[Note:
" * " : Indicates abilities that can be upgraded with practice, experience, or unique opportunities.]
> System inner voice ["speaking"] <
> Ash inner speech "speaking" <
{}
NOJIKO'S TRAIL:
Nojiko squinted against the bright light, her hand shielding her eyes. The moment she opened them; her heart skipped a beat.
She stood at the foot of a grand hall, its stone walls lined with banners that shimmered faintly in the ambient glow.
The air hummed with an almost regal tension, thick with whispers from the elegantly dressed onlookers surrounding her. Their faces were stern, focused on her, though their chatter was muffled in the distance.
And there, on a raised dais at the far end of the hall, sat a woman looked imposing and regal. Her presence was so commanding that even she couldn't help but feel the weight of her gaze.
The woman sat with an air of quiet power, as though the very throne she occupied had been built for her alone.
Nojiko's brow furrowed in confusion as she took in the scene. "Where am I?" she asked. Then, pointing at the woman with no hesitation, she added, "And who the heck are you?"
The room went still. For a breath, silence hung in the air — and then it exploded.
"Blasphemy!" a voice roared from among the gathered. "How dare you speak so freely before Her Majesty!"
The angry outbursts came in rapid succession, a tide of fury rising with each word. "She must be punished!" "She disrespects the Queen!" "Make her kneel!" Voices overlapped, a chorus of outrage swelling through the hall.
Nojiko's eyes narrowed, the weight of their disdain not even fazing her. If they thought their words would intimidate her, they had another thing coming.
Nojiko's patience snapped, "Oh, just shut up, all of your yapping mouths!" she shouted.
A sudden wave of pressure surged outward from her that suffocated the room. Nobles and guards staggered in place, gasping for air.
Some dropped to their knees, and a few collapsed entirely, unconscious beneath the overwhelming weight of her unleashed Conqueror's Haki.
Only the queen remained unaffected. She sat on her throne, her sharp eyes fixed on Nojiko with quiet approval.
"Child," the queen said at last, her voice calm yet authoritative, "please… stop. I will apologize to you on their behalf for what was said."
Nojiko turned toward her, surprised. After a pause, she gave a small nod. "…Okay."
She withdrew her Haki. The pressure lifted like a dissipating storm. Those still conscious gasped in relief, while whispers of awe began to ripple through the hall.
Nojiko let out a breath and muttered, "For a queen to apologize on behalf of her subjects… I can respect that."
The queen smiled faintly, the expression one of subtle warmth. "I understand you have every right to be angry," she said. "It was we who summoned you here — without even asking for your consent. And you deserve to know where you are and why you are here."
Nojiko's brow furrowed in confusion. Summoned? She'd thought she entered some kind of trial — just like the others. What was going on?
Before she could process anything, the queen continued. "Let me introduce myself first. I am Queen Freyalis… and this kingdom under my rule is called Aesrund."
Nojiko narrowed her eyes slightly and asked, "You also said I was summoned here…?"
The queen nodded solemnly. "Yes." She rose slowly from her throne, her long cloak trailing behind her like mist in moonlight.
"You see," she began, "our kingdom has faced a terrible curse for centuries. Every fifty years, from the very ground we walk upon, monsters emerge in a tide of darkness that comes in waves."
Her gaze swept across the hall, heavy with the weight of countless losses reflected in her eyes.
"They come without warning, without mercy. Each time, we fight… and each time, we suffer. Lives are lost, homes are destroyed, and our resources are drained. But this time… this time, we fear we may not even be able to hold the walls."
Queen Freyalis stepped down from the dais, her voice grew quieter now.
"We were left with only one desperate measure — an old forgotten summoning ritual passed down by our ancestors, fueled by what little strength and resources we still had. It gave us the power to call someone from beyond our world. Someone who might possess the strength… or the will… to end this cycle."
She looked directly at Nojiko. "You were summoned as our last hope. But that doesn't mean you don't have a choice. We will not force this burden upon you."
