Back at Kul-Elna, Ikku and the others had made their way to King Ryu's office to report on their mission and inform him about their encounter with Kolio.
"So Kolio's really wandering around out there, huh?" Ryu mused aloud, a hand to his chin.
"That's right," Zeno replied with a firm tone. "We don't know what his next move will be, but we should be on guard."
"I'll have the Intelligence Division keep an eye on him," Ryu nodded. "Now, what about you kids? How was your first mission?"
"I'd say it was thrilling," Kenny answered with a grin. "You grow a lot faster when you're in the field."
"Exactly," Ryu agreed. "But remember risking your life and wasting it are two very different things. That'll be all for the debrief. Take some time for yourselves and get some rest. Oh, and check the Nexus app on your phones your pay's been transferred."
With that, they exited the royal building and began descending the steps.
"So, what now, Master Zeno?" Ikku asked.
"As the king said, take a break. In two weeks, you'll be choosing your next mission yourselves."
The group responded with a collective "Got it!" Then Yumé, always hungry, suggested:
"How about we grab something to eat to celebrate?"
"Why not," Zeno replied. "There's a good place just around the corner."
But just as they stepped outside, a sudden voice pierced the air.
"MR. ZENOOOOOOOO!!!"
A blur of motion came hurtling toward them, a young teen, even younger than Ikku. His short chestnut hair was swept back by the wind, and a pair of swords were strapped to his back. His expression was confident but friendly.
"Welcome back, Mr. Zeno!" he said, all excited.
"Oh, Tenma? It's been a while."
"Yeah! How about a friendly spar to celebrate your return?"
"Sorry, not today."
"Pleeeaaaase! I've gotten so much stronger!"
"I'm going out to eat with my apprentices."
"Apprentices?! That's not fair! When I joined, you said you didn't take any apprentices!"
"King Ryu makes the rules, not me."
"THAT'S NOT FAAAAIR!!" Tenma cried dramatically, grabbing his head and flailing about before collapsing theatrically on the ground.
Ikku and the others looked on, both amused and confused.
"Uh... Master Zeno? Who is this kid?" Ikku asked.
"His name is Tenma. He's the youngest member of Nexus. Don't be fooled by the tantrum he's talented. Around here, he's known as 'the prodigy.'"
"The prodigy, huh…" Ikku echoed.
Just then, two more people arrived, appearing to be close in age to Tenma. One was a boy dressed in something like a priest's or mage's robe, wearing round glasses. His light brown hair nearly touched his shoulders. The other was a girl with long blonde hair and striking blue eyes.
Tenma instantly dashed to the robed boy for comfort.
"Fenrir! I came all this way for nothing! Zeno turned me down!"
"W-well… it's not the end of the world," Fenrir mumbled, clearly not used to high-energy situations. "He'll accept next time."
"He's right," the girl added, walking up. "You really need to stop running off without waiting for us."
She then turned to the group and smiled brightly.
"Hi there! Sorry about what you just witnessed. I'm Nina, that drama queen on the ground is Tenma, and this is Fenrir. It's so nice to meet people our age for once!"
"Totally!" Carla replied, just as cheerful. "I'm Carla, that tall guy's Kenny, that one's Yumé, and over there is Ikku."
"You know, we can introduce ourselves, mom," Kenny teased.
"Don't start, Kenny…" Carla muttered, rolling her eyes.
Ikku, meanwhile, stayed silent eyes fixed on Tenma. Was he really that strong? There was only one way to find out. He stepped forward and gave a polite bow.
"Hello. My name is Ikku. You're Tenma, right? It's an honor to meet you. Since Master Zeno isn't available, would you accept a friendly duel with me instead?"
Kenny, Yumé, and Carla froze in shock. None of them saw that coming.
Tenma blinked, caught off guard then grinned.
"Nice to meet you, Ikku! I never turn down a fight. Besides, maybe if I beat you, Zeno will finally take me seriously."
"You sound confident," Ikku said, smirking.
"Of course! A warrior should always be confident. Do you know how duels work around here?"
"Not really. There's a system?"
"Yup. Duels between Nexus soldiers are called Dimicatio. They're only allowed inside the arena, and anyone from Kul-Elna can come watch. I'll send you an invite on your phone."
A notification buzzed on Ikku's phone.
"Tomorrow at 4 PM?" he asked.
"That's right! There were no earlier slots, but it'll give you time to rest and show up ready."
"Fair enough. I look forward to it. Thanks again, Tenma."
"Let's grow stronger together!" Tenma beamed before heading off with his team, waving goodbye.
Once they were gone, Kenny poked Ikku's head with a finger.
"Wanna explain what that was?"
"I just want to see how strong he is," Ikku replied simply.
But the truth went deeper.To Ikku, Tenma was everything he wasn't, gifted, praised, a natural. A born genius. This duel was more than curiosity. It was his chance to prove that effort could surpass talent.
"Can we please eat now?" Yumé interrupted, rubbing his stomach.
"He's got a point," Zeno chuckled. "Let's go. The restaurant's five minutes away."
At the restaurant, the food came quickly, and the mood turned light again until Ikku looked over and saw Zeno already wiping his mouth.
"WAIT, WHAT?!" Ikku shouted. "Did anyone even see him eat?!"
"He probably teleported the food into his stomach," Carla said, trying not to laugh.
"Honestly, that checks out," Kenny added.
The group burst out laughing, finally letting go of the stress from their last mission. They spent hours at the restaurant, and night had fallen by the time they returned home.
The next day. 4 PM.
Ikku stood in front of the arena, flanked by Carla, Kenny, and Yumé. The Nexus arena complex was massive, split into five separate stages. Ikku checked in and was assigned Arena #3.
Inside, he saw Tenma already waiting with Zeno standing beside him.
"Master Zeno? What are you doing here?" Ikku asked.
"I'm still your instructor, so I'm officiating this match. Let me explain how Dimicatio works: victory comes by either surrender or incapacitation. Killing is strictly forbidden. The challenger sets the duration Tenma chose ten minutes. Brands and weapons are allowed. Carla and the others can watch from the stands."
Ikku looked up and was stunned. Strangers were filling the seats.
"Why are there other people here?"
"It's the best way to evaluate a soldier's potential. Some of them are looking to recruit."
"Step forward," Zeno instructed. "Place your right hand on your opponent's right forearm, then meet fists with your left hands. It's a sign of mutual respect before battle."
Ikku and Tenma followed the ritual, then jumped back to take their stances.
Tenma's face lit up with a confident grin.
Zeno raised his arm.
"READY?" he called."BEGIN!"