"Silence is more powerful than any word. Observe, understand, act—that is true strength." - Shiroi Natakani
Viktor had finally arrived in the basement as well. All fourteen participants were now present. The time had finally come for the final trial to begin. Aki was still in shock from the previous event. It triggered something within him. Now, he was certain of one thing: The people standing in the room with him were not his friends. No, they were his opponents, his rivals. The final trial was definitely not a team effort. In the worst case, Aki might even have to fight against Ryoko, Ryuu, or even Miho. The boy was prepared for anything, but one thing he knew for sure: No matter who he had to fight, he would always give it his all. After all, this was the last hurdle between him and the Sentinels. He had to adapt to the situation.
The examiner opened the only door that connected this room to the next. "First of all, I want to congratulate all of you. You've proven that you're worthy of a special unit. If nothing goes wrong, you'll be assigned to one, even if you don't make it into the Sentinels. But don't get lazy in this final trial. The spot with the Sentinels is reserved only for those who pass this test." As Viktor gave his short speech, they walked down a narrow corridor that stretched through the basement of the facility. Getting lazy? That was definitely not an option for Aki. After all, this could easily be a ploy to see if the participants would rely on securing a spot in one of the other special units.
When the small group reached the end of the corridor, they were met with a small train, just big enough for fifteen people. "This is the main mode of transportation in Kenkai," Viktor began. "We call it the 'Tracky.' There's a station in almost every country in this dimension. The Tracky is powered by the module of our leader, Kei. We will now travel to Kenkai's headquarters with the Tracky, where the final trial will take place!"
Filled with anticipation, the fourteen participants settled into the passenger seats. Viktor took his place at the front of the locomotive. The Tracky was a custom creation from the country of "Tenka," a land renowned for its most talented inventors and mechanics. This train was the first of its kind. One could simply select a station and let it run on autopilot. Moreover, it was entirely powered by the heat generated through the module of Kenkai's leader. The Tracky was the best train available at the time. Since it was only used within the underground tunnels of Kenkai, there was no need to worry about other trains. And so, the half-hour journey to Kenkai's headquarters began.
Moonfang Arc
Sentinel Entrance Exam
Chapter 6 - Duel (Part 1)
The train came to a stop, and the participants, along with Viktor, disembarked. Tatsuo almost vomited, as he quickly became nauseous on fast-moving vehicles. As the participants climbed the stairs, they were greeted by bright sunlight. They found themselves in a clean, neutral corridor. The floor was lined with light gray tiles, and the walls were completely white, with windows every two to three meters. Everything seemed very clean and orderly. Mirio admired the beautiful hallway and had definite respect for the architect. About halfway down the corridor was a glass door with a small red light above it. "Ah, not occupied. Very good," Viktor murmured as he pulled out a small card that looked like an employee badge. He held it up to a small sensor next to the glass door. The red light turned green, and the doors opened. "Make sure it doesn't close until everyone is inside," Viktor said as he continued walking. The participants were careful to ensure the door remained open until the entire group had passed through. After crossing another small corridor, they found themselves in front of a large arena. "Alright, take a seat in the spectator stands," Viktor directed. Everyone took a seat. Viktor stood a few rows in front of them, making sure everyone could see him. "Welcome to the final trial, the 1v1 battles. Whoever wins their match will be accepted into the Sentinels. Those who lose will be assigned to another unit. Good luck!"
The participants looked at each other in shock. It was now possible that they might have to fight against their closest friends. This trial was meant to decide everything. Aki, for his part, had already anticipated something like this. Viktor concluded the announcement of the final trial: "The first match will be between Maki and Chieko. You will fight on the training ground in 'Mountain Mode.' Good luck to both of you!" He then turned and took a seat himself. Maki and Chieko both stood up. Maki waited for Chieko to move first, as she wasn't entirely sure how to get to the arena. Chieko didn't know either, prompting Viktor to offer some assistance: "You just need to go all the way down the stairs you took to get to your seats, then go left or right. You'll see what I mean." As Maki passed by Viktor, she thanked him politely, while Chieko merely muttered a dismissive "figured as much."
As the two girls arrived at the battlefield, Viktor instructed them on how to officially start the match. Following his directions, Maki and Chieko both declared, "Battle, Start!" simultaneously. Instantly, the previously flat, white field inexplicably transformed into a rocky, realistic mountain landscape with towering peaks and deep valleys. Eight monitors hung from the ceiling, two in each cardinal direction. These monitors displayed the battle from both Maki's and Chieko's perspectives, ensuring that the audience could follow the action even when the fighters themselves were out of sight. A few seconds into the match, Chieko called out, "Detonator!" A ring materialized on her left middle finger, which appeared to be her module. She picked up a stone that fit perfectly in her hand, and red waves began to pulse through it. Chieko then hurled the stone toward Maki. "Anything could happen now; I should get away from that stone," Maki thought, wisely putting distance between herself and the projectile—a decision that would soon prove crucial. With a thunderous crash, the stone exploded, sending dust into the air and leaving a small crater where it had landed.