Her voice softened further.
"I know you're still a child. And I know it may not be fair to ask you to carry our fate. I don't even know if you can help us. But I believe in the wisdom of our ancestors… and something in me says that you can."
Queen Freyalis fell silent then, allowing Nojiko a moment to decide herself.
Nojiko stood in thoughtful silence, her mind turning over everything she'd just heard.
"Why is she saying I was summoned again?" she wondered. "Didn't I enter this trial along with the others?" She hadn't seen Ash, Nami, Lucy, or anyone else since arriving. "So, does that mean I have to face this on my own?"
Ash did warn them that he wasn't sure what they might face. "Maybe this whole thing is some kind of illusion…?"
She shook the thought away. "I'll worry about that later. First, I need to understand more about this trial."
Looking back to the queen, Nojiko asked, "Am I the only one you summoned… or is there someone else?"
Queen Freyalis replied, "Our ancient scripts did not reveal how many would arrive, or who. They only described the process. But yes… you are the only one who appeared when the summoning was complete. We called for help — and you alone answered."
"So, I was right," Nojiko thought. "The others aren't here. I have to face this alone."
She turned to the queen and said firmly, "Your Majesty… I'm willing to help. But I'll need more information first."
A warm smile spread across the queen's face, and the room filled with hushed but excited murmurs. Relief and gratitude washed over the gathered peoples.
"Thank you," Queen Freyalis said sincerely. She returned to her throne and sat gracefully before continuing.
After settling into her seat, she spoke again, "These monsters rise in waves. For generations, our people have fought, but we've never lasted beyond the sixth wave. We fear there are more still to come. Worse yet, the creatures grow stronger with each wave. There are only short intervals between them, giving us little time to recover."
Her expression darkened. "Also, based on our old records, we believe they are being led."
"During the last wave, one of our elite scouts nearly gave his life to uncover the truth. He saw something — possibly the commander behind the monsters."
"He described a headless knight, cloaked in black armor, riding a massive horse… its severed head resting in its own hand."
Nojiko's brow furrowed. "Is there anything else I should know?"
The queen slowly shook her head. "That is all we have. But I don't expect you to fight alone."
She rose once more, her tone heavy with reverence.
"I cannot, in good conscience, send you to face this tide alone. That's why, by my will, I place the command of all five thousand of our finest soldiers under your authority."
"These are not ordinary troops — they are elite, battle-hardened warriors who have dedicated their lives to defending this kingdom. You will also have full control of our artillery and every defensive resource within the city."
Nojiko's eyes widened. The weight of the responsibility settled over her.
She gave a slow nod. "Thank you." She understands how tough this is going to be for not letting her face them alone.
Gathering herself, she asked, "So… when does it begin?"
The queen's gaze grew grave. "By our calculations… the first wave will arrive at dawn tomorrow."
Nojiko's breath caught at the suddenness — but she quickly steadied herself and gives a nod with eyes saying she was ready.
The queen then with a smile towards Nojiko, "Come. Let me show you the way — you should introduce yourself to the troops you now command."
One of her ministers immediately stood, alarmed. "Your Majesty, please — we can handle that. You don't need to go personally—"
The queen gently raised her hand, silencing him with a calm gesture. "It's fine. I wish to do this myself."
With that, she dismissed the chamber, and the gathered nobles and officials slowly began to file out. A few of her trusted advisers quietly followed as the queen led Nojiko through the grand halls of the palace.
As they walked, Nojiko couldn't help but take in her surroundings. The palace was grand, certainly — high arches, intricate stonework, regal banners fluttering from the ceilings — but it didn't feel gaudy or drenched in wealth. It felt… lived in. Comfortable. A place of pride and purpose, not vanity.
Eventually, they passed a large balcony that overlooked the heart of the kingdom. Nojiko paused briefly, her gaze sweeping across the view.
