Previously, Akira had been assigned to temporarily join Sazoru's squad in order to gain experience as a newly licensed warrior.
"Welcome to our squad, Akira."
The moment he arrived at headquarters, Kazoru greeted him with an easy smile.
Akira stood silently for a second, staring at the massive structure before him in awe. The headquarters itself was enormous—stretching nearly one and a half kilometers in length and two kilometers in width. The scale alone made him feel as though he had entered a small city rather than a military base.
Warriors filled nearly every corner of the area.
Some trained relentlessly with weapons, others sparred in open arenas, while groups gathered around tables laughing and talking loudly. The sounds of clashing steel, shouting, and heavy footsteps echoed throughout the building nonstop, creating a noisy and chaotic atmosphere.
For someone like Akira, who spent much of his life isolated in the wilderness, the sheer number of people felt overwhelming.
Yet strangely… exciting.
Sazoru noticed Akira quietly observing everything around him and intentionally tried easing him into the environment instead of immediately throwing responsibilities at him. Thankfully, it seemed to work.
Not long afterward, Sazoru instructed two commanders to remain on standby while he handled other matters.
Curious, Akira leaned closer to Kazoru.
"So… how many warriors are stationed here exactly?"
Kazoru answered casually, almost proudly.
"There are currently 1,224 soldiers and fifteen commanders under Sazoru's command."
Akira's eyes widened slightly.
"That many…?"
Before he could ask more questions, Sazoru approached and handed Kazoru what appeared to be a squad badge engraved with the division's insignia.
Then, while adjusting the communicator in his ear, Sazoru began contacting the commanders while Akira was examining his badge.
The badge carried the emblem of a crimson bird with its wings fully spread, proudly carved into the metal.
The Red Phoenix—that was the name of Sazoru's squad.
Every division within headquarters possessed its own symbol and identity. Some squads were known as the Blue Lion, the Thousand Blades, the Grey Hawk, and many others, each representing different specialties, reputations, and fighting styles.
Akira quietly examined the badge with fascination.
"It looks cool…" he muttered honestly.
Kazoru chuckled lightly. "You really are simple sometimes."
Meanwhile, Sazoru stood nearby while scrolling through contacts on his phone-like communicator. His brows furrowed slightly afterward.
"Hmm? Where's Haru?"
It seemed one of his calls had been declined repeatedly.
One of the assistants beside him answered respectfully,
"Commander Haru is currently absent, sir. According to the latest reports, he's still carrying out his mission."
The assistant flipped through several documents before continuing.
"He has been deployed for days already, and considering the additional prophylactic task you assigned him, it may take several more weeks before his return."
Sazoru sighed faintly. "Right… the extermination task."
The assistant nodded.
"He's preventing nearby orc and goblin populations from regrouping near our borders."
"I see." Sazoru rubbed his temple slightly before speaking again. "Then I suppose I'll contact Rozori instead. He's available, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
Akira, who had been listening nearby, tilted his head curiously.
"Why are you calling a commander?" he suddenly asked.
Sazoru glanced toward him.
Akira pointed at himself innocently.
"Wait… don't tell me it's because you need someone to babysit me."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Kazoru immediately burst out laughing while one of the assistants awkwardly looked away.
Sazoru simply stared at Akira with a tired expression before answering flatly,
"…The fact you assumed that so naturally concerns me."
"No, Akira, it's not to babysit you," Sazoru replied with a sigh. "But… admittedly, the definition does sound close enough."
Akira narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"What you need," Sazoru continued, "is a mentor. Someone experienced enough to guide you around headquarters and teach you how things work here. That's why I'm contacting one of my commanders for you."
He spoke calmly, though there was firmness behind his words.
"I'll be occupied with work for quite some time, so I don't have the luxury of personally watching over you."
Akira immediately crossed his arms.
"That's unnecessary. I can handle myself."
"Yes," Sazoru answered instantly. "And that confidence is exactly why you need supervision."
"…That sounded insulting."
"It was meant to."
Kazoru snorted while trying not to laugh nearby.
Akira still looked unconvinced, but after several more minutes of Sazoru insisting it was "for his own good," he finally gave up resisting.
"…Fine."
"Good."
