When Jiro woke, the room was dim and quiet — the only light came from a cracked window where the gray afternoon sun tried to fight its way through drifting ash. His muscles ached, but his body… felt lighter.
For a moment, he forgot where he was. The ceiling was metal, lined with faint blue circuits pulsing softly like veins. Then memory came rushing back — the lab, the alarms, Old Gin's bloodied face, the tunnel, the journey through gray wastelands.
He sat up quickly, chest heaving.
"You're awake," a calm voice said.
Jiro turned to see Rein Arctov sitting at a desk across the room, cleaning the inner circuits of his mechanical arm. The man's expression was steady, unreadable, but there was a faint warmth in his tone.
"You slept for almost a day and a half," Rein continued. "Not bad for someone who crossed Null Sector on foot."
Jiro rubbed his eyes. "I… I dreamed of him."
Rein paused, then nodded slowly. "You'll keep dreaming of him for a while. That's how the dead stay with us — until we're strong enough to carry their memory without it breaking us."
Jiro's chest tightened. "He's not dead."
Rein's eyes met his — sharp, steady. "Then fight to prove it."
Silence stretched between them for a few seconds before Rein stood, brushing off his coat. "But not today. You need to rest. Physical training starts tomorrow. For now, you're going to learn something far more important."
He walked to the far side of the room and tapped a control panel on the wall. The lights dimmed, replaced by a faint holographic sphere floating in the air. Three radiant lights pulsed within it — gold, crimson, and emerald.
"This," Rein said, "is what makes you — and every living being in this world — more than flesh and bone. The Triad of Existence."
He extended his hand toward the hologram. The three lights rotated slowly, connected by streams of flowing energy.
"Listen carefully, Tensai. The Aetherion, the Essentia, and the Vitanova — three cores that define life itself."
He pointed to the golden sphere at the top.
"The Aetherion Core rests in the crown — the brain. It governs energy and matter. It's what lets a person project lightning, fire, or gravity. It's the Light of Thought. But misuse it… and your mind burns out."
He touched the red sphere in the center.
"The Essentia Core — the heart. The Core of Life and Spirit. It's your soul's flame. It gives your energy emotion and strength. Without it, your power becomes hollow."
Then his finger moved to the green glow near the base of the hologram.
"And finally, Vitanova — the core of evolution. It lies deeper, within your very DNA. It adapts, mutates, regenerates. It's the reason some people transcend and others die trying."
The three spheres began spinning faster until their lights overlapped, forming a blinding white spiral.
"Together, they form balance. Aetherion gives power form, Essentia gives it life, and Vitanova gives it purpose. That harmony is what Old Gin was trying to help you understand."
Rein's gaze lingered on the hologram, the three lights pulsing in slow rhythm. "But don't let this fool you," he said quietly. "The idea of all three cores working in perfect unison — that's just theory. A dream scholars call the 'Tri-Core State.'"
Jiro frowned. "You mean… no one's ever done it?"
"Never," Rein replied. "Not once in recorded history. Some tried to awaken all three — every single one of them died. The human body wasn't made to contain that much energy flow. Even Old Gin called it a paradox — power that consumes itself the moment it's born."
He folded his arms, expression unreadable. "That's why most of us awaken only one core — a few rare ones, two. But three? Impossible. If anyone ever did it, they'd stop being human altogether."
The holographic light flickered, casting long shadows across Rein's face. "Remember that, Tensai. Power without harmony is a curse. And chasing the third core… that's how geniuses turn into monsters."
The hologram shifted again, now forming a five-layered ring beneath the spinning Triad.
"These are the Five Stages of Ascension. Every cultivator, soldier, or esper follows them, even if they don't realize it."
He pointed at the first ring.
"Stage One — Awakening. That's where you discover your cores, one by one. Essentia, then Aetherion, then Vitanova. Until all three pulse as one. You're currently Level Three — Inner Flame, the point where your Essentia begins to stabilize and burn on its own."
The second ring lit up.
"Stage Two — Alignment. It's where you learn to synchronize your body, mind, and soul. Level Two within it is called Tri Harmony — a flow so balanced your movements feel like music."
Jiro nodded slowly, remembering how Gin moved — every strike smooth, every dodge effortless. "That's how he fought…"
"Exactly," Rein said. "He reached Level Two of Alignment — Tri Harmony. His energy moved like a living rhythm. But the general who caught him… Viktor Dragovich — he's Level Three. Flow Convergence. That means all his energy channels have merged into one continuous circuit. His power doesn't strike — it flows."
Rein clenched his metal fist lightly, and faint vibrations rippled through the air.
"That's the difference between a master and a predator."
The third ring lit. "Stage Three — Resonance. When you begin interacting with the world itself. The air bends to your will. The ground vibrates with your presence. Some call it communion with nature — others call it the mark of danger."
Jiro was silent, completely absorbed.
"The fourth stage," Rein continued, "is Ascendance. You create your own Law — a rule that shapes the world around you. Every true warrior's power comes from their Law. It's their truth given form."
"And the last?" Jiro asked softly.
Rein looked at the final ring, which shimmered faintly like a star. "Transcendence. It's said those who reach it cease to be mortal. They merge with the cosmic flow itself. The stars remember their names, even when the world forgets."
The hologram dimmed, fading back into the wall.
For a moment, silence filled the room. Only the hum of the generator remained.
Jiro clenched his hands. "Then if I master these… I can face him one day."
Rein smiled faintly, though his eyes carried sadness. "Not just him. You'll face yourself — your fear, your limits, your past. But yes, if you endure, if you find your Triad Balance… you'll surpass even Gin."
He walked toward the door, the metal of his arm glinting in the faint light. "Rest for now. Physical training begins at dawn. And Jiro—"
The boy looked up.
Rein's expression softened. "Don't chase strength out of pain. Grow because you must. Gin didn't save you to make you a weapon… he saved you so you could choose what to become."
Then he left, the door sliding shut behind him with a soft hiss.
Jiro sat there, staring at his wristwatch, its faint blue glow reflecting in his eyes. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled over Ash Lane.
He looked toward the sound and whispered to the empty room —
"I'll find you, old man. And when I do… I'll be strong enough to stand beside you."
Outside, the ash fell like dying snow, marking the end of a long afternoon — and the quiet beginning of Jiro Tensai's true path.
****