Morning didn't feel normal anymore. Not after yesterday.
Royoshi stood at the training grounds. Empty. Quiet. Cold air brushing past him.
"…So it's finally time to do something else."
"You're late."
Royoshi turned.
Rikishu stood behind him. Arms crossed. Presence sharp.
"You're the one who appears out of nowhere," Royoshi replied.
"Excuses already?" Rikishu stepped forward. "Pathetic."
Royoshi frowned slightly. "…You said we'd start training, not start roasting me like a chicken on a grill."
Rikishu didn't react. "Then stop talking."
A pause.
"Show me your Shuryoku."
Royoshi exhaled slowly.
"Straight to it, huh."
He closed his eyes. For a moment—nothing.
Then—a faint glow flickered around him. Unstable. Cracking at the edges like it could burst any second.
Rikishu's gaze sharpened. "…Still not fully recovered."
Royoshi opened one eye slightly. "Yeah. I can feel that."
Rikishu stepped closer.
"You're letting it leak."
Royoshi frowned slightly. "…I just showed you, didn't I?"
"That wasn't control."
A pause.
"That was barely contained chaos."
Silence.
Royoshi exhaled.
"…Alright. Then teach me properly."
Rikishu didn't hesitate.
"Try not to release it in an instant."
Royoshi blinked. "…Again with that?"
"Hold it inside."
A pause.
"Compress it."
Royoshi stared at him. "You're asking me to fight my own energy."
"Exactly."
Silence. The wind passed between them.
Royoshi closed his eyes again. "…Fine. I'll try."
A slow breath. The Shuryoku inside him stirred again. Violent. Restless. Trying to burst out.
His body tensed. "…It's resisting."
"Good."
Rikishu's voice stayed calm.
"That means it recognizes you."
Royoshi clenched his fist. "More like it hates me."
"A mix of both."
A pause.
"Now control it."
Royoshi focused harder. The energy surged—
Then—he forced it down. Compressed. Tighter. Even tighter
Then a sudden pause—the air around him distorted slightly.
Then—it stabilized.
For a moment. Silence.
Rikishu's eyes narrowed.
Royoshi slowly opened his eyes. "…There."
Breathing heavier now.
"…That felt nothing like before."
"Because it's different."
A pause.
"You didn't let it escape."
Royoshi let out a small breath.
"…So that's what control feels like."
"That's only the beginning."
Rikishu turned slightly. "Again."
Royoshi groaned. "Oh c'mon, give me a break already."
"No."
A pause.
"Because your enemies won't."
Silence. That hit harder.
Royoshi smirked faintly. "…Fair enough."
He closed his eyes again.
But this time—the energy reacted instantly. More aggressive. More violent.
Like it remembered being suppressed.
His expression tightened. "…It's getting worse."
"Of course it is."
Rikishu's voice lowered. "You challenged it."
A pause.
"Now it's trying to push back."
Royoshi gritted his teeth. "…Good."
A faint smile.
"Let it try."
The energy surged again—stronger this time. More unstable.
The ground beneath him cracked slightly. Wind pressure built around him.
Rikishu didn't move. "Control it."
Royoshi clenched his fists harder. "I'm trying!"
"Trying isn't enough."
A pause.
"Dominate it."
Silence. Something shifted.
Royoshi's expression changed.
From strain—to focus.
Pure focus.
The energy trembled—
Then—it bent slowly. Compressed again. Controlled. Not perfectly. But enough.
The pressure dropped. The air stabilized.
Royoshi opened his eyes slowly. "…Hah…"
Breathing heavily. But steady.
Rikishu watched him. "…Better."
A pause.
"But still not enough."
Royoshi laughed weakly. "Of course you'd say that."
Rikishu didn't respond.
Instead—
"Again."
Royoshi groaned. "You're actually enjoying this."
"No."
A pause.
"You just can't afford to stay weak."
Silence.
That wasn't wrong.
Royoshi exhaled slowly. "…Yeah."
He closed his eyes again and stepped forward.
Elsewhere—deep within the Citadel.
Darkness. Cold. Still.
A sealed chamber—cracks lined the walls.
Something had been here. Something powerful.
Now—it was empty.