She could hear the chatter of townsfolk in the distance — the laughter of children echoing as they ran through the streets, merchants calling out their wares in a bustling market. Life was vibrant here. Peaceful.
Seeing this she realized what the queen was trying to protect.
They continued onward, descending into the lower levels of the palace grounds. After a few minutes, they arrived at the training field — a vast open space where thousands of soldiers were drilling in formation.
The moment they caught sight of the queen herself, every soldier stopped what they were doing. In a synchronized motion, they dropped to one knee and bowed their heads in deep respect.
"Your Majesty," they greeted in unison.
The queen raised a hand gently. "At ease," she said, and the soldiers rose to their feet.
She then addressed them firmly, her voice carrying across the field. "You all know of the coming wave — and the burden it places upon us all. That is why we have called upon an ancient rite."
Finally, she turned to Nojiko, gesturing beside her.
"This is Nojiko," she announced. "She is the one chosen by the ritual… and from this moment forward, she is your commander. She will lead you in defending against the upcoming monster wave."
She had learned Nojiko's name on the way here — and in that short time, a quiet understanding had begun to form between them.
Hearing this, one of the soldiers stepped forward. He looked older, more seasoned than the rest — likely a general.
"Your Majesty," he said, "I mean no offense… but how can a child lead us against monsters that have taken the lives of warriors twice her age?"
The queen opened her mouth to respond, but Nojiko gently raised a hand to stop her.
"It's fine, Your Majesty," she said quietly, stepping forward.
She turned her gaze to the general, her voice steady.
"You're right to question me. I'm young. I'm not from here. And I haven't trained my whole life to fight these monsters like you."
Her tone sharpened as she continued, "But I was summoned here to help. Your queen believes in me — and I gave her my word. That means more to me than proving myself to doubters."
She stepped closer, with firm eyes.
"If you can't follow my lead when the fighting starts, then walk away now. I won't stop you. But I won't risk the lives of soldiers who hesitate when it matters most. And if you leave, don't expect to return once the battle begins."
Then, she released her Conqueror's Haki. A crushing pressure swept across the training ground. Soldiers staggered, many dropping to their knees under its invisible weight.
Nojiko's voice cut through the silence, "I'm not here to beg for respect. But I won't allow anyone to disrespect me either. You either stand with me — or step aside. That's all."
She slowly withdrew her Haki and returned to stand beside the queen.
The general stood in stunned silence, with sweat trailing down his temple. Then, he bowed deeply, dropping to one knee.
"I spoke out of turn. Forgive me, Your Majesty." He turned to Nojiko. "And… forgive me, Commander. My sword is yours. I will follow your lead."
The rest of the soldiers followed his example, kneeling one by one — accepting Nojiko as their commander.
The queen said nothing, but her eyes gleamed with pride as they shifted between Nojiko and her soldiers.
The queen left Nojiko to get to know things. Nojiko also learned everything she needed to know.
The army under her command consisted of 5,000 elite soldiers, organized into 10 divisions of 500 soldiers each. Each division was led by a general, and within every division were units of swordsmen, spearmen, shield-bearers, archers, battlefield medics, and reserves — all among the best the kingdom had to offer.
And finally… dawn rose.
Nojiko now stood outside the kingdom's great outer wall with roughly half of a division positioned beside her. The remaining forces were stationed and ready behind the walls.
Archers lined the ramparts, and artillery units were deployed both atop the walls and set up at key forward points to reinforce the defense.
She had been provided with a set of armor designed to suit her — light, flexible, and built for her size.
Rather than using her personal weapon, she chose to arm herself with a sword, a shield, and a spear strapped across her back.
She wanted to test her synergy with other weapons and grow stronger in the process, especially since the initial waves were expected to be made up of weaker monsters.
It would also serve as a perfect opportunity to begin practicing coating weapons with her Armament Haki which she feels she would need once the real threats began.
So, she decided to treat the initial monsters as moving training dummies to achieve.
