Daiki stepped forward and explained why they needed to pass through the gates.
The principal listened, then nodded slowly, a small grin forming on his face.
"Sure… I'll let ya through," he said casually. "But only on one condition."
Kawa immediately groaned, dragging a hand down her face.
The principal chuckled at her reaction.
Izan tilted his head slightly. "What's the condition?"
The man clasped his hands together behind his head, leaning back lazily.
"You've gotta talk with me for at least thirty minutes," he said. "I'd like to get to know more about Valeria's students."
Daiki and Izan glanced at each other, both shrugging after a second.
"…Alright," Daiki said.
The principal turned and started walking without another word, clearly expecting them to follow.
They did.
As they walked, Izan spoke first.
"So… are you and Valeria friends or something?"
The man snorted lightly.
"Yeah, something like that," he said. "We go way back… though she acts more like my boss than anything."
He muttered the last part under his breath.
Then he looked over his shoulder.
"What're your names anyway?"
Daiki answered, pointing as he spoke. "I'm Daiki, that's Izan, and that's Kawa."
The man nodded.
"My name is Acheros Vantoris," he said smoothly. "And this is my friend and assistant—"
He started to gesture toward the blindfolded girl beside him, but she quickly shushed him.
"Don't," she muttered quietly.
He blinked. "—oop. Alright then."
Izan, Daiki, and Kawa exchanged confused looks, clearly sensing something odd, but none of them pressed the issue.
"Now you're making it awkward…" the girl mumbled, turning her head away slightly.
Acheros just laughed it off.
From there… he talked.
And talked.
And talked.
He went on about himself—his strength, his reputation, how skilled he was, how feared he used to be, how no one in his generation could compare. Every sentence somehow circled back to him being impressive.
He dragged it out dramatically too, stretching simple stories into long speeches, adding flair to every detail like he was telling legends about himself.
By the time nearly thirty minutes passed…
All three of them were exhausted.
They had walked in circles around the school—once… twice… three times—while he continued talking without pause.
Even the blindfolded girl stayed quiet the whole time, just walking beside them like she was used to it.
Finally, Daiki slowed down.
"…Can we go now?" he asked.
Acheros stopped walking.
His expression suddenly dropped into something almost… sad.
"You're leaving already?" he said, sounding oddly disappointed. "Wow… I see how it is…"
It felt like he was trying to guilt-trip them.
Kawa stared at him with a completely blank, unamused expression.
It didn't work.
Acheros sighed dramatically.
"Fine, fine," he said, waving a hand. "But when you come back through these gates… I'm taking an hour."
He snapped his fingers, and the gates slowly opened.
The three of them walked through.
"Thanks," Daiki said.
"Appreciate it," Izan added.
Acheros mockingly waved at them from behind.
"Yeah, yeah… don't miss me too much."
They kept walking.
Once they were far enough away—
Daiki scratched his head.
"…That guy was strange."
"Yeah," Kawa said flatly. "All he did was talk about himself like he's some kind of legend."
Izan nodded slightly, glancing back once more at the gates.
"…Yeah."
But even so…
Even as they continued walking, Acheros lingered in Izan's thoughts—the way he carried himself, the confidence, the strange energy around him.
It felt… off.
But before Izan could think any deeper about it—
—
Not too far away, under the soft glow of the early morning sun, Rin's breathing came out heavy and uneven as she stood in the training field.
Her shoulders rose and fell quickly, light particles still fading around her fingertips.
Sayaka walked over calmly, holding out a water bottle.
"Take a break for now," she said gently.
Rin nodded, taking the bottle with both hands and drinking quickly before following Sayaka to a nearby bench.
They sat down side by side, the quiet view of the academy stretching out before them.
For a moment… it was peaceful.
Rin lowered the bottle slightly, her expression shifting.
"…I'm running out of ideas," she admitted. "I don't know what else to create with light."
Sayaka glanced at her, then leaned back slightly.
"There's plenty," she said. "You're just thinking too small."
Rin blinked.
"Don't rush," Sayaka continued. "Evolve what you already have."
She gestured lightly as she spoke.
"Take your arrows, for example. You can evolve those into guns… then evolve guns into something stronger—rocket launchers, maybe even tanks."
Rin's eyes widened slightly.
"And your hammer," Sayaka added. "You can reshape it—turn it into a mallet, something heavier, something that carries more force."
Rin nodded slowly, taking it all in as she sipped her water again.
Sayaka smirked faintly.
