The Kingdom of Radiance glowed with its usual ethereal beauty as Yumi’s group approached its gates. The towering spires shimmered under the sunlight, and the air felt warm and welcoming, a stark contrast to the small, somber village they had left behind. Itsuki walked beside Yumi, her steps light but purposeful. She couldn’t shake the sense of pride that came with the knowledge that the entire village had been healed and cured, a feat no healer had ever achieved before. As they entered the city, Yumi glanced over her shoulder at Itsuki. “You’ve earned your place in history, you know,” she said with a rare, warm smile. Itsuki blushed. “I was just doing my best. It wasn’t just me; everyone contributed.” Yumi chuckled. “Humble as always. But trust me, Itsuki, what you did wasn’t just impressive, it was revolutionary.” The main courtyard of the academy buzzed with life as groups returned from their assignments. Hiroto’s group was already there, chatting among themselves. Yoshinori stood quietly by a fountain, his hands in his pockets, while Aiko animatedly talked to him, clearly enjoying herself. “Why are you so quiet all the time?” Aiko asked, leaning closer with a teasing grin. “You’ve got a lot going on in that brain of yours, don’t you? Come on, spill!” Yoshinori shrugged, his eyes darting away. “I’m just not much of a talker.” “That’s not an excuse,” Aiko teased. “You’re gonna have to open up eventually. Might as well start now.” Nearby, Ryuji’s eyes lit up when he spotted Aira among Yumi’s group. He strode over confidently, his grin wide. “Hey there,” he said, stopping in front of her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl prettier than you.” Aira blinked, surprised by the direct compliment. Before she could respond, a laugh rang out. “Ryuji, you use that line on every girl you meet!” Aiko called, clutching her stomach as she laughed. “It never works.” Aira gave Ryuji a polite smile, her voice soft but firm. “That’s very sweet of you, but… I’m not interested. Sorry.” Ryuji’s shoulders slumped as he walked back toward Aiko and Yoshinori, his usual confidence replaced with a pout. Aiko’s laughter only grew louder. “I told you! It’s not gonna work, Ryuji!” Despite himself, Yoshinori let out a small smirk, which only fueled Aiko’s amusement. At that moment, Itsuki approached the group, her eyes lighting up when she spotted Yoshinori. “Hey, Yoshinori! How was your week?” Yoshinori glanced at her, his expression softening. “It was good. I met these two,” he said, gesturing toward Aiko and Ryuji. Itsuki smiled warmly at them. “Hi, I’m Itsuki. Yoshinori and I met during the exams. We’re friends.” Aiko’s eyes flickered between Itsuki and Yoshinori, and a curious thought crossed her mind. Are they together? she wondered. If they are, I’d better back off. But if they’re not… “Nice to meet you, Itsuki!” Aiko said aloud, her grin friendly but determined. I’ll become close with Yoshinori and force him to open up to me, she vowed silently. By mid-afternoon, Akira’s group returned, their gear dirtied and worn from a week of dungeon raids. They looked tired but triumphant. Not long after, Mei’s group arrived, carrying similar signs of hard work and success. The courtyard grew livelier with each returning group, and the camaraderie among the students was palpable. The last to return was Kaito’s group. Heads turned as Shunjiro, Sora, Jayiden, and Tetsuo walked alongside Kaito, their postures straight and expressions unreadable. The four of them had been training relentlessly under Kaito’s grueling regimen, and it showed. “Looks like we’re in for a show,” Ryuji said, leaning against the fountain. “What do you mean?” Itsuki asked, glancing at him. “You’ll see,” Ryuji replied, smirking. Kaito led his group into the academy’s training grounds, a large open space surrounded by tiered seating. The other groups followed, filling the seats to watch. Whispers and murmurs spread through the crowd as anticipation grew. “What’s going on?” Itsuki asked, sitting beside Yoshinori. “You’ll understand soon enough,” Yoshinori replied, his tone unusually serious. Kaito stepped into the center of the training grounds, his commanding presence silencing the crowd. He gestured for Shunjiro, Sora, Jayiden, and Tetsuo to stand on one side while he took his place on the opposite end. “Listen up!” Kaito’s voice boomed across the grounds. “This is the final test for my group. The rules are simple: all four of them will attack me at once and try to land a hit. Only one of them needs to succeed for the group to pass. If they fail, they’ll be disqualified and will not advance in the exams.” Gasps and murmurs erupted among the spectators. “That’s insane,” Aira whispered. “Not really,” Aiko said, leaning forward eagerly. “Kaito’s been training them for this. It’s the ultimate test.” Itsuki’s heart sank as she spotted Shunjiro in the lineup. Her worry deepened as she glanced at Yoshinori, whose furrowed brow and clenched fists mirrored her concern. “Shunjiro…” Itsuki whispered. Yoshinori’s voice was low. “Kaito isn’t going to hold back.” On the training grounds, Kaito crossed his arms, his sharp eyes scanning the four students before him. Shunjiro stood at the front, his usual goofy demeanor replaced with an uncharacteristically serious expression. Tetsuo cracked his knuckles, a confident grin on his face, while Sora adjusted his gloves, his movements precise and focused. Jayiden remained silent, his eyes narrowed and calculating. “Ready?” Kaito called. The four students nodded. Kaito raised his hand. “Three… two… one…” “Go.”