The atmosphere was oppressive.Only the echo of violent impacts against the devastated ground broke the silence of the area—a place that, not long ago, had been the stage of a colossal battle.
What had once been a vast forest had completely disappeared. In its place, the sky remained shrouded in a dark mist, tainted by the smoke of combat.
The ground, cracked and scorched, was soaked in blood. Corpses of enormous beasts covered the land—creatures whose very names struck terror into those who heard them.
Ancient dragons.
Beasts that had ruled during the golden age of demons. Beings so massive and powerful that they could wipe out an entire kingdom on their own.
Now they lay dead. Some had been pierced by devastating magical attacks; others were mutilated, their bodies torn apart. Several were still falling lifeless from the sky, long after the battle had already ended.
The sound of footsteps began to echo through the ruins.
Knights, warriors, and adventurers who had managed to survive the massacre advanced with difficulty, gathering at a single point to receive treatment from healing mages.
'How did all of this happen…?'
That was the thought of a young man on the brink of death.
In the middle of the battlefield, a single tree had managed to survive. Not only was it still standing, but it was in perfect condition. It was abnormally large—far larger than any tree that had ever existed there.
Its leaves, a deep azure hue, shone with a strange radiance, as if celebrating a silent victory.
At the base of the tree, a young man leaned against the massive trunk.
One glance was enough to know it—he was dying.
Parts of his body were missing. His left arm and right leg were gone. Deep cuts covered his torso, and a massive gash ran across his neck.
And yet, he was still breathing, clinging to life as he wondered how everything had come to this.
His armor was shattered, so destroyed it was barely recognizable. The blindfold that once covered his eyes had fallen long ago during the battle.
The young man's name was Reo Amatsu, former heir of the Amatsu family—one of the most influential and powerful families in the Zerynthia Empire.
"I thought I had made the best decisions… I did the best I could," he murmured weakly.
Hearing footsteps approaching, he slightly raised his gaze. His vision was blurred; he could only make out distorted figures.
Seconds later, they stood before him.
They were students from the empire's prestigious magical academy.
Two imposing young men, tall and well-built, with cold expressions on their faces. Accompanying them were three women from the same school, though their uniforms bore different emblems.
Each emblem represented the country they came from.
The tallest of the three stood out immediately. Her bicolored hair—white and black—fell down to her waist. She had large blue eyes and a figure impossible to ignore.
The other two were identical. Twins at a glance, with dark blue hair and eyes of the same color.
All of them stared at the dying young man.
Even in that state, his appearance was difficult to discern due to the dense mana surrounding him.
"Even like this, he still scares me…" one of the twins murmured, turning her gaze away.
Her sister hugged her from behind to calm her, though she too avoided looking at him. The other three, however, intensified their stares.
"Are you still resisting… little brother?"
The white-haired young woman was the first to speak.
She was Himari Amatsu, Reo's younger sister.
Despite the brutal battle, none of them appeared to have participated. Their uniforms were clean, intact—unlike Reo's shattered body.
They had been treated quickly after the battle. Their wounds healed. Their clothes changed.
"You knew that your mere presence at that academy would cause all of this, and yet you still chose to enroll. What did you gain by betraying your own family? Tell me, Reo," demanded one of the young men, stepping forward.
'This guy does nothing but spew bullshit,' Reo thought, slowly turning his head toward Seiran—the one who had spoken.
"Anyone can… anyone can enter that academy," he replied with difficulty.
His answer seemed to enrage the group.
Even the sisters, who until recently had feared him, now found their courage.
"Anyone who's normal!"
"A freak like you should have been cast out of the world!" they shouted in unison.
Reo did not respond.
He was used to those words. They caused him neither anger nor sadness. It wasn't as if he could feel anything about them anymore.
"Do us a favor and die quickly," said the second young man, who had remained silent until then.
It was Renzo—the strongest of the group.
Without another word, he turned around and began to walk away. The others followed, all except Himari, who remained watching her older brother.
All she could see was blood staining the ground and the tree's trunk.
"I expected nothing from you, and yet you still disappointed me," she declared.
"…"
Reo remained silent, as if he could no longer hear them.
'I did everything I could… I did what that person told me…'
His consciousness began to fade.
With the little energy he had left, he lifted his gaze toward his sister.
He couldn't see her clearly. He had never been able to see anyone for who they truly were.
He had learned to perceive people's mana. To fight. Or at least to know that someone was there.
Himari turned to rejoin her group. At that moment, a leaf from the great tree drifted past her.
She looked up.
The leaves began to fall slowly, as if marking the end of an era.
She smiled faintly at the sight and resumed her walk.
Leaving behind the lifeless body of Reo Amatsu.
◇ ◇ ◇
A short woman with red hair stared at the dead body of her companion.
Her gaze was cold, devoid of emotion. Even the weather seemed to mirror the scene.
The rain fell softly. The battlefield was empty. All the soldiers had left hours earlier, abandoning the bodies of their enemies.
"Again…" she murmured.
She crouched beside Reo's body and gently placed her hand on his cheek.
She was the only person in this world capable of seeing him as he truly was.
"Let's go back…" she whispered.
She pressed her forehead against his while murmuring inaudible words. An intense purple light began to emerge, forming a magic circle beneath both bodies.
The light intensified, as if replacing night with day.
Several minutes passed.
Then, it vanished in an instant.
Leaving no trace of either of them.