After the two-day journey on foot, the brothers arrived back at the base from where they had departed—the same location where the trial had begun. Both of them looked visibly exhausted from the journey.
— Finally… I couldn't walk another step!
Kura said this to himself, heading quickly to one of the desks at the base to finally complete the first phase of the trial.
— Oh, I see you're still alive. Are you here to quit or to move on to the next phase?
The instructor spoke in a sarcastic tone, clearly mocking them.
— Why, you…!
Hot-headed Arold was already on edge—not just because of the trial, but also due to travel fatigue. But before the younger brother could do anything rash, Kura threw the bishop's head, which was in a sack, onto the counter.
— My brother and I are moving on to the next phase… This head is enough to prove it, isn't it?
The instructor looked at the head and gave a wide grin, then handed each of them a form.
— Congratulations on making it this far… I hope you didn't use that power…
Once again, he was trying to provoke them, which irritated Kura. Still, the older brother responded in a "peaceful" tone:
— Do you think I'm a psychopath? I'm not some lunatic who uses a bazooka to hunt a rabbit!
The instructor was clearly enjoying their reactions—he could tell he was getting under their skin.
— Alright, I get it… You can go to the infirmary to treat your injuries. After that, take a shower and head to the auditorium.
The brothers gladly left, heading first to the infirmary and then to their shared room, where they each took turns using the shower. After a while, they made their way toward the auditorium.
— Man… no rest for the wicked…
The older brother muttered this as they walked in and sat down, waiting for the announcement. They noticed how much emptier the auditorium was compared to the first time—out of the original 12,000 candidates, fewer than 4,000 remained.
— Good evening, everyone! You must be wondering why I've gathered you all here tonight.
The voice belonged to the director of the base, and it echoed across the room. Everyone could hear him clearly and felt a chill down their spines.
— Well, I called you here to congratulate all who made it this far. You may have noticed many didn't have the same luck—some gave up, and others died in the first trial.
The news that many had died left some people in shock. Still, the director continued:
— Those of you who passed the first trial will now face the second and final phase before entering the army. So please, take a ticket and wait your turn.
One by one, the candidates began picking up their tickets. Kura got number 54, while Arold got number 67. Several minutes passed—Kura even managed to eat two coxinhas while waiting—until his turn finally came.
— Good luck, bro!
Arold shouted as his brother entered the testing room.
It was a dark room with spotlights illuminating only the chair and the table where the instructors and the director sat.
— Sit in the Chair of Approval and tell us what you fight for. If it recognizes you as worthy, you will be approved.
The young man froze for a few seconds, then walked over to the chair and sat. He remained there for a few seconds until the chair accepted him as worthy to join the army.
— Now speak aloud—what do you fight for?!
The director's voice echoed again. Kura paused, looked at each instructor, and then spoke:
— I want to join the army to protect and help my family—mainly to pay the hospital bills for my father and grandfather. The government assistance we had wasn't enough.
He fell silent for a moment, then continued with strength in his voice:
— I also want to join the army to finally be free!
Everyone waited for the chair's response. After about 30 seconds, a "ding" sound echoed—it meant he had passed.
— Oh… I see you're one of the few to pass with a perfect score… Welcome, Third Sergeant Kura!
Hearing those words filled the young man's heart with relief. He left the room feeling lighter and happier—one of the few who had succeeded so far.
— I passed, Arold!
Kura said this to his brother, eyes gleaming with joy and wearing a huge smile.
— That's great, bro! I'll probably pass too!
Arold replied, just as excited.
Time passed, and only a few people came out with approval. Finally, it was Arold's turn to enter the room. Meanwhile, Kura walked toward the hospital. Once inside, he made his way to one of the rooms.
— They're going to love this!
He opened the door quickly and was immediately greeted by the sight of his father, grandfather, and mother in the room. Kura ran to them and hugged them all, speaking excitedly:
— I did it… I finally made it into the army!
His eyes filled with tears as he said those words. His father couldn't say much due to his illness, but his grandfather spoke loudly, laughing:
— So you really did it? I'm happy! I still remember my time in the army.
The old man's mind flooded with memories of when he was strong and fit, along with tales of his survival feats.
— I was even considered one of the nine Sekai no hakai dekiru!
("Those who can destroy the world.")
The old man said this proudly to his grandson, reminiscing about his days fighting for days on end without rest.
— So… are the girls in the army still pretty? You need a girlfriend—
The sentence was interrupted by the young man himself, who cut him off before it got too personal.
Arold then entered the room, looking downcast. He went straight into his mother's arms. He revealed that he hadn't passed with a perfect score, which meant he would enter the army ranked just below his brother.
— Don't worry, Arold! You made it in—and you can still climb the ranks!
Now, with both brothers officially in the army—even if at different ranks—they knew great adventures awaited them.