By evening, the academy grounds were quiet, but Izumi's training had just begun. The shard hummed with increasing intensity, urging him to push further. He could feel fragments of his past lives surfacing more vividly than ever—battles with gods, betrayals, victories, and losses intertwining with his present self.
Jack and Aria followed him to the training yard, exhausted but determined to support their friend. "Okay… I don't know how you're still standing," Jack said, panting. "I'd be dead ten times over if that shard didn't exist."
Izumi gave a faint smile, gold-flecked eyes gleaming. "It is not just the shard. It is knowledge… instinct… and preparation. Every life, every loop has trained me for this moment."
Aria's gaze softened. "You carry too much weight for one person, Izumi. But perhaps… that is what will make you strong enough."
The shard pulsed violently, and suddenly, Izumi felt a surge of energy unlike anything before. Threads of golden light shot out, surrounding him like a sphere of living power. Memories, skills, and fragments of past lives merged seamlessly. His movements became faster, sharper, almost imperceptible to the human eye.
Jack blinked rapidly. "Uh… Izumi? Are you… moving? Faster than me… faster than the wind?"
Before Izumi could respond, the shard projected visions into his mind—thousands of loops, thousands of battles, failures and victories merging into one overwhelming clarity. Pain, loss, joy, and triumph surged through him, but he anchored himself. He did not flinch. He did not waver. He absorbed it all.
Aria's voice cut through the storm of memories. "This… this is your awakening. But remember, Izumi… power alone is not enough. Control, restraint, and understanding are just as crucial."
Izumi exhaled slowly, golden light fading slightly but leaving him charged with a newfound mastery. "I understand… now more than ever. No matter the gods, the loops, or the destiny imposed upon me… I will not falter."
In the distance, beyond the academy, unseen observers stirred. The Ten Great Gods were aware. The boy named Izumi had survived his first trial, awakened a portion of his true potential, and begun a path that would one day shake the heavens themselves.
The shard pulsed one final time that night, as if in approval, whispering a single truth:
> "Awaken fully… or the world will decide for you."
And Izumi's resolve hardened. Whatever trials came next, he would meet them head-on.