By evening, the academy grounds returned to calm, yet the weight of the day lingered. Izumi sat quietly in his dorm, the shard pulsing softly in his chest. Memories and instincts of past lives surged, intertwining with lessons learned from the divine probe and the forest's trials.
Jack flopped beside him, exhausted. "I don't know how you do it… honestly, you're terrifying. And I mean that as a compliment, I think."
Aria's voice was calm but grave. "Izumi… do you realize what you've just survived? That probe, the forest… the interference wasn't accidental. The Ten Great Gods are now aware. Your awakening has consequences."
Izumi's jaw tightened. "I understand. Every loop, every life, every fragment of the shard… it was preparing me for this. I knew it would happen eventually."
The shard pulsed, almost urgently. Memories of past lives—his first life as a mortal, his second as the first god, the betrayals and lessons—flooded him. He felt a strange mixture of exhaustion and clarity, the burden of countless failures giving way to understanding.
> "You cannot falter. You will be tested… and you will rise."
Izumi exhaled, golden light flickering across his skin. "I will rise. I will awaken fully. And I will not falter, no matter the cost. Not for myself… for those who stand with me."
Jack looked over. "Uh… I don't know whether to be inspired or terrified. Probably both."
Aria smiled faintly. "He has begun to understand his purpose. The path ahead will be far more dangerous than anything we've faced. But together… perhaps we can survive it."
Above, unseen and distant, ancient eyes watched the boy named Izumi. The Ten Great Gods now actively measured him, observing every movement, every choice, every display of power. The first seeds of conflict were planted, and the storm of destiny loomed ever closer.