The atmosphere inside the training field was thick with tension. The laughter and chatter from the earlier trials had vanished, replaced by a suffocating silence. Yamada-sensei's voice cut through the crowd, sharp and commanding, "Everyone, calm down! Back to your classes, now!"
But no one was calm.Ryujin Akuma — the one everyone saw as calm, confident, and unshakable — lay motionless on the ground. His body was pale, his chest rising and falling weakly. Hikari Nakamura, still kneeling beside him, looked terrified. "Sensei, he… he just collapsed suddenly," he said, his voice trembling.
The school's medical team — helpers wearing white uniforms embroidered with golden letters spelling Noble Hospital — rushed in. They gently lifted Ryujin onto a stretcher, their faces serious. "Step aside, students," one of them said firmly.
Nami, Kai, Kenji, and the rest of Ryujin's group stood frozen. Nami's hands were trembling. "How… how did he faint like that? He was fine before the trial…"
Kenji clenched his fists. "Something's off. He's not the type to just pass out."
Kai's tone was more analytical, but concern seeped through his calmness. "Maybe it's backlash from his magic. But… I didn't see him use any spell."
As the helpers carried Ryujin toward the infirmary, Nami's eyes followed him until he disappeared around the corner. "Please be okay," she whispered.
Suddenly he goes into The White Space
Ryujin's consciousness drifted into emptiness.
He opened his eyes slowly. The world around him was… white. Not just white walls or floor — everything was pure, infinite blankness. There was no sound, no sky, no ground. Just a void that seemed to swallow all sense of direction.
Ryujin took a step forward, but the surface beneath his feet didn't even feel real. "Where… am I?" he muttered. His voice echoed endlessly. "How did I end up here?"
Then it hit him — the last thing he remembered was standing beside Hikari during the second test. He had tried to summon his magic, but the instant he reached for that power… the image of blood. The memory of his own hands — covered in blood — flashed in front of him.
He froze, trembling. "No… not that again…"
He gritted his teeth, slapping his own cheek. Smack!Nothing changed. The world didn't flicker, didn't react.
He pinched his arm hard. Still nothing.
"This… this has to be a dream," he said, panic creeping into his tone. "I have to wake up."
But the silence swallowed his words.
Then—
A faint, distorted sound rippled through the air. At first, it was like a hum. A whisper carried through the white void. But soon, it grew louder. Sharper. More defined.
Ryujin turned his head in every direction, searching for the source. "Who's there?"
The voices multiplied.
"Ryujin is a loser.""He has no magic.""He's a fallen noble.""He doesn't belong here."
Each voice echoed differently — some soft, others cruel, all overlapping.
"Shut up…" Ryujin muttered, clutching his head. "Shut up! Who are you?! Stop saying that!!"
But the voices only grew louder.
"You're worthless.""You will never awaken.""You failed your father."
Ryujin fell to his knees, his breathing uneven. "No… stop… please."
The voices twisted into laughter — mocking, endless laughter. And then, from within that chorus of hate, one figure appeared ahead of him.
The white void rippled. The shape of a man emerged — dark, almost transparent, as if molded from Ryujin's own shadow.
When Ryujin saw his face, everything inside him froze.
His lips trembled. "…Kinotaka?"
The figure didn't move, didn't speak. But his presence was suffocating.
Ryujin's eyes widened — memories flashing before him — blood, fire, screaming and the feeling of guilt that had eaten him alive since that day.
He stepped backward, fear taking over. "No… not you…"
Suddenly, the void beneath his feet shattered like glass — and he began falling. Down, endlessly.
"NOOO—!"
Ryujin gasped sharply — his body jolting upright.
He was back in reality.
The ceiling was white. The faint smell of medicine and disinfectant filled the air. He blinked several times before realizing he was lying on a bed in the school infirmary.
"…Was that… a dream?" he whispered, his voice hoarse.
"Ryujin!"
The voice pulled him back to the present. He turned his head to see Nami rushing toward him, her eyes wide with relief. "Thank god you're awake!"
Kenji, Kai, Brod, and even Chizuru were standing nearby. Each of them looked worried — and visibly relieved at the same time.
Nami sat beside him, gripping his hand tightly. "I was so scared… You just collapsed out of nowhere during the trial. Are you okay now?"
Ryujin blinked slowly, trying to gather his thoughts. "Yeah… I think so. My head hurts a little, but…"
Kai stepped closer, adjusting his glasses. "You fainted the moment you tried to use your magic. The helpers said you are fine no problems is in your body"
Kenji frowned. "then how did you faint "?
Ryujin tried to sit up, but his body felt weak. "I didn't… even use it," he muttered. "I just—" he paused, gripping the blanket tightly. "—I saw something. Or someone."
Nami tilted her head. "Someone?"
Ryujin hesitated. The image of Kinotaka flashed again in his mind — his expression cold, lifeless. "Yeah… someone I didn't expect to see again."
There was a brief silence. The group exchanged looks but didn't press him.
Yamada-sensei entered the infirmary just then, his usual relaxed face replaced with serious eyes. "So, you're finally awake, Akuma," he said, his tone heavy but relieved. "You gave everyone quite the scare out there."
Ryujin bowed his head slightly. "Sorry, Sensei."
Yamada waved his hand. "No need. Just rest for now. Your magic reaction was unstable — probably due to something deeper. You'll have to undergo a magical sync test later to make sure your Reikon isn't collapsing."
Kenji whistled softly. "Reikon collapsing… that sounds bad."
Yamada gave him a sharp glare. "It is bad, if he doesn't rest." He turned to Ryujin again. "I've seen students with hidden trauma before. Sometimes the body refuses to channel magic because the heart hasn't healed yet."
Ryujin looked down, silent. He knew Yamada was right — his fear of using magic wasn't just about losing control. It was about what he'd done with that power before.
After a pause, Yamada sighed. "Alright. Everyone out. Let him rest."
Nami stood up reluctantly. "Can I stay for a bit?"
Yamada smirked faintly. "Five minutes."
As the others left, Nami leaned closer to Ryujin, her voice soft. "You don't have to say what happened, but… whatever it was, don't blame yourself, okay? You've carried enough already."
Ryujin looked at her, surprised by her words. For the first time since he'd woken up, a small, tired smile formed on his face. "Thanks, Nami."
She smiled back. "Just get better soon. We still have to go to that matcha shop, remember?"
Ryujin chuckled weakly. "Yeah… I didn't forget."
As Nami left the room, Ryujin leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling once again.
But deep in his heart, one question echoed louder than anything else—
Why did I see Kinotaka?
And more importantly…
What was that white space trying to show me?
"I need to thank brod because he was the first one to help me while i was fainted..i need to thank him..he is the best person i had ever met...at least i see that while i was getting transferred to infirmary..i need to say sorry to teacher for doing this ruckus...i need to apologise to my friends for worrying them"