New York
A Thunderbird landed at a luxurious house, which was the home of Howard Stark, his wife, and their son, Tony Stark.
In a luxury penthouse overlooking the Manhattan skyline, the air suddenly crackled with static electricity. Tony Stark, who was tinkering with an AI prototype, looked up as he heard the sound of wings slicing through the night wind.
Zeus, the Thunderbird, landed with a soft thud on the steel balcony. His blue feathers shimmered, projecting a sound frequency that could only be heard by ears specifically tuned to it.
"Tony," Kenzo's voice echoed through Zeus, sounding clear and cold. "Listen and relay."
Tony immediately called his father. Howard Stark stepped into the room, his aging but still sharp face showing full alertness. Both stood in silence as Kenzo outlined his new protocols: the surveillance of the Red Room in the Soviet Union, the heart of Hydra within S.H.I.E.L.D., and Nick Fury's betrayal with the Skrulls.
When the names Alexander Pierce and Skrulls were mentioned, Howard Stark clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. His eyes flashed with a fury he rarely showed.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is the house I built with Peggy," Howard hissed, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "We built it as a fortress for humanity, not a nest for Hydra parasites or a playground for shape-shifting aliens."
Howard stared at the holographic monitor in front of him. He was beyond incensed to know that Nick Fury—the man he trusted to keep secrets—was playing with fire with the Skrulls behind his back.
Tony watched his father. He knew one thing: if Howard Stark had clenched his fists like that, it meant he wouldn't just "watch." He would destroy anyone who tried to damage the foundation he had laid.
"Kenzo is right," Tony said, his eyes now glinting with a lethal intelligence. "We've let them feel in control for too long. If they want to play in the shadows, we'll show them who the true owner of the darkness is."
That night, in the most secret Stark underground laboratory, the father and son began to work.
Skrull Recognition Algorithm: Howard began compiling satellite filters to detect biological anomalies in government offices.
Operation Hydra's Heart: Tony launched a backdoor into S.H.I.E.L.D. servers to track Alexander Pierce's fund flows.
Soviet Protocol: They set aside a special communication line to monitor movements in the Soviet Union, ensuring the Red Room stayed on the Ninshu radar.
"Tell Kenzo," Howard said to Zeus while providing an encrypted data tube. "I will be in the S.H.I.E.L.D. control room tomorrow morning. Fury will soon realize that he never truly held the keys to this house."
Zeus let out a low screech that sounded like the noise of electronic circuits, then streaked back into the sky, heading West to where the Otsutsuki were.
Washington D.C.
In a vast luxury home complex, stood a building with magnificent ancient architecture. At its peak, the Otsutsuki clan crest was carved, visible only to those who possessed a special eye frequency.
In a backyard isolated by space-time seals, a well-built man was performing physical training. Every movement created an air blast capable of cracking the asphalt beneath him. His pale skin and sharp gaze radiated the aura of a warrior who had conquered many worlds.
Suddenly, the air above him vibrated. Zeus, the Thunderbird, dived down from the clouds at a speed that split the atmosphere.
The man stopped training. He looked up, then casually stretched out his right arm. Zeus landed right on his arm, sparking blue electricity to greet the uncle.
"Hello, Zeus," the man's voice was heavy and authoritative, yet a warm tone slipped in when mentioning his nephew. "What is it? Has my rigid nephew finally missed me?"
Through Zeus's transmission, Kenzo's voice was heard outlining his orders: the surveillance of Alexander Pierce, the suppression of Hydra, and the most important instruction—holding Carol Danvers in outer orbit if she tried to return to Earth.
Hearing the name Carol Danvers, the uncle grinned widely. He clenched his fist, creating a small air explosion that shook the surrounding trees.
"Hah... Carol Danvers, that arrogant 'Star'?" The man began stretching his neck and arm muscles. The sound of his bones cracking sounded like muffled thunder. "It's been a long time since I faced someone who could truly withstand my punch. Time to stretch these old muscles."
