"Limits exist only to be surpassed. I will forge my own path beyond them."— Hoshino Souta
Dawn at the Training Ground
The sky was on the edge of waking, streaks of deep violet and gold stretching over the city skyline. The world breathed in its stillness, untouched by footsteps or conversation.
Souta stood alone in the empty park near their home, his posture steady, his presence unwavering. The crisp morning air clung to him, chilling the sweat on his skin.
Nearby, Happy sat atop a bench, glassy eyes reflecting the shifting dawn.
"Souta-kun, you're training again so early…"
His voice was soft, thoughtful—not in accusation, but in quiet observation.
Souta didn't turn. He didn't need to.
"I have to break through my limits." His voice was low, firm. "If I don't, I can't protect Mama, Ruby, Aqua, or anyone I love."
He inhaled deeply, centering himself. His eyes fluttered shut, focusing inward—on the swirling force within him. The power to control, to undo, to shield those he cherished.
But power alone wasn't enough. Not yet.
Testing Boundaries
The air crackled with unseen energy as Souta pushed deeper into his ability.
He visualized the tangled memories—the fractures in time, the lies embedded in reality, the wounds he had seen but never healed.
A golden glow pulsed from his fingertips as he reached into that invisible realm, unraveling threads, seeking to undo what had already been written.
But—
His body shook, a tremor rippling through his limbs as if the world itself resisted his touch.
He grit his teeth, strained harder, but the barrier before him remained.
"It's like pushing against a wall that doesn't want to budge…"
Happy watched carefully, then spoke—softly, but with the wisdom of someone who had spent too much time observing humans wrestle with their own limitations.
"Maybe you need to change how you think about limits."
A New Approach
Souta stilled.
Instead of fighting, he listened. To the space between his thoughts. To the edges of his ability.
Limits weren't just walls to break through.
What if—he stopped seeing them as obstacles?
What if they were currents?
Something to ride, to shape, to gently mold rather than force apart?
He shifted his stance, slowed his breath, and instead of attacking the barrier, he leaned into it—learning its texture, its movement, its resistance.
The golden energy in his hands softened, no longer burning wildly, but flowing steadily.
Progress at Last
The days blurred together, each marked by quiet persistence.
Souta trained relentlessly—sometimes alone beneath the sky, sometimes with Aqua analyzing his movements, sometimes with Ruby laughing as she playfully disrupted his focus, forcing him to sharpen his reactions.
And bit by bit, something changed.
The fractures in reality left behind by Hayato's influence—small distortions, warped perceptions—Souta began to mend them.
Not through brute force.
But by understanding them.
His confidence grew—not in a flash of triumph, but in quiet certainty.
A Message to Family
One evening, as the warm glow of dinner filled their home, Souta gathered Ai, Ruby, Aqua, and Happy around the table.
His hands rested firmly on his lap, his voice steady.
"I'm getting stronger. Soon, I'll be able to protect everyone—no matter what or who tries to harm us."
Ai looked at him, her gaze warm, proud, knowing.
"You've always been our shield, Souta."
Ruby nudged him playfully, but her eyes shimmered with something deeper.
"And our heart."
Aqua didn't say much, just nodded, but Souta could tell—he understood.
Happy climbed onto his shoulder, nuzzling against his cheek in silent agreement.
This was why he trained.
Shadows Stir
Far away, beneath flickering neon lights, Hayato leaned against a railing, fingers tapping against cold steel.
His eyes followed the distant skyline, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
"So the boy learns to dance with his limits." His tone carried an edge of amusement. "Impressive… but not enough."
A static crackled in his earpiece—Souma's voice slithering into his thoughts like an unseen presence.
"Prepare the next challenge. It's time to see how far his heart can really go."
Hayato smiled.
"Then let's find out."