The classroom was quiet.
Too quiet.
Aether Zayel sat near the window, his silver-white hair slightly covering his glowing blue-purple eyes. Outside, the sky looked normal—but something felt… off.
"Aether, are you even listening?"
His teacher's voice snapped him back.
"…Yeah," he replied lazily, resting his chin on his hand.
But in reality… his focus wasn't here.
It was outside.
Suddenly—
BOOM!!
The ground shook violently.
Screams filled the hallway as windows shattered. Students panicked, running in every direction.
"What the hell was that?!"
Aether slowly stood up.
His eyes narrowed.
"...So it finally started."
Outside the school gate… a massive creature stood.
Dark. Twisted. Covered in black energy.
A monster.
Students were crying. Teachers froze in fear.
"No… no… this can't be real…"
The creature roared, releasing a wave of pressure that knocked everyone to the ground.
Everyone… except Aether.
He walked forward calmly.
Step by step.
"Aether! Stop! You'll die!" someone shouted.
But he didn't stop.
The monster lunged at him, its claws slicing through the air.
At that moment—
Aether raised his hand.
"…Too slow."
The space in front of him… distorted.
The monster's claws stopped mid-air.
Frozen.
Like time itself had been paused.
The air twisted… cracked…
Then—
SHHHHHK!!
The monster's entire body collapsed into nothingness.
Gone.
Silence.
Everyone stared at him in shock.
"What… what was that?"
Aether looked at his hand.
"…It happened again."
But far away…
On a tall building…
A group of masked figures watched everything.
"…We found him."
"The forbidden one."