SAI SHINU
I couldn't sleep. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, thoughts of my mother clawing at my mind. Where was she? Was she safe? I wanted to hear her voice again. I wanted her hug—the warmth I'd lost for so long.
A sound broke my thoughts. At my side, Jiro stirred and sat up.
"You're not sleeping?" he asked groggily.
I shook my head. "No. I don't feel sleepy at all."
He rubbed his eyes, clearly awake now. "Then… wanna see something?"
Before I could ask, he raised his hand as if holding an invisible sword. At first, nothing happened. Then, with a flick of his fingers, black flames surged into existence, swirling and hardening into the shape of a blade. A dark sword burned in his grip, its edges licking with fire that wasn't fire.
I blinked, stunned. "That's… incredible!" I said, grinning. "How are you even doing that?"
Jiro shrugged. "Honestly? I don't know. When we got separated, I just… ran, and this thing came out of me. Like I pulled it from nothing."
I jumped to my feet, excited. "Wait—give me your hand."
He looked confused but held it out. Our palms met in a firm shake. Instantly, the familiar translucent screen shimmered into view.
"You see it too, right?" I asked.
His eyes widened. "Yeah. But… what is this? It's like a video game menu."
"Exactly. It has all kinds of functions… and I've barely scratched the surface."
Before I could explain more, a sharp knock rattled the door.
I opened it. Yosuke stood there, arms crossed, a grin tugging at his lips.
"I felt a presence from this room," he said.
"That was me," Jiro admitted.
Yosuke chuckled. "So… you've awakened your powers." His grin widened into a smirk. "Good. Both of you—come outside. Let's have some fun."
At first, I thought he was joking. But the gleam in his eyes told me he wasn't.
We followed him out into the night. The three of us stood under the stars, the air sharp and heavy.
"So," Yosuke said, "have you unlocked your core?"
Our confused expressions made him laugh.
"Alright, listen carefully," he began. "Inside every person, there's a cube—the core. It's split into four smaller cubes, each one holding the essence of the basic elements. Fire. Water. Wind. Earth. The day you're born decides how many of those elements you can control. If your core awakens with only fire, that's all you'll ever wield. If it awakens with two, you'll never get the other two."
I frowned. "So… what if someone can use two elements?"
Yosuke nodded. "Then the light inside your core divides between them. Same with three. But if you can wield all four, the light splits evenly. That means weaker individual power… but greater balance overall."
I tilted my head. "But wouldn't controlling all four make your energy drain faster?"
"You're right," he said, his tone darkening. "But that's where the next part comes in. The light core has three stages. Unlocking your core puts you at stage one. But to reach the other two… you have to infuse your core with darkness."
Jiro stiffened. "Darkness? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Think of it like this," Yosuke explained. "Just as there are light particles in the air… there are also dark ones. A secondary force. Darkness boosts your strength, but it's dangerous. If you're not careful, it consumes you. Still, it's the only path to unlocking the higher stages of your core."
The words lingered in the night air. Dangerous. Consuming.
"You've got questions?" he asked.
We shook our heads. Neither of us dared to speak.
"Good." His smirk returned. Wind swirled around his hands, gathering with a low hum. "Then let's test your limits. Arm yourselves."
My heart skipped. With a flick of thought, I pulled my daggers from the system. Beside me, Jiro summoned his black sword once more, flames writhing along its edge.
I tried to swallow my nerves, forcing a smile. "Alright… let's do this."
We charged him together. Jiro swung his blade in a direct arc at Yosuke.
But in that instant—Yosuke vanished.
My eyes darted wildly. My chest tightened. What just happened?
Panic bubbled in my throat. I couldn't see him. Couldn't sense him. Just… nothing.
Until a whisper brushed my ear.
"Too slow."