"Finally! I've taken my first step towards becoming an agent!" Katya, brimming with excitement, leaped onto a large bed adorned with pristine white sheets. She bounced on the plush mattress, causing Othar, the Coonfox, to leap from her shoulder and settle comfortably on the pillows, belly up, savoring the softness.
"This feels amazing. I’ve missed sleeping in a real bed," she said with a satisfied sigh, rolling over until her back was pressed against the mattress.
As she gazed at the ceiling, she recalled what had transpired just moments earlier when the registration clerk had briefed her and Nova on the procedures to follow before the exam began.
The clerk, a young woman in a dress who introduced herself as Liora Morpho, a three-star agent, had handed them pins with their respective numbers. Liora, along with her colleagues, would be overseeing this year's exam.
She had also given them two tickets to a nearby hotel to ensure they could rest comfortably before the first phase of the exam, scheduled to start at 7:00 a.m. on the second floor of the headquarters.
Grateful for the information, they had thanked her and headed to the hotel.
Upon arrival, they were pleasantly surprised to find themselves staying in a luxurious five-star hotel with adjoining rooms. It was the first time in a long while that they could sleep comfortably and enjoy a bath not derived from rainwater collected every few days.
After exchanging warm goodnights, they retired to their separate rooms.
"It feels strange to have a room all to myself..." Katya thought as she lay down, feeling a pang of loneliness in the absence of the white-haired boy's company.
"I finally have my own space again!" she exclaimed joyfully, removing her bra and clothes before heading to the bathtub in her room, relishing the privacy.
In the adjoining room, Nova was preparing for a bath.
The first thing he did upon entering the suite was undress and immerse himself in the tub. He couldn’t tolerate the lingering sweat on his skin or the fact that he hadn't used any soap or shampoo since entering the outside world.
"What a pleasure..." he murmured, resting his neck against the edge of the tub and allowing himself a moment of relaxation.
"I wonder what the next stages of the exam will be like..." he pondered quietly, reflecting on the people who had missed their chance by waiting too long in line.
He also wondered why neither Katya nor he had been affected by the device's ability.
"At the company, they conducted a thorough initial screening when hiring," he recalled from his previous life.
"Many desire the job, but few are qualified..." This thought led him to remember the men ahead of them in line, who had been visibly affected and were in poor physical condition.
"Wait..." Nova's eyes opened wide as he realized a possible explanation for why they hadn't fallen victim to the ability.
"The only common factor was their physical condition..." It now seemed clear to him that individuals in poor physical shape couldn’t even manage to escape from a B-Synchro, no matter how much synchrony they might possess.
“I see… so that’s how they eliminate those who aren’t truly committed,” Nova thought, surprised. Although the enrollment was open to everyone, there was indeed a hidden requirement.
“A physical and cognitive test… that's fundamental. They’ll continue profiling the candidates tomorrow, selecting those who best meet their needs,” he concluded with a slight sigh, deciding it was best not to dwell on it.
He realized he might be overthinking things. After narrowly escaping death so many times, he had learned to appreciate the small moments of comfort.
Nova resolved to face the trials as they came. For now, he was focused on enjoying the luxury of his surroundings while he could.
----------------------------------------
The next morning, Nova and Katya emerged from their rooms refreshed, both clad in new clothes they had found in the closet, which, to their surprise, fit perfectly.
Nova wore a blue and white varsity jacket, black skinny pants that reached his ankles, white sneakers, and a white long-sleeved shirt underneath.
Katya sported a white sleeveless crop top, light blue baggy pants, blue high-top sneakers, a blue scarf tied around her arm, and her trademark glasses.
“Did you find new clothes in the closet too?” Nova asked, noting his friend's sporty outfit.
“I guess you did too. Must be a Terra Nexus thing. It’s a bit unsettling how they knew our sizes...” She voiced her unease before Othar jumped from the floor and climbed onto her shoulder like an accessory.
