《The Fated Hero Will Evolve (A warm superhero story with a paragon MC)》


 Prologue

    It was a morning in the middle of summer. Yet, the melting heat could not stop the tourists and workers from filling the entire plaza before HueCam Hall. Restaurants and boutiques were as crowded as they could be.


    Outside those shops, people walked to and fro, taking photos or looking around. Many of them were on the giant viewing platform. Several cosplayers were posing on it or beside them, baiting tourists into taking selfies with them.


    A shuttle bus just stopped along the edge of the plaza, letting out a swarm of people and taking in the next. A group of elementary students stood before the HueCam Hall. Their teacher pointed at the cylindrical glass building, which had six big letters, "HueCam," affixed to it.


    A few floors below the letter signage, Strikelet stood alone, watching the plaza through the glass wall. Their face was behind a silvery helmet in the shape of a skull. Two dots of fierce, red light emitted from the skull''s eye sockets, hiding Strikelet''s own eyes behind. They wore a red sweater with a cuirass, vambraces, and metal epaulets(decorative shoulder armor with fringes) attached to it. The golden fringes hung still around their arms.


    This costume was never taken off in public. People did not even know Strikelet''s gender or ethnicity since they only spoke through their mask''s voice filter. Despite the peculiar insecurity about their secret identity, Strikelet had been the most beloved hero since four years ago.


    Right now, Strikelet''s sharp sight was monitoring the plaza before their HueCam Hall. There was a tranquil contentment in this quietness. The pleasure of helping and protecting people came from inside. It warmed Strikelet''s heart every time.


    The door behind them opened.


    "Strikelet, how are you doing?" Young Baco asked as he strolled into the meeting room. He pulled a mellow grin when Strikelet glanced back at him. Baco was wearing an oversized teal parka and holding a tray with two cups and a teapot.


    Strikelet fully turned around and walked away from the glass wall. A mechanical voice came out of the bottom half of their skull helmet, "You should keep your mask on in here, Baco."


    "Oh, I will. I will," he replied, sitting down on the couch and putting the tray on the table. With his white and thin hands hidden in the thick sleeves, Baco grabbed a cup and filled it with black tea.


    "What brought you here?" Strikelet asked, sauntering toward.


    After taking a sip, Baco held the cup through both sleeves. He glanced into it and then looked up again. "You know how I always want to make HueCam League feel like a family?"


    Strikelet nodded as Baco continued, "I just don''t think that will ever work. Tio never cares; CleanCut was just a jerk. It''s¡­ it''s¡­ I just can''t." Baco stared into the translucent tea, where a leaf slowly twirled on top.


    "It''s alright. You don''t need to rush this. People take time to open up to each other. I think what is important is that you''re willing to do this." Strikelet paused, turning away, and went on, "I know most people don''t particularly like to be lectured by the youngest member of the team, but I do wish you luck in convincing them." A joyful snort escaped their mouth and became robotic. "It''s almost like CleanCut was the annoying cousin type, you know?"


    Giving back a little chuckle, Baco replied, "Yeah, I think I had a friend like him in the orphanage." He giggled again and moved his eyes upward, off the cup.


    Strikelet gazed at him. Instinctively, Baco shifted his eyes away from the scarlet radiance. They said, "I am really looking forward to your project."


    <hr>


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    While the middle-aged and young heroes were chatting in HueCam Hall, the purplish portal emerged on the viewing platform.


    The ellipse started as a tiny spot on the ground, then instantly filled the entire platform. Cosplayers, photographers, and tourists all fell into it as the ground transformed into an intangible plane of glowing purple. Before anyone on the plaza could react, the monster''s legs crept out of its oval doorway.


    The six sable tarsi(insect legs) reached out of the purplish hole and impaled the stone floor. They bolstered the violet body out of the portal, which was not much bigger. It was like six booms fishing a colossal ogre. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    The monster was like a flipped cockroach, with its six joints atop and elytra beneath. The thin, flexible neck extended from the torso, sending its cricket head into the sky.


    Screaming, people fled, stepping on each other and being pushed to the ground. That group of students trembled between the monster and the hall. They were too scared to move but capable of hugging and holding each other.


    As the elytra opened, a splash of green acid pumped out of the monster''s anus. The acid was small when compared to its maker yet big enough to melt a group of kids into corpses.


    They shut their eyes, and the glass wall shattered.


    Power Activation: PUNCHING


    Only a few drops of acid landed around them along the glass pieces. The rest was punched right back to its origin. Strikelet slowly drew back their fist in the students'' gasp of surprise and the monster''s screech of anger.


    Following the shout, countless wolf-sized monsters of the same shape clambered their way out of the portal. They jabbed their two front tarsi into the ground and tugged themselves into this earth.


    However, most exploded in a teal flash before their hind tarsi touched the ground. Within their skull helmet, Strikelet smiled at the greenish-blue drone above the plaza. That was Baco''s masterpiece. With it, Baco could activate his ability "AIMING" anywhere he wanted.


    Surviving through Young Baco''s massacre, several small ones rushed toward the fleeing crowd. The fastest was the one that pounced toward a whimpering old man. The woman who tripped him screamed louder as she bumped into another man and fell.


    While the one pouncing was still in the air, Strikelet lunged, jumped, and punched the giant monster in its closed elytra.


    Power Activation: PUNCHING


    They pierced through, bursting the monster into pieces. The splashing flesh, colorful fluid, and cuticle debris spattered. The small ones stopped and dropped like stringless dolls. The pouncing one fell directly onto the crying old man, turning the whimpering into sobbing.


    Strikelet landed beneath the viewing platform. Behind him, the gigantic corpse descended into its oval doorway. Strikelet and Young Baco saved the day again. Well, at least that was supposed to be the case. The invasion from the other world should end when the biggest monster of the swarm is killed.


    "Strikelet, is it?" the man asked as he elevated from the portal. His skin was paler than cocaine and glossy enough to glisten sharply under the sun. In contrast, his long hair, leaning on his naked shoulders, was darker than darkness itself. No texture or shape could be recognized but a clean silhouette that cut the hair from all its surroundings.


    The pleated and flared sleeves were tied to the man''s upper arms. Their hems were long enough to hide his hand, and their color matched the bloody red of his eyes.


    Although pale, his leotard did not match the whiteness of his skin. It was another kind of pale¡ªthe type of bloated and deteriorated corpses that contained a greenish-black within. Waist down, a long, dark skirt curtained his legs.


    The presence of this man alone had Strikelet stunned. They turned around, glaring at the man with their red spite glowing from the eyes. Standing on the rim of the purple ellipse, the pale man looked back and down at them with a patrician smirk.


    Then, they struck.


    Power Activation: PUNCHING


    Power Activation: HALTING


    In the blink of an eye, Strikelet was pinned in the air. Their fist was out, and their feet were off the ground. They stayed in the posture of punching forward, stationary, motionless, and unaffected by the rules of physics. They were neither floating nor levitating, just frozen in time like a paused video.


    Before them stood the creepy, pale man. He continued smiling as he turned and sauntered toward the center of the portal. The paused hero just glided along, moving in the air like a flat image sliding through a screen.


    Viewing the HueCam Hall with his hands at his back, the pale man suddenly noticed something was off. He stood in a shadow. The entire plaza was covered in a shadow, and the fleeing crowd was nowhere to be seen. Before he turned back, a mini tsunami already devoured him from atop.


    The water flooded the whole plaza and faded into a thin haze, not leaving a trace on the floor. The portal had closed. Standing on the viewing platform were the first three seats of the HueCam League: Strikelet, R.O.S., and Sprinter.


    On Strikelet''s left was Sprinter, the user of "RUNNING," she lightly asked with little real worry in her voice, "Damn, who is this guy? How did he stop your punch?"


    "Just shut up," a mechanical voice, along with heavy panting, came out of the silvery skull. While Sprinter was shocked by the aggression, R.O.S., on Strikelet''s right, rolled his eyes with his arms crossed before his chest.


    R.O.S. wore a sleeveless leather jacket with decorative chains tightly wrapped across his shoulders and loosely hung before his abdomen. His curvy, gray mullet ran down his neck, mimicking the form of a bursting wave. His shimmering ivory bracelet contrasted his dark-brown skin as it slowly rotated around his right wrist.


    .


    .


    .


    This costume was never updated again since that day in honor of R.O.S.''s two fallen friends. Outside R.O.S., no one witnessed the death of Strikelet and Sprinter. R.O.S. had never answered a single question about that day other than "The pale one is dead. No need to worry."


    <hr>


    Current HueCam Hall:


    First Seat: Strikelet (Handant Smith). Death confirmed.


    Second Seat: Rolling of Seas (Johnny Wetman). Disqualified due to mental incapability.


    Third Seat: Sprinter (Lu Li Lin). Death confirmed.


    Fourth Seat: [Classified]


    Fifth Seat: [Classified]


    Sixth Seat: [Classified]


    Seventh Seat: [Classified]


    Eighth Seat: CleanCut (N/A). Alive and Active.


    Ninth Seat: [Classified]


    Tenth Seat: Baco (Bandie Cowrun). Alive and Active.


    <hr>

 Loter Spawman gained his power!... And a man is killed

    The death of the first seat quickly became the biggest event and died within two years. New heroes entered the industry. People found their new favorite. Strikelet, as a public figure, just faded away. Loter Spawman was one of the few who still liked them, yet he was not in the mood right now.


    Slapping the switch, Loter turned on the light as he shuffled into his bedroom. His wet socks stepped on a rounded "carpet" before the door. It was not an actual carpet but a jigsaw puzzle of a clock. Water seeped out of the squeezed soles of his socks and stayed on the hydrophobic "carpet."


    As Loter moved further in, drops of water dribbled down and damped the edge of his blue bed. His laptop lay quietly on the desk under the poster of Strikelet.


    He tossed his wet, yellow backpack on his rolling chair and stood beside. His shoulder-long black hair became an overly effective curtain after soaking in the rain. The green T-shirt and black khakis were also dripping like he had brought a sliver of rain home.


    Neglecting it, Loter pushed his hair up his forehead and inspected closely at the window. Yet, the rain had washed the reflection faint.


    So, he flipped up his laptop instead. He could see himself forcing his mouth to curl, yet he was still sad. It was not the kind of sadness that would make a hard-boiled cry like a boy but the kind that could not be taken out of one''s mind.


    It''s not a bad thing. I should not be sad. I just have to move on.


    He squeezed a bigger smile and gave up on the practice.


    Lying against his chair, Loter naturally turned to his poster. In the poster, Strikelet had their fists placed on their waist and facing directly at the front. The pose used to be cool. Now, it looked bottom-line judgmental. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.


    It is alright. It is nothing big. It is better to be dumped than lied to.


    As Loter brainwashed himself into forgiveness, his phone rang in his pocket. Picking up, he heard his girlfriend''s voice piercing through, "Stop overreacting, Loter! I, I, I know it is hard for you to comprehend this.


    "But, but the truth is, I never knew true love before I met Kyle. I know you don''t deserve this. I understand. I just wish you well." Suddenly, she gave him a snort of laughter, meant to cheer him up. "Just be happy, okay? The class needs its class clown."


    Loter instantly opened his mouth and hesitated about what to say. He was sad and felt wronged. Yet, he was no longer comfortable sharing those feelings with her anymore. He could lie about his feelings. Loter was just never a lying type.


    Due to silence, due to guilt, or due to impatience, she hung up the phone.


    Following the phone''s beeping, a tiny whimpering leaked from Loter''s throat. He hugged his knees and put his heels on the chair.


    A hot shower was what he needed now. However, he was too tired for it. Thus, Loter Spawman just sat there, slowly falling asleep.


    The next morning was a strange one. His mother woke him up an hour later than usual¡ª"It''s eight already. Wake up, you''ll be late. Quick! Quick!"


    Thus, Loter, still wearing the same wet clothes, was forced out of the house without a bite of breakfast.


    When he finally came to his full sobriety, he realized he would never make it if he stuck with the casual route. Despite the inconvenience, the problem was somewhat convenient for him to forget last night temporarily.


    How do I not be late? Can I call a taxi? I don''t have my wallet with me. I think I left it in my room.


    Pondering, Loter tilted his head down while holding his chin.


    I might need to look at the surroundings.


    He looked up at the street and immediately spotted an alley several steps away.


    Shortcut! I''m a genius!


    Mildly exulting in his sharp mind, Loter scurried toward the alley and peeked inside.


    The filthy path between the two apartments was quite narrow and not so long. Around the entry of the alley was a blackened, green dumpster beside the dirty concrete wall of the apartment on the left. Further inside, a man with a white ball cap leaned against the grimy brick wall on the right. He eyed Loter Spawman with no facial expression other than a creepy seriousness.


    Fuck the White-hat gang. Why do they have to show up when I''m most urgent? I need to get through this alley and a few more to arrive on time. I can''t waste time here.


    "Sorry, sir. I just need to get through this alley. He was not going to bother you. Just chill," Loter slowly approached the capped man and held both his open palms next to his head. Drops of sweat went down his smooth, beige skin, mixing with the dampness on his green T-shirt. The man did not respond.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Is this guy autistic? Are all the White-hats autistic?


    Loter pressed his body onto the concrete wall as he got close enough to the gangster that he had to round him.


    "I am really late for my class right now. There won''t be next time. I sincerely promise," Loter kept talking while maintaining eye contact with the capped gangster. His steps slowed the closer he got.


    When Loter was finally in the very front of the gangster, when both men had their backs perfectly against the wall, the gangster attacked. He threw a professional hook punch into Loter''s cheek.


    To no one''s surprise, Loter dropped to the ground immediately.


    Groaning, Loter tried to get up, yet the gangster stepped on his back and pressed him down immediately. Mud stained his untanned face and messy hair. A dab even got into his left eye. Loter''s mind stopped processing the moment he was down. The pain in his cheek and eye was burning, and the force on his back made it hard to breathe. "I''m aching?" was his only thought.


    Despite Loter''s thorough defeat, the man did not intend to stop. He crouched, grabbed, and pulled Loter up by his hair.


    "Ou, ou, ouch!" Loter groaned as his body elevated.


    Then, the White-hat slapped him in the face, shutting him up. The White hat released his grip, and Loter fell to the ground again.


    "Argh," he groaned.


    What the fuck?


    The gangster deftly sat him and began incessantly throwing fists from the top down. Meanwhile, not a single expression or any sign of effort was exhibited.


    Desperately, Loter raised his arms before his face. Still, punches went through the gaps and pushed his defense open without changing pace. It was a torment. Every hit was as heavy as the one before and after. Every blow was as quick as every other. The pace was unaffected by Loter''s attempt to shift his head. Neither was the accuracy.


    "Ugh, ugh, ugh," Loter Spawman whimpered as his tears came out, joining his nasal blood in the painting of the gangster''s knuckles.


    "Why? Why?" Words followed the low cry out of his throat.


    Finally, the gangster talked. He said, "Because you are a loser. Because I fucking want to. Because you came here. Because I see you." Still, not a strand of emotion was presented. Not even profanity could make a difference in the capped man''s tone.


    Beavers did not question why lightning landed on their dam. Squirrels did not question why wildfire devoured their home.


    Loter Spawman was neither of them. He had enough of "it just happened, accept it."


    Fuck, fuck. Fuck, no! I don''t deserve this. I did nothing wrong to experience this. I never agreed to this. No!


    The whimpering turned into a deep, angry utterance. The offense did not stop, nor did it stop the uttering. The capped man just kept punching and battering like a machine until the rage exploded.


    Power Activation: [unknown]


    Loter kicked upward, drawing a crescent with his right foot. Its tip pierced into the back of the gangster''s head. Half of the white hat was pressed through the cracked skull into the man''s brain. Blood gushed down the gangster''s gray shirt and Loter''s black khaki. His right sneaker was painted red.


    Loter''s foot dropped back to the ground, and the corpse fell sideways. For a short period, Loter Spawman could only hear his heavy panting.


    He blankly stared at the sky through his dark curtain of hair. He had a hard time understanding what he had done, although half of his trousers and green T-shirt were already dyed red. The smell of fresh death was more than evident. His nose twitched in the presence of the triggering odor of mixing blood and filth.


    Wow, how did I pull that off?


    "Why are you sniffing, kid?" An old man''s awkward, joking voice came from the other side of the alley. Loter Spawman bolted upright from the floor, gaping and forgetting to breathe.


    The man was a dark-skinned elder. Yet, his clothing was not old-fashioned. He wore a sleeveless leather jacket with an ivory bracelet. The muscles in his arms could still compete with those twenty-ish bodybuilders. He strolled toward Loter, not giving any attention to the corpse aside.


    Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no. I am too young to go to jail.


    Loter placed a hand against the wall, attempting to stand up.


    His feet slipped on the mud, and his hand slid off the wall. He slumped with his butt smashing on the ground.


    "Don''t worry, kid. I''m not trying to harm you. I saw what happened. I am here to help you," the old man said as he reached out his right hand toward Loter.


    Still quivering from his racing heart, Loter weakly held onto his hand.


    "You know who I am, right?" the old man asked, pulling Loter back on his feet. Loter blinked his eyes, sweeping his stupefaction.


    Leather jacket, black skin, ivory bracelet, and chains fastened on the jacket¡ªThis man is Rolling of Seas! The previous second seat of the HueCam League! Oh, fuck, he is talking to me!


    "M, M, Mr. Ros! You are Rolling of Seas, the previous¡ª"


    "Alright, alright," R.O.S. interjected, putting a palm up, "now, what you just did." He pointed at the corpse and immediately put his hands down. "You know what? Let''s not look at that. The point is, you have superpower now."


    Being attacked by a gangster, killing him, meeting R.O.S., superpower. This is¡ª


    "Hello? Are you listening?" The hero waved before Loter''s eyes.


    "Yeah, yeah. It''s just, uh, a lot has happened."


    R.O.S. nodded. "I can understand that, so why don''t you go home and have some rest?"


    "But I have¡ª"


    "You have a superpower. You can kick through bones. You shouldn''t be running around in normal schools, anyway." R.O.S. patted Loter on the shoulder as Loter realized what he was implying.


    Am I transferring to HueCam Academy? He said I can''t go to normal schools, so it has to be, right? Certainly, he is not saying I don''t deserve an education for having superpower. HueCam Academy is the only sensible outcome.


    "So, will I go to HueCam Academy?" Loter asked with sparks in his eyes. Any care for the dead, nameless gangster was gone for him. HueCam Academy, the best superpower academy in the HueCam State, was just too big of a lure for his attention.


    "What? Why are you¡ª" R.O.S. palmed his wrinkled face as he paused himself and said, "You just killed a guy, and that''s what you care about the most?"


    Yeah, he has a point. It''s just, it''s just¡­


    "Sorry," Loter apologized, looking aside.


    "You know what? Just come with me. We need to examine your power first." The old, dark-skinned hero sighed in annoyance.


    Loter pointed at his half-red khaki as R.O.S. walked to the other side of the alley. "Well, my pants¡ª"


    "I drove here."

 It Is an Ordering Power That You Have

    R.O.S.''s black sedan had an old-fashioned fish fin on the top. Back when he was young, every car had one. Now, his sedan was the sole fish in the current of vehicles. Despite the age, the inside of the car was much better than most others. The leather on the seats was smooth without a scuff. A faint scent of cologne kept a tranquil freshness within.


    Granted, it was all ruined when Loter repainted the back row with his bloody clothes. The old hero could only watch.


    "Uh, you don''t mind, right?"


    R.O.S. took a silent deep breath, then smiled gently with his artificial serenity. "No, it''s fine." He fastened his seatbelt and stepped on the gas pedal. Even as oblivious as Loter could tell, he was not fine.


    The city part of HueCam Academy''s campus was surrounded by gothic fencing. Every few equal meters, a stone newel was built between the fencing. Atop these newels was the name "HueCam," spelled repeatedly and successively with one 3D letter on each newel.


    R.O.S.''s black sedan speeded past it to the old clinic across the road. A hospital of seven floors and a slightly shorter superhero agency were neighboring the clinic, forming a narrow gap above the two-story clinic.


    The sedan was parked a sidewalk away from the front door. The aged, dark-skinned driver exited the car and strolled into the building with his usual weariness. The young, light-skinned passenger dashed into the front door without closing the car door. He certainly did not want anybody to see himself.


    Sighing, the driver went back to do it himself.


    "It''s, it''s, uh," Loter swung his sight between his bloody clothes and the pink-haired man behind the tall counter. "I''m with Mr. Ros." He pointed out the glass gate.


    "Take it easy, li''l bro. Have a seat," the man consoled him with a smiling visage and opened the counter hatch as R.O.S. came in.


    "Like I told you, just testing superpower. I want it quick," said R.O.S. He glanced at Loter, who was sitting on a banquette.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah," the pinkhead yawned and called lazily, "Amy, you heard it." He lowered his voice. "R., I need a word with you."


    While the two men went into the chamber behind the counter, the door beside the banquette was opened. A woman stuck her head out.


    "You''re the patient?" she asked quickly.


    Standing up, Loter answered even more frantically, "Yeah." The entire situation had him nervous.


    The room behind the counter was a staff lounge. Two sets of wooden cabinets were placed beside the door. The old pendant light flickered twice when turned on, turning darkness into dimness. Across the room were the two empty beds against the wall. The pinkhead sat on one of them. Both his legs and arms were crossed. R.O.S. just leaned against the cabinets. He shoved his hands into his leather pocket.


    After some silence, the pinkhead took a deep breath and said, "R., that boy you brought here¡­" His sentence faded midway for the other to spit whatever he had to explain.


    "He''s the fated one." R.O.S. avoided the pinkhead''s eyes with his brows slightly knitted. The deep wrinkles on his forehead puckered accordingly. Nobody could notice his old age without these folds.


    "Come on, R. It''s four years already. Now, the person you have been yapping about is finally here, and you still don''t want to tell me a thing?"


    "Just trust me, he''s the one¡­" His voice was subdued.


    "No." The pinkhead eyed away and turned back, switching his talking point. "What are you thinking? He''s just a high schooler. You are ripping his life from him."


    The change of topic put some strength in R.O.S.''s voice. He countered, "His girlfriend cheated on him, and he''s bullied in the school. I''m saving him from that¡ª"


    "And signing him up for death row."


    "No¡ª"


    "Yes! Yes, the mortality rate of heroes has been skyrocketing since four years ago. You know how different the industry and those fanboys'' imaginations are."


    "I told you! He''s the fated one! He won''t¡ª"If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "What does that even mean?" After the shout, the pinkhead spotted the golden radiance emitting out of R.O.S.''s ivory bracelet and the water dripping off it. His sight swayed between the bracelet and the old hero''s fierce, disturbed visage. Eventually, he sighed and said. "Fine, I will confirm him of possessing superpowers."


    "Just trust me this time."


    "Ah¡ª¡ª¡ª!"


    Following the loud shout, the two grown men rushed into Amy''s office. R.O.S. shoved the door open, and the pinkhead peeked over his shoulder. They saw Loter curling and groaning beside a stool and Amy in a lab coat holding a crop whip. R.O.S. quickly went to Loter''s side as the pinkhead yelled, "What the fuck did you just do?"


    "Just look!" Amy, tossing the whip away, pointed at Loter''s face. "There is not a trace of injury on it. His ability at least involves some types of self-healing."


    Crouching next to Loter, R.O.S. tapped him on the arm as Loter disclosed his intact face.


    "That''s it?" the pinkhead questioned, perching on Amy''s desk.


    "He also said he can kick through bones. I''d say it''s certainly not an ordering power."


    "It is." R.O.S.''s words followed directly after her.


    "Seriously? Me? Ordering power? Yay!" Loter bolted upright from the floor, pointing at himself. The excitement on his face beamed, illuminating the entire room. "Yes! Yes!" He pumped his fists and threw his arms up repeatedly.


    "You''re so excited. Are you really 17?" Amy giggled, giving Loter a hand.


    As he reached his hand toward Amy, R.O.S. grabbed the hand and tugged him back on his feet. "Yes, you. You do have an ordering power," R.O.S. said with a short chuckle. Loter''s exhilaration had thoroughly bailed R.O.S. out of providing explanations.


    To be fair, Loter''s reaction was somewhat reasonable. After all, ordering powers were the strongest type of superpowers. They could be summarized into a gerund, yet the possibility of the actual power built on the gerund was infinite. Strikelet''s "PUNCHING" gave them the ability to punch with more force than bombs and faster than bullets.


    "But what about the vision? Don''t ordering powers manifest with visions of their names?" Loter asked, still bouncing on the floor.


    In response, R.O.S. passionately lied about that happening later down the line. The pinkhead and Amy looked at him with disapproval.


    "Anyway, I can count on you for the doctor''s note, Murdev?" R.O.S. continued with his badly played passion.


    Giving off an intense exhalation, the pinkhead doctor nodded. "Yeah, whatever."


    <hr>


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    The Spawman family''s house occupied the right side of a double-floored duplex. Their garage was identical to the neighboring one, just like their entire unit. The noon sun shone directly overhead, distributing equal light to every unit in the district.


    Nothing was out of place. No neighbor had quirky decorations on their house or an unusually luxurious vehicle. Not a single lawn displayed a weird flag, nor was there a dog or a cat, obviously.


    However, there was this one sedan that had a silvery fish fin on top. It parked before Spawman''s side of the duplex.


    Loter stepped out from the back row with a brand-new gray khaki and a white hooded T-shirt. He stopped before the driver''s seat, not entering his home. There was a specific thing he had to ask. He was prepared to ask and determined to ask, but first, he had to show his politeness as he was taught.


    Rolling down the window, R.O.S. cleaned his impatience. "What''s up?"


    "I just want to say thank you," Loter said softly, lightly clinging to the car door.


    "Alright," R.O.S. replied instantly. A frown flashed through his brows. "No sweat."


    "I can''t imagine if someone else was there." Loter burst into a short laughter after the sentence as he thought about the situation. That said, the imagination never went far since that question he had not asked was much more important.


    "It''s alright¡­ I''m a hero. It''s just my job."


    "Still, I doubt other heroes can be as understanding as you." The compliment did not come from the politeness he learned but from the sincerity in his heart. Such kindness from a stranger was nothing common in his life.


    Loter could suspect the old hero of malicious intention, yet he chose not to. He did not want to doubt the one who spent an entire morning just to help him. He wanted to believe R.O.S. was a good person. It was his conscious decision.


    Leaning away, R.O.S. rolled up the window. "Take care and remember to tell your parents¡ª"


    "Wait!" Loter blocked the closing of the window as he recalled the question he had been holding. "What happened to Strikelet? Like, like you were there when he died. How did it happen?"


    "..."


    What''s wrong? Why isn''t he answering? Did the question cross the line? Maybe I shouldn''t have asked.


    "Mr. Ros, I¡ª"


    "I will tell you, Loter. I will tell you what happened to them. One day, I will," R.O.S. stated with firmness in his voice. The casual indolence was gone. What lay between his brows was not a scowl. Instead, it was a determined assertion. The two''s sight met through the half-closed window. Although seldom, Loter sensed an unfeigned dejection.


    Loter was stunned to see the man so resolute for the first time. His hand fell off the window, and R.O.S. stomped on the gas pedal. As the sedan whizzed away before him, Loter spotted the aged, dark-skinned hero''s contorted face.


    Oh, why did I ask that? He looks so sad. It must be a traumatic thing for him! He never tells anyone about it in the first place. What are you thinking, Loter? But he said he would tell me in the future. So, I guess that means I am special? I do have an ordering ability. That must be it! My ordering ability!


    Loter strode across the lawn to the stoop without himself noticing. The door opened, and his mother shouted, "Hey, Loter! What are you doing out there? Why are you home so early?"


    The father added, "Come inside and tell us about your day."

 There Goes Kniton Spawman

    Loter Spawman sat on one end of the small rectangular table. His father, Kniton, sat across. Beside him was Sarah, the mother. Today''s lunch was salad since Loter''s early return at noon was unexpected.


    Kniton was a bit younger than R.O.S. with a thick, hoary mustache in the shape of walrus'' teeth. His entire jaw was covered in his blackish-gray beard. He was wearing his usual fancy suit and blazer.


    Although factually younger than Kniton, Sarah was appearance-wise older due to her obesity. Her face was covered with wrinkles formed by fat.


    "So, what about the¡ª"


    Before Kniton could say "dead gangster" out loud, Sarah stamped on his right foot under the dinner table.


    "What about?" Loter innocently asked as he picked up another piece of lettuce from the salad bowl.


    "HueCam Academy! HueCam Academy," Kniton adjusted his posture, glanced at Sarah''s unfriendly stare, and said with an uncomfortable snort.


    "What about it?" Loter questioned while chewing the lettuce.


    Rolling her eyes, Sarah impatiently said, "So you will be living there?"


    "Mr. Ros said if I get into the mountain campus, I will be coming back only once a year." Loter took a moment to swallow the food and carried on, "He said if they think I''m not strong enough, I will be sent to the city campus, then I won''t be living in dorms."


    "Okay, okay," Kniton responded blankly upon hearing the news. He did not know what to think. Was he supposed to be glad, sad, or else? After all, it was his son who was going to be a superhero, and Kniton seemed to be the only one concerned about the risk of death.


    "I really don''t know what to hope right now. Like, I don''t want to leave you two alone here. But I do want to go to the mountain campus."


    Standing up, Sarah commented, "I wish you could go to the mountain campus. You''ve always wanted to be a superhero, don''t you?" She had a mild annoyance on her fat face that she always had before Loter. It offended Kniton every single time.


    "But how about you two?"


    "Not your problem." Dropping the line, Sarah left the dining room without glancing back. Loter was already used to this; Kniton was not. He glared in her direction and blew a snort on his thick mustache. He had been bothered by her attitude since a decade ago. He just did not understand how that fat woman could be so heartless. He could ignore her most of the time. It was this blatant arrogance that he could not bear.


    They had been raising Loter for seventeen years. To this day, Sarah treated him as a job. Although Kniton was just like her at the beginning, he had thoroughly turned his attitude upside-down ten years ago. Now, he loved Loter as if they were truly related, and he hated Sarah for not.


    Fuck Sarah. Why does she have to be a bitch? Uh.


    That Ros is no better.


    This is my son we are talking about. Who is he to take my son away from me? He has never visited us for this whole seventeen years. He thinks he can just walk into our life and rob my son from me because my son awakened some stupid superpower? My son is mine¡ª


    "Dad? Dad?"


    "Hm?"


    "What were you looking at?"


    "Oh, uh, huh, nothing." Kniton paused, pouted, and restarted his sentence, "I was just thinking if you actually want to be a superhero. Like¡­ You know how dangerous this job is. Your idol just died four years ago." His sentence faded, and his brows knitted.


    "I don''t mind dying, Dad."


    "What?" Kniton gaped.


    "Like you told me, helping people is important."


    "I, I wasn''t¡ª" Kniton cut off his own sentence. He was never serious about telling Loter to help people. It was just an assignment from R.O.S. Kniton himself had no care for anybody else except Loter. This scenario just made Kniton more angry. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Besides, I won''t die so easily. Mr. Ros already told me I have an ordering power. I''m strong enough to protect myself. Just be ready to be proud of your son."


    <hr>


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    Drooling Chocolate, the chocolate for your mom.


    Pre-order for Mother''s Day to gain a 50% discount!


    <hr>


    Kniton''s bedroom was simple. Behind the door was an entryway that led to his queen-sized bed. On its two sides were the two rows of multiple closets. Each one was filled with suits in various types, colors, and patterns: trousers, waistcoats, tailcoats, blazers, shirts, tuxedos, ties, ribbons, etc. There were enough for a small museum.


    Kniton stood before his bed, surrounded by his redundant fabric of fanciness. None of these clothes was from any mediocre brand. It was the luxuriousness and the astronomical price that used to attract Kniton. It was the feeling of buying and owning them that Kniton used to enjoy the most. It was why he agreed to raise Loter.


    However, for decades, Kniton had been feeling a faint guilt when looking upon his opulent collections. Now, this guilt had evolved. The fact he caused Loter to dream of becoming a superhero weighed on his conscience. He felt a sense of disgust targeted at himself. This revulsion was not strong enough for him to tear himself up, yet it was enough for him to escape from his collections. If not for them, he would not poison Loter with R.O.S.''s selfless propaganda.


    Kniton drove his gray hatchback into the inner city, where malls and skyscrapers crammed together. All the windows were open, and the car was zooming through street by street. The moist air of the cloudy noon had Kniton snuffling, increasing his vexation.


    Although no one had told him anything, Kniton knew that Loter was going into the mountain campus, which was almost across the HueCam state. He had to give Loter a memento. It was the least he could do for his son.


    Alright, where can I get Loter a memento?


    A boutique, no. A mall, no. An auto dealer, no. A buffet, no. A brasserie, no. An office building, certainly not. Another boutique, no.


    Kniton scanned through the buildings as he aimlessly passed by until he spotted the store with a chubby chef signboard above its door¡ªWingman''s Candy Shop.


    The kid likes Drooling Chocolate. I can get him one first. Maybe I will have some ideas later.


    He slowed down and made a turn to park his hatchback next to a sidewalk along with a line of other cars. There were a few pedestrians. Most people were at work or at home. Online working became a thing a year ago. Kniton never cared. He did not have a job, anyway. His contract on raising Loter was a life tenure. He would not need to find a job even after Loter went to the mountain campus.


    Kniton jogged across the wide road without looking at either side. Kniton snuffled again as he entered the candy shop through its soundproof glass doors.


    Shelves after shelves of sweet snacks had him surrounded. The yellow and blue color theme made Kniton feel uncomfortable every time he went in.


    Kniton picked a pack of four bars from the retail shelf. The yellow pigment on the wooden surface had faintly weathered. This subtle wear filled every corner of the store, yet nothing was much affected. Wingman''s Candy Shop commenced operation several days before Kniton Spawman signed the contract to raise Loter. That was seventeen years ago, and both of them were still standing.


    Kniton took the chocolate pack to the counter. As he swiped his credit card, he suddenly realized what he should buy. He recalled his memory of spending hours on that thing with Loter. He could just buy another one. Loter would love it, and they got to spend time together solving it!


    "Knit! Is this for Loter?" the cashier asked while operating the cash register.


    "Yeah, as always. He just can''t get sick of it," Kniton tittered in a great mood.


    Seizing both men''s attention, the glass door of the store shattered. Drops and drips of rain were blown in by the wind. A centipede-like monster crept outside.


    The creature was about the length of two people and had half of its body raised above the ground like a standing snake. Each segment of its long and narrow body was structured like a crab shell. The top was purple, and the bottom was white.


    The monster lay down entirely and launched itself forward. Its body twisted and slithered. The corners of its crab-like segments bumped into each other repeatedly, creating a rapid and unsettling harmony.


    Kniton rushed deeper into the shop as the monster approached. The poor cashier crossed the counter and tumbled to the other side.


    Before the deepest wall, Kniton hid behind a shelf, hearing the cashier''s screech and how it suddenly shut off. He forcefully palmed his mouth with both hands, preventing any scream or cry of fear. His walrus mustache was squeezed out of shape.


    Other than his own racing heart, Kniton only heard the monster''s chewing, the low munch of meat and the crisp crunch of bones.


    It was a torture of mind. Just the realization of the situation was too much already. Kniton closed his eyes but could not shut his ears. Still covering his mouth, he quickly stood up and sprinted at the shattered door. The creature was merely a walkway and two shelves away from him. Neither the distance nor the shelves could stop it. Kniton just had no choice.


    Luckily, the current feast seemed to interest the monster more than the escaping prey.


    Unluckily, Kniton saw a much bigger monster of the same kind finishing up its meal from an opened police car. The torn, blood-soaked uniforms lay still on the seats. The monster abruptly turned toward Kniton, realizing his presence.


    Contrary to Kniton''s expectations, his thoughts were not centered around survival or desperation. Instead, Kniton was thinking about his son, Loter Spawman. He was sorry for what he did and felt a tiny spark of hope for the future: What if Loter actually becomes a great hero?

 The Second Power

    The car is missing, and he has not called me back yet. Is he in the inner city? Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no.


    Loter clutched the edge of the rarely used workbench while strenuously and nervously breathing.


    His eyes turned wet with a faint redness. The garage''s petroleum smell had Loter snorting. He knitted his brows, restraining his tears from seeping out of his eyes.


    Then, Loter''s fingers penetrated through the workbench. Wood chips burst upward and gave Loter a small nick on his cheek. As Loter drew back his hand, the chunk of the workbench he just held dropped to the floor. The nick was recovered right after.


    Can I? I do have an ordering power, so maybe I can save him myself? Am I really strong enough? No, no, no. That does not matter. Dad told me to help people, and now he is in danger, so my ability should not be a concern. It is an ordering power that I have. I can save him. I will save him, but what about¡ª


    "Hey, the TV said the invasion is not extending out of the inner city. I am going to take a nap now. Don''t bother me, alright?" Loter''s mother yelled through the wall, clearing out Loter''s last worry.


    He immediately rushed out of the duplex. The lawn was green, the houses were still, and the road was as empty as it could it.


    Alright, how do I get there? Oh, fuck. I don''t have a car, and no taxi goes into invaded areas. Ahhhh, I will just run.


    Loter bounced once or twice on the black asphalt road and sprinted forward. Although he was never an athletic person, he had learned about swinging hands to increase one''s speed. Hence, he began vigorously paddling his arms to and fro. He knew he was most likely not doing it correctly. Yet, he had no concern as long as it could increase his chance of saving his father.


    Soon, he sensed the soreness in his shoulders and upper arms. He wanted to stop. He would have if he were in a PE class. Yet, he had gone too far. There was no option for stopping. He had to keep running, even if his thighs ached and his knees went numb.


    There was a sharp pain in his lungs and heart that made every breath of air piercingly cold. His sweat rained down his head and every other part of his body. His wet curtain of hair adhered to his forehead. Two patches stuck at the corners of his eyes, guiding the salty sweat into them.


    On the brink of exhaustion and physical discomfort, Loter felt a wind. It was not the hefty gale of air resistance but a cooling breeze that washed off the illness in his muscles. Loter could no longer feel his body. He knew he was moving his limbs, but he sensed no weight or resistance on his way.


    Power Activation: [unknown]


    Before Loter noticed, everything on the two sides of the road was flying out of his sight. He was as fast as a dashing car. The suburban houses and their yards soon disappeared from his peripheral vision. The metal forest of the urban area surrounded him. Thus, he stopped.


    Not a pedestrian was on the street. Only empty vehicles were parked on the road or at the sides. The invasion happened in the central part of the city. Most of the police force and the local superheroes were probably there.


    Granted, Kniton may not be there. He could be anywhere. Loter only realized that right now.


    Fuck, how do I find my father? Why have I never thought about it? Now, what can I¡ª


    Disrupting Loter''s thought, the roar of an explosion came from atop. Loter looked up. The top part of a seven-story office building burned with a giant hole beneath the roof. A human-shaped figure, a tiny spot compared to the hole, jumped off the building, landing several dozen or so meters away from Loter. The tiled street busted from the landing. Dust floated in the air.


    "What?" Loter shouted while covering his eyes from the wave of dusty air.


    As the dirty haze dissipated, the figure became clear. It was a large, tanned man with a white rag as his coat and a pair of black shorts that was thrice wider than Loter''s. His heavy fists alone were bigger than Loter''s head. The curly mane on his head was long enough to touch his own waist. There was no sign of training or exercise on the man''s round belly. He was just an obese giant.


    The bare appearance of the giant aroused the fright within Loter. Subconsciously, Loter shifted his feet backward.


    Scratching his naked chin, the gigantic man locked his green eyes on the little teenager. "Huh? Why aren''t you hiding, kid?"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Why is he asking me that? Is he a superhero? But he just exploded a building.


    "I need to go find my dad. He is probably in the invaded area," Loter responded cautiously without leaking too much information.


    "Hm, you know his location?"


    "No, but I will find a way."


    "Huh¡­ Don''t all parents have some kind of app to share locations so they know you aren''t in a strip club or something?"


    "Wait." Loter immediately pulled out his phone.


    "Have a nice day."


    Oh yeah, "Find Me." I have this app¡­ Let''s see¡­ My father is currently at Wingman''s Candy Shop. Okay, I can get there in no time.


    Loter shoved his phone back into his pocket. The man just wobbled back toward the office building.


    "Wait again," Loter called, "why did you just blow a hole in that building?"


    "That''s the headquarters of MintPulse. I was hired to sabotage their business."


    "Is that legal?"


    "Hm! Of course not."


    "Well, then." Loter awkwardly paused for a second and exclaimed without much strength in his voice, "I can''t let you continue."


    "Uh, you are a superhero?" The giant man turned back at Loter while scratching his hairy head.


    "I will be one, and I''m going to stop you here."


    "Don''t you need to save your father?"


    "He told me I need to help people."


    "Hm," the man looked aside and scratched his chin for a moment. He said, "Don''t worry about here. No one''s in this building."


    He has a point. I am in a hurry to save my father. If no one is inside, it is probably not too bad. Alright, I will just have to let it slide.


    "Just don''t hurt anyone."


    "Copy that, captain."


    Loter began running again. His arms and legs swung as hard as possible. After several dozen meters, his newly gained power activated again. He dashed toward the candy store like a racing star. Within minutes, he saw a police car beside the road and two traffic barriers blocking his way. The officer inside the vehicle came out as Loter approached from afar.


    "Stop right there. Every superhero needs to display their hero license."


    I don''t have a license or time for this. Sorry, officer. I will come to you after my dad is safe.


    Loter charged through the gap between the traffic barriers, accidentally kicking them aside. He could hear the officer shouting into his walkie-talkie. Of course, he neglected him.


    Loter also ignored all the roaming centipede monsters and their leftovers as he rushed by. There was no point saving corpses, anyway. He just kept running.


    The Wingman''s Candy Shop was just five streets away. He would be there in no time.


    I can actually save my father! I am almost there.


    A faint smile emerged on Loter''s face. The excitement of finally implementing his father''s teaching stacked on an early relief as if he had already reunited with his living father.


    He even fantasized about how he would heroically beat the monsters. His smile widened. The sadness of being dumped was literally just last night. Now, Loter was about to meet the first peak of his life.


    A crossroad was before him, and behind its corner was the shop. Loter had checked Kniton''s location several times on his way. He was right there. He was right behind the corner.


    Loter darted through the junction and spotted the enormous centipede-like monster sucking on an immobile human body.


    That can''t be.


    Loter, with his fantasy faltering and quivering by the brink of a cliff, dashed forward in a straight line. The creature raised its head and quickly slithered out of the way.


    Loter Spawman halted in front of Kniton Spawman. Loter stopped before the corpse that was opened from the midriff. Kniton had his limbs naturally extending outward like one would when taking a nap on a grassy hill. Else than his messy mustache, there was no stress on his face. His lips curled neither up nor down; his eyebrows were free from any scowl, glower, and frown; his eyes pointed directly at the cloudy yet vast sky.


