The sun had barely risen, casting gold across the Royal Capital. Its first light bathed the stone walls of the Magic Knights' barracks and glimmered off distant rooftops. The entrance exam had concluded the day before, and though final squad selections were just hours away, the three boys from Hage weren't resting.
Not when Asta had something wild in mind.
"WAKE UP, KAEL! TRAINING TIME!!" Asta's voice thundered through their temporary quarters.
Kael sat up slowly, crimson eyes glowing faintly. "What time is it…?"
"Who cares?! We've gotta get strong before squad selections! Who knows what kind of test they'll throw at us!"
From the corner bed, Yuno muttered, "We literally just passed the test."
"That doesn't mean we stop!" Asta shouted, already stretching and jumping in place like a man possessed. "C'mon! Outside!"
Kael rubbed his temples. "You have the energy of a demon possessed goat."
"Thanks!" Asta beamed.
Kael sighed, but his smile betrayed amusement. "Alright. Let's see what your 'crazy idea' is."
---
Training Ground – Just Outside the Capital
The boys found an empty clearing with training dummies and cracked stone platforms, no longer in use by the Magic Knights. A few birds fluttered off as Asta dropped his bag and unsheathed a wooden sword.
"I figured we each train like maniacs—but take turns pushing each other," Asta said, striking a pose. "You'll spar with me first, Kael. Yuno's gonna time us and give us challenges!"
Yuno crossed his arms. "What kind of challenges?"
Asta grinned. "Stuff like: hit a hundred times in thirty seconds! Or dodge twenty ice blasts blindfolded!"
Kael blinked. "I'm… starting to think you hit your head too hard during the exam."
Yuno muttered, "It was a concrete wall."
"Only a little cracked!" Asta added proudly.
Kael stepped forward and conjured a glowing white training blade from his grimoire. "Alright, then. Let's go, musclehead."
Asta charged, laughing. "NOW YOU'RE TALKIN'!"
---
Round One – Sparring
Asta came in wild and fast, like a hurricane of strength and instinct. Kael dodged with calm precision, slipping between swings and countering with light taps to Asta's arms and shoulders.
"Too slow."
"I'm just warming up!"
Kael twirled the blade in his hand, body flowing like wind.
"You rely on strength alone," he said calmly. "But there's rhythm to battle. Timing. Control."
Asta growled. "I've got control!"
He swung hard—and Kael vanished.
A moment later, Asta's legs were swept out from under him, and he landed on his back.
"Augh! Okay—ow. Fine. You've got the rhythm, I've got the roar!"
Kael chuckled and offered a hand. "Together, we'll make the storm."
---
Round Two – Magic Dodge
Yuno created a series of weak wind blades that swirled around Kael in an unpredictable pattern.
"Blindfold on," Yuno said. "React using mana sensing."
Kael slipped the cloth over his eyes and breathed deep.
> [System Skill Triggered – Flow Sense]
Perceive movement in air, energy, and intent within 10 meters.
Kael flowed like water. Ducking, spinning, sliding—every wind slash passed by within inches. One even nicked his sleeve.
"Close," Yuno muttered. "But you're adapting."
Kael removed the blindfold, sweat on his brow. "You've got precision down to a science."
"You've got unpredictability. Together, we'd be unbeatable."
Kael gave him a small, genuine smile.
> These weren't just allies now. They were friends.
---
Later – Rest Under the Tree
The sun was now fully up. The trio sat beneath a thick oak, breathing heavily, clothes stained with dirt and sweat.
"That," Asta said between gasps, "was… the BEST IDEA EVER!"
"You said that last time you slipped down the orphanage stairs trying to fly," Yuno reminded him.
"That almost worked."
Kael leaned back, staring at the canopy above.
Despite everything—the system, the memories, the divergence of this world's fate—he felt… at peace. For once.
Asta and Yuno continued bickering playfully, but Kael's focus drifted.
> [System Notice – Emotional Bond Strengthened]
New Passive Unlocked: "Soul Thread – Brotherhood"
Effect: Gain +10% synergy when fighting alongside Asta or Yuno.
His eyes widened.
> So bonds… influence power?
> This world really was shaped by heart as much as strength.
---
Meanwhile – Distant Castle Balcony
Two pairs of eyes watched from a distance.
Vanessa leaned lazily over the edge of the Vermillion estate roof, sipping from a gourd of wine. "Look at 'em go… especially that white-haired one. He moves different."
Mimosa stood nearby, watching with growing curiosity. "He… doesn't act like a commoner. But he's not arrogant either."
"I like the way he flows," Vanessa said with a smirk. "He's got purpose in his swing."
"Do you think he'll join Golden Dawn?" Mimosa asked.
Vanessa chuckled. "Doubt it. That boy looks like someone who writes his own destiny."
---
Back with the Trio – Wrapping Up
"Tomorrow's the squad announcement," Kael said softly, still gazing up at the sky.
Asta nodded. "Yeah… and we'll finally get to chase our dreams!"
Yuno closed his eyes. "Doesn't matter where we end up. We'll keep rising. All of us."
Kael glanced at them both.
> They saw the future as a path.
He saw it as a battlefield.
But for now, under the sun, with laughter and brotherhood, Kael could almost forget the weight he carried.
Almost.