Hiro continued training under Theo relentlessly.
Every sparring session pushed him beyond his limits.
His magical energy completely depleted within thirty minutes each time they fought, yet even so, Hiro continued improving at an absurd pace.
He had become exceptionally skilled at sensing Theo's magic.
Dodging.
Blocking.
Evading.
Adapting.
And now that he had awakened his Fire Elementa, Hiro had begun incorporating flames directly into his combat style.
The growth was monstrous.
Theo had gradually increased the amount of power he used against Hiro until he was fighting at nearly forty percent of his full strength.
And somehow—
Hiro was still keeping up.
Theo stepped back after their latest exchange.
"If we continue like this, boy, you'll grow too accustomed to fighting me."
Hiro extinguished the flames surrounding his fists and tilted his head.
"What's wrong with that?"
Theo crossed his arms.
"You'll become adapted specifically to my fighting style."
His eyes narrowed.
"That is dangerous."
Theo turned away slightly.
"The only way to truly grow stronger now is to fight a real enemy."
Hiro blinked.
"…Don't you think that's a little too soon?"
He looked down at his hands.
"I only just started learning how to use magic properly. My magical endurance still isn't very good."
Theo shrugged.
"You'll survive."
Then a dangerous smile spread across his face.
"Besides… there is something else you need."
Hiro frowned.
"What?"
Theo's voice lowered slightly.
"Before you can truly ascend…"
"…the flames in your heart must be stoked properly."
Silence filled the training grounds.
Then Theo spoke again.
"How would you like to take revenge on one of the clans responsible for destroying your village?"
Everything changed instantly.
The calm expression Hiro had maintained throughout training vanished completely.
Hatred exploded from him like a volcanic eruption.
Magic surged violently around Hiro as flames spiraled outward uncontrollably.
The air itself distorted from the heat.
"WHERE ARE THEY?!"
Theo watched him carefully.
"Relax, boy."
His tone remained calm despite the inferno surrounding Hiro.
"You'll have plenty of opportunities to unleash that rage."
Theo's eyes darkened.
"The clan you'll be facing is one of the strongest giant clans among the demihumans."
A cruel grin appeared on his face.
"It will be an excellent first step toward gaining the strength required to destroy nations."
Hiro clenched his fists tightly.
"We've fought enough."
Flames exploded around his arms again.
"I have experience."
Theo shook his head immediately.
"No."
His voice became cold.
"You have training."
Theo pointed toward Hiro.
"Real battle is different."
"They will not hold back."
"They will not stop attacking because you are injured."
"They will not care that you are human."
Theo's gaze sharpened.
"They will continue trying to kill you until either they die…"
"…or you do."
"I KNOW THAT!"
Hiro's voice echoed violently through the training grounds.
For the first time since his training began, the emotions he had buried resurfaced completely.
"It's just…"
His voice trembled slightly.
"Ever since we started training, I stopped thinking about it."
Hiro lowered his head.
"My body…"
"My magic…"
"Learning all these new things…"
A bitter smile formed across his face.
"It distracted me."
The flames around him intensified again.
"But I lost everything."
"My home."
"My family."
"My purpose."
Hatred twisted across Hiro's face.
"But when you mentioned revenge…"
His eyes glowed like burning embers.
"…for the first time, it actually felt possible."
The flames erupted outward violently.
"I WANT TO KILL THEM ALL!"
The ground beneath Hiro cracked apart from the pressure of his magic.
"I want to destroy them until nothing remains!"
His breathing became uneven.
"I want them to understand fear!"
Theo smiled.
"Good."
His expression resembled a devil admiring a newborn monster.
"Bottle that rage."
"Sharpen it."
"Turn it into a weapon."
Theo stepped closer.
"Bite into your enemies."
"Tear off their limbs."
"Burn them to ash."
Theo's voice became colder with every word.
"Because they will not fight fairly simply because you are human."
Hiro looked toward Theo.
"With the two of us, they won't stand a chance."
Theo's expression immediately flattened.
"You misunderstand."
Hiro frowned.
"You will be doing this alone."
Silence.
Then—
"…What?"
Hiro's eyes narrowed sharply.
"I thought you hated the gods."
"I do."
Theo answered instantly.
"But I do not share your vendetta against the beings who destroyed your village."
Theo pointed toward Hiro.
"That crusade belongs to you."
"…I see."
Hiro's voice became colder.
"So that's how it is."
A bitter smile spread across his face.
