Finished!

The aftermath: cheers, jabs, and uneasy thoughts

The grand demonstration finally drew to a close beneath the sun's gentle descent, painting Capital One Arena in soft gold and shadow. One by one, the watching students trickled out in noisy clusters, still buzzing with excitement and half-formed theories.

Laughter, chatter, and the occasional sharp squeal echoed through the stone galleries. It was like a festival in the aftermath of a grand play.

"Ohhh, that was incredible! Did you see the president's mana beast absorb the flames like it was nothing?"

"Yeah — then swish, boom… poor mechanism didn't even know what hit it."

Another group of boys crowded together, giddy from adrenaline. One of them snorted, elbowing his friend. "And Aether's fancy toys didn't last more than a sneeze. Not so cocky now, huh?"

But almost instantly, a gaggle of girls whirled around on them. One girl — ponytail whipping — barked, "You want a brick to the head? Try stepping into that arena yourselves, see how long you last against the chosen ones."

"Right! At least Aether had the guts to stand there and let his work be tested," another girl snapped, arms crossed.

Even Olivia, who had been quietly clutching the rail with both hands, gave a small approving nod. Her eyes flickered thoughtfully. Honestly, most of the boys here would've run crying back to their dorms if they were in his shoes…

Akabane's bizarre conclusion

Standing near the upper balcony, Akabane teacher twirled a loose strand of hair, listening to the after-banter with an amused glint in her eye.

"Hmm… my student has quite a collection of fangirls it seems," she murmured under her breath. "Though… why do all the boys keep badmouthing him? Don't tell me — is Aether accidentally building himself a harem without noticing?"

A tiny mischievous grin curved her lips. "My, that'd explain the hostility. Poor clueless Aether. He really doesn't look the type…"

Meanwhile, under the arena…

At that very moment, down beneath the stands where he'd been quietly sitting cross-legged, Aether shivered and wrapped his arms across his chest.

"Achoo!" He flinched. "Ah? …Ugh. Is someone out there talking nonsense about me again?"

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, mumbling. Better not be Lucas spreading more rumors…

Luke's lingering disdain

Elsewhere in the arena, Luke stood among his fellow year five elites, answering a few congratulations with nods and strained half-smiles. But his eyes kept darting to the figure of Aether far below.

"Tch…"

Inside, something twisted unpleasantly. He tried to dismiss it — after all, he'd accomplished everything he wanted today. He'd shown the entire student body, clear as daylight, who was strong and who was merely dabbling with toys.

But it nagged at him.

Even reduced to dust, his mechanisms held against my strike for several seconds. Most year five non-mages can't manage that with full defensive spells…

Worse yet was Aether himself, sitting there so casually as though none of this mattered.

That look on his face… like he's already moved on to thinking about his next idea. As if my crushing him was just a useful experiment. It makes me want to wipe that smug little…

Luke ground his teeth, fists curling at his sides.

No. I can't let him keep growing unchecked. I'll pull him down with my own hands before he becomes a problem I can't control.

Shanny's private relief

Not far off, Shanny exhaled long and deep, hands clasped over her heart.

Thank goodness everything ended without incident. Knowing Luke, I half-expected him to provoke Aether into something disastrous…

She glanced once more at Luke, watching him stiffen, then storm away with heavy steps. Her shoulders loosened slightly.

Still… Aether didn't seem even slightly intimidated. More like… quietly annoyed. Is he truly that calm under pressure, or did I miss something deeper?

The president's closing words

As the final echoes of magic faded from the arena's heart, Luke stepped forward to give his closing address. His voice rang strong and assured, resonating off the stone walls.

"I trust that all of you now grasp the true importance of familiars — their power, and the bond that fuels it. Remember: your familiars exist to protect, to grow alongside you, and ultimately to shield the weak from disaster. Do not abuse your strength. Do not turn your power into cruelty."

His dark eyes swept over the sea of younger students, who stood hushed, nearly reverent.

"And to all soon attending the Familiar Choosing Ceremony — I wish you fortune in finding partners who will elevate you to your highest selves."

A brief silence. Then, as if on cue, hundreds bowed low to the chosen ones. Murmurs of awe, admiration, and raw ambition filled the departing crowd.

An awkward courtesy

The arena gradually emptied, leaving behind only fading footfalls and drifting scraps of excited chatter. Just as Luke began to turn away, Aether hopped down from the shadowy stands to intercept him.

