Seven years had passed since the day Kai and Mai sat beneath the old tree listening to their grandfather's story. The two children who once argued like little kids had now grown into teenagers, slowly approaching the age where their futures would finally begin to take shape.
It was now their final year of junior high school.
While most students spent their free time chatting with friends or preparing for Player qualification exams, one particular student had chosen a very different routine.
High above the school grounds, on the quiet rooftop where almost no one visited during lunch break, a boy continued pushing his body to its limits.
"198… 199… 200…"
Kai's arms trembled as he completed the last push-up before finally collapsing onto the warm concrete floor, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
Sweat soaked through his shirt as exhaustion spread through every muscle in his body. Despite the pain and fatigue, however, a small look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached from behind.
"Still working out, huh?"
A calm female voice spoke up from nearby.
"You know… you don't have to push yourself this hard."
Kai slowly lifted himself from the ground and turned toward the voice.
Standing a few steps away from him was a graceful young woman whose appearance immediately caught the eye. Her pale skin seemed to glow faintly under the sunlight, while her long silver hair flowed smoothly down her back like silk. Her clear azure eyes carried a sharp yet elegant beauty, and her posture radiated a natural confidence that made it obvious she was not an ordinary student.
In her hands, she held a small lunchbox.
She walked closer and handed it to him.
"Here," she said casually. "I made lunch for us before coming to school."
Kai blinked in surprise before accepting it.
"Thanks, sis," he said with a small smile. "I really needed something to eat before continuing my workout."
The young woman was none other than Mai, his twin sister. Over the years she had grown into a beautiful and talented young lady, admired by many students throughout the school.
"Yeah, yeah… whatever," she replied dismissively, already turning away as if the conversation meant little to her.
She began walking toward the rooftop door before suddenly stopping halfway.
Without turning around, she added in a slightly annoyed tone,
"Oh, and try not to get yourself into trouble again. You always end up getting beaten up by those bullies."
She paused briefly.
"Next time, I won't bother treating your wounds."
Kai scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Yeah, yeah… I know."
Mai finally opened the rooftop door.
"Oh, and you'll have to walk home alone today," she added. "I'm busy with club activities."
With that, she disappeared down the stairwell.
Once she was gone, the rooftop became quiet again.
Kai sat down on the concrete floor and opened the lunchbox, quickly eating the food she had prepared for him. The simple meal was enough to restore some of his energy.
After finishing, he closed the empty box and placed it aside.
Then, without hesitation, he returned to the center of the rooftop and dropped back into position.
Slowly… he began another set of push-ups.
The school day had finally ended, and the halls were buzzing with students eager to go home. Kai grabbed his backpack and rose from his seat, shoulders slightly slouched from the exhaustion of the day—and from the hours he had spent training on the rooftop. Mai had already left for her club activities, leaving him to walk home alone, as he had done countless times before.
The streets were quiet as he took the familiar route, a short path he had walked since childhood. The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the sidewalks, and the occasional breeze rustled the leaves of the trees lining the street. For a moment, Kai felt the small comfort of solitude, a rare chance to breathe without the chaos of school or the pressures of awakening.
But that peace didn't last long.
A familiar, mocking voice called out from behind him.
"Well… well… well… what do we have here?"
Kai froze mid-step and felt a familiar tension coil in his chest. He knew that tone all too well—the smug arrogance of those who had nothing better to do than torment someone weaker.
"Haa… here we go again," he muttered under his breath, frowning. His hands tightened on the straps of his backpack as he tried to steel himself. "Just after Mai told me to stay out of trouble…"
He exhaled sharply, bracing himself for what was coming. The air around him seemed to grow heavier, each step forward feeling like it pulled him closer to an inevitable storm.
—
Meanwhile, atop the hills that overlooked the quiet, peaceful town, several figures stood motionless, their black robes fluttering slightly in the wind. Masks obscured their faces, leaving only a sense of cold purpose emanating from them. Their presence was like a shadow over the town, unseen yet unmistakably threatening.