He looked toward the blue sky, as if his eyes could pierce through to the planet's orbit where the Skrulls and cosmic heroes hid.
"Tell Kenzo to focus on taking care of his little castle in Britain. The cosmic matters and that woman's threat... are my business. I will make sure she knows that this Earth has an owner far older than her power of light."
With one stomp of his foot, Kenzo's uncle leaped into the air, creating a small crater where he stood, then landed on the peak of his house tower—waiting for the right moment for the Eradication Protocol.
Hogwarts
The pale morning sunlight pierced through the high windows of Ravenclaw Tower, reflecting off the silver surface of the eagle emblem on the wall. Kenzo woke up exactly when the clock hands showed five—a habit from his years of extreme training with the Ancient One that could not be erased by the softness of a Hogwarts mattress.
He sat in silence for a moment, regulating his Chakra flow which now felt calmer, as if in sync with the heartbeat of this old castle. In the corner of the shadows, he felt the presence of Zetsu who was still asleep in the form of a small black blob—the only "friend" who knew how heavy the burden he carried was.
A few moments later, Michael Corner and Terry Boot began to stir. They woke up with sleepy faces, in sharp contrast to Kenzo who was already standing tall, neat in his blue-and-silver robes.
"You always wake up this early, Kenzo?" Terry murmured while searching for his glasses. "I haven't even had a chance to dream about Quidditch."
Kenzo only gave a thin smile—the kind of smile he hoped could be the beginning of the "thawing" of his cold heart. "The world doesn't wait for us to dream, Terry. Come on, the Great Hall is waiting."
Meeting in the Common Room
As the three of them descended the spiral stairs toward the spacious Ravenclaw common room, their steps slowed. There, near the freshly lit fireplace, sat Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe.
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
Marietta immediately stood up when she realized Kenzo's presence. Her face was no longer deathly pale like yesterday, but there was a deep glint of obedience in her eyes. She squeezed the strap of her bag, but when her gaze met Kenzo's, she did not look away. She instead gave a very polite small nod—a silent acknowledgment that she had received the "mark" of protection from the Ninshu heir.
Beside her, Cho Chang looked much more restless. Her black hair fell perfectly on her shoulders, but her fingers could not stop playing with the edge of her robes. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Good morning, Kenzo... Michael, Terry," Cho greeted with a slightly trembling voice. Her intelligent eyes looked at Kenzo with a spark of curiosity that was now mixed with something deeper—the obsession of a Ravenclaw who had just found the greatest mystery in her life.
Kenzo stopped right in front of them. The cold air he usually carried seemed to soften slightly this morning.
"Good morning, Cho. Marietta," Kenzo said lowly. He glanced at Marietta for a moment, ensuring that the girl was no longer on the verge of a mental breakdown. "You two are up very early for upperclassmen. Has the library called you back already?"
Cho laughed softly, a sound that heard like silver bells in the quiet common room. "Not the library, Kenzo. It's just... it was hard to sleep after our conversation yesterday. There are many things I want to ask you."
Marietta remained silent, but she stepped one centimeter closer to Kenzo, as if seeking the sense of security she felt from Kenzo's hand stroke yesterday.
The five of them walked side by side across the corridor toward the Great Hall. Occasionally, Cho Chang asked questions about Kenzo's hobbies or how he could be so calm in every situation. Kenzo answered every question fluently, his voice calm yet authoritative, making Michael and Terry only able to nod in admiration.
Even Marietta, though still a bit tight-lipped, began to join the conversation. She was no longer shivering; Kenzo's presence beside her provided a strange sense of security, as if as long as she was near this young man, no shadow of the past could touch her.
Right in front of the Great Hall's large doors, their steps were halted.
"Kenzo!"
A girl with bushy hair and a hug full of books appeared from behind a pillar. It was Hermione.
