The city was loud.
People talked in the streets.
Shops played the news on big screens.
"Unknown mage clears dungeon alone!"
"Monster defeated in the hospital!"
"Is there a new S-rank awakened?"
Everywhere, people wanted answers.
Everyone was talking about one person.
A mystery hero.
A shadow in fire.
But no one knew it was Haru.
---
Haru sat in the back of a small cafe.
He wore a hoodie and a mask.
He drank cold coffee.
His eyes watched the news on the screen above.
"Still talking about me," he thought.
He pulled his sleeve down to hide the mark on his wrist.
---
Then, the door opened.
A group of people walked in.
They wore long coats with magic symbols.
They had sharp eyes and quiet steps.
They looked around the cafe.
One of them spoke.
"We are from the Phoenix Guild," he said.
"We are looking for a powerful magic user."
---
Everyone looked up.
Whispers began.
"Is it that fire mage?"
"The one who solo cleared the dungeon?"
Haru kept his head down.
He did not move.
He felt sweat on his neck.
---
Another man walked in.
He wore a suit and glasses.
He was from the Titan Guild.
He smiled and said loudly, "If the mystery mage is here, come to us! We offer gold! Training! Fame!"
People gasped.
Some clapped.
Haru stayed silent.
---
A woman in white armor entered.
She was from the Silver Lotus Guild.
She had short hair and a cold voice.
"We offer peace and protection," she said.
"No pressure. Just power with purpose."
---
More guild recruiters arrived.
From the Wind Wolves, the Black Moon, and even the Royal Academy.
All of them said the same thing:
"We want the unknown dungeon soloist."
They left flyers.
They showed magic contracts.
They promised great rewards.
---
Haru left the cafe quietly.
He walked into a small alley.
He leaned against the wall and sighed.
"So many guilds… All looking for me."
He looked at his hand.
He remembered the spells.
The power.
The fire.
He was strong now.
Stronger than before.
But he wasn't ready to show it.
Not yet.
---
"I have to be careful," he said.
"If I join a guild now, they'll control me."
"I still need to protect my sister."
"I still need to learn who I really am."
---
Then, he heard a voice.
A soft whisper in the air.
"The mark glows… They will chase you now."
Haru turned.
No one was there.
But the wind felt heavy.
The mark on his wrist pulsed again.
Thump.
He knew—
This was just the beginning.
The next day, Haru went back to school.
He wore his school uniform and a tired smile.
But inside, he felt different.
Stronger.
Worried.
Afraid.
Too many people were talking.
Too many eyes were watching.
---
In the school hallway, students whispered.
"Did you hear about the dungeon?"
"Someone beat it alone!"
"No one saw the face... only fire and wind."
"A mage with crazy power..."
---
Haru walked past them.
He kept his head down.
But he could feel their eyes.
Some students pointed at him.
Some stopped talking when he came close.
Some just stared.
---
In class, the teacher tried to talk about dungeon safety.
But no one listened.
Everyone was thinking about the mysterious fire mage.
Even the teacher looked excited.
---
After class, two boys blocked Haru near his locker.
They were awakened students.
One had stone arms.
The other had fast legs.
They were not friendly.
---
"Hey, Haru," the tall one said.
"Where were you two days ago?"
"Yeah," the other said. "I didn't see you in class."
---
Haru stayed calm.
"I was working," he said.
They laughed.
"Sure… working."
"You're not awakened. You're just a cleaner."
"You think we're stupid?"
---
Haru clenched his fists.
He wanted to say something.
He wanted to show them his power.
But he didn't.
Not yet.
---
"I don't care what you believe," Haru said.
He walked away.
But the tall boy grabbed his arm.
"You smell like smoke," he said.
"Fire magic."
---
Haru pulled his arm free.
"Let go."
His voice was quiet.
But cold.
The boys watched him walk away.
Now, they were not laughing.
---
Later, in the bathroom, Haru looked in the mirror.
He lifted his sleeve.
The mark was still there.
Glowing soft red.
---
"I need to be more careful," he said.
"People are getting close."
"If they find out… they might hurt my sister."
---
Outside the bathroom, a girl with sharp eyes stood quietly.