Satisfied, Sazoru nodded before gesturing for Kazoru to follow him back toward his office.
"We'll return shortly."
And just like that, Akira was left standing alone.
The lively headquarters suddenly felt far more awkward without familiar faces nearby. Warriors moved constantly around him, talking, training, arguing, laughing—yet Akira knew absolutely nobody.
For the first time since arriving, he felt strangely out of place.
"…Now what?"
Bored out of his mind, Akira shoved both hands into his pockets and began wandering around the enormous headquarters aimlessly.
He passed crowded hallways, training grounds, weapon storage rooms, and groups of warriors discussing missions. Every corner of the base seemed alive with energy.
Eventually, he stumbled across a large pair of metal doors. Loud noises echoed from inside.
CLANG!
THUD!
"ONE MORE SET!"
Akira blinked curiously before pushing the doors open.
The moment he entered—
His eyes widened.
The room was filled with enormous men covered in sweat and muscles. Some lifted absurdly heavy weights while others trained by punching reinforced steel bags hard enough to shake the room itself.
Massive bodies, bulging veins, and raw physical power surrounded him from every direction.
Akira looked around in complete astonishment.
"…Whoa."
Akira had never seen a gym before.
The moment he stepped further inside, curiosity immediately filled his eyes. The place was packed with strange training equipment he had never encountered in the wilderness. Warriors lifted enormous weights with loud grunts, others relentlessly punched heavy sandbags, while some practiced martial arts techniques in sparring rings surrounded by cheering spectators.
The atmosphere smelled of iron, sweat, and raw effort.
To Akira, the entire place felt oddly fascinating.
Still, most of the equipment looked unnecessary in his opinion.
The only things he truly recognized were the deadlift bars and bench presses. Back during his brutal training in the woods, he had improvised similar exercises using logs, boulders, and massive stones.
Though honestly…
He still preferred punching trees over sandbags.
Outdoor training simply felt better to him.
"Hey, you scrawny brat!"
A loud voice suddenly called out toward him.
Akira turned around—then immediately froze for a second.
A gigantic man nearly seven feet tall stood nearby with arms thicker than tree trunks. His body was packed with absurd amounts of muscle, making Akira feel noticeably smaller in comparison.
Akira himself stood around 5'10", but next to this monster of a man, he felt average at best.
The bulky warrior glanced at Akira up and down before scoffing.
"You look way too skinny to be a warrior."
Several nearby gym members laughed quietly.
Akira blinked calmly at the insult. His physique wasn't visibly huge mostly because he wore a jacket and intentionally avoided bulking his body too much. Beneath the clothing, however, his body had been sharpened through years of survival and combat.
"I'm not weak," Akira replied casually. "I probably trained harder than most people here."
The gym suddenly quieted slightly after hearing that response.
The tall man's expression darkened.
"Oh?"
He stepped closer until his massive frame towered directly over Akira.
"What rank are you then?" he asked with an intimidating glare.
Akira answered honestly without hesitation.
"…Rank D."
The moment those words left his mouth, laughter broke out around the gym.
"A D-rank!?"
"No wonder he looks tiny!"
"Kid barely started!"
Akira scratched his cheek awkwardly while enduring the mockery.
"Yeah… unfortunate, I know," he admitted calmly. "But I'll climb the rankings eventually. I'm trying my best."
His voice carried no shame.
Only simple determination.
The giant man burst into mocking laughter.
"A D-rank thinks he belongs here?" he sneered loudly. "Do you even know the minimum requirement for this squad?"
He jabbed a thumb toward himself proudly.
"B-rank or higher."
The surrounding warriors watched with amusement as the man deliberately tried to pressure Akira with his status and size alone.
"You're completely out of your league, kid," he continued arrogantly. "I'm stronger than you by every standard possible."
Akira sighed quietly.
Honestly, he had no interest in fighting inside a gym.
"I didn't even ask to join," Akira explained calmly. "The king commissioned me to work with this squad."
That statement immediately caused nearby conversations to stop.
Even the giant man paused briefly.
Akira scratched his cheek awkwardly before continuing honestly,
"It wasn't my decision in the first place. I was basically forced because of some 'exclusive mission' thing…"
Then his eyes lit up slightly.
