Yamazaki watched the sparring broadcast with sharp focus, evaluating Kazuma's every move. His student moved with agility, precision, and strategy—like a seasoned fighter on the battlefield, each attack delivered with high accuracy. Yet something made the old man tense.
'The kid is definitely holding back.'
Yamazaki realized what Kazuma had been hiding all this time. His student was only showing the core of his ability: his body produced thermal energy, which was then compressed into devastating attacks.
Even from the broadcast alone, Yamazaki could sense a fraction of its true power. Kazuma could heat his body to temperatures comparable to the sun—once released, that energy could destroy an entire city with a single sweep. The scale of destruction was far too great to be displayed casually, and that was why his student was still restraining himself.
Despite how brutal and insane the spar looked, Kazuma fought with complete control. Every movement was calculated, every strike delivered with remarkable restraint. Yamazaki could only nod slowly—both proud and cautious.
Tobera's reaction was different. She truly hadn't expected Fubuki to be pushed back that far in such a short time.
She knew very well that Yamazaki could produce strong students—even ones on par with Fubuki. But what stood before her now was clearly beyond her expectations.
This wasn't just discovering talent.
It was like finding a diamond mine that had been hidden all along.
Truly extraordinary—Fubuki, known as a frontline fighter, already looked pressured from the very first minute.
But Tobera also knew one thing for certain.
Fubuki was not a fighter who would collapse under early pressure.
She had gone through far too many battles—facing thousands of ordinary Shuuki, and dozens of unique ones far more dangerous. That experience was ingrained in her body and instincts. Her talent had been honed, her hard work forged on the front lines, and none of it could possibly be meaningless.
And sure enough—
Amid that pressure, Fubuki made her decision.
She retreated quickly, creating distance from Kazuma as her position began to corner her. Her movement was sharp, measured—not merely escaping, but opening space for her next attack.
Kazuma immediately gave chase.
But that was exactly what Fubuki had been aiming for.
The moment Kazuma entered the range of her spear, its tip suddenly extended, shooting straight toward him at high speed.
The attack was fast, precise, and lethal.
But Kazuma's reflexes—honed through brutal training—reacted first. His body moved naturally, evading with near-instinctive efficiency.
However, Fubuki didn't stop there.
In one fluid motion, she spun her spear, then swept it sideways. The shaft bent unnaturally, as if made of elastic material, abruptly altering the trajectory of the attack.
Kazuma was too late to read the change.
THUD!
The strike hit him cleanly. His body staggered for a moment—just enough to create an opening.
And Fubuki did not waste it.
She pressed forward immediately.
Her spear moved like an extension of her own body—thrusting, sweeping, striking from multiple angles in rapid succession without pause. Each attack forced Kazuma back step by step, sand scattering beneath his feet.
Kazuma endured, blocking with his arms and shoulders, increasing his body heat to absorb the impact. But Fubuki's pressure was different—this wasn't just power, but technique refined through countless battles.
The spear tip shot toward his face. Kazuma tilted his head, narrowly avoiding it.
The next sweep came from below. He jumped—but Fubuki was already waiting in the air.
BAM!
A heavy blow struck his side, sending him flying several meters before crashing hard into the sand.
Before he could even get up—
Fubuki was already above him.
Her spear was raised high, its tip glowing brighter with a sun-like symbol.
Kazuma looked up, his breathing heavy—
But the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
In an instant, the heat within his body surged.
The sand around him began to blacken, the air trembling.
As the spear came down—
Kazuma vanished from where he was.
BOOM!
A small explosion erupted at his previous position, while Kazuma reappeared beside Fubuki at a speed far beyond before.
Fubuki was startled.
That movement was almost like teleportation—not an actual spatial shift, but a burst of speed driven by kinetic energy compressed to its extreme limit.
Kazuma was already at her side.
His fist, filled with energy, was pulled back—then launched forward.
[ENOUGH!]
The voices of Yamazaki and Tobera echoed simultaneously, transmitted through the bird-like robot circling above them.
Kazuma couldn't stop his punch completely, so he redirected it to the side of Fubuki's head.
The air around them trembled violently.
The heat and pressure from the nearly released blow created a sharp hiss, followed by a heavy impact that resonated through the ground beneath their feet.
Fubuki froze in place.
She didn't dare turn around.
Her combat instincts already understood one thing—destruction.
And if that punch had been directed at her, she might not be standing there anymore.
"Haah… haah…"
Kazuma took deep breaths, greedily drawing in air. The yellow glow surrounding his body gradually faded, his skin slowly returning to normal. He wore only his training pants, which barely covered his lower body—the fabric charred in several places, though not completely destroyed.
