The afternoon sky over New Era Academy was painted in streaks of orange and violet, a calm disguise over the storm building inside Shin's chest. The revelation from the overheard conversation between Aojin and Lord Hogosura replayed in his mind like a poisoned whisper:
> "Jirou Akehara… is the true leader of the Hogosura Clan. His magic power surpasses even mine."
Shin's hands trembled slightly as he walked down the dim corridor, each footstep echoing like the beat of a war drum. Jirou… my little brother… the one I was supposed to protect. Why didn't anyone tell me? Why am I always the last to know?
Unbeknownst to Shin, he wasn't alone. A faint ripple in the mana around him signaled the presence of someone tailing him. It wasn't a student's clumsy sneak — this was precise, deliberate. The same kind of shadow movement Shin had sensed once in Kiminara… the work of the hidden faction.
He turned a corner. Silence. Empty hallway. Yet, the presence remained.
Suddenly, a hand clamped over his mouth, and a portal of black mist swallowed them both whole.
---
The Trap
When the world stopped spinning, Shin found himself inside an underground chamber lit by flickering blue torches. Strange crests lined the walls — the same design he had seen in his earlier investigation: the Fang of Oblivion.
Three hooded figures stepped forward.
Hooded Figure:
"Shin Akehara… you don't belong here. Your bloodline was never meant to rise."
Shin's eyes narrowed. So they know about my family…
Before they could speak further, Shin's gaze darted to a table in the room — on it lay a silver chain engraved with his brother's name: Jirou.
His rage flared, and with a single pulse of mana, he shattered the nearest torch stand into molten scraps.
Shin:
"Tell me where he is… or none of you leave here alive."
The three exchanged glances — and lunged.
---
Meanwhile in the Training Grounds
While Shin was trapped below, the academy grounds saw another storm brewing. Haya, flanked by her two sycophantic friends, cornered Umei in the middle of the practice arena.
Haya:
"For someone with rich parents, your magic is pathetic. Do they even know they wasted their fortune on you?"
Umei's hands tightened on her staff. Not again…
She tried to walk away, but Haya flicked her wrist, sending a gust of sharp wind that knocked Umei's books from her hands. The crowd of students began to murmur, some smirking at the humiliation.
Umei:
"Why do you care about my magic?!"
Haya:
"Because people like you think money can buy strength. In this academy, power is the only currency that matters."
Umei's temper snapped, and she attempted a fire burst — but the flames fizzled halfway. Haya smirked, easily dispersing them with a wave of her mana.
The duel was short. Umei ended up on the ground, coughing from the wind pressure Haya unleashed.
A professor finally intervened, but the damage was done — the humiliation burned deeper than the scratches on her arms.
---
Back in the Chamber
The hooded faction members pressed Shin hard, each attack aiming to wear him down. But they didn't realize — Shin wasn't fighting at full strength. He was studying their movements, memorizing their mana signatures.
When one of them tried to stab him with a dagger forged of void-steel, Shin caught the blade between two fingers, letting his own magic flare for the first time.
The floor cracked beneath his feet. The torches burst into blue flames.
Shin:
"If you think I'm the weak one… you haven't seen anything yet."
With a single motion, he sent all three slamming into the walls, unconscious. His gaze returned to the silver chain on the table.
He picked it up, his expression cold.
Jirou… if they have you, I'll burn every faction in this world to the ground.
---