I didn't feel strong when I woke up.
Not even a little.
My body hurt. My head felt heavy. My hands… yeah, still bad. The burns hadn't healed, and just moving my fingers made me wince.
But I wasn't on the ground anymore.
That mattered.
I sat up slowly, staring at my hands. The spark flickered faintly. Small. Quiet.
Still there.
"…good," I muttered.
Yesterday kept replaying in my head. Sitting on the ground. Thinking I couldn't do it. Feeling like everything was about to fall apart again.
I hated that feeling.
More than the pain.
More than the fights.
That moment… when I almost gave up.
I clenched my fists a little. Pain shot through my fingers. I didn't let go this time.
"I got back up," I whispered.
That's what matters.
Not winning.
Not being strong.
Just… not staying down.
I stood up. My legs were still shaky, but they held. That was enough.
The hallway felt the same as always. Loud. People talking. Laughing.
But this time…
I didn't feel like running.
Some people looked at me again. Whispering. Watching.
I heard it.
"That's him…"
"He's still coming back?"
"He's crazy…"
Crazy.
Maybe I am.
But I kept walking.
Step by step.
The training yard was quieter today. Fewer people. That was good. I didn't feel like being watched again. Not today.
I walked to the far corner. Same spot as yesterday.
No pressure.
No audience.
Just me.
And the spark.
I raised my hand slowly. It shook a little, but I didn't stop.
"Okay… let's go again."
Nothing happened.
I sighed.
"Yeah… makes sense."
I tried again. Closed my eyes. Focused.
Not anger this time. Not panic.
Just… breathing.
In.
Out.
Slow.
The spark flickered.
A little stronger.
I opened my eyes.
"…there you are."
It wasn't big. Still weak. But it didn't disappear.
That was new.
I tried moving it. Slowly. Carefully.
It worked.
Not perfectly. Not clean. But better than before.
My chest felt lighter.
"Okay… okay…"
I kept going.
Small movements. No rushing. No forcing it.
Every time it flickered, I adjusted. Every time it almost died, I slowed down.
It was frustrating. Slow.
But it felt… different.
Like I wasn't fighting it anymore.
Like I was learning it.
Time passed without me noticing.
No shouting.
No explosions.
No big moments.
Just… quiet progress.
And for once… that felt good.
Then—
"Still playing with that?"
I froze.
That voice.
I turned slowly.
The bully.
Of course.
He wasn't smiling this time. Not really. His eyes were different. Careful. Watching.
"…I'm training," I said.
My voice was steady.
That surprised me.
He stepped closer. Not rushing. Not attacking. Just… walking.
"You almost lost yesterday," he said.
I nodded.
"I know."
He paused.
That probably wasn't the answer he expected.
"But you didn't run," he added.
I didn't say anything.
He looked at my hands. The burns. The shaking. The small spark still flickering.
"…you're still weak," he said.
Yeah.
I am.
"I know that too," I said quietly.
Silence.
For a second, neither of us moved.
Then he exhaled.
"Good."
I blinked.
"…what?"
He shrugged.
"If you thought you were strong already, you'd be annoying."
That… wasn't what I expected.
He turned slightly, like he was about to leave. Then stopped.
"There's a test coming," he said.
My chest tightened.
"A real one. Not this practice stuff."
I frowned. "What kind of test?"
He didn't look back.
"You'll see."
Then he walked away.
Just like that.
No fight.
No insults.
Just… that.
I stood there, confused.
"A test…?" I muttered.
My stomach twisted.
That didn't sound good.
At all.
The spark flickered again.
I looked at it.
Still small. Still weak.
But steadier now.
More stable.
Not like before.
I took a deep breath.
"…then I need to get stronger."
Not later.
Now.
I raised both hands this time.
The spark split.
One in each hand.
They flickered unevenly at first.
Then… slowly…
They steadied.
My heart started beating faster.
"Wait…"
I focused harder.
Didn't rush.
Didn't panic.
Just… held it.
Two sparks.
At the same time.
Controlled.
Not perfect.
But real.
A small smile slipped out.
"I did it…"
The system pulsed softly.
[Control Increased]
[Dual Spark Handling – Unlocked]
I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding.
"…I'm getting better."
Slow. Messy. Painful.
But better.
I lowered my hands, the sparks fading gently this time.
No burnout.
No collapse.
That felt… new.
I looked toward the empty yard.
Toward where he left.
"A test…"
My chest tightened again.
Fear was still there.
Of course it was.
But it didn't freeze me anymore.
Not like before.
I turned back to my hands.
"They're right," I said quietly.
"I'm still weak."
But that's not the whole story anymore.
Not anymore.
I clenched my fists lightly.
"…I just got back up."
And this time…
I'm not going down so easily.