"Though maybe the rewards will be good."
Silence.
The entire gym stared at him in disbelief.
Then—
Laughter erupted everywhere.
"You serious?"
"This guy's insane!"
"He's joking about the king now?"
The tall warrior's face twisted with irritation.
"You expect us to believe you were personally chosen by the king?"
He cracked his knuckles loudly before stepping forward with hostility radiating from his body.
"Cocky little brat."
Without warning, he swung his massive fist straight toward Akira's face.
The punch carried enough force to seriously injure an ordinary person.
Yet Akira didn't even blink.
The instant the fist reached him—
GRAB.
Akira casually caught the man's wrist mid-strike.
The gym fell silent.
Before the giant could even process what happened, Akira twisted his arm sharply and used the warrior's own momentum against him.
Then—
BOOM!
The massive man was thrown violently across the room and slammed straight into the wall hard enough to create a huge crack across the surface.
Dust exploded everywhere.
The loud impact echoed throughout the entire gym, instantly drawing the attention of every warrior nearby.
For several seconds…
Nobody spoke.
Because the "weak" D-rank had just tossed a giant warrior like he weighed nothing.
"Huh… I've only been here for barely a day and you guys are already acting like total jerks."
Akira rolled his shoulders before lightly flexing his arms, a confident grin spreading across his face.
"Can't seniors cut their juniors some slack?"
Despite his lean build, Akira had effortlessly thrown a 188-pound man across the gym moments earlier. Yet instead of making the warriors cautious, it only bruised their pride further.
To them, it was humiliating.
A mere D-rank standing up to B-ranks like he belonged among them.
Akira then glanced around at the growing crowd of hostile warriors and smirked provocatively.
"So?" he taunted. "Who's next?"
He cracked his neck casually.
"Picking on someone lower-ranked than you isn't very smart, you know."
The gym instantly exploded with outrage.
"You cocky brat!"
"Teach him a lesson!"
"He thinks he's tough?!"
Mana surged throughout the room as several warriors coated their fists with glowing energy to enhance their strength. The pressure in the air rose immediately.
Yet Akira remained standing calmly in the center of it all.
Waiting.
Two muscular warriors charged first, throwing heavy punches straight toward his face and stomach simultaneously. Their mana-coated fists cut through the air with enough force to shatter concrete.
At the very last second—
Akira crouched low.
Then exploded upward.
WHACK!
His uppercut slammed directly into both of their chins at once.
The impact lifted both men off the ground instantly. Their eyes rolled back before their bodies crashed onto the floor moments later with a heavy thud.
The entire gym went dead silent again.
Akira slowly straightened his posture while shaking out his fist casually.
"…Too slow."
Realizing brute force alone would not be enough, the remaining warriors quickly distanced themselves from Akira.
"Use magic!" one of them shouted.
Mana surged across the room as several warriors slammed their palms against the ground.
RUMBLE!
Earth magic activated instantly.
The entire gym began shaking violently as cracks spread across the floor like spiderwebs. Training equipment toppled over one after another while heavy weights crashed loudly against the ground. Windows shattered from the tremors, spraying glass everywhere as dust filled the air.
Their goal was simple—destroy Akira's balance before overwhelming him together.
But Akira only narrowed his eyes.
"…Seriously?"
Then he lifted his foot and stomped downward.
STOMP!
A violent shockwave erupted from beneath him.
The trembling ground instantly stabilized. The spreading cracks stopped completely as though the earthquake itself had been forcibly crushed into silence.
Every warrior froze in disbelief.
He stopped a seismic tremor… with raw strength alone.
Before they could even recover from the shock, Akira moved.
His speed blurred across the ruined gym.
One warrior barely raised his guard before Akira's knee smashed directly into his face. A sickening crunch echoed through the room as blood burst from the man's nose before he collapsed instantly.
Another swung wildly at him—
Akira ducked under the punch and drove an elbow into the man's ribs hard enough to send him flying into overturned equipment.
One after another, the warriors fell.
Fists. Knees. Throws. Counterattacks.
Akira moved through them effortlessly like a predator surrounded by slower prey.
And within only several minutes…
Fifteen warriors had been completely defeated.
Without even making Akira breathe heavily.