    Then, the monster attacked, lunging forward. Its two protruding fangs stabbed into Loter''s right waist. Its weight pushed him through the glass showcase, shoving him into the candy store. Loter smashed into a row of shelves, breaking several and toppling a few others. His left shoulder was dislocated, having borne the brunt of the impact.


    Frailly, Loter lay on the wreckage of shelves, the fangs still in his waist. The monster opened its mouth. Its two fangs pulled outward in opposite directions. Loter''s dizziness was wiped out as the sharp edge of the fangs pressed on his flesh and sliced his abdomen open.


    "Ahhhh¡ª" Loter screamed and swallowed his groan back in immediately. The monster drew its head back and jabbed again toward Loter''s lacerated stomach.


    This is how it killed my father. It cut his belly open and ate his organs. Fuck, fuck it. It has to pay. It has to pay for killing my father.


    Loter reached out his functioning right hand and held the monster back by the maxilla(upper jaw). The tips of its fangs clapped repeatedly as the situation fell into a deadlock. Despite the extreme pain in his abdomen, Loter withstood the monster.


    Quickly. Isn''t healing a part of my superpower? Quickly, heal my left arm. Heal it. Heal it now.


    Loter focused all his attention on his numbed left arm, imagining using it again. He needed this arm now. He could not hold much longer with only one hand. He clenched his teeth while suspending his breath just to move his left arm again.


    Yet, there was no miracle. He panted with his mouth open. The defense eventually loosened. The clapping fangs came closer and closer as Loter''s vision blurred.


    Am I going to die here? I don''t want to die here. I want to be a hero and help people, just like how my father taught me. I want to avenge him. I won''t disappoint him¡­ I will last least leave a mark on you before I die.


    With his last burst of strength, Loter strengthened his grip on the monster''s jaw. His fingers pierced through the crab-like shell, crushing half of the monster''s head. He even tore it off as the monster quickly pulled back and hit the ceiling.

 In the Patient Room

    <hr>


    RGB News:


    The total casualties of the invasion two days ago are estimated to be 55 deaths and 184 injuries. Meanwhile, the total casualties of Yorg the Giant''s offense on MintPulse''s headquarters are confirmed to be 15 deaths, including the CEO Vang Liensh.


    Just this morning, the HCSPF (HueCam State Police Force) affirmed it will join the CCPD (Cavium City Police Department) and the Hero Union in the search of Yorg the Giant and the reconstruction of Cavium''s inner city district.


    <hr>


    Loter reclined on his hospital bed and silently stared at the news report on the television. His waist leaned against the pillow while his back was against the wall. A stool and a closed curtain were beside him. Some distance away was the door into the room.


    Loter tapped the back of his head lightly against the wall, closing his eyes. He found himself not grieving since he woke up a few hours ago. There was a weird tranquility in him that stopped him from feeling anything. Even intentionally revisiting his father''s death could not cause a ripple in his heart. Perhaps he was numbed already.


    Loter reopened his eyes and saw Yorg the Giant''s photo in the news. He recollected their encounter.


    Yorg helped me find my father, yet he did lie about not killing people. If I had a little more caution, I would have prevented those 15 deaths. Whatever.


    Loter thought he would feel regret. He thought he would blame himself for the deaths. It just seemed like a very heroic thing to feel and to do.


    However, he did not. Loter knew those deaths were not his fault, and there was not a wisp of regret to be found. Shutting his eyes again, Loter slid off the wall into his quilt, waiting to fall asleep. That was until the scene of him suffering over his girlfriend came to mind. He immediately cracked a smirk, mocking his past immaturity.


    Then, Loter heard the door behind the curtain being opened. By the sound of the tiny jangling, Loter knew it was R.O.S. who came into the room. Those chains on R.O.S.''s sleeveless jacket certainly did not help in stealth.


    "Loter, are you awake?" R.O.S. asked softly behind the curtain.


    "Yeah." Loter kept lying there.


    "The doctor said you had fully recovered by last night and would wake up this morning. I come the moment I can."


    "Thanks."


    "Do you mind if I come in?"


    "It''s okay."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    R.O.S. parted the curtain. Walking in, R.O.S. laid his tired eyes on Loter''s numb visage. "I''m sorry for your father."


    "Thanks," Loter answered without much thought.


    "I know it must be hard for you."


    "Well, it''s okay. It''s not that hard," Loter paused a second to think about what he could say. "I just want to lie here, really."


    R.O.S.''s brows lowered and faintly furrowed. "You know, I reacted the same when Strikelet died." He sat down on the stool beside him.


    "Oh yeah," Loter called without excitement, "I remember people were saying you went crazy."


    R.O.S. glanced away. "I kind of did¡­ When you become a hero, you get taught the idea that death is not scary as long as you die fighting for justice¡­ To this day, I believe in this teaching. I don''t fear the death of my own, but¡ª"


    "The death of others," the two said simultaneously.


    R.O.S. nodded and carried on, "The scariest part is you''ll slowly forget the memory you have with them. You will forget the way they talk, the way they act. That is the worst part¡ª"


    "Do you still remember Strikelet?"


    "Yes, I do, even Sprinter. And this is why we need to remember Kniton."


    "Yeah."


    "Now, tell me a thing you did with Kniton, and I will tell you a thing I did with Strikelet and Sprinter."


    "Yeah, I will start." Loter took a few seconds to reminisce and began, "I once bought a jigsaw puzzle from a charity sale held in the elementary school.


    "The puzzle is about a clock. It is a black and white clock without numbers. I thought it was easy because I thought I could just connect two random white pieces together. Then, I got home and realized I couldn''t do that.


    "So, I asked Dad for help. At first, he declined. So, I just kept doing it myself. I think I spent like, uh, a few hours on the puzzle. I just held a piece and put one of its intruding parts into every other piece''s slots. I have a pile of pieces I tried to put the intruding part in and a pile that I hadn''t tried the method on.


    "Then, my mother came. She was very mad at me for using the table in the living room for so long, so I had a fight with her¡­ I think she hit me but let me continue the puzzle.


    "After that, Dad came and started helping me. He told me he was only doing it because he was boring. Well, he was lying. Well, I think he lied. I think he enjoyed playing with me. After we were done, we glued it and put it in my room."


    A gentle yet genuine smile appeared on Loter''s curling lips as he finished the story. Seeing it, R.O.S., Johnny Wetman, gave a grin of his own and started his story with Strikelet and Sprinter.


    For the rest of Loter''s time in the hospital, his mother did not come to visit him once. R.O.S. told him it was because his mother needed time to process Kniton''s death, and Loter took his words without doubt. Sure, Loter''s mother was never nice to Loter, but Loter was not the kind to estimate people by the worst possible outcome.


    Loter spent around a month in the hospital before he received the offer from HueCam Academy''s mountain campus. During this time, R.O.S. visited him every day. They sometimes mourned for their loss, but most of the time, they just had fun together. They watched the television, played cards, etc. Sometimes, if none of them felt like doing anything, they just sat quietly side by side and dealt with their own business.


    After the offer was received, R.O.S. booked the earliest flight across the entire state to Coral Cobble, the city where the mountain campus was located.


    <hr>


    Loter Spawman''s current abilities:


    [unknown]:


    -[unknown]


    [unknown]:


    -Enhancing healing ability


    -Increasing strength and constitution during fighting


    -Performing a fast and instant attack without a clear triggering condition


    [unknown]:


    -Significantly boosting movement speed after running in an open space for some time


    <hr>

 Arrival at Coral Cobble

    The two arrived at Coral Cobble around noon. The rectangular airport glittered under the hot sun. R.O.S. shoved a big and a small suitcase into the trunk of a taxi.


    "You can punch through bones, but you can''t lift your own luggage," R.O.S. complained, wearing a huge coat over his leather jacket to conceal his identity.


    Watching the sweating man close the trunk, Loter replied, not as zestful as before, "Yeah, I guess the ability is only activated when I''m fighting. I think it''s similar to my super speed that only activates when I run." He finished the sentence before following into the yellow taxi behind R.O.S.


    Loter leaned toward the window as the taxi began to move. It was Loter''s first time in Coral Cobble. It was his first time out of Cavium.


    Despite being in the same state, Coral Cobble was drastically different from Cavium. Although the area around the airport was mostly open field, the rest of the city was surrounded by subtropical trees. Where trees had no presence, streets were wide and meandered haphazardly. Meanwhile, buildings were barely a dozen meters tall with a lack of decorated and cleaned exteriors.


    Vendors'' stalls, not mats, stood on the edges of asphalt and before some buildings. They were mostly sparse yet crammed in certain sections of certain streets. Those areas were also crowded with people of light brown skin buying all kinds of stuff, mostly food.


    The taxi was stuck in one of these sections. The angry, dark-skinned driver honked the horn repeatedly, smashing his hand against the center of his steering wheel.


    Loter leaned his face close to the window, watching the brown-skinned locals waiting in lines or eating while walking. R.O.S., beside him, sat leisurely with his back against the soft seat. Suddenly, he asked Loter, "What do you feel about this place?"


    Turning away from the street view, Loter took a few seconds to arrange his thoughts and answered with mild enthusiasm but not excitement, "It is a hot place with trees and people on the street."


    "I mean, how do you feel about this place." He emphasized on the word "feel."


    "It is different from Cavium. There aren''t any stalls in Cavium." Loter turned back to the window as he replied.


    "Right," R.O.S. grinned, glancing at the stalls and people surrounding it. Some were holding skewers. Others had paper or plastic bags and boxes.


    Letting out a puff of air, R.O.S. said, "I used to live here when I was a kid."


    Loter turned toward him as he went on.


    "The place is a bit dirtier than general and a bit un-urban, but people here are quite good. Those stall owners aren''t capitalists or brand owners. They are just your neighbors selling things. They would remember your names if you visited them often. They would sometimes give you a treat as you walk home from school." The dark-skinned hero ended the story there with some hesitation.


    "Sorry, but my neighbors don''t sell anything," Loter apologized, unable to share anything in return. It was a promise they made in Cavium: if one shared a story, the other had to reciprocate. The practice was "good for mental health," according to R.O.S.


    "Right, my bad."


    Afterward, the cabin fell into an awkward silence until the dark-skinned driver asked over his shoulder, "So, you lived ''ere?" He pronounced "here" with the "H" sound blurred. Loter figured it was probably the local accent.


    R.O.S. nodded. "Yes."


    "Which part?"


    "Across the mountain, the coral part."


    "My mother was from that part, though she ''adn''t been there for years."


    "How come?"


    "You know, old age. Can''t take long trips."


    While the two locals were chatting about their city, Loter looked out and farther away at the viridescent mountain, Vault. It was massive even when viewed from afar. Back in Cavium, R.O.S. described it as a wall separating the coral and cobble part of Coral Cobble. Only now, seeing it with his own eyes, did Loter truly feel the metaphor. Even at a far distance, Vault was at least three times taller than the buildings around Loter. The somewhat straight ridge line resembled the top of a wall.


    The magnificence of the mountain had Loter subconsciously making a "wow" sound. Suddenly, a sharp, political commentary dragged Loter back into the car.


    "Oh, come on. At least KLP is trying. DIP never does anything," the driver complained in a slightly peeved tone.


    "Tunneling the mountain is just not going to work," R.O.S. responded with an equal amount of frustration.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "''Ow do you know if you don''t try?"


    "It''s just wasting money." The lukewarm debate went on for the rest of the ride.


    The taxi eventually exited the crowd and later arrived.


    The destination was a small, rectangular house with two floors. The walls were dimly red and covered with dirt, like every other building. The patio between the door stoop and the road was just big enough for a car to park horizontally on each side of the door.


    The wooden door chirped as R.O.S. unlocked it and pushed it open.


    "Is this your house?" Loter asked, holding their suitcases by their long handles.


    "I just bought it while you were in the hospital. I''ll stay here while you are in school. If anything happens, you can always come to me." R.O.S. strode into the house, appraising the empty first floor, which contained only a staircase behind a thin wall and dust all over the place.


    After a sigh, R.O.S. said, "The first step is cleaning. Loter, time."


    Loter drew the phone out of his pocket and read, "2:26."


    By 3:17, they had returned from the houseware store.


    By 3:32, Loter was sent to a nearby pharmacy to buy face masks since he could not stop coughing in the house, probably because of how dusty it was


    By 3:54, Loter ceased cleaning and played his phone outside the house.


    By 4:15, R.O.S. got irritated. He dragged Loter back in, forcing him to wipe the windows.


    By 4:36, a neighbor passed by, so R.O.S. had to drop the work. Meanwhile, Loter played games on his phone despite being told to continue scrubbing the floor.


    By 4:47, R.O.S. came back into the house and forced Loter off his games.


    By 5:02, they finished and went to eat dinner in a fast-food restaurant, which was almost identical to those in Cavium.


    By 5:14, they finally opened R.O.S.''s big luggage in the house.


    Taking a bottle of shampoo out of the suitcase, R.O.S. told Loter, "I will go get the furniture part done tomorrow. You can go around the town yourself. If you are lost¡ª"


    "I have your number. I know how to make phone calls," Loter interjected while lifting three leather jackets, identical to the one R.O.S. was wearing, out of the suitcase. "Why don''t you just wear normal clothes?"


    "I wear my costume to honor the old HueCam League." R.O.S. placed a pile of casual coats on the ground.


    After a slight hesitation, Loter suddenly said, "I don''t have anything to honor my father with."


    "You brought that clock carpet with you, don''t you?"


    "You think that is enough?"


    "I don''t know. Ask yourself."


    Is that carpet enough?


    The suitcase was soon emptied. Loter went up to the second floor and spent the rest of the night on his phone. R.O.S. slept very early at around six p.m. It was understandable, considering the work he needed to get done tomorrow.


    <hr>


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    There were four piles of puzzle pieces on the table. The two large ones were white, and the two smaller ones were black. Sitting next to the table, Loter Spawman quietly watched his father and himself trying each piece slot by slot.


    The oldest Spawman murmured his moderate complaints nonstop. The youngest was too focused on the puzzle to care. The one watching was just enjoying the familiarity in his father''s voice.


    The rim of the clock was already done and was displayed on the ground between the youngest and oldest Spawman.


    "Loter, Loter."


    What?


    Lying on the floor, Loter slowly opened his eyes. His dead phone was still held in his palm, and his white hooded T-shirt was still the same one he wore yesterday. Loter squinted as he looked toward the window. It was morning already.


    "Did you shower last night?" R.O.S. crouched before Loter and lightly shook him by his shoulders.


    "No¡­ Well, at least I don''t think I did."


    "Anyway, I''m going to deal with the furniture thing. Here is a hundred." R.O.S. drew an a-hundred-dollar bill and put it down. "Things are cheaper here than in Cavium. It should be more than enough for a day."


    "Thanks, Mr. Ros." Rubbing an eye with the heel of his hand, Loter sat up and picked up the bill.


    "I told you before. Just Ros, don''t add ''mister,''" R.O.S. said while walking down the staircase. As his footsteps faded away, Loter lay back on the floor, clearing his foggy mind for the day.


    Since it was a Sunday, there were pedestrians almost everywhere Loter went. Young couples sauntered with their hands held, and cars competed in a treasure hunt for parking slots. The latter Loter had almost never seen in Cavium. To satisfy his curiosity, he followed behind a hatchback that could not find a slot. Normally, he would not be able to catch up with a car without using his power. However, the heavy traffic of the weekend made every vehicle move like turtles.


    Eventually, an SUV parked alongside the road in front of the hatchback was about to leave. A sedan before the hatchback immediately attempted to take the slot. Hence, the hatchback honked as the sedan slowly moved backward.


    The sedan paused momentarily and continued. Confronting it, the hatchback also started shifting closer to the yet-to-be-emptied slot. As an obvious result, the SUV was stuck with two cars blocking its way. Most reasonably, It honked the horn; the sedan honked back; the hatchback had been honking the whole time. Within ten seconds, all three of the cars were honking nonstop. After a dozen or so minutes, the police came and forced all three drivers out of their cars.


    Watching the mess, a random passerby told Loter, "You don''t get to see this shit every day. Ha, ha. These degenerates."


    Surprised by the ridiculous case, Loter watched and listened with his eyes glowing with delight.

 On Mountain Vault

    The mountain campus was halfway on the other side of Vault. The only pathway into the campus was to follow the guide sent by the academy after reaching the top of Mountain Vault. Since the cable cars were the only way to get to the mountaintop, Loter, who had just showered this morning, and R.O.S. had been waiting outside the cable car terminal since 8 a.m.


    Loter wore a red, hooded T-shirt and his iconic gray khakis, whereas R.O.S. had his overcoat buttoned up. Despite the sweating, R.O.S. kept the coat on to hide his jacket. This dedication, again, had Loter doubting if he had done enough to remember Kniton.


    The terminal was just a steel platform plus a steel shed. Except for the ticket booth, the entire place was illuminated by sunlight alone.


    R.O.S. typed rapidly on his phone like there was something emergent. Loter, on the other hand, just sat on his suitcase, hunching unintentionally and thinking about his father. He had just reran their last conversation in his mind. Then, he did it again. These memories grasped his attention whenever he was free. Most of the time, Loter would distract himself with his phone. Right now, he chose to bear this faint melancholy under the warm sun of Monday morning. The touch of sunlight lessened Loter''s discomfort every single time.


    The terminal finally opened at around 9 a.m., and the two took the first cart. They were the only passengers, anyway. The cable car slowly climbed in height as it moved forward. The slope of the cable was already steeper than the regular ones. Yet, it still took two hours just to reach the top.


    Several meters before arriving, R.O.S. suddenly broke the tranquil silence between them. "Will you be fine, Loter?"


    Being drawn back from his memories and faint grief, Loter stuttered, "Yeah, yeah, probably. I guess it depends on your standard?" His voice was energetic yet unexcited.


    R.O.S. chuckled a bit at the answer and carried on with an easier tone, "What do you mean?"


    "My ordering power was probably strong enough, although I still haven''t seen the vision about it yet. But it is my first time living in a dorm. I don''t know who my roommates would be. Maybe they are bad people. Who knows?"


    "And that''s your concern?" R.O.S. gave out another chuckle and consoled, "HueCam Academy is an academy for future heroes. Those kids would at least be better than your previous classmates."


    "They aren''t bad people." Loter paused and added, "They just sometimes laugh a lot."


    "You won''t ever need to worry about that again."


    "Yeah."


    "But will you miss it?" R.O.S. asked as he looked into the verdant mountain and lush trees.


    "I don''t know. I don''t think so. I think, most of the time, I am not the kind to have much emotional connection with things. For example, I don''t even remember who was in my kindergarten class."


    "Who would remember that? Ha, ha, ha, ha." R.O.S. gently ceased his laughter and turned to Loter as he said, "I think you are a very unique kid, Loter."


    The abrupt comment was confusing. Loter instinctively made a curious sound. "Uh?"


    R.O.S. continued with a tender grin, "I want you to remember that no matter what, you are the only Loter Spawman. No one can replace you or be another you."


    "Thanks? I do have an ordering power. That sets me apart from the regular kids."


    Getting a bit serious, R.O.S. explained, "No, I''m not talking about your power. Look, I have seen many people in my life, but none of them is like you, Loter."


    "Okay?"


    "You need to remember this, Loter. You are special. You will meet people who make you think you aren''t, and you have to have faith in yourself. You just need to believe in yourself, alright?"


    "Yeah." Loter, still confused, decided not to figure out what those sentences were supposed to mean. With a bit of awkwardness, he turned away, spotting the terminal on the ridge of Vault. Its structure was precisely like the one down the hill. There was no booth but four rows of benches. On the closest row sat a light-skinned woman.


    She wore a glossy, blue duffle coat with golden fastening and a waist-long, black capelet attached to the collar. Her face was slightly wrinkled, and her long, straight hair fused naturally with the capelet. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Smiling, the woman gracefully doffed her blue boonie as Loter saw her. In response, Loter waved his hand hard and attempted to yell out his greeting. However, R.O.S. stalled him with a tap on the shoulder. "Save it."


    Several dozen seconds later, the cart finally arrived. R.O.S. opened the half door. "Take care, Loter, and be happy, alright?"


    "I will, Ros. See you¡­" Loter replied while lifting his suitcase a bit off the ground. He hesitated before finishing the sentence.


    "It''s okay. I''d rather you don''t get into any trouble and not contact me at all."


    "Yeah, yeah," Loter said before jumping off the cable car. The weight of his luggage had him stumbled a bit. He quickly let down the suitcase and faced R.O.S., waiting for him to say something before leaving. At that moment, Loter realized his attachment to R.O.S.


    "See you, yuletide."


    "See you¡­ Yuletide," Loter repeated with an expected disappointment. He stared at R.O.S. and the departing cart as R.O.S. glanced back at him. He knitted his brows slightly upward, turning away. Loter felt like he wept yet found no dampness after rubbing his eyes.


    "Loter Spawman, did I pronounce it right?" The woman in blue stood up from the bench and walked forward. She was about 180 meters tall, at least a head taller than Loter, so she had to tilt her head down a bit to talk to him.


    "Yeah, nice to meet you," Loter ceased staring in R.O.S.''s direction and headed up. That was when he noticed her chartreuse eyes. He was stunned as he suddenly realized who this woman was.


    "Nice to meet you. My name is Sayrine Neosol. I am the vice principal of HueCam Academy''s mountain campus. And yes, I was the Twilight Watcher, the previous fifth seat of HueCam League." Her grin did not seem to be affected by Loter''s reaction.


    I remember her. She left HueCam League after Strikelet died. Unlike Ros, she was not disqualified. She actively chose to leave the league. She never explained the reason to the public, so everyone just assumed it had something to do with Strikelet''s death. However, why did she not just say it if that was the case? I have always wanted to ask this question, but it is probably too weird for me to ask now.


    "Hello?" Neosol patiently stooped down. She leaned in closer to Loter''s blank visage with her grin lessened in a slight confusion.


    "Uh, yeah. I''m Loter Spawman from Cavium."


    She giggled with a hand before her lips and straightened up, restoring her casual posture. "Okay, let''s go, then, Mr. Spawman. Follow up. I''m sure your classmates would love to see you."


    "Yeah¡­" Loter followed. He was embarrassed for phasing out the conversation. This embarrassment proceeded even after they exited the terminal and onto an obscure footpath among the trees.


    Fuck, that is not a good first impression. That is not good. I have to say something to revise my image. I have to be careful and caring¡­ What can I say? Hm¡­ Oh, I know.


    Loter suddenly exclaimed while they were plodding down a steep slope, "Why are you wearing a coat? The day is so hot."


    "Hm?" Neosol started. Her foot stepped on the edge of the path, crushing some dirt to roll off the hill. Gasping, Neosol swung her arms in the air for balance. She then grabbed onto the tree beside her and propped her hands against it.


    She buried her face in her extended arms. Her panting and intentional deep breaths were loud enough to be heard.


    Meanwhile, Loter could only stand aside nervously with his hands anxiously held in the air. He certainly did not know if he was supposed to put his hands on Neosol''s shoulders or keep them to himself. "Uh¡­"


    Fuck, fuck, fuck. How did I mess this up?


    "What was it? What did you say?" Neosol raised her head out of her arms and looked at Loter with a rattled, unsettled visage. There was no anger in her expression, though.


    "I, I, I was just asking if you feel hot wearing the coat."


    "Thank you for your concern." She paused and gasped as she released her grip on the tree. "I don''t feel heat. That is a part of my ability."


    Oh yeah. Absorbing surrounding energy was a part of her power. How did I forget that?


    "Uh, okay. That, that''s cool."


    "I can absorb the energy around me and cast magic with it."


    "That''s very cool."


    "Can we keep going?" Frustrated yet still patient, the vice principal sighed.


    "Yeah, yeah. Sorry, Ms. Neosol."


    "No worries."


    They continued hiking down the hill. Some trails were covered by green grass and herbs like clover; others were dusty with firm or soft soil; one spot even required them to slide down a smooth outcrop. Neosol had the height to simply jump down, whereas Loter needed her to hold his hand. Still, he stumbled off the rock. The embarrassment in the atmosphere increased.


    At around 12:30 p.m., the two finally saw their destination from afar. The campus was in a shallow valley between two ridges.


    "Wait, what?" Loter paused in his heavy panting and spoke again, "How are there two mountains?" He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand to refresh his vision.


    "Mountain Vault always has two ridges. The one ridge version that is seen everywhere else is the result of our sky screen technology. Since the two ridges ended roughly at the same point, we can project a fake image of them being connected."


    "Same point? That wouldn''t make sense."


    Still holding her inexhaustible patience, Neosol explained, "Geographically speaking, they end." She emphasized her next word, "Roughly on the same point. It means there is a gap between the two, and the school is built in this gap."


    Loter nodded with his back hunched and hands on his knees.


    "We can take a rest."


    "It''s okay. I''m not tired," Loter forced the words out of his heavy breathing.


    "If you insist," Neosol replied with her gentle smile unfaded. Despite Loter''s surprising will and determination to leave a good impression, he fainted before seeing the gate of the mountain campus.

 The First Two Friends in the HueCam Academy

    The conflicting feelings of the soft bed and sharp sweat smell had Loter waking up after some twitching in his nose and a big snort. He got up and parted the curtain that encircled his bed.


    There were three more empty beds in the room, with curtains hanging beside them. Orangish sunlight came in from the windows. Next to the glass sliding door, there was a tiny counter and a doctor sitting behind it. She noticed Loter as he approached.


    "You woke up." She glanced in his direction and focused back on her computer.


    "Uh, am I in HueCam Academy already?" Loter stopped before the counter. He was just tall enough to see the top of the woman''s black ponytail over the counter.


    "Yes, you fainted halfway, and Sayrine carried you back." The doctor tossed her wavy ponytail and let out a mocking giggle. "Not everybody gets to be carried to school by the vice principal."


    "Uh, huh, huh, huh." Loter could only give her an embarrassed chuckle.


    "Sayrine had taken your luggage to your dorm for you. Just stay here. I will find people to come and pick you up." The doctor just kept using her computer without even setting an eye on the landline beside her.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "You aren¡¯t calling people." Loter pointed at the landline.


    "I''m typing."


    "Oh. Sorry."


    <hr>


    The Mountain Campus:


    The campus was rectangular, with a 2-meter-tall wall surrounding it. The wall was about a meter thick and made of enhanced concrete thrice as strong as casual concrete. A layer of silvery plates was attached to the exterior side of the wall, releasing electric shock to whatever creature touched it.


    All the buildings on the campus were painted glossy white, which became pretty conspicuous when not covered by the sky screen.


    <hr>


    Hiroku Kayama always thought it was a mistake that he got transferred to the mountain campus. Although it was the place for those strongest superhumans, Hiroku enjoyed living in the city much more than a tiny prison that could not even be seen on the map.


    Under the white pavilion, Hiroku sat on a wishbone chair with his elbows on his knees. The chair was not facing the rounded table in the center but toward where the sun was setting. Hiroku''s black hair was tied into two ponytails. One lay against the back of his neck, and the other was atop his head. On top of his forehead, two patches of wavy hairs parted from the center and formed an "M" shape.


    Back in Cavium, he used to let his hair cover the sides of his face and neck entirely. Coral Cobble was just too hot for that. Yet, he still wore his long-sleeved, gray pullover beneath his purple crop top. It was his signature back in Cavium. He refused to give it up.


    Hiroku Kayama just gazed blankly at the garden and all its decorated, flowery shrubs, thinking about how much his life sucked. He missed wandering down the streets and going to bowling alleys with friends.


    Now, his only entertainment was zoning out in a garden. He could go play basketball with some other kids. Unfortunately, that was out of his consideration since it would result in him seeing the other Kayama. Hiroku irritated himself whenever he thought about interacting with that guy.


    "Hiroku!" A call came to his ears from behind.


    He raised his head and spotted Glacia waving and jogging at him. Glacia was a year younger, with her wavy bangs coming down the sides of her forehead but not over her cheeks. Her short ponytail was in the center of the back of her head, much more typical than Hiroku''s. Her white tube top and flare jeans were also more ordinary when compared to Hiroku''s dual clothing.


    Hiroku stood up and walked out of the pavilion, watching Glacia approach. She panted as she rushed toward him.


    "What''s up?"


    "Why are you." Glacia wiped her sweaty chin with her arm as she blew out a puff of air and inhaled more. "Pretending to be depressed again?"


    "I''m not¡ª"


    "Yes, you are."


    "Whatever. So, why are you here?" Hiroku rolled his eyes, leaning against the pillar of the pavilion.


    "To find you, duh-uh." Glacia wiped her cheeks with another arm.


    "Why?"


    "Mr. Dowii said the new kid has arrived. He''s in the same room with you. Dowii wanted you to say hi."


    This is redundant. I will meet him when I go back to my dorm tonight. What is Dowii thinking? Dinner is an hour away. I might even miss my dinner because of him¡­


    Okay, that is probably a stretch. The campus is too small for that to happen. However, the thing is stupid. It is a waste of time¡­


    Whatever.


    "Fine." Hiroku rebalanced himself from leaning on the pavilion, ready to go.


    "And I will accompany you."Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Dowii said it?"


    "I said it."


    Thus, the two started sauntering to the dormitory. They went past other students, in groups or not, on their way. Hiroku just faced away and ignored them, whereas Glacia waved and greeted every one of them.


    Without seeing, Hiroku could tell some of them were eyeing Glacia''s thin and perky body. He was never a fan of this behavior, but he never found a position to do anything about it, either. He just felt disappointed at these supposed future heroes'' moral standards.


    "Hey, where is the rest of the squad?" Hiroku suddenly asked out of the awkwardness of his silence.


    "Key is in the training room or the basketball court. Ram is probably doing meditation," Glacia answered without answering, stepping in front of Hiroku and facing backward.


    "You should''ve joined them." Hiroku purposefully looked aside.


    "Stop shooing me away," Glacia said with a playful annoyance, which made Hiroku slightly less somber.


    After around 5 minutes of walking, they rode the elevator to the third floor. There was a small vestibule before the elevators. The hallway connected to it had doors toward different units on its sides. Without leaving the vestibule, Hiroku could see his door was ajar.


    Glacia got excited and tapped Hiroku in the back. "Quickly!" She hurried forward and pushed the door open, seeing what was inside slightly earlier than Hiroku.


    She was stunned.


    A sharp scream came out of the unit at the same time. Behind the girl, Hiroku peeked into the room¡ªan almost naked boy, wearing a shower wrap around his waist, covered his chest with his two hands.


    Glacia palmed her eyes with one hand and tried to reach for the doorknob with the other unsuccessfully. Meanwhile, Hiroku locked his vision on the door. He lunged forward, bumping into Glacia; grasped the knob; and shut the door.


    <hr>


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    "Alright, you can come in."


    Hiroku heard it through the door and went in. Of course, he closed the door as he entered.


    The unit contained a living room, an open kitchen behind it, two bedrooms on the left, and a bathroom on the right.


    The boy was wearing a red T-shirt and black shorts. He sat over-formally on the sofa. His knees touched each other, and his hands were on his thighs.


    "The girl has gone somewhere else," Hiroku said, sitting down on the sofa across the tiny round table.


    "Uh, okay. Uh¡­ My name is Loter Spawman. You can call me Loter." Loter robotically held one hand up from his lap, going for a handshake. That said, he did not reach out his hand.


    Is he trying to shake hands with me? How am I going to hold his hand from here? Whatever.


    "Hi," Hiroku halted his sentence. He stood up and stooped forward to do the handshake.


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    Sitting back down, he continued, "I''m Hiroku Kayama. Just call me by my first name. It''s fine¡ª"


    "Excuse me."


    "Hm?"


    "Can you like, uh, you know?" Loter finished his sentence right there, waiting for Hiroku to understand by himself.


    What?


    Infected by awkwardness, Hiroku just sat there, maintaining his usual depressed expression.


    "Hee, hee," Loter suddenly began repeating this weird syllable. He still had his stiff smile on, which made the situation a lot weirder than it was supposed to be.


    Hiroku just let him continue his repetition while focusing hard on deciphering it. After the seventh "hee" sound, Hiroku finally said, "Hiroku. Just call me Hiroku. Hee-Row-Koo. H-I-R-O-K-U."


    "Uh! Hiroku, cool name, cool name." Loter nodded rapidly. "Your hair." He pointed at the two ponytails. "Is also cool."


    Can we just end this conversation? What is this?


    "Thanks," Hiroku replied. His eyebrows lowered in an emotionally painful yet not angry way.


    "Are you a Habanese?"


    What? Why is he bringing up my ethnicity now?


    "My bloodline came from Haban, but I was born in MU."


    "I suspect I''m also a Habanese." Loter then switched his finger to point at his own black, curtain-like, unconstrained hair. It hung arbitrarily on the sides of his face and covered his cheeks. "You know? Black, straight hair."


    Although I really do not want to admit it, he has a point. I can see him being a Habanese¡ªrelatively flat nasal bridge, light skin tone, and black hair. I can agree with him on that, yet that is not the point. The point is, why is he mentioning it now? I have to end this conversation.


    "Maybe. I can show you around if you want to."


    A sudden beam of smile emerged on Loter''s lips. He exclaimed while jumping up from the sofa, "Yeah! Let''s go. You lead, Hi, Hiroku."


    The two silently exited their unit, 302. The one leading had a visage more listless than usual. The one following seemed to be anxious, like he was anticipating an interview. After entering the elevator, Loter asked, "Where will we go first?"


    Hiroku, pressing the first-floor button, slowly answered after filtering any word that could ignite a conversation, "You will see."


    "Okay."


    The doors opened. They saw Glacia pacing beside the sidelight next to the glass gate. She strode directly toward the elevator the moment it opened. All her solemnness and seriousness were displayed in her straight face.


    What? Why is she looking so serious right now? Am I in a clown show?


    With his left eyelid twitching in frustration, Hiroku glanced at Loter. What a mistake.


    Hiroku''s frustrated yet slightly interested eyes met Loter''s frantic and helpless eyes in midair. It was like a dying man asking an apathetic for rescue.


    Hiroku turned away and buried his face in the elevator''s control panel. He only peeked out with the edge of his sight when Glacia came forward.


    Should I get out of the elevator? I probably should and leave this to themselves. This seems to be about the naked thing. I should probably go¡ª Wait, she is here already. Whatever.


    Glacia took a deep breath before Loter. She shut her eyes and said, "Sorry!"


    "Hm?"


    "..."


    "Sorry, I shouldn''t have opened the door so quickly. I don''t mean to see you without your shirt, and I promise I saw nothing. I will never open any man''s room''s door without knocking again!"


    The sincere apology struck both Hiroku and Loter by surprise, especially Hiroku. He had an additional admiration for it. He understood too well that, most of the time, a man being seen naked by a woman was considered a loss on the woman''s end, like all men were lecherous monsters who took advantage in every sex-related scenario. Hiroku knew this too well as a Habanese male.


    He looked at Glacia, who was staring over her own shoulder after the apology, with an appreciation he never had for her before.


    Loter, on the other hand, sighed with a huge relief. He vigorously tapped both his palms on Glacia''s shoulders.


    Glacia started under the sudden weight on her shoulders.


    Loter did not notice and began his speech whatsoever, "It''s alright! I would probably act the same way you did if I were in your situation. Also, I am pretty sure I was fast enough to cover everything. So, it is alright. I don''t mind at all. Apology accepted! I was actually more worried about you. I was afraid you would act awkwardly. Oh, also, my name is Loter Spawman. L-O-T-E-R. Nice to meet you!"


    Grinning, Loter drew back both hands and held one before Glacia. This time, he remembered to reach his hand far enough.


    Recovering from the stun, Glacia held Loter''s hand, returned a genuine smile, and gave him a loose and light handshake.

 The Blasting Introduction of Key Rayth

    The first stop of the campus tour, under Glacia''s strong recommendation, was the training center. It was a 35-meter-tall, rectangular building with a giant glass dome above its ceiling. It was located in the center of the campus with its huge, transparent gates facing the entrance of the campus.


    Glacia scurried up the grand staircase before the training center and turned around to yell at the two boys, "Faster!"


    Not changing his ambling pace, Hiroku took a peek at his phone and replied with a volume louder than usual but still smaller than Glacia''s, "It''s still, like, 40 minutes before dinner. No need to rush."


    Even behind Hiroku, Loter shuffled forward, yelling back at Glacia, "I haven''t eaten anything ever since I got onto that cable car. That is¡ªI don''t even know how many hours ago."


    "Come on," Glacia exclaimed, "Dinner is about half an hour¡ª"


    "40 minutes," Hiroku corrected.


    "¡ªaway. Just bear a few more minutes, and you will be fine," Glacia finished her sentence, jogging into the building.


    Behind its large gates, the 10-meter-high first floor of the training center contained a shallow lobby and two abutting rooms that seemed much wider than the lobby. The staircase was at the furthest left of the floor, while the elevator was at the right. At the center of the lobby, two kiosks neighbored each other. The kiosks had touchscreens that were of an adult''s height, like two giant smartphones standing on the ground. Both lighted up as Glacia halted before them.


    While Glacia was pressing virtual buttons, Loter followed Hiroku into the building. He looked around and spotted the three vending machines on each side of the lobby.


    Hm? Why are there so many vending machines here? I have never seen a single one of them in Cavium or anywhere else in Coral Cobble.


    "Hiroku, the vending machines. I heard they are only common in Haban. Why are there so many of them here?" Loter asked with an evident growl coming out of his belly.


    "The school can''t hire many people if it wants to keep its clandestineness."


    "But the school still needs to hire maintenance people."


    "Not really," Hiroku explained, "All the maintenance of this campus is done by City Weaver."


    City Weaver. Is he talking about the City Weaver who has the ability to manipulate infrastructures like clay?


    "Really, that City Weaver?"


    "Yes, the one that was supposed to die decades ago."


    "Cool." Loter''s stomach rumbled loudly again.


    Hiroku just paused there for two seconds, like he was hesitating about whether he was supposed to say this. Then, he decided to just say it.


    "Aren''t you hungry? You can get something from the vending machines."


    While Loter was busy buying chocolate energy bars with Hiroku''s money, a boy exited one of the abutting rooms.


    He had a buzz cut and a red jersey, which had a golden "1" printed in front. The outfit made his muscular core merely discernible. His naked arms were patently lean and toned, though. His great physique was also displayed in his hairy, thick shanks that were not covered by his dark blue shorts.


    "Key, the new kid is here," Glacia called.


    "Right. ''Ow you doing, pal?" The boy named Key had light brown skin and an accent similar to those elsewhere in Coral Cobble.


    He scurried to Glacia and gave Loter an up-nod. Loter just sat against the vending machine, chewing his energy bar.


    "We are showing the kid around. You join?" Glacia invited as she walked toward Loter and Hiroku.


    "I ''aven''t finished my training yet, but sure. Did Mr. Dowii tell you to do it?"


    "You''d be surprised." Glacia turned around, walking backward, with her eyes opened wide and lips curling up. "It''s actually Hiroku''s idea."


    Key quickly peeked at the listless Habanese. "Cap! That gloomy would never volunteer to anything like that."


    "I think he really likes him."


    Loter waved at Key as he and Glacia approached and continued with his energy bar. Beside him, three more identical ones were stacked atop one another. They were all from the same brand, "Hiker."


    "You sure love this brand," Key commented jokingly.


    Glacia stood a few steps behind Key, and Hiroku leaned against the vending machine with his lower ponytail lying on his shoulder. His visage was dull, as usual.


    "Yeah, it''s great. You want some?" Loter picked one up from the floor and reached it toward Key. However, since Loter was sitting, Key would need to either stoop down to an uncomfortable level or get uncomfortably close to Loter if he intended to take the offer. Unsurprisingly, Loter had literally no idea about that.


    Hiroku shifted his eyes away and rubbed his forehead with his fingers.


    "I''m alright. You can keep it. I know ''ow tiring it is to get into the campus."


    "Exactly!" Loter exclaimed, still chewing, "I actually fainted halfway¡ª"


    "No shit?" Glacia said.


    "¡ªso Vice Principal Neosol actually carried me into the school. Well, at least¡ª"


    "Damn," said Key.


    "¡ªthat''s what the doctor told me."


    "You mean the health center lady?" Glacia asked.


    "Yeah."


    "She''s probably just messing with you," Key said before Glacia could, so she had to embarrassedly close her open mouth.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "Maybe."


    With some obvious irritation, Glacia pouted her lips and asked, "Does any of you remember we are here for the campus tour?"


    "Yup," Key replied and reached out a hand to Loter.


    "Are we leaving, or are we going upstairs?" asked Loter. He held Key''s hand and pulled himself up.


    "Let Key explain what this building is for first," Glacia stated. She crossed her arms before her chest. Although her lips were no longer pouting, she was not smiling either.


    Key stole a glimpse of Glacia and instantly locked his sight on Loter. He cleared his throat and began, "This building is the training center. The rooms behind those two doors, right there, are general training rooms. You ''ave equipment inside and other stuff. Also, the room is really strong, so normally, people don''t just blow that place off. Some with more dangerous abilities ''ave to go upstairs to specified training spaces. For example, ''iroku!" Key extended his arms separately toward the head and feet of Hiroku, rocking his opened palms. "He got here because he blew up an entire basement back in the city campus."


    Hiroku unpleasantly complained, "You don''t need to¡ª"


    "Wow." Loter asked the annoyed Habanese, "How does your ability work?"


    Hiroku rolled his eyes and sighed. "I can summon the power of a monster from another plain in the form of magic spheres. They said if I try to merge two spheres together, I might cause a nuclear-sized explosion."


    "Wow," Loter repeated. Hiroku faced away under the admiration flashing out of Loter''s sight.


    "That''s ''ow he blew up a basement," Key added. "Anyway, my ability is not as astonishing. Basically, I can see calculations. For example, when I''m playing basketball, I can see the ball''s trajectory before throwing it. I''m only ''ere because I''m born in Coral Cobble."


    "And I can create earthquakes," Glacia immediately followed with her own exposition, "I am sort of the princess of underground people who can control¡ª"


    "No, you''re just a mixed-blood," Hiroku abruptly interjected. His lips faintly curled up a bit. Blushing, Glacia looked away with a grunt while Key was barely holding his laughter.


    Excited to explain his own power, Loter pumped his fists and said, "I can run very fast and punch very hard, also, some self-healing."


    "Practical," Key commented.


    Glacia ignored him and told Loter, "You are here with us. It must mean you are very good at them, Loter."


    "Thanks, Glacia."


    "Maybe you can show them to us now. We are at the training center."


    Key yawned and rejected, "I''ve turned the room off already. We will see it tomorrow, anyway. No rush, pal."


