The seventh month of Kaiden's stay in Lorenzo's house began… differently.
For the first time in half a year, he wasn't dragging himself out of bed to get whacked by Lorenzo's cane. No drills. No running until his lungs burst. No wooden swords cracking against his ribs.
Just… rest.
Kaiden sprawled across the bed, arms stretched out, staring at the wooden ceiling beams. "So this is what freedom feels like," he muttered.
He could hear Lorenzo chuckle faintly from the garden below. "Don't get used to it, boy. Rest is part of training. You'll need your strength for what comes next."
Kaiden groaned and rolled over, hugging his pillow. "Yeah, yeah. Let me enjoy being alive for once."
But even as he complained, his mind wandered back to the moment he broke the training dummy with nothing more than a gentle thrust. Zephyr Flow. His Flow. The words still felt unreal.
Was he actually… special? Or was this some fluke the wind decided to gift him?
---
Three days into his "vacation," a knock echoed at the door. Lorenzo went to answer, and Kaiden's ears immediately caught two voices—familiar voices.
"Yo, old man! Still alive?"
"You look the same. Guess wrinkles don't increase past a certain age."
Kaiden froze mid-bite of bread. "…Wait. No way."
He rushed out of his room, nearly choking, and there they were. Yuki—sharp-eyed, smug grin, leaning casually against the doorframe—and Leonardo, towering as ever, his calm demeanor unshaken even after months.
Kaiden's heart jumped. "You guys—?!"
Yuki smirked. "Miss us?"
"I thought you two just dropped me off here to rot!"
Leonardo chuckled. "We wanted to see if you survived. And by the looks of it… you did."
Kaiden folded his arms. "Barely."
Lorenzo tapped his cane, smirking. "He's grown. Come in, you two. See for yourselves."
The three of them moved into the garden. Kaiden sat awkwardly, suddenly feeling like he was about to be graded on a test he hadn't studied for.
"So,"Yuki said, leaning forward, "how's the training? You awaken anything? Or are you still playing chopsticks with wooden swords?"
Kaiden hesitated, then nodded slowly. "…I did. I awakened Flow."
Leonardo raised an eyebrow. "Good. That's faster than most. And? Which Flow?"
Kaiden rubbed the back of his neck, his voice quieter. "Well… that's the thing. I, uh… kinda… made a new one."
The garden fell silent. Even the wind seemed to pause.
Yuki blinked once, then laughed. "Pfft. Yeah, right. You? Made a Flow?"
Leonardo didn't laugh. He stared at Kaiden, measuring him. "Are you serious?"
"I'm serious!"Kaiden insisted, throwing his arms up. "I didn't mean to! It just… happened!"
Yuki shook his head. "That's impossible. People spend decades with Flow before they even think of creating new branches. You've been training for—what, six months? That's baby level."
"Exactly," Leonardo added. "The youngest recorded Flow innovator was twenty-three years old, with fifteen years of mastery. You can't just… stumble into it."
Kaiden bristled. "Well, apparently I can! Lorenzo even named it!"
Both of them turned to the old man. Lorenzo gave a small nod. "He's telling the truth. I witnessed it."
Yuki blinked again, his grin faltering. "…Wait, you're not joking?"
"No joke,"Lorenzo said calmly. "Kaiden Cassano created a branch of Gale Flow."
The two stood frozen for a moment. Then Yuki suddenly pointed at Kaiden. "Prove it."
---
Kaiden gulped. "Uh… prove it?"
Leonardo's lips curved into a faint smile. "Yes. Show us."
Kaiden shifted uneasily. "I mean… I've only used it on dummies. Never on, you know… actual people."
"That's fine," Yuki said, grabbing a wooden sword from the rack. He twirled it effortlessly. "Then you'll use it on us."
Kaiden's eyes bulged. "WHAT?!"
Leonardo picked up another wooden blade, moving with calm precision. "Think of it as sparring. You'll learn faster this way."
"No, no, no—this is crazy. I'm not ready!" Kaiden protested.
Yuki smirked. "Scared?"
Kaiden pointed at him. "Of course I'm scared! You guys literally shoot lightning and fire out of your weapons!"
Leonardo tilted his head. "We'll hold back. And besides…" He tapped the blade gently against his palm. "This will tell us if your Flow is real. Or just beginner's luck."
Kaiden froze, torn between running back inside and proving himself. His stomach twisted, but then he remembered what Lorenzo told him, what Sylvie had said, what he promised himself: If there's even a little hope, don't give up.
He gritted his teeth. "…Fine. Let's do this."
The three of them took positions in the garden. Lorenzo sat at the edge, cane resting on his lap, watching silently.