Then, just as the sun rose, the ground began to shake — a deep rumble spreading across the plains. In the distance, the earth cracked open, jagged lines tearing through the land.
From those fissures, a thick black liquid bubbled up spreading more and more on the land covering completely in black, writhing unnaturally before rising and twisting into grotesque, monstrous shapes.
Nojiko narrowed her eyes, bracing herself. There were so many… she couldn't even begin to count.
She raised her voice, firm and commanding, "Do not engage them until I give the order!"
The same general she had clashed with earlier stepped forward with urgency, "But Commander—!"
Nojiko turned her head, says, "I want to see what they're capable of."
"Don't worry — if I can't handle them, I'll call for support. And if any manage to slip past me, they are yours to take them down before they reach your line."
The general hesitated for a moment… then gave a firm nod, "Understood."
And then the monsters roared as the first wave charged forward, in a stampede of snarling, shrieking horrors.
Nojiko glanced sideways at the general, smirking, "Wish me luck." And in the blink of an eye, she vanished, using Soru.
Gasps erupted across the ranks as every soldier, including all five generals, looked on in stunned disbelief as she vanished into thin air suddenly.
One of the soldiers blinked in confusion, breaking the silence, "Where did she go…?"
Before anyone could respond, a shout rang out from another soldier on the wall, his voice echoing across the battlefield, "There! Look at the wave — there she is!"
All eyes turned toward the wave of monsters. In the distance, a blur of movement tore through the black tide, cutting down creatures one after another.
Nojiko had already reached them.
In one clean strike, she sliced a massive snake-like creature in half vertically. Before its body even hit the ground, she spun and took off the heads of three more beasts looked small, with hunched back and clawed limbs with twisted faces.
She didn't care to identify them — she simply moved with the flow. These first wave monsters were so weak that even a novice soldier could likely handle them.
Wanting to end it quickly, she cut down a few more and then released her Conqueror's Haki at full force hoping it will work.
A wave of invisible pressure blasted outward.
To her luck, every creature near her range in the first wave getting overwhelmed collapsed in place, foam spilling from their mouths as they convulsed and passed out.
Without hesitation, Nojiko vanished again with Soru, flashing through the fallen enemies, slashing each one delivering clean death in their sleep — not even allowing a chance for them to recover and come at her later.
Seeing her finish off the first wave with such ease, the soldiers stood frozen in shock.
But there was no time to recover — the second wave came crashing in barely five minutes later.
Nojiko didn't flatter as the second wave surged forward, more than a few of the creatures faltered and collapsed under the pressure of her Conqueror's Haki again.
Then came the third wave, with a fifteen-minute interval.
She faced it alone once more — and this time, only about half succumbed to her haki.
By the time the fourth wave struck, thirty minutes later, less than half of the monsters were affected. Their strength too was growing with every wave.
Still, Nojiko engaged each wave head-on, using not only the weapons she had — sword, spear, and shield — but all of her hand-to-hand combat skills and even her mastery of the Rokushiki techniques.
Some she sliced with her blade, others she pierced with her spear — skewering multiple enemies at once.
With her shield, she either blocked heavy blows or used Soru to accelerate and bash the monsters with such force they crumpled to pulp.
At close range, she used Shigan to pierce vital points, and from above, she leapt using Geppo, releasing flying Rankyaku blades that cut down entire clusters.
Her Observation Haki sharpened with each battle, and her Armament Haki grew steadily more refined — though she hadn't yet managed to coat her weapons with it.
As the fourth wave finally ended, Nojiko stood over the battlefield with blood all around her.
She understood now: the interval between waves increased with each one.
So, she returned to the wall where the soldiers had remained, all of them staring at her in awe and rising respect.
By this point in previous wars, many defenders would have already fallen — worn down by sheer numbers or outright killed.
But Nojiko looked like she could still keep going.
As she sat down, Nojiko pulled out some food from her inventory bag as if it were the most casual thing in the world — leaving many of the nearby soldiers stunned. They'd never seen something like that. To them, it looked like magic.