    <hr>


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    The next stop of the tour was the basketball court. The trip was casually quiet until Hiroku announced he had to head back to the dorm.


    "What''s wrong? I can go with you," Loter said and watched Hiroku Kayama strode away.


    "It''s fine. No need," Hiroku replied with a low and tired voice.


    "Oh, okay," Loter turned back. Then, he was startled when Glacia suddenly sprinted past him to chase Hiroku. Loter wanted to follow, yet Key put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, give the couple some space."


    Loter gaped and exclaimed, "They are in a relationship? I didn''t notice at all!"


    "Don''t worry. You''ll notice it after being forced to watch them flirting for a year. Well, not necessarily flirting, but yup, they do ''ave a thing."


    "But about the tour?"


    "You still ''ave me, don''t you, pal?" Key slightly tilted his upper body and extended his arms to two sides.


    "Yeah."


    "Also, another thing."


    "Yeah?"


    "You ''aven''t told me your name yet. Mine is Key Rayth."


    "Oh yeah. My name is Loter Spawman. You can call me Loter. I''m from Cavium."


    "I''ll call you Lot. You mind?"


    Lot? Am I getting a nickname? Wow, that must mean we are good friends now. Great.


    "Okay." Loter delightedly approved. "And I will call you¡­"


    How to make Key shorter? It is literally a single syllable.


    "K., maybe?" Key shrugged his shoulders.


    "Yeah, I can go with K.," Loter answered as the two continued their way to the basketball court. They walked past several other students and mentors. Key could greet every single one of them uniquely, whereas Loter just affably waved at them with an artificial smile. Some of them did not care enough to bother. Those who cared stopped at the stage of introducing names. Granted, Loter actually felt quite good about it. He never got people asking his name when he passed by in his old school.


    Loter glanced over his shoulder to make sure the passerby had gone far away. "K., I think I''m famous!" He continued strolling with a tiny spring on each step.


    "For real?" Key asked, not looking back at Loter. He just kept striding forward with a weirdly sedate pace.


    "Yeah, they are curious about my name," Loter explained incautiously, not expecting anything to happen.


    That was when Key suddenly spun around and swept his leg at Loter.


    Having no preparation, Loter could not react to this. The top of Key''s foot easily landed on his cheek.


    Loter''s entire body rotated while tottering backward.


    "You said you are good at punching. Let''s see how good you are." Key instantly did a high kick as Loter regained his balance.


    "No, no¡ª" Loter raised his hands before his face and groaned when Key''s sole landed on his forearm. The pain had Loter holding his attacked arm against his stomach. He doubled up and said, "You don''t under¡ª"


    Key ended the sentence by jabbing into Loter''s face. "It''s alright, you have self-healing, don''t you? I won''t hit you too hard." Subconsciously, he cracked a spontaneous smile while Loter stumbled to the ground.


    Loter wiped his bleeding nostrils and got back on his feet, panting. "It''s not about me. I don''t want to hurt you." He knew enough to understand that he was too dangerous of an opponent for Key. If the vision thing was Key''s only superpower, Loter could actually kill him in a single hit.


    However, Key had no awareness of this at all. His smile vanished upon hearing Loter''s persuasion. He exclaimed, "Don''t you dare look down at me. I don''t need to be pitied."


    Key charged forward with a powerful left hook. Merely Dodging it, Loter heard the air being slashed through before him. Fine, I will just show him what I mean without hurting him too much.


    Loter launched his left fist forward, intentionally aiming lower than regular to avoid hitting the head.


    Key deftly slapped the left fist to the right, making Loter''s right arm blocked by his left one.


    Instantly, Key whipped Loter in the face.


    The two distanced as Loter staggered away. He then threw a right hook.


    Key dodged by a slight shift backward. Simultaneously, he grabbed Loter''s elbow before the hook could fly past him.


    Loter tried to defend but was not fast enough.


    Key struck his own elbow into Loter''s nose.


    A strand of nasal blood splashed in the air. Loter was swept in the leg and face-punched again.


    Following, Key hit Loter in the stomach and kneed his jaw. "Is this all you¡ª"


    Loter jabbed his fist forward.


    The punch was spontaneous, containing no thought or reasoning. It was the same type of attack he performed on that dead gangster.


    Oh fuck. Loter gasped at that moment. He paused like a broken computer, unable to open his eyes. His mind swung between the concept of killing a friend and killing a classmate. Both were equally bad.

 Dinner Time

    Key held his arm vertically against Loter''s, making a cross sign beside his shoulder. Blood glided down from the intersection. Had Key not deflected the punch, his chest would have already been penetrated. Tottering backward, he covered his abrasion with a hand and immediately removed it while gasping.


    "Are you okay?" Loter quickly hurried toward him. "I don''t mean to do it."


    A layer of scorched blackness adhered to Key''s pink, naked flesh. He took two to three seconds to evaluate it and said, "It''s alright, for real; it''s not your fault. I started the fight myself."


    "Why did you do this?" Loter asked with a franticness in his voice.


    "Just want to test your ability a bit since I''m the one good with brawling ''ere. Still pal, Lot?" Key forcefully set his injured arm aside and held a fist out.


    "Yeah, K." Loter lightly bumped Key''s fist with his own. He grinned in relief. A cold sweat went down his forehead.


    "Though the tour ''as to pause. I''m going to the nurse."


    "I can¡ª"


    "No need. That bitch is just going to mock me louder if you were also there. We will meet at dinner, alright?" Key patted Loter''s shoulder sideways and squeezed an unconvincing smile on his sweaty face. "We are all bros. No need to worry."


    "Okay," Loter answered. He was still anxious.


    When Loter finally came back to the dorm, Hiroku was about to head out. They met at the entryway.


    "What the Furn?" Hiroku sighed and pulled Loter into the unit as he saw the blood beneath his nose and on his arm.


    "Key just sparred with me." Loter''s melancholy was too visible with his eyebrows lowered.


    Hiroku rolled his eyes, took a deep breath, and said nothing after opening his mouth. He faced away, turned back, and said, "Just go clean yourself. I''m going to the dining hall."


    "Yeah." Loter shuffled into the bathroom. He cleaned the red stain off his nose and mouth. None of them withstood a single wipe. Not a trace was left behind.


    Of course, no bruises or wounds could be seen in the mirror either, as if those strikes from Key had never happened.


    Loter then washed his arm. There was not a scratch or graze. The attack that ripped Key''s skin off did not even put a cut on Loter. Invulnerability was not a part of Loter''s ability, so this phenomenon must have been caused by some mechanics that protected Loter from his own offense.


    Such power, yet I still can''t save my father.


    It was when he was alone that Loter thought of his father and the numbness he felt.


    Would I be able to save him if I was faster? Would I be able to save him if I did not hesitate?


    Loter cleared his mind and walked out of the bathroom.


    A problem quickly emerged: he did not know where the dining hall was.


    Loter stood before his unit, scratching his head. As he finally decided just to walk out and believe in luck, someone called him from behind.


    "Loder Sbawman, is id?" The one who called was a blonde boy with a huge pompadour. He wore a leather jacket and a white tank top inside. His eyes were blue as unpolluted sky, and his thick accent made every "p" sound like "b" and every "t" sound like "d."


    "Kiznaq," Loter called the blonde by his name. He waved at Kiznaq DoLock, who was five years younger and a head shorter than him.


    Despite Kiznaq''s factual age, he acted older, not in a mature way.


    "Whad are you doing here? I saw you sdanding for some dime." Kiznaq quickly approached and patted Loter in the back.


    "I don''t know where the dining hall is."


    "Come wid'' me. I''ll show you d''e way." He scurried to the elevator, and Loter followed.


    "Thanks." Loter entered the elevator after Kiznaq. He asked, "By the way, why aren''t you going with your friends?"This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "My squad? Kayama and Dior are d''ere already, and Mina is sick, so she''s nod coming."


    "Kayama? You mean Hiroku Kayama? Isn''t he in my squad?"


    "I''m dalking aboud Kirane Kayama. D''e one from Haban." Kiznaq explained, walking out of the elevator after it arrived.


    "Oh, are they siblings?" Loter followed behind with a short scurry.


    "Cousins. Kirane is from d''e main branch in Haban. Hiroku''s family is a side branch in MU."


    "Oh, cool, so it''s like one of those Haban clan things, right? I learned about them in history class."


    "I guess, bud don''d dalk aboud id in frond of d''em, d''ough. Hiroku does not like Kirane, and Kirane likes do be referred do as ''Kayama.''"


    "Aren''t they close relatives?" Loter inquired, walking behind Kiznaq.


    "Do you have any reladives? Besides your parends, of course." Kiznaq faced backward to talk with Loter and bumped into a pole.


    Loter tittered a bit and answered, "No, not really."


    "I can dell," Kiznaq replied, rubbing the back of his head.


    Shortly after, the two arrived at the dining hall, which occupied the entire first floor of a rectangular building. A long, blue food counter was across the room from the entrance. The rest of the place was filled with sparse, medium-sized round tables. Despite the sparseness, many seats were empty.


    Loter and Kiznaq parted before the gate and went to their own squad. From far away, Loter could see his squad sitting together.


    Glacia reached her palm high up to wave at Loter, and Key gave him an up-nod with his injured arm beneath the table.


    Loter jogged to them and sat on the one remaining seat.


    The moment he sat down, Glacia pressed her hands on the table. She did not make a loud sound or flip the table but faintly tilted it enough to gain the three boys'' attention.


    Hiroku was as listless as usual; Loter gave his full attention; and Key purposefully gazed at the empty table.


    Glacia said with a straight face, "You idiots can''t just randomly fight on the street. Key literally has to pause his training for half a month. You know how much Mr. Dowii would love to hear this news."


    Key quietly held up his right arm, which had a thick sheet of artificial skin adhered to his abrasion.


    Glacia pointed at the wound. "See, this is how bad things can be," she didactically told Loter.


    While Loter apologized, Key impatiently said, "Just drop it. You know we are boys, and sometimes we get a bit physical. It''s totally fine."


    "Hey, not all males are as stupid as you." Hiroku finally raised his own complaint.


    Glacia concurred, "Yup, your excuse is trash¡ª"


    "Just! Just stop! There''s no need to exaggerate it." Key exclaimed in an angrily restrictive way since he did not want the entire hall to be staring at them. He then rotated on his chair to face away. His arms were crossed before his chest.


    While Glacia was made speechless, Loter weakly said, "It''s my fault. I''m sorry."


    Simultaneously, Glacia and Key said, "It''s not you¡ª"


    "You don''t get it," Loter interjected both of them with his calm words, "that is not how bad it can be. I could have killed Key. I can crush bones like cookies¡­" Loter''s volume gradually decreased. The dejection on his face was non-neglectable. "Just stop¡­" He had nothing to say but repeat Key''s request. Loter propped his head on his hands, lying on the table.


    All three allowed the silence to surround them: Glacia bit her nails, Key kept facing away, and Loter closed his eyes.


    Why is it like this? Why do things have to progress this way? Everything just falls apart. It is my first day here! Everything just has to go wrong.


    Drops of tears seeped through his eyelids silently. Then, he heard the plastic table come in contact with a metal tray. Loter raised his head. Above the tray sat four dishes: a bowl of ramen, a pack of poutine, and two sets of burgers and fries. Before the tray, Hiroku sat back down.


    "Loter, the chef cooked you the default tonight since you only got here this afternoon," Hiroku said without any expression. He took the ramen off the tray and pushed the tray to the center.


    The other two also stopped whatever they were on.


    "Thanks," Loter said as he reached out his hands but could not tell which one was his.


    "Yours is the burger and fries," Hiroku said as Key suddenly smirked.


    "It''s so sweet of you, ''Iro," Key joked with a smile, and Glacia followed with her hammy acting. "Our Hiro boy finally learns to care about others." She put the back of her hand on her forehead.


    Hiroku rolled his eyes with a faint upward curl on his mouth.


    Watching this, Loter finally giggled, putting a handful of fries in his mouth.


    After dinner, the sun had fully set. No twilight still hung in the sky.


    Hiroku, alone, strode to the basketball court, where a black-skinned, muscular girl of 185 meters in height sat against the sports fence. She had her left leg laid on the floor and held her right knee with an arm.


    Hiroku scratched his upper ponytail and called, "Ramiron."


    "Aye," the brawny girl answered, not looking back. She stared at the cloudless night sky with her five stubby dreadlocks leaning on the fence.


    "You didn''t come to the dinner." Hiroku stood before the fence and behind Ramiron.


    "Doesn''t bother, does it?" she asked. Her voice was firm and low-pitched.


    "You are up to something."


    "How so?"


    "I can feel it."


    "What do you care?"


    "..."


    "Don''t get too curious about me, Hiro. It will get you nowhere." Ramiron further tilted her head upward until she could see Hiroku upside-down.


    "Don''t get in trouble."


    "I will never," she smiled.

 Regular Routine

    Loter''s room was rectangular, with broadloom carpet covering the floor. A desk and a chair were next to the door. A clock puzzle lay before it.


    Across the room, Loter''s bed was beside the drawer. The alarm clock on the drawer had been ringing incessantly since an hour ago.


    Loter scratched his belly through the white quilt. He changed from facing right to left. His snoring continued.


    It was not until Strikelet''s poster fell off the wall and covered his face that Loter regained consciousness.


    Rolling down his bed, he squinted his eyes at the window, where sunlight shone in.


    What time is it?


    Loter stood up with a hand propped on the drawer. He took a bit longer than usual to read the clock due to his still foggy mind.


    7:20¡­ What time does the first class start? I think Hiroku told me last night¡­¡­ Oh, fuck¡­ 7:30!


    Loter quickly put on his white hoodie and brown khakis. He slammed the air conditioner switch as he sprinted out of his room. His speeding ability could not be activated on campus. Every step made his breath heavier.


    When he finally went up to the floor above the dining hall, he was already shuffling toward the classroom.


    "Mr. Spawman. Late on your first day, hm?" the teacher said from afar.


    He was a brown-skinned man. Wavy black hair ran down his neck, and a thick layer of beard was connected to his horseshoe mustache. They covered the lower half of his face. For the upper half, the teacher had a pair of shades and two headbands. One was red. The other was blue.


    Outside his black shorts, he wore a white wrap robe with its lapels and cuffs colored in red and blue. Toned, the man was not as muscular as Key but at least a head taller than Loter and Hiroku.


    Loter had to tilt his head to meet his eyes when standing before him.


    All descriptions fit. He must be Rag Dowii, the mentor of our squad.


    "Excuse me, Mr. Dowii." Loter paused to take a deep breath and continued, "This is my first time."


    "You also need to apologize for scratching Key''s arm."


    "I did."


    "Not to me."


    "Sorry," Loter panted, "for stalling your plan on his training."


    Watching Loter apologize in sincerity, Dowii let out a short, friendly titter. He patted Loter on the shoulder and said, "It''s alright. Just messing with you. I''m chill. Come in."


    Only four classrooms were on the second floor, and only the one that Dowii led Loter in was in use. The classroom had two adjacent rows of five desks and computers. One row had its back facing the windows. The other had its back facing the doors.


    Hiroku sat in the center of the window row with his backpack and Glacia neighboring him. Key was alone in the center of the door row. His satchel was on the seat beside him. He gave Loter an up-nod, and Glacia gently waved.


    "Is someone missing?" Loter asked Dowii. He knew there were four members in the squad before him, yet the fourth one had not shown up.


    "Ramiron is in the art room. You don''t need to fret about her," Dowii answered and requested, "please, pick a seat."


    Key repeatedly tapped on the desk next to him and called, "''Ere, ''ere."


    "Okay," Loter replied.


    "I will show him the rope," Key told Dowii after Loter sat beside him. The artificial skin was still on his arm, but not much care was given to it.


    Key cleared his throat and began, "Okay, pal. What you are looking at is the home page of the school''s education website. City Weaver, wait. You know the corpse of City Weaver is¡ª"


    "Yeah, Hiroku told me that part."


    "Great. The computer is already logged in for you. You can see. ''Ere are four main subjects: Literature, Math, Science, and Electives. For the first three, you need to tick boxes to show what you ''ave already learned in your old school. Then, the system will assign video lectures and assignments for what you ''aven''t learned yet. I''ve already finished ''igh school calculus, so the system gives me college-level calculus."


    "''Ow, How about the last one?"


    "For Elective, you need to tick boxes for what you want to learn. At least there, and one of them must be Hero Ethics."


    "We don''t have mandatory art class?"


    "We don''t have mandatory art class."


    "Oh, nice. I''ve been bad at drawing since elementary."


    "Ha, ha. Me too."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Clicking on the word "Literature," Loter said, "It feels much easier than my old school."


    "''UeCam Academy is more like a superhero CTE school, so it makes sense." Key focused back on his screen after he finished explaining. Then, he abruptly turned back toward Loter. "''Ow''s your math, by the way?"


    "Math?" Loter shifted his eyes away from the screen and met with Key''s gaze of anticipation. "Good?"


    "I mean where you''re at. Like geometry, algebra, trigonometry. That kind of stuff."


    "Oh, I just finished triple integral. Well, I can do quadruple, but it takes some time."


    "Good." Defeated, Key turned his frozen face away.


    There were three 10-minute breaks between the morning periods. This self-study type of education was no problem for Loter and Hiroku. They could stare at screens for hours nonstop.


    For Key, it was somewhat painful. He constantly clicked on other websites and switched back when Dowii walked by. Glacia fell in the center between the extremes.


    At 11:30 a.m., morning periods thoroughly ended. Key let out a sigh of relief like usual; Hiroku had a single strand of tiredness on his waveless visage; Glacia yawned and stretched while rubbing her eyes; Loter did not catch the bell and kept staring at the question on his screen.


    "Time to go, Lot." Key patted him on the back.


    "Oh, yeah."


    While Loter was turning off the computer, Dowii said, "We''ll meet in the training center at one p.m., alright? It''s the same every day."


    After Dowii left, Loter looked toward the rest of the squad. "An hour and a half for lunch. What else can we do after we finish eating?"


    "I play basketball with the other squads. You can join if you want," Key invited as he stretched, putting an elbow behind his head and pulling it with the other hand.


    "Uh." Loter blinked at the other two without answering the invitation.


    "Don''t follow me." Hiroku gave the expected response.


    "I just hang out with other girls on the campus," Glacia said.


    "Yeah, I can try basketball." Following Key out of the classroom, Loter warned, "Don''t go too harsh on me. I''m not a sports person."


    "You can start being one now."


    <hr>


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    Hiroku went up the stairs alone when everyone else had left the floor. His upper ponytail bounced slightly as he slowly strode up.


    The third floor contained two casual classrooms and an art room. Since one of the two other rooms was occupied by his cousin''s squad, Hiroku would never come to this floor in the morning. He only did it this time to check out Ramiron.


    The hallway was empty and gloomy, with the only light source being the sun shining window-to-window through the three rooms. Hiroku leaned against the wall. He quietly watched Ramiron painting her night sky in the art room, slightly brighter than the hallway.


    Dark blue and black were almost undistinguishable in the dimness. Yet, the yellow dots of stars appeared brighter. Ramiron softly but deftly nudged her brush on the oil paint and laid another layer of blackness on the lower half of the canvas.


    She was wearing an apron outside her huge sea green polo. The heavy apron would be oversized for anyone but her.


    Interrupting, loud, continuous footsteps came from the staircase. Hiroku scratched his lower ponytail as he glanced toward. It was the squad led by Krick Mold, a black-skinned man capable of drawing powers from the Teratiak star signs.


    Seven 14-year-olds, each wearing a color of the rainbow, rushed down the stairs. Their bald, dark-skinned mentor slowly strolled after them. He had a hand in the pocket of his white pilot jacket and gave Hiroku a two-finger salute.


    "How''s it going?" Mold leaned against the railing beside him.


    "Fine. Everything is normal," Hiroku replied tepidly.


    "So the new kid doesn''t have any effect?"


    Why are we having this conversation right now? Can''t he just talk to Loter himself if he is so interested?


    "You''ve seen him?"


    Mold chuckled, "Yeah, walked past him once. What a good kid. He waved at me."


    Not really wanting to respond, Hiroku glanced toward the art room and found it empty.


    The door abruptly opened. Ramiron came out and greeted, "Hey, Krick."


    Mold nodded. He left upon hearing his students calling him.


    Afterward, Ramiron teasingly looked at Hiroku. "How sweet of you to wait for me, Hiro."


    "You don''t want to keep drawing?"


    "Not with a creep watching."


    I''m not¡ª Whatever.


    Hiroku, scratching his upper ponytail, went straight to the staircase. Ramiron laughed and started unfastening her apron, "Wait a sec."


    Catching up, Ramiron leisurely said, "I haven¡¯t met the new kid yet. How¡¯s him?"


    Can''t people stop being so gossipy? Just talk to him yourself¡ª


    "Ha, just joking," Ramiron teasingly poked Hiroku''s shoulder with her elbow, "I will never get bored of your frustration." She guffawed.


    Arriving at the first floor, Hiroku shoved his hands in his pockets. "You and Glacia are the two most annoying gir¡ª" He halted before the disempowering term could escape his throat. "Women I''ve ever seen."


    "But you have to admit, without us, you are just a loner, Hiro."


    "There''s nothing wrong with solitude." Hiroku increased his pace as he headed toward the entrance.


    "You know people can tell the difference between an actual maverick and an edgy teenager." Ramiron nipped Hiroku''s purple crop top, forcing Hiroku to slow down. As Hiroku stopped his steps, Ramiron lunged past him. Looking over her shoulder, she said, "I will initiate my plan in the cross-sparring this afternoon. Be prepared to enjoy the show."


    "Hm? Wait!" Hiroku stepped forward, trying to grab Ramiron by her polo. Yet, the tall girl vanished before him, leaving some glimmering particles in the air behind. Ramiron just messed with Hiroku again.


    Why can she not just tell me what she is doing? It is not like I am suspecting her of doing anything evil. I just want to know what she is doing¡­ Whatever.


    Deciding not to bother, Hiroku went straight to the training center and turned on one room on the first floor. He was too annoyed to walk up the stairs and use the reinforced ones.


    Normally, Hiroku would not want to waste his time on this. He just could not find a proper rage room on campus, and he did have cross-training in the afternoon.

 Training Followed by Eating

    The training room was white, without a stain. There was no furniture or anything except the four walls and the flat lighting fixtures on the ceiling. Hiroku stood in the center, clenching his hands into fists.


    "User: Hiroku Kayama. No extra gear is required. Comprehensive combat practice. Level 5." The voice of a typical female broadcaster came from the room''s ceiling although no radio or speakers were present.


    Suddenly, a row of five circular floor pieces detached from the rest of the floor. Each rose upward with two metallic slats holding it by the farthest edges of the circle. Between each pair of slats, a white manikin stood perfectly still under the circular floor piece.


    All five of them were as white as the rest of the training room. Each had a cubic instruction light before its empty face. After all five lights turned on and red, they stepped out of the circles.


    As the circles descended and fused back into the floor, the combat began.


    The manikins charged at Hiroku. Their steps were awkwardly long and fast. They did not lean their body forward like normal people, and their arms were hanging straight robotically by the sides.


    Hiroku spread out his right fist. A glowing violet dot levitated above his palm. The dot flitted upward. The thin outer layer of it quickly expanded into a beach ball-sized translucent lavender sphere outside the glowing dot.


    The sphere halted before hitting the ceiling. At a greater speed, Hiroku was tugged to the dot by an invisible force. His waist was inside the lavender sphere, and the sphere locked it in to hold Hiroku in the air.


    It was Hiroku''s first technique, the Pulling Ball. The sphere he just created generated a gravity that solely affects himself. By launching it away, he could use it to dodge attacks and hover in the sky.


    Hiroku reached out his left fist, aiming at the five manikins. They spread out the moment they saw Hiroku in the sky. Yet, he opened his hand. Before his palm was another shimmering dot.


    The dot blinked a dazzling flash of violet light and spurted a plunging stroke of lightning. The violet thunderbolt pierced through one of the manikins. The bursting torso shattered from the center by a vertical crevice. Charred, sable fragments splashed in the air, falling onto the manikins pushed to the ground by the explosion.


    As the rest crawled up back, Hiroku held his fists tight again. Each manikin could jump for at least 5 meters. They leaped toward the smooth walls and clung onto them, scrambling upward.


    From four different directions, they pounced at Hiroku. The latter spread out his fists.


    A pair of dots was shown in each opened hand. After four successive blinks, the lightning roared out from Hiroku''s palms.


    Following the deafening bang and the falling components, the voice spoke again, "Level 5 complete. Retry, or progress to the¡ª"


    "Level 10."


    "Request authorized. Proceed. Level 10."


    A single manikin was heaved into the room. A muzzle was beneath its cubic lighting fixture. Before it began moving, Hiroku generated six more violet dots, each expanding its translucent, lavender layer into a sphere. Then, the spheres flattened and merged into a screen, the six dots still glowing inside.


    It was Hiroku''s second technique, The Shield. He could change the shape of the summoned spheres and make a screen that stops attacks.


    The manikin stepped forward, locking its sight at Hiroku. Three white blobs were shot from the muzzle. They popped against the screen and swelled into three cloud-shaped goo sticking on it.


    Although his shield was intact, the goo did block Hiroku''s vision. He could no longer see what was happening on the ground. He pulled a hand out of the sphere and clenched it into a fist. The soft radiance of his power was leaking from his finger gaps. He could only hear the manikin''s rapid pace.


    "Pta, pta, pta, pta, pta, ptaptaptapta."


    The footsteps get faster. The robot must be using both its legs and arms. It''s climbing the wall!


    Hiroku controlled the sphere behind him to rotate his body in the air, locating the robot through hearing. After a single spin, he pointed his fist toward a certain direction while carefully moving the screen aside. As the manikin, crawling in the corner, entered his sight, he opened his fist.


    A pair of lightning flitted through the air. One burnt the defensive goo shot by the manikin. The other was fully dodged. Sprinting on the wall, the manikin launched a volley of goo blobs like firing a machine gun.


    Damn.


    Hiroku held the screen in front of himself. Almost immediately, several hills of goo were built on it. The manikin kept rounding the room, and Hiroku was forced to rotate himself accordingly.


    I need to attack but my shield is in my way¡­ If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    If I can move to another location fast enough, I will be able to make an attack without being blocked by my shields. That is my only chance.


    With a single sphere falling back to the ground, Hiroku plummeted out of his fortress, throwing ten strikes of lightning toward the manikin''s general direction. The thundering roar and dazzling flash had him momentarily deafened and blinded.


    It''s not done yet.


    He landed safely on his lavender sphere, which, along with the rest, dissolved as he knelt on the ground. Any sense of balance was long gone. He made another dot in one hand and used the other to rub his eyes violently. That was until he merely saw the blur of the robot''s remaining struggle to get back on its feet.


    The goo and the lightning went out coinciding.


    Only barely, Hiroku heard the female voice broadcasting his failure. He slumped to the floor. The white, slimy substance adhered to his head. Both of his ponytails were covered.


    <hr>


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    "They are good." Loter forced the comment out from his throat while panting. The sports pain in his chest was clear and sharp. The last time Loter played basketball was when he was 13, four years ago, even before Strikelet died.


    Grabbing the sports fence with a hand, Key patted Loter on the shoulder. "Nuh, Lot. you''re just too weak." He snickered. No impairment of moving was shown on his injured arm.


    Kiznaq yelled across the court, "See you lader, Loder Sbawman." His accent was as thick as usual.


    "Bye." Loter waved and propped his hand back on his knee.


    "Come on. Others must be waiting." Key started leaving. Loter barely followed.


    Loter slowly recovered on their way to the dining hall. Hiroku joined them halfway. He was wearing his usual crop top and pullover. However, his hair was wet and untied, hanging like a horse''s mane.


    "I should also take a shower," Key said after seeing Hiroku and whiffing his own jersey.


    Hiroku rolled his eyes in response. Loter leaned close to his neck, sniffing and asking, "Oh, so you shower twice a day?"


    "No, no." Hiroku quickly pushed Loter off him and stepped away. As he walked closer to the two again, he said, "It''s just today."


    "Did you fall into a mud pit or something?" Key gave Hiroku a friendly jab.


    "Shouldn''t you be going back to your dorm for the shower?" In his casual listlessness, Hiroku countered.


    "Nuh, no need." Key waved off while chuckling.


    When they arrived at the gate, Loter saw Glacia sitting alone by a round table. She was busy tapping her pink phone, which had a pair of plastic cat ears on the phone case. A concentrated frown was on her brows. The carton of fries before her was untouched.


    "Glacia!" Loter waved and exclaimed just to receive a weak "hi" he could barely hear from the distance.


    She only glanced at them when they got to the table. Her fingers froze as she shifted her eyes back on Hiroku. "Why?" she asked, putting her phone down.


    Hiroku groaned and rolled his eyes. He just walked away without taking a seat. The inner part of his wet hair adhered to his cheeks and neck. As Hiroku strode forward, the outer part swayed lightly in the air.


    "Where are you going?" Glacia frantically asked like she was afraid she offended him.


    "Getting my lunch."


    "Mine''s the cheeseburger!" Key loudly said as Hiroku went further away, "it''s the one that ''as fresh cucumbers, not the pickled ones."


    "Oh, mine is spaghetti, the green sauce one," Loter added.


    "Fuck you," Hiroku replied with a faint grumble. A genuine relief was shown briefly on Glacia''s face. Loter was the only one who caught a glimpse of it.


    "I''ll take it as a yes." Key sat down and picked a fry from the carton. Glacia did the same. However, her gloominess contrasted with Key''s ease.


    "What''s wrong, Glacia? You don''t look fine today." Loter also took a seat and grabbed some fries.


    "Nothing, just some girls'' things."


    "Oh, ok¡ª"


    "Hey! Does anyone miss me?" Ramiron abruptly emerged behind Loter, scaring him and popping golden particles sparsely into the air. Loter started and bumped into Ramiron.


    "The new kid. We''ve finally met." Ramiron stepped back as Loter turned toward her and reached out a hand. She smiled unrestrainedly. The corners of her mouth were pulled back to her ears.


    "Oh, hi. My name is Loter Spawman." Loter shook her hands. Just by holding it, Loter could feel its firmness and the tremendous strength contained within.


    "I''m Ramiron Veilora. Ram is fine, though I''m much stronger than one."


    Yeah, it is pretty believable.


    "How did you teleport around? It''s so cool."


    "I can use the power from one of those Teratiak star signs." Ramiron shrugged, her smile dimming but still present. "The one I use is called Lumarion. I can teleport and do some other stuff with it."


    "Wow. I have an ordering power, although I haven''t gotten the vision yet, so I don''t really know the name of it."


    "I heard you beat the shit out of Key, didn''t you?"


    "He did. Have to admit," Key replied before Loter could and casually waved his injured arm. He did not seem to maintain any grudge against it.


    "That''s just an accident, really¡­ But don''t fight me. It''s a bad idea."


    "Don''t fret. I''m much stronger. You''ll see it in the cross-training¡ª" Ramiron paused her exposition in the sight of Hiroku''s return. Her smile widened again. She dropped whatever she was about to say and propped a hand on the table, "Nice style, Hiroku."


    Grabbing his cheeseburger from the tray and plate, Key added, "Yup, this is peak fashion."


    Ramiron soon teleported to get her three submarine sandwiches and returned to join the meal. She explained to Loter that cross-training was essentially a sparring session between different squads in a simulator. Loter had a hard time understanding. Thus, she described the simulator as a video game using one''s brain signals.


    Loter asked Key why he did not spar with him in the simulator. Key could only awkwardly admit he was going for the surprise attack and the initiative.


    Due to the excitement, Loter finished his spaghetti too early. Ramiron voluntarily gave him one of her sandwiches so Loter could continue chewing things.

 Right Before the Duel

    "No, Loter, you can not join the cross-training," Rag Dowii repeated himself, crossing his arms before his chest and shaking his head sideways. He and the squad stood on the stairs before the training center while another squad walked past them.


    "But, but everyone else is going. Come on, Mr. Dowii." Loter hunched down in disappointment. Key patted his back, and Glacia consoled him verbally.


    Dowii pushed his shades. "False information. At least half the school is doing academic classes in the afternoon."


    "But the entire squad is going."


    "You will be able to join next time, alright?"


    "When is that?" Loter''s eyes sparkled in a zestful gleam.


    "Next month."


    The gleam died.


    Loter followed Dowii up the stairs while looking back at the lobby on the first floor. About 30 people were there, including mentors and students.


    They stopped by the fourth floor. It was an open area with teak floors and white drywalls. Along the wall were the teak banquettes, pilasters, and windows. The soft light cast by the rectangular flush mounts gleamed on the glossy wooden surfaces.


    "Wow, cool place." Loter spun into the vast room, looking around. The place did have a good vibe. However, it was too empty compared with its size for Loter to really find it fascinating.


    "Shoes off." Dowii nodded his head at the short shoe case and took off his black sneakers.


    "Oh, yeah." Loter quickly shoved his white sneakers into the case and darted arbitrarily around the room. He found a quirky pleasure in tapping his soles against wooden planks.


    While Loter was having fun with himself, Dowii casually but gently put his shoes into the case. "Okay, so¡ª" He paused his words when he saw Loter taking off his black socks. "You don''t need to take those off."


    "But I want to," Loter replied with his socks lying on the floor. The forthrightness of Loter''s answer had Dowii frozen for a second.


    He soon restored his placid attitude. "It''s alright as long as you''re comfortable. Now, let''s start our training, shall we?"


    "Yeah, what are we going to do first?" Loter stored his socks in his pockets while bouncing on the ground.


    "Since you want to spar so much, we are going to do that." Dowii extended his left hand forward with all fingers straight, held his right fist around waist-level, and spread his legs a bit with his knees half-bent.


    "Wait, I don''t think it is a good idea." Loter immediately took a step backward with his palms held before his chest.


    "What? Do you think I''m Key?" Dowii smirked, his teeth barely showing through his opened lips.


    Mr. Dowii is not even as muscular as Key. He is certainly going to be hurt.


    "I don''t want to hurt anybody."


    "I can guarantee you most students here can hit harder than you, so stop acting like you have some sort of destructive powers," Dowii stated without changing his relaxed tone or pose.


    I don''t know much about students here, but I do know Hiroku has blown up a place before, and Glacia can cause earthquakes. If Rag Dowii can be their mentor, he must be stronger than them, right? Uh, I don''t know. Alright, I will just perform one punch, and he will back off. I will just do one, and he will understand.


    "I''m coming. Be careful," Loter took several deep breaths and said.


    The final inhalation was done. The bumping of the nervous heart became the only noise in Loter''s ears. He sprinted forward and punched. His eyes closed subconsciously in a flickering fear. He could almost hear Dowii''s screech while his fist was still in the air. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The punch landed. Loter sensed a softness touching his knuckles and the back of his fist. He opened his eyes and saw Dowii grabbing his fist.


    The mentor''s brown skin was intact. His blue cuff had no red stain, and his white sleeve was not covered in blood.


    "What do you think? Am I qualified to fight you?" Dowii joked. One corner of his smirking lips was pulled much higher than the other.


    "Yeah." Loter burst a smile of relief, the rest of his body still frozen from the earlier fright.


    "Great," Dowii replied and flung Loter''s fist aside. With this momentum, he sent the other hand forward.


    The punch jabbed Loter in the face. A kick to the chest followed, sending the staggering boy to the ground.


    "Get up, Loter. Quick." Dowii beckoned.


    "Ahhhhhh!" Loter grunted loudly and crawled back on his feet. He threw a hand forward and was immediately dodged. Loter attempted to follow with another punch, yet Dowii grabbed his wrist while it was still rising.


    Dowii struck Loter in the midriff with the empty hand. The pain was evident and accompanied by a surge of chyme. Loter fell to the ground as Dowii released his wrist.


    "Have you ever learned how to fight?"


    Loter lay on the ground, groaning. His vomit slid back down his stomach.


    Dowii sighed and crouched beside Loter. "It might be a surprise, but I do not have any superpower. All my strength comes from training. Not everyone has the gift to gain such strength, but this is the goal I set for Key Rayth. For you, I think you can far surpass this."


    Loter, still rubbing his stomach, was amusedly surprised by the high expectation. "You really think so?"


    "Yes." Dowii nodded, his lips straightened in seriousness. However, this solemnity was not held long. He suddenly snickered and joked, "Well, I''m not confident in your ability. I''m confident in my skills as a teacher. Now, get up. We have to start with the basics of combat. Theories, shall we say?"


    <hr>


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    On the second floor, the two Kayama-containing squads sat in the left lounge. To the right, two other teams were in the other lounge. A wall between them separated the four teams.


    Each lounge had two sets of couches and tables. Before them, five aligned screens were affixed to the greenish-gray metallic wall.


    In the left lounge, the three screens in the center depicted a cylindrical mall from different angles. The leftmost one followed Kiznaq DoLock, whereas the rightmost followed Key Rayth.


    This was the cross-training: two individuals from two different squads fighting to death in a simulator within a limited space.


    While Kiznaq was in his casual leather jacket, Key had himself clad in equipment. His headwear was a red, sallet-styled helmet that covered his upper face with a layer of metal and a glass windscreen for the lower face. A pair of exaggerated and triangular sunglasses was attached to the headwear as the eyeholes.


    Beneath, he wore a white leather pullover and black trousers. Both attires had dark red armor plates sewn on them.


    On his right forearm was a black, huge, U-shaped device affixed on his vambrace. Between the two legs of the "U" was a display panel that could be lit up. Key picked up his red-and-white grenade launcher as he entered the mall from one of the back doors.


    Ramiron, alone, sat on the widest couch, laying her extended arms on the seatback. Her legs propped on the table''s edge. Hiroku was in the lounge chair with an elbow on the pillowed armrest supporting his head.


    Despite having more than one place to sit, Glacia stood behind Hiroku, gently fiddling with Hiroku''s upper ponytail.


    "Want to bet?" Ramiron asked, picking up the Cyclops energy drink beside her.


    "Key, duh. We''re on the same squad. I mean, Key did lose in most of the cross-training, but he''s fighting indoors against Kiznaq this time. I don''t think Kiznaq even has any way to fight back," Glacia replied. She stuck her head over the chair''s back and threw the question to Hiroku.


    After moments of silence, Hiroku glanced at Glacia''s moderately interested visage and decided not to ignore her. "Key does not stand a chance."


    "For real?" Glacia raised her voice a bit. Her increasing investment was directed mainly toward Hiroku''s response.


    Ramiron immediately answered as if she knew what Hiroku was thinking, "The last time we saw Kiznaq in action was about a year ago¡ª"


    "a year and more than a half," Hiroku corrected her.


    "You think Kiznaq has learned how to bend lightning, don''t you?" Ramiron appraised Hiroku''s listless face.


    Glacia''s eyes swung between the two temporarily and said, "But Key also grew stronger. Can''t he just calculate where the lightning is going and dodge it?"


    "Do you think he''s Dow?" Ramiron smirked, chuckling loudly afterward.


    Hiroku explained further, "The lightning Kiznaq summoned is much faster than my purple one, and it takes at least a level 10 bot to dodge mine. Key stands no chance unless he is already stronger than a level 10 bot."


    "We''d better pray," Glacia said.

 Key Rayth VS Kiznaq DoLock

    Key softly closed the door behind him and silently hurried to the back of a black stall. No sound was made in the rapid steps. His armor was embedded in fabric, not a plate clanged with another.


    He was on the first floor, outside the sphere of different stalls of cosmetics. All the floors above were ring-like, circular corridors with the exterior side aligned with the facade of restaurants, shops, boutiques, etc. The inner side, however, was empty, just like holes in rings. Anyone who stood close to the glass balustrade could look downward at the first floor.


    In reverse, everyone on the first floor could see the edge of every other floor. It was just much harder to track. Granted, it was not the case for Key Rayth. His augmented vision could lock onto Kiznaq the moment he came in sight.


    Holding the grenade launcher in his right hand, Key clicked on the control panel at the side of his "U." Then, he stuck his upper body out and aimed at a random stall.


    A red ball was shot from one of the "U"''s two legs. The ball hit the stall and ricocheted to the roof of another stall in the center of the first floor.


    The lower half of the ball transformed into four identical prongs and pierced into the roof, affixing the ball there. The top of the ball opened and revealed a dome camera. It monitored everything from the roofs of stalls to the pendent light on the mall''s ceiling. The graphics were projected onto Key''s sunglasses.


    He patiently waited, knowing he would catch Kiznaq first. His hips sat motionlessly on the ground, and his eyes focused on the corner of the sunglasses that showed him the center of the mall.


    The first sniper to lose focus would be the first sniper to die.


    Well, unless the sniper could bend lightning.


    A horizontal lightning bolt penetrated the mall from the third floor, breaking into the monitor''s sight. Immediately following was another perpendicular strike coming from the second floor. Then, another went through the third floor again.


    ''Ow is this ''appening? Isn''t lightning vertical? Damn. It must be Kiznaq. ''E must ''ave learned ''ow to bend lightning. Damn, but it is not too bad.


    Key saw a tiny piece of concrete debris falling beside him.


    ''Is lightning can crash concrete? I ''ave to find Kiznaq before ''e bring the entire building down. If I get out of the mall, I could wait until Kiznaq exhausted ''imself. But, then, I would need to fight Kiznaq without a roof.


    Key aimed his "U" at the second floor and clicked another button on the control panel.


    A grappling hook was launched from the barrel between the "U"''s two legs. The spike in the center of the hook pricked into the side of the corridor, and the three prongs around it followed.


    Beneath the horizontal lightning barrage, Key pulled himself up to the second floor. Bursting concrete fell beside him and around him. He rushed from shop to shop, scanning each one as he ran past their facades. Despite his sprinting, rounding the floor was still triggering Key''s impatience.


    Then, a strand of lightning struck centimeters before Key, startling him into halting and tripping.


    "Damn," Key sighed weakly and got up from the ground to continue to the fourth floor. He skipped the third floor, which was under the heaviest attack. A part of him thought Kiznaq might be hiding there. Yet that part of himself was not enough for Key to take the risk. Thus, he searched the fourth and fifth floors just to realize that Kiznaq might not even be in the mall.


    Why ''ave I not thought of it?


    Key bashed his own head.


    The simulation contained the mall and some space outside it. Of course, Kiznaq did not enter the mall. ''E just ''as to stand on the edge of the simulation and wait for me to show up. ''E does not even need to find me. Why ''ave I never thought of it?


    Key crouched down with his eyes shut and both hands on his head.


    My brain tricked me. It made me believe in what is convenient for me. Mr. Dowii ''ad been reminding me of this a million times already, and I did not improve a bit. Damn!