Kenzo stopped, looking into Hermione's eyes which appeared red and weary. "Hooh, Hermione... did you stay up late?"
Hermione nodded weakly, but her eyes remained sharp. "Yes. I spent the night in the library looking for the origins of the Otsutsuki family. But it's strange... the only record I found was about your ancestor helping Merlin against Morgana Le Fay. The rest? Empty. As if the rest of history was intentionally erased from the face of the earth."
Hermione narrowed her eyes, demanding an explanation.
Kenzo only shrugged casually. "Hmm, some magical history regarding my family was indeed intentionally erased due to..."
"Due to what?" Hermione pressed, her step moving forward one centimeter, ignoring the confused stares from Cho and Marietta.
Kenzo looked at Hermione for a moment, then suddenly he reached out his hand. Unexpectedly, he placed his palm on top of Hermione's head and stroked her messy hair with a slow, calming motion.
"Due to us not being interested in being famous like a certain narcissistic person from America," Kenzo said, referring to Tony Stark. "We prefer the world to run without needing to know who turns its wheels."
Hermione was stunned. The touch felt cold but somehow made the panic in her head subside instantly. Her Gryffindor logic seemed to freeze for a moment under the palm of the Six Paths heir.
"Enough," Kenzo withdrew his hand. "Let's eat. Your brain must be filled so you don't get tired before class starts. I don't want my intellectual witness fainting just because of a lack of sleep."
Their footsteps stopped at the threshold of the magnificent Great Hall double doors. There was a small, awkward silence as the group had to part toward their respective house tables. Hermione stood frozen for a moment, her fingers squeezing her bag strap with a feeling she found hard to define.
It was no longer the gripping fear of last night, but an absolute tranquility she had never felt in her life. Being near Kenzo felt as if all the world's noise—up to the burden of her lessons—suddenly went silent. Kenzo's aura provided a strange sense of comfort, a protection so solid that she felt she no longer needed to be the smartest or the most alert to feel safe.
Cho Chang felt the same magnetic pull. As an upperclassman, she usually felt she had to maintain her dignity, but near Kenzo, she felt her burden lifted. Meanwhile, Marietta looked down deeply, feeling the loss of the warm "center of gravity" as Kenzo began to walk away. To her, Kenzo was no longer a nightmare, but the only place where her soul could rest without shadows of fear.
At the Slytherin table, a pair of ice-blue eyes narrowed sharply. Daphne Greengrass observed the scene with her chin resting on her elegant hand.
"Interesting," Daphne thought while swirling her silver spoon. "One Gryffindor lion and two Ravenclaw eagles... they don't look like fearful followers. They look like people who have finally found shelter in the middle of a storm. Who are you exactly, Mr. Otsutsuki? What kind of miracle do you bring?"
Kenzo finally sat in his seat, flanked by Michael Corner and Terry Boot. Padma Patil, who sat in front of him, immediately gave a friendly smile, though she kept a polite distance because of Kenzo's very dominant aura.
"Alright," Michael said while checking the parchment schedule on his desk. "Our lesson today is with someone feared by many except the Slytherin kids—who else but Professor Snape."
"Oh, damn... why must it be him in the first hour?" Terry complained with a gloomy face. "I'd rather face a dragon than have to hear Snape's sarcasm this early."
Padma tried to comfort him. "Well, at least we have a combined class with Hufflepuff. According to the information I gathered, Snape is very biased and he spends all his energy hating Gryffindor. As long as we don't make silly mistakes, Ravenclaw will usually just be ignored."
Terry turned to Kenzo, his eyes full of hope. "Kenzo, you are this year's Ravenclaw miracle. Hopefully, your presence can get us many points today, or at least, make Snape so impressed that he forgets how to insult us."
Kenzo only shrugged casually. He glanced briefly toward the staff table, where Snape was staring at the news in the morning newspaper with an expression as if he had just drunk the most bitter poison.
