REIKENS

The training field of Arkanum Academy was filled with students murmuring among themselves, full of curiosity and tension. The air was charged with anticipation, and the sun shone brightly over the well-kept grass. The Sentinel candidates gathered in small circles, discussing the possible tests that awaited them.

—Wow, I wonder what the tests will be. They won't be easy, that's for sure —said one of the students, adjusting his training gloves.

—We have to give it our all! —added another, his face showing the seriousness of the situation.

Hino, standing next to Sukasa, watched the commotion around her with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

—There are so many people here... —Hino commented, biting her lower lip.

Sukasa gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, trying to boost her confidence.

—Come on, Hino! We have to do our best —she said with a determined smile, her eyes shining with resolve.

Hino nodded, though still unsure.

—Hmm... yeah.

At that moment, a tall man with brown hair stepped forward toward the group of students, capturing everyone's attention. His imposing presence and deep but clear voice silenced the crowd.

—Good morning, Sentinel candidates —he said, looking at each of the present—. For those who don't know me, my name is Isein Mūsu, one of the four Jotas of Arkanum Academy. I'm here to inform you that this year's selection format has changed.

A murmur of surprise ran through the group of students. Some exchanged worried glances, while others frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the news.

—What?! That's impossible! —complained one of the students, raising his voice.

Isein raised his hand, asking for silence.

—This new format will consist of everyone competing against everyone. There are only five spots available for Sentinels, so only the top five will join the hierarchy of Arkanum —he explained firmly—. The tests will be more demanding than in previous years. If anyone wants to withdraw now, there's no problem.

Several students began to step back, especially the first-years. The rules had changed too quickly for them, and the pressure was evident on their faces.

—Let's go, we don't stand a chance —said one, followed by several others who walked toward the stands.

Hino, watching the scene, bit her lip.

—What do we do, Sukasa? —she asked, worried.

Sukasa frowned, clearly frustrated.

—Darn it! Our chances just dropped drastically —she replied, but after a few seconds, she took a deep breath—. But I'm not giving up!

Hino looked at her in surprise, but then sighed and smiled with resignation.

—Alright... if you're going to keep going, so will I —she said, trying to show courage.

Isein watched as half of the candidates withdrew, just as Igurū had predicted. From a distance, Igurū nodded, a gesture of approval.

—Good, seeing that only the most determined remain, and with the permission of our Kings, I hereby declare this year's Sentinel selection officially open —Isein announced with a firm voice.

The applause and cheers of the remaining students echoed across the training field. From the stage, Remy smiled and waved at Sukasa and Hino.

—Sukasa, Hino, good luck! —she shouted enthusiastically.

Igurū looked at her, embarrassed.

—Remy, please, control yourself... —he said in a low voice, with a hand on his forehead.

Isein began to explain the first test.

—The first test will be an obstacle course. The first 50 students to reach the finish line will advance to the next round.

During the test...

Sukasa looked at the course with determination and then glanced at Hino.

—Come on, Hino! If we don't hurry, we'll fall behind —she said, running at full speed.

Hino, though visibly tired, was giving it her all.

—I'm doing my best! —she replied, panting, trying to keep up with Sukasa.

Isein, with his energetic voice, announced the next test as the first students crossed the finish line.

—The second test is the strength test. Participants will measure their strength on this punching machine. The 10 lowest scores will be eliminated.

During the strength test...

Sukasa, with all her pent-up energy, punched the machine so hard that it shattered into pieces.

—Sorry... does that count as a score? —she asked, looking at the Sentinel in charge of the test while shaking her knuckles.

The Sentinel, somewhat nervous, laughed awkwardly.

—Hmm... yeah, I think so... hehehe...

Meanwhile, on the stage...

Remy was clearly impressed.

—Did you see that, Igurū? —she asked, looking at Sukasa on the field.

Igurū nodded calmly, though somewhat surprised by the display of strength.

—Yes, Sukasa is surprisingly strong physically. What do you think, Kuro? —he asked, turning to his friend, who remained serious.

Kuro, watching intently, had a somber expression.

—Wow, that girl is really crazy... I'd better not provoke her —he thought to himself, but what he said out loud was—: She's quite strong, that's for sure.

Isein stood up to explain the next test.

—The third test is an energy control test. Participants will have to launch an attack at that large target. It's made of a very resistant mineral, so don't hold back. The top 10 who deal the most damage to the target will advance to the next round.

During the energy control test...

Hino, with her eyes closed, concentrated deeply.

—I have to focus all my energy into this attack... —she murmured. With a quick motion, she launched a powerful fire attack that completely destroyed the target.

—I did it, I did it, Sukasa! —she exclaimed, euphoric.