    Clenching his empty hand, Key opened his eyes and stood up. Now was not the time for an emotional period, and he knew it. Now, he had to focus on defeating Kiznaq. After that, he would mock Kiznaq in front of everybody. Everyone would realize how strong Key was. All the restless training would pay off. Key would crawl for this victory.


    I ''ave to put Kiznaq under pressure like ''e did to me. ''Ow can I do that?


    Key spotted a boutique with its glass outer wall exploded by lightning. With only a few exceptions, most other shops'' outer walls were made of concrete or steel, so the lightning could only prick tiny holes in them. This fully destroyed glass wall was Key''s perfect spot to initiate his attack.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    He shot a red ball at the boutique''s counter and held up his grenade launcher as the ball bounced out of the broken wall. Simultaneously, the lower half of the ball disassembled, revealing the dome camera.


    Key betted the right spot. The monitor ball instantly caught the Kiznaq standing before the building. The image was sent before Key''s eyes. A green reference line emerged in Key''s vision. He aligned his launcher with the green line and fired. Supposedly, the grenade would ricochet on the simulator''s invisible wall and plummet on Kiznaq.


    Yet, the execution did not go as planned.


    A strand of lightning halted before the shattered glass and turned ninety degrees. It struck on the grenade when it was only halfway before exiting the mall.


    The electrified explosion pushed Key out of the boutique, off the fifth floor. The launcher fell to the first floor. Key only merely grabbed the edge of the corridor. His body loosely hung on the edge, slightly swaying in the air. He blankly watched another strike of lightning flying over him. His connection with the ball he just shot was already gone.


    Panting, Key recovered from the mental shock and reevaluated the situation.


    I''m not hurt, but my launcher is gone. I know where Kiznaq is now, but he must have changed position. Uh, damn! Nothing is working in my favor.


    As he thought, another flash of lightning went by above his knuckles, a few centimeters away from tearing them off. Key released his grip and dropped to the fourth floor. He lay down, one leg swinging by the edge of the corridor.


    I still have two more monitor balls and two shots of electric nets. My "U" can still flash, and my grappling hook can still function. I have to come up with something. I have to!


    "This is horrible," Glacia commented, staring at her desperate teammate on the screen.


    Meanwhile, a chubby white boy was jumping on the neighboring set of couches, shouting, "Kiznaq is the GOAT! He''s the absolute GOAT!" His plump arms were held over his head. He wore a black T-shirt and casual blue shorts. His clean undercut was as common as it could be.


    Hiroku rubbed his eyes in annoyance, and Glacia went on toying with his ponytail. Ramiron, on the other hand, seemed unbothered by the screaming 6th grader. She carefully inspected Key, which triggered Glacia''s curiosity after a glimpse.


    "What''s wrong?" she asked.


    "I''m just thinking, what would I do if I were him?"


    "I''d just surrender and end the simulation," Glacia said and pulled Hiroku''s hair softly, waiting for his answer.


    "Let me think," Hiroku answered without looking up.


    Ramiron pointed at the screen. "Did he just give up?" Key had climbed back to the fifth floor after most lightning concentrated back to the third floor again. He sat beside a shattered glass wall and reclined against the broken counter next to it.


    Hiroku, raising his head from his supporting palm, said, "If he stays on the first floor, he will be crushed by the entire wreckage. The match would be over at that point. He is trying to take the fight after the mall''s collapse."


    "This means Key had figured out a way to attack faster than lightning." Glacia made an optimistic assumption, and Ramiron went in the opposite direction.


    "Or, he is too desperate to come up with an actual plan, so he just bet on his luck," Ramiron said, sipping her energy drink.


    Glacia pouted her lips and countered, "Can''t you have a bit more trust in your teammate?"


    Before Glacia could unleash an entire complaint, Hiroku lightly touched her wrist, halting her surging words. Glacia focused back on fiddling with the ponytail. This time, she played a bit harder than before.


    On the other side of the lounge, Dior, the chubby boy, had already stopped yelling and jumping long ago. Glacia did not notice when he stopped, but she could tell it was probably Mina who stopped him.


    Eventually, the mall collapsed from the third floor. The side opposite Kiznaq was the first to break. It crumbled from the third floor. Everything above was devoured into the second and first floors. The upper half of the building was basically turned to a right angle and shoved into the lower half. Before the upper mall fully descended, a monitor ball was sent out from the fifth floor, piercing through the dusty smoke. Following, Key rushed out. He fired his electric net into the sky as Kiznaq''s image entered the monitor''s vision.


    Kiznaq noticed the flying net while his thunderbolt plummeted on the monitor ball. He glared at the approaching net with sweat sliding down his forehead until the next strike of lightning was ready.


    A smile of relief emerged on his face when his lightning hit the ground in front of him, scorching the electric net and throwing it off its trajectory. Simultaneously, Dior yelled, "Yes!" He was again jumping on the couch. On the other side of the lounge, all three of Key''s teammates stared at the rightmost screen.


    The lightning blocked Kiznaq''s own sight. When the lightning vanished, he saw Key''s grappling hook stuck before him and Key falling from the sky, being pulled forward by the hook.


    The scene did not startle Kiznaq, for Key could not reach him before his next charge of lightning became available.


    Key faced the "U"''s display panel at Kiznaq. "Flash," he said and clicked on the control panel.


    A flare of pure white light burst and spewed from the display panel.


    "Ahh!" Kiznaq screamed in pain as he shut his eyes and spontaneously turned away from Key. Panicking, he launched the lightning at random and received another electric net in return. Wrapped, he dropped to the ground, convulsing.


    Key, suffering much worse, landed on the ground with his entire shanks, heels to knees, cracking into fragments. The only thing keeping the bone debris from exploding outward was his pair of armored trousers. Rolling on the ground, he held his screech, teeth clenching. When the rolling finally ceased, Key crawled up, sitting awkwardly in pain, and launched his last monitor ball into the sky.


    Dior whined loudly in despair. Glacia slowly began clapping, and then everyone else, including Mina and Kirane from the other squad, followed. Hiroku smiled and let out puffs of short titters. Ramiron clapped the loudest and battled Dior''s disappointed groan with her victorious laughter.


    The ball plunged on Kiznaq''s head, opening it and ending the match.


    <hr>


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 That Girl(Not Really) in the Garden Is so Cute!

    As Loter did the last push-up, his arms shook like a quivering boat, and his core was literally twitching. The continuous "uh" grunt grew louder.


    "Arms straight. Back straight. You''re almost there. Just straighten your arms a bit more. You can do it." Dowii crouched beside. He yapped and yapped louder to drown out Loter''s utterance.


    To push back Dowii''s half-ass cheering, Loter further increased his grunting. Dowii did the same in response.


    "Ahhhh!"


    Almost shouting, Loter gathered the last wisp of strength and pushed himself not a centimeter higher, straightening his elbows.


    "Nice work!" Dowii heavily patted Loter''s back, knocking him to the ground, intentionally or not.


    "I can''t do it anymore. I can''t do it anymore," Loter whined and grumbled. His right cheek lay against the floor. His legs aimlessly bent up and fell back down.


    "You know, I didn''t really expect you to hold up so long. An entire hour without any break in between. I''d say it''s pretty impressive for a beginner."


    "Does this mean the class is over?" Loter asked unenthusiastically. He was aware that Dowii would probably not let him go.


    After a short silence, Dowii answered, "Sure. Normally, the training ends at 3, but since it''s your first time, I can take it easy on you."


    "Really?" Loter instantly pushed his upper torso up and turned toward Dowii. His eyes were filled with vigor.


    He dropped back to the ground with no energy left in him after Dowii confirmed the decision. Dowii went toward the shoe case as he said, "Come on, Loter."


    "I''m just going to lie here a bit longer." A smile of satisfaction appeared on Loter''s face. He was aware of the science behind the "exercises make people happy" thing. He just never liked to move, and it felt extra awesome when he did.


    "No, you''re not. You''ll put your socks and shoes back on and go sleep back in your dorm."


    Making some random noise, Loter wriggled to his socks, put them on, and continued to his sneakers.


    "Are you really 17?" Dowii asked, pulling Loter back on his feet.


    Loter rubbed his eyes, yawned, and nodded simultaneously. The light turned off automatically. Then Dowii closed the door. As they went down the stairs, Loter wobbled from side to side, whereas Dowii just casually watched and followed him from behind.


    "Mr. Dowii, has the cross-training ended yet?"


    "No, I think they need at least another thirty minutes."


    "Okay."


    Loter did not really want to sleep right now. He was certainly tired, yet he was not willing to sleep. He wanted to play video games, but the dorm was just slightly too far for his exhausted feet. Thus, he went to the garden. The idea of playing with flowers just randomly popped up in his head.


    From afar, Loter saw a figure under the white pavilion.


    Isn''t the cross-training still happening? Why is that person in the garden?


    Loter continued approaching with his slow shuffling. His shoes stepped on the short grass, making little to no noise. Only when Loter was around the pavilion''s stoop did the person notice him.


    The person was a light-skinned girl who seemed younger than Loter. She had long, black hair going down her shoulders. Her white sundress fitted the white pavilion perfectly like she was a part of the structure.


    "Hi," the girl greeted Loter the moment she saw him. She was not startled, scared, or even surprised by the boy''s sudden presence.


    Loter stood before the stoop, propping his hand on the handrail. "Hello."


    "Nice to meet you."


    "Okay." Loter just looked at the girl blankly, no emotion except tiredness expressed.


    She giggled at Loter''s response. "My name is Lyra Vesp. How about you?"


    "I''m Loter Spawman. Why are you here? Shouldn''t you be in the cross-training?"


    "Oh." She was clearly surprised by the question. "I have normal classes in the afternoon."


    He yawned and said, "Then, shouldn''t you be using the computer?"


    "No, my classes aren''t online. I just told the teacher I need to go to the health center."


    "Are you actually sick?"


    Lyra laughed again. "No, of course not. I''m just tired of math class. I''m not becoming a mathematician in the future, anyway." She stood up from her seat and strolled to the pavilion''s stoop.


    "Then, what do you want to be?"


    "Superhero."


    "Me too."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Lyra''s grin widened, "I think it''s the case for most of us here."


    "Yeah."


    HueCam Academy is a superhero school, and the mountain campus is for those really strong and prominent ones. It makes sense that almost everyone here will be superheroes in the future¡­


    Seeing Loter maintaining his position without moving or saying anything, Lyra hesitated and continued the conversation, "So¡­ What brings you here? Did you also ditch a class?... Hello? Loter?"


    "Uh? Yeah, uh, uh, what did you say?"


    Damn, I forgot I was talking to people again.


    "Nothing. Just asking why you''re here."


    "Uh, I want to play flowers."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Hm?" Lyra widened her eyes a little.


    "What?"


    "You want to play flowers?"


    "Yeah."


    "Do you mean watch?"


    "I mean play."


    "How do you do that exactly?" Lyra asked genuinely and walked down the small stairs, ready to join Loter. Her grin was brightened by the absurdity of Loter''s response.


    "Oh, I will lie among them. They will be touching my arms, legs, body, and head."


    "And you will swing your limbs?"


    "Yeah."


    "Like snow angel?"


    "Flower angel," Loter replied without much thinking. His response, again, triggered Lyra''s giggling.


    "Can I join?"


    "Sure." Loter got up from the handrail and resumed walking deeper into the garden. It was in the center, where there was a field of flowers of varied colors. Most were yellow, white, or faint pinkish-red. Some were blue, purple, or violet.


    Loter smoothly got on all fours before entering the flower field and rolled inside. Behind him, Lyra kept giggling. She followed unhurriedly as Loter traveled further in. Lyra had her hands on her lower legs to neaten her dress when she knelt among the flowers. Loter lay before her, performing "flower angel" with his eyelids ajar.


    The girl held her hands beside her thighs, gently palming the flowers. Her skin and the colorful petals barely touched, like they were caressing each other.


    Meanwhile, Loter''s movement contained much less care and grace. His swinging was quick and heavy. Thin, green stems were pressed to the ground whenever Loter''s limbs pushed by. It became hard to keep his eyelids open.


    "Are you tired?" Lyra asked softly. Loter responded with a weak guttural noise. Faintly, Loter saw the girl standing up. Then, he felt he was carried into the air. On his left was a solid, rock-hard chest with fabric on it.


    Two firm arms lifted Loter. One was beneath his knees. The other went from his left shoulder to his right waist, heaving Loter''s entire back and letting him lie against the non-flesh chest.


    Loter had already closed his eyes, so he did not bother discovering who was carrying him. He just grabbed onto the soft fabric like an infant. Lyra''s voice came softly beside his right ear, "What''s your room number? I can take you there."


    "302¡­"


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    "Pad like no other."


    <hr>


    "Loter, Loter. Why is the door opened, and why are you sleeping on the couch?"


    The boy woke up and saw Hiroku Kayama standing before him. His blanket slid off him as he sat up and yawned. "I just met a girl," he said while rubbing his eyes with the bottom of his palms, "I think she¡ª" Loter paused, thinking he was carried back by Lyra or some guy Lyra called.


    Lyra did tell me she was going to carry me, but I think another man carried me. Maybe she took over halfway?


    "Go on," Hiroku demanded without any facial expression or change of tone. However, Loter could tell he was, at least somewhat, interested.


    "She got me back to the dorm, and I fell asleep."


    "You were caught sleeping in the garden?"


    "Not exactly, but the garden is correct. How do you know?"


    Hiroku pointed at Loter''s soiled white hoodie, which still had some plant parts remaining on it.


    "Ohhhh," Loter made an extended noise of acknowledgment and began negligently wiping his hoodie.


    "Did the girl tell you her name?"


    "Yeah."


    What is her name? What is it?


    "Hm?"


    "Uh, I was drowsy at the time, so I don''t¡­ Oh, yeah! I remember."


    "Uh-hum."


    "Lyra Vesp. Her name is Lyra Vesp."


    "Do you know who she is?"


    "Lyra Vesp."


    Hiroku rolled his eyes and turned around. "Whatever," he grumbled in impatience.


    "Wait, what are you trying to say." Loter pounced forward into the air and pressed Hiroku by his shoulders while landing. Loter learned this move from Key.


    "Get off me," Hiroku commended listlessly and continued as Loter drew his hands back, "Lyra Vesp is not a girl. She is the reincarnation of a hero who died a dozen or so years ago."


    After a quick murmuring of calculation, Hiroku went on, "14 years ago. She''s just here to wait for her body to grow¡ª"


    "That''s cool."


    "¡ªso she does not attend any class and roams around the school. It''s quite odd you didn''t see her earlier."


    "Wait, what? She tells me she sneaks out of her math class by claiming she wants to see the doctor lady."


    "Then, she lied."


    In response, Loter made a disappointed grunt, which Hiroku completely ignored. He just kept on explaining, "She had the power to summon a giant-like creature, so she probably carried you here with that."


    "Oh yeah! That''s why I feel like I was not carried by her directly! So, what can the creature do?"


    "Vesp''s power is ''DEGRADING.'' It is the ability to summon a creature that can degrade things by attacking them."


    "Oh, it''s an ordering power, just like me!"


    "Hm?"


    "Oh, I think I didn''t mention, but my power is an ordering power. I just don''t know the name yet."


    "Whatever."

 Two More Matches

    Unconsciously, both Key and Kiznaq were carried out of the simulator room by Mr. Kashner, the mentor of Kiznaq''s squad. Mina and Dior came to transport Kiznaq to the couch, whereas Ramiron single-handedly took Key to their space.


    Mr. Kashner wore a long black reefer jacket and a fedora hat with a deep blue ski mask, almost as dark as the jacket. Normally, he would not be the only mentor handling this, yet Dowii had to take care of the new kid, so he had to look after both squads by himself.


    "I''m quite surprised with Key''s victory." Kashner leaned beside the door to the simulator room. His voice was a bit sharper and hoarser than average.


    "Ugh, it''s literally luck! He would''ve lost if the net thing flew a bit slower," Dior argued as he slumped on the lounge chair.


    "Just shut up. You know Key planned every step out. He outsmarted Kiznaq by a large margin," Glacia said, her mouth pouting.


    "D''at''s also drue," Mina DoLock easily concurred. Her accent was as thick as her unconscious brother.


    "Key Rayth works much harder than any of us here." Ramiron stood beside her long couch since Key needed to rest on it. She propped her arm on the seatback. "That''s why I believed in him from the start!" Her own last sentence had her seriousness vanish in laughter.


    "No, you were saying he didn''t stand a chance." Glacia turned toward Ramiron.


    "Hiroku said it. I just explained his thoughts."


    Hiroku sighed and said, "He did surprise me."


    Upon hearing it, Mina looked over her seatback and yelled, "Should''ve drusded your deammade more."


    "Alright, kids, up for the next match?" Kashner checked his watch and stopped leaning against the wall.


    "Mina, we need to avenge our bro," Dior jumped up from his lounge chair, swinging his arms.


    "Yes."


    "Alright." Glacia took a deep breath and left Hiroku''s ponytail alone.


    "Okay." Kashner clapped his gloved hands. "Next match. Dior Nessuno and Mina DoLock V.S. Glacia Quakeheart."


    The simulation quickly appeared on the five screens. Kashner was in the simulator room, so only three people were awake in the lounge. The simulation for the current match was a market mall different from the cylinder one. This one was rectangular and included a vast, fully-filled parking lot.


    Glacia was spawned in the parking lot, wearing her usual tube top and flare jeans.


    Dior and Mina were put on the other side of the simulation, behind the back door of the market mall. Mina was in her casual white pullover, leather jacket, and long black skirt, with an extra layer of pink gothic makeup on her face.


    She forgot to put it on this morning, yet it was still added to her face in the simulation since it was part of her image stored in the system.


    Dior, on the other hand, was clothless and formless. His whole existence became a tense cluster of black smoke, which took a bit more space than Dior in his human form. The plume of dark particles only faintly formed the silhouette of feet to stand on the asphalt ground.


    "Let''s do this." The husky voice came vaguely and strenuously from the smoke. The pitch was low, and the volume was lower.


    Before Mina could answer, the vibrating floor knocked her to the ground. She fell on her own golden hair. Her instinct had her grabbing the ground as the rectangular mall swayed back and forth. Mina shut her eyes spontaneously. "Fuck, fuck, fuck" she mumbled with unaccented, perfectly-pronounced swear words.


    "It''s worse than last time," Dior shoved the sentence out of himself and jumped up from the ground, his feet vanishing. His plume of a body flew freely in the air, unaffected by the trembling world. Watching the entire simulation with every particle of him capable of seeing, he spotted Glacia immediately. However, Glacia also saw him.


    Gold light glowed from Glacia''s eyes, covering her entire eyeball. Beneath them were two golden tattoos. Each was a shallow sine wave extended to below the pterions(temples), glowing brighter than the eyes. She stared at him, knee crouching and transporting her power into the ground with her two palms.


    A rough silhouette of two hands extended from the smoke, the heels of his palms touching. Faint particles with violet glimmering emerged and vanished before his hands. Then, a gush of violet laser beam burst out before his palms from the thin air. The rushing beam hit Glacia right in the face.


    The quaking stopped. The sudden change in pattern had the inertia busting the giant mall.


    The foundation was torn up from the ground. The building''s already crumbling structure fell directly on Mina. The roof edge of the mall actually smacked on the simulation''s invisible wall first. Yet, the rest of the mall just broke from the center, like a hanging pig being lacerated from the belly, organs dropping to the ground.


    "Mina!" Dior shouted and paused his attack. Not a word came in response from the ruin of the mall.


    "The wind girl down. Last one left," Glacia said to herself. She walked toward Dior, intact. Not a single scrape was done on her body.


    Glacia Quakeheart had the power to make things quake, but she could not use it both for offense and defense simultaneously. She had to use it on her own body to nullify Dior''s attack, so she let the inertia of the swaying mall do her the favor of taking down Mina DoLock.


    "That''s a quick one," Ramiron commented, quietly smirking, not to mock the two kids from the other squad, but in contrast to Key and Kiznaq''s fight.


    Hiroku nodded, attentively watching Glacia''s match despite its obvious result and boring execution.


    Suddenly, Kirane Kayama stood up from the couch. "Well, then, I guess I''ll have to be the only one winning in my squad."


    Kirane was the only one in his squad who was not wearing black. His full kimono set contained a white nagagi(inner robe), lemon-colored hakama(additional skirt), and light blue haori(outer coat). The embroidery of a golden wyrm(a snake-like dragon with no feet) was sewed to both sides of his haori, running vertically from the hem to his shoulders. Behind, a golden, roaring phoenix was sewed to the back of the haori.


    Unlike his cousin with two ponytails, Kirane''s dyed-white hair ran down his shoulder naturally, just like every other master of Tribe Kayama. He gazed at Hiroku, who was totally neglecting him. Kirane could only see his seatback and disheveled ponytail. He conspicuously clicked his tongue.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "I actually think we will be the one winning this time, Kayama," Ramiron confidently said.


    "We will see, Veilora. Can you carry my cousin to victory? I doubt," Kirane replied harshly.


    While the two were trash-talking, Hiroku was focusing on Glacia''s performance. She had just shot down Dior by launching the debris into the sky. She still could not aim well. However, she overcame this minor obstacle by throwing a volley into the sky.


    "It''s done," Hiroku said.


    "Aye?" Ramiron confusedly responded. She paid no attention to the screens.


    "The match is over," Hiroku explained. After Glacia strode out of the simulator room with satisfaction and pride, Hiroku told her the volley was nice. The compliment put a thin blush on her cheeks.


    <hr>


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    <hr>


    The simulation for the next match was set across four city blocks with tall office buildings and taller condos. The silence of the commonly crowded scene added to the somberness of the dark gray sky. Not a piece of blueness could peek through the heavy clouds.


    All three participants had no equipment whatsoever. The team of two spawned in the Northeast corner of the cubic simulation. Across the map, Kirane Kayama was alone in the Southwest corner.


    "Plan?" Hiroku asked, appraising the surroundings.


    "I kick his ass, and you watch," Ramiron replied. Her voice was as playful as usual, but its assertion was non-neglectable.


    "Hm?"


    Ramiron vanished without answering. Sweeping the shining dust in the air, Hiroku looked around and found Ramiron teleported to the edge of the closest building''s rooftop.


    Hiroku sighed and said, "Whatever." He launched his lavender spheres and attracted himself upward. With seven different spheres, Hiroku climbed to the top, which Ramiron had already left. Sighing again, he went across the roof and stood by the edge to watch over the simulation.


    Although both his views of the ground and other rooftops were severely limited by other not-much-shorter buildings and even taller buildings, Hiroku stood there since he had nothing better to do.


    For a dozen or so seconds, Hiroku heard nothing but his own breathing. The fake loneliness of his position calmed Hiroku down a little.


    Then, there was an explosion. It happened afar, behind enough buildings that Hiroku could only see the rising smoke.


    Hiroku immediately sent a lavender sphere horizontally into the air. He quickly darted at it. Before arriving, he threw a new one and canceled the old one. His motion was as seamless as if he could actually fly.


    When he finally crossed the condo that blocked his vision, he saw two facing buildings, both with a giant dent, and spotted the two participants fighting on the street in between.


    Ramiron emerged before Kirane, her right foot already jabbing. The kick teleported right onto Kirane''s chest, knocking him at least five meters away.


    Hiroku pinned himself in the air with his ability and threw a strand of lightning at Kirane, who was lying on the ground.


    Surprisingly, Ramiron teleported forward, taking the attack for Kirane. The back of her sea green polo was burnt black, adhering to her skin. "Didn''t I tell you to watch?" Ramiron shouted, not even glancing at Hiroku.


    Right after the last syllable of Ramiron''s words, Kirane vanished. A circle of ten white swords appeared around Ramiron. The closest one was only several centimeters away.


    They charged at her.


    The Teleporting Attack.


    Kirane was using Ramiron''s trick against her but at a much more fatal level.


    "Tssssssss."


    Suddenly, all ten swords were gone. In replacement were ten clumps of dense, glowing particles spreading, floating, and fading in the air. While Ramiron was laughing wildly at her effortless work, Hiroku realized what just happened.


    Ramiron''s power source is Lumarion from the Teratiak star signs. It holds the power of stardust, the intermediate between substance and energy. By decomposing herself into stardust and reforming at a different location, Ramiron could teleport in a certain radius as long as she could see her destination. This method of teleportation used to be her only application of Lumarion''s power¡­


    She must have decomposed those swords into stardust. This power is unbelievable. If she can activate it so thoroughly with the attack almost touching her, there will be no way to harm her in any meaningful way. Kirane must have realized it, too.


    "Nice trick, Veilora. Let''s see if it stands against the magic of Kayama." The sentence was carried to both Hiroku and Ramiron''s ears by a breeze of no origin. This was one of Kirane''s magic. He would often hide himself and let the wind carry his messages for him.


    "Let''s find out," Ramiron replied, putting her hands on her waist.


    A dark fume slowly appeared a dozen or so meters above Ramiron. It began as a small plume of fume. Then, it grew bigger and bigger until it was of a cloud''s size.


    Killing Cloud, one of the magic tricks preserved by the one main branch of Kayama. It is said to be able to tear anything within it into pieces. Not even the hardest metal in the world could stand its force. Is Ramiron really going to take this attack?


    The cloud of fume descended onto Ramiron, completely devouring her.


    Seconds later, it was turned into a giant cluster of stardust. However, in the cluster, Kirane stood within. He punched Ramiron in the stomach the moment "Killing Cloud" was dissolved. His fist was glowing a dazzling white light.


    For a moment, Ramiron, impressed, could not use her ability, and Kirane was just standing there, holding his fist against Ramiron''s midriff.


    "Meteor Punch," Kirane said. An explosion followed.


    The white light temporarily blinded Hiroku, and the shockwave destroyed the lavender sphere.


    By launching a sphere to the ground, Hiroku barely survived the fall. His hairbands had fallen off at some point, leaving his messy hair covering his face.


    He got back on his feet as he tucked his hair behind his ears. The smoke was gradually fading. Kirane''s single-armed silhouette became clear. He only had his right arm since the left one was expended to perform "Meteor Punch."


    "Just like I guessed, Veilora''s decomposing ability can not function on creatures with souls. Now, it''s just you, my disappointing cousin. You would stand a chance if you knew our family''s magic. Or am I expecting too much from a side branch?" Kirane extended his remaining arm at Hiroku.


    Hiroku could see the silhouette of the giant wyrm crawling out of the void behind Kirane. The wyrm rested a second on the caster''s left and then went before him, raising and turning its head at the caster''s right. It rounded Kirane circle after circle like chasing its own tail. Eventually, the smoke fully faded, and the golden dragon held its head above Kirane''s, glaring at Hiroku Kayama, the side branch of the tribe.


    "Have you given up already, my cousin?"


    "..." Hiroku stayed silent for a second and sighed.


    He could just give up here. He did not want to fight the spoiled brat, anyway. Yet, there was a burning guilt in him. He would feel guilty if he did not fight to the end. He would feel guilty if he did not struggle until pulling his final trick. He thought of what Key Rayth did, and he felt guiltier.


    His fists clenched, violet light glowing through the finger gaps.


    Then, he thought of what Glacia said, so he let go. "Ram told me not to mess with her duel."


    With a blood pit in her stomach, Ramiron emerged behind Kirane. Her right hand was on his jaw, and her left hand was on the back of his head.


    "Goodbye." Ramiron pulled her hands to the sides, rotating Kirane''s head 180 degrees.


    There, the match ended. Dowii''s squad thoroughly defeated Kashner''s squad with a perfect three to zero.


    Before they exited the simulator room, Ramiron asked, "How did you know I was still hanging in the simulation?"


    "Glacia told me to trust my teammates, so I did just that," Hiroku reluctantly said and quickly added, "also, I don''t want to fight that brat."


    "Aye! I''ll make sure to tell Glacia all about it!"


    "No, you don''t. She''s going to act crazy. Just tell them I don''t want to fight Kirane. That''s enough." Hiroku got visibly nervous.


    "Hee hee hee hee." Kashner giggled from behind.


    Hiroku grunted in response.


    "Alright, alright. I won''t tell her how much you cherish her advice, ha ha ha ha ha."

 A Good Evening

    "Well, how''s the cross-training?" Loter asked, following Hiroku into the elevator.


    "We won." Hiroku clicked the button to the first floor.


    "Nice! Which squad did you spar with?"


    "Kashner''s squad."


    "Kashner?"


    "The one with the DoLock siblings. "


    "The one with your cousin?"


    As Hiroku nodded in confirmation, the elevator arrived at the second floor. The door opened and revealed Key and Glacia behind it.


    Key greeted them zestfully while entering the elevator, "Yo, you guys ready for dinner? I''m starving." He draped his arm around Loter''s shoulders, sharing away half of his weight.


    "He''s been excited ever since I told him about the match," Glacia explained and followed in. She automatically stood beside Hiroku.


    "I won, Lot. Just like everyone else on the squad, pal," Key said. He shook Loter side to side as he spoke.


    "Great, who did you spar with?" Loter asked, swaying accordingly.


    "Kiznaq, Lot. I destroyed ''im on the basketball court, and I destroyed ''im in the simulation. ''E might be able to bend lightning, but ''e ain''t gonna bend this back."


    "Nice work. How did you defeat him?"


    "Oh, I was waiting for you to ask." Key then began describing his fight, exaggerating multiple details and omitting basically all the parts where he struggled. He fluently and vividly told the story on their way to the dining hall.


    Loter listened attentively, fully caught in between the narration; Hiroku stayed quiet; Glacia chuckled and repeatedly corrected Key to increase the accuracy of the summary.


    Drowning in Key''s loudness, they entered the dining hall. Just like every other day, the dining hall was filled with chattering. As they walked up to their usual table, Loter spotted Kirane at the other table. He gave them a fierce glance, which Loter could not tell if others noticed.


    Ramiron was already at their table. She casually waved and said, "Yo."


    "Hi!" Loter called and reached his hand over his head to wave with his arm straight.


    For dinner, Hiroku and Glacia were eating two identical bowls of ramen. Key rewarded himself with an entire roast chicken. It caused Loter to abandon his own order, which he did not bother to pick up from the food counter. He did not even remember what it was. Ramiron had three giant bowls of macaroni that fully surpassed Key''s roast chicken in volume.


    Within minutes, the chicken duo had got their hands and mouths all greasy. Hiroku quietly shifted his chair away a bit in response, unintentionally getting closer to Glacia. She paused a second and also moved her seat closer to Hiroku.


    "Cross-training." Loter chewed chicken meat. "Sounded so fun." He chewed.


    Glacia giggled.


    "Aye, it is," Ramiron replied. Key only nodded. He was too busy eating the chicken.


    "Key." Loter chewed. "Told me about his match. How about you guys?" He continued, "How was your match? I heard you all won."


    Glacia was the first to answer. "I faced two at once¡ª"


    "Wow."


    "¡ªI collapsed a building to finish one and threw rocks to shoot down another one."


    Hiroku suddenly added while looking away from Glacia, "A volley of rocks."


    Glacia seconded with much more enthusiasm than moments earlier, "Yup! I raised a volley by charging debris pieces with energy and bouncing them upward. Dior was running in circles. Couldn''t dodge my bullets."


    "Oh, you destroyed them! Didn''t they fight back?" Loter asked.


    "Dior shot a laser, but I just canceled it. He can''t do much really."


    "I think Key''s story is much more exciting¡ª"


    Interjecting Loter, Ramiron abruptly said, "Hiro and I matched against his cousin. I rolled over him. Hiro didn''t even get to play."


    "Really? How? I heard Kiznaq saying he''s the strongest on campus."


    "Nuh, I''m the strongest now," Ramiron smirked and proceeded to explain her newly tested ability.


    The dinner time passed joyfully with one topic after another. Glacia brought up the new fashion show that just aired on Grossfilm. Key and Loter obviously did not participate. To everybody''s surprise, Hiroku had watched the show. However, he refused to participate in the girls'' show discussion. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Midway, Loter asked Ramiron why she would be interested since she almost only wore her sea green polo shirts and rarely switched up to red and yellow. Ramiron answered that she mostly wore polo shirts for their practicality. With some hesitation, she brought up the fact that all her clothes were tailor-made.


    Loter attempted to keep asking and got slapped in the head by Key. Swiftly, Hiroku changed the conversation to local news, which Glacia and Loter knew nothing about. Loter kept asking questions, which totally led him away from the previous topic.


    After dinner, Ramiron just teleported her way to her dorm. She could not do this in one step, yet she could still travel much faster than the rest of the squad. Hiroku, on the other hand, told everyone he wanted some peace and walked away. Glacia chased behind him under Key''s incitement.


    On their way back to the dorm, Key told Loter about a FPS game that they could play together. Loter instantly agreed. The rest of their night was spent gaming on their computers. Loter used and laptop, and Key used his desktop.


    Walking on the stone-paved path between buildings, Hiroku momentarily slowed down his steps and increased again. Behind him, Glacia just followed. For what felt like an eternity, Hiroku did not look back. His head just stayed facing the front deliberately and lifelessly. Until, suddenly, he halted. Standing blandly, Hiroku turned back. His brows were knitted, neither angrily nor sadly. There was a faint pity inside.


    "What''s wrong?" Glacia fretted.


    She blinked. He hugged her tightly in his arms.


    Shocked, Glacia was stunned for a second and even tried to escape instinctively. When she realized what was happening, she attempted to hug back, but Hiroku already drew his hands back.


    "Sorry." His eyes avoided hers.


    "Don''t be. I don''t mean to¡­" She softly held his hands.


    "No, I shouldn''t have done that." Hiroku lightly pulled away. Glacia wanted to strengthen her grip, yet his hands just slipped out.


    The cool wind went by from behind, blowing on Glacia''s naked shoulders and waist. Her body lightly quivered. She felt Hiroku''s suffocating sadness coming into her. Then, a surge of rebellion gushed out of her.


    Glacia stepped forward and hugged Hiroku forcefully, locking him in her arms. Her left cheek was touching his right cheek.


    As tears glided down Hiroku''s face, he embraced Glacia back. "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry," he sobbed and repeated. His volume was lower, yet his crying tone was higher.


    Glacia quietly listened. She felt Hiroku rubbing his damped cheek against her neck and his ponytail lying on her face. Hiroku''s heat went through his pullover and crop top, warming Glacia''s scantily clad body.


    It was a guilty satisfaction and warmth that filled Glacia when her love was responded at his lowest. She knew she was not supposed to, yet she was happy.


    Glacia was sincerely glad that Hiroku relied on her more. Although she had no idea what Hiroku was going through, although she had no access to his thoughts, Glacia was delighted for being important to Hiroku.


    This was the romance she was searching for. This was the love she sought from Hiroku.


    After the ninth yawn, Loter lost them their last game. It was the fourteenth round, seven to six, overtime. Loter whiffed his nineteenth shot at B main in Key''s maniacal laughter. Both Loter and the enemy were the last ones alive. They strafed and hard pressed their left click until Loter was spammed in the head.


    "Not a single shot! Full mag! Not a single shot!"


    "This is madness! Hahahahahaha."


    Loter''s online teammates shouted. Their voice vanished as the match ended, and the giant word "Defeat" presented itself on Loter''s screen.


    "I think it''s enough for today, pal. There''s no way¡ª" Key was interrupted.


    The yelling of his roommate was sent through the microphone, "It is midnight! Fucking Eleven-thirty-five! Open the damn door, Key! Open the¡ª" Key shut his microphone and typed "see you tomorrow" before going offline completely.


    Loter closed his laptop and lay on his bed. He got back down to turn off the light and got back up again. Loter stayed sober for a long time while the excitement of the game gradually faded. He stared at the darkness just like having his eyes closed. There was nothing on his mind. He could only sense the vigor inside him. He felt every breath and noticed every heartbeat. There was a faint dissatisfaction. It was blurry enough for Loter to bear but clear enough for him not to ignore.


    Then, a thought emerged: I miss my father. The dissatisfaction became brighter, more conspicuous. Loter turned to face the wall, suffering this involuntarily and undeniably. He always found flipping to the side and curling together was more comfortable than the default supine style. However, the change of pose could not wipe his feelings away.


    The darkness only pushed Loter closer to the dissatisfaction. It would be easy if it were simply sadness. It really would. Yet, there was no sorrow in his head. It was just a dissatisfaction, a loud one.


    More things started to enter Loter''s mind: his girlfriend, his room in his home, his previous school, his old life, etc, the things he could not get back. Eventually, Loter thought of R.O.S. He still had R.O.S.''s number. He could call him now!


    Loter rolled off the bed, his heart fully elevated. He grabbed his phone and typed in the number.


    "Ring."


    "Ring."


    "Ring."


    "Ring."


    "Loter, are you alright?" The nervous voice came from the phone.


    Too excited, Loter forgot to speak for an instant.


    "Loter? Loter, are you there?" R.O.S. was almost yelling.


    "Uh! Uh, uh, yeah, yeah. I''m here." Loter finally pulled himself back in the moment.


    "Are you alright? What went wrong?"


    "No, uh, actually, nothing went wrong. I just miss you," said Loter. He could hear a strong sigh of relief.


    "You''d give me a heart attack one day," R.O.S. jokingly said and asked, "how''s school?"


    "I love it! I played basketball. I played games, and I made friends! People in my squad are awesome."


    "See? I told you hero schools are great."


    "Oh, and we have this thing called cross-training. It''s people sparring in simulations. It''s so cool!"


    "Interesting. Who did you spar with?"


    "I didn''t really get to use it because it''s just my first day. I''ll be able to join next month, tho."


    "Alright, how about anything negative? You can''t have everything being perfect, can you?"


    Loter glanced toward the ceiling to recall his memory and began finger counting. "Oh, those are embarrassing. Vice Principal Neosol carried me onto the campus because I fainted halfway in the mountain¡ª"


    R.O.S. responded with a constrained chuckle.


    "¡ªa girl saw me wearing only a towel. We became friends later. And I sort of scratched a teammate''s arm when he tried to spar without protection."


    "Yes, it sounds like you." R.O.S. let out another constrained titter. "At least you didn''t blow anyone''s skull."


    "Mentioning of skulls, how''s the gangster I killed the day you met me?"


    After a short instant of silence, R.O.S. dodged the question, "Don''t worry. I handled it."


    "Oh, did you give money to his relatives?"


    "Sure¡­ Let''s go with money. I gave the man''s parents some money to shut them up, so they don''t tell the police."


    "Okay, how''s it going for you?"


    "The local government wants me to help with their recent investigation. By the way, I mean Coral Cobble''s local government."


    "Wow, that''s so cool! Is anything big and bad happening in Coral Cobble?"


    "I don''t know yet. They just sent me the offer today. I will tell you about it the next time you call, alright?"


    "Yeah, that''ll do."


    "Also, don''t call me in the middle of the night. Enough sleep is really important for old men like me."


    "Yeah, I will remember that."


    Loter hung up the phone and jumped onto his bed. All his dissatisfaction was wiped from his heart. Grinning sweetly, Loter closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    Neighboring him, Hiroku also fell asleep, yet he was weeping quietly by himself. The guilt he felt was just too much for a teenager to handle.

 Some Good and Some Bad

    The next day started with Hiroku smacking Loter''s door to wake him up. Loter swiftly donned his clothes and rushed out of his room.


    "You aren''t late, Loter," Hiroku said unenthusiastically.


    "I''m not?" Loter deftly changed the direction he was running and fell onto the couch with a hop. "That''s smooth."


    "No." Hiroku slowly exited their unit.


    "Wait, then why did you knock on my door?" Loter asked and quickly caught up. He stuck his head forward to look at Hiroku''s face. He only received a glance from a flank, yet it was enough for him to sense the somber gloom.


    "You were late yesterday," Hiroku answered and shambled toward the elevator as usual.


    "And?"


    "I decided to call you so you won''t be late this time."


    "Oh! That''s awesome. Thanks, Hiroku!"


    The receiver of the gratitude responded with a dispirited silence.


    Before the silence became awkward, Loter heard Kiznaq calling him from behind, "Loder!"


    "Kiznaq!" Loter faced back and waved as Kiznaq hastened to him. "Key said he destroyed you yesterday!" Loter walked backward and kept following Hiroku toward the elevator.


    "Ah, d''ad sneaky basdard! I only blundered ad d''e very end. He was lucky his drick worked. He''d nod ged me nexd dime."


    "I want to fight you next time."


    "Okay, d''en. We''ll fi''d nexd dime."


    Loter turned around and saw Hiroku already entering the elevator, so he rushed forward, dashing into the elevator before it fully closed.


    As Loter opened his mouth to say something, his eyes met with Hiroku''s. The pure dejection in those Habanese eyes stunned Loter for a moment. He just shut his mouth, mute.


    The elevator door soon opened. Glacia, coming in, was wearing her casual outfit with the only change being the denim shorts that replaced her jeans.


    "Hi," she said zestfully, sweeter than usual. Immediately, she hooked her arms around Hiroku''s. Her eyes squeezed in her gleeful smile.


    Loter casually waved his hand and greeted her. Meanwhile, Hiroku did not even glance at the girl''s direction.


    The extreme contrast between the cuddling pair was non-neglectable. Loter felt eerie despite staring in the other direction.


    This freaky atmosphere continued to breakfast and did not improve in the total silence.


    Both Key and Ramiron, very conveniently, did not show up to the breakfast. Of the three presented people, only Glacia was happy. The other two were either too scared to say anything or too depressed.


    Halfway into the morning period, Dowii had to pull Loter out of the classroom and ask him what was wrong.


    "Key told me they are dating," Loter answered without really answering.


    "I know that already, but they are acting¡­ weirdly today. Also, where is Key?


    Loter shrugged. "I don''t know."


    After a worried huff, Dowii said, "Get back to your course. I have to speak with Kashner now. Things are not right." He left at a quick pace.


    Dowii came back after ten minutes, and Key finally arrived after another half an hour. The bad news was that Hiroku and Glacia''s strange behaviors remained a mystery. The good news was that Key was only late due to last night''s excessive gaming session.


    Glacia gave him a friendly jab, and Loter quietly apologized, which Key waved off without hesitation.


    Five minutes into the classroom, Key noticed Glacia''s right arm passionately hooking onto Hiroku''s unpassionate left arm. He stared at Loter and blinked thrice. Loter shrugged.


    Eventless, the morning period flew by. Hiroku left with Glacia following. Key and Loter headed back to the dorm for gaming. Fully unaware of the strange morning, Ramiron hung her drawing of a night sky onto the wall of the dim art room. It was her tenth drawing on the wall. Before this one, she had done one sketch about a shade-less sphere, three portraits for each member of the initial squad, two oil paintings of Coral Cobble at night, and three water paintings of abstract geometrical shapes.


    Ramiron stared at her work for a while, zoning out in her own peace. This truce was nowhere near pleasant but a mere pause of her internal conflict.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    It is lunchtime.