"Alright," Kenzo answered briefly.
Their footsteps echoed in the increasingly dark and damp corridor as they descended the stairs toward the dungeons. The air here felt in contrast to the warmth of the Great Hall; the wet stone walls seemed to hold thousands of secrets that did not want to be revealed.
Terry Boot was still blabbering about how "dangerous" Snape could be if his mood was bad, while Michael Corner was busy checking if his silver scales were clean. However, Kenzo's attention remained sharply divided on two figures walking a few steps behind them.
Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones walked with hesitant steps. Occasionally they nudged each other's arms, whispering softly with blushing faces. They repeatedly quickened their pace, as if wanting to greet Kenzo and join the conversation, but every time they almost reached Kenzo's side, their courage ebbed.
To them, the Kenzo they met on the train was a calm and interesting figure. However, after learning that his last name was Otsutsuki—a clan whose power even surpassed the ancient history of the Sacred 28—Kenzo's figure now felt like a grand but untouchable monument. There was a deep sense of deference, an instinctive respect for "blood" that was far purer than what they had ever imagined as pureblood wizards.
Kenzo realized every shift in their breath and their hesitation. Through his sharp senses, he could feel Hannah's fast heartbeat and Susan's anxiety. However, he chose to remain silent, giving them room to overcome that awkwardness.
"I heard he once made a Hufflepuff student cry just for incorrectly cutting Daisy roots," Terry whispered in a terrified tone as they arrived in front of the heavy oak door of the Potions class.
Kenzo stopped right in front of the door, making the group behind him—including Hannah and Susan—almost crash into his back. Kenzo turned slightly, his red eyes glancing briefly at the two Hufflepuff girls.
A small and very thin nod he gave—not an exaggerated greeting, but enough to make Hannah and Susan hold their breath out of surprise and joy for having their presence noticed.
"Go in," Kenzo said lowly. "Don't let fear ruin your concentration on the cauldron later."
Before they could answer, the classroom door opened with a loud bang that echoed through the corridor.
Severus Snape stood there, his black robes billowing like dense smoke. His black and empty eyes immediately swept over the line of students, stopping for a few seconds that felt very long on Kenzo's figure.
"Mr. Otsutsuki..." Snape's voice flowed softly, almost like a hiss. "Punctual, it seems. Step inside... before I decide your presence here is a distraction to my art of brewing."
Snape stepped back, providing a narrow path for them to enter the room filled with specimen bottles of animals in creepy preservative liquid.
The dungeon immediately became silent as the door slammed shut. Dim light from the torches on the walls reflected the shadows of the specimen bottles that seemed to be watching every movement of the students inside.
Kenzo stepped in calmly. He did not choose the safe back row, but walked toward the middle row—a position that showed he was not hiding, yet also not hungry for attention.
Seeing Kenzo sit down, Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones quickly looked at each other. With forced courage, they chose the table right next to Kenzo. Terry and Michael sat on Kenzo's other side, feeling like they were inside an impenetrable fortress.
Snape walked to the front of the class, his pitch-black eyes sweeping the room like a pair of razors. He stopped right in front of Kenzo's desk, but his gaze was fixed on the entire class.
"You are here," Snape's voice flowed softly yet sharply, "to learn the precise science and subtle art of potion-making. There is no silly wand-waving here. Many of you will doubt that this is magic at all..."
Snape paused, his eyes now locked on Kenzo.
"However, I have heard rumors..." Snape leaned in slightly, his voice lowering into a dangerous whisper that could freeze the blood flow in that room.
"That we have a new 'genius' among us. Someone who just collected many points in yesterday's lesson as if he were the new owner of this castle. I want to prove... whether that genius is indeed real, or just beginner's luck that will evaporate just like that in front of my cauldron."
Snape crossed his arms over his chest, his pitch-black eyes staring at Kenzo with a hunger for failure. "Tell me, Mr. Otsutsuki... are you ready to defend your precious points, or will you let me take them all back in the next hour?"
