Who's that

A dull, throbbing pain echoed through Hiratsu's body as he stirred awake.

His head felt like it was splitting apart, and his limbs were heavy, as if he were buried under tons of rock.

His vision blurred.

He could barely make out the soft glow of candlelight flickering in the dim room.

A warm presence sat beside him, unmoving.

His voice came out hoarse.

"How long… was I sleeping?"

A gentle voice answered.

"Nine hours, Hiratsu."

His vision cleared slightly, revealing Akemi sitting at his bedside.

Hiratsu's eyes widened slightly.

Nine hours?

That wasn't the shocking part—what truly surprised him was why she was still awake.

His brows furrowed as he forced himself to sit up, pain rippling through his body.

"Why are you still awake? It's been nine hours."

Akemi's eyes softened, and her lips curled into a small, joyful smile.

"I don't care about myself that much,"

she admitted, her voice light but filled with warmth.

She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"The truth is… Takuma and you made my world colorful and full of joy.

I just can't leave you alone in moments like these."

A strange warmth settled in Hiratsu's chest.

For a moment, the pain didn't matter.

But before he could respond—

Creeeak.

The door swung open.

A tall figure entered, his presence both calm and lively at the same time.

Hira.

He casually leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed as he looked down at Hiratsu with a knowing smirk.

"Oh boy, your soul is damn weak,"

he said, shaking his head.

Then, with a teasing grin, he added,

"If it wasn't for Takuma saving you, you'd be literally dead."

Hiratsu tensed at the reminder.

His mind flashed back to the battle—the 99 deaths, the pain, the helplessness.

His fists clenched beneath the covers.

But before he could dwell on it, Hira lifted his hand, a faint golden glow swirling in his palm.

"But don't worry," he said, stepping closer.

"I'll heal your soul."

The golden energy seeped into Hiratsu's chest.

A soothing warmth spread through his body, reaching even the deepest parts of his existence.

The pain vanished.

In mere seconds, every single wound—both physical and spiritual—was gone.

Hiratsu blinked in astonishment.

Even Akemi seemed shocked.

But her expression quickly shifted to mild irritation as she turned to Hira.

"Wait a minute,"

she said, frowning.

"If you could heal him this easily, why didn't you do it earlier?"

Hira simply shrugged, his face calm as ever.

"Hiratsu's wounds were more on his soul than his body,"

he explained.

He slipped his hands into his pockets.

"I couldn't heal him unless he woke up and regained consciousness.

Otherwise, the damage would've been incomplete."

Akemi huffed, crossing her arms.

Hiratsu, still in awe of how his body felt completely normal, let out a slow breath and sat up fully.

"Thanks, Hira."

The older boy just gave a lazy wave, as if it were nothing.

But there was still something bothering Hiratsu.

He turned to Akemi.

"What about Aiki?"

The moment he asked, Akemi's expression fell.

A heavy silence filled the room before she finally answered, her voice low and disappointed.

"He didn't make it to the top 100."

Hiratsu's heart sank.

"What?!"

He knew how strong Aiki was.

He had fought beside him, seen his skill firsthand.

There was no way he was weaker than some of the people who made it.

Akemi sighed.

"I know… he was stronger than a lot of them."

Hiratsu clenched his fists. This wasn't right.

Aiki should've been there.

Hiratsu had lost, but at least he had fought against a monster like Kenji.

But Aiki?

Something wasn't adding up.

Hira stepped out of the room, leaving Hiratsu and Akemi behind.

His expression was unreadable as he walked down the dimly lit corridors of the training facility, his thoughts focused on one thing—Takuma.

There was something bothering him

.

Takuma had stopped training new students long ago.

Yet, for some reason, he had chosen to train Hiratsu, Akemi, and Aiki.

Hira wanted to know why.

When he finally found him, Takuma wasn't alone.

Takuma stood near the entrance of the arena, speaking with a tall, imposing man.

The manager of the Magic Department for the entire continent.

A man ranked 11th in the entire continent.

Hira sighed.

"What kind of mess did Takuma get himself into this time?"

With a sense of familiarity, he approached, expecting to hear Takuma trying to smooth over another one of his problems.

But as he got closer, he froze.

Takuma wasn't arguing or causing trouble.

He was pleading.

"Aiki is the last of a clan that has long disappeared from history,"

Takuma said, his tone serious.

"His clan was known for their immense strength despite their small mana pools.

But Aiki himself has the mana of an average mage."

The manager remained silent, listening.

Takuma continued.

"Even with that, his power is extraordinary.

He deserves a chance to fight against the top 100."

Hira's eyes widened slightly.

Takuma was fighting to get Aiki a chance to prove himself.

The manager closed his eyes in thought.

Technically, this would be breaking the rules.

But…

Takuma was one of the strongest mages alive.

Denying his request outright would be foolish, even for someone ranked 11th.

After a long pause, the manager sighed.

"Fine."

Takuma's eyes narrowed slightly.

"But—"

the manager added,

"if he loses once, he won't get another chance."

Takuma nodded.

"Agreed."

Hira smirked.

"I guess this will be interesting."

The moment the announcement was made, Aiki wasted no time.

His journey began.

With Hira's healing, everyone was back in peak condition, including Aiki.

He entered the tournament grounds, facing his first opponent.

The 100th-ranked fighter.

Aiki won.

He moved on to the 99th.

Then the 98th.

He kept going.

Every battle ended in his victory.

His movements were fast.

His attacks were precise.

Even when facing overwhelming mana pools, he adapted—overpowering them with skill and pure strength.