Sukasa smiled, seeing her friend so excited.

—I'm happy for you, Hino!

Hino looked at Sukasa's target and was left speechless.

—How did you do that?

Sukasa, somewhat embarrassed, pointed at her target, which was now just dust.

—I think I overdid it a little...

Hino looked at her incredulously.

—Just a little?

Isein, observing how the selection was progressing, reviewed the next test and looked up to see Kuro smiling strangely from the stage.

—The next test is... —Isein paused, clearly uncomfortable—. A game of volleyball in the pool. The winning team will advance to the final test.

The training field fell into complete silence as the students, perplexed, exchanged glances.

—Please, go change for the test —added Isein, his tone full of embarrassment.

Meanwhile, on the stage...

Igurū turned to Kuro with fury in his eyes.

—Kuro! —he shouted, grabbing him by the neck and shaking him—. What does a volleyball game have to do with the tests?

Kuro, still smiling, tried to calm him down.

—Wait, wait! You asked me to choose a test, and that's what I did!

Igurū, still angry, stared at him.

—Couldn't you have chosen something other than volleyball... in a pool?

Kuro, trying to justify it, smiled mischievously.

—You didn't stop to think that this will test the candidates' reflexes and reasoning under pressure...

Igurū slowly let him go, still annoyed.

—But did it have to be in a pool? —he asked, frowning.

Kuro, with a sly smile, added in a low voice.

—It adds difficulty to the test... I swear, I had no other intentions. —Though his thoughts said otherwise: "And this way, I get to see the candidates in swimsuits, hehehe."

Igurū looked at him in embarrassment while Kuro maintained a lustful expression.

Hino looked at Sukasa as they both headed to change for the next test.

—Hey, Sukasa... why do you think they chose this test? —she asked, clearly puzzled.

Sukasa frowned.

—I really have no idea... —she replied with suspicion.

A short time later, at the academy pool...

The atmosphere was charged with excitement as the students gathered around the pool. Isein took the microphone, looking at the teams that were already ready.

—Alright, we'll now begin the next test —he announced, as applause and cheers of excitement filled the air—. You've been randomly assigned to teams: Team A and Team B. Keep in mind that the losing team will be disqualified from the selection. This test will consist of the team that scores the most points in 20 minutes being the winner. I wish you all good luck.

Sukasa looked around with a smile on her face.

—Wow, this is amazing! —she exclaimed—. We're on the same team, Hino!

Hino nodded, also surprised by the coincidence.

—Yeah, what luck... Now we just have to win this game —she said, though her tone betrayed her nervousness.

Sukasa looked at the other three students who were part of her team, Team A.

—Let's give it our best! —she said with a motivating smile.

The other candidates on Team A nodded.

—Hmm... Yeah! —they replied, though their spirits were more reserved, as only two seemed nervous except for one.

On the other side of the pool, the members of Team B were preparing for the challenge.

—Let's give it our all to win! —they shouted enthusiastically, ready for the competition.

Teacher Kaishin, the referee for the match, stood at the edge of the pool with a whistle in his hand.

—I was put in charge of refereeing this game —he said in his usual impatient tone—. So let's start and finish quickly. —He put the whistle to his mouth and blew it, starting the match.

The volleyball game began with a frenzy of movements. The players from both teams ran and jumped in the pool, fighting to score points. The sounds of effort and splashing echoed across the field.

Meanwhile, on the stage...

Kuro watched intently, but not for the right reasons. His eyes followed the women on both teams as his expression turned into a lustful smile.

—Hmm... this is magnificent —he thought, almost entranced—. This is exactly what I wanted, I hope the game doesn't end soon. —His face filled with a perverted expression.

Suddenly, Remy smacked him hard on the head.

—What do you think you're looking at, pervert? —she scolded, clearly annoyed.

Kuro, rubbing his head, tried to justify himself.

—Ow ow ow ow! I was just evaluating them carefully! —he said, trying to sound innocent.

Remy looked at him skeptically.

—Yeah, sure... You're a real piece of work, you know that? —she retorted, crossing her arms.

Kuro, unwilling to take all the blame, looked at Igurū.

—But I'm not the only one. Look at Igurū —he said, pointing at his friend.

Igurū, with his arms crossed and a serious expression, was analyzing the situation on the field.

—Hmm... Kuro was right, aside from the absurdity of this test, I can see the stress it's causing the candidates. Plus, the quick thinking and agility they're showing is impressive. It'll be interesting to see the result. —he thought deeply.

Before he could continue, Remy also smacked him on the head.

—You too, Igurū! —she shouted, clearly embarrassed and annoyed with both of them.

Igurū, surprised, brought his hand to his head.

