In the heart of the heavenly capital "Zenkyo," where towering skyscrapers pierced the clouds, flying cars soared, and the mansions of the elite glittered like stars, lived the renowned Rin family.
Everyone knew them—not just for their immense wealth, but for their long-standing legacy of mastering the mysterious force known as Ki, the power that determines one's fate in this world.
Kaido Rin was born on a night when the sky split open and birds froze mid-flight from the sheer force of a Ki surge.
His first cry shattered the palace windows, and the number that appeared on the power scanner before his mother's eyes was:
999999
The doctor collapsed to his knees. The royal guards broke into a cold sweat.
"This… this is impossible…" one of them muttered.
"He's… the heir of the Ancient Flames," his grandmother whispered, then fainted.
---
Years passed, and Kaido grew up in luxury, surrounded by servants and wealth. But deep inside, he felt empty. He cared nothing for riches or the custom-made combat uniforms tailored for him.
He was chasing something unknown… until that day arrived.
At Raizen Academy, a school reserved for the elite descendants of powerful Ki users, a boy named Karo appeared—poor in wealth but rich in ambition.
When he boldly challenged Kaido in front of the entire class, laughter erupted.
But Karo shouted:
"Money means nothing if you can't fight. Come on, golden heir... show us your strength!"
For the first time, Kaido felt his Ki tremble within him… a sea of energy boiling under his skin.
The ground quaked.
Everything went still.
And then suddenly…
A radiant white aura burst from his body, and the number 999999 reappeared, glowing in his eyes.
But his eyes were no longer the same.
They had transformed from ordinary black to a glowing sky blue, with a star-shaped pupil pulsing with power.
The instructor gasped, and one of the students shouted:
"He's transformed! The Ki is controlling him!"
The arena floor cracked beneath his feet, and the air itself began to ripple from the sheer pressure of his energy.
Kaido was no longer the same… he had awakened.
Chapter Two: Fire Beneath the Skin
The air in the academy arena was still... as if time itself had stopped.
Students were frozen in place, and the instructors stared in disbelief. The aura surrounding Kaido was like a small, slow-turning sun floating just above the ground. And within his eyes, the star-shaped pupils spun... pulsing with light.
Karo, the brave, poor boy, didn't move.
He knew he had awakened something dangerous.
But despite his fear —
He didn't run.
Instead, he stood tall and declared:
> "If you're truly the heir of the Ancient Flames… then show me whether your heart is like theirs… or stronger."
Kaido's radiant aura pulsed once — then dimmed slightly.
He lowered his hands, and his voice came out calm, like the calm before a storm:
> "You're the first to make me feel... alive."
Suddenly, a blue spark shot from Kaido's foot, and he dashed forward like a bolt of lightning, vanishing and reappearing right in front of Karo.
But…
Before he struck, he stopped.
His flame-wrapped hand hovered just a breath away from Karo's face.
Silence.
Then, Kaido whispered:
> "You're not afraid of me. That makes you stronger than all of them."
His aura began to fade, the light dimming gently. The crowd let out a collective breath of relief —
All except the head instructor, Master Jiro, who had been watching from afar with tense eyes.
He walked forward slowly, concern in every step.
> "Kaido… you've touched the Forbidden Threshold. That energy wasn't ordinary Ki… it was the first sign of awakening the Stellar Flame."
The students gasped.
A girl from the back shouted:
> "The Stellar Flame?! Wasn't that sealed away a thousand years ago?!"
But Kaido said nothing.
He stared at his hands — as if seeing them for the first time.
Then suddenly — a thunderous sound shook the skies above.