The remaining men stared at him in fear before quickly backing away.
"…Monster."
One by one, they fled the destroyed gym without daring to continue the fight.
Silence filled the room afterward.
Akira casually dusted off his hands as though nothing major had happened.
Meanwhile, the gym itself looked devastated. Broken equipment littered the floor, shattered glass sparkled across the room, and cracks spread along the walls from the battle.
Outside the damaged entrance, a large crowd of warriors had already gathered to watch.
Whispers spread everywhere.
"That's the D-rank?"
"No way…"
"He defeated fifteen people alone…"
Akira unintentionally became the center of attention.
And judging from the stunned expressions surrounding him…
Nobody would underestimate him again anytime soon.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The sound of applause suddenly echoed throughout the destroyed gym.
Akira turned toward the entrance and saw a man with neatly styled green hair walking calmly into the room. He wore a striking red uniform decorated with black and silver details, giving off an aura of authority despite the gentle smile on his face.
The moment the surrounding warriors recognized him—
"Commander Rozori?!"
Everyone immediately straightened themselves before bowing respectfully.
Rozori simply waved a hand lightly.
"At ease, everyone." His voice was soft and composed. "Return to your previous activities. I'd like to speak with him for a moment."
The crowd quickly obeyed, though many cast sympathetic looks toward Akira while leaving.
"He's finished…"
"Poor guy."
"Commander Rozori's definitely gonna punish him…"
Akira tilted his head in confusion after hearing the whispers.
Rozori eventually stopped a few steps away from him and glanced around at the ruined gym with mild amusement in his eyes.
Broken equipment.
Cracked walls.
Unconscious warriors sprawled across the floor.
"…Quite an entrance for your first day," Rozori commented casually.
Then he extended his hand politely.
"So, if I'm not mistaken, your name is Akira Keita, correct?"
Akira nodded cautiously.
Rozori smiled warmly afterward.
"Delighted to meet you. My name is Rozori Hayate, commander of the Second Division."
Unlike the intimidating commanders Akira had imagined, Rozori felt surprisingly approachable. Calm, refined, and oddly friendly.
Still, Akira immediately raised both hands defensively.
"I should explain first," he said quickly. "The mess wasn't my fault."
Rozori raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"They attacked me first." Akira pointed toward the unconscious warriors nearby. "I was actually trying to avoid fighting."
Rozori glanced at the destroyed gym once more before looking back at Akira's completely serious expression.
Several seconds of silence passed.
Then Rozori suddenly laughed.
"Hahaha, yes, I know." Rozori chuckled while stepping over the unconscious warriors scattered across the floor. "But thanks to you, we finally exposed the rat responsible for harassing all the newcomers."
He glanced down at the defeated men with disappointment rather than anger.
"These idiots are strong, but they use that strength the wrong way."
Rozori lightly kicked a broken dumbbell aside before continuing.
"Newbie crushing has become way too common lately. People gain a little power and suddenly start believing they're untouchable." He sighed faintly. "In reality, they're just insecure bullies."
Akira listened quietly while rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
As Rozori approached closer, however—
He suddenly stopped walking.
"…Wait."
Rozori's expression twitched slightly before he pinched his nose.
"Akira…" he said carefully, "…when was the last time you took a bath?"
Akira blinked.
"Huh?"
Rozori took another step back.
"No, seriously. Why do you smell like a dead animal mixed with sweat and dirt?"
Akira instinctively sniffed his own clothes.
The moment the smell reached him—
"…UGH."
His face twisted in disgust instantly.
Now that he thought about it, he had spent days running through forests, training nonstop, fighting monsters, completing missions, and facing a deadly battle against Savanth without properly cleaning himself. Sweat, dirt, dried blood, and smoke had practically fused into his clothes.
"Ughk, I smell horrible…" Akira admitted honestly while looking mildly traumatized by his own odor.
Rozori burst into laughter after seeing his reaction.
"You're only realizing that now?!"
Akira looked genuinely embarrassed for once.
After calming down slightly, Rozori suddenly looked at him with curiosity.
"Tell me something, Akira."
"Hm?"
"I want information about you."
Akira stared blankly.
"…What?"
Rozori folded his arms casually.
