The Main World.
Konoha Year 30, autumn.
The Country of Roran, a side hall of the Royal Palace.
Pakura stood in the center of the side hall, several fading bandage marks on her wrists. Her stance remained ready to shift positions at any moment, but she did not move. Karura stood a few steps away at her side, neither approaching nor retreating, simply standing in the position she had already settled on.
When Yōsa entered, the doors of the side hall closed behind him. He had brought no one.
He walked up to the two women and stopped. His gaze shifted from Pakura to Karura, then from Karura to Pakura. Then he spoke, as though confirming a plan whose calculations had already been checked. "I need you to become Ascendants. Are you willing?"
Pakura did not ask why he wanted to do this, what an Ascendant was, or what the price would be. She took a step forward, her tone level when she spoke, as though confirming a fact that no longer needed checking. "Begin."
Karura also stepped forward, standing beside Pakura without speaking or retreating. She had already confirmed where she would stand.
Yōsa did not begin immediately. He seemed to be confirming that they were ready to receive the complete information. Then he spoke at an unhurried pace, laying out the entire set of data item by item.
"The Ascendant Ritual has five tiers. The higher the grade of blessing, the more brutal the trial, and the greater your combat strength after ascension."
"Tier one, basic royal blessing. The trial involves torn flesh and phantom mental pain. After passing, all attributes reach standard Kage Level. You gain water control and sand element affinity, basic self-healing, and absolute loyalty, and can command a small force of the Undying Sand