SCHOOL ARC
CAFETERIA
The cafeteria shook with every blow. Jimmy's fists burned with a deadly mix of blue fire and glacial frost, every strike aimed with surgical precision as he battled the strong demon. His flames roared, his ice cracked, and each attack landed with brutal force, driving the monster back across shattered tables.
"Stay down," Jimmy snarled, slamming the demon into the ground with a barrage of strikes, his scarf whipping violently in the heated wind.
Across the room, Adam, August, and Liana fought desperately against the smart demon. Adam swung his broken staff, August unleashed waves of blazing fire, and Liana formed icy barriers to deflect every lethal slash. Together, they forced the cunning monster onto the defensive.
Then—
BOOM!
The smart demon slammed both hands to the ground, sending out a massive shockwave. The blast ripped through the cafeteria, throwing Jimmy, Adam, August, Liana, and even the teachers and Headmaster Varion back into the walls.
Jimmy coughed, stunned. "What the hell—"
Adam groaned, trying to get up. "How… how did he get so strong?"
From where he knelt, Headmaster Varion's eyes narrowed. "He's learning. Adapting in real time."
The smart demon grinned, sharp teeth glinting. "I am the smartest alive. I'll kill you all if I need to."
Demon Evolution
Before anyone could react, the strong demon stepped forward, its body trembling with strange energy.
"Sorry," it growled darkly, its claws pulsing with black light, "but I don't need smart allies."
SHUNK!
Its clawed hand pierced through the smart demon's chest, lifting it effortlessly.
"No—" the smart demon gurgled, but its words died as the strong demon devoured him whole, dark energy crackling violently.
The cafeteria went silent.
The fused creature roared, its body warping hideously. Its frame doubled in size, skin hardening like obsidian, massive horns sprouting along its head, shoulders, and back. Its eyes glowed crimson, filled with hunger and rage.
Adam's voice cracked. "That's… not good."
"No," Jimmy muttered, rising to his feet, "it's really not."
The evolved demon lunged. Jimmy met it head-on, fists blazing with fire and ice — but this time, his blows barely slowed it down.
The monster's counterstrike sent him crashing across the room, smashing through two tables.
Adam, August, and Liana charged together, but their attacks bounced harmlessly off its armored skin. Even the teachers' spells barely scratched it.
"Fall back!" one instructor shouted.
But the demon moved too quickly. A brutal strike sent Headmaster Varion sprawling, blood dripping from a cut across his temple as he collapsed unconscious.
"Headmaster!" August screamed, rushing toward him — but froze as the demon turned its gaze on her.
"Fresh meat," it growled, stepping forward.
A flash of blue light cut through the room.
CRACK!
The demon reeled back as a glowing blue fist slammed into its jaw, knocking it clean across the cafeteria.
Everyone turned.
Jimmy stood there, body glowing faintly, his eyes now bright, radiant blue. His fists shimmered with pure mana, flames and frost swirling perfectly in balance.
"You have power," Jimmy said, stepping forward, his voice steady and cold. "But I have experience."
The demon lunged, faster than ever — but Jimmy was faster. He slipped past every strike, countering with bone-shattering blows.
BAM! A knee drove deep into the monster's gut, launching it through a wall.WHAM! A follow-up strike pinned it to the floor.
"Stay down," Jimmy growled, his mana surging hotter and brighter.
The demon roared, scrambling to rise, but Jimmy didn't let up. His fist flared with roaring fire, his voice calm but deadly:
"Fire Meteor Slam."
BOOOOM!
His burning fist connected squarely with the demon's head. In a single devastating blow, the creature's body cracked, shattered — and then disintegrated, leaving only a scorched crater in the floor.
Jimmy's glow faded. His eyes dimmed.
And then his body gave out.
The hero collapsed, unconscious, as silence fell over the ruined cafeteria.
THE NEXST DAY
The next day, Jimmy, Adam, August, Liana, and even Headmaster Varion woke in the infirmary, bodies bandaged and sore.
Nurse Helena paced the room, muttering curses at them all. "Idiots. Every single one of you. Do you have a death wish?"
"We're… fine," Adam groaned.
Headmaster Varion sat up slowly, his expression calm despite his injuries. "The demon… is gone. But we still don't know who gave it that power."
August's grumpy toad perched on her stomach, glaring at Adam's chinchila, which glared right back.
Jimmy cracked one eye open. "You two," he muttered, "your spirit animals are plotting something."
"It's not my toad," August protested.
"Yes, it is," Jimmy said flatly. "It's your spirit animal. You deal with it."
Three Days Later
Three days of rest passed before they were cleared to leave the medical bay.
As they stepped into the courtyard, Headmaster Varion gathered the students for an announcement.
"I have two pieces of news," the headmaster began. "First, the Magic Games are approaching, so your training will intensify. Second…" His eyes swept over the crowd. "The five heroes of Lalantia — Alexandra, Ceila, Selena, Sharika, and Cassie — will be transferring here. They will arrive next week. Be respectful… and be ready."
The crowd erupted in stunned whispers as the group exchanged wary glances.