"Your background. Your abilities. Where you trained. The usual."
Akira looked completely baffled.
"What's the deal? Am I being interrogated?"
Rozori smiled innocently.
"Well…" He glanced toward the fifteen defeated warriors surrounding them. "Most normal D-ranks don't destroy half the gym on their first day."
Rozori explained that the questions were necessary now that he would be acting as both Akira's supervisor and mentor.
"A mentor should know the student they're guiding," Rozori said calmly. "I'm not prying into your private life. I simply need to understand the kind of person I'm dealing with."
Akira listened quietly.
Apparently, Sora had never done anything like this before, which explained why Akira looked so confused by such normal questions.
Rozori raised three fingers.
"So, let's keep it simple. Why are you here? What is your main ability? And lastly…" His smile softened slightly. "What's your ambition?"
Akira thought for a moment before answering honestly.
"The first one's easy. I was commissioned by the king."
Rozori nodded immediately, unsurprised by the answer after witnessing Akira's strength firsthand.
"I figured as much."
Akira then continued,
"My main ability is… Immortality."
For the first time, Rozori's relaxed expression shifted into visible surprise.
"…Immortality?"
Akira nodded casually, as though it were completely normal.
Rozori let out a low whistle afterward.
"That's an incredible ability."
But instead of looking proud, Akira frowned slightly.
"Incredible?" he muttered bitterly. "It sucks."
Rozori blinked.
Akira lowered his gaze quietly.
"No matter how many times I get hurt, I can't die. I just keep feeling pain over and over again endlessly."
His voice carried unusual heaviness compared to before.
"The injuries heal, but the pain still happens. Every single time."
Rozori's expression softened slightly after hearing that.
"Don't look down on your own ability, Akira," he said gently. "Every power has its burden. What matters is how you use it."
Akira remained silent.
If Rozori truly understood the horrors Akira had survived because of that immortality…
He probably would not have called it "incredible" so easily.
Rozori chuckled softly. "Then I suppose it's only fair if I share some information too."
He leaned casually against a damaged pillar inside the ruined gym before speaking.
"My main ability is Energy Manipulation."
Akira's eyes widened slightly. Even without fully understanding the complexity behind it, the name alone sounded absurdly powerful.
Rozori then continued,
"And my older brother Haru's main ability is Atom Manipulation."
Akira immediately connected the dots.
"Haru… the First Division Commander?"
Rozori nodded. "Correct."
Akira stared blankly for a moment.
Even the titles alone sounded terrifying.
Rozori folded his arms calmly as he explained further.
"Haru possesses enough power to qualify as a General someday." He paused briefly afterward. "But he still lacks one important thing."
"Control?" Akira guessed.
Rozori smiled slightly. "Exactly."
He looked upward thoughtfully.
"With Sazoru's flames and Haru's atom manipulation combined…"
His tone remained calm despite the terrifying words that followed.
"They could destroy an entire continent. Effortlessly."
Akira froze, his mind blown.
Rozori continued as though discussing ordinary weather.
"That's precisely why Haru isn't suited to become a General yet. Power alone means nothing if the user cannot properly restrain it."
He glanced toward Akira afterward.
"To put it simply… both Haru and Sazoru possess enough destructive capability to erase Celesta itself if they truly lost control."
Akira immediately shook his head in disbelief.
"No way."
Rozori looked amused. "You don't believe me?"
"I've already seen Sazoru almost destroy Celesta before," Akira replied honestly. "There's no way someone can top that."
The memory alone still lingered vividly in his mind—the overwhelming flames, the suffocating heat, the sheer destructive force that felt beyond human comprehension.
Yet Rozori simply smiled faintly.
"That," he said quietly, "was Sazoru holding back."
Rozori let out a faint sigh afterward, his relaxed expression dimming slightly.
Truthfully, he had been under constant stress lately.
Sazoru's unstable mood alone was already troublesome enough, but on top of that… his older brother's body had been stolen by a dangerous criminal.
Just thinking about it irritated him.
Still, Rozori quickly pushed those thoughts aside and returned his attention to Akira.
"So," he suddenly said, "how about a spar?"
Akira blinked in confusion.
"…What?"
Rozori laughed lightly after seeing his reaction.
