The snowstorm raged with even greater fury, and Hifung struggled to maintain the earth magic shielding him and Shelyn.
Meanwhile, Shelyn lay unconscious atop the snowless ground.
Hifung (in his heart): "What do I do!? If this keeps up, Shelyn will suffer from this blizzard..."
Hifung looked around in confusion, lost in the midst of the storm with no clear escape.
Suddenly, the earth magic barrier began to crack, inch by inch, sending panic down Hifung's spine.
Hifung: DAMN IT!! I have to get out of here!!
He screamed out loud in frustration, helpless and overwhelmed by the chaos.
The magic shield shattered at last, and the furious blizzard came flooding in.
In slow motion, flakes of snow spiraled toward Shelyn—almost touching her—when, in an instant, they disintegrated into mist and vanished.
A brilliant red aura erupted from Hifung, powerful and surging, though it bore no traces of lightning.
The aura blasted the surrounding snow away, forming a warm pocket of space that kept Shelyn safe.
Hifung stared at his hands.
Hifung: Huh... That was close. Good thing this aura can blow away the snow.
Sensing his aura, Shelyn stirred awake. Her eyes fluttered open to find Hifung, bathed in crimson light.
The sight left her both startled and in awe.
Noticing her awakening, Hifung turned to her.
Hifung: Are you alright?
Shelyn: I'm okay.
A soft smile crossed Hifung's face.
---
Meanwhile, at Jister Academy...
Yuita, Kobayashi, and Ray suddenly felt the presence of the red aura. Shocked, they rushed to the window.
Their eyes widened as they saw the crimson energy flaring deep within the forest.
Ray: Hifung!
Yuita: Hery!
Kobayashi: That boy!?
At last, Hifung emerged from the Deko Forest, carrying Shelyn on his back.
Suddenly, a memory stirred within Yuita—faint but vivid.
Yuita (in her heart): "That's right! Back then, he saved me with..."
---
—Decades Ago—
Deep in the Deko Forest, a younger Yuita trained with wind magic, launching blasts at a massive tree.
Her spells left deep scars on the trunk, but it remained standing.
Exhausted, she climbed onto a low-hanging branch and sat down.
Yuita: Whew... Wind magic is harder than I thought.
She looked at her right hand.
Yuita: If I used fire magic instead, this tree would've been reduced to ashes, haha...
From behind the trees, Stephanus Hery appeared quietly.
Hery: Practicing wind magic again?
Recognizing his voice instantly, Yuita flinched only for a moment.
Yuita: Yeah. I can't rely on fire magic forever.
Hery sat down beside her.
Hery: Honestly, I think it's fine to focus on just one magic element.
Yuita sighed softly before replying.
Yuita: Maybe you're right, but... I still want to master wind magic too.
They continued practicing together in the forest until dusk.
As the training session ended, Yuita returned to her branch perch while Hery prepared to leave.
Hery: Aren't you heading home?
Yuita smiled faintly and glanced at him.
Yuita: I want to enjoy the night sky a little longer. I'll go home later.
Hery: Oh, alright then... I'll head out first.
Yuita: Okay. Bye-bye.
They waved at each other, and Hery vanished into the trees.
---
Yuita continued training into the late hours, until a sudden rumble made her freeze.
Yuita: Sounds like a storm's coming...
She sat back down on the branch, enjoying the starlit sky and the gentle breeze.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them and prepared to leave.
But just as she took her first step—
A small tree branch flew at her from nowhere.
She instinctively blocked it with the underside of her right forearm, wincing as it left a deep scratch.
Yuita: What!?
Her eyes widened—there, in front of her, a massive storm approached with terrifying speed.
Yuita: This can't be happening!
Grabbing her wounded arm, she turned and ran, the storm on her heels.
Desperate, she cast an earth magic barrier with her left hand, struggling to hold it up.
Yuita: Damn it!
But the barrier cracked under the pressure, spreading fast.
Yuita (in her heart): "What now!?"
She panicked, watching the fractures widen.
She couldn't hold on. The earth shield shattered, and the wind nearly hurled her away.
Fighting to stay grounded, Yuita pushed back with everything she had.
Yuita (in her heart): "I can't... hold on..."
Her strength faded. Sleepiness crept in. Her body began to go limp.
Yuita (in her heart): "No... I'm getting drowsy... this is bad..."
Her legs gave out. The storm lifted her off her feet.
But before it could carry her far—
Hery appeared.
He caught her left hand just in time, pulling her back from the storm's grasp.
Unleashing his red aura, he instantly calmed the surrounding winds.
Yuita, her eyes barely open, saw him save her... before slipping into unconsciousness.
---
—Back to the Present—
Yuita (in her heart): "That's right... It was that red aura that saved me."
She smiled at the memory, eyes locked on the familiar light in the distance.
---
Outside Deko Forest, now...
After escaping the forest, Shelyn stirred awake, still resting on Hifung's back.
Shelyn: Where...?
Hifung: You're awake, Shelyn?
Shelyn: What is this...?
She looked around, confused by the glowing red aura surrounding them.
Hifung: It's my aura. It seems I can use it to calm the storm.
Surprised, Shelyn blinked, but didn't dwell on it too long.
In the distance, Yuita, Kobayashi, and Ray came running toward them.
Yuita conjured flames around herself to shield them from the howling winds.
As the three reached them, Hifung smiled in relief.
Once in front of him, Yuita dismissed her flames and studied the red aura surrounding Hifung.
Ray: Hifung, are you alright?
Ray's expression was full of concern.
But Hifung only offered a small smile.
Hifung: I'm fine.
Kobayashi, equally worried, stepped closer.
Kobayashi: Are you sure?
Hifung nodded calmly, still smiling faintly.
Then, without warning, a group of thirty strangers appeared.
Each of them radiated fire magic to suppress the storm around them.
Stranger: That's him! That's the one!
Stranger: How dare you return to this world!
They recognized the aura—the same as Hery's—and rage burned in their eyes.
Stranger: That man caused the greatest disaster in our kingdom's history!
Stranger: He must pay! Let's kill him!
With thirty hostile mages bearing down on Hifung, Yuita, Kobayashi, and Ray stepped forward to protect him.
They stood like a wall between Hifun
g and the enemies.
Yuita: I don't have much chi energy left... but enough to take you all down.
Kobayashi: He's my student. I won't let you lay a finger on him.
Ray: If you want to kill him... you'll have to kill me first.