    Ramiron thought as her roaming mind returned. She took off her apron and then opened the window, teleporting out.


    I do not want to start a new project today, and I have decided I will never meditate again now that I have unlocked my final ability. So, what should I do now?


    Ramiron looked toward the direction of the basketball court.


    Nope, those teenage kids are probably going to make me 1v5 or something. They are awful.


    Ramiron wandered her sight around, going a full circle, and halted in the direction of the dorm.


    Yeah, I should check out what Hiroku is doing. He is one of my few tolerable peers, alongside Key and Loter. Besides, I actually can not imagine what he does in the noontime. It is a great opportunity to find out about it.


    Ramiron teleported her way toward the dorm, putting a cheeky grin on her visage. Just thinking about Hiroku lifted her heart a bit. True friends were always the best.


    Ramiron went into Loter and Hiroku''s unit through the ajar door. The living room was empty, and the only noise came from Loter''s room.


    Faint yelling came through the locked room door. Ramiron could vaguely tell it was about something at the D-site. She knocked lightly on the door and soon decided to do it again with force. Receiving zero response, she increased the force and knocked again.


    "Wait!" Loter yelled.


    This is getting ridiculous.


    Ramiron''s slight happiness had turned into annoyance. She decided that there was no way Hiroku was in the dorm and left. She would be fine to hang out with Loter, too, if he had not been sucked into his laptop.


    What Loter said last night was easily forgiven. Ramiron sort of gave him a pass since she suspected him of neurodivergence. Although the actuality was never discussed, she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, she understood the rudeness of discussing others'' potential mental variation, even though Loter probably would not mind.


    Where can Hiroku be?


    Ramiron teleported to the roof of the dormitory.


    Glacia is the expert on this one.


    Ramiron inspected the campus from atop and eventually spotted Glacia running out of the white pavilion in the garden.


    Glacia is never the kind to appreciate nature. If she is in the garden, it must be because of Hiroku.


    She jumped off the building, teleporting before hitting the ground to cancel the momentum.


    "Gonna see what they are doing," Ramiron whispered to herself. It did not take more than half a minute for her to get close enough to the garden to see what was happening on the pavilion:


    Glacia was laying her head on Hiroku''s lap while Hiroku was stroking her hair.


    From her current angle, Ramiron could not see the two''s faces, yet their action had told enough of a story to send Ramiron away.


    Who am I to interrupt the lovebirds?


    There was a bitter reluctance and a ripple of irritation in the thought. Ramiron knew it was better not to get in Glacia''s way, yet she was unsatisfied with her decision.


    Come on, Ram. Don''t be so gloomy. You aren''t Hiroku. Think about happy things. You''ve just unlocked Lumarion''s ultimate power. You should be proud of yourself.


    Just as Ramiron told this to herself, she suddenly recalled that Hiroku seemed to be unsurprised when she showed him her power. He was just hovering there. He did not even comment on the power.


    Ramiron dropped her descending thoughts and walked slowly toward the dorm, not holding a plan. Abruptly, she heard her phone ringing.


    "Aye?"


    "Ram, where are you?" A childish male voice came out from the phone.


    "Loter? Why?"


    "Don''t you want to tell me something?" Loter asked with an innocence in his words. It seemed he was unconscious about his earlier bad attitude. Ramiron was not mad about it, anyway. She was simply aware of it.


    "Never mind, it doesn''t matter anymore."


    "You sound sad. What''s wrong?"


    "I''m sad?" She forced a smile on her face and raised her voice. "I can''t be sad. I''m Ramiron Veilora. I''m never sad."


    "You can be sad. Everyone can be sad. It''s an universal emotion. Some chemicals in your brain have some reaction with other chemicals in your brain. And boom. You''re sad," Loter didactically explained, like he was a physics teacher.


    "Sure." Ramiron was struck speechless by the out-of-place response. She giggled instead. Then, she burst into laughter.


    "Ram? Why are you laughing?"


    "No, just, you are humorous."


    "Am I?" Loter asked with a light excitement.


    "You are." Ramiron stopped laughing and asked, "So the game ended?"


    "Yeah, and Key said he was going to play the next match by himself."


    "That sounds like him. He is never the type that fears solitude." Ramiron began teleporting her way back to the dorm.


    "Oh, I''ve never noticed it."


    "Of course you didn''t. It''s your, what, second or third day here."


    "It feels like a long time."


    "Perhaps." Ramiron chuckled again and went into the elevator.


    "I really like it here."


    "That''s rare to hear. Don''t you miss hanging out with your old friends in the city?"


    "Not really. I just don''t have that much attachment toward the surroundings in general."


    "Aye. What are you going to do now?"


    "I don''t know. What do you want to do? I can follow you."


    "I don''t know either. Let''s just meet up and find out." She exited the elevator and teleported before Loter''s door, pressing the bell.


    "Wait a second¡ª" Loter opened the door and said, "Oh, you''re here!"


    <hr>


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 Exponential Escalation and Explosion

    While Key was in his room, binge-playing on his desktop, Loter and Ramiron were watching a stupid variety show. Hiroku and Glacia were cuddling in the garden. Ramiron finally saw the great contrast between Glacia and Hiroku during lunch. Just like Key and Loter, she kept her mouth shut about this.


    The afternoon courses were as usual. Rag Dowii took Loter to the fourth floor for personal training and told the rest to stick to their routine. He taught Loter how he could move forward while dodging sideways. This method allowed Loter to press his opponents backward even when he was under attack. Granted, it did not work on Dowii.


    Loter anticipated Dowii''s punch. When the fist came forward, he stepped in his front right direction. Then, Dowii smacked him in the face with his spare hand. He dropped to the ground as Dowii began lecturing.


    "You need to defend and attack, Loter. Don''t just let me hit you."


    "It''s not working," Loter complained, rolling on the ground.


    "Just try again. Remember to place your hands before your chest and lift it before your face when I attack."


    "Alright¡­" The sentence was loaded with reluctance.


    Dowii punched.


    Loter dodged.


    Loter raised his fist.


    Dowii kicked him in the shank.


    "Auh, you didn''t tell me you will kick me." Loter rolled while hugging his attacked shank.


    "I only told you I will hit you. I never specified where I''d hit."


    "Fine, at least I know it might come next time." Loter stood back up.


    Dowii threw his fist forward.


    Loter stepped to his front left, jabbing immediately.


    Dowii shifted his head sideways and kicked Loter''s shank.


    "Wait, you''re cheating," Loter accused while holding his shank on the floor. "There is no way to block a hit to the legs."


    "No, I taught you before. You need to stand still with your legs to defend others'' attacks on your legs. Your legs do not need special blocking technique." Dowii sighed in disappointment and said, "Come on, Lot. Keep trying."


    "Okay," Loter answered while moaning in reluctance.


    Dowii punched.


    Loter stepped to his front right.


    Loter stood still.


    Loter was smacked in the face.


    Loter dropped to the ground.


    "Good. Now remember you need to block and attack while dodging." Dowii pulled out a red-and-blue comb to brush his beard and mustache.


    "Augh¡­" Loter lay on the floor with his limbs spread out and whimpered to complain.


    "Come on, Lot. You aren''t an infant," Dowii said, crouching beside Loter and lightly poking him with his comb.


    "How far are we from the break time?" Loter squeezed these words out of his incessant whimpering like he was in actual pain.


    "Fine. Take your break, and we will continue with your strength training afterward."


    Loter, in response, whined but took the break.


    Meanwhile, Key was on the first floor alongside Ramiron. He was wearing the same red costume in the simulation. However, he had a U-shaped device on each arm this time. Two rubber hoes connected the two "U"s to two ball feeders, each containing thirty bouncing balls.


    Key''s task was simple. Without looking, he had to rebound the balls off the wall in front of him and hit the targets behind him. Whenever a target was raised from the ground, it made a sound cue for Key to track its location.


    Ramiron stood beside the target field, leaning against the wall. She was supposed to be meditating, yet she chose to watch Key instead.


    As Key fired the sixtieth shot, the voice of a typical female broadcaster came from the room''s ceiling despite the lack of speakers, "First stage training finished. Lasted time: fifty-five minutes. Hit: twenty times. Break time: ten minutes, until two-o-five p.m."


    Balls rolled on the ground and got picked up by plate-shaped bots to refill the feeders.


    Key let go of his tired arms and hung them on his sides. There was a clear sore in his shoulders for holding his arms up nearly an hour, not to count the two U-shaped machines on his vambrace.


    "I always wonder, what are you training for? Doesn''t your power require your vision to activate?"


    Lightly panting, Key answered, "That''s why I trained like this. So that my power would develop into my ''earing, too."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Are you sure this is how your ability works?"


    "Yup, the modification in my brain is supposed to be evolvable. It should develop more functions and become stronger the more I use it and expand it."


    "How do you know?"


    Key paused for a moment and sighed. "We ''ave never talked about our powers'' origins before. You sure you want to know?" He turned toward Ramiron, looking through the sunglasses on his helmet.


    "Aye, I recently decided it will be better if we can get closer as a team." Although her response did not seem too serious, there was no smile or any funny expression on Ramiron''s face.


    Key stayed silent for a moment. He faced away, bit his lips, and turned back. Eventually, he began, "Three years ago, there was a group of villains that kidnapped people and turned them into monsters. Alt-Evolvers. You remember them?"


    "Aye, didn''t Tio die fighting them?"


    "The Invincible One. ''E died fighting Ever-Evolving Grotesque, EEG, the masterpiece of the Alt-Evolver. It ''ad the power to infinitely develop newer and stronger abilities. It never stopped adapting."


    "You were one of the test subjects?"


    Key took off his red helmet and stared at Ramiron. Tired sweat glided down his hot, light-brown skin. In the center of his dark-brown irises, slime-green light glowed from the black pupils. He calmly said, "I was EEG."


    "..." Ramiron did not say a word, patiently waiting for Key to continue.


    He closed his eyes for a second, and the light was gone when he opened his eyes again. "Alt-Evolvers put me into the ''ead of EEG as its brain. After the monster was destroyed, the ''eroes found me still alive in the giant corpse."


    "..."


    "Since most of the modification on my body was used to connect to EEG, doctors were able to remove them and repair me."


    "But the one in your skull couldn''t be reversed."


    Key shook his head. "They said it was too dangerous, so I ''ad to live with it. Then, I noticed my ability to use my brain as a calculator and see the results with my bare eyes. Now, I''m ''ere."


    "You think the thing in your skull can still evolve?"


    "I know it can. It must."


    "I''m sorry if this is too much for you to share."


    "No, it''s alright. I don''t ''ate sharing my story. After all, this made me who I am now, and I ''ad to face it to move forward." Key put his helmet back on and faced back at the wall.


    After a short moment of silence, Ramiron said, "You''re strong."


    "You don''t need to comment on it."


    "Aye."


    <hr>


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    Loter lay flat on the ground after the final squat. The sore in his knees and the rest of his body was clear and sharp. He could feel the sweat under his shirt and trousers. Sure, he was exhausted, yet there was a contentment in this tiredness.


    By the shoe case, Dowii nonchalantly told him, "Come back up. The course is over, and you should be out of here."


    "Yeah, yeah," Loter answered, sliding toward with his palms pushing on the smooth wooden floor.


    "What, Lot? Are you a worm?" Dowii chuckled. He put on his black sneakers.


    Loter did not answer but kept moving. He finally stood up after getting to the door to wear his white sneakers.


    As they went down the stairs, Dowii draped a hand on Loter''s shoulder across his back. "I think we''re making good progress in the training."


    "Oh really? Thanks!" Loter replied while rubbing his bicep. "By the way, why aren''t you teaching others the fighting stuff?"


    "I did. I taught them a lot. It''s that they need to hone their own special powers by themselves. I can''t help with that."


    "That''s so cool! Ramiron told me she gained a new ability that allowed her to decompose attacks. Did she invent it by herself?"


    "Yes. She is the one with the most talent, and this talent can sometimes be frightening." Dowii''s voice became lower and more solemn in the latter half of the sentence.


    After they reached the lobby on the first floor, they saw Ramiron leaning against a vending machine all by herself.


    "Hey, Rag. Hey, Loter."


    "Hi." Loter waved quickly beside his head.


    "What''s up?" Dowii asked, seeing nobody else in the lobby.


    "Just waiting for Loter."


    "Yay!" Loter cheered. He did not get waited by his friends often when he was in his old school.


    "Great, take care." Dowii patted Loter''s shoulder and walked out of the glass double gate.


    "Ram, what do you need me for?" asked Loter.


    "I just found a website with co-op board games this morning. I think we can play it together. We still have three hours before the dinner."


    "I love games, but I don''t have much experience with board games¡ª"


    "I''ll teach you, of course."


    Laughing, Ramiron grabbed Loter''s upper arm in excitement, teleporting out of the training center with him.


    Coming back to the dorm, Loter shoved his unit''s door open, and Ramiron was behind him. Hiroku sat on the couch, blankly watching the television. He glanced at the two and moved his eyes back to the television.


    "Hello, Hiro!" Loter exclaimed as he sprinted toward the couch. Ramiron closed the door and followed.


    "Hello," Hiroku listlessly replied. He was shocked when Loter literally pounced into him.


    Hiroku lay on the couch with Loter''s hands propping beside his head and beneath his armpit. His untied hair was stuck in between Loter''s palm and the leather seat. He just gawked at Loter in his innocent eyes.


    For a moment, the living room was paused in silence with only the television''s sound and Ramiron''s "woo" happening in the background.


    "Get, get off me, Loter. You are pressing on my hair," Hiroku commended Loter. There was a faint irritation in his voice that had been missing for quite a while.


    "Oh yeah, sorry. I just thought you needed a hug." Loter crawled aside and sat down, hands on his knees.


    "I don''t need hugs," Hiroku said, getting back to his sitting position while shifting away. The anger buried under his dispirited tone grew closer to the surface. His eyes became watery, yet both Loter and Ramiron did not spot it.


    "Not from us," Ramiron suddenly teleported behind the couch and said in a playful tone.


    "Hm? No, no, just no!" Hiroku suddenly increased his volume, jumping off his seat.


    He held his clenching hands beside his face and swung them down while stomping on the ground. "I don''t want hugs from anyone! I don''t need hugs. I hate hugs. No matter who is giving me hugs, I don''t want to be hugged!" Even in an outburst of anger, His voice sounded restrained.


    Loter was scared into silence.


    Ramiron softened her tone and carefully stepped toward Hiroku. "Hiro, what''s wrong? What happened? How can we help?"


    "Nothing''s wrong. I don''t need to be helped."


    "We know you like to display a poker face, but you look really depressed recently. There is something wrong, and we can help." Ramiron pushed forward with her words, not shooed away by Hiroku''s rejection.


    Tearing up, Hiroku turned away. His arms crossed. After an instantaneous pause, he said in a barely contained usual volume, "If you really want to help, tell Glacia to leave me alone." His voice gradually diminished.


    "What? No, don''t you like Glacia¡ª"


    "I don''t like her. I don''t fucking like her," Hiroku firmly asserted and went into his bedroom, slamming the door.

 The Emissary Mission and the Third Power

    Days went by as Loter Spawman became proficient with the oblique dodging.


    Days went by as Key Rayth completed the entire high school mathematics curriculum and began suffering through the literature course. His arm fully healed.


    Days went by as Ramiron Veilora finished a black-and-white doodle sketch of her, Key, and Loter.


    Days went by as Glacia Quakeheart kept sticking to Hiroku in a less showy yet mellow way.


    Days went by as Hiroku Kayama stayed the same.


    Loter got used to the schedule and woke up at around 6:50, even without his alarm clock howling. He wore his hooded white pullover and a gray pair of short khakis.


    Exiting his unit, Loter saw Kiznaq DoLock walking ahead of him. "Hey, Kiznaq. Good morning."


    "Morning, Loder!" Kiznaq slowed down his speed for Loter to catch up. The two went to the vestibule and stood before the elevator, waiting quietly. Although Hiroku was probably still depressed, Loter was feeling somewhat delighted today. He lightly bounced and swayed as he waited for the elevator. Abruptly, Kiznaq asked, "Uh, Loder, are you coming do d''e baskedball courd do blay baskedball doday?"


    "I don''t really have any plan. Sure, yeah, I''ll go."


    "Good, good." Kiznaq scratched his head and looked away with a hand firmly shoved in the pocket of his leather jacket. "I wand do ask if you can dell Ramiron do come doo. There is nod''ing weird aboud id. The reason is, uh, d''e, d''e, d''e¡ª"


    "Okay, no problem. I bet she''s great at it. She''s so strong." Loter entered the elevator and agreed before Kiznaq could finish his sentence. He was thoughtful enough to assume Kiznaq was having trouble saying long sentences, so he saved him the trouble. After all, Kiznaq and his sister Mina were from Fouqoise.


    Kiznaq, in response, just nodded quietly and followed into the elevator. The two parted as soon as they arrived at the first floor. Kiznaq almost sprinted away. Loter thought of chasing yet decided not to step into others'' business as he recalled Hiroku''s reaction. He went to the dining hall by himself and got the cheeseburger he pre-ordered last night. Right before he took the first bite, he saw Key walking in.


    "Key." Smiling, Loter waved his greasy hand, greeting his teammate as he approached.


    "Yo, Lot. Nice burger, pal." Key stopped by the table, dropped a comment, and headed off.


    "Oh, wait. Kiznaq said he wanted Ram to join the basketball game today."


    "For real?" Key rhetorically asked, scuttling to the food counter.


    While jogging back, Key said under a suppressed volume, "Are you sure ''e wants to play basketball with Ramiron? I''m not saying anything. It''s just¡­" Key paused and squinted his eyes a bit while looking aside.


    "A bit random?" Loter finished Key''s sentence.


    "Exactly."


    "He probably just wants to make friends with Ram. She is a cool person." Loter took a huge bite from his burger. Grease slid down his hands.


    "Nuh, you are too naive. ''E would ''ave asked Ram by ''imself if ''e really wanted to. There must be something behind it," Key asserted. He nibbled a corner of his sandwich.


    "Yeah," Loter replied and shifted his eyes away from the food, suddenly staring at Key.


    "What?" Key, surprised, paused chewing. The look from Loter was so serious that it felt strange on him. Key put his sandwich on the plate, reciprocating with his own sight.


    "But it can be awkward meeting new friends. He won''t know what to talk about. He can''t even introduce himself because Ram already knows who he is. I think he just needs a little aid, and we are friends. My father told me we should help people in need, especially when they''re our friends."


    Key turned away and turned back to face Loter. He appraised Loter''s serious stare and sighed. "Alright, I still suspect ''is motivation, but sure. I will give ''im the benefit of the doubt."


    "Yay!" Loter bounced on the seat and began eating his burger.


    The two soon finished their breakfast. They saw Hiroku and Glacia already in the computer room. Hiroku was gazing into his screen with his deeply depressed gloominess. Waving, Glacia casually smiled at them. She was not hugging Hiroku, but her chair was unnecessarily close to him.


    Key gave Glacia an up-nod. Then he looked away. He and Dowii shrugged shoulders when they met eyes. Loter waved politely at Glacia, glancing at Hiroku several times just to pull his eyes away instantly. He felt bad when watching Hiroku suffer, yet he could not disrespect Hiroku''s decision. Therefore, Loter chose to focus on his screen, allowing the course videos to take his attention away.


    During one of the three break times in the morning, Loter scuttled up the stairs to the third floor, bouncing at each step. Kirane was the only person in the hallway when he arrived. Loter grinned, said hello, and waved at Kirane.


    In response, the white-haired brat glared at him in contempt. Loter awkwardly turned away. His grin faded, and his scuttle became a constrained stride. He entered the art room.


    "Ram," Loter called Ramiron from behind when her brush was not on the canvas.


    Ramiron started and turned around during her flinch. "Oh, Lot. Shouldn''t you be busy with your literature or whatever subject?" A smile appeared on her face the moment she saw Loter.


    "Oh, it''s break time now," Loter said and scurried beside Ramiron, enthusiastically admiring her work. The painting was an uncolored doodle of him, her, and Key:


    He was standing in the center of the canvas doing his iconic wave, which he fully stretched his entire right arm upward. Ramiron stood beside him, looking straight forward with her head tilted up and crossing her arms before her chest. Key, separate from the two, was in his full kit, aiming the "U" on his vambrace with another hand on his upper arm.


    "What wind brought you here?" Ramiron asked. She got back to her drawing while Loter was watching.


    "Who is this one?" Loter pointed at the unfinished character at the side. His finger was almost touching Ramiron''s brush.


    "Be careful with your fingers."


    "Oh, sorry." Loter drew his hand close to his chin, still pointing, "So, who''s this one?"


    "It''s Hiroku. I''m planning to draw Glacia after I finish, but I am a bit low on inspiration."


    "I hope you make a breakthrough soon."


    "Thanks, Lot."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I''m actually here to tell you that you should join us to play basketball today, Ram."


    Visibly Surprised, Ramiron put her brush back on the palette. "Why? It sounds so random."


    "Kiznaq asked me to ask you. I think he wants to be friends with you but is a bit shy, so I am here as the, hm." Loter took a second to find the right word, "Emissary!"


    "Huh huh, fancy word." Ramiron stuck her head up to look at the hallway through the windows. Loter mimicked. There was not a single person. Ramiron turned to Loter and asked, "He is literally on the same floor. Why didn''t he ask me by himself?"


    "Like I said, maybe he''s just shy and awkward. He did sound awkward when he was telling me about it."


    "Fishy," Ramiron commented as she picked up her brush. However, she abruptly cracked a short, faint laugh and smirked, "Aye, I will join you. What can go wrong, anyway?" She smirked.


    "I''ll go tell Key about it," Loter dropped the words and rushed out of the art room.


    "Door, Lot!" Ramiron friendly yelled.


    "Okay!" Loter halted before the stairs and went back to close the door.


    When the morning period finally ended, Ramiron was already standing outside their classroom. She and Dowii greeted each other with a "yo" as Dowii strolled away. Loter dashed to her, and Key reluctantly followed, walking slower than usual.


    "Are you sure, pal?" Key scratched the back of his buzz head while asking. Reluctance was written on his face.


    "Come on, Key. It will be so fun, and I bet Ram would be great at basketball."


    "Aye, there''s nothing to fret about," Ramiron seconded.


    "Sure, ''ow bad can it be?" Key shrugged.


    "Alright, let''s go then. No need to wait for other squads." Ramiron held Loter and Key by their forearms, teleporting them all the way to the basketball court. They arrived within half a minute.


    The place was still empty after waiting for two minutes. Not a single person was presented except them. The hot sun had Loter fanning himself with both hands. Beside him, Key stretched his back and neck. Ramiron held her hands around her waist, smiling confidently. Abruptly, she yelled, "Hey, it''s time to come out! We are here and ready."


    "Wait, what?" Loter started.


    "Hm?" Key quit stretching immediately.


    Twenty or so meters away before Ramiron, in the center of the court, a pastel blue paint emerged from the ground, swirling upward like leaves being carried by a whirlwind. As the twirl of paint quickly faded in the air, A white-haired boy was revealed. He wore a full set of kimono with a lemon-colored skirt outside his white robe and a light blue coat on top of them. Images of golden wyrms and a thundering phoenix were embroidered on his robe.


    "Kirane Kayama," Smiling, Ramiron said his name.


    "Ramiron Veilora." Kirane glared at her. His voice was intentionally low. The rage on his face was as peaceful as a sitting hunter or a crawling sniper.


    Contrasting the girl''s playful attitude, Loter was surprised, and he could tell Key was the same.


    "I can already guess why you''re here, but I do want to hear you saying it out loud yourself."


    Kirane asserted in his deep tone, "The technique of Kayama was the strongest, and I am the heir of Tribe Kayama. My familial technique will not be humiliated by a woman like you, and neither would I."


    "That''s enough talking. Let me just very quickly put you down now so we don''t delay the basketball match, aye?"


    As the sentence ended, a violet light shined from Kirane''s black irises. Ramiron''s smugness held on for an additional second and completely vanished. She frantically held her palms before her eyes, staring into them.


    She raised her head and said, "I can''t teleport." The faint panic in her voice was not well-hidden.


    "You can''t." Kirane giggled and burst into laughter. His head shook up and down violently, and his body quivered. Yet, he was holding his gaze on Ramiron, not moving a single bit.


    "That ability must rely on his vision," Key murmured to Loter, "my ability is marking his eyes. I think it is telling me to block his¡ª"


    "This is one of Kayama''s strongest techniques: Lock Watching! No one in my sight gets to move a step," Kirane suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "It also stops Ramiron''s teleport, so it must be stopping any attempt to change one''s position." Key murmured. Sweat slid down his skin.


    "Now, are you ready to meet your end, Ramiron Veilora?" Kirane screeched out his question. He reached out his right hand. A glass ball emerged and floated above it. Inside the sphere, a storm wrecked a boat on the roaring ocean, and then a flash of lightning filled the entire ball.


    "You fucking cheat¡ªAh!" Ramiron grasped her head with both hands. "Ahhhhhhh!" She screamed as loud as she could.


    Ramiron was about to slump, but her soles were adhered to the ground. She was forced into sitting and quickly curled, burying her face in her thighs as her voice turned hoarse.


    "Ram!"


    "Ram!"


    Loter and Key yelled at the same time.


    Kirane lowered his voice back to normal. "This one is called Torturing Sphere." He giggled.


    "Ram! Ram!" Loter crouched down, trying to reach Ramiron, yet his feet just wouldn''t leave the ground. "Ram!" Loter yelled as if he himself was the one experiencing the torment. His tears quickly went down his face.


    No, no, no, no, no. I have to do something. I have to do something! I can''t just let that bastard do this to her. I can''t allow him to treat my friend like this! I, I, I have to try!


    Loter pressed his palms on the ground, pushing as he pulled his legs. "Ahhhh!"


    His face slammed into the ground, but his feet did not move a bit. He held his breath and proceeded. He shoved his hands, shoulders, and even face onto the ground, pulling his right foot while pressing down his left foot. The knuckles on his hands arched up and reddened in force. "Ahhhhhh!" The strenuous uttering drained halfway as he ran out of air.


    Just as his strength began weakening, he felt a pair of hands on his ankle. Loter opened his shut eyes, seeing Key holding his right ankle.


    "Key," Loter called his name.


    "Don''t give up. Let''s do this!" Key Rayth said and began pulling Loter''s feet like uprooting a stake on the ground. "Ahhhhh!" he screamed.


    "I won''t give up. I won''t give up!"


    Loter shoved his cheek on the ground and hauled. There was a tearing pain in both his back and knee. He bashed his face on the asphalt again. "Ahhhh!"


    I won''t give up!


    Then, he did it again. He could sense his flesh stretching on his back. "Ahhhhh!"


    Power Activation: [unknown]


    Suddenly, his right sole came off the asphalt floor. His right foot was swung into the air. Following, he freed his left foot effortlessly.


    He charged toward Kirane. He sprinted at Kirane. He saw Kirane''s look of surprise, and he saw Kirane reaching out his left hand. He pounced forward.


    Just before Loter could land his punch, Kirane spread his left palm.


    Then, a gust sent Loter meters backward until he stepped on the ground again. His eyes squinted and closed in the ferocious gale. He blocked his arms before his face, turning sideways.


    When Loter opened his eyes again, he saw Kirane holding the sphere with his right hand and reaching out his left hand. He could spot Kirane''s sweat coming down his frightening face. Loter''s view was so clean that he realized something was off.


    Where, where are my arms?


    Loter looked down. Not a single body part or piece of cloth was presented.


    Am I invisible? I am invisible! This is how I break Kirane''s spell! I don''t know why I just gained the power, but it sure came in handy. I just have to get close to Kirane right now. I just have to approach him.


    Loter tried to trudge forward, yet the gale knocked him further back.


    He fell onto Ramiron.


    The moment they went into contact, Loter''s invisibility was shared with Ramiron.


    "No!" Kirane screeched.


    Ramiron slumped on her back, and Loter rolled off her. His arm still lay on hers, remaining the sharing power through contact. Ramiron ceased her scream while panting with her eyes closed. Loter crawled up and knelt beside her, shaking her.


    Meanwhile, Kirane stopped all three spells at once. A burst of smoke appeared beneath and grew to cover him completely in an attempt to get him away.


    Key dashed into the smoke without hesitation, holding his right fist in the air.


    As the smoke busted away, he gave Kirane a left hook after his previous punch. Kirane''s brows twisted in rage. Regardless, Key gave him no time to rest. His next jab flitted through the air.


    Kirane deftly stooped down, backpedaled, hopped forward again, and kicked out his right foot in the air.


    Key Impeccably parried the kick. Yet, his arms could barely hold against the force.


    Before landing, Kirane lashed out his left sweep. Despite Key''s timely defense, the kick forced through Key''s arm and knocked on his head. He fell unconscious right away.


    "Fucking magicless loser," Kirane murmured. Not wasting any time, he summoned the smoke again. It spurted from the ground and elevated.


    Right as it wrapped around Kirane''s face, it busted again. This time, there was stardust surrounding it. A female palm appeared before Kirane''s eyes, clutching his face. She hauled the white-haired brat up and struck his head onto the asphalt floor.

 Easy Trip to Haban

    Ever since the fight, Ramiron lost her power to decompose objects other than herself. Key had to wear a cast on his fractured arm for a month. HueCam Academy expelled Kirane with Tribe Kayama''s consent. The tribe also agreed to take Ramiron to Haban for special treatment that would reverse the damage done to her. Under Ramiron''s strong request, Loter was sent to accompany her in Haban. Although Hiroku was not involved in the event, he decided to join the trip to Haban. Glacia desired to follow. However, her lack of familial connection and relevancy was enough of a reason for the academy to deny the request.


    They took two cable cars to exit the academy. Kirane was in the first one with three servants from his family. Loter, Ramiron, and Hiroku were in the second car with only one servant. These servants all wore identical black blazers and light brown trousers.


    Loter and his two teammates stayed completely quiet while the car was going down Mountain Vault. Hiroku kept staring at the woods intentionally. Ramiron had her eyes closed and her head lying on top of the seatback, probably napping. Loter just awkwardly looked around once in a while since there was no internet connection in the mountain.


    Outside the cable car terminal, two short limousines parked there. Kirane and the three servants around him went into the first one, and the rest went into the second. Since the servant could not hear a word from the driver''s seat, the kids felt much more comfortable.


    Ramiron sat in the rear-facing seat, and the boys sat opposite her. Loter put himself in the center of the bench seat while Hiroku was leaning against the car door, looking out the window.


    "Lot, are you excited to go to Haban?" Ramiron asked. She laid her arms fully extended on the soft seatback and crossed her legs.


    Loter looked up from his phone, pouted his lips, and answered, "It is my first time to leave MU, but I''m worrying about your injury¡ª"


    "Don''t fret, Lot. It will be okay." Ramiron chuckled a bit.


    "Also, we are seeing Kirane''s family. Well, they are¡­" Loter paused himself, discreetly shifting his eyes to Hiroku.


    Only glancing back into the car cabin, Hiroku sighed. "They are horrible people, I know. I''ve seen it because I''m one of them."


    "You are not horrible." Loter stuck his head toward Hiroku and quickly pulled it back after recalling Hiroku''s outburst in the dorm.


    "Aye, you are much better than your cousin," Ramiron added. Her smile had been widened after hearing Hiroku''s words.


    "Sure," Hiroku replied. His visage was still listless and gloomy.


    "Yeah, you even accompanied us on the trip," Loter said quickly and enthusiastically, "you are an awesome person!"


    Hiroku closed his eyes, sighed, turned toward the two, inhaled a breath of air, and opened his eyes. He said, "I just want to pay you back. I''m sorry for my cousin''s behavior and¡­ I am sorry for not taking your help when you offered to. I''m sorry for both."


    "You don''t need to be sorry for what Kirane did," Ramiron said. A frowned sincerity replaced her smile.


    "Yeah," Loter seconded, sticking toward Hiroku. His worry was audible.


    "No, you don''t understand." Hiroku placed his hands on Loter''s shoulders to put him back in his seat. He explained in his sad tone, "Kirane is a typical Kayama. He did what he did because he was groomed that way." He spoke faster and more frantically as he continued, "It is the culture of Tribe Kayama that created him, and it will keep creating more and more Kirane. Although I''ve never visited the manor of the main branch, I still have the surname Kayama."


    He paused, let out a puff of air, and continued, "I feel responsible when someone with the same surname expresses how disgusting they are."


    For moments, the cabin was completely silent. Hiroku went back to looking out the window, and the other two just glanced at each other and moved their eyes away.


    Abruptly, out of nowhere, Ramiron asked in a light tone, "Is that why you are a feminist?"


    "Hiro is a feminist?" Loter exclaimed in surprise.


    "I''m just fond of their philosophy." Hiroku looked away and said, "Maybe my family has something to do with my preference."


    Loter quickly followed with a proud and passionate introduction, "I personally hold no political belief." He tapped a hand on his chest. "My father said I am too young to have any."


    "But you''re seventeen," Ramiron said.


    "My father told me this when I was ten. I just never looked into it."


    "Because you don''t need to," Hiroku commented in bitterness, looking away. His frown was still there.


    "Yeah, I don''t need¡ª"


    "How about social issues?" Ramiron frantically interjected. She swung between Loter''s innocent eyes and Hiroku''s slightly despondent face. "Is there any social issue that you have an opinion on?"


    "I don''t know." Loter placed a finger on his chin. "Ah, I know. I think bullying is bad!"


    "It is bad," Hiroku replied, hiding his sadness and squeezing a smile on his face.


    The limousines soon arrived at the airport. It was when they got into the airport shuttle that Loter asked, "Wait, where are our air tickets? Why do I not see them?"


    "We are taking Kayama''s private jet," Hiroku answered listlessly. He put a hand on Loter''s shoulder to turn him in the right direction and guided him closer to the window.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Loter clung his palms to the window, letting out a "wow" as he saw the white airplane closest to the bus. The airplane was long and narrow, with a pink flower on its rudder.


    "Hm? No, not that one." Hiroku shook Loter''s shoulder and pointed at the right plane. It was much shorter and slightly wider than the one Loter was staring at. The logo on its rudder was a golden phoenix and a golden wyrm crawling around the phoenix in a circle. Three kanjis were written on the side of the jet.


    "What are those words, Hiro?" Loter asked, lightly tapping on the window.


    "Those are kanjis, Loter. They are letters in Habanese. Unlike kanas, kanjis contained special meanings. ''Ka'' means both afterglow and twilight. ''Ya'' means valley. ''Ma'' means reality."


    While answering, Hiroku glanced at Kirane several times. He was facing away, crossing his arms and looking out the shuttle by himself. Beside him, servants stood at an appropriate distance and never laid an eye on him directly.


    The jet contained two lounges. The one closer to the boarding gate had a huge television and a single couch. The other was smaller but with two beds, a television, and four couches of various lengths. Loter jumped onto one of the beds as he entered the smaller lounge.


    While his teammates were entering and some servants were walking across the room, Loter exclaimed, "It''s my first time on a private jet!" He bounced on the bed and added with disapproval, "But it belongs to that awful kid."


    "The damage is done. The punishment is given. You would enjoy it much more if you just let it go. Remember, this is a vacation. We are here to have fun." Ramiron slumped onto the couch closest to the television.


    "Yeah¡­"


    While Ramiron inspected the remote control, one of the servants announced, "If you ever feel hungry on the plane, you may enter the kitchen and take as much as you please."


    The servant closed the door between the smaller lounge and the kitchen, leaving the room completely for the kids.


    Hiroku climbed up onto the other bed and wrapped himself in the blanket. He faced the wall and yawned. "It''s a ten-hour flight. You better¡ª"


    Before he could finish his sentence, Ramiron turned on the television. A blast of extremely loud news noise shut Hiroku up and startled Loter.


    "Oops." Ramiron lowered the volume while asking, "What do you boys want to watch?"


    "They have connections on the plane? What channels do they have?" Loter crawled down the bed and hopped onto the longer couch beside Ramiron''s.


    Not answering, Ramiron turned to Hiroku, smirking. "Hey, what do you want to watch?"


    Grunting, Hiroku got off his bed and sat on a couch not too close to the other two. "Whatever."


    Eventually, they settled on a horror movie about a zombie in a nuclear dugout. Hiroku watched it comfortably on the couch, enjoying the distraction from his internal and external problems. Loter curled together and shut his eyes several times but could not resist the urge to keep watching. Ramiron enjoyed both the film and Loter''s reaction.


    After the movie, they switched to a Habanese channel about people dressing up as different things. For example, a man painted himself blue and pretended to be an aircraft carrier. Ramiron fell asleep several times but got shaken back awake. Loter kept trying to verbalize what was on the screen and comment on them. Hiroku rotated his response between "right," "uh-hum," and "I see."


    Eventually, Ramiron fell asleep completely. Loter could not easily wake her. Taking this opportunity, Hiroku grabbed the remote and turned off the television. He said, "Let her sleep, Loter. She must be very tired."


    "Yeah, you''re right. I should go check out the kitchen."


    A dozen or so seconds after, Loter''s loud voice came out of the kitchen, "Hiro, they have ice cream on the plane!"


    "Uh-hum," Hiroku replied while reclining on the couch, facing away from the direction of the kitchen.


    "Do you want some?" Loter yelled.


    "No." Hiroku raised his volume a bit, trying to send his words through the door.


    "Okay, what flavor do you want?" Loter clearly misheard Hiroku.


    "Whatever," Hiroku complained to himself.


    "What?"


    "Vanilla."


    "What did you say?"


    "Vanilla!" Hiroku impatiently exclaimed, waking up Ramiron.


    She asked while rubbing her eyes, "What are you guys up to?"


    "Loter is getting ice cream."


    "Oh, nice. Can you please tell him I want a mint one?"


    "Fuck, do it yourself. I''m as far away from him as¡ª"


    "I''m back!" Loter came back, singing his words out. He was holding a cone of vanilla ice cream and a cone of chocolate ice cream.


    "Hey, can you get me a mint one?" Ramiron playfully raised her hand like an elementary student in class.


    "It will match the color of your shirt," Loter abruptly said as he headed back into the kitchen.


    Ramiron glanced down at her sea green polo and replied, "Kind of. My shirt is much darker, though."


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    After landing at Haban, they took another several-hour-long trip in some limousines to reach the coast. There, they took their last several-hour-long trip on a yacht to finally arrive at Cho-san Island, the island practically owned by Tribe Kayama. Their arrival time was two-fifty in the early morning.


    Not a single building on the island was built like those modern rectangular boxes. All of them were in the traditional Habanese style, with triangular rooftops, black tiles, sharp-edged red arches, and stone-made foundations.


    "Do they even have electricity?" Loter discreetly asked Hiroku while they were climbing up the mountain on a sparse pebble trail among the trees. Since those servants in suits were both before and behind the kids, Loter had his voice soft and low.


    "It''s just the architecture. These people aren''t that backward," Hiroku answered, rolling his eyes.


    When they finally reached the top of the small hill, they saw one of Tribe Kayama''s estates. Its outer walls were made of stone bricks and timber planks above them. The heavy wooden gate was opened only when the servants on both sides of the gate pushed and pulled together.


    Loter could hear their strenuous grunt as the door panels parted. While the servants who escorted them were wearing suits, the servants inside the estate wore nyanza(greenish-white) kimonos.


    Going through the gate, Loter swiftly glanced at the edge of the gate, trying to measure its immense thickness.


    Inside the walls, not a blade of grass could be seen on the dry ground. A dozen or so meters away from the entrance gate sat a long pavilion with walls and sliding doors.


    Two female servants stood on the sides of the wide stoop before the pavilion. They had their heads lowered and eyes closed like they were waiting for a master.


    "Are they napping?" Loter whispered to Hiroku from behind.


    "No, look at their hands. They had their hands before their lower abdomen. They were waiting for a superior."


    "A superior?"


    "Someone who has power over them."


    "But why don''t other servants, you know, those in black and those in green, do the same?"


    "First, those men in suits are bodyguards, not servants. Second, those two women were only doing this because it''s their job."


    Loter opened his mouth, trying to keep asking, yet a sudden rhythm of drums had him startled. Two sliding doors were brutally split. A middle-aged man strode out from the pavilion, standing on the stoop between the two female servants.


    He wore a jordy blue(grayish pale blue) kimono. His head was bald. Two gray clumps of mustache were above the corners of his mouth.

 Yotans Estate

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    Seeing all the servants and bodyguards tilting their heads forty-five degrees down, Loter and Ramiron copied their actions. Yet, Hiroku stole a glance and whispered, "Don''t. You aren''t a part of the tribe. Don''t face down."


    Ramiron reacted immediately, looking back up. Loter was still processing what he had just heard, so Ramiron pulled his head up for him.


    They looked straight at the man on the stoop. He had a fake grin on his face, and his hands were placed behind his back, almost in a didactic way.


    "No need for such grand formality," the man casually said. He walked down the steps and stood before Kirane. He was tall enough that Kirane had to look up to meet his eyes. "Young master, we will have time to meet for a pleasant exchange of words, information later today. Now, please, with all your generosity, allow me to give you free, unrestricted access to my manor. There are minor affairs I''d mostly prefer to speak with our guests alone."


    While the man was giving his speech, Loter murmured into Hiroku''s ear, "What is he saying?"


    "Shut up," Hiroku mumbled back.


    "What?"


    "Shut up."


    "Okay."


    When the man was finally done with his speech, Kirane just silently strode past him, walking up the stoop with all the bodyguards in suits following. The man twitched in the corner of his lips. Nobody addressed it, including Loter, who at least knew not to talk to anyone but his teammates.


    "Hiroku Kayama, the young master of the MU branch, I am glad we finally get to meet." The man reached out both hands.


    Hiroku accepted the handshake with both his two hands holding the man''s. "I''ve heard your name and your stories back in MU, Great Uncle Yotan."


    "Please, please, with all your generosity, please introduce your exceptional friends to me. It will always be my honor to meet mighty people who can defeat the young master of our tribe."


    "Of course." Hiroku stepped aside and let Yotan step toward his friends. Ramiron changed a glance with Hiroku and reached out her hand.


    Firmly shaking hands, Yotan said in Habanese, "You must be Ms. Ramiron, the potent heroine who defeated our young master in a fair duel. My name is Mr. Yotan. I am a great uncle of Hiroku Kayama. I deeply apologize for what our young master had done to you and your friends. I heard one of them is still undergoing medical treatment. I full-heartedly pray for his well-being."


    Hiroku translated, "His name is Yotan, and he is sorry for Kirane''s action. He also prayed for Key."


    Ramiron replied, "Thank you for your attitude, Yotan. I hope we can soon talk about Tribe Kayama''s special treatment for my loss of ability. I can understand Kirane is just a kid. However, I do hope your tribe can provide some adequate etiquette education for him now that he''s expelled from HueCam Academy."