While eating, she called over the five generals.
"I've held them off so far on my own," she began, "I think here on I need you guys to get involved. I hope you've all rested enough and ready. I'll stay on the front line, but I want the rest of you rotating in."
She looked each of them in the eye and continued, "If any one of you gets injured, don't stay in the fight. Pull back immediately and get treatment from the medics."
Some of the generals started to protest, but Nojiko cut them off sharply.
"I know — you probably think it sounds cowardly. We might have numbers numbers or weapons but they will only come stronger that even weapons or numbers of yours will not be enough."
"I've already taken down nearly a 300-400 of those monsters, maybe more. I stopped counting. And their strength just keep increasing with every wave. Look even the weapon you gave are wearing down and even this chest plate is at it's limit." Nojiko looked at each of them showing them the proof.
"Also, the Queen told me you've never even once gone beyond the sixth wave. We've already finished four with zero casualties. If possible, I'd like to keep it that way — even if it's an impossible wish. At the very least, let's try to keep the casualties low. I know it's a lot to ask."
She stood up. "So, we need everyone to stay standing from here on. Don't let your pride get you killed. Got it?"
A resounding shout came back from the five men, loud and unified — "Yes, Commander!"
None could argue her logic — and their respect for her only deepened because of her explanation and understanding her care towards them.
An hour passed. Then the next wave began.
Nojiko turned to face it, cracking her neck as she stepped forward. "Alright," she said, "break time's over."
She glanced over her shoulder at the others. "Like I said — I'll take the front. Anything that slips past me, you're up. And one last thing—"
Her gaze swept across them.
"Try to stay alive."
And with that, she vanished again into the oncoming tide of monsters.
Nojiko immediately charged forward, with sword raised high. With a hard swing, she aimed to slash the monster in front of her — a towering beast that looked like a cross between a gorilla and a human.
To her shock, the blade shattered on impact. She at least hoped the sword would have lasted this wave. Before she could react, the monster retaliated with a devastating punch that sent her flying.
She crashed to the ground, rolling across the field. The soldiers watching from the walls gasped in disbelief because up until now, it had always been Nojiko who cut through the waves without fail.
Gritting her teeth, Nojiko reached behind and grabbed her shield. With a yell, she slammed it down mid-slide, using it to halt her momentum and regain control.
She immediately activates Soru and shot forward like a missile and slammed into the same monster with her shield. The impact sent it flying backward, crashing through a cluster of others and dragging them down with it.
Some monsters slipped past her, but the soldiers were ready. Though their numbers had dwindled, they fought with courage, standing their ground even when it wasn't easy.
From above, archers loosed volleys of arrows. Artillery fire thundered across the sky. Giant spear-like bolts skewered multiple enemies at once, and massive stones from catapults came crashing down into the monster ranks.
As Nojiko had commanded, the injured rotated out without hesitation. No one risked death for pride.
Meanwhile, Nojiko switched to her spears, as each thrust pierced through multiple monsters at once — but even these weapons shattered. With a final heave, she hurled her shield like a spinning disc, slicing through several more monsters at a time.
Now completely out of weapons, she coated her body in Armament Haki layered over Tekkai. Then she charged into the horde, her fists and kicks colliding with devastating force.
Even the monster's hardened hides couldn't stand up through her armament coated fist.
Using Geppo, she launched herself into the air and unleashed wide arcs of Rankyaku blades, cutting down swarm of monsters at once.
Using Soru and Shigan, she moved like a blur striking with accuracy, driving her fingers straight into vital points at the center of their skulls.
Like this, using all her skills and techniques she tore through the fifth wave. While the remaining monsters were finished off by the soldiers.
After what felt like hours, the battlefield finally fell silent again as the fifth wave was over.
Nojiko's armor was in tatters, her body battered and bleeding. Bruises covered her skin, and several of her bones had cracked in the battle.