"Relax. This is part of our scoring system."
He raised both hands casually to reassure him.
"It's not some 'newbie crushing' nonsense like earlier, so don't worry."
Akira narrowed his eyes suspiciously anyway.
"You sure?"
"Yes." Rozori smiled. "Besides, I'd like to properly measure your abilities myself."
After a brief moment of hesitation, Akira eventually nodded.
"…Alright."
The two then made their way toward the sparring grounds.
Unlike the noisy gym, the sparring field felt calm and spacious. Vast green grass stretched across the training area while tall trees surrounded the edges peacefully. Above them, a massive transparent glass ceiling revealed the bright sky overhead, allowing sunlight to pour beautifully across the arena.
The place almost looked like a peaceful garden rather than a battlefield.
Yet the numerous cracks and scorch marks scattered around the field told a completely different story.
"Now then," Rozori said calmly while stepping backward across the grass field, "ready when you are."
The two immediately took their stances.
Akira lowered his center of gravity slightly, fists raised and muscles tense like a wild beast preparing to pounce.
Meanwhile, Rozori's posture was far calmer and refined. His stance resembled that of a martial artist—balanced, fluid, and disciplined. Every movement looked relaxed yet perfectly controlled.
Then Rozori smiled lightly and gestured with one hand.
"Come."
Akira grinned.
The next second—
BOOM!
The ground beneath his feet shattered as he launched himself forward with monstrous speed. His bare fist alone generated enough force to crack the field apart upon impact.
Rozori's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
'He's physically stronger than I expected.'
Yet despite Akira's overwhelming power and speed…
He couldn't land a single hit.
Rozori moved like flowing water. Smooth. Precise. Easy.
Every punch Akira threw was redirected, avoided, or countered with minimal movement. Sometimes Rozori merely tilted his head slightly to dodge by inches. Other times he used only one hand to deflect attacks powerful enough to split the ground apart.
Minutes passed in nonstop close combat.
Akira attacked relentlessly while Rozori calmly evaded everything thrown at him.
Punches. Elbows. Kicks. Sweeps.
Nothing connected.
And every failed strike was answered by a precise counterattack that forced Akira backward repeatedly.
Eventually, Rozori noticed something odd.
Akira was hesitating.
"You're pulling your punches," Rozori pointed out while casually sidestepping another strike.
Akira clicked his tongue.
"…You noticed?"
"Of course." Rozori smiled faintly. "Come at me seriously."
For a brief moment, Akira stared silently at him.
Then—
"…Alright."
Dark crimson particles gathered around his hand.
"Reaper Scythe."
A massive black-and-red scythe materialized instantly into Akira's grasp. The weapon radiated ominous energy as he swung it backward into stance, one foot planted forward while his sharp gaze locked entirely onto Rozori.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
Rozori's smile faded into focus.
He slowly raised one palm toward Akira while lowering his other arm beside him, fist clenched tightly near his waist. His legs shifted apart into a firm martial stance.
The surrounding air grew tense.
BOOM!
Akira exploded forward like a cannonball, his sudden acceleration cracking the ground beneath him as dirt and shattered stone burst into the air behind his feet.
Rozori's eyes widened immediately.
"He's fast—!"
Even he looked genuinely surprised by the sheer speed Akira displayed.
In an instant, Akira closed the distance and swung his scythe horizontally with enough force to split apart everything in its path. The blade screamed through the air violently.
But Rozori reacted just as quickly.
At the precise moment the scythe neared him, he coated two fingers with concentrated energy before thrusting them against the flat side of the blade.
CLANG!
A powerful burst of force redirected the scythe away completely, throwing Akira's balance off for a split second and leaving his chest wide open.
Rozori instantly stepped in.
His fist stopped only an inch away from Akira's chest.
Then—
BOOM!
The one-inch punch detonated with terrifying force.
Akira's ribs audibly cracked as the impact blasted him backward across the field like a ragdoll. The surrounding grass bent violently from the shockwave alone.
Akira crashed and rolled several meters away before skidding to a stop.
"Ghk—!"
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he coughed painfully, clutching his chest. Breathing itself suddenly became difficult.
Meanwhile, Rozori remained standing still, though sweat now slowly rolled down the side of his face.