    Hiroku translated, "Ms. Ramiron wants to talk about her special treatment."


    Yotan smiled wider. "Of course, Ms. Ramiron. I will talk about your treatment in no time. However, I think you should first get some rest before discussing such a critical affair. After all, it is three in the morning, and you just arrived after a long trip."


    Hiroku translated, "He said he wanted to discuss this with you later, and no, I did not translate your passive-aggressive passage."


    Ramiron said, "Fuck you, Hiro. Just tell him I think this island is chill. I don''t know what to say now. Also, don''t ask him directly, but try to make him give me permission to walk around the island. I might want to have a walk or something."


    Hiroku sighed and said, "Ms. Ramiron is happy with this arrangement. She thinks the island is a beautiful place, and she is looking forward to the time of staying here."


    Yotan gladly announced, "Then, it is decided! Now, please allow my servants to guide you to your rooms here. I unfortunately have some minor affairs to deal with. I hope I will be seeing you soon."


    Hiroku translated, "He is leaving, and his servants will take us to our rooms."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Ramiron said, "Aye, alright."


    Before Hiroku could translate anything, Yotan turned into a plume of white fog and faded away. The two female servants on the stoop nodded and walked into the pavilion.


    Following in, Hiroku complained, "I hate talking to these Kayamas. I didn''t translate those long pleasantries when I was translating, but they just can''t stop spitting those phony greetings and praises."


    Loter tapped Hiroku on the shoulder. "It''s okay. You made it."


    "Through the first conversation we had on Cho-san Island. I''m sure you will be doing this at least a few times more before leaving," Ramiron added.


    "Damn," Hiroku mumbled.


    They went out from the other side of the pavilion. Before them, a courtyard was in the center of the estate. A stone-paved path connected between buildings and surrounded the courtyard, separating it and the grassless dry ground. Every blade of grass in the courtyard had the exact same height, aligning perfectly like a sheet of green quilt. A fake river went through the courtyard motionlessly. Beside it grew slender trees, thin branches, and perfectly round shrubs.


    "Wow," Loter scurried past the servants toward the courtyard.


    "Matte!"


    "Matte!"


    "Loter, don''t!"


    Hiroku and the two servants shouted together. Loter had one foot on the stone path and the other hanging above the soft grass. He slowly walked back to his teammates as he stuttered, "Okay. I''m, I''m, I''m sorry." He scratched his head from the back.


    Following the servants around the courtyard, Hiroku told Loter that there are two kinds of courtyards in Tribe Kayama. This kind was only meant to be entered when a road was paved through it. Treading on them was strictly forbidden and seen as a sign of disobedience and rebellion. Unless Loter wanted to challenge the entire tribe''s authority, he should never touch that grass.


    Surrounding the courtyard stood different cottages, sheds, and walled pavilions. Walking past them, Loter saw another courtyard and similar buildings around it. Some of these buildings had a plate above their doors or on their eaves. Some did not. Loter could not understand them, anyway.


    Finally, beside the third courtyard, the kids arrived at their temporary residence on Cho-san Island. The residence was three adjacent rooms on one stone foundation, sharing the same wooden veranda.


    "Lot, you can take the one in the middle." Ramiron patted Loter''s back. The servants farewelled Hiroku and left.


    "Oh, why?" Loter headed up to look at Ramiron.


    "So you can be adjacent to both of us." Ramiron chuckled as she spoke. Meanwhile, Hiroku just quietly shuffled into one of the rooms on the two sides.


    "Oh yeah, thank you!" Loter jumped his way into the room like a rabbit.


    The Habanese-styled cottage had a simplistic design. Only five items in total were presented on the tatami floor: A pile of Habanese books, a short round table, two little pillows beside it, and a thin mattress in the corner of the room. Loter rushed through the room, stepping his dirty sneakers on the tatami. He opened the sliding door beside the mattress and was disappointed when he saw nothing in the cabinet behind it.


    Loter then heard his front door being slid open. He turned toward it.


    Hiroku stuck his head into Loter''s room, taking his time to comprehend the trail of mud on the tatami.


    "What''s wrong, Hiro?" Loter asked and lifted his foot.


    Before he could step forward, Hiroku stopped him. "Wait, wait. Don''t move."


    "Oh, okay."


    "Now, take your shoes off," Hiroku commended and summoned his lavender spheres to flit across the room and float beside Loter. His black sneakers were centimeters above the floor.


    "Why?"


    "You don''t walk on tatami with your shoes on."


    "What is." Loter tried to recall the word he had just heard but gave up immediately. "That?"


    "This type of floor is called tatami, and you are not allowed to step on it with your shoes."


    "I see! It is one of those rules in your tribe, right?" Loter handed his shoes to Hiroku.


    "Hm? No." Hiroku threw another sphere beside the exit and flew there. "It is a general rule in Haban because it is very hard to clean the dirt when they get into those seams on the tatami where straws were woven together." He placed Loter''s white sneakers beside the front door.


    "That is smart," Loter commented.


    "And you are dumb," Hiroku replied, "now, you have to clean this up by yourself. You don''t want the servants to clean it up for you and leak this to any Kayamas." Hiroku canceled his sphere and landed outside Loter''s cottage.


    "Wait, why?" Loter asked, but Hiroku had already flown away. "How do I clean it?" Loter asked himself, scratching his head.


    When Hiroku was back, Loter was crouching next to his mud trail and picking the tatami with his nails. Hiroku grunted and slapped his face. Loter looked up and saw his teammate holding a vacuum cleaner.


    "Wait, what? You can just vacuum this?" Loter bounced up, pointing at Hiroku''s advanced electric cleaning device.


    Hiroku rolled his eyes. "Yes, and this one is on me. What I meant was that cleaning tatami used to be hard, so getting one dirty was treated as a sign of¡ª"


    "Disobedience and rebellion?"


    "...Yes."


    "Oh, I''m a fast learner!"


    "Sure, you are." Hiroku placed the cleaner against the door frame. "Just put it in the room after you are done. I will be back soon."


    "Wait, where are you going?"


    "I need to meet some people. It''s¡­" Hiroku paused, looking away as if he could not find the right word.


    "Kayama business?" Loter chuckled.


    Hiroku let out an instantaneous burst of smirk upon hearing it. "Yeah, Kayama business."


    "Have fun doing it." Loter, completely buying Hiroku''s words without a second doubt, waved his hands firmly in his usual straightened-arm style.


    "I don''t think I''ll have much fun." Hiroku faced away and launched a lavender sphere into the sky, obviously not heading to do the "Kayama business."


    "Well, then, I hope you tough it through!" Loter yelled as Hiroku flitted into the air.

 Tori the Foxy

    The wet mud was soft and adhered to his soles when Hiroku walked through. Under the shadows cast by the lush leaves on the thick branches, the temperature was not as bad as directly beneath the summer sun. Meager drops of water from the last night''s rain fell down the tree crowns. One landed on Hiroku''s upper ponytail.


    Despite the leaf-made awning, the moisture in the air still had the summer heat locked in the woods. Hiroku could feel sweat seeping from his skin under his purple crop top and white pullover. His two layers of cloth were never a plus in these scenarios, yet Hiroku just would not let go of his outfit.


    Hiroku wandered in the forest. His upper ponytail bounced with every step as he caressed the lower one. Cicadas'' sounds surrounded Hiroku, cleaning his mind with the tranquility of the forest.


    Hiroku could feel a tangible contentment in his chest, yet a heavier sadness quickly followed. He was sad for this forest, for this sacred marvel to be owned by Tribe Kayama. Then, this grief became anger, a rage targeting his own bloodline.


    Hiroku bit his tongue and grasped the branch beside him. This anger was a sudden storm. He kept inhaling and exhaling hurriedly to calm himself down, but every breath of air made him angrier.


    This forest was Hiroku. They carried "Kayama" without a choice. Nothing could be done, and none of them could be free. For as long as Hiroku would be able to see, he would be a part of Tribe Kayama.


    The branch snapped in his grip. The area contacted was cracked into small pieces. Staring into them, Hiroku recalled Loter and Ramiron''s kindness and his confession in the limousine. Somehow, these memories were calming him down. However, a sense of guilt quickly itched him.


    What was I doing? Why was I bothering them with my own problem? Fuck, who did I think I am?


    "Cousin? Are you alright?" A childish and feminine voice emerged from behind. Hiroku subconsciously turned backward. As he spread his palm, a violet light flashed off. The lightning was nullified before it could be seen.


    A girl in a jordy blue kimono stood before Hiroku. Her hime-cut hair was as black as Hiroku''s, and her irises were exuberantly orange. A small, carefree smile hung on her face. She drew one hand from her back and waved softly.


    "Hi," she said.


    Pausing for another second, Hiroku lowered his holding arm and replied "hello" in English.


    Wait, it''s not right.


    Hiroku realized the girl had been using heavily accented English since her first word. He quickly added, "You are speaking English?"


    "I do," the girl answered in a playful tone, "I learned it because I was not allowed to learn our family magic." She did a fake crying expression.


    "Sorry," Hiroku apologized as if he were the one denying female family members from learning their familial magic.


    "It''s okay." The girl leaned close to Hiroku and murmured, "I secretly learned it, anyway. That''s how I nullified your attack." She bounced back and placed her hands back behind her hips, which was required when talking to a male Kayama.


    Hiroku reconstructed his sentence several times before opening his mouth. He pitied, but some people hated being sympathized, so he deleted that part. He wanted to compliment her, yet it would feel weird, considering he was a part of this misogynistic system.


    "I won''t tell anyone." In the end, it was all Hiroku could get out of his mouth.


    The girl giggled. She covered her mouth with her hands before it. "You are Hiroku from MU, right?"


    "How do you know me?"


    "Everyone heard of your story: the magicless shame of family with double ponytails and double shirts." The girl continued giggling and bounced around Hiroku, having him constantly spinning to face her. "Is it true you are banned from wearing your kimono because you can not learn a single trick?" Her arms were flailing lightly and freely.


    "That''s what my father told the main branch, and stop moving," Hiroku commended. He stopped turning around and locked onto a certain direction, clearly irritated by the girl''s orbiting movement.


    "What do you mean by ''that''s what your father told the main branch''?" The girl halted before Hiroku''s solemn face. Her curiosity was not scared off a bit.


    "I chose not to study Kayama''s magic." Normally, Hiroku would not tell this to a Kayama, yet he had already heard a secret of the girl. He had to return the favor.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "What?" the girl exclaimed while sticking her face forward. "I have to push my ears against the wall to steal some knowledge of it, and you chose not to learn it!" The genuine surprise had her gaping.


    Hiroku stuttered, "I, I." He wanted to explain how the girl''s effort was an attempt to fight against the patriarchy since she was denied the privilege of magic, while Hiroku''s refusal to magic was the same since he was offered this privilege.


    In the end, Hiroku could not think of a way to explain this. Even if he did, how could the girl understand the sin of Tribe Kayama and the idea of patriarchy?


    "I have my connection to Bozumata." Hiroku reached out his clenching hand and spread it. A glowing violet dot ascended and floated above it. A thin layer of it quickly expanded into a beachball-sized, translucent, lavender sphere.


    "I heard about that part of the story, too." The girl stood still, cleared her throat, and verbally impersonated one of the million old guys in the tribe, "The shameful Hiroku''s father begged the gods to make his son useful, and the god answered his request by connecting his son with Bozumata, a monster banished to another realm."


    "That''s not even close to what actually happened." Hiroku rolled his eyes and canceled the sphere he had just summoned. The story did not surprise him. He had already anticipated the right-on-the-edge insults carried in the passage.


    "Really? What actually happened, then?"


    "That''s too long of a story. Anyway, what''s your name, and why are you even here?" Hiroku deftly but conspicuously changed the topic.


    "I''m Tori Kayama. I have two brothers." She held two fingers up from her right hand.


    Hiroku did not respond. He just looked at her quietly with his usual listlessness.


    "Hm?" Tori tilted her head sideways. She waved her palm before Hiroku as if he were a fainting patient.


    "You haven''t told me why you''re here." Hiroku repeated his eye-rolling.


    "Oh, that''s right! I saw you flying in the sky, so I decided to follow."


    "Don''t you have classes or anything?"


    "Not now." Tori paused to tap a finger on her chin. "Maybe later, I don''t know, and I probably should go check out." She rubbed her hips as she said.


    "They hit you as a punishment?" Hiroku spotted Tori''s subconscious action, and the question just flew past his lips. He regretted asking instantly, but the words were already spoken.


    "They do." Tori''s voice dropped a few notes. She sighed and continued, "Great Uncle Yotan liked to hit me in the butt."


    "With a board?" Hiroku immediately asked.


    "Yeah, he uses boards when he is doing it himself."


    "Right," Hiroku squeezed his response out of his numbed self. Tori''s conditional confirmation had told Hiroku all he needed to know. It sent a bitter coldness down Hiroku''s throat.


    "I have to go. Bye," Tori turned around and rushed her way back toward Yotan''s estate.


    As the noise of cicadas took back the silent forest, Hiroku slammed his fist on the tree beside him. The punch was slow yet firm. The knuckles stayed on the cracked bark for several seconds. His breath hastened, and his scowl twitched. He held the tree''s branch and struck the trunk again.


    A low guttural groan came out of Hiroku''s throat. It quivered and faded with the exhalation. Another punch landed, bursting the tree bark. He took another breath and punched again. His grunt went louder.


    He battered the tree incessantly. The bark popped off bit by bit, every time more than the last. Following his final strike, Hiroku snapped off the branch in his grip. He knocked his forehead on the tree repeatedly as if it would help his aching morality.


    Hiroku shouted. He yelled. He bashed his forehead into the tree. His lower ponytail billowed in the motion and crossed the shoulder. The upper one swung in the air and whipped on the trunk.


    It was too much even for Hiroku. He thought he had already figured Tribe Kayama out, yet the real main branch was on another level.


    Hiroku pressed his reddened fist onto the broken surface, rubbing it and feeling the rough wood scratch on his knuckles.


    Out of nowhere, Hiroku heard Loter calling him from high above. He started away from the tree and headed up, looking through the empty sky.


    "Hiro! Hiro!" Loter''s voice kept coming and approaching.


    "Hm?" Panting, Hiroku took a few steps backward, gazing into the sky just to find nothing.


    Abruptly, Loter called him again. This time, the sound was made right in front of Hiroku.


    "Ah!" Hiroku slumped on his hips, and Loter appeared right before him.


    "I think I just discovered my flying power! I can fly while I''m in my invisible mode!" Loter explained while bouncing in excitement.


    "How, how long have you been there?" Hiroku frantically asked. An obvious aggression radiated from his voice.


    "Oh, I was roaming around in the sky. Then, I saw you hugging a tree, so I immediately came to tell you my finding!" Loter answered without noticing any emotion outside the question. He reached out a hand, offering to pull Hiroku up.


    Closing his eyes, Hiroku took in several deep breaths to calm himself down. He was not irritated. He was too used to Loter''s childish behavior to be bothered by it. Eventually, he took the hand and got back on his feet.


    "Did you return the vacuum cleaner?" Hiroku asked in his casual tone.


    "No, I was waiting for you." Loter lightly swayed their holding hands side to side.


    "I think it''s time for us to go back and deal with that. Also, it''s alright. You can let go now. I can fly, too."


    "Don''t you want to hold hands while flying? It''s going to be¡ª"


    "No. There''s no point doing it."


    "¡ªso cool and unique! I don''t think anybody has ever done something like this before!"


    "Fine." Hiroku let out a huge sigh afterward.


    "Yay!"


    "But not now¡ª"


    "aww."


    "¡ªI''m not in the mood. We can try this after we are back to MU."

 The Girl Meet the Boy

    After the two went back to their cottages, their luggage arrived. Loter immediately took out his charger and left his spread suitcase alone. He lay beside the outlet, scrolling through and charging his phone.


    Around noon, Ramiron woke up. She and Hiroku went to see Yotan for Ramiron''s special treatment. Loter, as an unnecessary participant in the trip, could not follow, so he proceeded with his phone scrolling.


    A dozen or so minutes later, Loter''s door was gently knocked thrice in a row. Dropping his phone, Loter rushed toward it. "Hiro, Ram. You''re so quick!" He vigorously slid the door open and saw a girl with orange eyes and a jordy blue kimono.


    Before the girl could say anything, Loter started making repeated "Uh" sounds. He remembered Hiroku had taught him a phrase in MU. Hiroku told him to use this phrase whenever he had to talk to someone in Haban. Yet, he just could not recall the syllables.


    What is the phrase? What is¡ªWait! The first part of "what."


    "Wha, wha, wha." Loter swapped from repeating "uh" to "wha." He leaned forward slightly while doing faint fist pumps, signaling the girl for help.


    Fortunately, the girl got what he meant. She lightly jumped and pointed a finger at Loter. "Ah! Ah! Watachi!"


    Yes! "Watachi!" That''s the first word of the phrase! Okay, the next one is easy. It is just the word Habanese but read with the accent.


    "Habanese, Habanese," Loter said, looking at the girl with anticipation.


    "Habanese," the girl repeated the word with a soft and low voice. She turned her eyes to their upper-left corner, clearly pondering.


    "Habanese," Loter repeated.


    "Ah! Watachi wa Habanese o hanasemasen!" the girl exclaimed and shook the finger she was pointing with.


    "Yeah! Yeah!" Loter joined her exulting, bouncing on the floor and clapping hands.


    After the cheap excitement died out, the girl sighed with a smile and said, "I can speak English."


    Loter''s sudden realization just revived his excitement. He had so many questions. "Oh! I didn''t know you can, because you are¡ª"


    "Wearing a kimono?"


    "Yeah."


    The girl chuckled.


    "How did you learn English?"


    "Through my English teacher."


    "Do others in Tribe Kayama speak English?"


    The girl slightly swayed her head sideways and made a disaffirming sound. She said, "Some do. Some don''t."


    "Which group is larger?"


    "The group that can''t speak English." At this point, the girl was no longer exhilarated. She was just explaining the obvious.


    "Why?"


    "Because most male Kayamas don''t learn English. However, I think many of the servants do. They are all highly educated."


    "Then, why did you learn English?"


    "Well, I can''t learn magic, so they just had me learning English to fill my time. Never thought I would be using it." She chuckled.


    "Oh, this is the sexist thing, right? Hiroku told me before. Women in Kayama aren''t allowed to learn magic. I''m so sorry if that''s the case." Loter held his hands together before his chest.


    "It''s okay, but what does sexist mean? It''s a new word for me, and I like to learn new vocabulary."


    "It''s, it''s," Loter scratched his head. Then, a brilliant idea came to his mind. He beckoned the girl into his cottage and dashed to his phone. "I will just translate it to Habanese."


    "That''s smart." The girl carefully took off her clogs and scurried on the tatami.


    After typing the word into the translator, Loter held the screen before the girl. He proudly smiled at his own wit.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Sei sabetsu?" the girl read the Habanese off in confusion. "I''ve never seen this word before. I can guess it is about sex, but I''m not sure," she said in English.


    "Oh, I know." Loter quickly typed "sexism" into the web browser and read out the first result, "Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one''s sex or gender. "


    He lowered his phone and looked toward the girl, waiting for a response.


    The girl awkwardly giggled, dodged the eye contact for an instant, and said with her hands behind her hips, "I''ve never heard of the two other big words, too."


    "Oh, uh, sexism is basically men making women not do something because they are women."


    The girl paused and blinked her eyes twice. Loter returned the favor, and she said, "Like not entering a man''s toilet?"


    "No, not that type." Loter made the incessant "uh" sound while pondering in his mind. "It''s like not allowing women to drive or to choose their own job. Like denying basic human rights?" Loter confused himself. "Hiroku can explain it much better than me."


    "What do you mean by not choosing their own job?" the girl asked carefully, not as passionate as moments earlier. There was a clear apprehension in her orange eyes.


    "Like, uh. For example, a girl wants to be a journalist but she is forced to do the chore and can''t leave the house."


    "Does it also include things like not letting women take certain classes?" A genuine unhappiness emerged on her visage. It was not outright sadness or rage. It was just a plain lack of happiness.


    "Yeah," Loter directly answered without a doubt.


    "Treating women with different rules and standards?"


    "Definitely."


    "Is this common outside Cho-san Island?"


    "Sexism?" Loter took a few seconds to form his words and slowly said, "Legally speaking, sexism is banned in most developed countries¡ª"


    The girl paused. She shifted her eyes away for a moment and asked, "So they get to learn magic? No, I mean men''s subjects?"


    "Yeah, because women and men are equal."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Is my tribe an exception?"


    "Yeah, I was surprised girls can''t do magic here when Hiroku told me about it."


    The girl stayed silent. Her eyes roamed aside, and her shoulders squeezed inward. Loter realized her discomfort and ceased his smile. He asked, "What is wrong? Do you want to sit?"


    The girl sat down, putting her shins on the little pillow and sitting on her calves. She threw out a question that was too easy for Loter to answer: "Is sexism bad?"


    "Of course it is." Loter sat across the table. He hastily put his buttocks on the other pillow.


    "I," the girl said while looking at the table, "I always have a hunch that I should be allowed to learn magic. I''m a genius at magic. I know I am. Now that my hunch is approved, and they are bad for not letting me learn like boys, I just don''t know what to feel. I think I should be happy, but I''m not."


    "Wait, how do you know you are a genius at magic if you don''t even get to learn magic?"


    "I learned it secretly." She looked Loter in the eyes with a tiny spark in hers. "Do you want to see?"


    "Yeah, but please just demonstrate some peaceful ones. I''ve seen Kirane doing magic before, and that experience is kind of horrible." Loter chuckled awkwardly, trying to cheer things up.


    The girl returned a sweet grin, validating Loter''s effort. "I''ll show you this one. Fox transform. Kitsune Henka." As the girl pronounced the trick in Habanese, she disappeared in a puff of white smoke.


    Loter instinctively sniffed it and coughed lightly. When he looked toward where the girl originally was, he saw an orange juvenile fox lightly treading on the tatami. "Wow." Loter reached an index finger toward the fox. His smile was maximized due to its cuteness and amazement.


    The fox tapped its nose to his fingertip. Before Loter could react, the fox jumped up his hand, climbing to his upper arm. Loter initially leaned back a bit intuitively. He then intentionally reached his face forward since he did not know what to do.


    The fox went along with it and nuzzled with him. Loter was just clumsily shifting his nose slightly from side to side. His human nose was a bit bigger than the fox''s, so he made sure his movement was careful and soft.


    All four eyes were closed. Loter did not know why the fox''s eyes were closed, but his eyes were closed because he was unused to the situation at first. He opened his eyes and watched the fox before him.


    This is why people like to have pets. This fluffy furry critter is so cute!


    Eventually, the fox stepped back and jumped off Loter''s arm. In a puff of smoke, she turned back into a girl with a kimono. She said, "That one is my favorite spell."


    "It''s so cool!" Loter complimented her without exclaiming. His excitement was already made soft by the fox form. He asked, "Can you talk in your fox form?"


    "No, foxes don''t really have the organs to talk like humans, but I could understand you. My brothers and some other cousins never got this right. They always lost their mind and thought they were real foxes. The teacher had to turn them back with his own spell every time."


    "Then, you are a natural!" Loter tittered. He extended his arms forward to his sides, like a variety show host showcasing a talented guest.


    "Well, I''m quite bad with fighting spells. I never got them right." Blushing, the girl tucked her hair behind her right ear. The smile on her face was unrestrictable. Every time she tried to lessen it, it just widened back to its fullest.


    "It''s not a problem at all. Those fighting spells are meaningless, anyway. There are people good at fighting everywhere."


    "Do you really think so?" The girl''s eyes were gleaming in wetness.


    "Yeah." No hesitation was in the response.


    "Thank you." The girl softly tapped her sleeves on her face to wipe her tears.


    Loter just sat there, watching blankly. He felt like he was supposed to do something or say something. Yet, he just could not figure out what exactly he was supposed to be doing at the moment.


    Abruptly, the girl stood up and ran out of the cottage in scurry steps.


    "Wait." Loter reached out his hand. Yet, only drops of tears were left on his floor.

 Big Hug

    Loter was lying supine when Hiroku peeked into his open door. His arms were placed in a straight line, and his legs fully extended outward. Hiroku could tell Loter was not sleeping from the open eyes.


    "Loter, what are you doing?" Hiroku stood outside the door.


    "I just," Loter answered dully and slowly, "met a girl."


    "Tori?"


    "What?" Loter turned his head to look at Hiroku. The melancholy on his visage was lessened by curiosity.


    Hiroku palmed his own face. He murmured to himself, "I should''ve seen that coming." He raised his voice back to normal again and said, "Nothing, we are about to have lunch. You need to come and join us. I''ll teach you the courtesy on the fly."


    "Okay, sure. I''m pretty hungry." Loter rubbed his belly and crawled up, not as deft or energetic as casual. "But what''s that Toli you just mentioned?"


    "It''s Tori."


    "Tori?" Loter went to put on his shoes, and Hiroku began walking away.


    "She''s a girl with orange eyes."


    "Oh, I think she''s the one I met." Loter caught up with Hiroku and inhaled a hearable amount of air.


    Then his footsteps stopped, so Hiroku turned around. "What is it?"


    Loter stood still with his chest puffed from the air. He exhaled and said, "I have to ask you a question."


    "Later," Hiroku replied immediately and turned back to keep walking. He knew Loter had something stupid to say, like, "We need to take Tori to MU!" or something similar. Hiroku just did not want to have this conservation.


    "Okay, how about another question?"


    "Um-hum."


    "How did Ramiron''s treatment go?"


    "It''s going well. The treatment person said Ramiron would regain her full power in six days."


    "That''s great. The harms will be repaired."


    "Yes."


    Hiroku and Loter arrived at the long pavilion before the gate. Inside the thin walls, there was a long and narrow table in the center of the room. The three kids sat before it with Ramiron in the center. Across the room, Yotan had his own table that was much smaller. Initially, all four of them sat with their shins on the pillow and hips on their calves. Loter was visibly uncomfortable with the position and kept fidgeting. Therefore, he changed his posture back to usual.


    Around the room, female servants in nyanza kimonos stood with their heads tilted down and hands before their lower abdomen. Their eyes were shut like locked doors.


    Hiroku, going against his promise, did not teach Loter any courtesy at all. He was stuck in the translator role since Ramiron and Yotan could not stop talking. As a result, Loter just happily ate whatever he wanted from the table. The other two were too busy talking and translating, anyway.


    Due to the nature of Habanese food being small in size, Loter only left around three out of twenty dishes when everything was served. Meanwhile, Ramiron and Yotan finished their conversation about Kayama''s history. Ramiron chuckled while Hiroku looked away in an expected despair. Fortunately, Yotan laughed it off and told the servants to prepare more.


    After the lunch ended, Ramiron stayed for the treatment in the afternoon, and the other two left the pavilion. On their way, Loter asked Hiroku again if he wanted to hear about his question.


    Hiroku sighed and said, "Let me guess. ''We need to save Tori and bring her to HueCam Academy.''"


    "No."


    "Hm?" Surprised, Hiroku glanced back at Loter as he began correcting him.


    "I was going to ask if we should convince other Kayamas on the island to teach women magic."


    This is worse than my guess.


    "No, we shouldn''t."


    "Why? You know Tori, right? Do you know she can," Loter quickly scanned the surroundings and whispered behind Hiroku''s ear, "do magic?"Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "I know. It''s just impossible." Hiroku dodged forward. His impatience triggered a spark of anger in his voice. Just the mentioning of those things worsened his mood.


    "We haven''t tried¡­ We haven''t tried it yet. May, maybe they are¡­ more open than we think they are, Hiro," Loter said with stutters and pauses throughout the sentence as if he knew the infeasibility of his plan already.


    To Hiroku''s own surprise, he could tell that Loter just needed someone to reject his proposal for him. Hiroku actually felt a faint pity for Loter, so he tried to console him, "Loter, systemic problems can not be solved by personal effort. Only collective effort can fix Tribe Kayama."


    "What are you suggesting us to do?"


    "Nothing. I''m saying nothing we do will have an impact if people here refuse to stand up for themselves."


    "But we are heroes. We shouldn''t just stand and watch," Loter said hurriedly. Hiroku could recognize the mood behind the sentence. It was an eagerness for justice that was thrown to the wall but refused to break.


    Hiroku opened his mouth and hesitated. He felt the cruelness in what he was about to say. He asked, "Have you taken the Hero Ethics class?"


    "Yeah," Loter answered with his voice lowered.


    "You must remember the content in class two."


    "Yeah, I do."


    "Heroes are not meant to solve social or political issues. We¡ª"


    "Should always stay neutral. I know." Loter raised his voice and quickly proposed another plan. "What if we just take Tori away with us?"


    "Trust me, you aren''t going to succeed, and you would doom her life if you exposed her secret in your attempt."


    "..."


    The rest of the walk was silent and speechless. Just from the pattern of Loter''s footsteps, Hiroku could tell he had infected Loter with his gloom. A part of him felt sorry for teaching Loter the truth. The other part knew Loter had to learn how the world works one day, earlier or later.


    Going up the stoop, they parted. Loter slid his door open and stood there for a moment. Then, he said, "I think I can empathize with what you said in the car now."


    "Hm?" Hiroku halted before his room. He faced up and saw Loter staring at him in solemn.


    "I think I understand you now. I know this feeling, Hiro. The guilt you feel when you are supposed to help but you just can''t." Loter dashed to Hiroku and firmly embraced him in his arms. "When you were saying it in the car, I couldn''t understand it. Now, I can. I''ve felt the same way before when I saw my father dead. I just felt numb and sad. I only escaped this feeling by being with you, and Key, and Ramiron, and Glacia."


    "Loter, I¡ª"


    "You might not know it, but you helped me through my hard time, and I wish I could do the same for you."


    "It''s mainly Key. He''s the one helping. I was just watching from aside all this time," Hiroku said in a mumbling voice. His eyes were watery already.


    "No, you are a part of it. Just like you said, ''collective effort.'' You''re my friend, don''t deny it."


    Abruptly, Hiroku burst out a titter. "Don''t you use my words against me." He continued to chuckle as tears glided down his face. There was no stopping for the curl on his mouth. He just went along and laughed. "Alright, it''s enough, Loter. I need some personal space now. I''ll see you at dinner."


    Loter loosened his hug, and Hiroku broke free. Their eyes met in the air. A big smile popped up on Loter''s serious face as he saw Hiroku''s visible delight.


    "I think it''s the first time I see you laugh."


    "I don''t laugh on command. It just doesn''t happen that often."


    "Then you must be feeling happy right now."


    "Perhaps."


    "Aw, come on."


    "Fine, I guess I am happy."


    Right after Hiroku entered his room and shut the door, he let himself fall to the floor, lying on the tatami. He thought about his family as the smile faded. Then, he grinned again, recalling the conversation with Loter.


    It felt good not to be a burden. Sure, he could not redeem his tribe, but at least he helped Loter. Hiroku sat up from the ground. He took in several deep breaths and calmed his mind.


    The rest of the afternoon passed without any inconvenience. Hiroku slowly read those books in his cottage and listened to Loter''s gaming sound. The books were classics back from feudal times, and Habanese was not his native language, so Hiroku struggled a bit while reading. Although the patriarchal values embedded in these books were the opposite of his beliefs, Hiroku found the ancient dictions and grammar intriguing enough for him to proceed with the books.


    At around six p.m., Ramiron came back from the treatment. She informed the two that the dinner would be sent to their rooms. Despite Hiroku not smiling in the slightest, Ramiron noticed his change of mood. Then, Loter made a huge deal about him and Hiroku laughing and snuggling.


    Many guys would find hugging their friends an embarrassing act. However, Hiroku was much more open about this kind of physical contact. Thus, he only corrected Loter by pointing out the unidirectionality of the snuggling part.


    Before Hiroku could finish his sentence, Ramiron also gave him a thorough hug.


    When the food arrived, Loter convinced Ramiron to eat together in his room. To no one''s surprise, Hiroku was eventually persuaded into joining the activity by Loter''s clinginess.


    Ramiron''s dinner was a huge box of rice with two pieces of eel meat above it. Right beside, several boxes of various side dishes were in small amounts. Together, these smaller boxes and the big box for rice formed a rectangle in the center of her tray.


    Meanwhile, Hiroku''s dinner was just a simple bowl of ramen. Loter, in contrast, had a tray with both Ramiron''s and Hiroku''s dinner on it.


    During dinner, Ramiron, as the only person who actually did something, carried the conversation. She shared her experience with the treatment. It was basically meditating with weird stones and seeing weirder visions. Loter was visibly invested in the story, while Hiroku did not mind hearing background noises.


    After her, Hiroku was forced to share the content of the books he read. He did. When he asked Ramiron how she knew he was reading, she said she had a glimpse of some spread books when Hiroku opened his door. She proceeded to talk about how the treatment made her eyes feel sharper.


    When they finished, the trays, bowls, and boxes were left before the stoop. Loter found it not polite enough to fit in the rest of the mannerisms of the tribe. Hiroku explained that the servants were the ones taking care of the leftovers, and Tribe Kayama obviously never developed any courtesy toward the servants.

 We Meet Again

    The next morning was nothing out of the ordinary. Loter was wearing his white hoodie; Hiroku had his white pullover and purple crop top; and Ramiron was in her green polo shirt. The three kids had their breakfast with Yotan, and Ramiron talked to him for the entire meal. Of course, Hiroku was the translator.


    Despite all the boring greets and uninteresting affairs, they revealed one piece of information crucial to Loter: As the guest, they could ask the servants to prepare them food at any time they wanted.


    After the meal, Ramiron headed to the treatment, and Hiroku went into the forest. Loter asked if he could follow Hiroku but received a firm rejection.


    Loter lay on the tatami with a little too much fullness in his bloated belly. He yawned as he closed his eyes. It would be great if he could fall asleep right there, yet Loter slept pretty early last night and was not even two hours away from the time he woke up.


    Thus, he lightly wiped his hands on the floor to find his phone and held it in the air. He had full faith in short videos and mobile games to kill time until something else happened to him.


    His faith was not unreasonable. When Loter was finally unable to bear through another meaningless clip, two hours had already passed. He just needed to wait for two more hours for lunch time to come.


    Maybe Hiroku''s back.


    Loter got up and shuffled his indolent body to Hiroku''s door and knocked.


    "..."


    He knocked again.


    "..."


    Sighing, Loter returned to his room. He dropped to the ground and began whining in boredom.


    Suddenly, Loter realized that he had not been thinking about his father for quite some time. He felt a rush of sadness just at the thought of that. Although R.O.S. did tell him not to think about his father all the time, the understanding that his father would no longer pop up in his head still dispirited Loter.


    He closed his eyes and let himself sink into his memories. He still remembered the time when Kniton attended his elementary school graduation. Sarah never went to any of his school activities, and Kniton rarely did. That graduation was pretty significant to Loter. He could almost see the scene playing inside his eyelids.


    First, Kniton was just sitting there. Then, he noticed other parents all had their phones and cameras out. He hesitated and stayed in his seat for a moment before looking up at the stage and seeing Loter watching him.


    Immediately, Kniton bounced up from the chair and tugged out his phone from his pocket. He even stood on his chair, although the teachers had him stepping down instantly.


    His father''s clumsiness cracked Loter so hard that he began laughing on stage. The principal before him had to pause her speech and look over her shoulder to check on Loter. Yet, that was not the funniest part. It was way funnier when the entire class, standing beside Loter, was infected by the laughter. The principal''s confusion was priceless.


    Reminiscing, Loter smiled and giggled. It felt good to revisit old memories. Yet, the reassurance that he still remembered his father was the idea that truly cheered him up.


    <hr>


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    The happiness was eventually dissolved by boredom. Loter still had to find something to do.


    What can I do? Why don''t I have any hobbies besides playing on my phone? How does Hiroku bear staring at plants for hours? If I were Key or Ramiron, I would be trying to play sports or meditate here. Thankfully, I''m neither of them. Mr. Dowii did give me homework on what movements and postures to practice, but I did not want to do that now. Maybe I should think about¡­


    Oh, I know. I can use my invisible flying ability to spy on the Kayamas. It''s not like they are going to notice, anyway.


    Loter jumped up from the ground. He walked to the door and let out an "ah" sound. He put a hand on the door plank and touched the back of his head.


    Isn''t it unethical to spy on people? I should probably not be doing it¡­ But it won''t be spying if I restrict myself to public areas, right?


    Getting his last concern out of his head, Loter slid open the door and activated his invisible flying ability. He ascended straight up into the air and looked downward with a bird''s-eye view.


    Loter stopped before he went too high so he could clearly see the entire estate below him without missing all the details. He could see servants with special wooden brooms combing those precious courtyards while stepping on the stones placed in between the grass. He could see smoke coming out of the kitchen. Beyond that, there was not much else in Yotan''s estate.


    Loter knew Ramiron was doing her treatment meditation in another estate. Maybe he could visit if he knew which one she was in. According to Hiroku, there were about thirty different estates and a lot more infrastructures on Cho-san Island. Finding Ramiron would be an impossible task, especially after Loter decided to stay outdoors for ethics.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Well, I don''t need to visit Ramiron necessarily. I can check out other estates, too, but that may be a bit too much¡­


    No one can see me, anyway, so it''s fine.


    Therefore, Loter descended to a height barely above the ground and flew along the pebble trail into the mountain forest.


    If someone wanted to tour Cho-san Island, they would have to enter Yotan''s estate first since it was directly connected to the entry harbor by the trail. However, the trail afterward had turns and junctions connecting different estates, so residents would not have to enter others'' territory when passing by.


    Loter soon met his first T-junction and made a turn to visit the estate right beside Yotan''s. From the outer wall, there was almost no difference between the two. The stone bricks had timber planks fixed on them. Loter elevated into the sky and faced down.


    The first detail he noticed was the wooden buildings being bigger yet fewer than in Yotan''s. Then, he saw a stone-paved patio and four boys on it practicing with wooden swords. All the four and their old teacher were wearing the jordy blue kimono.


    The teacher had both his hands behind and pressed against his back. The boys repeatedly slashed down their wooden swords from above their heads. Simultaneously, they shouted out a word that seemed to be a number for every swing. Two of the kids had a ponytail, one had an undercut, and the other''s long hair was tucked behind his ears.


    Somewhat interested in how the Kayamas train, Loter lowered a bit to inspect the sword lesson more closely. After about twenty more identical slashes, the old bald teacher said something in Habanese, and the boys changed to swinging horizontally. Just like the vertical swinging exercise, the horizontal one was also just performing the identical move several dozens of times.


    The repetitiveness of the lesson made Loter bored fairly quickly. He changed from standing to lying in the air, although no part of his muscle was holding him up in either posture.


    After about seven more identical slashes, Loter was completely bored and glanced away, spotting what was not expected.


    By the wooden house before the patio, Tori stood on the veranda and gazed at Loter.


    Wait, Tori is here? Can she see me?


    Loter quickly turned around to make sure there was not a thing behind him. When he turned back, he pointed a finger at his own surprised face.


    Tori quickly shifted her eyes around to ensure no others were looking at her and lightly nodded at Loter.


    How can she see me?


    Loter quickly flitted toward Tori. He touched the hand Tori put on the railing while Tori was staring at Loter in amazement. She had a subconscious movement of drawing back her hand, yet she canceled it immediately. Her hand remained in touch with Loter''s.


    The contact between the two allowed Loter to share his invisibility with Tori. Although none of them could see the other, they had a precise sensation of each other''s existence, from location to posture to facial features and expressions.


    For a moment, both of them gazed at the person before themselves, not seeing anybody yet sensing each other on a higher level. Loter gaped with his mouth completely opened, and Tori parted her lips. Eventually, one of them broke the silence.


    "Why could you see me?" Loter asked in his normal voice, neither whispering nor murmuring. They just somehow knew others could not hear them.


    "I perfected the Fox Transform spell. I can see smells of people even in my human form," Tori answered calmly, still staring blankly at Loter. She was not as energetic as they met last time. Loter could not tell if it was because of how their last encounter ended or the effect of his ability.


    "Wow. It''s the first time someone ever sees me when I''m invisible." Loter chuckled a bit at the end of his sentence. He was not sure why. He just did it, and his smile was wide.


    "It''s also the first time I see someone invisible."


    "Cool."


    "How did you learn this?"


    "It''s just my superpower. It sometimes gives me weird abilities."


    "I''m." Tori finally grinned and looked into Loter''s eyes with a sense of contentment. "So jealous of you."


    Loter tittered at the sight of Tori''s grin. "I don''t think my superpower will ever turn me into a fox."


    "Maybe you will."


    Loter did not answer. He was mentally preparing himself to talk about a heavy topic. Tori, unannoyed, waited there, reading Loter''s heart before any word had come out.


    "Hey, I just want to say sorry for yesterday. I shouldn''t have said those things to you. I''m sorry I made you sad." Loter''s eyes kept dodging away and coming back. He passively sensed Tori''s tranquility without seeing.


    "It''s okay, Loter. It is not your fault. You did not do anything to me. It is my family that blocked me from learning magic and made me learn about chores and how to please men. I am not sad. I''m glad you confirmed my feelings." Despite Tori''s attempt to hide her sadness, it was crystal clear under the power of invisibility.


    "Tori, I actually asked Hiroku about how we can help your situation." Loter''s voice lowered as he detected Tori''s true feelings.


    A feeling of surprise sparked in Tori''s despondency. Although the light died instantly by itself, she quietly listened to what Loter had to say.


    "He said there is no way to help you, but maybe you know how we can help you." Loter held Tori''s contacting hand by the fingers and slightly lifted it. His eyes gazed straight into hers, looking for an answer. Yet, Tori dodged her eyes away in hesitation.


    Loter could sense the struggle with no blurriness. Tori opened her mouth and closed it. Eventually, she said with a great surge of regret, "No, there''s nothing you can do about it."


    Tori drew her hand back from Loter''s soft grip. She ran away as her invisibility ended, and her body reappeared on the veranda.


    Loter floated there, watching the girl running back into the wooden building.


    Why?


    He was disappointed in himself, yet, more importantly, he was confused. The conflicting feeling he sensed back when they were connected was certainly real. There was no denying that Tori knew the way for Loter to help her. Tori was hesitating about the method. She was hesitating about whether to tell Loter or not.


    Why?


    Losing all his interest in exploring Cho-san Island, Loter flew back to Yotan''s estate. He stopped by his cottage, flew to his door, and turned off his ability.


    Is it because Tori does not trust me enough? Does she have a way to set herself free but decide not to try because she does not trust me? Fuck.


    Loter glided the door open.


    I can show her. I will show her my other abilities, the running and the combat one. I will show her that I''m competent, and I will tell her I can do college-level math.