She rushed toward the wall, scanning the wounded. She got report from the generals. Over a seven hundred soldiers were injured and unable to fight already. Their fighting force had fallen to less than 4,300.
Seeing this, Nojiko pulled out an advanced health potion from her inventory bag and she brought it to the medic bay and spoke with medics.
"Mix this with water and give it to the injured," she said. "Pour it directly into the common supply — make sure everyone gets some."
They did as instructed. Soon, the water is given to all the injured and it began to take effect — its healing properties slow because of dilution but still worked well.
The sight stunned everyone. Even among the seasoned veterans, whispers of awe rippled through the crowd.
Then came the cheers. All the soldiers in the medic bay raised their voices as one, chanting her name.
Nojiko smiled and then shouted back, "Guys, this is not the time to celebrate! The wave's not over! If you can still fight, I want you to take position! Remaining get yourselves healed and stay ready!"
Her voice rang out soldier snapped to attention to her command.
And also, the story of what Nojiko had done — the impossible feats she had achieved at med bay— began to spread among every soldier on the field.
Nojiko stepped outside the wall and quietly sat down on the ground. She was fully healed and ready. There was still some time before the sixth wave began.
She sat in thought, reflecting on everything so far. This trial is her first true fight. Until now, she never left her village because of Arlong, except to train with the others. She never had the chance to test herself like this.
That's what this wave was for her but to measure her progress. If she was going to sail in the future with the others, she needed to know exactly where she stood. She wanted to be someone who could fight side by side with them.
She took this trial as a stepping stone for becoming strong enough to one day defeat Arlong with her own hands.
From the earlier waves, she'd gained a clearer understanding of the monsters' increasing strength and their hardened defenses.
With each wave, their bodies became more like walking armor. The standard kingdom-issued weapons and gear were simply not enough anymore.
She knew what she had to do next: she needed to learn how to coat her weapon with Armament Haki as soon as possible if she wanted to take on even tougher monsters in the waves to come.
Sighing, she summoned her personal weapon which she hadn't yet used in combat — the Kusarigama Ash had gifted her. Until now, it had only been used for training, getting a feel for its weight and movement.
It materialized in her hands, the chain catching the sunlight, the curved blades gleaming dangerously. She gripped them tightly — one sickle in each hand.
Unlike the kingdom's weapons, she believed her Kusarigama wouldn't break easily. Even if it did, Ash said it had a self-repair function. It was sharper, bound only to her, and wouldn't respond to anyone else.
Her Conqueror's Haki, too, was beginning to lose its edge. In the earlier waves, it had dropped monsters to the ground. But in the fifth wave, it only made them hesitate for only just a brief second before charging again.
Still, she could tell her Observation Haki had improved. Predicting attacks become more clearly and better than before. But when swarmed from all sides, it still wasn't enough.
Even so, she didn't let that bother her. She knows there is still more room to grow that's what Ash also always says to her.
That mindset had stayed with her. That's why she wasn't disappointed.
Also, the queen did say they had never went past the sixth wave. But she'd also warned... more could come.
Still, Nojiko had tried to keep soldiers alive yet still they did get injured, but started to recover thanks to the healing potion she had provided. For that, she felt proud.
Just as that thought passed through her mind, the air shifted. The ground trembled beneath her.
The sixth wave had begun. The monsters came surging forward once more.
Already, along the wall, soldiers stood ready, and even after the gates — every soldier stood ready, weapons drawn, behind Nojiko.
Nojiko stood at the frontline, and with a thought, she willed her Kusarigama to shift — the chains vanished, and both curved blades dropped cleanly into her hands in Sickle Mode.
In the next instant, she vanished from sight with a sudden blast of air — BOOM — using Soru, she flashed across the field, her body hardened with Tekkai layered in Armament Haki.
The first monster she met head-on is a towering snake-like beast with fangs and a spear in its hand.
SHING!
Her sickle carved through it in a single stroke — the creature frozen mid-lunge before collapsing, split clean down the middle.