—Ow ow ow ow! What's wrong with you, Remy?

Remy, with slightly flushed cheeks, responded in an indignant tone.

—What do you mean, what's wrong with me? You're both perverts! —she said while looking away, clearly embarrassed.

Igurū, still rubbing his head, tried to defend himself.

—I don't know what you're talking about... I was just...

Before he could finish, the sound of the whistle echoed, signaling the end of the match.

Isein stepped forward, looking at the exhausted students who had given their all in the pool.

—Wow, that was a real game... Both teams gave it their best. But the winner, by highest score, is... —a tense silence filled the air—. Team A.

Applause and cheers of excitement echoed across the field.

Hino, upon hearing the result, couldn't contain her emotions. She ran to Sukasa and hugged her tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face.

—We did it, Sukasa! —she shouted while crying on her shoulder.

Sukasa, surprised, tried to calm her friend.

—Yes, Hino, I know! But... stop crying, everyone's watching... —she said, gently trying to push her away.

Hino, though aware of the situation, couldn't stop the tears.

—I know... but I can't stop... Aaaaah!

Meanwhile, on the stage...

Remy, with a satisfied smile, looked at Igurū excitedly.

—Did you hear, Igurū? Sukasa and Hino's team won! —she said enthusiastically.

Igurū, surprised by the result, slowly stepped forward.

—Wow, I never thought they'd make it this far... —he commented, somewhat impressed—. What do you think, Kuro?

Kuro, who had regained his composure, responded seriously.

—They shouldn't celebrate yet... The real test is about to begin —he said, his tone turning somber, as if he knew something the others didn't.

Moments later...

The training field fell into an expectant silence. All eyes were on Isein, who was preparing to make the final announcement.

—Well, seeing that only five participants remain, many would say the tests have come to an end.

The students erupted in cheers, celebrating the end of the challenge. However, Isein raised a hand, silencing the commotion in an instant.

—But the truth is, they're not over yet.

The air grew tense. Murmurs of surprise and incredulous looks spread across the field.

—What?! —exclaimed a student, his voice breaking the silence—. That's impossible! You already have the five you need!

Isein remained firm, his voice resonating with authority.

—There's no doubt that the finalists have proven their worth. However, there's still the final test, the decisive one, which will determine if they're truly fit to join the hierarchy of Arkanum and become Sentinels of the academy.

The murmurs among the crowd grew, a mix of disbelief and anxiety spreading like wildfire. But when Isein revealed the next detail, it left everyone speechless.

—For this, they will face direct combat against some of the highest ranks in the hierarchy.

A shiver ran through the students. Wide eyes, open mouths.

—W-what...?

—And yes —Isein continued, pausing intentionally to heighten the tension—, we're talking about some of the Jotas, the Queen herself... even the Kings of Arkanum.

The reaction was immediate. Some students protested.

—That's absurd! They'll never beat them!

—They're just using us for entertainment!

Isein, unfazed by the uproar, raised his voice, dispelling the chaos.

—To ensure a fair fight, participants will be allowed to use their Reikens, if they have them, and all their elemental abilities in combat. On the other hand, the higher ranks will be limited to common swords and won't be able to use their elemental energy.

The commotion died down, though uncertainty still hung in the air.

—That balances it a bit, but still... —murmured a student—. Don't you think it's crazy?

Isein ignored the comments and continued.

—The duels have been organized based on the strength and ability of the participants. The strongest will have the honor of facing our Kings. I wish you luck... you'll need it.

Sukasa watched everything from her position. Her heart pounded heavily, a crushing weight settling on her shoulders.

"I never imagined it would come to this..."

She looked at the other finalists. Their faces reflected the same mix of nervousness and determination. Some swallowed hard, others stood rigid, as if still trying to process the news.

—What do I do now...? —she whispered, feeling the pressure grow denser.

Hino Tora approached with a slightly trembling but sincere smile.

—Sukasa... let's do our best.

Sukasa looked at her for a moment. Then, she exhaled deeply and nodded.

—You're right. We didn't come this far to give up. —She turned to the other finalists, feeling her resolve strengthen—. We have to show our true strength.

—We won't go down without a fight! —she exclaimed with conviction.

Both turned and ran toward the locker rooms, ready to gear up.

From the shadows of a nearby hallway, a figure with long reddish hair watched them with a smile.

—Well, well... it seems they haven't lost their will to fight —he murmured to himself, a glint of amusement in his eyes—. This will be interesting... very interesting.

With one last glance at the girls, he turned on his heel and walked away with a relaxed step.

—I'd better inform Igurū and Kuro about this...

His words faded into the dimness of the hallway as he disappeared into the darkness.