"To you, I'm just a tool."
"It doesn't matter what happens to me as long as I'm useful for your goals."
Theo sighed.
"You are being short-sighted."
"There are reasons I cannot interfere directly."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"Reasons too complicated for you to understand right now."
Hiro crossed his arms.
"Then try explaining them."
Theo remained silent briefly before answering.
"First, I need confirmation that you are strong enough."
Hiro's eyes narrowed.
"And revenge proves that how?"
Theo smiled faintly.
"There are two kinds of men."
He raised two fingers.
"The foolish who pursue revenge and die for it…"
Theo lowered one finger.
"…and the strong who seize revenge with their own hands."
His gaze locked onto Hiro.
"I wonder which one you are."
Hiro smirked.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Flames ignited around his fists.
"Just point me at the target and watch how much damage I do."
Theo nodded.
"Your target is the Yakioni Clan."
"The Bloodstep Giants."
Hiro's grin became savage.
"I'll teach them what fear really is."
Theo turned toward the horizon.
"Rest until dusk."
Then he glanced back at Hiro.
"And when you attack…"
A cruel smile spread across Theo's face.
"…make it memorable."
"Think of it as a declaration to the gods themselves."
---
Before dusk arrived, Theo provided Hiro with special combat clothing designed to withstand his flames.
He also gave him magical gauntlets capable of amplifying his Elementa.
But despite his exhaustion—
Hiro couldn't sleep peacefully.
He lay on his back staring into the sky while hatred churned endlessly within him.
I'll kill them all.
His fists tightened.
Then I'll hunt down everyone else responsible.
The flames inside him grew hotter.
I'll burn this diseased world clean.
Eventually, exhaustion overtook him.
Hiro slowly drifted to sleep.
Then—
A faint voice echoed through the darkness.
"…Hiro…"
"…revenge is not the only path…"
Hiro's eyes snapped open instantly.
"…What?"
The voice vanished.
Only silence remained.
Hiro frowned.
A dream…?
The sky had already darkened.
Dusk had arrived.
Hiro slowly stood up and equipped his new attire.
Then he ignited his body in flames.
The clothes adapted instantly, conforming naturally to the shape and nature of his Elementa.
Hiro looked down at himself.
"…I'm ready."
Theo stood near a massive magical seal drawn into the ground.
"Stand there."
Hiro stepped onto the glowing symbol.
Theo activated the spell immediately.
"This will transport you just outside the village of the Yakioni Clan."
Theo's expression became serious.
"The moment your attack begins, hesitation becomes death."
Hiro's eyes glowed fiercely.
"I'm not worried about dying."
Flames spiraled around him violently.
"I just want to unleash my hatred upon the creatures that destroyed everything I loved."
The seal activated.
Light swallowed Hiro instantly.
---
The Village of the Yakioni Clan.
Serabeft.
Hiro appeared just outside the massive gates surrounding the giant settlement.
He slowly looked upward.
The village towers were enormous, built specifically for giant inhabitants.
Flames ignited around Hiro's fists.
"Here I go…"
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Hiro blasted straight through the front gate, reducing it to burning debris instantly.
The impact shook the entire village.
One of the nearby giant guards immediately stood up and grabbed his massive warhammer.
The giant stomped toward the destroyed entrance angrily.
"What ignorant welp dares destroy the gates of mighty Serabeft?!"
He slammed his hammer against the ground.
"I am Gerrift the Unbreakable!"
Hiro stepped through the smoke calmly.
"It was me."
The giant blinked.
"…A human?"
Hiro pointed at him lazily.
"You oversized gorilla."
Gerrift roared furiously.
"THEN DIE!"
The giant swung his massive warhammer downward with enough force to flatten Hiro completely.
But—
Hiro casually caught the weapon with one hand.
The giant froze.
"…What?"
Hiro smiled coldly.
Then he punched the hammer.
BOOM.
The weapon shattered into countless pieces instantly.
Gerrift stumbled backward in disbelief.
The giant roared and lunged forward barehanded, attempting to crush Hiro with sheer strength.
But Hiro grabbed the giant's fingers mid-grab.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Hiro broke them backward one by one.
Gerrift screamed.
Hiro's smile widened.
"Not so unbreakable now, are you?"
The giant stared at Hiro in horror.
"What… are you?"
Flames ignited around Hiro's body once more.
"My name is Hiro Kurokumo."
His eyes glowed like a demon's.
"And I've come to slaughter every last one of you."