week had passed since the announcement of the academy event, and now, as the night quietly settled over the city, the anticipation in the air felt heavier than ever.
Inside his small apartment, Rentaro sat alone near the window, the pale glow of the moon shining through the glass and illuminating the room in a soft silver light, while in his hands, he carefully held a piece of paper, his fingers slightly trembling as he continued writing.
It was a letter.
A letter meant for Laica.
Rentaro paused for a moment, staring at the words he had written, his heart beating faster as he whispered to himself that this was it, that tomorrow he would finally confess his feelings, that he would tell her everything he had been keeping inside, how much he admired her, how much he liked her, and how she was the only one who treated him like he mattered.
He let out a nervous breath as he rubbed the back of his head, quietly saying that he had no idea how to confess properly, that he might mess everything up, yet despite his fear, a small smile appeared on his face as he said that he would still try.
As the night grew deeper, the silence around him became more noticeable, and as he lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling, a strange feeling crept into his chest, something he could not explain, a quiet uneasiness as if something was wrong, as if tomorrow would not go the way he hoped.
He turned to his side, clutching the letter slightly as he whispered that everything would be fine, that he was just overthinking, and as he closed his eyes, his thoughts slowly drifted toward Laica, imagining how she would react, imagining her smile, imagining her saying yes.
"I wish… I knew how to confess," he murmured softly.
And then, he fell asleep.
In his dream, everything was white.
An endless void stretched in every direction, silent and empty, until suddenly, a familiar crack formed in the distance, spreading like broken glass across reality itself.
From within that distortion, the giant eye appeared once more.
Its presence alone made the air feel heavy, almost suffocating, as it slowly looked down at Rentaro, its gaze piercing straight through him.
The voice echoed deeply as it spoke, telling him that it had not forgotten its promise, that it would repay the debt it owed to his father, and as Rentaro stood frozen, unable to move, the voice continued, saying that it would grant him a power, a power that could defy all rules, a power that did not belong to this world.
Before Rentaro could respond, before he could even ask what it meant—
Everything shattered again.
Rentaro suddenly woke up, his body jolting upright as he gasped for air, his heart racing as sweat ran down his forehead, and as he tried to calm himself, he whispered that it was just a dream, yet the feeling lingered, the words echoing in his mind, a power that can defy all.
He sat there for a moment, staring at his hands, unable to shake the feeling that something had changed.
Then suddenly, a voice echoed throughout the room as the academy announcement played through the speaker, the principal informing all students that they must gather in the gymnasium for the event.
Rentaro quickly got ready and made his way there, and as he entered the large arena, he took a seat among the crowd, his eyes scanning the area until he noticed Laica sitting not too far away, but beside her… was Clark.
Rentaro looked at them quietly, telling himself that they were probably just busy preparing for the event, trying to ignore the slight discomfort in his chest.
The lights suddenly dimmed, and the entire arena fell silent.
The event had begun.
A fourth-year student stepped onto the stage, raising his wand as he began the performance, and as he waved it, vines of green energy spiraled around him, forming a radiant beam of nature magic that shot into the air, glowing like a pillar of life itself.
Then, from the shadows, a girl appeared, her sword igniting in flames as she dashed forward, her movements swift and precise, and as she ran, fire engulfed her body, turning her into a blazing figure as she clashed against the beam, causing a burst of energy that lit up the entire arena.
The beam shattered into countless glowing particles, drifting down like golden pollen, and as they fell, the girl leaped into the air, tossing her sword upward as it shone brightly, releasing a warm light that spread across the arena like a summer sunset.
The crowd erupted into applause and cheers.
Rentaro watched in awe, whispering to himself that it was incredible, that he never imagined magic could be used like that, not just for fighting, but for expression, for beauty, for something more.
After the performance ended, students began leaving the arena, their voices filled with excitement as they talked about what they had seen, and as Rentaro stood up, his heart began to race again, reminding him of the letter in his hand.
This was it.
He walked through the crowd until he spotted Laica, and as he approached her, he tightened his grip on the letter before gently tapping her shoulder and calling her name, his voice slightly shaking as he said that he had something to tell her.
Before she could respond, he took a deep breath and said that he liked her, that he had a crush on her, and that he wanted her to go out with him.
For a moment, everything felt silent.
Rentaro closed his eyes, waiting for her answer, his heart pounding loudly in his chest, thinking that maybe, just maybe, she would accept him.
But then—
Whispers filled the air.
Someone said that he had just confessed to Laica, while another voice questioned if he was serious, asking if he did not know that she was Clark's girlfriend.
Rentaro's eyes slowly opened.
Clark stood there.
The Five Royals behind him.
Laica smiled.
But it was not the same smile.
She took the letter from Rentaro's hands, holding it up for everyone to see, and as the surrounding students watched closely, she slowly tore it in half, letting the pieces fall to the ground as she laughed, asking if he really thought she would go out with someone like him, calling him a failure as she proudly declared that she already had a boyfriend.
Before she could finish—
A powerful kick struck Rentaro's side.
His body flew backward, crashing onto the stage as dust filled the air, and as pain spread through his body, he struggled to move while Clark walked forward, his expression cold and furious as he asked how someone like him had the nerve to confess to his girl.
Laica grabbed Clark's arm and said that she wanted to see Rentaro cry, her voice filled with amusement as if everything was just a game to her.
Rentaro's vision blurred as tears formed in his eyes, the pain in his body nothing compared to the pain in his chest, as he realized that everything had been a lie, that the kindness he believed in was never real.
One of the Royals grabbed his shirt and dragged him to the center, throwing him down as they laughed, leaving him there broken and humiliated while the crowd slowly disappeared, until the arena was empty.
Later that day, Rentaro walked into the forest alone, his fists clenched as anger and frustration built inside him, and as he stopped in front of a large boulder, he slammed his fist against it, shouting why over and over again, asking why everyone else had power while he had nothing, why he had to be the weakest.
"I want to be strong… I want to be strong…" he repeated, his voice shaking.
Then suddenly—
A strange force surged through his arm.
A vibration.
A pulse.
And with one punch—
The boulder shattered.
Rentaro was thrown back by the force, his eyes wide in shock as he stared at the broken pieces, whispering to himself, asking what just happened, unable to understand how he had done it.
He looked at his hand and tried again, punching a tree, but nothing happened, which only confused him more as he tried to think, trying to remember what he felt at that moment.
He closed his eyes and imagined fire in his palm.
And suddenly—
A small flame appeared.
Rentaro's eyes widened as he stared at it, feeling the heat against his skin, and as realization slowly dawned on him, he tried again, imagining a weapon, and in the next moment, a dagger formed in his hand.
He gasped.
It was real.
He tested it, slicing through wood effortlessly, and as excitement filled his chest, he whispered that whatever he imagined… became real.
For the first time—
He smiled.
But before he could celebrate—
A voice echoed.
Telling him not to show his power yet.
Rentaro looked around, asking who was there, and the voice answered that it was his Bond, his weapon, revealing that its name was Aether Link, a power that turned imagination into reality.
The voice warned him that his power was dangerous, that it could attract beings from beyond, and that he must keep it hidden, and as Rentaro listened, he realized that this was the gift mentioned in his dream.
He looked at his hand once more, clenching it tightly as he stared at the sky, his eyes filled with determination.
And as the sunlight broke through the clouds, he declared to himself that he was no longer the weakest, that he would become the strongest.