Kenzo did not immediately answer. He slowly placed his hands on the table, a movement so calm it made Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott beside him reflexively take a deep breath.
"Points are just numbers for those seeking validation, Professor," Kenzo answered lowly, his voice clear without a single hint of trembling. "I am here not to collect points, but to see if this art of potions you exalt truly has a 'soul,' or is just boring cooking instructions."
The entire class seemed to stop breathing. No one had ever dared to call Snape's lesson "boring cooking instructions" right to his face.
Snape narrowed his eyes, his jaw tightening. "A lot of talk for someone who hasn't even lit his fire. We shall see."
Snape flicked his wand, and the writing on the blackboard moved on its own, arranging the recipe for a very complicated Draught of Peace.
"Your time begins... now."
While other students ran to the ingredient cupboards in a panic, Kenzo remained seated. He only closed his eyes for a moment. Through his Chakra senses, he began to map every ingredient in the room—Hellebore molecules, Valerian essence, down to the heartbeat of the cauldron in front of him.
Zetsu crawled under the table, whispering in a devious tone. "Father, look at that Hufflepuff girl's ingredients... they've already started wilting because of her sweaty hands. Should I swap them with pure essence from your dimension?"
"No need, Zetsu," Kenzo thought. "Just stabilize her cauldron's frequency. I will show Snape that matter doesn't need instructions... they just need a leader."
Kenzo then began to work. His hands moved with inhuman precision—so fast yet very graceful, making Hannah and Susan stunned watching him.
The dungeon was instantly filled with the clinking of silver knives against cutting boards and the hiss of fire starting to heat the cauldrons. The sharp aroma of Valerian root began to fill the air, making some Hufflepuff students sneeze because of the pungent steam.
Kenzo was not in a hurry. He just took a handful of Hellebore powder and stared at it. In his red eyes, he did not see plant powder; he saw interwoven atoms vibrating.
Zetsu (whispering softly): "Father, look at that Abbott girl. She almost put in too much Valerian essence. If she does, her cauldron will turn into a dark purple time bomb. Hahaha! Should we let her?"
Kenzo glanced at Hannah through the corner of his eye. The girl looked pale, her hands trembling violently as she held a small glass bottle. Her fear of Snape hindered her instincts.
Without a sound, Kenzo shifted his position slightly. He placed one finger on the edge of Hannah's table. A very subtle wave of Chakra—so calm it resembled the frequency of the subconscious—rippled into Hannah's nervous system.
"Take a breath, Hannah," Kenzo whispered, his voice sounding like a gentle breeze in the middle of a storm. "You are not making a potion. You are composing a harmony. Let your cauldron breathe with you."
Hannah startled slightly, but suddenly, a calming coldness enveloped her heart. The trembling in her hands vanished. She turned toward Kenzo, her eyes sparkling with gratitude before she refocused on her cauldron with unusual calmness.
Snape walked between the rows of tables, his black robes billowing like a shadow of death. He stopped at Susan Bones's table, staring at her dull grey potion with a look of contempt, then he arrived at Kenzo's table.
Snape fell silent.
Inside Kenzo's cauldron, there were no bubbles popping harshly. The liquid inside was pure silver radiating a perfect thin spiral of steam—exactly like the description in the most optimistic textbook. However, what made Snape stunned was that Kenzo had never stirred it.
Kenzo's wand lay just like that on the table. The boy only leaned his chin on one hand, while the other hand was placed near the base of the cauldron, regulating the heat of the fire not with a spell, but with direct energy manipulation.
"You..." Snape hissed, his voice containing a mixture of suppressed wonder and anger. "You ignored step three. Stirring counter-clockwise seven times. Why can your potion reach the color silver without that?"
Kenzo looked up, staring into Snape's empty black eyes. "Stirring is just a crude way to distribute energy, Professor. If you can command every liquid molecule to spin itself in place, the stirring tool only becomes unnecessary physical contamination."