Akira's raw strength and speed had genuinely pressured him far more than expected.
This kid… Rozori thought silently. He trained himself brutally.
Akira groaned while struggling to inhale properly. The damage to his ribs made every breath feel sharp and painful.
Rozori's serious expression quickly softened afterward.
He immediately approached Akira before placing a glowing hand near his chest. Gentle energy flowed into the injured area, rapidly healing the damaged ribs and easing the pain.
[ENERGY HEALING MAGIC: RESTORATION]
Akira let out a long breath of relief as the pain in his chest gradually faded away.
He rubbed the spot where Rozori had struck him earlier, still slightly shaken by the sheer force behind that single punch.
"Man…" Akira exhaled. "I can finally breathe normally again."
Rozori scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Sorry about that. When you suddenly launched at me like that, I got a little startled."
Akira blinked.
"You got startled?"
"It was instinct," Rozori admitted with a helpless smile. "Your speed caught me off guard more than I expected."
Akira looked down briefly before laughing awkwardly himself.
"It's fine. Charging at you head-on without thinking properly was my fault too."
Rozori visibly relaxed after hearing that. He genuinely looked relieved that Akira wasn't upset or seriously injured.
For a moment, the tension between mentor and student softened into something more natural.
Then Rozori suddenly spoke again.
"You know…"
He glanced toward Akira thoughtfully.
"Your fighting style relies heavily on instinct and physical ability. It's powerful, but rough around the edges."
Akira tilted his head curiously.
Rozori smiled faintly afterward.
"Maybe someday I'll teach you martial arts properly."
Akira's eyes lit up slightly.
"Really?"
"It'll help you a lot in close combat," Rozori explained. "You already have the strength and reflexes. What you lack is refinement."
Akira immediately nodded without hesitation.
"Sure!"
The excitement in his voice made Rozori chuckle softly.
The two eventually left the sparring field together, walking beneath the massive glass ceiling as sunlight poured across the grassy arena behind them.
Even while heading back toward headquarters, however…
Rozori still looked faintly guilty over the broken ribs incident.
Somewhere within Mikadzuki's Hideout]
Far away from Celesta, deep beneath the shadows, a hidden fortress remained concealed from the world.
Cold stone walls stretched throughout the underground base while dim crimson lights flickered across the massive chamber. The air itself felt heavy, filled with the scent of smoke, blood, and rusted iron.
Numerous figures stood silently in rows, each cloaked in darkness like predators awaiting orders.
At the center of the room stood a man wearing a white cloak marked with the symbol of a crescent moon upon its back. His face remained hidden beneath an emotionless mask, yet his mere presence carried overwhelming authority.
The leader of Mikadzuki.
After the recent incident, news of Akira's group had already reached them.
"These three have become troublesome," the masked man spoke coldly, his voice echoing throughout the chamber. "Sooner or later, they will interfere with our mission."
The room remained silent as everyone listened carefully.
"I hereby order every member of Mikadzuki…"
A chilling pressure spread across the hall.
"…to hunt them down."
Several figures immediately raised their heads with interest.
"Choose your target," the leader continued, "and complete the task successfully. Those who succeed will be rewarded handsomely."
Projected images soon appeared before the members—
Akira.
Kazoru.
Celine.
Alongside them were also several names belonging to high-ranking generals already listed for elimination.
One of the cloaked members scoffed after seeing Akira, Kazoru, and Celine.
"Kids?" he muttered with disbelief. "We're hunting children now?"
He crossed his arms mockingly.
"Hmph. Was the boss trying to baffle me?"
A few members chuckled quietly in agreement.
But before the laughter could continue—
The masked leader's gaze slowly shifted toward them.
Instantly, the entire room fell silent.
"Do not underestimate him," the leader warned coldly.
The pressure in the chamber suddenly intensified.
"That child…"
His voice lowered ominously.
"…already survived encounters that should have killed ordinary warriors countless times over."
The mocking member's expression stiffened slightly.
And somewhere in the darkness of the hideout…
Someone else quietly smiled after staring at Akira's image.
Even if they're children, we shouldn't underestimate them."
One of the members folded his arms while staring at the projected images floating above the chamber.
"The boss considers them a threat. That alone already makes them dangerous."
