Kul-Elna, the inaccessible kingdom, was renowned for its cutting-edge technology, a true hub of knowledge where scientists from around the globe stopped to share their discoveries. When the plane carrying Ikku and his companions landed in the middle of an ultramodern airport, their eyes lit up at the sight of the incredibly advanced infrastructure.

As soon as they set foot on the ground, they were overwhelmed with wonder.

"Wow, look at that! I see flying cars in the distance!" exclaimed Ikku, wide-eyed at the futuristic spectacle.

"Woooow!" gasped Yumé, excitement brimming in his voice, his eyes sparkling with amazement.

"Stop being impressed by every little thing, you two," Kenny grumbled, arms crossed, trying to appear unimpressed, though he couldn’t completely hide his own astonishment.

"It’s beautiful!" added Carla, equally awestruck.

A bus picked them up and drove them through the city, stopping in front of an immense building with a sleek, avant-garde design.

"Where are we, Mr. Dôma?" Ikku asked, still fascinated by everything around him.

"You’re at the Nexus headquarters," Dôma replied calmly. "We’re going to meet the president of Nexus, who is also the king of Kul-Elna."

"The king of Kul-Elna?" Yumé repeated, surprised.

"That’s correct," Dôma continued with a slight smile. "The president of Nexus is the one who founded this kingdom. Today, he is by far the most powerful person on the island and perhaps in the entire country of Isrue. He represents Isrue’s secret weapon."

Ikku nodded, impressed. "Incredible," he murmured.

They entered an elevator that took them directly to the reception hall. There, waiting for them, stood the president of Nexus. He was an older man, likely in his sixties. His long gray hair was tied back in a ponytail, and a thin mustache and neatly trimmed goatee framed his warm face. He wore a green traditional Chinese shirt, exuding a sense of calm and infinite wisdom.

"Welcome, my children," the man declared warmly. "My name is Ryu, president of Nexus. First and foremost, I want to congratulate you on your promotion. From now on, Nexus is your family, and Kul-Elna is your home."

He paused, observing each of the new recruits with a benevolent gaze. "Know that, contrary to rumors, Nexus is an independent association. We do not serve Isrue, though we have a non-aggression pact and alliance with them. Nexus members answer to no one."

Ikku and his friends exchanged glances, slightly surprised by this information.

"As for you," Ryu continued, "you will each be provided with a card, a phone, and an apartment. The phone will have the Nexus application installed. Through it, you can take on missions of various categories from individuals around the world. Each completed mission will be automatically compensated, with the funds transferred to a private account in your name. This account can be managed with your card, which also serves as your pass and proof of your Nexus membership. Do not lose it."

Ryu looked at them to ensure they were following before continuing. "Finally, you will each be assigned a mentor for your training."

"Training?" Ikku asked, intrigued.

"That’s correct," Ryu nodded. "You still have much to learn, but you’ll find out soon enough. Zéno, standing to my right, will oversee your training. Once again, welcome to Nexus!"

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Ikku turned to Ryu’s right and saw a man of average height. His blond hair was slicked back, and he wore an eyepatch over his left eye. His slightly hooked nose and finely trimmed mustache and goatee gave him a stern appearance. Yet his gaze seemed distant, as if lost in thought. He wore a long black coat left open, adding to his mysterious aura.

"Those named Ikku, Yumé, Kenny, and Carla, come with me," Zéno said calmly, stepping toward them. "We’re heading to the training grounds."

Without waiting, he walked toward the elevator, quickly followed by the four new recruits.

"What do you think we’ll be doing?" Yumé asked nervously.

"No idea," Kenny replied in a detached tone.

"I was hoping to get some sleep..." Carla sighed.

"Let’s see. I’m sure it’ll be interesting," Ikku added with a sly smile.

They descended to the training grounds, a vast green space dotted with wooden poles. Zéno stopped in front of them, scratching his head with a tired expression.

"Alright," he said with a sigh. "Let’s start with introductions. I’m Zéno, your instructor. My number is already saved in the phones you’ve been given. Don’t hesitate to call me if you have any problems. I’m guessing the girl is Carla?"

Carla nodded, a bit taken aback by the direct question.

"Good," Zéno continued. "Who’s Ikku?"

Ikku raised his hand.

"Perfect. And Yumé?"

"Me, me!" Yumé exclaimed, raising both arms and waving them enthusiastically.

"I see," Zéno said indifferently. "So, you must be Kenny."

"That’s right," Kenny replied.

"Very well," Zéno sighed. "Now that introductions are out of the way, we’re going to play a game."

"A game?" Ikku asked, surprised.

"Yes, exactly," Zéno replied with a faint smile. "The game of 'Red Light, Green Light.' Whoever wins will be exempt from training."

"Are you serious?" Kenny asked, visibly perturbed.

"I never lie," Zéno said gravely, without a hint of jest. "I assume you all know the rules. Let’s begin."

As Zéno turned around to start counting, the heroes quickly positioned themselves, ready to advance as fast as possible to win the game. But suddenly... something unexpected happened. The atmosphere shifted dramatically, becoming incredibly heavy. Ikku and the others found themselves unable to move, as if the air around them had thickened, weighing them down.

"What’s happening?!" Ikku thought, his body frozen in place. "It’s like an invisible force is crushing me. It’s coming from... him! What did he do?!"

Unperturbed, Zéno began counting slowly and calmly.

"One... two... three, red light!"

The moment he turned around, the oppressive weight vanished as quickly as it had come. The air became light again, and Ikku, Yumé, Kenny, and Carla collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat and out of breath, as if they had been battling an immense force.

Zéno observed them with a sly smile. "Too bad, you all moved. You lost."

Still panting, Kenny managed to ask, "What did you do, professor?"

Zéno crossed his arms, his smile growing slightly. "Ah, so you realized it was me. What you felt was nothing more than my spiritual energy."

"Spiritual energy?!" Ikku and the others repeated, surprised and intrigued.

"Exactly," Zéno confirmed in a calm tone. "Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything. Take a moment to catch your breath first."

After recovering, Ikku and his friends stood up, their attention fixed on Zéno, eager to learn more. In a calm voice, Zéno began his explanation.

"Spiritual energy is the vital energy that resides within all of you," he explained. "Normally, it escapes your body unconsciously in very small amounts. But once mastered, it allows you to achieve incredible feats."

Suddenly, Zéno released his spiritual energy again. This time, the atmosphere wasn’t oppressive like before, but Ikku and the others could still feel it. Zéno continued:

"Even though you can’t see it, I’m sure you can feel it, right?"

"Yes," Ikku replied, surprised by the difference in sensation. "But it’s different from before... it’s not oppressive this time."

"That’s because I harbor no hostility toward you right now," Zéno explained with a slight smile. "Mastered spiritual energy can greatly enhance your physical abilities, slow down the aging of your body, and speed up your recovery after exertion. However, excessive use will exhaust you, much like intense physical effort."

He paused, letting his words sink in.

"Just like muscles, spiritual energy develops and strengthens through training and meditation. The training you’re about to undertake is designed to awaken your spiritual energy. Once that’s done, I’ll show you in more detail what you can achieve. And when your training is complete... we’ll go on missions together."

Ikku, Yumé, Kenny, and Carla exchanged glances, feeling a surge of new determination.

"Alright," they said in unison, their eyes brimming with motivation.

Zéno observed them for a moment, satisfied. "I like that look," he said, crossing his arms, a satisfied smile on his lips.