"…You might even be able to create something like a black hole with light itself."
Rin paused mid-drink.
"…Wait—what?"
Sayaka smiled.
"You're cool like that, Rin."
Rin instantly choked on her water a little, coughing as her face turned red.
Sayaka laughed, reaching over to pat her back.
"Relax."
A few quiet moments passed as the two sat there, letting the calm settle again.
Then Sayaka spoke.
"After we're done training… there's a waterfall nearby."
Rin's expression shifted immediately—her usual serious look replaced with pure curiosity.
"How big is it?" she asked quickly.
Sayaka chuckled.
"Not huge," she said. "It's more like a waterfall connected to a creek. But there's a big river nearby—it runs across most of this land."
Rin listened closely.
"Maybe later," Sayaka continued, "I'll teach you how to get into the river without drowning."
She smiled slightly.
"It's actually good training. Your body learns to adapt to the current… and the cold."
Rin tilted her head.
"At first it'll feel freezing," Sayaka said. "But the more you do it, the warmer it starts to feel. Your body adjusts."
Rin nodded quickly, excitement building in her eyes.
Sayaka stood up.
"Then let's train faster."
Rin didn't hesitate.
She shot up immediately, already preparing to continue.
—
After their training ended, Rin stood slightly hunched, still catching her breath.
That's when Aurelia approached.
"What are you two up to?" she asked softly.
Rin tried to straighten up, still breathing heavily, while Sayaka answered.
"We've been training," she said casually.
Aurelia's eyes softened as she looked at Rin.
"You've been doing amazing," she said warmly. "Waking up early, training consistently—even on the weekends… that kind of dedication isn't easy."
Rin's face flushed again.
Sayaka let out a small laugh.
"She's too easy to fluster."
Rin looked away, embarrassed, while Aurelia laughed lightly as well.
Then Sayaka turned back to Aurelia.
"We're planning to head to a creek later," she said. "I'm going to teach her how to adapt to rivers."
Aurelia's eyes lit up instantly.
"Really? That sounds fun!"
She nodded quickly.
"Can I come too? I'll help out."
Then she hesitated slightly.
"Is it okay if my sister comes as well? She's visiting… and she'd love something like this."
Sayaka nodded without hesitation.
"That's fine," she said. "Where is she?"
"She'll be here in less than an hour," Aurelia replied.
Sayaka stood up, stretching slightly.
"That's enough time," she said. "Let's get ready."
She glanced at Rin.
"We'll meet near the gates."
Aurelia nodded excitedly.
"Got it."
The carriage ride was silent.
Not the peaceful kind—but heavy… tense.
Ken sat across from Valeria, arms resting on his knees, his gaze occasionally shifting toward her before looking away again. Valeria, on the other hand, remained still, her posture straight, eyes forward, lost in her own thoughts.
Neither of them spoke.
The quiet stretched the entire way.
—
Eventually, the carriage slowed to a stop.
A knock came from the door.
"We've arrived," the rider called from outside.
Ken and Valeria stepped out.
They were immediately met with the sight of a large military encampment—rows of tents set up across the land, soldiers moving with urgency, the air thick with preparation and discipline.
An officer quickly approached them.
"It's an honor to have you both here," he said respectfully, bowing his head slightly. "Please, follow me."
Valeria gave a small nod, and the two of them followed.
As they walked through the camp, a few soldiers and officers glanced their way—some whispering quietly, others straightening their posture the moment they recognized Valeria.
Her reputation clearly spoke before she did.
The officer led them to a larger tent positioned near the center of the base.
He pulled the entrance open.
"Right this way."
They stepped inside.
The moment they entered, the tent flap fell shut behind them.
Inside, a round table sat at the center, glowing faintly as a detailed map of the world hovered above it in light—shifting, alive, highlighting regions and borders. Around the tent, multiple officers stood near stations, some observing a large illuminated screen displaying similar maps and data.
The atmosphere inside was sharp. Focused.
The moment Valeria and Ken stepped in—
Every leader present turned toward them.
One by one, they bowed.
"Lady Valeria."
"Welcome."
"An honor."
At the head of the table stood the commander.
She slowly turned.
Long, light cyan hair flowed down her back, catching the soft glow of the map's light. Her presence alone carried authority—calm, composed… and powerful.
Her eyes landed on Valeria.
A smirk formed.
"Well… if it isn't you," she said, her tone laced with familiarity. "It's been a while."
Her gaze softened just slightly.
"…I've missed you."