???—-
Rika, Zaria, and Nonoka all remained on the roof of the cage, with the former anxiously watching as the sharks circled closer.
"Han," Rika worried. "Please hurry up…"
Nonoka picked up a rock floating in the water and tossed it, causing a shark to take off after it. "Is your little nerd friend incompetent or something? Why are we still here?"
"He ain't 'incompetent,'" Zaria corrected. "Just moody."
"And yet we're still here."
A fin breezed past Rika, making her back away into the center of the cage. "Mr. Nyugawa's with him, I'm sure he's gonna figure it out!"
"Sure he will," Nonoka scoffed. "He'd better."
Meanwhile—-
Omariro sipped a round of coffee as he watched Han having a breakdown, hands on the side of his head.
"Sir," Han begged. "Can you please tell me the answer?"
Omariro took another sip. "Boy must solve on own."
"But if I'm wrong, we either lose our minds or get turned to stone!"
"Answer hidden. Boy must find."
"Can I give an answer?" Rei asked.
"Uh…" Han stammered. "Maybe next time."
The Sphinx stared at Han, watching. "Well? You've been wasting my time, boy. What is the answer?"
"Can I get about 5 more minutes?"
"No," the Sphinx refused. "You get one."
"Oh, damn it…"
Omariro finished his coffee. "Boy has team. Use it."
"But sir, if I can't figure it out, I HIGHLY doubt they can!"
Sōshin raised his hand. "I think I'm getting it! We just have to tell it a statement that's neither a truth nor a lie, friend!"
Rei nodded. "That's what I was thinking!"
"But how?" Han questioned. "Every statement is either a correct or incorrect one!"
"Not if it depends on the users!" Rei pointed out. "You just have to give him a statement that it can't reliably gauge without contradicting itself, Han!"
"The time is up," the Sphinx announced. "What is your answer?"
"A statement that contradicts it?" Han thought. "But what on earth could contradict a truth or a lie?"
The stone on their bodies began to rise, reaching all the way up to their waists.
"Don't worry, Friend Han! You got it!" Sōshin cheered.
Han racked his brain, before looking at the stone on his legs. "Wait, they were right! I've got the answer!"
The Sphinx looked at him, the stone stopping. "What is your answer, boy?"
"Stone! You will turn us to stone!"
The Sphinx remained silent for a long while, staring at Han. "Hmm…if I presume your question correct…then I have no choice but to do so…but if I presume your question incorrect, then you lose your mind…but that is not a statement rooted in any logic, only presumption, so its correctness is left up to me…"
The Sphinx straightened up. "Well played, boy."
The stone disappeared, and Han quickly collapsed to the ground. "Did we pass? No ruined minds or anything?"
"Yes. You've completed the Mind Test."
"Thank goodness."
Rei and Sōshin helped Han up.
"Amazing stuff, Han!" Rei cheered.
"Yeah, Friend Han did good!" Sōshin added.
Han coughed. "Sorry. Uh. About seeing you guys as useless."
"Useless?" Rei questioned. "Oh! It's okay!"
Omariro tapped his staff. "Boy understand. Team capable. No weak link."
"Yeah…uh…I'm starting to see that, sir. Well, maybe except Rika, but please don't tell her I said that."
"Hmm."
Omariro looked at the Sphinx, who began to get up and walk toward a door. "Bring your group with me, old man. The Body Test awaits you."
Omariro motioned to his team and followed the Sphinx through the door.
Once they entered, Omariro noticed a large wrestling-match style cage in the center of the room, with a Shikōki crowd surrounding it.
"What…is this?" Han questioned.
Sōshin jumped up. "Ooh! This is the Shikōki Ring! Dad told me about it, it's where elite teams come to throw hands!"
"Correct you are," the Sphinx confirmed. "Only three ways to this spot are down here, and you've found one of them. Now, I believe you're missing three of your members."
"Yeah, how do we get those women back?" Han asked.
"Easy. Use this."
The Sphinx bent over, and a sigil popped out from its back. Han took it.
〈Sigil Ability: Recall. Description: *Recalls* all party members to user's location.〉
Han looked at the rest of the group. "Well. Guess we should snag 'em."
Han squeezed the sigil, and sure enough, Zaria, Rika, and Nonoka popped out of thin air, landing on top of each other.
"Ow!" Zaria groaned. "Get ofdm back!"