Yuki grinned, bouncing on his feet. "Don't hold back, rookie. Show us this 'legendary Flow' of yours."
Kaiden tightened his grip on his wooden sword, inhaled deeply, and steadied himself. His heart pounded. Okay… you can do this. Just trust it.
He lunged forward, aiming straight for Leonardo. His blade thrust with precision—
Piercing Gust!
A gentle breeze rippled out, brushing against Leonardo's chest. Harmless. Almost laughably soft.
Yuki burst into laughter. "That's it?! That's your almighty Flow? Dude, it felt like someone exhaled on him."
Kaiden's face flushed. "Shut up, it's not done yet—!"
Then, a heartbeat later, the air detonated.
A sudden push of wind exploded against Leonardo, shoving him back a full step. Dust scattered.
Leonardo blinked, eyes wide, his stance strained but unbroken. "…Interesting."
Yuki's laughter cut off instantly. "Wait. That—what?"
Leonardo steadied himself, his expression serious now. "It's delayed. The initial strike disarms the guard… then the second impact forces the opponent back. Very deceptive."
Kaiden lowered his sword, panting slightly. "See? Told you it wasn't just air!"
Yuki's grin returned, but it wasn't mocking anymore. It was sharp. Hungry. "Okay… okay, I'll admit—that was sick. Still weak, but sick. One problem though…"
He suddenly dashed forward, his wooden sword flashing. "Can you handle someone who doesn't give you time for the second hit?!"
Kaiden barely raised his blade in time, blocking as sparks of lightning danced faintly along Yuki's weapon. The impact rattled through his arms, nearly knocking him over.
"Holy—! You said you'd hold back!"
"I am holding back!" Yuki shouted, already swinging again.
Kaiden stumbled, deflecting blow after blow, panic surging. Leonardo stepped in, not striking, but circling, watching every move Kaiden made.
Sweat drenched Kaiden's brow. His arms screamed. His legs shook. "This… this is insane…"
But deep inside, he felt it again—that gentle current, that whisper of wind. He exhaled sharply, thrust forward, and aimed another Piercing Gust at Yuki.
The breeze brushed Yuki harmlessly—he smirked, lowering his guard—then WHAM! The delayed burst slammed into him, shoving him back across the dirt.
Yuki skidded, planting his sword to stop himself. His grin widened. "Ohhh, now that's nasty."
Leonardo finally stepped forward, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "Enough."
Yuki sighed, lowering his blade. "Fine, fine. Buzzkill."
Kaiden stood there, panting, arms trembling, but his chest swelled with something new. For once, he didn't feel like dead weight.
---
The three of them regrouped, weapons lowered. Yuki crossed his arms, still smirking. "Alright… I'll say it. You weren't lying. That Flow's real."
Leonardo nodded slowly. "It is different from Gale. Similar in principle, but distinct. Gentler. Deceptive."
Kaiden exhaled shakily. "It's called Zephyr. Lorenzo named it. He said it came from the Greek god Zephyrus—the gentle breeze."
Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Greek god, huh? Fancy."
Leonardo's eyes lingered on Kaiden, thoughtful. "Zephyr Flow. A branch born in six months… unheard of."
For the first time, both of them looked at Kaiden not with doubt or pity—but with something else. Respect.
Kaiden blinked. "…You guys actually believe me now?"
Yuki snorted. "Don't get cocky. You've got a long way to go. But yeah… we believe you."
Kaiden grinned despite his exhaustion. "Good. 'Cause I was about to cry if you didn't."
As the laughter died down, Yuki suddenly pulled something from his coat pocket. An envelope.
He tossed it at Kaiden, who fumbled to catch it. "Here. This is for you."
Kaiden blinked at the seal on the front—an emblem he didn't recognize. "Uh… what's this?"
"Your acceptance letter,"Yuki said casually. "Congratulations. You're officially in the University of Flow Arts."
Kaiden's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"
Leonardo smiled faintly. "We recommended you. The council accepted. You're now a student."
Kaiden shook his head wildly. "Wait, wait, wait—what do you mean accepted?! I didn't even apply!"
Yuki grinned, leaning closer. "Doesn't matter. You're in."
Kaiden's heart thundered. His hands trembled as he held the envelope, his mind racing. Just like that… his life was about to change again.
He opened his mouth to speak—
But before he could, the ground trembled.
A low rumble echoed from beyond the hills, like thunder rolling across the earth. Birds scattered from the trees, the air tightening with tension.
Leonardo's smile faded. "…That's not normal."
Yuki's grin vanished too, replaced by sharp focus. "Well… guess your first test is coming sooner than we thought."
Kaiden clutched the envelope tighter, his throat dry.
What the hell is happening now