Snape narrowed his eyes. His logic as a Potions Master revolted, but the evidence in front of him was undeniable. He turned to the next table, Hannah Abbott's table.
Usually, Hannah's potion would end up as a foul-smelling thick liquid. However, this time, Hannah's potion was clear sky blue—very close to perfect.
"And you, Abbott..." Snape stared at Hannah suspiciously. "How is it possible for someone who usually can't even tell a Daisy root from a lizard tail to make a potion this clean?"
Hannah swallowed, she glanced at Kenzo for a moment. "I-I just tried to... breathe with my cauldron, Professor."
Snape returned to the front of the class. He stood tall, his arms folded in front of his chest. The room was so quiet that the sound of water dripping from the ceiling sounded like a drum beat.
"Today's results..." Snape began, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "Quite... adequate for some. And very incompetent for others."
He looked at Kenzo sharply. "Mr. Otsutsuki shows that his 'genius' is not just talk in the corridors. Although his technique is very... unorthodox and risky for those who do not have energy control like him."
Snape paused for a moment, as if the next words were very heavy to say.
"Fifteen points for Ravenclaw," Snape said flatly. "For a flawless potion. And five points for Hufflepuff... for the unexpected progress of Miss Abbott."
Michael and Terry almost shouted with joy, but Snape's deadly stare silenced them instantly.
"Now, clean your cauldrons. And Otsutsuki..." Snape stepped closer as students began to pack. "Don't think you have won everything. The world of potions is much deeper than just manipulating frequencies. There are secrets you cannot solve with just the power of 'will'."
Kenzo only gave an elegant small nod. "I look forward to those secrets, Professor."
As Kenzo stepped out of the cold dungeon, he felt a vibration on his wrist—an encrypted signal from a watch synchronized with Stark technology.
A microscopic holographic message appeared in his retina:
"Alexander Pierce has been secured. Hydra in S.H.I.E.L.D. is being cleared. Your Uncle just dropped one Skrull ship in orbit. He said, 'Tell my nephew to enjoy his school, the adults' business is under control.' – T.S."
And a photo was displayed of the uncle proudly showing off his muscles, standing in the middle of the void of space while the burning Skrull shipwreck became a silent witness to his strength.
Zetsu crawled out from behind Kenzo's robe collar, staring at the hologram with his glinting yellow eyes. The sound of laughter that heard like the rustling of dry leaves broke out.
"Hahaha! Father, look at that 'Uncle' of yours," Zetsu chuckled softly, his black shoulders shaking from suppressed laughter. "He just wiped out an alien fleet and the first thing he thinks about is: 'Is the lighting good to show my muscles?' Truly cosmic-level narcissism. He and Stark are really a perfect match in terms of ruining the galaxy's order while still looking handsome."
Kenzo could not hold back a very thin smirk appearing on his face. "At least he enjoys his work, Zetsu. Better he is busy showing off muscles than being bored and deciding to destroy the moon."
"Well, that's true," Zetsu replied while entering back into the shadows. "At least those Skrulls know that they died for a good profile photo."
........
Their footsteps echoed as they came out of the damp and cold Dungeon area. Terry Boot leaned his back against the corridor's stone wall, exhaling a long breath as if he had just survived a death trial.
"Kenzo, Michael... don't look for me until lunchtime," Terry murmured in a weak voice and eyes almost closed. "I need a very long afternoon nap. I need inner peace to recover my soul which was just torn apart by Snape's sharp gaze. It feels like my energy was sucked dry."
Michael laughed a little seeing his friend's dramatic behavior. "You're exaggerating, Terry. We even got points!"
"Points cannot heal my mental trauma, Michael," Terry replied weakly. He then turned toward Kenzo who did not seem to sweat at all. "And you, Kenzo? What's your plan?"
