Four months had passed since the day Shin learned an unsettling truth: his younger brother, Jirou Akehara, the prodigy and current leader of the Hogosura Clan, was not acting of his own free will.
A forbidden magic parasite, planted deep in his brain, controlled his every move—its strings pulled by Lord Hogosura himself.
And only Shin's strength could destroy it.
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[Scene 1 – Umei's Training Ground]
The sun was dipping behind the tall academy walls, painting the practice yard in shades of gold. Umei stood in the middle, her staff shaking slightly in her hands. Sweat dripped down her brow as she chanted a weak incantation.
> Umei: "Ignis… spirare…"
(A small flame sputtered into existence, barely the size of a candle flame.)
"...Why… why is it still so small?"
She clenched her jaw, trying again. The fire flickered, but her mana control faltered and it dispersed into a puff of smoke.
Suddenly, laughter echoed from behind her.
> Haya: "Oh, look at that! The princess can't even light a torch properly!"
Friend 1: "Careful, Haya, or she might accidentally burn your shoes… oh wait, she can't."
Friend 2: "Hahaha! All that money, but no magic talent."
Umei lowered her gaze, fists trembling.
> Umei: "Leave me alone."
Haya: "Aww… what's wrong? Want to run home to your rich daddy?"
(She stepped closer, snatching Umei's staff from her hand.)
Haya: "This thing is wasted on you. You'll never match us."
Just then, a sharp wind swept through the yard. Haya froze, turning around—only to see Aojin walking in.
> Aojin: "Haya. Put. It. Down."
Haya: "Tch. Fine. It's not like she's worth my time anyway."
Haya tossed the staff back, smirking as she walked away with her friends.
Umei gripped it tightly, hiding the sting in her eyes.
> Umei: "Thank you, Aojin…"
Aojin: "Don't thank me. Thank Shin. He's the one who told me to keep an eye on you."
Umei: "Shin…?" (Her expression softened.)
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[Scene 2 – Shin's Dorm Room]
Shin sat at his desk, a thick scroll unrolled before him, filled with complex magical diagrams. His eyes were sharp, scanning every rune.
(A knock on the door.)
> Shin: "Come in."
Aojin stepped inside, his tone grave.
> Aojin: "We need to talk. It's about Jirou."
Shin: "I'm listening."
Aojin: "He's getting worse. The parasite… it's feeding off him faster than before. He barely sleeps, his eyes are bloodshot, and he's starting to lash out at his own clan members."
Shin: (clenching his fists) "Damn it… Lord Hogosura's control must be tightening."
Aojin: "At this rate, there won't be anything left of Jirou's mind to save."
Shin pushed the scroll aside and stood, determination flashing in his gaze.
> Shin: "Then I'll have to act sooner than planned."
Aojin: "You're talking about destroying the parasite."
Shin: "Yes."
Aojin: "Do you understand what that means? The moment you break Hogosura's control, he'll know. He'll come for you."
Shin: (coldly) "Let him."
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[Scene 3 – Flashback: Shin's Discovery]
Four months ago, in the hidden archives of the Kiminara ruins, Shin had pieced the truth together.
Ancient texts spoke of Tsukimori Parasites—forbidden constructs of magic that burrow into the victim's brain, feeding on mana while suppressing free will. The only way to destroy one was to use a unique form of Mana Purge… a technique Shin alone had mastered.
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[Scene 4 – The Promise]
Night had fallen. Shin stood by the academy's balcony, the moonlight outlining his figure. Umei approached quietly.
> Umei: "You're going after him, aren't you?"
Shin: "I don't have a choice. Jirou's my brother."
Umei: "It's dangerous. Hogosura will—"
Shin: (cutting her off) "If I don't, Jirou will be nothing more than a puppet until the day he dies."
Umei's eyes glimmered.
> Umei: "Then… let me get stronger. So I can stand by you."
Shin: (soft smile) "Then train harder than you've ever trained before."
Far away, in the shadows of the forest outside the academy, Lord Hogosura sat in meditation, his lips curling into a sinister grin.
> Lord Hogosura: "Shin… I see you. Try if you dare."
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