Then—

The 93rd-ranked opponent.

The one person who had slept through his match with Akemi.

And once again…

He was sleeping.

Aiki sighed.

"Seriously?"

He moved on without a fight.

And then, he continued climbing.

90th.

85th.

70th.

Win after win.

Until—

54th.

Haruto, the 54th Rank

Takuma's expression hardened.

This fight would be different.

Haruto, ranked 54th, was not just another opponent.

He wielded spatial magic—the same type of magic as Aiki.

But there was one major difference.

Haruto's mana pool was massive.

Even among the top 100, he was considered one of the most dangerous mages.

Takuma, Hira, Hiratsu, and Akemi all stood in the arena stands, watching.

Hiratsu leaned forward, his eyes narrowed.

"Do you think Aiki can win?"

he asked.

Takuma didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he watched as Aiki stepped into the arena, facing Haruto.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"We're about to find out."

The air in the arena grew heavy as Aiki and Haruto stood across from each other, eyes locked, tension crackling between them.

One relied on overwhelming mana and spatial manipulation.

The other was a warrior of sheer strength and precision.

The battle began without hesitation.

Haruto teleported behind Aiki, a strategy designed to end fights instantly.

But Aiki's instincts were sharp.

He dodged—just barely.

Yet, even in that moment, he felt it.

A pressure unlike any opponent before.

The Top 100 were no joke.

Each and every one of them was capable of slaying monsters—beasts that would tear apart lesser mages in seconds.

Aiki clenched his fists.

This would be his toughest fight yet.

Knowing his physical prowess alone wouldn't be enough, Aiki vanished.

Haruto smirked.

"I expected this."

With a flick of his hand, he created a massive teleportation rift beneath them.

The ground shifted.

Aiki was forced out of his invisibility.

His cover was blown.

Without hesitation, he threw his blade straight at Haruto, testing the waters.

Haruto caught it mid-air—effortlessly.

Aiki grinned.

Another blade appeared in his hand.

Haruto mirrored his expression.

"A duel, huh?"

No more spells.

No more tricks.

Just skill.

Both warriors charged.

Blades clashed in a storm of sparks and steel.

Their speed was breathtaking.

The audience gasped as the two flickered across the battlefield, attacking, dodging, countering—neither gaining an edge.

From the stands, Hiratsu and Akemi watched in awe.

"This is insane,"

Hiratsu muttered.

Akemi clenched her fists.

"Come on, Aiki… You can do this."

But after minutes of clashing—they both stepped back.

They were evenly matched.

Aiki gritted his teeth.

"Then let's try this."

He summoned one hundred blades.

Haruto's eyes widened slightly—but he didn't falter.

Aiki sent every single blade flying at Haruto.

Haruto stood his ground.

He blocked every single one.

But when he looked back—Aiki was gone.

No.

He was under him.

Aiki grabbed his fists, gripping tightly with overwhelming strength.

A portal formed in Aiki's hands.

Haruto's instincts screamed at him.

He reacted instantly—forcing Aiki back.

The impact sent Haruto flying.

But—

Aiki suddenly froze.

Darkness.

Aiki's mind was suddenly somewhere else.

A chill ran down his spine as he stood on a familiar mountain.

"Where am I?"

Arthuria's Mountains.

But… something was wrong.

A figure stood in the distance.

A man.

Aiki's breath caught in his throat.

"He… looks like me."

But the man was crying.

His expression—one of unimaginable pain.

He stared at the sky, lost in something Aiki couldn't understand.

Why did it feel like he knew this man?

Why did it feel like… this was important?

Before he could process anything—

Aiki was ripped back into reality.

When Aiki returned to the fight, Haruto was already back on his feet.

His blades were gone.

His mana was drained.

So was Aiki's.

This would be a battle of pure strength.

Both fighters teleported repeatedly, testing each other's movements.

Then—

A final clash.

Fists flew.

Power surged.

Aiki overpowered Haruto.

With every punch, Haruto weakened.

He was going to win—

But then.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A scream ripped through the sky.

It was so loud.

So overwhelming.

Everyone in the arena froze.

Even Takuma and Hira, watching from the stands, stiffened.

But Aiki—

Aiki knew exactly what it was.

His gaze shot to Akemi.

She was standing there, cheering for him.

But…

"No."

"That voice… was hers."

For a split second, Aiki's body locked up in fear.

That hesitation—cost him everything.

Haruto grabbed a discarded blade—

And drove it straight into Aiki's stomach.

Not fatal.

But enough.

Aiki collapsed.

The match was over.

They rushed him to Hira.

It took an entire day for Aiki to wake up.

When he did, his friends were there.

Takuma was the first to speak.

"Why did you stop? Why didn't you finish him?"

Hiratsu and Akemi looked at Aiki, waiting for an answer.

Aiki forced a weak smile.

"I was tired. I was about to lose anyway, so I just… gave up."

Everyone exclaimed in shock.

"What?! You could've won!"

But deep inside—Aiki knew the truth.

He had sensed it.

That scream—

It was Akemi's.

And if that was her scream…

Then it meant something terrible was coming.

As they prepared to leave the arena—

A pressure suddenly filled the air.

Takuma and Hira immediately stiffened.

A terrifying aura.

Powerful.

Overwhelming.

It wasn't just demonic.

It was something else.

Something far worse.

They all turned toward the direction it was coming from.

Hira's voice was cold.

"That's… not a demon."

Takuma narrowed his eyes.

"No."

"But whatever it is… we're going to find out."