Kenzo looked toward the large window displaying the view of the Scottish mountains in the distance. "I want to see the Quidditch pitch for a while before lunch. I want to see how you guys fly there."
Instantly, the "inner peace" Terry had just exalted evaporated just like that. His eyes that were previously drooping suddenly opened wide and sparkled brightly. His slumped shoulders immediately stood upright again as if he had just drunk a strengthening potion.
"Quidditch?!" Terry exclaimed, his voice rising an octave out of enthusiasm. "Why didn't you say so earlier! Forget the afternoon nap! Who cares about inner peace if we can see the pitch? Is there a team practicing? Is Harry Potter there? Come on, Kenzo! I will show you the best stands to see flying brooms!"
Terry immediately pulled Kenzo's robe sleeve enthusiastically, dragging him toward the castle exit.
Michael Corner could only shake his head seeing his friend's 180-degree change. "Just now he said he needed a nap... typical Quidditch nut."
The wind blew quite hard on the Quidditch pitch, bringing the refreshing aroma of wet grass. Up there, the sky was decorated by the flick of blue-and-silver robes. There were no harsh shouts typical of Gryffindor or Slytherin provocations this morning; what existed was only the efficiency and calmness of the upper-year Ravenclaw team performing formation practice.
Kenzo stood at the edge of the pitch, his robes fluttering slightly in the wind. His red eyes did not just see flying brooms; he saw aerodynamic trajectories and how those players manipulated gravity with their magical energy. Beside him, Terry and Michael looked very relaxed, enjoying the view without fear of being hit by a stray ball.
Suddenly, a figure separated from the formation up there. With a very sharp yet still graceful diving maneuver, Cho Chang sped down. She pulled her broom handle at the last second, creating a smooth braking right in front of Kenzo.
"Kenzo! I didn't expect you to actually come this fast," Cho greeted while getting off her broom. Her black hair was a bit messy from the wind, and her face looked radiant because of the adrenaline. She wiped a little sweat on her temple, looking at Kenzo with a glint of admiration she no longer hid.
However, their attention was diverted by the sound of hurried footsteps from the stands. Marietta Edgecombe, who had been sitting watching from a distance, ran down the wooden stadium stairs quickly. She seemed to not want to miss a single second while Kenzo was in an open space.
Marietta reached Kenzo's side, her breath a bit short but her eyes immediately locked on the young man. She did not care about her team's practice up there; for her, the world seemed to stop wherever Kenzo stood. She took a position right beside Kenzo, as if guarding her own territory.
"I... I saw you from up there," Marietta whispered softly, her eyes glancing at Cho for a moment—a look that showed a mix of respect for her best friend and a protective desire toward Kenzo—before finally looking down calmly beside the Ninshu heir.
The atmosphere at the edge of the pitch suddenly became very unique. Cho Chang stood in front of Kenzo, holding her broom as a symbol of achievement and freedom in the sky. Meanwhile, Marietta stood at Kenzo's side, a symbol of loyalty and peace on the ground.
Terry Boot nudged Michael Corner, whispering very softly so as not to offend anyone. "Look at that... our best Seeker and Marietta, both as if pulled by the same gravity. Kenzo really is the center of everything this morning."
Kenzo remained calm, his face did not show excessive emotion, but he gave a small nod to both.
"Good flying, Cho. You have extraordinary control over the wind," Kenzo said, making the blush on Cho's cheeks even clearer. Then he glanced at Marietta. "And Marietta, you don't need to run. I will be here until lunchtime arrives."
Hearing those words, Marietta seemed a little more relaxed, her tense shoulders slowly subsiding. Meanwhile, Cho smiled sweetly, feeling her challenge to fly earlier bore praise from someone whose standards were as high as Kenzo's.
Cho Chang leaned her Comet 260 broom on her shoulder, looking at Kenzo with a friendly glint of challenge in her eyes. She glanced at Terry and Michael who stood not far from there, then looked back at the Otsutsuki heir.
