Seven years had passed.
At twelve, Aelric had grown into the near-image of his former teenage self. His features had sharpened, his frame lean and agile, and his emerald eyes carried a quiet awareness that often made others forget how young he truly was. His attire remained distinctly his own fitted black jeans, a loose dark t-shirt, a long black coat, and fingerless gloves. Among the dignified nobility of the Valefort estate, he looked almost rebellious.
Today, however, even he stood still. The ritual chamber demanded silence.
The vast circular hall was carved from polished obsidian stone. The floor was dominated by a massive summoning array, layer upon layer of ancient runic circles intertwined with precise mana channels. Crystal pylons embedded in the chamber walls glowed faintly, feeding energy into the formation. Servants and attendants stood quietly along the outer perimeter.
At the center of the chamber stood Akane.
Sixteen.
Her violet hair had been braided tightly behind her head. Her posture remained disciplined, yet the tension in her fingers betrayed the nervous energy she fought to suppress.
"Don't mess this up," she spoke to herself in her mind.
Her eyes flicked briefly to the side.
Aelric stood near the edge of the chamber beside Lucian and Seraphina, watching. He always watched like that, calm, observant, quietly analyzing everything around him.
Her heart beat faster.
"Good… Keep watching… This time… I'll impress you," she spoke to herself in her mind while watching Aelric.
Lucian's deep voice broke the silence.
"Ready?"
Akane inhaled slowly.
Then nodded.
Across the chamber, Aelric stood with a relaxed posture. His right eye remained emerald green. His left eye shifted. Intricate rotating patterns moved slowly across the iris like distant constellations.
Analysis Copy.
Active in only one eye.
More than enough.
Within his mind, he spoke.
"Partner."
A calm presence answered immediately.
Ultimate Guide responded.
"Yes."
"Observe the ritual formation," his gaze drifted across the summoning array runes, mana channels, and structural anchors.
"Eight stabilization nodes."
Ultimate Guide responded.
"Confirmed. Mana feed supported through the chamber."
"Efficient."
His gaze shifted to Akane.
Mana had already begun circulating through her body. Steady. Controlled. Better than before.
Aelric folded his arms loosely.
"She's nervous."
He could see it in the subtle tension of her shoulders, but her mana control remained stable. Lucian must have drilled this ritual into her countless times.
Behind him, two powerful presences watched silently.
Lucian stood calmly. At his side rested Umbra, the massive Nether Drake. The dragon's dark scales absorbed the chamber light while faint shadows drifted lazily across his wings.
Seraphina stood nearby. Beside her floated Sylphara, the Guardian of the Wind. The spirit's translucent form shimmered softly, currents of air gently circling her form.
Both summons observed the ritual with quiet interest. Even ancient spirits respected summoning moments.
At the center of the chamber, Akane raised her hands.
Her pulse quickened.
Focus.
The first line of the chant left her lips.
Ancient words echoed through the chamber.
The summoning circle reacted instantly. Runes ignited. The outer rings began rotating slowly as mana surged through the formation.
A cold breeze formed at the center.
Servants along the walls exchanged uneasy glances. The temperature was already dropping.
Akane could feel the connection forming. The spirit realm responding.
Her heart pounded harder.
Come on… something amazing… let him see it.
Aelric's analytical eye narrowed slightly.
"Partner," he called in his mind.
Ultimate Guide responded.
"Energy fluctuation detected."
The swirling mana above the circle intensified.
"Elemental reading?" he asked in his mind.
"Cryogenic affinity."
Expected.
Akane had always leaned toward cold-aligned mana.
The wind inside the chamber suddenly grew unstable. Cold currents spiraled outward across the floor. Servants shivered as frost began spreading across the obsidian stone.
Only Akane remained unaffected inside the ritual core.
Aelric watched carefully.
"What tier are we looking at?"
The vortex intensified.
Ultimate Guide responded.
"High-tier entity manifestation probability increasing."
Aelric raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Interesting."
A translucent interface flickered into existence within his vision. Lines of information scrolled across the air only he could see. The system attempted to identify the forming entity.
"Partner."
"Yes," Ultimate Guide responded.
"If the summon becomes hostile, keep defensive measures ready."
Aelric shrugged slightly.
"Understood," Ultimate Guide replied.
Just in case.
Akane reached the final line of the chant. Her voice echoed across the chamber. Then she released the gathered mana.
The summoning circle erupted.
A violent vortex of frost exploded upward. Wind roared through the chamber as ice particles spiraled wildly into the air. The temperature dropped so sharply that several attendants instinctively stepped back.
Umbra lifted his massive head. Sylphara's wind currents twisted violently. Even Lucian's gaze sharpened.
Something powerful was arriving.
Within the storm, a massive silhouette began to form long, coiling, ancient.
Aelric's analytical eye tracked it immediately. The interface within his vision attempted classification.
The vortex suddenly parted.
And the spirit descended.
Brilliant sapphire scales reflected the chamber light like frozen mirrors. Massive horns curved upward like jagged crowns of glacial ice. Its enormous body coiled through the air with regal authority.