Maki had anticipated something like this. Taking advantage of the situation, the young sharpshooter used the cover of the dust cloud to slip out of Chieko's line of sight, moving to a higher elevation where she concealed herself behind another rise. The battlefield's center was a valley-like area, surrounded by higher ground, which Maki had successfully reached. While she had a moment to catch her breath, Maki pondered over Chieko's module. It seemed that Chieko could turn objects into bombs, initiated by the red light waves that spread through the object. Maki also hypothesized that Chieko might only be able to transform objects that fit perfectly in her hand, though this was just a theory for now.
Summoning her resolve, Maki quietly muttered, "Silent Whisper!" This called forth her sniper module, which materialized in her hands. The light from the materialization caught Chieko's attention, and she confidently exclaimed, "There you are!" But before Chieko could pick up another stone, a shot rang out from Maki's position, hitting her squarely. "Ouch!" Chieko noticed a blue paint splatter at the point of impact. "Paintball?! Is she trying not to hurt me too badly? It seems she can create her own projectiles as well..."
But before the bomb girl could think any further, the next shot had already come—this time directly behind her. "What, from behind?!" Maki kept going. She shot once and then quietly changed her position, followed by the next shot. Again and again, Maki hit the girl with her paintball rounds. Eventually, however, Chieko had enough. She gathered many stones that fit perfectly in her hand just for this moment. She shouted, "That's enough!" before she began firing bomb stones uncontrollably at the higher ground. By the end of this bombardment, only a flat, destroyed surface remained. Fortunately, Maki managed to escape every bomb just in time, but this situation could have ended fatally for her. "Now come here and fight me, you coward!" Chieko shouted angrily as she threw the next bomb. This one landed directly in front of Maki. This time, however, the girl couldn't evade the bomb. The bomb and Chieko's module reminded Maki of her past. When she was younger, she was always allowed to practice at her father's shooting range, which she enjoyed immensely. At some point, she promised her father that she would become a great general in the military.
The bomb exploded, hurling the girl directly to the edge of the battlefield. Blood was already flowing from her mouth, and her entire body was covered in dirt and dust. "No... I can't... I promised!" With her legs against the wall, the sharpshooter managed to support herself. Though her strength was waning, the sheer determination coursing through her body outweighed the pain. She screamed in agony as she took aim and fired one last shot—this time a real bullet. The projectile flew through the narrow gap between two stones and struck Chieko's ring. Instead of injuring the girl, the impact with the ring altered the bullet's trajectory, embedding it in one of the stones behind her. Despite the pain and the pressure of time, Maki had fired the shot with such precision that it hit the opposing module exactly as intended, without harming Chieko. The bomb girl's module shattered into its individual particles and dispersed into the air. Overcome by pain, Maki collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath hysterically. Viktor stood up and announced, "And the winner is... Maki Tachibana!" The battlefield then reverted to a normal training ground, and two men arrived to transport Maki away. Another man came to collect Chieko, who was visibly displeased with her defeat.
"Good," Viktor said. "Maki is now being treated with well-trained healing modules, so don't worry about her. In the next match, Kiku and Kichiro will face off. Good luck!" Aki was excited to learn that there were even modules for healing injuries. However, he was concerned about the upcoming match. After all, Kiku was the girl who could control others through seduction. But Aki knew nothing about this Kichiro. "You will fight on the training ground in 'Normal' mode, which means a flat field without any special gimmicks." Aki observed Kichiro closely. He had shoulder-length, wavy hair in a shade of blue reminiscent of the night sky. The tips of his hair were slightly lightened, almost like a gentle gradient into a lighter color. Kichiro's eyes were a deep, intense violet that almost seemed hypnotic. He also wore a simple, violet coat. All in all, Kichiro was a very attractive and unique-looking boy.
As Kichiro and Kiku shouted "Battle, Start!", Kiku immediately tried to seduce Kichiro—but to no effect. "Uh... is this thing broken...?" she wondered. After double-checking that her module was definitely activated, she tried again. "Oh, Kichiro dear... you'll get a reward after the fight!" The boy closed his eyes and replied coolly, "Sorry, I'll pass." This statement shocked Kiku. "Wh-Why?!" Kichiro opened his eyes again and answered, "I don't find you attractive," before moving closer to her. "Ahh, so you're the type who says I'm not attractive but then does it anyway. I'll gladly play along!" But Kichiro simply walked past her. As he passed, he gently struck a specific point on her neck with the edge of his hand. Kiku immediately lost consciousness, causing her module to disappear automatically. Viktor announced, "And the winner is Kichiro Hiraoka!" Kichiro reiterated, "I told you, I don't find you attractive." Another Kenkai staff member arrived to escort both of them away. Viktor then promptly announced the third match: "In the third match, Ryoko and Seiji will face off in 'Dungeon' mode!"
