-SELENE: Hiruko, I'm not going to be walking around with you any more; you know how to get into trouble.
-Uli: Don't overdo it with him, Selene.
-SELENE: That goes for you too. Was the word 'discretion' never in your vocabulary? Frankly, at some point you have to have a conscience. And you, Hiruko, should be the first to know what to expect. What's more, there are plenty of highly experienced military candidates out there.
-Uli: Don't underestimate us though, in our promotion we were in the top 10.
-HIRUKO: I can confirm that, and don't be afraid, we're going to win all the tests, as long as we stick together. Even if KONRAD prefers to go it alone, but I'm not worried about him, he's still top of our class, even if he's just a little bit ahead of me.
-ULI & SELENE: He's way ahead of you, you idiot.
-HIRUKO: Wait, when I master the Anima perfectly, you won't believe your eyes.
-SELENE: Let's go, we don't have time to waste risking the examiners' orders.
-You're right, but shouldn't we have something to eat first?
No, Uli.
*At the Palais Royal, 12.30 p.m.
-I find this weather very gloomy and too cloudy. As someone who prefers to paint, I'm going to lack inspiration today. What do you think, my boy?
-Gabriel : I think the weather's fine. I don't understand why I'm wasting my time here when there are more interesting and exciting things to do outside. In any case, more than watching you paint. Even she agrees with me, doesn't she, Dorothy?
-Dorothy: I don't care what you think, Your Highness, as long as there's creativity to be seen, I don't mind.
-Queen Adeline: Come, come, I understand your youth. I know you'd still like to get away to see the Magi competition. Is that what it's called? Well, who cares? It's just that this competition seems to interest you far too much. Is that because it's in our kingdom? You've always been interested in science and alchemy, haven't you?
Gabrielle: No, when I went to the pre-selection area, I saw some fascinating candidates.
-Reine Adeline: I heard about an interesting candidate too. According to the rumours, he's going to be the new Dorothy. Are we talking about the same person?
-Gabriel: Yes, I've seen him in person, and I'm inspired by the way he goes out of his way to achieve his goals.
-Kosuga: the queen and the prince both said his name.
-Gabriel: I knew. And guess what helped him reach his level in such a short time? I did!
-Dorothy: We've been seeing talented candidates die for years just because they want to become heroes and Daimio, and I still feel the same way today.
-Reine Adeline: Why do you say that? And besides, you should know about the tests that have been prepared for them, shouldn't you?
- Dorothy: Yes, and that's why I don't think they're up to it.
*Arrived at the assembly point with our hero and his gang*
-Royal Guard: The examiners are about to make the announcement. The 300 candidates are asked to come and listen to the injunctions to assemble.
-Goki : Um, most of them are veterans, so I feel sorry for the newcomers and I can smell the blood on most of them, but that's not my problem, because I need to pass these tests quickly so I can meet my brother.
Waiting for the examiners, the other candidates began to get to know each other.
I said to them: 'Hey, young man, I like your sword, is it a slaker? You know that's not allowed for beginners. Are you a veteran who doesn't want to give the new generation a chance?' While touching his shoulder.
Goki: 'Get your filthy hands off me if you don't want to regret it.' Goki told him after giving him a hostile look that scared the other candidates.
- Goki said: 'OK, that's fine, I was just being nice to you. Then he moved on to other people to be partners.
Royal Guards: 'Everyone, please welcome your examiner.
-Goki: The examiner is late, he should have been ready 2 hours ago.
- ULI: Anyway, I'm going to see what the person who's going to test us this time looks like.
Royal Guards: The Very Great and Distinguished 'Dorothy Keyter'.
-HIRUKO: What?
-ULI: Well, I'm going to have a closer look. She's always been my idol, ever since I was a kid, I've dreamt of becoming just like her.
-Selene: Wow, she's got flow, even her walk is imperial, everything about her is magnificent.
- Other candidates: wow, and to think she's single!
- And who would be worthy of her? I can't think of anyone, not even the King or our Prime Minister.
-HIRUKO: Shit, is that her? What's she doing here? Tamayo and Big Brother Arima have forbidden me to cross her path before I reach the top ranks. Bad luck for me if she spots me, it's the end of me. HIRUKO was gripped by fear.
- GOKI: So it's her! I didn't think she'd come to such a mundane event, even if her country is hosting it.
- Hey, quiet! She speaks. Let's hear it.
-DOROTHY: Greetings to you all. I'm glad to see that there are even more of you this year, and that we're doing everything we can to aspire to be strong and to serve humanity. You should know, however, that this test will be tougher, and that it's all about choosing excellence. It will be severe, even if none of you meet the criteria. None of you? Then you must be prepared to risk everything. As for weak and sensitive souls, it's not too late to give up now...
- The other candidates: No, but we've travelled a long way to pass the tests, so asking us to give up isn't going to get us through.
-DOROTHY: Young lady, if you knew what was ahead of us, believe me, you'd be better off throwing in the sponges if you're not strong.
- It's just a few trials, you just have to try and if it doesn't work, then we'll come back again and again.