The instant it fully appeared, Aelric spoke.
"Yuki Orochi."
His voice carried clearly across the chamber.
"The Ice Serpent Spirit."
Several attendants gasped quietly. Lucian's eyes flicked toward his son briefly. Seraphina smiled faintly.
The legendary spirit hovered above the summoning circle, its immense presence filling the chamber like a living winter.
Akane stared upward in awe.
Did…
Did I actually summon that…?
Lucian nodded once.
"Well done, Akane."
Seraphina added softly,
"Magnificent control."
Akane barely heard them. Her eyes were already searching for someone.
Aelric.
He had been watching the entire time.
His analytical eye faded back to normal. For a moment, he said nothing.
Then the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
A faint smirk.
"…Impressive."
Akane's breath caught. That single word meant more to her than every other compliment in the chamber.
Then something strange happened.
The mighty serpent froze mid-air. Its glowing eyes snapped toward Akane.
Then slowly they shifted toward Aelric.
The two locked eyes.
A moment passed.
Something ancient flickered within the serpent's gaze.
Recognition.
Unease.
The massive spirit suddenly hissed. Its enormous body recoiled slightly before quickly coiling behind Akane, trying to hide behind her.
The chamber fell into stunned silence.
Aelric tilted his head.
"…Akane."
He gestured toward the enormous serpent attempting to conceal itself behind her.
"I think your summon is afraid of me."
Akane blinked in confusion before turning toward the spirit. She gently patted the massive serpent's head.
"He's not afraid."
She smiled confidently.
"He's just shy."
Aelric stared at the creature for a moment. Then exhaled slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"…Right."
"Let's go with that."
Behind him, Umbra quietly rumbled. The deep sound vibrated through the chamber floor.
Lucian glanced toward his drake.
Umbra's ancient eyes remained fixed on Aelric.
For the briefest moment, the Nether Drake lowered his head not in fear, but in something closer to instinctive acknowledgement.
Lucian noticed.
And said nothing.
Meanwhile, safely behind Akane, the legendary Ice Serpent Spirit remained very still.
Watching Aelric.
Very carefully.
After that day, over the next few years, Aelric's prowess grew at an unnatural pace. By fourteen, he was no longer merely promising, he was unparalleled. His mana control had become surgical, his reflexes terrifyingly sharp, and his mental processing rivaled scholars twice his age.
One moonlit night, he stood alone beneath the sky, the stars glittering above the Valefort courtyard. Cool wind drifted through the open space as he guided mana through his body in slow, deliberate cycles. Each pulse flowed smoothly through muscle and vein, every movement efficient and precise. To Aelric, it was meditation. Mana gathered, circulated, and refined.
Within his mind, he spoke. "A partner that guides me without a name feels… incomplete."
A brief silence followed before the familiar calm voice responded. "A designation is unnecessary for operational efficiency," she said.
Aelric exhaled softly. "I know. But you've been with me since the beginning." He looked up at the stars. "You help me see things clearly. Patterns, weaknesses, possibilities. You strip away the noise."
Another moment passed. "Clear thought," he said quietly. "Clear sight." A faint smile touched his lips. "Kiyomi."
Silence lingered for a second longer before the voice returned. "Acknowledged," she said. A slight pause followed. "From this moment forward, I shall be known as Kiyomi."
The instant the name settled, something shifted. A faint resonance pulsed deep within Aelric's soul, subtle yet undeniable. The connection between them tightened like unseen threads weaving together. Kiyomi's presence sharpened, expanded, and deepened. The flow of mana around him trembled briefly.
Aelric frowned slightly and thought, That felt… different.
Kiyomi replied calmly. "Our synchronization has improved."
That was all she said, but something had indeed changed.
Unknown to Aelric, Kiyomi's internal systems had evolved. The ability that once allowed simple copying had expanded into something far more complex. Copied abilities could now be duplicated. Compatible abilities could be merged. Structures could be modified. Efficiency could be optimized beyond the original limits.
A silent evolution, one that would eventually redefine the limits of what Aelric could become.
The next morning, sunlight flooded the private Valefort training arena. Lucian stood at its center, arms crossed as he waited. Aelric entered quietly.
Lucian opened his eyes. "Today," he said, "we leave magic aside."
Aelric stopped a few paces away.
Lucian continued, "We focus on technique. Combat without spells. No enchantments. No abilities." His gaze sharpened. "Abilities can make a fighter impressive, but skill makes a warrior dangerous."
He stepped forward and raised a hand slightly. "Footwork. Timing. Instinct. These are what remain when everything else fails."
Aelric nodded. "Understood."
Lucian's stance shifted. "Begin."
Immediately, Aelric activated Analysis Copy and Mind Acceleration. His emerald eyes shimmere,d then changed. Swirling patterns like orbiting constellations formed within them.
Lucian noticed immediately. He always noticed.
That pattern again.
His expression remained neutral as he analyzed the phenomenon. Not a mana signature. Not a standard analytical spell either. It appears every time he fights seriously.
