The morning sky was clear, with thin clouds hanging high overhead. However, the atmosphere on the Zephyrus Academy training field was anything but serene. The air was heavy, filled with an unseen tension. Fewer students were remaining than last week, but that was precisely why the atmosphere was more serious.
In the center of the field, Instructor Van stood with a stern stance. His gaze swept across the rows of students in front of him, sharp and pressing. He didn't smile, simply looking at each of them as if assessing who was worthy of remaining at the academy.
"Starting today, your training will be more intense," he shouted, his voice booming. "Those of you who remain will not expect any leniency."
The students fell silent, swallowing those words. No one dared to speak.
In the front row, Damian Kade stood with a straight body, though his eyes couldn't completely hide the wariness. Beside him were Liam, Rin, Tessa, Elric, and Nero. And now, there was a new face in the core ranks: Kaien Draymoor.
They all knew Kaien had just joined. But despite his status as a "new student," the aura he exuded was anything but that of a beginner. Damian glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, then quickly returned his gaze to the front. He didn't want to lose focus, but it was hard to ignore the presence of someone with superpowers like Kaien.
Instructor Van spoke again. "We'll begin with team formation practice. Kade, Draymoor, step forward. You two will be the first pair."
Several other students immediately turned their heads toward them. Some looked curious, others impressed. Quite a few were whispering, discussing how the two would work together.
Several students leaned in, whispering as they stared toward the center of the arena.
"Oh my gosh, this is a deadly duo... Damian and Kaien."
"Yes. Imagine the two strongest people in the class paired up. I don't know whether to admire or pity that dummy target."
"Damian with his ice is already insane... now add Kaien with his incredibly flexible summoning."
"Did you see that sparring session yesterday? They didn't look like new students at all. They felt more like instructors in disguise."
"If they're truly in sync… There probably isn't a single other student who can match them at this level besides Elric."
All eyes were now on Damian Kade and Kaien Draymoor, waiting to see what they would show. Damian faintly heard the voices, but chose to ignore them.
He took a deep breath, feeling the cool morning air enter his lungs. His hands clenched slightly at his sides, not out of nervousness, but because he knew all attention was now on him and Kaien.
Kaien, on the other hand, looked calm. His expression was flat, but his eyes were focused. He didn't seem to care about the stares of the other students judging his fight.
Instructor Van signaled with a raised hand. "Position."
Damian nodded slowly and stepped into the spot Instructor Van had designated. He took a deep breath.
Kaien stood on the other side, expressionless. Just a curt nod, then they moved to the spot Instructor Van had designated.
The atmosphere on the field grew tense. The other students held their breath, waiting. Even the usually chatty Elric was now silent, watching Damian and Kaien with wide eyes. Liam gripped his gloves tightly, while Tessa and Rin stared intently at Damian and Kaien. Nero, with his stoic face, remained as expressionless as ever.
Damian took another breath. "Kaien and I... huh?" he thought.
Damian knew the results of this training could be the beginning of how his friends would view Kaien, and how he himself would understand who Kaien truly was.
All eyes were now on the two figures in the center of the field. Their training had begun.
Damian raised his hand, and a stream of ice appeared, forming a solid defensive wall in front of them. At his side, Kaien calmly summoned his magic wolf. The creature stepped out of the mana circle, its gray fur gleaming faintly in the morning light.
Instructor Van waved his hand, launching several magic fireballs as a simulated attack. Without hesitation, Damian immediately conjured and thickened his ice defense wall. An explosion rang out as the flames struck, small cracks appearing on the surface, but the ice remained standing.
At the same time, Kaien's magic wolf leaped onto the ice wall. With nimble speed, it charged straight at the target dummy placed behind the instructor. Its attack was sharp, and in one fell swoop, the wooden target shattered.
Damian glanced up briefly, his brow furrowed. "So synchronized, huh?" he said quietly.
Kaien simply nodded slightly. "You block the attack. I attack. Simple."
A confused Damian turned his gaze back to the front.
"His reactions and attacks are truly precise," Damian muttered to himself.
A small cheer erupted from the other students watching, while Instructor Van simply marked his notes expressionlessly. The practice continued, but everyone watching knew: Damian and Kaien's first teamwork was going smoothly, too smoothly for a newly formed pair.
Next, Rin and Tessa advanced to the center of the field. The combination of Rin's wind magic and Tessa's fire magic created a burst of heat mixed with a vortex, pushing the magic puppets backward until they fell.
Next, it was Nero and Elric's turn. Nero moved swiftly with his shadow powers, while Elric maintained his trademark savage style, relying on his own strength to destroy the puppets directly.
During a brief break, Elric plopped down on a bench near Kaien. He turned around with a grin.
"Hey, Summoner. If you have a wolf, I can make a bull golem. How about they fight? It'll be fun!" Elric joked.
Kaien only glanced briefly, then smiled faintly. "As long as your golems don't run away in fear."
Elric paused for a moment, then burst out laughing. "I like the way you talk!"
Damian, who was sitting nearby, slapped his forehead in resignation.
"Great, now we have two equally annoying people," Damian said.
Liam, beside him, sighed. "Oh my God, why do we have two Elrics?"
Some of the students around them chuckled at the comment, making the tense atmosphere of morning practice a little lighter.
Cafeteria, Afternoon
Their table felt livelier than usual. Elric was busy rambling on about the idea of a duel between summons, his hands fidgeting excitedly. Kaien only responded with occasional brief comments, but that only made Elric even more eager to continue his story.
Tessa leaned in, whispering to Rin. "I thought Kaien would be quiet all the time. Turns out with Elric… he really connects."
Rin nodded, holding back a smile. "The problem is, he connects in a way that makes people dizzy."
Damian watched them from across the table. He let out a long sigh, feeling a mix of amusement and resignation. Somehow, Elric and Kaien really seemed to fit together.
Back Garden, Evening
The afternoon sun was beginning to set. Damian sat on a bench in the garden behind the academy, his shoulders heavy after an extra training session. His breathing had returned to normal, but his mind was still preoccupied with what had happened on the field today.
Next to him, Kaien sat relaxed. His uniform was still messy from training, his black hair falling to his forehead, but his eyes remained calm. He didn't look tired, despite the obvious exertion he'd exerted during the session.
Damian spoke first, his voice low but clear.
"Today's training... was quite good," Damian said.
Kaien turned his head slightly, his expression unchanged. "I'm getting used to working together," he replied evenly.
Damian stared at him for a few seconds. There were many things he wanted to ask about Kaien's composure in every battle, about the goals he'd mentioned, about the familiarity that felt like a long-time friend between him and his friends. But Damian chose to hold back.
"I'm not forcing you, I just want to know who you really are," Damian said seriously.
Kaien didn't answer immediately. He stared at the evening sky, which was starting to redden, the wind carrying the faint sounds of birds returning to their nests. His face remained calm, but a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Kaien Draymoor, nothing more, nothing less," Kaien replied, taking a deep breath.
Damian sighed, then nodded. "Okay. Time will tell. I trust you."
The two of them fell silent again. The evening breeze blew gently, rustling the leaves around them. For a moment, neither of them spoke another word.
In his heart and mind, Damian knew the answers he and his friends were seeking wouldn't come so soon.