A faint distortion flickered in the air.
Then—she appeared.
Maris.
Standing in silence. Her presence alone made the air feel heavier.
"…Still standing."
Her voice echoed softly. Her eyes scanned the chamber.
Calculating. Measuring. Remembering.
A faint pulse of dark Shuryoku flickered around her fingers. Sharper now. Controlled. But colder. Much colder.
"…Good."
A pause.
Her gaze lifted slightly. As if looking beyond the walls. Beyond the structure. Toward the entire Citadel.
"Let them rebuild."
Silence. A small step forward.
"Let them feel safe again."
Her fingers curled slightly.
The air cracked faintly.
"Then—"
A faint smile. Not warm. Not human.
"I'll take everything from them."
The shadows around her shifted. Responding. Listening.
A pause.
Then— "Not yet."
Her voice lowered.
"Six… maybe seven days."
A breath.
"Enough time."
For what—
She didn't say. But the intent was clear.
War.
Elsewhere.
Darkness. No walls. No boundaries. Just an endless void of black.
Then—a faint glow.
A hologram flickered into existence.
Sevran.
Calm. Still. Watching.
"…Lucian."
Silence.
Then—a voice.
"You're calling me again already?"
Footsteps echoed softly.
A figure emerged. Tall. Relaxed. Dangerous. Lucian.
His eyes held a quiet chaos.
"Thought you'd only call when things get interesting."
Sevran didn't turn. "They have."
A pause.
Lucian smirked faintly. "Finally."
He stepped closer. "Who's the bullseye this time?"
Sevran spoke—
"Royoshi."
A pause.
Lucian blinked once. "…A student?"
Another step forward.
"You interrupted me for that?"
Sevran's gaze sharpened slightly.
"He survived Maris."
Silence.
Lucian's smirk faded. Just a little.
"That narrows it down."
A pause.
Sevran continued.
"And Rikishu… may still be alive."
That changed everything.
Lucian stopped moving.
Completely.
Silence filled the void.
Then—
"…Say that again."
"I won't."
A pause.
"You heard me."
Lucian exhaled slowly. Then—he laughed. Low. Unstable.
"…So the dead are coming back now?"
A faint smile formed. But colder. More dangerous.
"Now I'm interested."
He walked past the hologram. Hands in his pockets. Casual. But heavy.
"What do you want me to do?"
Sevran answered immediately. "Observe him."
A pause.
"Test him."
Another pause.
"But do not kill him."
Lucian sighed. "You're restricting me again."
"Yes."
A pause.
"For now."
Silence.
Then—Lucian smirked.
"Fine."
A step forward.
"I'll play with him first."
A pause.
"See if he's worth the trouble."
Sevran's gaze didn't change.
"And if Rikishu appears—"
Lucian's eyes sharpened instantly. "…Then I confirm it."
A pause.
"And maybe…"
A faint grin.
"I break him too."
Sevran didn't respond.
The hologram flickered—then vanished.
Lucian made his move.
Wind howled across the skyline.
High above—a figure stood. Looking down at everything.
Lucian.
"…So this is the place."
A pause.
His eyes scanned the Citadel grounds.
Students. Buildings. Training zones. Peace.
"Looks peaceful."
A faint smile.
"Shame."
Silence. Then—his gaze locked onto one spot. Far below.
Royoshi. Training. Struggling. Fighting himself.
Lucian's smile widened slightly. "…Found you."
A pause.
The air around him distorted. Just slightly.
"Let's see…"
His voice lowered. "How long you last."
Then—
He disappeared.
Back to the training grounds.
Royoshi suddenly stopped.
Mid-breath.
His eyes snapped open.
"…Rikishu."
A pause.
"Did you feel that?"
Silence.
Rikishu didn't answer immediately. His gaze shifted immediately. Sharp. Focused.
"…Yes."
A pause.
"Something entered the Citadel."
The wind changed. Subtle but wrong.
Royoshi's grip tightened. "Enemy?"
Rikishu's voice dropped.
"…Something worse."
Silence.
Far away—
A shadow moved. Unseen. Unfelt. But present.
"…Train all you want."
Lucian's voice echoed faintly.
"You're still not ready."