Chapter 5: Spirit beast and spirit rings

"Apologies for the delay, everyone. The previous announcer had some urgent business to attend to, so I'll be stepping in. Now, let's get to what you've all been waiting for—the announcement of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners!" The new announcer's voice boomed across the arena, full of authority. "In first place, we have our well-known champion, Noah Katsumi! Second place goes to… Jayla Fuyuko! And in third place, congratulations to Sora Daichi! Well done to all of you who've made it this far. Now, you will be sorted into different areas to unlock your spirit animals and receive your spirit rings. Once that's done, you'll return to the arena to claim your prizes."

So, this is where it happens. This is where I unlock my spirit animal—where I discover where I truly belong.

Suddenly, I heard it again. That voice from the battle. A chilling chant that echoed in my mind: "Kill, kill, kill, kill…"

Who's saying that? It's those voices again, the same ones that haunted me during the fight.

"Apologies for the confusion," a softer voice interrupted my thoughts. "We are your spirit partners, Akari and Yami."

"Cool," I responded, intrigued.

"So you're our partner, huh? Let me guess—Noah?" one of the voices said, almost teasingly.

Before I could reply, the voice grew more serious. "Let me tell you something important: never listen to those voices urging you to kill. Only do it when it's absolutely necessary."

"When would it ever be necessary for me to kill someone?" I asked, a bit unsettled by the warning.

"You'll understand in due time," Akari responded cryptically.

"Alright, so how do I unlock my spirit ring, Akari?"

"Noah, you're not strong enough yet. When the time is right, the ring will reveal itself to you. For now, let's return to the arena and claim your prizes."

As I walked back into the arena, a tall man stood at the center, distributing the prizes. When I approached him, he asked for confirmation. Without hesitation, I summoned a blue flame, my elemental signature. Satisfied, he handed me the Elemental Sword and the Heavenly Art. The art wasn't what I expected—it looked like a torn page from an ancient book, written entirely in Japanese. The sword, however, was something else: all red with a silver handle, housed in a blue and gold sheath.

I took my prizes and went to catch up with Sora. He's been my roommate and best friend for as long as I can remember. I wondered what he'd say after I took the spot he so desperately wanted. Would this change things between us?

"Noah," Sora called out as I approached, "are you ready to say goodbye to everyone? We're finally leaving this small town. We're one step closer."

His words echoed in my mind as we stood at the threshold of a new chapter in our lives.