IN HEAD MASTERS OFFICE
The courtyard buzzed with excitement after the headmaster's announcement about the upcoming Magic Games and the arrival of the Lalantia heroes. But as students scattered, whispering in anticipation, Headmaster Varion fixed his gaze on Jimmy.
"Jimmy," Varion said calmly, "a word. Alone."
Jimmy felt every eye on him but said nothing, only adjusting his scarf and following the old man toward the main tower. They walked in silence, the hallways quiet, until they entered the headmaster's office — a wide, high-ceilinged room lined with bookshelves and glowing artifacts.
The door closed with a soft click.
Varion turned, leaning on his staff. His sharp, intelligent eyes glinted like polished steel as he studied the boy standing before him.
"I felt it again," Varion said quietly. "The moment you defeated that demon in the cafeteria. Your mana output spiked beyond anything a sixteen-year-old could generate. It was… ancient. Refined. Like the flow of someone who has fought and bled for centuries."
Jimmy exhaled slowly, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed.
"What are you talking about?" he said, voice casual. "I'm sixteen. A regular student."
Varion's gaze hardened. "Do not play games with me, boy. I've lived long enough to recognize power when I feel it. And what you carry inside you… doesn't belong to a child. You've been suppressing it, hiding it."
Jimmy stared back, unflinching. For a long moment, neither spoke, the quiet hum of magic from the headmaster's staff filling the room.
Finally, Jimmy sighed, tugging his scarf loose.
"Fine," he said. His voice dropped, calm but heavy. "You want the truth? I'm not sixteen. Not really."
Varion's brows rose, but he stayed silent, letting the boy speak.
"I'm… older," Jimmy admitted, his gaze drifting toward the window. "Over a thousand years old."
The office fell utterly silent.
Varion's grip on his staff tightened. "Then it's true," he murmured. "The rumors… the whispers that the hero never truly died. That he returned." His eyes sharpened. "You… you're him. The hero who defeated Prime."
Jimmy's brown eyes locked onto the old man's, the weight of centuries visible in their depths. "I was. Once."
Varion stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Why hide it? Why let the world think you're just another student?"
Jimmy's jaw tightened. "Because being a hero didn't save the world a thousand years ago," he said quietly. "It just delayed the inevitable. And because if people know who I am… they'll expect me to save them again. To be their shield. Their weapon."
"And you don't want that?" Varion asked softly.
Jimmy looked away, his scarf casting a shadow across his face. "I'm tired. I wanted a normal life, even if it's just for a little while."
Varion studied him for a long, quiet moment. Then the old man smiled faintly, though his eyes stayed sharp. "Normal or not, that power of yours will draw enemies, Jimmy. Demons, nobles, even other nations — they'll all come for you."
Jimmy smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Let them. I've killed worse."
Varion's smile faded. "Then prepare yourself. The storm that's coming… will be unlike anything you've faced before."
AFTER MEETING
The heavy oak doors of the headmaster's office creaked open, and Jimmy stepped out into the quiet hallway. His scarf fluttered slightly as the door clicked shut behind him, sealing away the conversation that had just taken place.
Adam was waiting near the corner, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his chinchila perched like a sentinel on his shoulder. The creature's small black eyes studied Jimmy carefully, almost as if it could sense the weight of the exchange.
Adam straightened. "So…" His tone was light, but his blue eyes were sharp. "What did you two talk about? You were in there a while."
Jimmy's gaze flicked to him, unreadable as always. "Nothing important," he said smoothly, adjusting the scarf around his neck.
Adam frowned slightly, unconvinced. "Nothing important? You sure? Because the headmaster doesn't usually pull people aside for tea and small talk."
Jimmy smirked faintly. "I said it's nothing, Adam. Let it go."
Adam studied him for another moment but eventually sighed. "…Fine. But you're acting weird lately, you know that?"
"Maybe," Jimmy said, brushing past him with casual ease. "Or maybe you just need more sleep."
They walked together down the quiet corridor, the faint hum of magical lanterns lighting their way. Outside, the campus was alive with soft evening light, students walking in small groups, some still whispering about the battle in the cafeteria, others buzzing with excitement about the upcoming Magic Games.
Jimmy glanced at Adam, then at the clear blue sky turning shades of orange and purple. "Let's go back to the dorms. We need to rest. The Games are coming, and we'll need every ounce of strength we can get."
Adam blinked at him, then grinned slightly. "Yeah… rest sounds good. I'm still sore from that fight. Felt like my ribs were gonna snap when that thing hit me."
Jimmy chuckled quietly, though the sound was hollow. "That's because they almost did. You're lucky you're still breathing."
The chinchila squeaked sharply, earning a small laugh from Adam. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Be more careful. Got it."
They reached the dorm, the hum of conversation and laughter spilling faintly from other rooms, but neither of them said much more.
Jimmy paused at the base of the stairs, glancing toward the sky again, the last light of sunset fading. His fists clenched unconsciously, the weight of Varion's words echoing in his head.
A storm is coming…
He shook the thought away and turned back to Adam, his expression as calm as ever. "Get some sleep. We train tomorrow."
Adam nodded. "Yeah. Together."
They entered their room quietly. For now, the academy was peaceful — but deep down, Jimmy knew this quiet wouldn't last.
Not with what was coming.