The training room beneath Aunt Nari's bakery echoed with the rhythm of progress. Shadows moved like extensions of Kael Ishiro's will—precise, fluid, unrelenting. His feet slid across the steel floor, Darkbind snaking around his arms like twin serpents. What once lashed out uncontrollably now obeyed every flick of his hand, every whisper of intent.
Voidflare observed silently from the control room. "His control is exceptional now. Not even a flicker of resistance left."
Aunt Nari, arms folded, nodded. "Two months of near-daily work. He's finally made it his."
Yumi grinned from behind the glass, eyes bright with pride. "He's gotten so cool."
Shadow Mastery
Kael launched forward, Darkbind forming twin scythes from his arms. He slashed through a combat drone mid-air and twisted mid-roll to shield himself with a dome of shadows as plasma rounds fired from turrets.
Then he disappeared.
Darkbind retracted like mist into his skin as he phased into the dark floor, emerging behind the turret. A simple whip of shadow crushed it.
"Clear," Kael muttered.
The training system powered down, leaving only silence.
Yumi burst into the room seconds later. "That was amazing!"
Kael wiped his forehead with a towel and gave a modest smile. "Feels like I finally stopped fighting the Quirk and started working with it."
Voidflare stepped inside. "You've surpassed my expectations. If you keep this up, you'll dominate the U.A. entrance exam."
Kael nodded but said nothing.
…
That night, the scent of cinnamon and fresh bread filled the upper floor of the bakery, but the mood was subdued.
Yumi sat at the window, a duffel bag resting at her feet. Her cosmic energy flickered around her fingers as she stared at the skyline.
Her voice was soft. "Moms agent is picking me up tomorrow."
Kael sat across from her. He knew this moment was coming. Her mother, a Pro Hero overseas, had finally opened her doors to help Yumi understand the raw power within her—the same Quirk they shared.
"You nervous?" he asked.
Yumi smiled sadly. "A little. It's three years… that's a long time."
Kael looked down. "You'll master it. You have to. You've got your dad's raw power and strength… but now you'll have your mom's control over it."
She chuckled. "That's the idea."
Aunt Nari passed by with a tray of food, sensing the tension but letting them talk uninterrupted.
…
The next morning came too fast.
The agent, a tall man in a black suit and dark glasses, waited patiently by a sleek black vehicle outside the bakery.
Kael and Yumi stood just outside the door, the morning sun casting long shadows across the sidewalk. Her duffel bag rested by her side, the fabric embroidered with stars and flames—her parents' legacy fused into her own.
"I still can't believe you're going," Kael said, voice tight.
Yumi held his gaze. "I have to. If I'm going to be a hero, I can't keep losing control when things get serious. Even Dad has outbursts at times. Goes to show how uncontrollable my qurik can be, even if I do gain experience. My mom's the only one who really knows what this Quirk can do however. She's studied the stars, even left me behind in japan just to further her research. She has to teach me. She has too."
Kael nodded slowly. "I get it."
They stood there for a moment, the noise of the city muted around them. Yumi reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver ring on a thin black chain.
She placed it in Kael's hand. "Hold onto this for me. It was my mom's. Until I come back."
Kael stared at the ring for a long moment. "I will."
Then she leaned forward, her voice low. "Promise me we'll meet again—stronger, the both of us."
Kael's heart pounded. "I promise. I'll be strong enough to protect you… and everyone else I care for."
Yumi smiled through a glimmer of tears. "Then this won't be goodbye."
She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek—soft, brief, but powerful.
Kael froze, eyes wide.
She laughed quietly and stepped away, grabbing her bag.
As she walked toward the car, she paused just before getting in. "Don't forget your promise, Kael Ishiro."
"I won't," he whispered.
Then she was gone.
The car pulled away down the street. Kael stood there for a long time, shadows at his feet curling in the wind.
Aunt Nari stepped beside him. "You okay?"
He nodded. "She'll come back stronger. And when she does…"
He clenched his fist, Darkbind shimmering slightly under his skin.
"I'll be ready."
…
Over the following weeks, the bakery's training room was quieter. No Yumi throwing cosmic sparks, no lighthearted teasing. Kael still trained daily—harder than ever.
But the silence pushed him inward.
He thought about what Balancekeeper could really do. What it meant to wield power that could change destinies. And what it meant to hide it for the sake of survival.
He remembered Ren's Hardening Quirk—how he'd borrowed it for a short time, only to realize how much mastery it took. Returning it had been the right call. But it had taught him a lesson:
No Quirk came easy. Every ability came with pain, responsibility, and consequences.
He didn't want Balancekeeper to become a shortcut. He wanted to be worthy of every Quirk he ever used.
…
One night, Aunt Nari handed Kael an envelope with international postage.
"She wrote," she said simply.
Kael opened it carefully. Yumi's handwriting was messy, rushed, but full of energy:
"Training here is WILD. My mom is strict but brilliant. I accidentally lit an entire lake on fire during meditation training. Oops? I miss you. I miss Nari's pastries. I haven't had anything decent since I left. I'm working on my control. Someday I'll come back and we'll spar again—me, you, and Dad. Until then, don't slack off, Kael. — Yumi."
Kael folded the letter slowly and smiled.
…
That night, Kael stood on the roof of the bakery, gazing up at the stars. The city lights shimmered below. He held the silver ring in one hand and closed his eyes.
"Balancekeeper, Darkbind, whatever I have to use… I'll get stronger," he said softly. "Not just for me. For her. For everyone."
The shadows swirled gently around him—not wild or chaotic, but calm and focused.
He felt ready.
The U.A. entrance exam was just under three years away.
And Kael Ishiro would be ready for whatever challenges ahead.