The heat in the Ember Isles had not faded for weeks, and neither had Tyouro's determination. Day after day, he pushed his body past its limits, standing in the middle of scorched ground while flames wrapped around him like a living force that refused to settle. Sweat poured down his face, his breathing rough and uneven, but his eyes stayed locked forward as he forced the energy inside him to stabilize instead of explode.
At first, his fire had been wild and destructive, bursting outward without control and draining him faster than he could recover. But now it was different, the flames tighter, denser, moving with intention rather than chaos. Each movement of his hand shaped the fire instead of releasing it, and the heat around him no longer felt like an enemy trying to consume him but something that obeyed him.
Griffin sat nearby on a broken stone, completely relaxed as if he wasn't witnessing something insane. He adjusted his hat slightly, watching in silence while Tyouro struggled to maintain the flow of energy. There was no rush in his eyes, only quiet observation, like he already knew the outcome and was just waiting for Tyouro to catch up to it.
On the twenty-first day, something finally clicked.
Tyouro stood still, his body trembling from exhaustion, but the fire around him didn't burst or scatter. Instead, it moved in a smooth, controlled motion, circling him before compressing into a single point in his palm. He stared at it, breathing heavily, then pushed it forward slightly.
The flame didn't explode.
It pulsed.
A wave.
The energy expanded outward in a controlled surge, not chaotic but deliberate, like a force that traveled instead of detonated. The ground cracked slightly from the pressure, but nothing was destroyed beyond control.
Tyouro froze for a second.
Then he grinned.
"…I did it."
He looked over at Griffin, his smirk growing wider. "I named it."
Griffin raised an eyebrow slightly. "…Oh?"
Tyouro stood up straight despite how tired he was. "Wave Emission."
For a moment, Griffin didn't respond.
Then-
He smiled.
A small one, but real.
"…Not bad."
He stood up and walked toward Tyouro, placing a hand on his head and patting it lightly. "You learned faster than I expected."
Tyouro blinked, surprised for a second, then grinned even more. "…Of course I did."
Griffin turned slightly, adjusting his coat. "…Then it's time."
"…Time for what?"
Griffin glanced back at him.
"…To meet my grandfather."
Tyouro's eyes widened instantly.
"…Wait seriously?!"
Griffin nodded once.
That was enough.
Tyouro literally jumped. "YES!"
Back at Reikosha Academy, things were far less intense but just as chaotic in their own way.
Kairo and Yura crouched low in the bushes, barely making a sound as they peeked through the leaves. Their eyes were locked on the training field ahead, where Kimimaru stood alone, his body moving with quiet precision as he practiced.
He was shirtless, his grip firm on the zweihander as he swung it in controlled arcs. Each strike cut through the air cleanly, his movements steady and focused, nothing wasted. He didn't rush, didn't hesitate, just repeated the motion over and over like he was carving it into his body.
Kairo leaned closer to Yura and whispered, "…He's training that hard?"
Yura nodded slightly, her eyes still watching. "…I thought he just walks around all the time."
Kairo scratched his head. "…Same."
They stayed hidden, observing quietly as Kimimaru continued, his swings growing sharper with each repetition. There was no wasted motion, no unnecessary effort, just pure discipline.
Until...
The zweihander suddenly shifted direction.
Straight toward the bushes.
Kairo's eyes widened. "…Oh..."
Too late.
The blade stopped inches away from them.
Kimimaru stood there, staring down at them with his usual calm expression. "…What are you both doing here?"
Yura froze for a split second before forcing a casual smile. "…Uh… we were just… looking for birds."
Kairo immediately nodded. "Yeah! Birds! Totally not watching you train or anything-"
Before he could finish-
Yura kicked him.
Hard.
"…Shut up."
Kairo grabbed his side. "…Ow…"
Yura turned back to Kimimaru, smiling awkwardly. "…Maru, we just saw you training really hard so we came to check… hehehe."
Kimimaru raised an eyebrow slowly. "…You're acting like him now."
Yura's expression instantly changed.
Cold.
Without warning-
She kicked him.
Kimimaru didn't even react much, just shifting slightly as the hit landed.
Kairo burst out laughing. "HAHA-"
Then got kicked too.
"…WHY ME-?!"
The training field returned to its usual chaos, the tension breaking into something lighter despite everything they had been through.
Far away, in the kingdom of Cindervale, the atmosphere was far less playful.
A Sacred Crown guard knelt before the throne, his head lowered as he spoke. "Your Majesty… Reikosha Academy continues to grow stronger. Their students are advancing faster than expected."
King Leonard sat still, his expression unreadable as he listened. The room was silent except for the guard's voice, the weight of the information settling into the air.
"…I see."
His voice was cold.
"…Then we move as planned."
The guard lowered his head further. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Back in the Luminary Kingdom, inside the grounds of Squadra Diciotto, night had fallen.
The facility was quiet.
Too quiet.
A faint sound echoed somewhere in the distance, soft footsteps moving through shadows where no light reached. A small girl stood alone, her body trembling as she backed away slowly, her eyes filled with fear.
"P-please…"
Her voice shook.
"…Don't…"
The shadow moved closer.
No response.
No hesitation.
The girl's tears fell as she begged, her hands shaking as she tried to step back again. "…I don't want to-"
The movement was instant.
Silent.
And final.
The night swallowed everything.
No screams lasted long.
No mercy was given.
And when it was over
There was nothing left but silence.