"It seems your ability is quite extraordinary," Aiden remarked after Danny demonstrated his golden sphere of energy. "Perhaps when you're a little older, the full scope of your powers will manifest."Danny, still catching his breath, gave a small smile. "I think so too. By the way… what about you two? What are your abilities?"His curious gaze flicked between Aiden and Jean.Aiden chuckled softly. He raised his hand, and a book resting on his nightstand floated gently into the air. Without him touching it, the pages began flipping by themselves, each turn precise and controlled.Danny's eyes lit up in awe. "Wow, that's so cool."Before Aiden could reply, Jean joined in. Her sapphire eyes glowed faintly as her telekinesis surged. Instantly, multiple objects around the dormitory rose into the air—pillows, clothes, books, even Danny's suitcase. The entire room seemed to be caught in zero gravity, objects spinning lazily above their heads.But then, something unexpected happened.The moment Jean released her power, Aiden felt it—an immense pressure slamming against his mind. It was as if her psychic energy reached out instinctively, colliding with his own.His head pounded violently, like a hammer striking his skull. His vision blurred, and his consciousness wavered.Beside him, Danny gave a muffled groan and collapsed onto the bed, slipping instantly into a deep, childlike sleep."Danny!" Jean gasped, her eyes wide. She immediately withdrew her telekinesis, and the objects in the room clattered back down. Panic welled in her chest as she turned to Aiden.> "Aiden—are you alright? I… I didn't mean to!"Her voice trembled, her sapphire eyes glistening with tears on the verge of falling.Aiden gritted his teeth, enduring the stabbing pain in his head. He forced a strained smile.> "No… I'm fine. Really."But Jean wasn't convinced. Her lips quivered, her small fists clenched at her sides.> "I'm sorry, Aiden. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."Her voice cracked, and unable to face him any longer, she turned and ran from the room, her fiery red hair streaming behind her.---The pounding in Aiden's head worsened, but before he could collapse, a familiar voice resonated in his mind.> "Aiden, are you alright?"It was Charles.Aiden forced himself to respond. "Professor… don't worry. I'm fine."But Charles's tone carried guilt. "It was my mistake. I should have stopped it sooner. I was speaking with Mr. Edwin and failed to intercept Jean's telekinetic backlash in time."Aiden's eyes widened slightly, even through the pain. "Professor… are you saying that usually, you've been blocking her psychic impact?"Charles's voice grew solemn. "Yes. Jean's telekinesis is naturally powerful, and whenever she uses it, it produces a psychic shockwave. Before you arrived, she often caused other students to faint. I normally suppress it for her."Aiden blinked in realization. That explained so much. No wonder Jean had been ostracized, even here.He drew a shaky breath. "Professor, what you're doing is useless. Instead of blocking her constantly, wouldn't it be better for her to actively learn control? She needs to face her strength."Charles hesitated. "I know… but she is still a child. The pain she carries—""Leave it to me," Aiden interrupted firmly. "Her mental pressure… it actually helps me. It strengthens my own telekinesis. And if I can handle it, maybe I can also help Jean become familiar with her power."There was a long silence. Then, Charles's voice came softly. "…Very well. But promise me you'll be cautious. Don't let yourself be harmed. I'll continue shielding the others until Jean learns control. Once she does, I'll remove my intervention completely."Aiden gave a faint smile. "Deal."But even as the words left him, exhaustion overcame him. He sank onto the bed, his mind slipping into drowsy sleep.---Morning light streamed through the curtains.Aiden's eyes opened slowly, and to his surprise, the pain from last night was gone. More than that—his mind felt sharper, clearer.He sat up, focusing inward.With a single thought, his telekinesis surged outward. Instantly, a circular sphere of perception bloomed in his mind, extending seven or eight meters around him. Every object within that radius, every sound, every shift of air—he could feel it.A grin tugged at his lips.> "The range of my telekinesis… it's increased. By a lot."He quickly tested further. The bedside lamp floated into the air, spinning smoothly in complex trajectories. He directed it up and down, left and right, until a light strain touched his mind.The difference was undeniable. His strength had grown severalfold overnight.Jean's mental pressure hadn't just hurt him—it had tempered him.He thought of Danny, who had fainted instantly. His mental resilience was no stronger than an ordinary human's, so the shock had crushed him completely. Aiden, however, possessed both the same telekinetic talent and a will far stronger than most. He had survived—and grown from it.It was like resistance training for the mind. Painful, but effective.---He turned toward Danny's bed. The elegant little gentleman from last night was now sprawled in a tangle of sheets, his mouth open, drool running down his chin. His limbs clung to his pillow like an octopus wrapped around its prey.Aiden chuckled softly. "So much for the refined young master…""Danny, wake up. Time for breakfast.""Ugh…" Danny groaned, cracking one eye open. His face was blank, his eyes unfocused."Hey." Aiden waved a hand in front of him. "Snap out of it."Finally, Danny blinked back to life, rubbing his forehead. "Why does my head hurt so much? Was I hit last night?""Uh… you probably fell," Aiden said quickly, improvising."Really? Then why don't I remember?""You must have early-onset dementia," Aiden teased with a grin.Danny pouted. "But I'm only nine!""Then quit whining and wash up. Let's go eat."Aiden dragged him toward the bathroom, enduring Danny's sluggish movements until they finally made their way to the cafeteria.---The dining hall was lively as always. Children chattered and laughed, filling the air with warmth.But as Aiden and Danny entered, Aiden felt several gazes turn their way. A faint psychic brush swept across Danny, soothing his lingering headache. Aiden glanced toward the source and caught Charles's calm gaze. The Professor gave him a subtle nod.Aiden returned the gesture silently, gratitude in his eyes.Then his attention shifted—and landed immediately on a familiar head of fiery red hair.Jean sat alone at a corner table. But instead of her usual bold stare, she kept her head lowered, avoiding everyone's gaze.> Still blaming herself… Aiden thought."Danny, go grab some food first," he said, giving his roommate a pat on the shoulder.Then, without hesitation, Aiden crossed the cafeteria and sat directly across from Jean."Hey," he said lightly, smiling. "Why didn't you get me food today?"Jean flinched but didn't look up. She stared at her plate, pushing food around with her fork.Her silence said everything.Aiden's expression softened. He leaned forward, his voice gentler now.> "Jean. What happened last night—it's nothing to blame yourself for. Look at me. I'm fine, aren't I?"Still no response.He continued, his tone patient. "In fact… thanks to you, my ability has gotten stronger. What you see as a mistake—I see as progress."Slowly, Jean's head lifted. Her blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears.> "I'm… I'm sorry, Aiden. It's all my fault."Her voice cracked, her guilt spilling over.Aiden's heart softened further.He smiled warmly, meeting her tear-filled gaze.> "No, Jean. You don't need to be sorry. You're my friend. And friends don't hurt each other—they help each other grow. That's what you did for me."
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