Summer break had arrived, casting its warm glow across Mahoutokoro's island.
The school sat perched high above the sea, its golden tiles gleaming under the sun like an unspoken promise of endless potential.
The exams were over, and Nero had breezed through them without much effort, his control over Void stable, and his magic sharper than ever.
The real progress, however, had come after the exams.
In the quiet hours of the night, Nero had written letters to the people who meant the most to him.
Alaric, Ember, and Lilith, his closest friends, and to Dumbledore.
He'd shared his breakthrough in containing Void, his decision to stay in Japan for another year, and his hope that they were progressing in their own journeys.
The responses had come swiftly.
Alaric, with his steady, grounded nature, wrote that he too would be studying at Uagadou for another year, determined to master their unique, wandless magic.
Ember, fiery as ever, promised to train like a beast at Koldovstoretz, boasting that she'd become a combat mage who could stand toe-to-toe with anyone.
Lilith explained she'd stay at Durmstrang to immerse herself in the dark arts, not to fall into them, but to understand them and learn how to wield them efficiently.
Dumbledore's response was different.
He had proposed to meet Nero at the start of August, with Fawkes to pick him up.
His words were cryptic yet warm, hinting at something that would require Nero's help.
Nero agreed without hesitation.
For now, though, he focused on his growth.
Nero had structured his days like clockwork.
Four of his six clones devoted themselves solely to Muso, running through endless kata, sparring with each other, and attempting to replicate the perfect strike that would split the helmet.
Each clone meticulously analyzed every failure, pushing slightly closer to the essence of Muso with every repetition.
Meanwhile, the real Nero and his two remaining clones practiced magic, experimenting with spell combinations, refining counter-curses, and testing the limits of their combat versatility.
There were no widely available texts on Principle, only lived experience.
So Nero turned inward, using his Raven Eyes to observe his clones as they fought, dissecting the way magic flowed through their bodies.
The Void was no longer just a silent abyss within him.
When he focused, he could feel the subtle currents of magic through it, as if the emptiness sharpened his perception.
His Raven Eyes let him see the magic, the Void let him feel it.
Together, they created a strange synergy, allowing Nero to predict magical flow with frightening accuracy.
But even that wasn't enough.
No matter how much he learned, how many spells he perfected, Nero felt a gaping hole in his development.
Knowledge without true experience.
Power without true instinct.
And so, after weeks of relentless refinement, he went to find Mu and Zen.
Mu and Zen sat on the porch of the dojo, watching the sun set over the ocean.
Zen lazily tossed small spheres of light into the air, letting them drift like miniature stars before extinguishing them with a snap of his fingers.
Nero approached, bowing slightly out of respect. "Mu. Zen."
Zen didn't look up. "Here to report another breakthrough already?" he teased. "What is it this time? Did you figure out how to bend gravity with Void?"
"Not quite," Nero said with a faint smile. "I came to ask for something else."
Mu set down his cup of tea, watching Nero with his usual stoic intensity. "Speak."
Nero took a breath. "I want more hands-on fighting experience."
Zen raised an eyebrow. "We spar with you almost every day."
"That's not what I mean," Nero said, shaking his head. "I want real fights. Life-or-death fights.
I want to face people who want more than just to beat me, people who would kill me if I make a mistake."
The air seemed to tighten.
Mu's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
Nero met his gaze, voice steady. "Because there are people who won't hesitate to kill me."
Zen's playful demeanor faded.
"I am Nero Ravenclaw. Heir to both the Ravenclaw and Dumbledore lines.
And worse than that…" his tone sharpened, "I am not incompetent.
It is public knowledge, at least in the UK, that I am smart and very talented.
I am not a pawn that fits neatly into anyone's plans, and that alone makes me a threat."
He paused.
"I already have enemies.
You both know what happened to my grandmother, Melina Ravenclaw.
You know it won't end there."
Mu said nothing, but his eyes darkened slightly.
"I can't afford to be strong only in a controlled environment.
I need to know how to make split-second decisions when it's real.
When a wrong choice could cost my life. Or that of my allies."
Nero's fists clenched at his sides.
"I have more spells, more knowledge, than I know what to do with.
But that means nothing if I freeze. If I hesitate.
I don't want to just know the best spell, or the best combination.
I want to be able to use it when it matters.
And that kind of instinct is only tempered in the heat of danger."
Nero continued. "I've learned how to contain Void. I'm refining Muso.
But I don't want to reach mastery in a vacuum. I want to forge that mastery in the real world.
I want to fight as if my life depends on it, because one day, I will have to be ready."
Mu and Zen exchanged a long, silent glance.
Then Zen chuckled, low and dark. "You're serious, huh?"
"I am."
Mu exhaled slowly, turning to face the horizon. "...There is a place," he said, voice quiet.
"A place for survival. This will not be a school duel or a tournament."
Zen's grin sharpened. "This is a place where people fight for keeps. Criminals. Outcasts. People who use magic in ways the world pretends doesn't exist."
Nero didn't flinch. "When can we go?"
Zen laughed, standing up and stretching. "You don't waste time, do you?" He turned to Mu.
"What do you think? Should we throw the kid to the wolves?"
Mu's expression was unreadable. He studied Nero for a long moment, then finally nodded.
"If this is the path you choose, we will not stop you. But once you step into that world, you step alone."
"That's all I need, thank you." Nero said, bowing. "I will have around one month before I need to meet with Grandpa Dumbledore"
Zen slapped a hand on Nero's back, nearly knocking him over. "Alright, kid. You want hell? We'll give you hell."
The path ahead would be a battlefield. A place of tragedy.
And Nero was ready to face it.
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