She heard everything.
She watched Haru leave.
She smiled.
So small… so quiet…
But full of fire.
That night, Haru stood on the rooftop of a tall building.
The wind was cold.
The stars were bright.
The city below was full of light and sound.
Cars moved. People laughed. News played on giant screens.
And on every screen, the same question:
"Who is the fire mage?"
---
Haru looked at his hands.
He opened and closed his fingers.
He felt the magic inside.
It was calm now, but deep.
Hot.
Ready.
---
He sat down and sighed.
"So many people are searching," he said.
"Guilds, students, strangers…"
"They all want the fire mage."
---
He looked at the sky.
A soft cloud passed the moon.
"Should I tell them it's me?" he asked.
"Should I step forward?"
---
He remembered the boys who bullied him.
He remembered the people who laughed.
He remembered his little sister, lying still in the hospital.
He touched the mark on his wrist.
It pulsed again.
Thump.
---
"If I rise now," Haru said, "everyone will chase me."
"They will want my power."
"They will use me… or try to stop me."
He closed his eyes.
"And my little sister is not safe yet."
---
But he also felt something strong inside.
A voice.
Old.
Wise.
It was his past self.
The mage from long ago.
The one who knew all magic.
The one who fought dragons, kings, gods.
---
"You are strong," the voice said.
"You are ready."
---
Haru opened his eyes.
He stood up.
"I can't stay hidden forever," he said.
"But I must choose the right time."
---
He looked at the lights again.
He saw a news van driving fast.
He saw people pointing at the sky.
He saw rumors growing like fire.
---
"I will stay quiet," Haru said.
"For now."
"But I will train. I will grow."
"When the time is right…"
"I will rise."
---
He stepped back from the rooftop edge.
The wind blew harder.
His coat flapped behind him like a cape.
---
"Not yet," he whispered.
"But soon."
---
Far away, in a dark room…
A man with glowing eyes looked at a crystal ball.
Inside the ball was Haru's face.
The man smiled.
"He is choosing," the man said.
"And when he rises…"
"The world will shake."
The night was quiet.
Haru lay on his small bed in the corner of the room.
The light was off.
Only the moonlight came through the window.
His eyes stared at the ceiling.
He could not sleep.
Too many thoughts.
Too many questions.
---
His sister was still in the hospital.
He was stronger now.
But no one knew.
And the city… the world… was changing fast.
---
He touched the mark on his wrist.
It glowed soft red.
Warm.
Like a small fire inside him.
---
Then, it happened again.
A soft sound.
Not from outside.
Not from the room.
But from inside his head.
A voice.
Old.
Clear.
Strong.
---
"Haru…" the voice said.
He sat up.
He knew this voice.
It was his past self.
The 10-class mage.
The one who lived hundreds of years before.
---
"You can hear me now," the voice said.
Haru closed his eyes.
"Yes," he whispered. "I can hear you."
---
The voice spoke again.
"Your power is returning," it said.
"But the world is not what it seems."
---
Haru felt a chill in his chest.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
---
"There is a reason dungeons are appearing," the voice said.
"There is a reason you were reborn."
"There are others… from the past… like you."
---
"Others?" Haru asked.
"Yes," the voice answered.
"Some remember. Some do not."
"Some will help you. Others will try to destroy you."
---
Haru's hands shook.
He felt small again.
Even with all his magic, he was just a boy.
Alone.
Afraid.
---
"But I don't know what to do," he said.
"I just want to save my sister…"
---
The voice was quiet for a moment.
Then it spoke gently.
"You are not alone," it said.
"You have me."
"You have your heart."
"And one day… you will have allies."
---
"But remember, Haru…"
"The world is not what it seems."
"Watch the sky."
"Follow the fire."
"And trust your soul."
---
The voice faded.
The mark on his wrist pulsed once more.
Then went still.
---
Haru lay back down.
His eyes wide open.
He felt more awake than ever.
---
"The world is not what it seems…" he whispered.
He looked out the window again.
Above the clouds, the moon shone bright.
And behind it…
He thought he saw a flicker.
A light.
A shadow.
A gate.
---
To something greater.
To something waiting.