The chamber lit up with a silvery glow as the trial began. An ancient voice echoed through the void:
"To face your future, you must first face what lies in your heart."
Each team member was pulled into their own illusion. But Jin and Yooha—fatefully—were thrown into the same one.
They stood on a battlefield covered in mist, alone, the world silent except for the hum of their blades.
Yooha's voice was soft. "Where… are the others?"
Before Jin could answer, enemies shaped like their worst fears charged at them—Jin's resembled a faceless father walking away, while Yooha's was a shadowy version of Ghost Gordon laughing coldly.
Jin gritted his teeth and fought back, his Laughing Blade reacting with sparks of divine fire. Yooha, steady but shaken, shielded his side with Silent Veil. They fought perfectly in sync.
Suddenly, the mist thickened and they froze—now standing in front of a reflection of themselves, holding hands.
"You… dreamed this?" Yooha whispered, shocked.
Jin turned away quickly, face flushed. "N-No! I mean, maybe? A little?"
The illusion shimmered—and in the real world, everyone watching saw what happened. The entire team, even the instructors, could see their synchronized fighting, their protective glances, the reflection…
Bo clutched his stomach laughing.
"Yo! Jin's got that destiny-romance power-up going on!"
Meiqi squealed.
"Wait—did they hold hands?! AHHH!"
Yooha and Jin finally broke through the illusion and came back to the real world. The light faded.
Silence.
Then Xie Luan, arms crossed, muttered,
"She was in his team from the start. Of course."
Yooha narrowed her eyes. "It was just an illusion."
Jin looked flustered but smiled softly.
"Maybe. But it felt real."
End of Episode 41( continue)