The heat he had generated earlier had been compressed into specific points, preventing it from burning his entire body or clothing.
Once his breathing stabilized slightly, still slightly hunched, he turned toward Fubuki, who remained standing still.
"Are you alright, Fubuki-san?"
Kazuma's voice sounded calmer, though still heavy from the aftermath of battle.
Fubuki snapped out of her daze.
Her gaze was blank for a few seconds before refocusing on the figure in front of her—Kazuma, now looking at her with a serious but controlled expression.
"Yes, I'm fine."
The answer was short, but her breathing hadn't fully steadied.
Kazuma observed her for a moment.
Even from the outside, it was clear—Fubuki wasn't truly "fine." Bruises marked parts of her body, traces of impact visible on her arms and shoulders. Her clothes were also damaged, no longer fully covering certain areas due to the pressure and impacts during the fight.
...
After that, both Fubuki and Kazuma, who were injured, were immediately treated by Tobera.
The woman moved casually, as if what had just happened was nothing more than a routine exercise. But beneath that demeanor, her Ability worked continuously.
Ephemeral.
Through the power of the peach, Tobera could absorb the vital energy of living beings, manipulating their age—accelerating or even reversing it, including her own. That was why she still appeared like a young girl, despite her true age being far beyond that.
More than that, the ability also had healing effects. By accelerating the body's natural regeneration, wounds that would normally take a long time to heal could recover within minutes.
Her touch felt warm, a gentle yet powerful flow of energy seeping into Kazuma and Fubuki's bodies. Bruises slowly faded, wounds closed, and the pain gradually disappeared.
"I've seen it… truly, that was an extraordinary fight. And what is the name of your ability?"
Tobera asked while continuing to move her hands over Kazuma's injuries. Her touch was light, but the flow of energy from her felt warm and alive—like something slowly crawling beneath the skin, repairing damaged tissue. Her gaze never left Kazuma, filled with curiosity, almost like that of a collector who had just discovered a rare object.
"Solar Genesis."
The answer came out calmly, without hesitation, as if he had held onto that name from the very beginning.
"Did you name it yourself?"
Kazuma nodded slightly.
Tobera clicked her tongue, her expression immediately shifting as if dissatisfied.
"Ck… A bad name. Let's just call it Sunrise."
"That…"
Kazuma fell silent. The words of اعتراض had already risen to his throat, but stopped there. He glanced to the side, looking for support—his gaze landed on Yamazaki.
But the old man only shrugged casually, as if he didn't want to get involved.
"I think that's a better name…"
That answer crushed his expectations.
Kazuma let out a quiet sigh, his shoulders dropping slightly. In the end, he gave up without resistance. Thinking about it again… the name wasn't entirely bad.
"And, kid… do you have a girlfriend?"
The question came out of nowhere, without warning.
The air in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.
Fubuki, who had been standing calmly, slightly turned her head. Her eyes now observed Kazuma more closely, a faint curiosity appearing on her face.
On the other side—
Yamazaki slowly shifted his body. One small step back. Then another. His movements were subtle, almost like a shadow trying to disappear from the light.
Kazuma didn't answer immediately.
For a brief moment, fragments of the past crossed his mind—the face of Aoi Tenma, memories that still left a mark that hadn't fully healed.
"Not yet…"
The answer was short, flat, but there was a pause that couldn't be hidden.
"Ohh~?"
Tobera's smile widened, her eyes gleaming as if she had found something far more interesting than before.
"Kakakaka~… Fubuki, we can introduce him to Maia, Yachiho, or Himari!"
"Eeeh?" Fubuki looked genuinely surprised, her shoulders slightly raised.
"Patriarch—no, Mother… I need to consider their opinions first."
Her tone tried to stay calm, but there was a clear hint of nervousness in it.
"What do you mean!?"
Tobera immediately cut in, her voice rising with excitement. She even tapped the table lightly, making the teacups tremble faintly.
"We have an outstanding future son-in-law right in front of us, and you want to stay quiet until someone else snatches him away!?"
Then, without pause, she turned sharply toward Kazuma.
"Also, kid. What do you think about Fubuki? If you want, you can take her too."
"...Hah?"
Kazuma's mind went blank.
A situation that had been serious—even tense—suddenly turned into something he could not have predicted at all.
Reflexively, he turned to the side.
Looking for the only person who could save him from this situation.
But—there was no one.
Yamazaki had already disappeared without a sound, without a trace, as if he had never been in the room to begin with.
'MASTER DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!!'
That scream only echoed inside his head. He had never felt this disappointed in his master before.