He felt the sensation of snakes coiling around him.
His body twisted in unnatural ways, every motion wracking him with pain and discomfort.
His eyes failed to grasp what was happening — everything was darkness.
No sound reached him either; his ears were dead to the world.
It was as if he had been thrown into an endless abyss.
The only thing he could still sense was his life slowly slipping away.
And even that… would have been freedom.
But no — he didn't want to die. Not yet. Not when he hadn't fulfilled his purpose.
Jaze had given him a new life, and he was grateful for it.
"Seems I was a bit late. Now, let's undo those ropes," a familiar voice said.
"Ha…!" Shita gasped for air, breathing heavily as the bindings vanished.
"Let's get you back to the academy," Jaze said softly.
They walked in silence. Shita couldn't bring himself to face his master.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, barely audible.
"There's no need to apologize," Jaze replied. "In fact, it's because of you that I found the Nightmare Deity. It's been tormenting people for months now."
"What was that thing?" Shita asked, uneasily recalling the terror.
"Ordinary people live their lives unaware of such things," Jaze began, his tone calm yet distant. "But there are beings that transcend the ordinary. That Nightmare Deity was a manifestation of all fear and darkness in the universe. It was weakened… but I believe someone sent it directly after you."
"Why me?"
"As soon as you made contact with me, it was inevitable. Be prepared, Shita — there will be more. Others will come."
"So I gotta start training seriously, huh?"
"Yes. Even if you can't master the fire attribute yet, I'll teach you other elemental paths. Enough to defend yourself when the time comes. Your main attribute will reveal itself later."
"I didn't get to see your fight… but you beat that monster, Master. Just how strong are you?"
Jaze smiled faintly. "Officially, I'm ranked X. Only three humans in the entire universe hold that title. But it's not something to boast about. There are beings far stronger than you can imagine, and it's our duty to protect the human race from them."
The two walked beneath the dim glow of street lamps, the night air still and cold.
When they reached the Ember Gate, peace had returned — no one seemed to have noticed the chaos.
"You'd better head back before dawn," Jaze said, waving a hand casually. "And don't forget to carry that sleeping person near the bush."
He turned and disappeared into the night.
Shita lingered for a while, staring up at the fading stars.
The words of his master echoed in his mind — someone was targeting him.
Who were they? And why now, after all this time?
It didn't matter. Not tonight.
What mattered was strength — becoming strong enough not to disappoint his master.
And with that resolve, Shita returned to the academy before the first light of dawn.
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