- Dorothy: You know, I chose the tests for you and instead of doing more, I'm only going to give you one. Whoever wins it gets to join the Coalition army, even if you all have to pass this one test.
- GOKI: Um, she's joking I hope, just one test?
- other candidate: 'Come on, take the test and get it over with, it's my lucky day.'
- SELENE: There's something dark lurking there, I'm sure of it.
* at the royal palace*
-Queen Adeline: So Dorothy has only prepared one test? I can see she doesn't like visitors to the kingdom.
-Gabriel: Mother, they're certainly not ready and qualified for this test yet. Dorothy always tries too hard and she's too demanding, there will be deaths.
-Queen Adeline: What do you expect us to do with useless soldiers who can't pass a few tests? We're not going to save humanity with incompetents, do you understand, my son?
-Gabriel: All right, Mother.
* at the gathering place at the start of the trials.
-Ageel: Hey, Giantess, why don't you tell us what we have to do instead of continuing to humiliate us? We've got better things to do than listen to your monologue.
-Dorothy: I see. Normally, this nonsense would have cost you a leg and your career, but today I'll be nice enough to let you die during the ordeal.
-Ageel: You talk too much.
-Dorothy: Otherwise, the next test will be to run a dungeon for 3 days.
- Goki, Hiruko, Ageel, Selene, Gabriel: What? A dungeon?
-Uli: But we don't have the level to explore a dungeon yet!
-Selene: Normally it's a test for sergeants, colonels and daimios.
-Ageel: Old woman, aren't you doing the wrong test? This is reserved for Daimios, given the risks involved.
Dorothy: For a multi-storey dungeon, a single daimyo is enough and he can exploit it with a 40% chance of getting out alive.
-Ageel: And that's where you want to take us?
-Dorothy: I didn't force anyone and you can go in any order you like, alone or in groups. I'll even allow you to form groups and bring me the arms or bones of any creatures you find in there. So, if you're scared, my boy, please take the cart and go back to your kingdom and come back after five years. And also, I forgot: so that you can pass this test, there's an armoury where we'll take you. There you can equip yourself with Anima and Slaker of your choice, as well as arcane stones.
-Goki: I knew we'd be facing Draugr. Otherwise, I don't see what the Anima have to do with anything.
-HIRUKO: I'm afraid. ARIMA was too strong. I've heard that he's explored several dungeons in just a few days and he's an unrivalled player. I'd like to keep going, but I've only just mastered Anima and facing a dragon is suicide. I think I need to...
-I give up, I've already seen the damage these creatures have done to my kingdom's military and given my level, I don't think I can come back from a dungeon alive,' says one of the first candidates.
-I'm giving up too. I think I'll be ready in five years' time. It's not the end of the world after all. In any case, I'm going to make up for it. These were the words of a second candidate.
-HIRUKO: But maybe I'll have to come back afterwards too, and there'll be another examiner less sadistic than Dorothy in the next five years.
*Afterwards, several candidates gave up on the idea of taking part in the second round.
-Gabriel: Dorothy started off really well by attacking them mentally. She has the power to impose her authority on the mind and I didn't know that this would affect more than 170 candidates. Hiruko, I know you're not ready yet, but you have good potential. I'd like you to give up, you've still got a great future ahead of you.
-Dorothy: Well, 131 is enough to explore this dungeon, even if I'd have preferred it if there were 10 more.
-HIRUKO: That's not how I want to be selected. I don't want every time to be a fluke. Luck itself. Meeting Colonel Zaruba. If it had been anyone else, I'd already be dead. But...
-Ageel: I'm scared, but would Master Hayabuza be proud of me if I gave up like a coward? But he wouldn't be happy to see me take a risk and fight a losing battle either. I also think I should.
I also think I should.
- Dorothy Keyteler, I'm not afraid of you or what you can do to my head. I want you to know that I'm not going to back down from any dungeon, no matter how big or small, least of all you. I've got a goal to achieve and I've outdone myself in just one day. It wasn't luck as you want to impose on my mind if others give in to fear. What I'm afraid of is remaining a coward, and if I don't fulfil my dream, I'll be a coward, a coward who won't have fulfilled his dream. I'll get out of this dungeon, believe me, Daimio. I'm Hiruko Kosuga, don't ever forget that,' said Hiruko, screaming to overcome her fear and warn the Daimio that she would stop at nothing.
*At the royal palace
-Gabriel: hahaha, I'm proud of you, Kosuga.
-Ageel: Er, HIRUKO, you...
-Uli: 'Well said buddy, I know you won't give up'.
-Selene: Here we go, although I've taught them not to be heroes and to always keep a low profile, but it's no use with HIRUKO.
-Hayabuza: hahaha he's so stupid, but it lightened the mood.
-Dorothy: You talk a lot more than the other guy, I see, and I'll have you in my sights.
-HIRUKO: I never stay the prey.
-GOKI: He said his name was 'KOSUGA'!
-Dorothy: If not, let those who've been hired follow me to the armoury and get ready to explore the dungeon.
'HIRUKO, something tells me I've already sensed you, or at least the presence you exude to stand up to me. So, Entoucas, good luck and may these words not be just empty words.'