The room filled with low murmurs afterward as Mikadzuki's members examined the targets carefully, each deciding who they wished to hunt.
Some were interested in Kazoru due to his connections. Others viewed Celine as the easiest prey among the three.
Meanwhile, Akira's image drew mixed reactions.
Confusion. Curiosity. Amusement.
A seemingly ordinary teenager somehow becoming important enough for the leader himself to acknowledge felt suspicious to many of them.
"What about you, Savanth?" one of the members suddenly asked while glancing toward a man standing quietly near the edge of the chamber. "Which target are you taking?"
The room's attention slowly shifted toward him.
Savanth remained leaning silently against the wall, his face partially hidden beneath shadows. His scarred fingers tapped lightly against his arm before his gaze settled upon Akira's image.
Then—
"I'll hunt him."
He raised a finger toward Akira without hesitation.
Several members looked intrigued immediately.
"The kid?"
Savanth smiled faintly.
There was something deeply unsettling behind that smile.
Unlike the others, Savanth had no interest in rewards, status, or praise from Mikadzuki.
His obsession centered around only one thing.
Akira's body.
An immortal body untouched by death itself.
To Savanth, Akira was not merely a target.
He was the key to eternity.
"Wow… that's the first time I've seen you target a child instead of a General."
One of the Mikadzuki members stared at Savanth in surprise before narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"What exactly are you planning?"
Most members knew Savanth rarely involved himself with weak prey. He usually hunted powerful warriors, commanders, or influential figures for his own twisted amusement.
Yet now…
He was interested in a teenager.
Savanth slowly turned his head toward the questioning member.
The smile on his face disappeared completely.
"None of your business." His voice came out cold and hostile. "Keep asking questions…"
A faint heat suddenly radiated from his body.
"…and I'll burn you alive."
The threatening pressure immediately silenced the room.
Without another word, Savanth turned around and began walking away from the gathering while loosely holding Akira's picture in one hand.
The member clicked his tongue afterward.
"What a strange guy…"
Another chuckled faintly while staring at Akira's image.
"He's unpredictable as hell."
Several members quietly wondered the same thing afterward—
What exactly made this boy named Akira so special?
Because if even someone like Savanth had taken interest in him…
Then Akira was far more dangerous than he appeared.
Meanwhile, deep within the dim hallway outside the chamber—
"Mhm~♪ Mhm~♪"
Savanth happily hummed to himself while walking alone.
The bizarre tune echoed eerily throughout the corridor.
His grin slowly widened with disturbing excitement as he stared obsessively at Akira's photograph.
An immortal body.
A perfect vessel.
Just imagining it filled him with overwhelming ecstasy as he felt the pleasure of orgasm.
"Akira~♪ Akira~♪"
Savanth hummed gleefully as he walked through the dark corridor alone, his fingers tightly gripping the photograph.
"I can't wait to see you again…"
His smile slowly twisted into something unnervingly obsessive.
"Next time we meet…"
He pressed the picture close against his chest, eyes trembling with excitement.
"...you will be mine. MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!"
The dim hallway felt colder with every step he took.
Savanth's fixation on Akira had already surpassed simple curiosity. To him, Akira was the answer to everything he had sought for years—an immortal existence untouched by death itself.
Eternity.
That was his true objective.
And no matter what stood in his way, he intended to obtain it.
Even if it meant sacrificing countless lives.
Even if he himself had to suffer death repeatedly to reach that goal.
Nothing mattered more to him anymore.
Still smiling to himself, Savanth carefully folded Akira's picture before slipping it into his pocket like a treasured possession.
Meanwhile…
Far beneath Mikadzuki's hidden facilities, something else had finally awakened.
Rows of massive containment tubes illuminated the darkness with eerie green light. Thick liquid bubbled violently inside them while distorted humanoid figures floated motionlessly within.
The Morians.
Unlike the incomplete prototypes from before, these creatures had now been fully programmed.
Their bodies twitched unnaturally as crimson symbols flickered across the tubes.
A cold mechanical voice echoed throughout the laboratory.
"Target data confirmed."
Images of Akira, Kazoru, and Celine appeared across countless glowing screens.
"Commencing elimination protocol."