"Since you guys have come all the way here before lunch," Cho said in a cheerful tone, "how about you don't just watch? I have some spare practice brooms in the equipment shed. Kenzo, would you like to try feeling what it's like to see Hogwarts from a height of a hundred feet?"
Terry Boot almost choked on his own spit out of enthusiasm. "You're joking, Cho? We can join in flying?"
"Of course, Terry. Michael too," Cho answered while signaling to one of her teammates in the air to bring down two practice brooms. "But for Kenzo... if you dare, you can try my broom. It's a bit more sensitive to movement, but its speed won't disappoint."
Marietta who stood beside Kenzo suddenly tensed up. Her hands squeezed the edge of her robes, her eyes staring at Cho's broom as if the object were a dangerous dragon. She did not like heights, but more than that, she did not like if Kenzo was too far from her range of vision.
Kenzo looked at Cho's silver broom, then turned to the vast sky above them. To him, flying was not something foreign—he had crossed dimensions and felt the void of space in his meditation. However, using a wooden tool to conquer gravity was a different form of art.
"I will try it," Kenzo said lowly. He took the Comet 260 broom from Cho's hand.
Instantly, when Kenzo's fingers touched the wooden handle, a very subtle energy vibration traveled. The broom did not just stay still; it seemed to hum softly, reacting to the pure Chakra flowing from Kenzo's body. Cho was stunned; she could feel that her broom suddenly appeared more "alive" in Kenzo's hands.
"Terry, Michael, take your brooms," Kenzo ordered without looking back.
Both of his friends immediately grabbed the practice brooms with exploding spirit. The three of them, followed by Cho, began to kick the ground.
Within seconds, they were at a height of fifty feet. Terry and Michael shouted with joy, doing awkward turns in the air. However, the attention of the entire Ravenclaw team practicing was now focused on Kenzo.
Kenzo did not fly like a beginner. He drifted with a very straight back position, his legs gripping the broom with precise strength. He did not fight the wind; he seemed to command the air to lift him.
Cho flew beside him, her eyes wide with amazement. "Kenzo! You've never flown before, right? Your balance... it makes no sense!"
Kenzo glanced at Cho, then with one small jerk strengthened by internal energy, he sped forward. His movement was so smooth, passing the upper-year players as if they were just still statues. He performed a perfect loop over the Astronomy Tower before slowing down again beside Cho.
"This tool has a slow speed limit, Cho," Kenzo said flatly, but there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "But the perspective from here... is interesting enough to enjoy."
Below, at the edge of the vast pitch, Marietta Edgecombe stood frozen. Her head looked up, following every movement of Kenzo's blue robes cutting through the sky. She did not shout like the other students; she just stood with a pale face, her hands trembling slightly.
Zetsu poked his head out a little from Marietta's shadow lengthening on the grass. "Hahaha! Look at this little eagle on the ground, Father. She looks like she wants to claw the sky so you come down immediately. She is so afraid of losing her 'center of gravity.' Should I tell her that you once fell from the highest mountain peak in the United States without a single scratch?"
Kenzo, who could hear Zetsu's voice through a mental connection, immediately dived down. He performed an extreme brake, creating an air blast as he landed right in front of Marietta.
"I'm back, Marietta," Kenzo said while handing back the broom to Cho who had just landed with a face full of admiration.
Marietta let out a very long sigh of relief, her tense shoulders finally slumping. "Don't... don't do that dangerous maneuver again, Kenzo. My heart almost stopped."
Cho laughed a little, though there was a slight hint of envy passing by seeing how protective Marietta was. "You were extraordinary, Kenzo. If you joined the team, we could win the Quidditch Cup even before the season starts."
"We'll see, Cho," Kenzo answered while looking toward the castle. "Now, I think Terry's stomach has started to scream. Let's see what is served in the Great Hall for the winner of Potions class."