    "Loter," Hiroku called him after coming out of his room. His hand was propped on the wall, and his visage was unnaturally expressionless.


    "Hiro, what did you say?" Loter, pulled back from his thoughts, asked and turned around to face Hiroku.


    "I haven''t said it yet, but I want to ask you to come with me tomorrow."


    "Do you feel lonely?"


    "Hm? No, no." Hiroku did a quick, discernible inhalation and continued, "I have an arranged duel coming in two days with one of my cousins. I need you to spar with me."


    "Wait, what, why?"


    "I don''t want to talk about it now, and don''t tell Ramiron." Hiroku went back into his room, closing the door with some extra strength.

 Training but Not Really

    The trail connecting every estate was made of pebble stones. Some people hated those stones for pressing against their feet. Loter somewhat liked them, although he would much prefer flying since he was not a sports guy in general.


    However, Hiroku alarmed him not to because his flying ability was tied to his invisibility, and it might have been rude to hide on others'' property. Obviously, Hiroku did not know what Loter had done yesterday, and there was no way Loter would disclose it.


    The two arrived at the estate specifically for training at around nine a.m. They had already told Ramiron they were going to visit other estates, so she had to deal with lunch and dinner by herself. Loter questioned Hiroku why he hid the duel part from her, and Hiroku explained he did not want to distract her from her meditation.


    From outside, the wall of this estate was identical to Yotan''s and the one Loter visited yesterday. However, the gate was much lighter and smaller.


    After walking in, Loter realized it was just a plain square with stone-paved ground and a big equipment shed in the corner. The place was not exactly an estate but, more precisely, a training field.


    "This place is big," Loter said as he crouched down and rubbed his palms on the ground.


    "Yes," Hiroku answered without much emotion, standing before Loter. He took a glance at Loter. Before he could look back toward the front, he turned around entirely. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m touching the ground."


    Hiroku rolled his eyes, saying, "I''m asking why."


    "Oh, it feels funny."


    Speechlessly, Hiroku looked at Loter''s semi-serious face, and Loter blinked his innocent eyes.


    The two just stood there for a moment with cicadas'' chirping and the scraping between Loter''s hands and the ground.


    Why is he staring at me? Is it because he does not know what I mean by "funny"?


    "By ''funny,'' I mean the ground is not as rough as those stones in the wild and is not as smooth as marble or glass. It is vaguely between smooth and rough that you can''t really decide if it should be counted as rough or smooth."


    Hiroku pointed over his shoulder and asked, "How long will this take? When can we get back to the sparring?"


    "Oh, anytime. Do you want to do it now?"


    "Yes. That''s why we are here."


    "Okay, yeah, sure." Loter stood up and wiped off the dirt on his white hoodie. He followed behind Hiroku.


    They walked closer to the center of the square quietly. There was a dilute awkwardness and unease in the atmosphere ever since this morning. Even as oblivious as Loter could sense its presence.


    After Hiroku stopped at an arbitrary position close to the center of the square, Loter raised his two fists, getting into his fighting stance. Yet, Hiroku just asked, "What happened, Loter?"


    "What?" Surprised, Loter loosened his hands.


    Hiroku crossed his arms before his chest, faced away, and turned back. His upper ponytail swayed a little. He had no obvious expression outside a faint knit in the brows, but a clear concern was in his voice. "What''s wrong? You are normally very expressive of your emotions. You''ve been acting¡­" Hiroku paused to find a word and continued, "Dull this entire morning. You did not even smile or laugh when you were patting the ground. I know it''s an indication of sadness. Where does it come from?"


    Loter scratched the back of his head as he tilted his head down. His face looked evidently troubled. He said, "I don''t know how to say it."


    "Take your time."


    "Will you scold me?" Loter lifted his head up a bit to inspect Hiroku''s face. Unsurprisingly, there was nothing to be found.


    "No, I know how bad it is to scold someone when they are telling you a secret. It''s going to make that person less capable of opening up. I''ve done research about it. I promise I won''t."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Alright." Loter took in a deep breath and said, "I went to see Tori again."


    "And you asked her if she knows how you can help her?"


    "Yeah, how do you know?"


    "It''s something you would''ve done. Did she say no?"


    "It''s complicated." Loter took a second to process his thoughts and proceeded, "Because we were in a very public place, I had to share my invisibility with her. When we shared invisibility, we could detect each other''s emotions, and I detected that she lied to me when she said there was nothing I could do."


    "It''s probably very dangerous, and she doesn''t want you to take that risk."


    "At least she can tell me that. She just ran off like last time. I feel like she doesn''t trust me."


    "That was the second time you two met. It wouldn''t make sense for her to trust you."


    "Yeah, so I''m thinking I should show her my abilities so she has a reason to trust me."


    "..."


    "..."


    "It''s your decision to make."


    "Do you support me, though?" Loter''s brows raised, and there seemed to be something glowing in his eyes. He gazed at Hiroku in melancholy and a weak sense of hope.


    Hiroku did not answer straight away. He faced aside and then back. He dodged the eye contact and looked back with his knit growing tighter. Eventually, Hiroku said, "I want to, Loter. I really want to support you."


    A bitter grin emerged on Loter''s visage. He replied, "Thank you, Hiro. I feel much better now."


    "And I hope that''s enough."


    Despite Loter''s full-hearted participation, he could not help Hiroku much. First, Hiroku''s cousins were probably going to fight him with magic, and Loter could not even fight outside of melee range. Second, even when it was up close, Loter could not actually spar with Hiroku since his attacks were too much for Hiroku.


    In the end, Loter could only play dummy and let Hiroku practice his combat skills without pushback. It was obvious this kind of training was too insufficient for them to spend a day on it.


    Hiroku called an end to it before lunchtime. Loter rushed to the shed in the corner after getting Hiroku''s permission. He enthusiastically opened the thin gate. Sunlight shone through and illuminated most of the shed, casting a shallow shadow in corners.


    Racks of various wooden weapons and wooden armor stood against the walls. Every single set of armor was fully painted, with their small metal bits glinting. Rows of halberds and swords varied in shape and length.


    Loter picked up one from the closest rack. It was like a trident with the central tine much longer than the side ones. Somehow, the head of this Habanese wooden trident was actually heavier than its pole, like a real weapon.


    Loter ran in circles and poked the empty air repeatedly, battling against his imaginary enemy, a hostile army of Habanese ninjas. Loter had done this several times when he was in Cavium. His subjects changed from knights to gangsters to villains to aliens and more. Normally, children play this game with their friends and quit it after kindergarten. Not really surprisingly, Loter did not do both.


    "Kayama''s artisans made these toys by wrapping wood outside metal blades," Hiroku said as he came into the big shed.


    "Wow." Loter held the trident upright. "So it is the traditional way of making practice equipment."


    "No, our artisans invented this kind of stupid thing in the modern time just for the aesthetics." Hiroku walked before the racks and lay a hand on one of the wooden swords. "They could use the plastic ones on the market. Those are so much better. They just have to waste time on wrapping wood on metal."


    "Are you sure they aren''t just unaware?" Loter asked, putting the trident back on its rack.


    "Yes, I''m sure. Male Kayamas above a certain age limit are allowed to use smartphones. They know the outside world exists and view it as a corrupted place. That''s why they disdained me and my branch so much. Yotan at least knows to hide his contempt," Hiroku elaborated calmly. He was just describing the reality he knew, and Loter understood he was not seeking pity.


    "That''s why they want a duel with you?" Loter watched Hiroku still facing the wall and touching the weapon.


    "No, that''s my decision. I want them to shut their damn mouth. I want to show them that their precious magic is not as invincible as they thought."


    Loter did not respond immediately. It was his first time seeing Hiroku actively wanting to achieve anything. Yet, there was something else out of place that gave Loter a weird feeling.


    Invincible? That''s never the case.


    "But, didn''t Ramiron already defeat Kirane? If they offer to cure Ramiron, that must mean they know what happened. If they know what happened, they know Ramiron defeated Kirane. Also, Ramiron can''t be the strongest person in the world. It is impossible for them to believe their magic to be invincible." Loter took a step closer to Hiroku. "You don''t need to take this fight. There is nothing ambiguous to prove."


    "It''s not that simple, Loter." Hiroku turned around, facing Loter. His visage was still listless. "Ramiron is not a Kayama. I am. It must mean something to them if a side branch outcast like me defeats some peers in the main branch." He sighed.


    Loter, still did not think Hiroku could prove anything since Kirane was younger and stronger than him, decided not to push further. "I will be with you and provide emotional support." Loter put a hand on Hiroku''s shoulder and gave him a wide smile. The smile was not natural, but it was not forced either.


    "Thank you, Loter. I wish you luck in convincing Tori." Hiroku returned a small yet genuine grin while pushing Loter''s hand off himself.


    "Also, another thing." Loter pointed at the armor racks. "Can we try to put them on and spar with the wood weapons? I know it''s not going to help, but the thought of doing it just popped up in my head, and it feels so fun."


    Hiroku chuckled. "Sure."

 Loter and Hiroku

    The two had lunch a bit later than yesterday in Loter''s cottage. Hiroku introduced Loter to some Habanese dishes, and Loter loved every single one of them: raw fish on rice, rice in tofu skin, vegetables in gim cones, another kind of raw fish on rice, cooked fish on rice, octopi on rice, octopi in starch balls, etc.


    After lunch, Loter tried to persuade Hiroku to let him use invisible flying so they could peacefully visit every estate without interacting with anyone. At first, Hiroku refused and said it was impolite. Then, he realized Loter had already done it yesterday to see Tori.


    Loter admitted it after being busted. Hiroku decided not to care anymore and agreed to let Loter use his power with him.


    "Okay, I''m doing it." Loter pressed on the table with one hand and slowly reached his other hand across the table toward Hiroku.


    "Wait." Hiroku leaned back slightly, unable to dodge further away since he was sitting on his shanks.


    "What?" Loter paused his movement.


    "Are you sure about connecting minds with me?" Hiroku asked with a funny expression on his face. Loter could not tell if it was reluctance, distrust, unwillingness, a mix of them all, or other things.


    "Yeah, and I think we are only going to feel each other''s emotions. ''Minds'' would be an exaggeration."


    "Only the emotion?"


    "Only the emotion."


    Hiroku did an inhalation and an exhalation. "Fine, you''ll regret it, but just do it, and why are you doing it so slowly, anyway?"


    "Oh, I feel like it''s an important moment, and I should take my time."


    "Just do it¡ª"


    Loter suddenly grasped Hiroku''s wrist and said, "Okay."


    Hiroku''s arm rose spontaneously to retrieve his hand, but he controlled himself and stopped the action. For several seconds, they just stared at their overlapped hands to avoid the inevitable awkwardness.


    "It''s not working, Loter," Hiroku said. His voice was as low as usual and mixed with the earlier funniness.


    "It worked last time. Why?" Loter asked, actually curious.


    "Maybe you should activate your ability before sharing it."


    "Oh yeah. That''s right." Loter pulled his hand away, turned invisible, and touched Hiroku''s wrist again.


    Upon sharing the ability, Loter sensed a pressure on his chest. It was not heavy enough to cause serious pain. Yet, every breath with it felt strenuous and tiring. He made a loud gasp for air subconsciously.


    "Is this what you feel every day?" Loter opened his mouth to have an easier time breathing. However, the effect was minimal.


    "I''m sorry," Hiroku answered. Loter could feel Hiroku''s sense of guilt and tightened his grip before Hiroku could even consider drawing his hand back.


    "Don''t be. It''s just my first time experiencing your feelings. I''ll adapt." Loter closed his mouth and suppressed his breathing to the minimum so he did not make any obvious noises. "See," Loter said, "I can adapt."


    Hiroku opened his mouth but hesitated before speaking. "I can feel you are concerned." He paused for an instant to search for the right word. "But mostly pleasant." Loter detected a faint feeling of conflict during the hesitation that was similar to the one he sensed from Tori.


    Before Loter could ask, Hiroku said, "I can tell you are suddenly curious, and you are probably going to ask me a question now. It feels weird to know your emotion."


    "Yeah, I want to ask what were you hesitating about?"


    "I was just trying to find the right word. The thing is subtle. I think saying you are happy is too much, but you''re feeling positive."


    "No, I mean, what were you about to say before saying I''m concerned?"


    Hiroku took a few seconds to build his sentence and said, "I was just thinking about what to say. I don''t want you to feel worse since you are already feeling bad because of me." He paused, shifted his eyes away, and returned immediately. "Wait, why are you feeling more positive?"


    Loter giggled and said, "You know what Key would say if he were here? ''Aw, It''s so sweet of you, Hiro!''" He continued chuckling at the gag he just came up with.


    Loter still remembered Key saying the line at Loter''s first dinner in the school. That was the dinner he truly got to befriend Key.


    Although Loter overlooked it back then, he just realized that Hiroku was the one who resolved the conflict between Key and Glacia. Hiroku was much more important to the friend group than he thought he was.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Hiroku joyfully rolled his eyes at Loter''s joke and went back to the track. "Why were you asking me about the hesitation?" He lightly tittered again at the end of his sentence. Loter could feel that Hiroku also reminisced about that dinner.


    "Oh, I detected the same feeling when Tori told me she did not know any solution. I just want to make sure I did not mistake anything." Loter explained in joy. He had a momentary doubt over the sudden change of mood. However, he decided it was probably something related to his power. Besides, Loter had no problem with being happy whatsoever.


    "Um-hum," Hiroku replied naturally without adding new information or guiding the direction of the conversation.


    "..." Loter, unable to continue on an "um-hum," stayed quiet and smiled.


    "..."


    Simultaneously, an identical awkwardness was felt by both ends of the talk. Loter squirmed with an itchiness that came with the awkwardness. He let out a weird chuckle, and the atmosphere fell back into speechlessness.


    Eventually, Hiroku had something to say. Loter sensed it and leaned forward in anticipation.


    "You can start teaching me the flying part now."


    "Yeah! We can do the flying now!"


    They walked out of the cottage together with Loter still holding Hiroku by the wrist. None of them worried about the hands-holding.


    Hiroku was not the type to feel his masculinity threatened by physical contact.


    Loter was never socialized enough to fully understand the concept of masculinity and how friendly action between males might undermine that.


    "Okay, Hiro. Three, two, one."


    As the countdown ended, the two began ascending from the ground. Hiroku maintained his standing position as if he were stepping on the air. Loter naturally rotated his body horizontally and raised his feet to the head level like swimming in freestyle.


    "Do you feel anything?" Loter asked while floating steadily in the air, slowly shifting up and down.


    "No, I think you are in control of the flying?"


    "Why?"


    "Because I don''t feel anything."


    "Me neither."


    "Hm? Then why would you¡ª" Hiroku abruptly let out a short laugh. "I''m not surprised anymore. Let me ask you this."


    "Yeah?"


    "Do you start flying when you decide to fly?"


    Loter scratched his head without answering. He was evidently struggling to process this question. Hiroku just calmly waited there, and Loter eventually said, "How do you define ''decide''?"


    Totally unsurprised, Hiroku replied immediately, "Do you fly on command?"


    "Yeah."


    "Then, you fly when you decide to fly. That means you are in charge of the flying. I can only follow you."


    "So you can not land until I decide to land?"


    "Yes, I can''t do that."


    "How do you know so much about my power?"


    "I also have a superpower, and they basically work the same way. I''m sure Dowii will teach you more when we are back in HueCam."


    "Yay."


    The two first flew past the estate closest to Yotan''s since Loter did not want to meet Tori until after Hiroku''s duel. They had a short stop at the one neighboring it. Hiroku explained it probably belonged to another uncle of his. Loter asked if any of his aunts got an estate, and the answer was an obvious "no."


    They visited several more estates that looked just like most other estates owned by Hiroku''s uncles. As a kid from the MU branch, Hiroku had no idea who each of these uncles was. The repetitive activity got boring fairly quickly.


    Right after Loter felt a sense of boredom, Hiroku told him that they would go find the girls'' school on Cho-san Island.


    Loter lightly pulled Hiroku''s wrist and asked him to explain what that was, and Hiroku told him it was a place where teachers taught Kayama girls "stuff." There was no further elaboration on the "stuff" part. Loter decided to just wait to see.


    The girls'' school looked almost exactly like other estates: wooden cottages, outer walls made of stone bricks and timber planks, and courtyards with strict rules. The only distinguishable factor of the girls'' school would be the three-story house in the center of the estate. It was the first building that Loter had seen with more than one floor.


    When the two arrived, the girls were having their traditional cloth-washing class. A row of a dozen or so girls in white kimonos sat in the courtyard. Each had a bucket of water, some clothes, and a wooden washboard. A teacher in a similar white kimono stood before them and watched quietly.


    For a minute, the two just watched them from above, not talking or having any interaction between them. They could feel each other''s emotions, and that was enough. Loter''s dejection was evident, and the earlier joy in Hiroku''s head had fully disappeared.


    After a while, Loter asked, "What would they be doing in the future?" He was still staring at the courtyard.


    "The fortunate ones may become heads of servants or teachers just like her." Hiroku pointed at the only standing woman in the courtyard. "The less fortunate ones would be sent to people outside Tribe Kayama as wives and concubines."


    "That''s legal?" Loter exclaimed in surprise, abruptly turning toward Hiroku. His mouth gaped.


    "Not in most places, but according to Tribe Kayama, yes," Hiroku answered without giving Loter a glance.


    Loter turned back toward the estate below them and suddenly realized an important thing. Hiroku sensed this tremendous change in Loter''s mood. Startled, he faced Loter, watching his visage frozen in the air.


    "That''s why they teach Tori English!" Loter said in a low tone. His voice trembled by the end of the sentence, and tears began raining down his face. He was not sure why, yet the idea of Tori being forced into another man''s spouse put an overwhelming sadness in his mind.


    This sadness was different from the numbness of his father''s death. It was a much more desperate one.


    Loter''s father was already released from suffering when Loter arrived, yet Tori had to wait for years to meet her fate. The long-term despair pained Loter more than a dead body.


    Pulled out of his own mind, Loter heard Hiroku speaking.


    "It''s fine, Loter. You will prove you are capable of helping her, alright? Don''t worry." Before Loter noticed, Hiroku already had Loter embraced in his arms.


    Loter could sense Hiroku''s radiating care for him. This warmth from his teammate only made Loter cry harder as it contrasted Tori and all the other Kayama girls'' destinies.


    Loter buried his face in Hiroku''s purple crop top. He sobbed, cried, shouted, and yelled as loud as he physically could.


    Hiroku patted him on the back.

 The Duel and Ones Foolishness

    The next day, Hiroku woke up at around six in the morning. He sat up from the tatami, already in his white pullover and purple crop top. Unlike Key, Hiroku did have the habit of wearing pajamas, yet he had not been since entering Cho-san Island.


    Loter''s snoring vaguely went through the walls. Hiroku sighed as he thought of Loter and yesterday.


    After the girls'' school, they went to visit Kayama''s farmlands, fishing harbors, etc. Hiroku also explained to Loter how the hierarchy within the main branch worked:


    Inside the main branch, there were different sub-branches. These sub-branches were ranked by how close they were to the main sub-branch, the branch Kirane was in.


    It explained why Tori was not in the girls'' school. Her sub-branch was probably a lot closer to the main one than other sub-branches.


    Seeing Loter not so enthusiastic about such subjects, Hiroku decided not to introduce Tribe Kayama''s semi-feudalism system in their farmlands at all.


    Lotor''s dejection was reasonable to Hiroku. He just did not expect Loter to react so intensely. Hiroku walked to the wall that separated him and Loter. He leaned his back against it and slid down until his hips were on the ground.


    The crush Loter had on Tori was too obvious for Hiroku not to spot after yesterday''s interaction. From Loter''s description, Hiroku also felt that Tori probably had feelings for Loter, too.


    If that was the case, Hiroku actually had an idea of getting Tori out of Cho-san Island. It was just simply too infeasible for him to recommend it to Loter. He knew how Loter would react, so he had to be the responsible one and hide it from Loter.


    Hiroku very clearly felt the irony in his action after he finally decided to open up to his teammates. Yet, it was his way of repaying Loter. He had been swallowing things for years. He did not mind to swallow one more.


    However, this whole thing did not stop Hiroku from imagining how Loter and Tori would interact. He smiled and let out small titters as his fantasy ran wild. He even blushed during the snuggling scene of his mind theater.


    Hiroku completely shied away when the play proceeded onto the bed. He shook off his imagination and rested his head against the wooden wall. This thing between his cousin and his teammate reminded him of him and Glacia. His smile lightened off.


    I have to tell Glacia the truth. I have to tell her how I truly feel. I can''t keep pushing the moment into the future. I need to get it done and face her and the consequences¡­


    I will do it after I get back to the school.


    Hiroku looked up at his cheap ceiling, letting out a breath of air. He got up to tie his hair into two ponytails and exited his room. Normally, he would use his lavender spheres to fly to the riverside for face washing, but he felt like walking today.


    Hiroku closed his door and strolled down the stoop. Before he placed his foot onto the first step of the stoop, he heard a snoring sound.


    It was Loter''s snoring, yet it did not feel like it came from his room. Hiroku slowly turned his head around, hearing the sound again.


    "Hm?"


    Doubtful at his own hypothesis, Hiroku lowered his ear to around his waist height and reached toward the floor between his and Loter''s doors.


    His hand touched something fleshy and invisible.


    Is Loter sleeping on the veranda with his invisibility on? Was he there the whole night?


    "You must be kidding me," Hiroku smirked, rolled his eyes, and drew his hand back. He opened his mouth and then closed it since yelling loudly was not a good plan in Cho-san Island.


    Crouching down, he carefully extended his arms and lay his hands on Loter, figuring out where his shoulders were.


    Thankfully, Hiroku found Loter''s face with the first touch. He precisely used it to locate Loter''s shoulders and began shaking. All embarrassing places were thoroughly avoided. Hiroku recalled the day he first met Loter.


    Hindsight, he found Glacia''s reaction comical and the whole awkward self-introduction thing hilarious.


    "Uh, what? Wait, what?" Loter woke up and sat up from the ground, invisibility deactivating. He turned around and saw Hiroku.


    "Uh!" He started, getting on his feet.


    Standing up, Hiroku asked, "Why were you sleeping outside your room with your invisibility on?"


    "Oh, I see what happened." Loter giggled and scratched his head with an embarrassed grin. "Since today is your dueling day, I figured I should give you a surprise, so I got up very early and stood outside your door to wait for you to come out¡ª"


    "You decide to use invisibility so no one will see you. Then you fall asleep while waiting."


    "Yeah, but the napping part is not an accident. I thought I could just take a five-minute nap and wake up to continue the surprise thing." Loter tittered again.


    "It''s better than my initial guess." Hiroku went down the stoop and strolled toward the river.


    "Wait, what''s your guess? Is it something bad?" Loter caught up immediately while rubbing off his eye boogers. "Come on, tell me. Please!"


    <hr>


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    *A guy was climbing a climbing wall.*


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    <hr>


    The building for the duel was a huge wooden hall deep in Cho-san Island. The hall was about a dozen meters tall and spacious enough to park several tanks inside.


    By 10 a.m., all the invited audience, the participants, and the judges had arrived.


    The center of the hall was a cubic sunken space. Surrounding it, the four walkways had balustrades built by the square edge.


    Audiences, about twenty to thirty people, were standing or pacing on the walkways, waiting for the duel to begin. Most of them wore white kimonos. Only a few were in dorky blue.


    The three judges with blue kimonos sat on their decorated seats, which had wooden reliefs of flowers carved onto the side of the seatbacks. A piece of golden silk was laid on both armrests. Middle sections of these silk pieces were sat beneath the judges'' thighs.


    Half past ten in the morning, Zayio Kayama, the one challenged by Hiroku, came in from the gate. Across the hall were the judges. They squinted their eyes, scrutinizing Zayio from his toes to his black bun. The posture of walking, ways of greeting, clothing, and much more were all under judgment. Every mistake may cause him to automatically lose the duel.


    Zayio deftly vaulted over the balustrades and dropped into the sunken space. Following him was Hiroku Kayama, the initiator of the duel. Both of them were wearing a tight white robe and a long dark brown skirt.


    They bowed nighty-degree for precisely three seconds before straightening up.


    One of the judges loudly sang, "Holy duels cleanse our conflict. It brings peace to the eager souls and differences. We may all gather around the flame of violence to celebrate the undeniable equality it provided. After all, the strong survive, and the survive rule. Let the strength be the law of us, and let the match begin in this present moment."


    Right when the last syllable was pronounced, Hiroku launched a lavender sphere upward and elevated to it, dodging the incoming fireball.


    Hiroku could only reach around ten meters into the air since the invisible magical barrier only allowed him to go that high. The same barrier also prevented him, his opponent, and all their spells from leaving the sunken space.


    From above, Hiroku returned the favor and threw three slashes of lightning at Zayio. While his right hand was attacking, he launched away three different spheres with his left hand.


    Zayio raised his front arm above his head and lowered his body. A perfectly spherical shield wrapped around him. The lightning landed on the surface of the translucent teal shield, causing nothing more than a violet spark.


    Zayio canceled the shield immediately and jabbed his other hand upward. Another fireball formed within half a second and flew out in the direction of the jab.


    Hiroku, clenching both fists, pulled himself toward one of the other spheres to avoid the fireball. The previous sphere was destroyed, and the next attack came before Hiroku could arrive at the designated sphere.


    Hiroku immediately swapped his direction toward another sphere while watching the fireball destroy his original destination. He opened his palms to create six more spheres, yet Zayio just seemed to be casting faster and faster.


    One flew, turned, and rotated in the air while the other kept pumping out a barrage of waves of flame and fire.


    It is Flame Throw, the spell that allows the user to launch a fireball with their every punch. It is hard to deal with when the opponent can just keep going and going. Oh, furnace. Does he never get tired?


    The repeated attacks began to drive Hiroku to his limit. Several attacks grazed through his crop top, leaving burn marks and mental disturbance.


    Distracted by his minor mistakes, Hiroku took an instant longer to react to the incoming flame. The fireball''s heat was already pressing on his face, and the flare could reach his clothes. He pulled himself away with the maximum strength and flitted through the air.


    Hiroku rapidly approached his designated sphere, unable to change his direction. The next fireball would not miss. Hiroku knew Zayio could tell exactly which sphere he was heading, and there was no hesitation in his moves.


    I don''t want to reveal it now, but I have to.


    Hiroku opened both fists.


    The Shield!


    A rectangular barrier made of six reshaped lavender spheres was conjured before Hiroku. The fireball made merely a spark of flare upon landing on it.


    Hiroku had his left hand grabbed inside the barrier and his right hand clenched into a fist. The problem with The Shield was its translucency. If Hiroku dared to remove the barrier, Zayio would see it before Hiroku could attack.


    I can''t use the strategy I used against the level ten manikin. Zayio is too much smarter than a robot.


    While Hiroku was holding his shield, assuming the situation was a stalemate, Zayio stretched his elbows to his back and drew a circle with his hands before him.


    Wait, what is he¡ªDamn.


    Zayio''s open hands faced each other vertically and approached slowly before his midriff. A white spark emerged between the palms, and Hiroku took his action.


    Hiroku pulled the barrier away with his left hand and spread his right fist. The five strands of lightning gushed out of his palm. Simultaneously, Hiroku tugged and hurled himself toward the farthest lavender sphere.


    Yet, he was too late. His violet lightning was erased by three white swords. Two of them stuck in the ceiling of the magical barrier, and the other one penetrated Hiroku''s left shoulder.


    Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky. Kirane had used its lesser version against Ramiron in the simulation.


    Thoughts continued as Hiroku plummeted like a bird shot in the wing.


    It has the ability to tear through time and exist at its summoned location, its supposed trajectory, and its destination concurrently. If it could be fully replicated in the simulation, Ramiron would not stand a chance against Kirane. However, this spell is only fully available inside Cho-san Island. Who knows why?


    Hiroku lay on the ground with all his power ripped away from him. His blood seeped through his pullover and crop top, streaming on the ground and creating a puddle.


    Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky is one of the strongest spells of Tribe Kayama. It surprises me that Zayio can use it and decides to use it against me. I should''ve noticed it earlier.


    Hiroku opened his mouth, yet not a sound was made.


    Hm?


    The shock had Hiroku''s blurry mind all cleansed immediately. It was Bird Choke, the spell that prevented the target from any form of uttering.


    I can''t end the match without using my voice to call for surrender, and killing is allowed in duels as long as it happens before the match ends. Damn, Zayio is trying to kill me.


    Hiroku glared at Zayio with his eyes wide open. Despite his rage, not a finger of him could be used to perform any magic. The second and strongest ability of Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky was its power to cancel any magic beneath its level. Ramiron''s Lumarion power might be enough to stand against this spell, yet none of Hiroku''s abilities were.


    Finally, Zayio talked for the first time in the match. He smirked, "If you chose to fight any of my brothers, they would be drained from casting three white swords at once, but you are facing me, Zayio Kayama! I still have my Flame Throw to finish you off." He pulled his right fist to his back and reached out his left hand. "Enjoy it, my dear, dear cousin."


    As the right fist punched forward, the roaring fireball flitted through the hot air. Hiroku finally closed his eyes, unwilling to witness his own doom.


    "No!"

 Tori After the Duel

    The last image that appeared before Hiroku''s fainting eyes was Loter standing before him. Zayio was yelling in pain, rolling on the ground, and covering his own face. Loter drew back his fist, and everything faded to black.


    Hiroku sat on his mattress against the wooden wall. The stack of books had already scattered beside him. His spare clothes, both the pullover and the crop top, were thrown carelessly on the ground. Bits of blood still seeped out of the bandage on his left shoulder.


    Fuck. Fuck!


    Hiroku struck the wall with the side of his fist and did it again. The wood chirped behind him. He panted heavily while deliberately blowing out his every exhalation in anger.


    The rage was complicated. It targeted many things: Loter for breaking the rule, Kayamas for jailing Loter, himself for his incompetence, but mostly his own ego.


    Just like what Loter had said, there was nothing to prove. Hiroku could lie to Loter about his intention. Yet, at the end of the day, he saw through his own facade.


    Interruption during a duel is one of the worst sins in Tribe Kayama. I can''t have Loter beheaded here.


    Hiroku closed his eyes and began rubbing his eyelids. The frown on his brows was deeper than his casual knit.


    I''ll wait for Ramiron to come back. I hope what happened to Loter did not affect her treatment.


    Thinking about it, Hiroku bashed his own head several times before curling and hugging his legs.


    It''s all my fault. I should never have challenged that bastard Zayio. He was intending to kill me. I should''ve known it. I should''ve died there. I should be the one facing death, not Loter.


    Hiroku propped his head on his knees with his eyes softly closed under the tiredness of recovery and the pressure of guilt. Slowly, thoughts dimmed, and feelings drifted away. On the edge of consciousness, Hiroku heard three quick knocks on the door, not too loud, not too soft.


    That pattern¡­ It''s the rhythm of emergent events. Ram is here.


    "Ramiron," Hiroku called. He crawled up from the tatami and made three quick strides to the door. Only when he was sliding the door open, he recalled that Ramiron did not know the knocking rules of Tribe Kayama.


    "We have to save Loter." Tori stood before Hiroku right outside his cottage. Her raised brows were drowning in franticness. She leaned forward on her tiptoes, and her hands were held together before her chest.


    "I know. I''ve been thinking about it." Hiroku went back to his mattress to put on his clothes. Tori took off her shoes and followed in.


    "Do you have any plans?" She asked while closing the door.


    "I don''t know. I''m still thinking." Hiroku leaned against the wall, crossing his arms before his chest. He had mixed feelings about Tori''s involvement.


    On one hand, Tori may get herself in trouble if others found out she had not only been sneaking out but also meeting the rule breaker. On the other hand, Hiroku needed all the help he could receive to help Loter.


    "Ah, this is bad. This is so bad," Tori mumbled in Habanese and crouched down with her hands on her head.


    The low-pitch mutter irritated Hiroku. He asked in a voice audibly louder than usual, "Are you here to help or whine?"


    Tori rubbed her face and stood back up. "Sorry," she softly and weakly responded in Habanese.


    "Tori, you''ve been here far longer than I have. Do you think they will let Loter go because he''s an outsider?" Hiroku asked in English since he was more comfortable with it. The unpleasant conversation continued with Tori speaking Habanese and Hiroku replying in English.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Tori stayed silent for several seconds, taking her time to form her sentence. "I used to have three brothers. The biggest one interrupted a duel between two members of a side sub-branch. Now, I only have two brothers."


    "Damn¡­"


    "Besides, Zayio was hurt. His bloodline is too close to the main bloodline. They won''t go easy on Loter." Tori''s voice lowered and faded as she spoke.


    Hiroku closed his eyes and rubbed them forcefully with one hand. "I still can''t fathom. How on earth could Loter ever hurt Zayio? I didn''t really see what happened."


    "I heard Loter just deflected the Flame Throw, and it hit Zayio unprotected."


    "Why didn''t he block it?"


    "He can''t."


    "Hm?" Hiroku paused his hand, opening his eyes in surprise.


    "You didn''t practice your magic, so you might not know, but Kayamas can not defend against spells cast by themselves. Zayio could not block that Flame Throw."


    "Oh, yes. I remembered now. I think my father had told me this before."


    The two fell into silence as the sentence ended. The quietness was maintained for about a minute. Hiroku had his eyes tightly closed, and Tori sat on the pillow before the table. She stared at the table with a light frown and pouted lips.


    Eventually, she sighed, catching Hiroku''s attention. She said, "Hiroku, how strong is Loter?"


    Upon hearing the question, Hiroku closed his eyes again. "He can''t break out of jail and swim across the ocean."


    "No, I''m thinking about a duel."


    "Hm?"


    Tori looked toward the corner of her sight and explained, "If Loter can win a duel against one of the higher-ups, he might win his way out of punishment."


    "I don''t," Hiroku slowly said while opening his eyes, "Understand."


    "The traditional way for Kayama men to settle unsolvable disagreement is through duels. If Loter insists on not getting punishment, he could start a duel to settle this disagreement of whether he should be punished or not."


    "It sounds like a stretch, and let''s say the plan worked. Who would be fighting Loter? Supposedly, one of the judges back then? If that''s the case, Loter does not stand a chance¡ª"


    "But he knocked out Zayio in a single strike," Tori immediately interjected, leaning forward to insist on her point. Her volume was louder than usual. Her voice was filled with an obvious assertion.


    Then, she leaned back, looked away, and hid her hands behind her hips. "Sorry," she added in a murmuring voice.


    "Don''t be. It''s alright¡­ It''s natural to be emotional," Hiroku replied. There was not much intonation or cadence in his words. His tone was even blander than usual. He always found himself calmer when others were emotional.


    "Thanks¡ª" Tori halted herself and turned toward Hiroku. There was a spark in her eyes. She proceeded, "Ramiron, she defeated the young master! She can be the one taking the duel."


    Hiroku let out a puff of air and said, "Ramiron did not have her full power now, and she only pulled that off in a simulation. She can''t defeat Kirane when he had full access to Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky."


    "No, Kayamas want fair fights. They will wait until Ramiron fully recovers before dueling."


    "Still. We don''t know if Ramiron''s Lumarion power can actually stand against Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky, and it probably can''t."


    "No one would know if we don''t try." Tori again raised her volume. She held her hands loosely before her chest, holding soft fists. "We can''t just give up on Loter." Tori''s reddened eyes became watery. Her lips were stretched downward.


    Hiroku sighed, closed his eyes, and swallowed a mouthful of saliva, trying his best to control his bad temper. He understood that Tori liked Loter very much, yet it was still irritating when she kept getting emotional while he was thinking.


    Hiroku made another exhalation and inhalation before saying, "Calm down. You won''t want others to see tears on your face. They will know you''ve been seeing us."


    "I know. I''m sorry." Tori propped her elbows on the table and buried her face within. After several sniffles, Tori said, "I know. I shouldn''t just expect her to risk her life to save Loter. After all, Zayio tried to kill you. But, please, my cousin." She gazed at Hiroku with tears gliding down her bloated cheeks. "Beg her if you need to. I don''t want Loter to die."


    Hiroku paused there for a second, fully surprised. He glanced away, looked back at Tori, and said, "I''ll talk to Ramiron."


    He knew Ramiron would fight whatever she had to fight for Loter''s safety. If Hiroku were a bit more ignorant, he would have no problem letting Ramiron brawl the way out. Yet, he was too informed.


    Ramiron would not prevail, and Hiroku knew it.


    "I should probably go back now. They might get suspicious." Tori stood up from the pillow and sniffled as she went to the door.


    "Do you mind if I ask a question before you leave?"


    Tori stopped with a hand on the door plank. "Please, I''m listening."


    "Why do you care so much about Loter? You only met him two to three times."


    "Oh, uh," Tori shifted her eyes down as her fingers subconsciously held loosely together before her stomach. The melancholy on her face lightened when she raised her head again. "I just think he would do the same for me if I were in his situation."

 Confession and Visit

    When Ramiron teleported pavilion-to-pavilion back to their cottage, Hiroku was sitting on the stoop with a tray of sushi next to him. He was wearing his usual outfit with his hair lying freely on his back and beside his face. His elbows were on his knees. His expressionless face was colder than the falling rain.


    Drops of water incessantly smashed onto the roof and went down from the eaves.


    Ramiron emerged on the veranda. She propped her hands on the banister, watching the rain, and called, "Hey, Hiro."


    Hiroku finished chewing the rice in his mouth and raised his head sideways to glance at Ramiron. "You are back," he said. There was a small unease in him, unwilling to ruin Ramiron''s pleasant. "How is the meditation? Are you feeling better?"


    "Nothing special happened, but I can turn things into stardust again. Although I can only perform it at a very small scale, the progress is tangible." Ramiron smiled and added, "You know I actually vowed not to mediate ever again back in the academy? I find it kinda ironic."


    "I''m glad you are getting better." Hiroku put another sushi in his mouth.


    "I''ll have one." Ramiron also took a sushi from Hiroku''s tray. "I actually like the sushis with fish on top better." She commented while chewing, "These scrolls are also fine, tho."


    "I have no preference."


    "Anyway, did you see Loter?"


    Finally¡­


    "It''s a long story."


    "Spit."


    "I had a duel with a cousin of mine. Loter interrupted it to save me, but interrupting a duel is considered one of the deadliest sins in Tribe Kayama," Hiroku said without looking toward Ramiron.


    He was expecting anger. Maybe the tray would be flipped. Maybe she would punch him in the face. Maybe the railing would be broken.


    Yet, none of those happened. With a calm tone, Ramiron said, "Don''t fret. I''m not angry. Just tell me what would happen to Loter?"


    "He is now in Tribe Kayama''s jail. Normally, interrupting a duel would be a death sentence, but Loter is not a Kayama."


    "Yes, and Loter is a student of HueCam Academy. They can''t just kill him. The academy will protect him."


    "That''s the best-case scenario."


    "When will we know what the Kayamas decided? They have to make an announcement at some point, aye?"


    "Yes, they are probably going to have some form of announcement tomorrow."


    Ramiron nodded. "Now, where are they jailing Loter? Lead the way." She teleported to one of the steps before Hiroku and leaned against the balustrade with her arms crossed.


    "Follow me." Hiroku stood up and stepped down the stoop, forming a huge barrier with ten lavender spheres as an umbrella. He attached it to the tip of his index finger and held it high above his head so Ramiron could get underneath.


    They went out of Yotan''s estate, traveling through the forest and along the pebble trail.


    The splattering of raindrops had surrounded them. Incessantly, they bounced on the green leaves, tapped on the stones, and sunk into the soft ground.


    The rhythm and dampness of water filled the surrounding silence. They walked at the same pace, side-by-side, but not a glimpse at each other was made. For Hiroku, the silence was suffocating yet nothing too unfamiliar to him.


    Eventually, Ramiron said, "I''m not trying to condemn you. I''m just curious. Why would you be dueling with your cousin?"


    Hiroku looked down with his eyes half-closed. He felt a fire burning and tumbling in his stomach while the coldness of rain adhered to his skin. "I was an idiot. I still am one. I wanted to prove I was better than them, not just morally, but physically."


    Ramiron opened her mouth, trying to interject during the brief pause between sentences, yet Hiroku just went on.


    "I know physical strength means nothing. I know I shouldn''t let other people''s attitudes affect me." Hiroku clenched his free hand. Edges of his nails dented the heel of his palm.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Hiro¡­" Ramiron softly and weakly whispered.


    "I chose to let my temper take over, and Loter is paying for my mistake now."


    "Everyone has emotion, Hiro. It''s natural."


    ¡­


    She''s right. Besides, self-blaming can''t help Loter a single bit. I have to put myself together.


    Hiroku released his clenching hand and took several deep breaths. "Let''s focus on Loter for now."


    "Aye." Ramiron took a few seconds to think and changed the topic. "Is there anything I need to know before seeing Loter?"


    Hiroku, already calmed down, answered in his usual listless tone, "You won''t be able to use magic inside the prison, and anything you say inside will be heard and recorded. The prison had both a magic-nullifying spell and an eavesdropping spell cast on it."


    "I''ll keep that in mind."


    The two eventually arrived at an estate built midway up a mountain. It was a small one on a tiny flat terrace. Within the walls, there were only two gazebo houses, a slightly bigger cottage, and what seemed to be a cabin with half of its body buried in the mountain.


    After greeting, asking, thanking, complimenting, re-thanking, blessing, and farewelling the owner of this estate, Hiroku led Ramiron into the little house. Of course, he first unsummoned his umbrella.


    Entering, Ramiron finally realized the cabin was a vestibule to the inside of the mountain. The vestibule was a simple room with a roll of cabinets, a counter, and a servant behind it. Directly facing the entrance, there was a wide wooden doorway.


    On the other side of it, there was a cave-like tunnel leading deep inside with several turns. The illumination of the tunnel was maintained by rope lights that went deep inside the cave and were connected to the counter.


    They went into the moist tunnel, stepping on the cold rock ground. The smell of mold was non-neglectable.


    "This place is worse than a prison. Are you sure they locked Loter in here? Like, there''s no guard at all," Ramiron complained while going deeper. The faint scowl remained on her face.


    "Yes. It is the only prison on Cho-san Island. And no, there is no need for guards. You won''t be able to break free from this place without magic, and the Kayama guarding this place would know you are trying to escape before you can break out of your cell."


    Ramiron held her hand before her, testing if her power was truly blocked. After seeing nothing popping out of her palm, she put it back down. "Who cast these two spells? Do they just last forever?"


    "According to the tradition, the master of the tribe would be the one responsible for this, so I would assume Kirane''s father did this."


    "What if the master can''t maintain these two spells permanently operating? Do they change the system?"


    "They change the master."


    Ramiron let out a bitter smirk and said, "Somehow, I''m not surprised."


