Koya stood alone in the empty training hall, eyes closed, IKUA's arm held firmly in both hands.
At first there was only darkness.
Then she saw herself standing in the center of the Golden arena, sunlight gleaming off the polished stone. Ra'an stood opposite her, eyes filled with judgement and arrogance.
Koya raised IKUA's arm, breathing slow and steady. She charged.
Ra'an stomped the ground. A dozen glowing teleportation circles appeared around her.
She reached him and swung with everything she had. Ra'an vanished and reappeared beside her. She predicted the move, twisting mid-swing. He teleported again, this time farther away.
Koya turned, eyes locked on him.
"Impressive," Ra'an said with a smirk. "But not good enough."
He teleported rapidly — a dozen after-images surrounding her at once.
Koya closed her eyes and breathed calmly. All twelve versions attacked simultaneously.
Her ears twitched. The hairs on the back of her neck rose.
She turned sharply and swung IKUA's arm with raw power. It connected cleanly with the real Ra'an's side. The eleven illusions vanished instantly. The force sent him rolling across the ground.
Koya gave him no room to recover. She rushed in. Ra'an scrambled to his feet, but she was already there. Before he could step, she swung upward in a brutal arc, smashing into his jaw with enough force to lift his feet off the ground. She spun and drove IKUA's arm into his ribs, sending him crashing down hard.
Ra'an lay motionless, knocked out cold.
Koya stood over him, chest heaving, a quiet sense of triumph washing over her. She had finally passed the biggest obstacle in her mind.
Then the arena turned black… and exploded into blinding white light.
The shadowy figure levitated before her. Koya froze, unable to speak or move.
"Follow your heartbeat and you will succeed," it said. "Remember… remember…"
Koya snapped awake in the real world. She dropped to her knees, gasping for breath. Both hands hit the floor as she coughed, then slowly steadied her breathing.
She sat back, hands supporting her, staring up at the ceiling.
"What does it mean… follow my heartbeat?" she whispered. "What should I remember?"
The words echoed in her head. Then something clicked.
"According to that book… Ikua was called the heartbeat of war," she said out loud.
She froze, questions swirling rapidly. How did it all connect?
After a long minute, she stood, picked up IKUA's arm, and held it with both hands. She closed her eyes and breathed calmly.
"Follow my heartbeat," she whispered.
She released the artifact.
It fell… but not with force. It landed gently, then rose again, levitating smoothly in front of her.
Koya's eyes widened, mind completely blown. Tiny sparks of energy danced across her palms.
Then IKUA's arm dropped with a calm but solid thud.
She stepped closer and picked it up, awe still written across her face.
"Battle is the key," she muttered. "Every time I've used some sort of Flow, it was in battle. Anna and I confirmed it. So maybe this works the same way."
A calm wind blew through the hall, carrying a quiet sense of possibility.
At the Golden Globe capital, preparations were underway to celebrate the Children of the Dawn graduation. Banners fluttered in the breeze and excitement hummed through the streets.
In the Academy, decorations adorned every corridor. Classes had ended, and students filled the grounds — laughing, chatting, and showing off small displays of their Flows.
In Class 5, Anna stood alone, lost in thought.
Cal walked in. "What are you doing here?"
Anna turned. "Nothing."
Cal approached. "Don't tell me that. I'll ask again — what are you doing here?"
Anna lowered her head. "I just miss Koya… and I wished she was here. She's been gone for a year. The only time we saw her, she totally ignored me. I wish things were different and she could attend the graduation."
Cal placed both hands on her shoulders. "I know exactly how you feel. I really miss her too." He let go and smiled gently. "But I'm pretty sure she'll be there."
Anna looked up at him, then managed a small, calm smile.
"Now come with me," Cal said. "Let's go see how beautiful the graduation preparations look."
They walked out together, chatting joyfully — Cal bragging about his own achievements, Anna laughing softly.
Outside, Ra'an moved alongside Bless. Bless was lively, laughing with every sentence. Ra'an wore a calm, unreadable expression — no hint of a smile.
Meanwhile, every teacher in the academy gathered with the Golden Guardian in the head office. The Byer family oversaw the school — security, feeding, everything. The large room comfortably held the group: the Golden Guardian at the front, five teachers together, the six richest families (including the new head of the Shellas), and the Elders.
"Out of 49 students, 25 have chosen to become troopers, while the rest will become scouts," the Golden Guardian announced.
"Can't lie — this set was pretty impressive," Robert, head of the Allen family, said.
"It's just unfortunate that the flowless child was part of them," Ereal, head of the Hercule family, added.
"Please don't speak of Koya like that," the Golden Guardian replied firmly. "I'm sure if she had a choice, she would have preferred a Flow. Besides, the way things are going, she may become our biggest hope one day."
The room fell quiet.
The Spirit Elder finally broke the silence. "Will she attend the graduation?"
"Yes," the Golden Guardian said without hesitation. "Without a thread of doubt."
Back at the Flow Star, excitement filled the air. The Flow Academy test was approaching, and the students could barely contain their energy.
Sarah sat alone, watching the others with quiet nerves.
Koya walked over and sat beside her. "Hi, Sarah."
Sarah forced a small smile.
"What's wrong? Aren't you happy you'll join the Flow Academy?" Koya asked.
"I'm scared," Sarah admitted. "Me failing is more likely than passing. My Flow is nothing compared to the other kids."
Koya laughed softly. "If a flowless girl can pass, what's stopping you? And don't say you're not as strong as me. You're already stronger than I was at your age. Doubt is the biggest weakness you can have. Defeat that weakness and prove everyone wrong."
Sarah looked at her. "Do you really think I can do it?"
"I don't think you can," Koya said gently. "I know you can."
Sarah's face brightened. She hugged Koya tightly, thanking her with clear joy in her voice. Koya smiled calmly and hugged her back.
Sarah pulled away, said she had something to do, and walked off with lighter steps. Koya watched her go, a soft smile on her face.
Meriosa approached. "You seem to have made her day."
Koya looked at her and smiled.
"So… are you going to the graduation?" Meriosa asked.
Koya's mood shifted. She looked straight ahead, expression turning serious. "Yeah… attending the graduation is a must. I've got some scores to settle."
TO BE CONTINUED.