The clearing was eerily quiet. Smoke still drifted lazily from the ruins of Southfield High, the skeletal remains of the school casting long, distorted shadows across the ground. Kaito Tsukimi huddled on the grass, knees drawn to his chest, staring at the horizon. His chest felt tight, and each shallow breath reminded him that he was still alive—while everyone else was gone.
"No… this isn't real… it can't be… everyone…" he whispered, his voice trembling. Tears blurred his vision, his mind replaying the flames, the screams, the shattering of glass and steel. Every familiar face, every laugh and joke, was now just a memory.
Hayato knelt beside him, calm but solemn. "Kaito, listen. You survived for a reason, but you're not safe. The Directorate knows something happened here. They'll detect residual energy—the ripples left behind when I teleported you. They'll come for you if you stay."
Kaito's stomach tightened. "Residual… energy? They can… track me?"
"Yes," Hayato said. "Spatial fluctuations. Every teleport leaves a unique imprint, like a fingerprint. Advanced awakeners and specialized agents can sense them. They'll know someone survived, even if they weren't there. That's why you're alive now—but being alive makes you a target."
Kaito's mind spun. So even here… even now… I'm being hunted… Fear tightened around his chest. I should be safe… but I'm not. I'm alone… completely alone.
He pressed his palms to the ground, feeling the faint warmth of the sun on the grass. Yet beneath that warmth, he sensed something else—tiny distortions in the air, almost imperceptible ripples. He blinked, unsure if it was fatigue or something else, but Hayato's eyes flicked to them immediately.
"You feel that?" Hayato asked softly. "Those are traces of energy. Left behind when I teleported you. Most people wouldn't notice, but you… you're different."
Kaito stared at his hands. Different? How? I'm just… me. His voice caught in his throat. "I don't understand. I'm weak… I can't even fight, and everyone I cared about… they're gone."
Hayato placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Weak? No. You survived. That alone makes you extraordinary. But strength isn't just about brute force. It's about perception, strategy, and knowing how to act in the right moment. That is your edge, Kaito. Right now, your power is raw and untrained, but it exists. You'll learn to control it—and when you do, you'll understand what your parents left behind."
Kaito let his forehead rest against his knees, tears still streaming. I… I have to survive… but how? The vast emptiness around him pressed in. Even the wind seemed heavy, carrying the faint smell of smoke and ash.
Miles away, hidden among the ruins of the school, three figures moved with precise steps, scanning the area.
"This energy… residual spatial fluctuations," one murmured. "Impossible. Someone survived."
"Track him," another said coldly. "The Directorate cannot allow him to escape. Find him before he gains control of his latent abilities."
Kaito shivered as the words sank in. He wasn't just grieving—he was being hunted, and every moment of hesitation could cost him his life.
Hayato's voice broke through his thoughts. "Kaito, you need to understand something. Awakeners are not like ordinary people. They can manipulate space, energy, matter, or forces that others can't even perceive. Your parents… they were among the strongest of their generation. And you… you've inherited their hybrid power."
Kaito's hands trembled. "Power… hybrid…?"
"Yes," Hayato said. "It's a combination of their abilities. Spatial manipulation, energy control… versatile, potent, but difficult to control. That's why you feel nothing yet. It will take time, training, and guidance. Mistakes will be costly."
Kaito's mind raced. Training? Guidance? I barely survived the explosion—how am I supposed to learn something like that now?
"Your intellect is your first weapon," Hayato continued. "You can observe, analyze, and strategize. Your energy control will develop faster than most because of your potential, but patience is key. Every step, every action leaves a trace, and the Directorate is already aware you survived."
Kaito stared at the faint ripples dancing across the clearing—the residual distortions left behind by Hayato's teleportation. They shimmered subtly, almost teasing him, reminding him of a power he didn't yet understand.
"I… I don't know if I can…" Kaito whispered, voice small but trembling with a mixture of fear and determination.
"You can," Hayato replied. "Right now, your first task is to recover, observe, and understand the rules of this world. Knowledge and survival are more important than brute force at this stage. Later… you'll grow stronger, and then the real challenge begins."
Kaito wiped his tears, feeling the spark of something small yet persistent deep within. It was fragile, faint, but unmistakable—a promise of latent potential. He was alone, hunted, and untrained, but a seed of determination had taken root.
And somewhere, in the shadows of the ruins, the Directorate agents tracked his faint residual energy. They had no idea how dangerous this seemingly weak boy could become, or how quickly he could rise.
The boy who had survived the explosion shivered in the early morning sun. Fear clung to him, grief weighed heavily, but the faint spark within flickered stronger. This was only the beginning, and every heartbeat, every step, would leave a trace in the world that was watching him.
Kaito Tsukimi, survivor, inheritor of extraordinary power, was no longer just a helpless child. The world had changed—and so had he.