold our home, leaving us homeless and destitute. In a fit of rage, I recalled how I had lashed out at the bullies who taunted me, unleashing a surge of energy that sent them fleeing in fear. And then, the memory of my mother's final moments, her valiant struggle against Gunner and her ultimate sacrifice to protect me from that yellow lightning, I still wonder what caused that.
Returning to the present, I found myself facing a man who offered me a lifeline—a job as a cleaner, with the promise of training to unlock my true potential.
Under his guidance, I honed my skills, embracing my newfound abilities with determination and purpose. And as I stood before my father, the weight of the black string and green crystal necklace he handed me served as a reminder of my mother's legacy—a legacy that I was determined to honor as I embarked on my journey to join the Anti-Matter Corps.
After my encounter with Nami and the decision to join the Anti-Matter Corps, I returned home to prepare for the next step in my journey.
Shedding my work attire, I opted for something more presentable—a stylish Louis Vuitton shirt paired with rugged trousers, complemented by a crisp white canvas. With my hoverboard at the ready, I embarked on the journey to the Anti-Matter Corps building, eager to begin my new chapter.
As I arrived, Nami greeted me with a reproachful tone, noting my tardiness.
"You're late," he chided, to which I offered a sheepish apology.
Together, a drone robot came scanning us before addressing Nami Dabur by name. "Welcome, Nami Dabur, and welcome... you," it said, its robotic voice dripping with insincerity.
"Hey," I retorted, recognizing it as Robot 92. "How was your bath, stupid AI?" I teased, expecting its usual snarky response.
"I won't answer you, psycho," it shot back, clearly annoyed.
"It's Cycle, not psycho," I corrected with a sigh.
Before I could react, the robot threatened to engage battle mode. Panicking, I shouted, "Hey, hey, just hit the red button on the left to deactivate it!" Fortunately, Nami intervened just in time, stepping in to defuse the situation.
"Nami, wait!" I called out, but he had already dashed off into the distance.
As the robot continued to unleash missiles in my direction, I frantically dodged and weaved, shouting in fear. "Yikes!" I exclaimed as I narrowly avoided being hit.
Desperate for escape, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, the missiles hot on my trail, relentlessly locking onto their target. With a swift motion, it picked me up, and together we ascended high above the ground.
Gripping onto it tightly, we plummeted downwards, crashing through the ceiling in a chaotic tumble of debris. I entered the room through the ceiling room where seven individuals awaited us—three girls and four boys and Nami.
As I hit the red button and it deactivated, it went in another direction. One of the boys couldn't resist making a snide remark. "Is this the one we were waiting for?" he quipped. He was 5.6 feet tall, with blue eyes, fair complexion, and a yellow half-top hairstyle, earning a scowl from Nami. Unfazed, I shot back,
"Hey," my voice laced with irritation. "Who are you referring to, fool?"
The boy bristled at my response, his demeanor growing defensive. "I'm Akuma Deki," he retorted, his tone laced with hostility.
"I'm Moho-Sha Cycle," I replied. "No wonder you act this way when your name means demon."
Rolling his eyes, he retorted, "Oh, shut up, you psycho."
"It's Cycle, not psycho, you demon," I shot back, my words dripping with disdain.
Caught in a tense standoff, Nami intervened, urging us to calm down. "You guys should calm down," he implored, before introducing us. "I'm Nami Dabur, and this is Moho-Sha Cycle," he gestured towards me, prompting Akuma to grumble under his breath.
As the introductions continued, I learned the names of the other individuals in the room. "I'm Faltu Singh," one of the boys announced, breaking the tension.
Another boy introduced himself as Jaden McDaniels, while a third simply stated, "I'm Ochitsuita Hidoi."
Turning to the girls, I met Maya Luna, whose calm demeanor provided a stark contrast to the tension in the room.
Felicity Rose introduced herself with a warm smile, while Beam Linda exuded an air of quiet confidence.
As the introductions concluded, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the journey that lay ahead—a journey that would test our mettle and forge bonds that would last a lifetime.