Nojiko skidded to a stop, blinking once in surprise. Then her lips curled into a sharp grin. She understood her weapon is sharp enough to go through their tough hide.
Without hesitation, she willed her kusarigama into "Split Mode" shifting her grip.
The chains erupted from her weapons with a metallic snap, extending as she flung the sickles wide. She now gripped them by the very end of their chains, spinning each one with dizzying speed.
Her sickles whirled in wide arcs, slicing through monsters left and right. Limbs flew while the bodies of monsters kept dropping painting the battlefield with their blood. One after another she continued to take them.
But a few of the monsters slipped past her range — beasts of all kinds making a run for the defensive line straight at the soldiers near the wall.
Nojiko's eyes flicked towards them and before the soldiers could fight and anyone could react—
FWIP!
One sickle launched forward like a flash of silver lightning, the chain snapping taut mid-air.
Every single charging monster was cut clean in two with a clean slash.
The soldiers blinked because none of them didn't even see the attack until every one of the monsters got sliced in a single strike.
Nojiko recalled the chain instantly. Then her eye's locked on another group trying to slip past. With a flick of her wrists, both chains extended at once again, weaving and snapping like living serpents.
CLANG!
The chains coiled around them and yanked hard and flung them into the sky, their bodies flailing as they rose helplessly.
She leapt after them, upward with using Geppo-Soru combo. In the mid-air— she cut them down before they hit the ground.
"Twin Reaper Arc: Crimson Descent"
SLASH-SLASH-SLASH!
She tore through the airborne enemies in a violent spiral, landing behind them as their bodies rained down like falling stars.
Nojiko immediately moved like a streak of light — darting from monster to monster, her sickles flashing with every step.
She pushed herself harder. Her legs burned from the constant strain of Soru, but she didn't slow down.
Not until the final monster of the sixth wave hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Nojiko landed in a crouch, her sickles in hand, chains reeling back and coiling smoothly around her arms.
Silence settled across the field — broken only by the distant thud of falling bodies.
After the sixth wave ended, Nojiko returned to the front wall. She was heaving, taking deep breaths, her hands on her knees as pain flared through her legs — the strain of using Soru nonstop in the last attack was finally catching up to her.
Her calves throbbed like fire. She grits her teeth and forced herself upright.
Then she called the generals.
"This is the first time you're going to face monsters after the sixth wave," she told them, voice firm despite her fatigue. "So don't be careless. Your swords aren't enough to take them down anymore. You'll need at least ten people to bring down even one. From here on, fight in groups. No one goes alone. Keep your backs covered."
The generals exchanged grim looks, then nodded sharply and moved out to rally their units.
There had been no casualties in the sixth wave — thanks mostly to her Kusarigama. But Nojiko knew that wouldn't last. From here on, it would only get harder.
She sat down for a moment, forcing herself to rest. Her legs were trembling, muscles tight and burning. She downed a healing pill, feeling the cool rush of relief flood her system as the worst of the pain dulled.
A few hours passed. Then the seventh wave hit.
A monstrous wall surged toward them, howling with rage and bloodlust — a tide of teeth, twisted claws, and armor-like hide. Towering brutes with curved horns, long-limbed things that galloped on all fours, scaled hulks that moved like charging boulders.
With a sharp breath, she willed her Kusarigama into Split Mode. The chains burst outward with a metallic crack. Her grip shifted to the end of each chain, and with a flash of Soru, she launched herself straight into the approaching horde again.
Her sickles flashed like Twin Crescents...
To be continued...
Hey everyone! I'm always looking for ways to make this story even better, and I'd love to hear your ideas. What powers do you think should be available in Ash's store? Maybe you have some cool concepts for abilities, weapons, or items that could make the adventure even more exciting!
Feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments, and if there's anything specific, you'd love to see in future chapters, let me know! I might even integrate your ideas into the story.
Also, don't forget to give some Power Stones if you're enjoying the journey! Your support means the world. 😊