Ryoko and Seiji both stood up and entered the battlefield. "Battle, Start!" Aki felt a bit sad about the matchup, as he liked both fighters, though he still had a favorite. Around them, a large dungeon materialized where they were to fight. Right at the start of the match, Seiji manifested his module and hurled a ball of words and letters at Ryoko. These were pure information that she would have to process. Ryoko managed to dodge at the right moment, causing the ball to miss her. Aki realized that this amount of information could have had lethal consequences. Ryoko immediately began to run, but Seiji blocked one direction, forcing her to take the other. However, when she followed the corridor and turned left, she found herself at a dead end. "You know, Ryoko, I don't care about any of you. It doesn't matter to me what happens to any of you. I'd give everything I have against any of you, so don't take it personally."
The shocked girl crouched in a corner, but this did nothing to protect her from the impending attack. Another ball of information, just as large as the last, was fired at her, and this time she couldn't dodge. When Ryoko was hit, it seemed like everything was over. A flood of information overwhelmed her, pouring into her mind so quickly that she couldn't process it at all. Yet, with her last bit of strength, she instinctively opened her eyes and shouted, "Shield!" A large, ghostly figure appeared behind her and embraced the girl, stopping the torrent of information. "W-What is that?!" Seiji exclaimed in shock, "Is that your module?" Ryoko appeared completely healed. Even though Seiji continued to fire more information balls, they bounced off Shield without effect. Ryoko slowly advanced toward the boy, eventually ripping the book from his hands and holding it over the flames of the torches that hung on the walls to her left and right. This act destroyed Seiji's module, and Ryoko won the battle. "The winner is Ryoko Miyamoto!" When Aki heard this, he immediately felt relieved. At the beginning of the fight, he was worried, but in the end, Ryoko had succeeded.
As both participants left the room, the contenders for the fourth match were already being called in. "The next battle will be between Ryuu and Shiroi in 'Wasteland' mode." Aki recalled his encounter with Shiroi during the first trial. He hadn't expected the boy to make it this far. After they said, "Battle, Start!", the arena transformed into a bleak, flat wasteland. "Hey, Shiroi. Good luck to you!" Ryuu immediately took the initiative, summoning his fire wings and taking to the sky. The young dragon circled the arena, repeatedly launching fireballs down at Shiroi. In a friendly tone, Shiroi said, "Oh, little dragon. Could you perhaps surrender?" Ryuu ignored the remark and continued to rain fireballs on Shiroi. However, the fireballs dissolved into white paint that rained down on Shiroi. He calmly added, "Come on, Ryuu. Do it for both of us." Once again, the dragon boy paid no attention to his opponent's words. He unleashed a chain of ten fire orbs at Shiroi, but the attacks had no effect. Shiroi remained standing in the same spot, unmoved since the beginning of the battle.
Shiroi then said, "If you don't stop attacking me..." His voice grew dark and menacing. The boy who had seemed so cheerful just moments ago now stared directly into Ryuu's eyes, finishing his sentence: "...I will kill you." This was no idle threat; he meant it with deadly seriousness. With those words, a massive wave of murderous intent washed over Ryuu. The intensity of it caused him to lose control, and his module dissolved in shock and fear. After all, modules are the manifestations of a person's soul, and when the user's psyche becomes unstable, so does the module. Ryuu plummeted from about five meters to the ground, his face blank and traumatized. As Kenkai staff once again came to retrieve both participants, Aki and the other contestants were left in shock. Shiroi was clearly not the person they had thought he was. Out of all the participants, he was by far the most unpredictable. Even Viktor was taken aback, forgetting to announce Shiroi's victory.
With a shaken voice, Viktor continued, "N-Next up are..." Every participant eagerly awaited to hear who would be called next until Viktor finished his sentence: "...Miho and Mirio!" Though the battles proceeded as usual, everyone knew that far worse challenges awaited them in their future as Sentinels than what had just transpired. Aki glanced around the now considerably empty stands, observing who was still left. The remaining participants were Miho, Mirio, Hachiro, Aimi, and Tatsuo. Aki's expression grew serious. There was a 33% chance that he would have to fight Tatsuo. With a sinking feeling, the battles moved into the next round. In just a few minutes, the final entrance exam would be decided.
Hey! Thanks for reading the sixth chapter of Akuma! Just one more chapter, and then the story really kicks off!
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