Lucian studied it carefully. Not mimicry. Too structured. Too deliberate. "What exactly is that ability?"
He didn't ask.
Instead, Lucian moved.
His stance shifted into a Muay Thai guard before seamlessly transitioning into boxing footwork, and a sharp jab snapped forward. Aelric leaned aside, redirecting the strike with a Wing Chun parry, pivoting into a taekwondo round kick. Lucian intercepted mid-motion using a silat elbow trap before countering with a judo shoulder feint.
Aelric slipped the attempt, shifting into capoeira footwork, his body flowing unpredictably.
Lucian smiled faintly. "Good."
Then he increased the pressure.
A sudden karate straight punch, followed by a krav maga knee strike, then a sweeping sambo leg hook meant to drop Aelric instantly.
Aelric adapted. Every movement refined itself mid-execution. A boxer's guard shifted into a Shaolin palm strike. A judo pivot became a tai chi redirection. It looked as though dozens of martial arts were blending together inside one body.
Lucian pushed harder.
Then
"Battle Mode," Aelric whispered.
His eyes flared crimson. Control shifted.
Kiyomi took over.
Lucian felt it immediately.
"There it is again." He thought to himself
Aelric's posture adjusted subtly, but Lucian noticed every detail. Weight distribution optimized. Breathing stabilized. Muscle tension perfectly calibrated.
Then Aelric moved.
Lucian barely blocked the first strike. His rhythm collapsed instantly. His footwork was predicted before completion. His counters dismantled mid-motion.
It felt less like fighting… and more like being analyzed.
Within Battle Mode, Kiyomi controlled the body with extreme precision. Reaction time, positioning, and strategy were calculated continuously. This wasn't raw power, it was perfect combat optimization.
Lucian leapt backward several meters and exhaled slowly.
"So this is Battle Mode."
His gaze sharpened. "He's not adapting anymore."
A pause followed.
"He's solving the fight."
Aelric's eyes returned to green as Kiyomi released control.
Lucian straightened. "You're beyond gifted."
A brief silence followed.
"You're dangerous."
Aelric shrugged. "You trained me."
Lucian chuckled softly, but his mind remained active.
"That cosmic eye pattern… Then those red eyes. That connection."
His gaze lingered on his son.
"What exactly are you becoming?" he thought
Then he dismissed the thought.
"No need to rush. Eventually… you'll show me," he spoke in his mind while looking at Aelric.
Later that evening, Aelric rested beneath the large garden tree. Mana flowed quietly through his body as he regulated his breathing.
Akane approached along the garden path carrying a drink in one hand and a towel in the other.
"You overdid it again," she said, setting both beside him.
Aelric opened one eye. "Not really."
She sat beside him with a small huff. "You always say that."
Without thinking, she brushed a stray leaf from his hair. "Still rough around the edges."
Aelric said nothing.
To him, this was normal.
But to Akane, it had slowly become a habit. She found herself seeking him out more often. When he trained, she appeared. When he studied, she joined him. When he meditated, she quietly brought tea.
At first,t it had been a coincidence. Then convenience.
Now it was simply routine.
Aelric noticed the pattern, but he didn't understand it. Despite his brilliance, emotions of that nature remained completely outside his awareness.
From the veranda above, Seraphina watched them. Lucian stood beside her.
"She's falling for him," Seraphina said softly.
Lucian nodded. "Slowly."
He thought and was completely unaware.
Seraphina exhaled. "She doesn't even realize it yet."
Lucian glanced toward Aelric. "And he won't notice."
Seraphina tilted her head slightly.
Lucian continued, "He sees everything in battle… but nothing in the heart."
They said nothing more.
By the time Aelric turned fifteen, the entrance to Arcanis Academy loomed on the horizon.
Akane, now nineteen and top-ranked among noble students had taken it upon herself to prepare him. His gear was immaculate: dark, modern, precise.
"You excited?" she asked while adjusting his collar.
"I suppose."
"You'll be fighting prodigies, studying forbidden archives, exploring ancient ruins beneath the academy"
"I'm interested in the Headmaster," Aelric interrupted.
Akane blinked. "What?"
Aelric replied calmly. "The Headmaster's techniques." He thought briefly before continuing. "No records explain them properly. They're neither standard magic nor traditional ability structures."
His eyes sharpened slightly. "Every account describes something different."
Akane crossed her arms. "So you want to study him?"
Aelric nodded. "He's either hiding knowledge… or using something the world hasn't classified yet."
She groaned. "You're impossible."
Aelric smirked faintly. "You're still here."
They walked side by side through the garden.
After a moment, Akane glanced sideways and, without thinking, slipped her hand into his.
Aelric blinked in mild surprise but he didn't pull away.
Behind them, Lucian watched quietly.
"He's ready," he murmured.
Seraphina's gaze lingered on the two figures walking together.
"More than ready," she said softly. Her voice lowered slightly. "But for some things…"
A pause followed.
"…none of us are."
And the world was about to find out.