Lying on an old bed was Haruto. I wonder what kind of powers exist out there… He thought back to what Alex had said during dinner. "…Alright, I'm going to sleep," he muttered to himself. He stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting. Have a good night… Mom.
The room was small, but spacious enough for two people. The bed was low—barely reaching his knees—and had no legs. It had a simple headboard with a small space for books, but no footboard. The mattress itself was fine, though the pillow under his head was uncomfortably stiff.
Across from the bed stood an old wooden closet, worn and barely usable. A small table and a chair sat in the middle of the room. The walls were painted a soft light blue.
Before long, Haruto drifted off to sleep.
"Yo, kid. Wake up." A voice reached him—distant and blurry. Haruto slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still unfocused as he rubbed one of them lazily. "What time is it…?" he mumbled.
"It's morning. Training starts now," Alex said, standing beside the bed.
"Five more minutes…" Haruto groaned, turning away like any student trying to steal a bit more sleep.
Alex didn't respond. Instead, he raised his hand. A thin layer of ice formed around his index finger. He leaned in and gently pressed it against the back of Haruto's neck.
"Kya—!"
Haruto shot upright instantly, shivering from the sudden cold. He grabbed the back of his neck, glaring at Alex. "What was that for?!" he snapped.
"Come downstairs and eat," Alex said calmly. "Starting today, you're my student. If you want to stay under this roof, you follow my rules."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked out.
Haruto froze. Becoming your student is one thing… but following your rules just to stay here? That's basically slavery…
He didn't say it out loud, but the thought lingered.
"Are you coming or not?" Alex called from outside.
"Y-Yeah! I'm coming!" Haruto quickly got up and followed, sweat forming on his forehead. This guy is seriously scary…
Downstairs, Elina and O Yong were already at the table. Elina was quietly eating her breakfast, while O Yong had just finished and was about to take her cup away.
Breakfast today was simple—bread and tea.
"And here I was hoping for something better…" Haruto muttered under his breath, disappointed. He sat beside Elina, clasped his hands together, and said softly, "I humbly receive."
"Whoa…" He turned to see Elina staring at him in surprise.
"What?"
"What does that mean?" she asked curiously. "Does everyone from your world do that?" Haruto took a bite of bread before answering.
"It's something people in Japan do. It's a way of showing gratitude—for the food, the person who made it, and even the animals and plants." He swallowed, then took a sip of tea. "I thought you noticed last night."
"Well…" Elina giggled softly, smiling. "I was too busy eating the curry."
That's unexpected from you… Haruto thought.
"I-It's not like I'm a big eater or anything!" she added quickly, blushing. "I know what you're thinking!"
"That's rich coming from you," Haruto replied casually, grabbing another piece of bread.
"Hmph—" Elina puffed her cheeks in annoyance, but Haruto ignored her. After a moment, she calmed down as he spoke again.
"I slept pretty well last night," he said. "Though the pillow was terrible."
"Haruto…" Elina called softly.
"Hm?" He glanced at her.
"You didn't have any bad dreams, right?" Her voice carried quiet concern.
Haruto paused for a moment, surprised. She's really worried about me…
"Nah," he replied casually. "All I remember is darkness before I woke up." He forced a calm expression, trying to act cool.
"Hey, kid. If you're done, get ready." Alex's voice came from the doorway.
"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up, Flame Boy," O Yong added with a smirk, hands on her hips. "I'm going to beat you up."
"Yeah, just give me a second," Haruto replied. He quickly finished his meal, clasped his hands again. "Thanks for the food."
Leaving the dishes behind, he headed out.
The three of them walked into a forest just outside the Kingdom of Valerion.
It wasn't far, but the trees were dense, blocking most of the light and making it hard to see far ahead.
"So… where are we going?" Haruto asked, breaking the silence.
"To the training ground," O Yong answered, glancing back at him.
"In a forest?"
"Yeah. Alex trained me here four months ago. He said it's better not to disturb civilians."
"I see…"
Up ahead, Alex suddenly stopped.
"We're here."
Haruto stepped forward and looked ahead.
A wide clearing opened up before them. No trees. No grass. Just a circular patch of bare ground—like a battlefield carved into the forest.
"So this is it…" he muttered.
Alex turned to them. "Warm up. Then you'll spar."
They did as told. After a few minutes, Alex spoke again.
"Haruto. Today, I'm testing your fighting experience. Do not use your power."
Haruto nodded.
Alex looked at O Yong. "And you—go easy on him. No powers."
"Yeah, yeah," she replied lazily.
The two stood facing each other.
Haruto took his karate stance.
O Yong bounced lightly on her feet, smirking. "I'm beating you today, Flame Boy."
"Yeah? We'll see about that," Haruto replied confidently. "Without your power, this is an easy win."
Their eyes locked.
"Ready…" Alex said.
A brief pause.
"Fight."
Haruto moved first—charging forward, his fist pulled back, aiming straight for her solar plexus.
"Not so fast!" O Yong stepped back—
Then in an instant, her leg shot up.
A kick. Fast. Too fast.
It slammed into the side of Haruto's face, sending him flying several meters away. He hit the ground hard.
"…!"
Slowly, he pushed himself up, rubbing his cheek.
There's no way… she used her power.
He looked at Alex, expecting him to call it out. But Alex said nothing. He simply stared—calm, silent. As if telling him to continue.
Haruto's eyes widened. "So that means…"
He looked back at O Yong. "That was… your normal speed?"
Then The Training Began.