"I'm not!" Rika insisted. "That's her!"
Nonoka quickly got up, pushing them off and hurrying away. "Phew. Get away from me, has-beens."
She bumped into a wall.
"Tsk," Han scoffed. "That's them, alright."
Omariro tapped his staff, and the girls got up.
"Sir?" Zaria wondered. "Where are we?"
"The fray."
Omariro began walking toward the cage, and the others shared a look before following. Rika leaned in to whisper into Han's ear.
"Han, um, what are we doing?"
"Logic dictates we're probably fighting."
At the edge of the cage were Sora and Soren, who waited for Omariro to approach.
"Took you all longer than you should have," Soren remarked. "But it's good you're here."
"Dad! Mom!" Sōshin greeted. "You're here to watch?"
"No, son," Sora told him. "We will be partaking in the test."
"Ooh, really?"
"Wait, wait, wait," Rika interrupted. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"The Body Test is considered the most physically demanding of the tests. It tests how you all can work as one unit, one team," Soren explained.
"And you'll be going against our team," Sora added. "In a 3v3 matchup to 50."
"Huh?" the kids questioned.
"Rules are simple," Soren told them. "Knock your opponent into one of the out-of-bounds zones and you score a point. After every three points, the ones in the cage will switch."
"Hey, kid," Zaria whispered to Sōshin. "How strong are your parents?"
"They're Kaidanchō level!" Sōshin answered.
"WHAT?"
"They've even trained a few over their lifetimes!"
"As for the rest of our team, Sōshin, we've brought some friends of yours," Sora said. "We hope you like it."
With a snap of her fingers, Souji, Komachi, and Hakuryū all approached, along with Seiya and Serika.
"The hell is this?" Zaria demanded. "Have we been set up this whole time?"
Soren chuckled. "Good luck. We can only hope you're ready."
Zaria quickly grabbed Omariro's arm. "Can we have our master join us?"
"But of course! It would be too challenging without him. But as you saw in the fight against Atsushi, he can't be everywhere at once."
Soren led them to the entrance of the cage, and Rei noticed Shizuru, Seiran, and Sarina.
"Hey, you guys!" she waved. "What are you doing here?"
"We're the refs!" Shizuru announced. "We declare outs, points, and when it's time to sub!"
"Ooh! That must be nice!"
"Do your best, Ms. Rei!" Sarina called out. "We're rooting for you!"
"Thanks!"
"You get a teaching job or something?" Han asked.
"Only for a bit!"
As Soren, Sora, and Serika took their spots on one side of the cage, Soren motioned to Omariro. "Who's your first three, pal?"
"Me. Girl. Boy."
"Uh. You gotta be specific."
Omariro pointed his stick at Han and Rika.
"Oh!" Rika gasped. "Sir, should I really be a starter?"
"Don't show them fear," Han said.
"R—right."
Soren noticed them and began to chuckle. "Heh. Funny. Referees! Begin the timer!"
Seiran held up a hand. "5…4…3…2…1…"
Soren's group all got in fighting stances, while Han and Rika shared a look.
"Don't back down, guys!" Zaria shouted. "You got this!"
"Begin!"
Soren immediately pointed his arm above Omariro. "Jugen-Kōbisha: Kikotsuin no Hashira!"
A large pillar formed, spinning rapidly as it fired scrolls at Omariro, who blocked them with his staff.
"What are those, Sir?" Rika asked.
"Seals. Touch, and poof. Trapped."
Before Rika could respond, a large slab nearly hit her in the face, but Han pulled her out of the way.
"What are you doing, Rika? Don't just stand still like a cone!"
"Fine, since you're more combat capable, let me get on your back! I'll form some sigils!"
"Your cooldown is done?"
"Partially! I've got two in me!"
"Well, make them count!"
Serika launched another stone slab at them as Han yet again evaded with a wire, Rika on his back.
"May I offer my assistance, dear? I've got a couple of moves I'd like to show our friend here," Sora declared.
"Go ahead."
Sora got into a meditative position. "Jugen-Mahōshi: Ongaku no Chōwa."
The battlefield began to slow down, and large musical notes began to form in the air, firing at the trio like bullets.
"What the—-?"
Han and Rika both got smacked by one, flying into the gate of the cage. Shizuru waved a flag. "Score! Two points for Dad's team!"