From the shadows, one figure approached the center of the group, bowing slightly before another who seemed to hold the authority of a master. "Master," the figure said in a low, measured tone, "all units are ready to move."
The leader's eyes, hidden beneath the mask, glinted with a sharp, predatory focus. "Good," the leader replied, voice steady yet chilling. "As the prophecy foretold, the new vessel of our lord has manifested in this town. Search every corner, leave nothing unturned, and retrieve it."
"Yes, Master," the subordinate replied without hesitation, and one by one, the cloaked figures melted into the shadows, vanishing like smoke into the night.
The master remained, standing alone on the hilltop, eyes sweeping over the town below. Even as the last of the figures disappeared, the stillness of the town could not hide the weight of what was to come. A smile, faint and unreadable, touched the leader's lips as the prophecy's threads began to tighten around their unsuspecting prey.
—
Meanwhile, Kai found himself completely surrounded, the bullies closing in like predators circling weak prey.
"Well… well… well, if it isn't Kai, the unawakened loser," one sneered, and the others burst into laughter, their voices echoing cruelly down the quiet street.
"Still unawakened, huh? Man, you really suck," another mocked, nudging Kai with his shoulder.
"Even a snail could catch up to you," a third added, leaning in with a smirk, as if daring Kai to respond.
'Same insults as always… they just have to make me feel small,' Kai thought, clenching his fists at his sides, trying to push back the frustration bubbling in his chest.
"Move! I'm in a hurry, and you guys are in my way," Kai finally snapped, his voice sharper than he intended. The sudden defiance seemed to catch the bullies off guard, and their laughter faltered slightly.
"What did you just say?" one of the bullies growled, veins popping on his forehead, fists tightening as he stepped closer, his eyes flashing with menace.
"I… I won't tolerate being bullied anymore," Kai said, swallowing the fear coiling in his stomach, "If you want to beat me, then come. I'm ready."
"You little—"
Boom!
A deafening thud cracked through the air, interrupting the bully mid-word. Every head turned toward the source of the sound, eyes widening in surprise and confusion.
"What was that?" one of them muttered, tension creeping into their laughter, their earlier confidence faltering for just a moment.
Suddenly, people started running through the streets, their shouts echoing across the town. The bullies around Kai froze, their laughter dying in their throats as they turned to see the crowd fleeing in panic.
"What's going on?" one of the bullies demanded, his bravado cracking as uncertainty crept into his voice.
"T-the town… it's under attack!" a panicked voice replied, the words tumbling out between gasps for breath.
Kai's eyes widened at that, a surge of fear and urgency pumping through him. He tightened the straps of his backpack, his heart pounding as adrenaline spiked. Without hesitation, he began sprinting toward home, his legs moving faster than ever despite the exhaustion from earlier.
—
Meanwhile, at the small cabin on the outskirts, the twins' grandfather sat calmly in his chair outside, his hands resting on his knees. His gaze, sharp and knowing, scanned the horizon. Suddenly, four figures materialized before him, moving with an unnatural precision as if they had appeared from thin air.
"Haa… so you've finally come," he said softly, his voice tinged with both annoyance and resignation. His eyes flickered briefly toward the approaching chaos in the town, then back to the figures standing before him.
The old man slowly rose from his chair, letting out a quiet sigh as he stretched his stiff arms and shoulders. For a brief moment, he rolled his neck from side to side as though preparing himself for something inevitable. The calmness in his movements made it seem as if the sudden appearance of the masked figures had not surprised him in the slightest.
After a moment, his gaze returned to the four cloaked figures standing before him. The relaxed look on his face slowly faded, replaced by a sharp and serious expression that carried the weight of experience.
"So… you've finally decided to show yourselves," he muttered under his breath.
The air around the cabin grew heavy with tension, the wind rustling the trees as silence settled between them.
The old man dusted off his sleeves and stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he faced the intruders.
"Alright then," he said calmly.
"Let's get this over with, shall we?"