For the next stage of the Shaman Tournament they flew all the way back to Tokyo, on an island owned by the Patch, fully equipped with an arena, lodgings, shops and even hot springs. It wasn't long before the first match was under way.

"Hey, Yoh." She waved at him.

"Nova, you're here."

"You don't need to sound so surprised." She laughed nervously.

"No, no, I meant..." Yoh fumbled for words.

"What he means is, he didn't expect to see you here with us. We thought you'd be sat with Hao." Ren butted in.

"Huh? Why would you think that?"

"You took his offer last we saw, so we thought you'd joined up with him."

"I did take him up on his offer but only about half way. I'm not taking anyones side in whatever is going on. I'm no closer to Hao than I am to you guys, really."

"So more like acquaintances."

"Yeah, exactly. But I do hope we can be friends one day." She smiled. It made Horohoro and Ren blush.

"Well, I'm going to go grab some snacks before the fight starts." She had almost forgotten Manta was there.

"Oh, can I come with you, Manta?"

"Sure." They made their way to the vending machine.

"Hey Nova, I want to ask you something."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"If you won the shaman tournament and became shaman king, what would you do?"

"What would I...?"

"Everyone here seems to have something they want to do with the power they'd receive from becoming shaman king. For example, Horohoro wants to save the nature spirits like Kororo, Ryu wants a place to belong, Yoh wants to have an easy life, but what is it you want?"

"I honestly don't know at this point. I've never thought about it. I never came here intending to win. I do however have a purpose. To assist the one who does become shaman king. It's my duty, passed to me from my mother. She died a long time ago but I still remember the bed time stories she told me. About our family history and the shaman tournament, how our family and tribe have a duty to aid the shaman king. It's strange how I still remember... I was only five when she passed away. Yet other memories, even since then aren't so clear."

"Maybe because it's a happy memory, one you keep close to your heart, that's why you remember it?"

"I think you're right, Manta." She smiled and handed him his snacks. "If I figure out what it is I'd do if I became shaman king, I promise you'll be the first to know."

They went back to the match and team The Ren was up first against some of Hao's followers. It was no surprise to her that they won. The next match was Hao's team star against X-III. What ensued in their fight cast more doubt in Nova's heart. The way he toyed with them, and then made a spectacle of allowing Spirit of Fire to devour their souls. She saw how angry Yoh got too. She felt it. Hao noticed the look on Nova's face and diminished his oversoul. The match was already over.

"Great Omniyoji, Hao Asakura." Yoh gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"Yoh, please, try and remain calm. Don't let him get a rise out of you. What he just did was despicable. But we can't let it overwhelm us."

"You're right."

"I'm going to go."

"Your match is up next. Good luck."

"Thanks." She nodded and made her way down to the arena. She passed Hao on the way. He stopped her and had her pinned against the wall.

"So you didn't like my little show then?"

"A bit too unnecessary. There was no need to kill them like that. It's just like with Lilirara."

"You're right, maybe it was unnecessary, but with every soul devoured, the Spirit of Fire becomes stronger."

"You're undoubtedly going to become Shaman King, so how much more power could you need at this point?"

"All of it."

"Well, I still stand by what I said. I don't agree with the things you do, but I will follow you."

"Good girl." He smiled and let her go. Out in the arena her and two other shaman were about to begin their fight. She had teamed up with Milo, a shaman who specialised in lighting and Yasmin, whose speciality was Earth. Nova's speciality was water, which is why they became team Elemental.

The other shaman seemed annoyed about having to fight her and her team.

"She shouldn't even be allowed here. She's a member of the patch tribe, how can she compete?" One of them said.

"Radim?" She looked over to him.

"While it's true, Nova is a member of the Patch tribe, she is not an officiant, and is therefore eligible to compete."

"There you have it." She smiled.

"If there are no more objections, let the match begin!" Radim shouted.

Nova took a step back and let Milo and Yasmin fight first. They made a dazzling show with their lightning and earth style combinations. All the while, the two team leaders, Nova and Alexei were waiting.

"Alright guys, I'm ready." As she stepped forward there was a shift in the atmosphere, as if the air got denser somehow. Milo and Yasmin quickly finished off two two they were fighting and then stepped back.

"I knew you were holding back for something. Explain to me how your mana suddenly increased from 500 to 5000 in a matter of minutes."

"It's quite simple really, I removed a mana seal. Should I put on a show or get this over with quickly?"

"And she lectures me about unnecessary things." Hao laughed.

"I think I'll finish this quickly so I can go have a bath in one of the hot springs. It'll be so relaxing." She was unfocused and he thought he could use this opportunity to strike her down. He was wrong. He went towards her, but, in the blink of an eye, he fell beside her.

"Did anyone see what happened?" Radim was in disbelief. He knew a little of her family's power but he'd never heard of anything like this.

"I've not been entirely truthful, I do have a spirit ally of sorts, inherited from my mother. It's claws are sharper than anything you can imagine. He was never going to be able to reach me."

"Give it up for Nova!" Only half the crowd cheered for her. No matter. On her way out, Hao was there again. This time he grabbed her wrist from behind and held her so she couldn't run off.

"So, when we're you going to tell me you had that kind of power? There's a lot more to you than meets the eye, Nova."

"What can I say, I like to surprise people." She disappeared from his grasp and re-appeared a couple feet in front of him. "See." She smiled. "Are you going to make a habit of grabbing me against the wall?"

"I get more intrigued by you every minute. Perhaps I'll have a bath too. We could talk?"

"I suppose. There's plenty of hot springs."