"Hey," Aether said, his tone oddly formal. "Thanks for today. I know it's probably a hassle to arrange these sorts of events. I'm glad my mechanisms could at least serve as proper test dummies."

Luke's lip twitched. His own voice was equally stiff. "It was… necessary for the demonstration. And your contributions were… acceptable."

They stood there for a beat — two young men who could not have despised each other more, yet who shared a begrudging, razor-thin professional respect. Then, almost mockingly synchronized, they extended hands and shook.

Yes, both thought simultaneously. I really hate him.

Luke was the first to release, his hand dropping like a stone. Without another word, he stalked off across the flagstones, his long coat sweeping behind him. Aether watched him fade into the sun's dimming glare.

"Man…" Aether exhaled, scratching the back of his head. "He's finally gone."

Dust and black scars

Long after the crowds dispersed, Aether lingered in the silent arena, making his solitary way to the center of the ruined field. Ashen powder crumbled beneath his boots — the pulverized remains of his own dreams, each pile a quiet monument to inadequacy.

He knelt and scooped up a handful, letting the soot sift through his fingers. Around him, deep scorch marks and claw gouges cut ragged scars into the earth.

"They really… reduced everything to dust," he whispered, voice carrying only to the empty stands. "Not even scraps left to study."

His hand curled into a fist so tight his knuckles went white. He pressed it to the ground.

They're strong. All of them. I thought I understood that, but seeing it up close like this… it's a wall. A real, towering wall I can't breach yet.

He stayed like that for a long moment, breathing in the acrid scent of burnt mana and scorched steel.

An unexpected visitor

Then — faint footsteps, hesitant yet drawing closer. Aether's head snapped up, eyes narrowing.

Emerging from one of the shadowed archways was a tall, graceful silhouette. Her long turquoise hair fluttered behind her, and beside her padded a panther whose sleek muscles rippled like liquid shadow.

"…You're…" Aether tilted his head, wary. "Why are you here, Vice President? Senior Shanny, right?"

Shanny offered a small, polite smile. "Yes. I just wanted to speak with you, that's all."

He blinked and pointed to himself. "Me? Seriously?"

She nodded, eyes glinting with something — curiosity, or maybe genuine intrigue.

Aether's gaze dropped to the panther at her side. Its eyes glowed faintly in the waning light, but its posture was relaxed, tail sweeping the dust with slow, idle motions. He relaxed slightly too.

The unexpected question

Then, with a tilt of her head, Shanny asked, "Anyway… how did you turn so quickly to spot me? I'm sure I completely concealed my presence."

Aether stared at her. Then he snorted and rubbed his nose awkwardly.

"You did. Well, almost. It's just… I've been on edge since the event ended. My mana sense is all stirred up from suppressing my frustration. I guess it picked up the distortion your concealment made."

Shanny raised a single elegant eyebrow. "Most students — even year fives — can't detect me when I don't want to be seen. You're saying you could because you were annoyed?"

"…Basically, yeah." He scratched his cheek. "Guess being mad has perks. Lucky me."

Her lips twitched into a small, genuine smile.

Shanny's real motive

She stepped closer, boots stirring tiny puffs of ash. For a second, she simply watched him. Then, more softly, she said, "Your mechanisms today… were impressive. Even if they failed. You held up better than many year fives might without mana beasts of their own."

Aether didn't look up. Instead he let out a small huff. "Impressive, huh? They didn't even last five seconds against the president."

"Exactly." Shanny's voice grew more thoughtful. "Which means it would have taken them even less time if your work hadn't been extraordinary."

A pause. Her eyes, usually filled with playful cunning, now seemed clear, almost earnest.

"Don't let Luke's petty theatrics get under your skin. He's insecure about anything he doesn't control. Keep improving. I… look forward to seeing what you build next."

With that, she gave a graceful nod — half farewell, half something more — then turned to leave, her panther flowing after her like living ink.

Alone again, with new fuel

Aether stood in the dust long after her footsteps faded. Slowly, an incredulous laugh escaped him.

"Man… 'keep improving,' huh? You elites really love to throw down gauntlets."

He crouched again, sifting through the powder one last time. Beneath his breath, almost reverently, he murmured, "But fine. I'll take that challenge. One day, it won't be dust at your feet — it'll be a real fight."

He stood, shook off his hands, and turned his back on the blackened ground. As he walked out of the arena, the last rays of sunlight caught on the faint metal filings still clinging to his palms — tiny, stubborn remnants of something he refused to let die.