Soba lies in a pile of sand under water. He wakes up.
Soba: "What the hell? Where am I? Wait, I remember. That storm."
Soba checks for Ria, and sees his arm wrapped around her. He breathes a sigh of relief. Looking around he notices that they're underwater. He thinks for a second.
Soba: "How the hell are we breathing? How am I talking?!"
He then sees that there's some kind of air bubble around them but he doesn't know why. He notices something touching his hand. He looks down and sees a sword.
Soba: "What's this doing down here?"
He pulls his hand away from the sword and the bubble disappears and water immediately starts rushing towards them. He grabs the sword as quickly as he can and the bubble reforms. Soba looks extremely confused.
???: "Hello."
Soba gets more confused. He hears a voice but doesn't see anyone.
Soba: "Who's there?"
No response.
Soba: "Answer me damn it!"
???: "I'm sorry. I was just trying to figure out a way to explain this."
Just then, a girl with long white hair appears in front of Soba. She looks no older than him. He's confused about how she got there.
Chikara: "My name is Chikara. It's gonna be kinda hard to explain this but I'm the spirit that resides within that sword that you're holding."
Soba stares at her dumbfounded.
Soba: ".....You wanna say that out loud one more time? Everyone knows only the owner of the sword can see the sword spirit."
Chikara: "Well, let's say I'm a…..special case. Look, we don't really have the time to explain this. That girl doesn't look well."
Soba looks down at Ria.
Soba: "Fine, but I'm not done with you."
He takes the strap from the sword and wraps Ria onto his back. He continues to hold the sword so as to not release the bubble.
Soba: "Alright Chisa you can tell me what's going on while I run."
Chikara: "First, my name is Chikara and second I already told you I'm the spirit that resides within the sword."
Soba rolls his eyes.
Soba: "Let's say I believe you, why am I able to use you, and what are you doing at the bottom of the sea?"
After he says that she gets a depressed look on her face.
Chikara: "I…."
She pauses.
Soba: "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand certain things being touchy."
Chikara: "No, no. It's fine. You're my master now so you deserve to know."
Soba tightens the strap that's holding Ria to him before paying close attention.
Chikara: "It's been a really long time now, centuries would be an understatement. A great blacksmith made me, he said I was his first creation. He was very proud of himself. After he learned how to use magic he imbued me with it. It gave my spirit form and he gave me the name Chikara. I was happy. We were happy. But, over the years he got better and better, and eventually realized all the mistakes he made with me. He was so ashamed that he couldn't stand to look at me. One day he got completely fed up and took me out on a boat…."
She then stopped talking and she started to tear up. Soba started thinking.
Soba: "I suck at getting girls to stop crying, but I gotta try."
Soba stops running and Chikara looks back at him. He then tries his best to make a face to get her to laugh. She pauses for a second and then starts laughing.
Chikara: "You're such an idiot."
She smiles at him and he smiles back
Soba: "So you said he imbued you with some type of power, judging from the bubble I'm guessing it's some kind of air magic."
She makes an X with her arms.
Chikara: "Wrong. My power is the power of Force."
Soba: "Force?"
Chikara: "Yes I'm able to create bubbles that cause a certain amount of pressure or force depending on your will."
Soba: "My will?"
Chikara: "Well of course, you found me so you're my new master."
Just then, Soba had a realization and stopped running.
Soba: "If Chikara is my sword then I...I can still..."
Chikara: "Do you talk to yourself often?
Soba: "YESSS!!!!!"
Soba then takes a massive jump and he notices that bubbles form under his feet and push him upward and he leaves the water.
Chikara: "You seem happy."
She spins upside down in the air.
Chikara: "Is it cause you realized you can accomplish your dream?"
Soba: "You know about that?"
Soba lands on the ground and starts running again.
Chikara: "Of course I'm in your head. Didn't take you for the type to be into blondes."
Soba: "We'll talk about the implications of that later, for now I think I'm getting the hang of this Force thing. Let's get Ria home."
Soba starts using the force bubbles to push himself forward. Moving much faster than usual, Soba makes it home in minutes. Halfway there he notices Chikara isn't by his side anymore. He runs into the front yard and sees Kase training Sono.
Kase: "Soba, your back early."
He spoke with an awkward smile on his face like he's hiding something. The smile disappears the moment he sees Ria. He rushes over to the pair and puts Ria on the ground.
Kase "What happened to her?"
Soba explains everything including Chikara as Kase looks her over. After that they bring her into the house. They see Koda and Saiori cooking dinner.
Koda: "Soba, Kase? What happened to Ria?"
Kase: "No time to explain, get the healing tools ready in the back."
Koda rushes off to the back room and Saiori walks up to Soba.
Saiori: "Is Ria gonna be ok?"
She asks him with tears in her eyes. Soba smiles at her.
Soba: "Of course. She'll be fine. Now go help mom."
She smiles and hugs him. As Saiori walks off, Soba tries to walk after her but Kase stops him.
Kase: "We've got things handled here. You know what today is. Don't you think you should get there?"
Soba stares at him for a second.
Soba: "But-"
Kase: "You have a sword now. No excuses. Go, become the Sword God."
Kase smiles at Soba. Soba smiles back and runs out the door.
Soba: "He's right. No excuses. I'm not gonna fail! Let's go Chikara!"