“You’re going to wear that?” Nova asked, intrigued.
“Of course. He’s my lucky charm. Since he joined us, everything has been going well,” she said with a smile, gently stroking Othar’s head, which seemed to purr contentedly.
“Well... you’re right,” Nova admitted, though he was still puzzled. Since arriving in this world, most of his experiences had been negative. Yet, lately, nothing bad had happened.
Stolen story; please report.
Perhaps the small animal was acting as a sort of talisman. “Let’s see if you can bring me luck, Othar.” He reached out to stroke the animal, but as soon as he touched it, Othar bit him, clearly displeased.
“Get off me, you little rascal!” Nova exclaimed, trying to free his hand from the animal's grip. Katya had to intervene before Othar finally let go, allowing them to continue to headquarters despite their discomfort.
At the building entrance, they were greeted by a security guard who asked to see their badges. After scanning them, the guard directed them to the conference room for the exam and told them to follow the green path on the floor.
Thanking him, they entered the building, heading toward the designated location.
In silence, they walked through the impressive facility. The interior was elegantly decorated, featuring a vast lobby with minimalist luxury and several massive photographs of different B-Synchro. Nova avoided looking at them to prevent second-guessing his decision to take the exam.
Following the green path, they arrived at the conference room. The large wooden doors were wide open, revealing a spacious room with pristine white walls and a tiered seating arrangement.
The seats in the back were elevated compared to those in the front, which were closer to the stage.
Upon entering, Nova and Katya were surprised to find a large crowd already seated, waiting for the first test to begin.
Each person wore their respective pins, indicating how quickly they had completed the registration process. Their auras varied—some enigmatic, others intense, and some perfectly ordinary.
“Nova, we need to sit,” Katya said, tugging on his arm as they searched for seats in the back row. As the last to register, they assumed they were entitled to the remaining spots.
Once seated, they waited quietly with the rest for the event to start.
Gradually, the conference room filled up, every seat occupied, and a constant murmur filled the air. Anticipation grew among the aspiring agents, who exchanged nervous whispers.
Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness and heightening the tension. Almost immediately, a spotlight illuminated the stage with a bright glow as a haze of dry ice began to rise.
The audience fell silent, their eyes fixed on the stage, eagerly anticipating what was to come.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
A high-pitched voice boomed from the theater's speakers, filled with enthusiasm.
"Welcome to this year's Terra Nexus agent examination!"
As the announcement ended, a vibrant light show erupted on stage, pulsating to the rhythm of a hard rock song. Most of the hopefuls responded with enthusiastic applause, including Katya, who looked visibly animated.
"My name is Textex, and I’ll be overseeing the first test of this trial!"
A figure began to emerge from a hidden trapdoor on the stage. Initially shrouded in mist, the figure gradually came into focus, revealing a portly, muscular man about six feet tall, wearing a cartoonish white rabbit mask.
"Are you ready for the showwwwww?!" he exclaimed, exaggeratedly waving his arms to engage the audience. However, the crowd was more intrigued by the unusual figure than by joining in.
"I don’t think you heard me… I said, are you ready to start the shoooowwwwwww?!" he repeated, raising his voice.
"Uh… Yeeeeeees?" A hesitant murmur rose from the audience, with only one person daring to respond.
The music abruptly cut off, thanks to a control Textex held in his other hand.
"Listen up, you motherfuckers. It took me two hours to convince Jimmy from the visual effects department to set this up, so you'd better start screaming or you'll all be taking the exam next year," he barked, his voice dropping to a menacing growl.
After laying down the rules, he turned the music back on and continued.
"Are you ready to start the shoooowwwwwww?!" he shouted for the third time, and this time, the majority of the aspiring agents responded with a unified roar.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!"
"Ouuuuu Yeaaaahhhhh!" Textex responded with the same playful, high-pitched voice as before.
"Since you’re such an amazing audience, let me ask you a question! What is the most important thing to become a Terra Nexus agent?" He extended the microphone toward the crowd, inviting their responses.