Nonoka slapped her forehead as Zaria watched, worried.
"Hmm," Omariro noted, looking back.
"Now!" Soren yelled. "Focus all your fire on Omariro!"
As they all unleashed their attacks, Omariro formed a bow in his hand.
"Jugen-Mahōshi: Ten'yokukyū Bow."
A golden arrow was released, tearing through the attacks like paper.
"He's going to be an issue," Soren realized. "We may have to use our full power."
"Keep him distracted, dear," Sora ordered. "Me and Serika can focus on the children."
"Will do."
Soren confronted Omariro, a large castle wall forming underneath his feet and causing him and his group to rise into the air. "Jugen-Kōbisha: Wana no Taretto!"
Two large turrets appeared on either end of the wall, aiming right at Omariro.
"Are you KIDDING me?" Rika gasped.
"FIRE!"
Large scrolls fired at Omariro, and one landed at the ground near his feet, but he smacked it into the side of the cage.
Rika formed a sigil in her hand.
〈Sigil Created: Siphon.〉
She crushed it. "Han, get me close to them!"
"On it!"
Serika slammed her hand on the wall. "Jugen-Mahōshi: Jikudaki no Hōfuku!"
Earth spikes spiraled toward Han and Rika, but Rika jumped down, taking the brunt of the hit. The force repelled, sending Serika into the cage wall.
"Yep, that's clean!" Shizuru announced. "2-1!"
"Yes!" Zaria blurted out. "We're coming back!"
Serika quickly leapt back onto the wall. "Sorry, Mother. Father. I let my guard down."
"No worries. We'll make this quick."
As Sora began meditating, Omariro quickly formed his blade, slashing the wall in half and breaking it. Sora rolled backwards, opening her mouth.
"Jugen-Mahōshi: Ongaku no Kyōki!"
A loud wave of music emitted from her mouth, sending the trio sliding back. Omariro stabbed his blade into the ground, but Han and Rika slipped out of bounds.
"And that's 4!" Shizuru announced.
"Time to switch!" Sarina ordered.
Omariro pointed his staff at Nonoka, Sōshin, and Zaria. "Children. Time come."
"We won't let you down, sir!" Zaria promised.
"Well, at least I won't," Nonoka corrected. "I'll handle them, sir."
"Let's go win for Friend Omariro!" Sōshin clapped.
As the other three took the ring, Soren laughed. "Ahh. This will be easy."
As Zaria formed her spear and flung it at him, he quickly summoned his pillar, firing a scroll that swallowed up her attack.
"Damn it! I moved too obvious!"
"You mean too basic," Nonoka scoffed. "Watch and learn."
She touched her neck. "Jugen-Sōunsha: Noroi no Sukiru Kyōka!"
〈Buff Applied. 200% Buff to Current Party Member.〉
"Hey!" Zaria grumbled. "What about us?"
"Sorry. Gotta buff the star player first!"
She dodged a pair of scrolls and backflipped as Serika sent a stone slate flying at her. Soren gave a nod of approval.
"You move well, Nonoka."
She smirked. "I know—-!"
"Jugen-Mahōshi: Ongaku no Kyōki!"
Sora quickly unleashed another devastating music wave, and Sōshin grabbed Zaria before she could fly out of bounds. Nonoka hit the gate with a loud THUD.
"5-1!" Shizuru announced. "Keep it coming!"
"You little shit!" Nonoka snapped. "That was dirty!"
"Welcome to the real world," Soren shrugged. "Now, Serika!"
"Jugen-Mahōshi: Bōkyaku no Sekisō!"
A barrage of pikes went flying at the group, and Sōshin had to pull them to safety. As soon as they were in the clear, Zaria grabbed Nonoka. "Would you stop tryna show off and focus! You're really not all that!"
"Get your hands off me! What have you done?"
"More than you!"
"Friends! My family is attacking!"
"Not now, kid!" they both shouted.
Soren shook his head. "After all that training, I thought this would be more of a challenge. Hmph. FIRE!"
The turrets struck both girls, causing their powers to destabilize and launching them into the wall.
"7-1!" Shizuru announced. "Subs!"
Rika tugged on Omariro's arm. "Sir…what do we do?"
"What must be done," Omariro stated. "Girls will be benched."
Both Nonoka and Zaria shared an awkward look as Omariro pointed to the sideline.
"Sit. You are not ready."
——