"Possessing synchrony?" a skeptical voice from the front row suggested.
"Wrooooooooong, pississing synchriny!" Textex mockingly mimicked the speaker's tone. "I should dismiss you for such a shallow answer," he said, shaking his head in frustration.
"Synchrony is crucial, but it’s not everything. Even if you manage to awaken it, some of you will likely get stuck at one or two stars," he added. The room fell silent. Some looked skeptical, while others seemed stunned, struggling to grasp what the man in the rabbit mask was implying.
"Did you think you’d stand out just by having it? Ha, you fools. The bare minimum is to possess synchrony. What you do with it is up to you. The most important thing is your..." He pressed the remote again, and a drum roll began to play.
"Determination!"
The rabbit’s emphatic words reverberated through the conference room.
"An agent without strong determination is worthless! Regardless of what you believe in or desire—whether it's money, recognition, women, men, something in between, or even a Boeing AH-64 Apache—fight for it and become the agents who will pave the way for the organization! Be the pride of Terra Nexus in your respective branches and elevate humanity to the next level!"
Textex's impassioned speech stirred the majority of the room, with most aspirants cheering, fueled by their personal ambitions.
A few remained silent, waiting for the real test, but Nova was not among them. He, like the others, stood up and cheered enthusiastically when he heard "money."
"That’s the spirit I like! Now that I see you’re really motivated, let me explain what’s next." Textex pressed the remote to silence the music, and the lights in the venue returned.
"One by one, you’ll be called up in the order you registered to spend seven minutes in Heaven with Betsy." The curtain at the back of the stage opened, revealing an abominable creature that left the audience in stunned awe.
"Say hello to Betsy."
"BOAAAAH!"
A thunderous yawn caused the hair of every spectator to ripple. Before them stood a creature resembling a colossal, pale gray elephant, twice the size of a normal one.
Its body was adorned with streaks of yellow crystal running from its massive tusks, across its forehead, and down its back, giving it an eerie, glowing aura.
Betsy’s eyes were large and luminous, glowing with a golden light that seemed to pierce anyone who met her gaze.
"For some, this may be their first encounter with a B-Synchro," Textex said, turning to Betsy and approaching her with practiced gentleness. "But let me assure you, Betsy is unlike any B-Synchro you’ve seen."
He continued, showing affection by bowing his head slightly. Betsy responded by gently lowering her horn to allow him to touch it.
"Betsy is a unique slime-level B-Synchro," Textex explained. He lightly caressed the creature’s trunk, which slowly moved closer to receive the agent's caress on the bright yellow gem on her forehead.
As Textex made contact, Betsy’s body began to glow intensely, leaving the audience in awe.
"If your DNA reacts to the resonance, Betsy’s body will exhibit this glow. Otherwise, you won’t be able to awaken synchrony," Textex said, withdrawing his hand and looking toward the audience.
"When I call your name, you must perform the same action I just did. This will allow you to experience the B-Synchro’s pheromones directly, and if your DNA is affected by the resonance, Betsy’s crystals will glow." Textex pointed toward the exit of the conference room.
"Otherwise, you’ll have to leave and meet with one of my colleagues outside," he added with a note of regret.
The room fell silent; the chance to become agents was before them, dependent solely on their luck.
"First up is... Angelo Bennet, number one."
Nova’s attention sharpened at the mention of the name.
"Could it be? Isn’t he supposed to be in jail?" he wondered, his emotions surging as he watched the man with black hair descend the stairs to the stage. Nova pressed his lips together, struggling to contain his rising frustration.
Katya noticed the loathing in the eyes of her friend as Angelo approached Betsy.
The man’s unpleasant smile and arrogant demeanor once again crossed Nova’s path. Each of his footsteps resonated heavily, increasing the tension in the room as Nova fought to mask his swirling emotions.
"Do you know him?" Katya asked.