    After a few more turns, they met the section of the tunnel that had cells aligned on one side. Only the very first one was in use, and Loter was inside. His two teammates had been hearing his snoring way before seeing him.


    Ramiron rushed to Loter''s cell with a few quick strides, sticking her head forward to see the kid immediately. Behind the metal bar, Loter slept on a loose stack of straws. There were three capped buckets beside him.


    "Loter, Loter!" Ramiron called with hands grasping the metal bar before her.


    "What?" Loter, waking up, rubbed his eyes and looked toward her. "Ram!" He got up and rushed toward her, stopping in front of the bars.


    "Hey¡­ Loter," Hiroku said as he caught up with Ramiron.


    "Hiroku! How''s the injury? Does it still ache? When will you recover?" Loter immediately fired his questions like shooting a machine gun.


    "Injury?" Ramiron looked over her shoulder, eyeing Hiroku carefully.


    "It''s alright," Hiroku reluctantly replied. His volume was smaller than usual.


    "You didn''t tell me you were hurt," Ramiron said. A thin layer of condemnation was mixed in her overall caring tone.


    Hiroku held his right hand before his left shoulder, not touching the wound. "It is just a scratch¡ª"


    "It''s not a scratch. The sword literally pierced through you. I saw it." Loter leaned forward with both his hands clinging onto the cell bars.


    "Is it serious?" Ramiron asked softly. The dissatisfaction in her voice seconds ago was replaced with a frank worry for her friend.


    Hiroku made a frustrated utterance and rolled his eyes. "I''m totally fine, and it''s not what we should be focusing on. It''s about you, Loter. You are the one in danger now."


    "Danger? Ha," Loter let out an innocent smirk. "You are overreacting." He waved his hand. "They treated me pretty well. They have a person coming to take me to the bathroom when I need to. I get sushis and other food. They even put water in my room in case I''m thirsty." He pointed at the three capped buckets in his cell.


    "See. They aren''t as bad as you think," Ramiron exclaimed at Hiroku with a smile. "Lot, I thought those buckets were for some other uses the first time I saw them. Huh, huh."


    "Oh yeah! Me too! I thought they were for other things. Do you think we were thinking about the same uses?"


    "Let''s just leave it there. Great minds think alike. We don''t need to shout them out loud." Ramiron pulled out a small book from the pocket in the back of her pants and reached it through the bars. "Anyway, I brought this little novelette with me from MU. I can lend this to you if you feel bored."


    "Oh, Thank you, Ram!" Loter took the book and bounced on the ground. He giggled loudly.


    Before the two could continue chatting, Hiroku held a hand up and said, "Wait!" He pointed his index finger at his ear and waved it outward.


    A faint sound of footsteps became clearer as it approached. The three kids waited until the servant arrived. The servant had his hands behind his hips and head lowered when talking to Hiroku.


    Within three lines, their conversation finished, and the servants left without hesitation. Hiroku''s listless visage appeared dead serious.


    "What did he say?" Ramiron asked.


    Hiroku took in a deep breath and answered, "Loter''s trial will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m."

 The Trial on the Interruption of the Duel

    In the center of Cho-san Island sat the master''s white castle. The cubic foundation made of stone bricks was at least three meters tall. Stone stairs wrapped around it, leading to the entrance of the castle.


    Before the pale wooden gate, a large patio was connected to the stairs. People, Kayamas and their servants, waited there as the servants inside the castle pulled down the haul ropes, opening the gate.


    The castle was large, wide, and tall at the bottom. The structure gradually became smaller, narrower, and shorter toward the top. Skillion and gable roofs of a wider lower floor were attached to the upper narrower floor. Curved and decorative eaves extended out of the white wooden wall. Windows and balconies filled the gables.


    By tips of roofs, edges of eaves, corners of windows, and finials of balustrades, thin sheets of gold covered the wood, glimmering under the bright sun.


    Inside the castle, people gathered by the lobby on the first floor. A wooden stage was already built against the northern wall of the building, unlike the judges in the duel. The master and his family did not sit on chairs. That would simply be too informal for an event like this.


    Five pieces of golden silk were placed in the center of the stage. Miyadaki Kayama, the master of the tribe, sat on the sheet in the very center. His shins were against the soft silk, and his calves were beneath his hips.


    He wore a golden haori(outer coat) outside his lemon-colored nagagi(inner robe) and purple hakama(additional skirt). The embroidery of wyrms and phoenixes was sewn onto his haori in a lighter shade of gold. The electric light shone from above, glinting on his clothes and bald head.


    Beside Miyadaki sat Kirane and his mother, Reiki. Kirane was in his usual outfit: a white nagagi, lemon-colored hakama, and light blue haori.


    The rest of the two seats sat Miyadaki''s loyal advisors. One was too fat. One was too slim. Both were wearing their jordy blue kimono.


    Before the stage, there was an empty pale green carpet. It extended from the entrance of the lobby to the edge of the stage. People, Kayamas and their servants, stood nine or ten meters away from the carpet, waiting for the judgment to begin.


    By noon, everything was ready. Miyadaki''s brows were solemnly straight and horizontal, paralleling the long sides of his lampshade mustache. Not a trace of stubble could be found on his face, even under the strictest scrutiny.


    In Habanese, Miyadaki finally exclaimed and announced the start of the trial, "Let the sinner and his companion in. The holy trial against the sin of interruption shall begin now!"


    The doors leading in were opened. Hiroku Kayama and Loter Spawman strode their heavy steps into the lobby.


    They stood straight on the green carpet and before the stage. As the translator, Hiroku stared his eyes rigidly and appropriately forward into the nothingness on the side of the stage.


    Loter, on the other hand, had his innocent yet nervous sight meeting directly with Miyadaki''s cold and condescending gaze.


    "Loter Spawman, do you admit to interrupting the duel between the honorable Zayio Kayama and the honorable Hiroku Kayama and ripping their honor away from them?" Miyadaki gravely shouted out the accusation.


    Hiroku quickly translated word-by-word, whispering into Loter''s ears.


    "I admit!" Loter shouted, and Hiroku exclaimed the same content in Habanese.


    Miyadaki nodded lightly and continued, "Right. Do you admit to hurting Zayio during your interruption of the holy duel?"


    After Hiroku translated it, Loter murmured, "What? What was that? I don''t know."


    Hiroku whispered back, "Zayio is the one I dueled with."


    "I know. I don''t think I''ve hurt him. I just punched his fireball, and it flew back. Even if he is hurt, that was an accident."


    "I will tell the master. Hold on." Hiroku turned away from Loter and faced Miyadaki. He loudly said in Habanese, "Mr. Spawman does not know about the part of Zayio Kayama being hurt. I hereby beseech the great master of our honor-bathed tribe to provide the evidence that accusation is based on."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Very well," Miyadaki replied, "Zayio Kayama, please come forward and reveal yourself!"


    A man with bandages almost covering his entire face and right hand walked out of the throng, standing beside the stage and between the master and the convict.


    "You hit him this bad?" Visibly surprised, Hiroku whispered to Loter with his eyes not moving away from Zayio in bandages.


    "I don''t know. He did fall to the ground with his hands on his face, but this?" Loter murmured back, "I don''t¡ª"


    "Shush!" Miyadaki shouted and commended, "alright, Zayio, go back to your spot." He turned to Loter and re-announced the accusation, "Do you admit to hurting Zayio during your interruption of the holy duel?"


    "Hiroku, tell him I didn''t mean to do it," Loter frantically whispered to Hiroku.


    "Of course," Hiroku replied quietly in English. Then, he said loudly in Habanese, "Mr. Spawman claimed he did not hurt Zayio Kayama intentionally. He claimed it was an accident."


    "Intentional or not, do you admit this thing has happened, Loter Spawman?" Miyadaki shouted louder than before, with a slight sense of rage in his impatient tone.


    Hiroku translated the whole thing into English.


    "I admit," Loter sighed.


    "Mr. Spawman admits," Hiroku proclaimed in Habanese.


    "Alright." Miyadaki took a second to arrange his breath and said, "Traditionally, offenses like this were punished with the ending of one''s life."


    Hiroku''s half-closed eyes opened wide as he heard Miyadaki''s words. His head whipped up. Ignoring Kirane''s rage-twisting face, he gaped at Miyadaki as Miyadaki finished his sentence.


    "However, considering the fact that the convict, Loter Spawman, is not a part of Tribe Kayama, it is only appropriate to make an exception. Hiroku Kayama, a close friend of the convict and a member of our tribe, will take punishment for the convict."


    Kirane''s anger vanished. A painfully obvious grin appeared on his face.


    Hiroku took an extra second to process the master''s words. He slowly tilted his head down. His facial expression froze.


    "Hiro, Hiro," Loter softly called. He put a hand on Hiroku''s shoulder, slightly pushing and pulling.


    Hiroku faintly swayed a bit and turned toward Loter. Doing his best to hide the trembling in his voice, he said, "The master said he''ll spare you."


    Loter, with nothing happening on his face, just stood there and blankly stared at Hiroku as if he was lost in his thoughts again.


    Hiroku softly called his name.


    He vanished.


    Hiroku also disappeared when Loter''s hand grabbed onto his. Before the entire lobby could react, Loter released Hiroku''s hand and canceled the invisibility.


    "You''re lying," Loter said, "and¡­ You are afraid."


    "..."


    "..."


    "The master has decided that I will take your punishment.."


    "Wait, what?" Loter spent a second to process the information and yelled at the top of his lungs, "No!" He whipped his head, turning toward Miyadaki. His brows furrowed in fury.


    Miyadaki''s solemnness, sedateness, and condescendence were unchanged, unmoved, and unshifted.


    Loter stepped forward and shouted, "I do not accept it!"


    "Wait¡ª"


    "Hiroku, tell him I do not accept it!"


    "..."


    "Tell them!"


    The crowd had already been filled with mumbling and conferring, yet these noises did not matter a bit under Miyadaki''s presence.


    Hiroku closed his eyes, raised his head as he inhaled a breath of air, opened his eyes, walked before Loter, and proclaimed in Habanese, "Mr. Spawman does not accept the decision."


    Immediately, small but audible gasping responded before Miyadaki could. The master took his time, gazing staidly into Loter''s flaming eyes.


    Miyadaki''s wife had lowered her head in order to avoid whatever was about to come out of her husband. The two advisors had their eyes glued to the master. Although they could only see Miyadaki''s back, they had already sensed the tension in the atmosphere.


    Kirane looked back and forth between his father and the two on the pale green carpet. There was no fear on his face but a mild anticipation. Hiroku, too scared to look at the master in the eyes, had his vision affixed onto the edge of the wooden stage.


    The silent air had not a chirp of wood, a clink of metal, or a mutter from the throng.


    Finally, Miyadaki spoke. His words were loud and firm. He said, "Loter Spawman''s objection to the judgment is an offense to the authority of the trial. Yet, it does show he is not a complete brute without any dignity of humanity. ''A real man should never let another man pay his debt. Those who beg for help and salvation are not and will never be men but brutes, and to the greatest extent, women.''"


    Hiroku knew the last two sentences were quotes from one of the old tribal rules. Yet, he could not fathom why the master was bailing Loter out.


    Taking in another breath, Miyadaki continued, "Duels cleanse all our human sins, even for those who are not as honorable as us. If Loter Spawman is truly a man of honor as he acts to be, he should wash off his sins and offenses in holy duels. So, here I ask you, Loter Spawman, will you take the challenge and brawl with dignity? Or will you let your dear friend pay your deadly debt?"


    Hiroku knew what Miyadaki was saying. He still could not tell what Miyadaki was planning. "The master wants you to participate in a duel if you¡ª" He murmured into Loter''s ear in English.


    "Will that save your life?" Loter interjected impatiently. The anger was still present on his face and in his voice.


    "... Yes."


    "Then, tell him I accept the challenge."

 So It Is Decided

    Circularly pacing in Loter''s cottage and having a hand on her waist, Ramiron whined into her phone, "Come on, Rag. It can''t be legal. Hiroku is a student of the academy and a citizen of MU. How can a random family in Haban just execute him? It''s ridiculous."


    "Give me the phone." Hiroku propped a hand on the table behind him and stood up. Meanwhile, Loter occupied an adjacent side of the table. Two pillows were stacked under his hips.


    "Hold on," Ramiron told Dowii and handed it to Hiroku. She roamed away with both hands on her waist.


    Upon receiving the phone, Hiroku spoke into it, "Thank you for your effort, Mr. Dowii. We are fully aware that the school can not do anything about the situation¡ª"


    "Wait!"


    "¡ªWe will handle it by ourselves."


    Ramiron tried to snatch the phone. Hiroku deftly turned away and tossed it to Loter.


    Loter leaned backward to dodge. Yet, the phone smashed right into his face, knocking him down.


    "I''m alright." Lying on the ground, Loter rubbed his face while holding the phone up. The call was already hung up.


    "What the fuck?" Ramiron exclaimed with her head leaning forward. The irritation in her voice was non-neglectable.


    "I''m a Kayama. If the family wants to kill me, they legally can. There is nothing others can do."


    "But what if Loter loses the duel?"


    "Then, I will die."


    Loter joined into the conversation, "Hey, I won''t lose, alright?"


    Both Ramiron and Hiroku fell into silence for seconds before Ramiron hesitantly said, "We don''t know that, Lot."


    "If I can defeat Zayio with one shot, Zayio''s brother must not be much of a problem." Loter sat up again, putting the phone into his hoodie pocket. After all, it was his phone.


    "But you took him down in surprise. This Za¡ª, Za-something person defeated Hiro." Ramiron took a seat across the table from Loter, and Hiroku sat by the side in between.


    He interjected before Loter could respond, "We were in a tie. I only lost because I did not know he could use that one ability."


    "Yeah," Loter concurred.


    "What ability?" Ramiron asked.


    "Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky. It is a spell in Kayamas'' magic. It can nullify others'' power."


    "What do you mean? Like an aura field?"


    "No, the caster will launch a sword, and the sword will cancel all the spells and powers that are weaker than it on its way. Also, you can not dodge the sword because it¡­" Hiroku paused for a second to think of how to explain the concept. "It can slash through space and exist simultaneously on its landing point and its trajectory."


    "Wait, what? Again?" Loter fidgeted and asked.


    Hiroku rolled his eyes. "You can''t dodge it. That''s all you need to know. You can''t dodge it."


    "Okay, then I''ll just stay invisible and fly around."


    "Yes. I was thinking the same."


    "Lot, are you sure you want to take this duel?" Ramiron asked again. She stuck her head forward, looking at her two short teammates from above. Her eyes swayed between them without finding what she wanted to find.


    "I have made my decision, Ram. Just like Hiroku said, I can''t change this place and save everyone, but at least I won''t let my friend die to it."


    "Lot¡­ What if they decide to kill you? They tried to do the same on Hiro."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Loter took a second to think. Then, he looked away from the table, away from his friends. His eyes gazed into the empty wall as if there was anything on it. Slowly, he said, "I entered HueCam Academy to be a superhero. I can''t be a superhero if I''m afraid of helping people. My father has been telling me I need to help people ever since I was a kid. I won''t be able to help anybody if I don''t even have the courage to help my friend."


    Loter turned away from the void and faced Ramiron. Her frown was of sadness, not anger. She withdrew her forward posture and propped a hand on the floor behind her. Her eyes slid down and moved back up again. She said tenderly and firmly, "Aye, Lot. If this is your decision, then I''ll be in full support of you." A bitter grin was squeezed onto her face.


    "Thank you, Ram!" Loter returned her a sweet, wide smile.


    "We can do the bonding part later. Now, we need to make a plan, and Loter, you need to start getting ready," Hiroku stated, standing up, "the duel is in two days, Loter. You need to train as much as possible."


    "Can we eat lunch first?" Loter slumped onto the ground, his lying arms fully extended.


    Hiroku sighed, "Fine. What do you want?"


    "I want to try something new, and no more su¡ª, su¡ª, fish on rice. No more fish on rice."


    "Seriously?"


    "Come on. There must be more types of food than fish on rice in Haban."


    "It''s hard to pick one off the top of my head. Do you have any preference?"


    "I want hot food."


    "Sukiyaki?"


    "Suki-what?"


    Hiroku palmed his face for his rookie mistake of telling Loter a word he did not know.


    Meanwhile, Ramiron just giggled through her bitterness, humored by the scene yet saddened by the situation.


    <hr>


    Sukiyaki was a special dish served in a pot heated by a gas stove. Inside the pot, water was mixed with sukiyaki sauce to make the sukiyaki broth. Meats and vegetables were put into the broth for several dozens of seconds and taken out to eat.


    <hr>


    Loter kept asking if the meat was ready, and Ramiron learned the trade within a few minutes. Hiroku initially regretted the decision when being annoyed by Loter. Then, he smiled when Loter was amazed by the taste.


    After lunch, the preparation began. This time, they were much more serious than the last. For the afternoon, Ramiron would spar with Loter to practice his combat skills. Hiroku would look through all the spells Boruka, Zayio''s brother, might have learned to come up with counters for every situation.


    To do that, Hiroku needed Yotan''s help. He needed "The Great Treatise," the book that recorded all the spells in Tribe Kayama''s magic system. Hiroku had read his father''s copy once or twice when he was little.


    Hiroku stood before Yotan''s cottages. It was the biggest one in the estate. Two female servants in green kimono stood on the veranda beside the doors with their heads tilted down and hands behind their hips.


    "Excuse me, may you please tell your master that I have things to discuss with him?" Hiroku politely asked from below. He maintained his manner by not walking up the stoop like a proper Kayama guest who was younger than the host.


    Both of the servants nodded their heads, and the one on the left gently scurried into the cottage. After about a minute, Yotan came. He exited his cottage with his usual pride and upward-tilted head as if his nostrils had eyes.


    "Hiroku Kayama! What a surprising visit from my dear, dear nephew. It is great to see you still healthy and vigorous after all the things that have happened," Yotan did his overly dramatic speech while walking down the stoop and halted by the last step, "oh, I must''ve made you wait for a long time, and time-wasting must be the most serious offense in your situation right now. Please forgive me and come in." He stood close to the handrail and held up an arm, pointing into his cottage.


    "Mr. Yotan Kayama, it is also my pleasure to see you again. I can go on and on and on and on about my thrilling and frightening adventure for another hundred centuries, but I do come for a purpose that has a high specificity and an even higher importance," Hiroku said with an obviously forced grin as he went up the steps, not breaking eye contact with Yotan, "it will be my beyond-humanly-possible pleasure if you can reach out a helping hand."


    "My dear Hiroku Kayama," Yotan gladly replied while going beside Hiroku, "I can feel your sincerity caressing my tiny heart with your earnest words. I am more than willing to lend as many hands as possible to you. I truly am. However, I do see my human limit of having only two hands." He held his spread hands to his midriff level. "As long as two hands are enough of hands, I will be able to help. If an extra hand is involved, I will have to kneel and beg your understanding, my dear Hiroku Kayama." Yotan''s smiley face was unrestricted and fueled with amusement. One could only imagine how much this old man enjoyed those overly flattery bullshits.


    After about an hour, Hiroku walked out of Yotan''s cottage with a 4cm thick book in his hands. The book had a black leather cover and a title made of actual golden letters. Obviously, those decorative regalia caused the book to be unnecessarily heavier than it already was. The version that Hiroku''s father had was much thinner with a paper cover and an ink title.


    Hiroku skimmed through most of the spells in "The Great Treatise" and noted them down in his notebook.


    Those that Zayio''s brother, Boruka, probably knew went to the column at the front of the notebook. Those that Boruka probably did not know went to the column at the back of the notebook.


    The process was mostly repetitive with Hiroku occasionally needing to read the actual description for spells he could not recognize. Every half an hour or longer, he would let out a sigh of fatigue and go on regardless. Sure, Hiroku was the kind with a great attention span, but Hiroku felt Key would be able to do the same if he were in this situation.


    Whenever Hiroku''s mind went loose and stopped tracking the words on the pages, the guilty feeling toward Loter would drive Hiroku back on the task.


    At around 3 a.m., the door was knocked. Hiroku opened the door and saw Tori standing before him with her brows knitted into a scowl, glaring at him.

 Face to Face with the Master of the Tribe

    Hiroku stepped aside to let Tori in, and they sat across the short rectangular table, their hips on their shanks.


    The silence lived for several seconds before Tori carefully pushed words through her rage. She spoke with such restraint that every stress in her sentence was overly reduced. "Mr. Hiroku Kayama, why did you allow Loter to accept the challenge?" she asked in Habanese.


    "Tori, I," Hiroku tried to respond immediately. He wanted to explain himself, yet he paused. He was too aware of the effect of words. He restarted, "I''m sorry. I did not do what you expected me to do."


    "Why?"


    "I know it sounds phony coming from me, but I want to respect Loter''s decision. I don''t want him to fight as much as you do, but¡­ if he had not tried his best to save me, he would regret¡ª"


    Tori interjected, "Excuse. You''re just making excuses!"


    Hiroku did not say a word. He just kept looking at Tori with his dull face. Eventually, Tori''s anger became sadness. Tears filled her eyes, and she lowered her head.


    Hiroku finally replied, "You know what kind of person Loter is. You''ve done the invisible thing with him. Loter was the only one who ever thought about changing this tribe and helping people like you. Neither did I nor Ramiron even think about it."


    "He is too pure for this world¡­" Tori whispered to herself.


    "I don''t want to make his decision for him."


    "Make decisions for him¡­" she repeated the words to herself with an almost inaudible volume. Then, she raised her head, looking directly at Hiroku. "I think I understand now, Hiroku. I just have one last request."


    "Assist Loter as much as I can?"


    "Please."


    "Yes, I''m doing it even without your request."


    "What, what are you doing right now?"


    "I''m looking through the spells Boruka might know so we can come up with a plan."


    "I can help."


    "Don''t you need to go back to¡ª"


    "My English teacher likes me a lot."


    "... Your choice."


    While Hiroku continued to write down every spell, Tori looked through the columns. She could read Habanese much faster than Hiroku. Occasionally, she would stop him, pointing out the mistakes she could easily recognize. She had seen some of the spells at the back being used by Boruka and could tell Boruka definitely did not know some of the spells in the front.


    Then, Tori joined Hiroku in the reading. Quickly, she took over the role of skimming through the book and had Hiroku doing the writing for her.


    Suddenly, Tori flicked her head up. Her nose made a quick twitch. "Someone''s coming," she warned Hiroku and whispered, "Kitsune Henka."


    With a puff of smoke, Tori turned into an orange fox. She rushed to the cabinet beside Hiroku''s mattress, used her paws to yank the sliding door open, hid in, and closed the cabinet with her tail.


    Meanwhile, Hiroku continued with his work, pretending nothing had happened. Several seconds later, the entrance was opened by a wolf. Its gray fur lightly flailed as a breeze blew into the cottage.


    Hiroku stood up beside his table.


    The wolf gracefully stepped in, incidentally closing the door with a whip of its tail.


    "Okami Henka," Hiroku called out the name of the trick, showing the visitor his awareness of the situation.


    Smoke popped around the wolf. A blurry silhouette of a human wearing a simple kimono was shown through. The man strode out of the plume of smoke, revealing his identity: the master of Tribe Kayama.


    Miyadaki, wearing a casual jordy blue kimono, was standing right before Hiroku. His arms hung naturally at his sides. His head tilted slightly down since he was the taller one in the room.


    "Master," Hiroku said and put his hands behind his hips.


    "No need for such formality, Hiroku." Miyadaki strolled to the table and sat on the pillow that Tori had been using moments ago.


    Hiroku also sat down, yet he avoided making eye contact.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "No need to be so stressed, my dear nephew," Miyadaki said without hurry or solemnness in his voice.


    Hiroku looked into the master''s eyes, not spotting anything else than a calm casualness. "Yes, master. I''m just surprised and bewildered by the sweet visit."


    "We don''t need to talk with the flattery nonsense, Hiroku. I''m personally not a fan of them, and please refer to me simply as Miyadaki."


    "Yes... Of course, Miyadaki." With some doubt, Hiroku cautiously confirmed the request.


    "That sounds much better." Miyadaki''s hands rested very naturally on the table instead of more politely on his thighs.


    Hiroku took an extra second to think about the delivery before he said, "I suppose you are not just here for some easy chat." The absence of flowery language actually made it much harder to form a sentence. Without it, Hiroku had to manually evaluate the propriety of every word he was about to use before speaking.


    "Precisely, so let''s go straight into today''s topic." Miyadaki gently waved his left hand with the palm facing up. "Shall we?"


    Hiroku nodded.


    "As you''ve probably already noticed, I tried my best to bail both of you out during the trial." Miyadaki emphasized on the word "I."


    "I thank you deeply for your kindness. It did surprise me."


    "It must have. It must have." Miyadaki nodded his head repeatedly and went on, "I understand the value of the friendship between the academy and our tribe. Having my son hurting one of the academy''s best students is already severely damaging this fragile relationship." He stopped there.


    Hiroku figured out the rest by himself. "Executing another student from HueCam academy will only make things worse."


    "Not just that. You and that boy named Loter are both citizens of the Murkia Union and permanent residents of HueCam State," Miyadaki said with a dramatic tone and then sighed with his eyes closed. He continued in a slightly despondent tone, "Besides, I''m never a supporter of execution, especially over childish things like this." Miyadaki took another breath and opened his eyes. "However, those are no reasons to violate our tradition. You have to understand."


    "''To be a leader is to balance a plank on a needle.''"


    The visitor chuckled upon hearing one of the famous Habanese quotes. "Precisely, Hiroku. Many of the tribe members are very conservative, and many are very progressive. As the head of the tribe, I have to satisfy both groups."


    "I understand now, Miyadaki."


    The visitor nodded in contentment. "It feels good to be understood, doesn''t it?"


    The image of Loter popped up in Hiroku''s mind, putting a smile on his face. He said, "Yes, I can relate."


    Miyadaki did not respond but closed his eyes. Only the breathing of the two could be heard in the cottage. The third was practically unhearable. This cozy silence held the cottage for about a dozen seconds before Miyadaki called, "You don''t need to hide from me, Tori."


    Hiroku flinched.


    "I don''t want to harm you. If I had ever wanted to, I would''ve exposed you long ago. If I remember correctly, you began peeking into those classes by the age of 14. That''s almost four years ago."


    Tori, in her human form, slowly glided open the cabinet with her quivering hands. She walked clumsily to the table, sitting on her shanks beside Hiroku. She placed her shivering, lightly curling hands on her thighs. Her eyes were locked onto the floor this whole time.


    Miyadaki opened his eyes. "You don''t need to be afraid, Tori." His pitch was a notch higher than usual to make his voice appear more caringly.


    "Yes¡­" Tori slowly looked up. Her voice was still shaky.


    Beside her, Hiroku was not as tense. He knew Miyadaki meant no harm, so he was not worried.


    "Do you like that boy named Loter, Tori?" Miyadaki asked.


    "I, I¡­"


    "You can tell me the truth. I promise you nothing bad will happen."


    Taking a few more seconds to hesitate, Tori confessed, "I really¡­ really like him."


    "You know women can leave the tribe by marrying out¡­ Well, that''s not the right way to describe the situation." Miyadaki let out a bitter grin. He restructured his sentence. "Women are used as tools for strategic marriage and forced to leave the family. Although it depends on their father, but most of the time, they don''t have a choice."


    "You don''t mean¡ª"


    "Yes, I can convince your father to let you go to MU with that boy."


    Tori gasped. She covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers. Her watery eyes gleamed in tears, and her brows were raised up to her forehead.


    Then, her brows furrowed down, and tears slid down her cheeks. Her hands lowered as she softly said, "I don''t know if Loter wants me or not. What if he doesn''t like me?"


    Hiroku could not help but roll his eyes while palming his face. Miyadaki let a short titter break free.


    "That should be the least of your worries, young lady," Miyadaki teased playfully and swapped to his casual tone, "On a serious note, I know using marrying as an escape is not empowering in any way, but that is all I can pull off for now. I''m sorry for that. Also, I do want to keep this message secret until the duel is over. We don''t want any distraction to interrupt the boy''s training."


    Hiroku asked, "It appears to me that you have a lot of faith in Loter''s ability to win the duel. Why?"


    "Let''s just say Johnny Wetman had spoken to me several times on this subject."


    "Johnny Wetman?" Hiroku repeatedly quietly. The unfamiliar name had him bewildered then. Later that day, he did some research and realized the name belonged to an ex-HueCam League member, R.O.S., Rolling of Seas. According to the vice principal, who was also an ex-member of HueCam League, this man was Loter''s mentor before he entered the academy.


    It was not impossible for an ex-HueCam League member to have contact with the master of a foreign tribe. Yet, Hiroku could not figure out what Wetman had said to Miyadaki that made him so confident in Loter Spawman.

 Training with Ramiron

    The sun of the afternoon was dazzling and heating the Earth up like an oven, a bit too hot for Loter. He asked Ramiron to switch the training field from outdoor to indoor within the first thirty minutes of training.


    They were using the same estate Loter and Hiroku once used briefly for Hiroku''s practice. The shed that stored the wooden weapons was big enough for them to spar in the center. Although Ramiron was several times stronger than Loter, her self-restraint and his ordering power made the sparring somewhat balanced.


    On several occasions, Loter would step forward and sideways like how Dowii taught him and began throwing his fists incessantly. It really surprised Ramiron when she could only barely keep up with Loter''s punching speed.


    She did try to sneak a jab in between the rain of attacks, yet she got a fist to her chin before the jab fully went out and took two hooks to the cheeks before she could draw her hand back.


    None of these strikes had any possibility of leaving a bruise or causing a knockout. However, since she was supposed to act as Boruka, who, most certainly, was not as strong as Ramiron, a hit in the face was counted as a win for Loter.


    To prevent Loter''s seamless attack from happening, Ramiron tried to kick and sweep Loter to the ground while he was approaching.


    The only problem was that Loter did not even flinch when Ramiron''s shin landed on his thigh. Ramiron could literally bust Loter''s femur into two if she was using her full strength. Yet, when she was holding back, her kick was no more useful than a mosquito bite against Loter''s skillful footing. Just like how Dowii taught him, Loter''s soles were pressed firmly onto the ground.


    Ramiron''s next strategy was to utilize her superior arm length to take the offense before Loter could. This strategy gained her a temporary success since Loter was much slower on defense. It was clear that Loter''s ordering power could grant him speed enhancement, but it seemed only to activate when Loter was attacking.


    This genius plan worked for about a dozen seconds before Loter caught the gap in between Ramiron''s punches. He jabbed forward so fast it almost looked like a few frames were cut out.


    His fist landed in the center of Ramiron''s chest, making a dampened thud. Ramiron staggered a few steps back and coughed heavily with her back bent forward.


    "Oh, shit! Are you alright?" Loter lunged forward and reached out his hands. They were held clumsily in the air for several moments. Then, Loter recalled how people normally behave in this situation. He quickly turned to face the same direction as Ramiron and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright? Did I fail to control my strength again?"


    Most of the time, Loter needed to raise his head to talk to Ramiron, so he was rarely capable of touching her shoulder so easily.


    "Don''t fret. I''m alright," Ramiron consoled Loter while straightening up. She wanted to rub the spot where she was hurt but paused her own action when her fingers touched her chest. The hand twitched and jerked away.


    She had just flinched.


    Seeing Ramiron''s action frozen, Loter asked, "Ram, are you sure you are alright?"


    Ramiron used a finger to hook her shirt collar and pulled it open. She peeked inside her polo to see the dark purple bruise in the center of her chest.


    How? None of the previous punches are even one-fifth of this punch''s power. It must be a special feature in Loter''s ordering power. If he can learn to use this ability freely, he will most certainly win the duel. Maybe he can even become stronger than me.


    "Ram?"


    "Aye? Uh, ha. I''m fine. You don''t need to worry about me. It doesn''t even leave a scratch."


    Loter sighed in relief. He took a few steps back as his stress flew away.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "The punch was firm, tho. You need to be able to pull that off again when you are fighting Boruka. If you succeed, the match will end right then and there."


    "Really?"


    "Aye, so how did you do that?"


    "I''m not sure. It just happened out of the blue."


    "Have you ever done this before?"


    "That punch?" Loter scratched his head while knitting his brows in recollection. He shifted his eyes away, staring into the empty wall.


    After several seconds, he looked back and said, "If I have to make this comparison, I think it gave me a similar feeling as the punch that scratched Key''s arm. I did not make the decision to throw the punch. I just knew that I did afterward."


    "No one knows how to control their power from the beginning." Ramiron took a few steps back and held her guard up. "That''s why we train to get better, isn''t it?"


    "Are you sure you want to do this?"


    "Of course! As I said, it doesn''t even leave a scratch."


    "Yeah, you''re right." Nodding, Loter raised his hands to his face level and clenched them into firm fists. "I''m coming, Ram." He lunged forward and to Ramiron''s right side.


    Ramiron jabbed at Loter''s landing spot, forcing him back.


    Loter leaned his head away to dodge the punch and swayed toward Ramiron''s left. This rotation did not contain any speed enhancement. It was too slow.


    Ramiron easily caught him midway. Her heavy fist landed on Loter''s guarding arms. She purposefully made the strike much harder than the previous ones.


    Unprepared, Loter almost did not hold up. He stumbled backward, almost falling.


    Ramiron took this chance and stepped forward. She jabbed slightly softer and repeated. Both punches hit Loter in his arms without pushing through them. Ramiron intentionally pulled her fist a bit too much when retrieving it, leaving a small window of opportunity.


    As expected, it happened.


    Loter''s fist landed on her midriff. Ramiron stooped forward. She could feel the chyme in her stomach racing up to her throat. She almost did not swallow them back.


    "Ram, are you¡ª"


    "Perfectly fine! How about the punch? Did you feel anything?"


    "I''m not sure. This time, I sort of saw the gap first before the punch went out. I still could not control the punch, but I did know the punch was about to happen before it happened."


    "That''s progress right there! Let''s continue. We don''t have time to waste."


    The training finished at around 5 p.m. with several twenty-minute breaks in between. Of course, Loter managed to stretch those twenty minutes into twenty-five to thirty minutes every single break.


    By the end of the training, they reached their conclusion: Loter''s involuntary attacks were an ability in his ordering power that could only be activated when he was on defense.


    They decided to call this move Super Counter.


    Throughout the later half of the training, Loter tried to use it manually instead of letting it happen arbitrarily. However, none of the Super Counters went off immediately after he thought about it.


    There was a chance that Super Counter just had long delays between using it and it happening. Yet, more likely, Loter''s intense thinking did not have anything to do with the triggering of the move.


    On their way back to Yotan''s estate, Loter could clearly see Ramiron''s movement was much slower and more clunky than in the morning.


    He asked Ramiron again if she was fine, but her only answer was that she was just tired. She even yawned a few times. Loter appeared to have fully trusted her claim and was quite happy.


    During the walk through the pebble trail, he told some jokes, laughed off halfway, punched air excitedly, pretended to be an airplane, talked about Key, jumped around, and whined about the distance between estates.


    Ramiron was a much better liar than Hiroku. Yet, lying to Loter still added up to her already sizable mental weight.


    She worried that Boruka would be stronger than their expectation, that Loter would lose, that Loter would die, that Hiroku would be executed, that Hiroku''s wound was not as light as he claimed, and that something unexpected would strike them from behind. It was the future in general that she was scared of.


    Everything in the future was worth fretting over. "Don''t fret" was one of Ramiron''s mantras, but she struggled to keep following it herself recently. There was just too much that could be lost too easily all of a sudden.


    Just six days ago, she thought they were about to have an easy vacation with five-star services in Haban''s best treatment center or what. Who could have predicted that things would escalate so fast?


    If Ramiron really wanted to blame someone for all these troubles, the target would be Hiroku, and rightfully so. After all, Hiroku himself initiated the first duel. However, she would not do that.


    Ramiron had known Hiroku for too long not to understand him. Hiroku had always been a fragile person in a crispy shell. Ramiron realized it the first time she met him. Hiroku''s listlessness did make him seem aloof and silently cool, enough to pull a girl like Glacia. Yet, Ramiron, through her own experience, saw through his facade without effort.

 Chilling Wind

    When the two arrived at their cottage, the sun was about to set. Hiroku slept alone in Loter''s room with his notebook spread open and his head lying on it sideways.


    His posture was perfect and still. He neither snored nor tossed. It was as if he were a statue. He did not shift a finger despite Loter yelling "we''re back" at the top of his lungs while thrusting the door open.


    Loter quickly turned to stealth mode and whispered to warn Ramiron, who was just far away enough not to hear him. Curious, she teleported onto the veranda, standing beside Loter. Simultaneously, she gave Loter a loud "What?" before looking into the cottage.


    "Oops," she whispered with a hand before her mouth. Fortunately, she did not seem to have waken Hiroku either.


    The two sneaked toward Hiroku with only the tips of their feet touching the floor. Halfway, Ramiron realized the door was open and turned back to close it. Of course, the door chirped.


    Loter was startled to the ground, and Ramiron immediately slowed her action, only making the sharp noise slightly quieter and lasting much longer. She told Loter she was sorry through lip movement and caught up as Loter got back on his feet.


    They walked to the two sides of Hiroku, looking at him from above. Ramiron completely silently asked, "Should we wake him?"


    Loter, certainly not noticing Ramiron, stooped down and pointed at Hiroku''s closed lips. He said without a voice, "His not drooling on his notebook. Whenever I sleep on my notebook, I always drip my saliva on it."


    Finally accepting the fact they could not communicate without making a sound, Ramiron pulled Loter back up and pointed toward the door.


    Loter did not get what she meant. He glanced at the door and back at Hiroku.


    "Uh!" He started and slumped to the ground when he saw Hiroku''s open eyes. His hips landed on the tatami heavily.


    "Ha, so you''re awake this whole time." Surprised, Ramiron chuckled while watching Hiroku standing up.


    "Yes, it is hard not to when Loter is screeching into a closed room." Hiroku tittered a bit and gave Loter a hand to get up.


    "You totally fooled me, Hiro," Loter said, rubbing his butts.


    "Not a hard thing to do." Hiroku gave the light jab with a grin. Then, his delight turned into a momentary shock when Loter pounced onto him, hugging him with arms on his shoulders.


    Ramiron stepped away, giggling and sitting down beside the table.


    Loter swayed while hanging onto Hiroku. He snarled like a Large-size dog.


    "Are you three?" Hiroku rolled his eyes, smiling, amused.


    Eventually, Loter let go of the grip. He sat across the table from Ramiron, letting Hiroku occupy the side of the table in between theirs. The notebook was before Hiroku.


    "You seem happy today, Hiro. What happened?" Ramiron asked as soon as Hiroku settled down.


    "I''ve figured out all the spells Boruka knows and already have a counter for all of them."


    "Yay! We are going to crush him and leave this place in one piece!" Loter raised his fist high in the air.


    "Actually, three pieces," Ramiron said.


    "What?"


    "We have three people, so ''three pieces.''"


    "Oh! Yeah!"


    Hiroku decided to stay silent, not correcting either of them. He then expressed his strong desire to get back to the plan. However, Loter also exhibited his even-stronger desire to eat dinner first.


    The latter proposal met no resistance and instantly became their official next step. Hiroku wanted to order sukiyaki again, but Ramiron said she wanted to grill, so Hiroku asked for the grilling device and meat instead.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    For the complete experience of barbeque, they did it in the area right outside their cottages.


    Overall, grilling and the sunset were a great pair. However, Hiroku had to warn Loter about voice volume two to three times.


    After the dinner, Hiroku dragged Loter back in for the strategy while Ramiron stayed outside. She told them she wanted to stroll around a bit. The night sky of Cho-san Island was much more starry than the ones of metropolises.


    The glinting dots of stars adorned and embellished the faintly blue sky lighted by unpolluted airglow. Yet, the beautiful view was not why Ramiron chose not to go in.


    She turned around, staring straight at a small bush in the courtyard in front of her. "Come out before I force you to."


    Ramiron crossed her arms as she spoke. After several seconds, the bush shook a bit, and a juvenile fox jumped out. It immediately transformed back into a human with a puff of smoke.


    The human was a girl about the height of Loter and Hiroku, which meant about a head shorter than Ramiron. She wore a jordy blue kimono with orange eyes, blunt bangs, and the rest of her short black hair aligned at a level slightly below her jaw.


    "Wait, do not tell anyone. I am Loter''s friend," the girl said in English. Her hands were placed behind her hips.


    "What are you hiding?" Ramiron asked, pointing at her hidden hands.


    "Nothing." she held both of her hands up and spread.


    Ramiron suddenly teleported before her, startling her to the ground. She almost slumped into the bush.


    "I am really Loter''s friend. You have to believe me." With her eyes shut and head lowered, Tori propped a hand on the ground and raised the other over her head.


    "What''s your name?" Ramiron inquired without any showcase of friendliness in her firm words.


    "Tori," the girl stuttered, "Tori Kayama."


    "Tori Tori Kayama?"


    "Tori Kayama. Only one ''Tori.''"


    "So Loter will recognize this name when I tell him I saw Tori Kayama watching us behind a bush?"


    "Please do not do that¡­ Do not mention me before him."


    "So Loter is your friend, but you don''t want him to hear your name?"


    "It is complicated. You have to believe me."


    Ramiron took a few seconds to decide what she would do and eventually reached out a hand to the girl on the ground. She sighed and said, "Come on, get up."


    "Hm?" Tori fearfully peeked up, gradually put down her blocking arm, and opened her eyes entirely.


    The moment she held Ramiron''s hand, she was tugged straight up, back on her feet. She let out a sharp squeak in the process.


    Although not shivering, Tori had her hands behind her hips and eyes locked to the ground. She glanced up and shifted her vision down again.


    Stepping back, Ramiron gave Tori some personal space for her mental comfort. "Hiroku told me women in Tribe Kayama aren''t allowed to learn magic. Why can you turn into a fox?"


    "I, I, learned some tricks secretly."


    "And you can speak English."


    "My English teacher taught me English."


    "Is it mandatory or elective?"


    "Uh, I, I don''t know the two words you just used."


    Ramiron scratched her head a bit and asked again, "Is English what everyone needs to study, or did you choose to learn English?"


    "Neither¡­ My father decided I should study English."


    Ramiron remained silent for several seconds to the point that Tori glanced up at her, seeing the faint furrow.


    "I''m sorry," Ramiron said.


    "It is fine. You do not need to be. I am actually quite happy that I learned English. It made me capable of talking to Loter," Tori replied, blushing. Her hands swayed to the front and held together before her lower belly.


    Ramiron nodded lightly and spotted the redness on Tori''s face. She changed the topic. "How did you and Loter meet?"


    "I was trying to see the visitors, and Loter came out when I knocked on the door. We, we," she stuttered a bit while her cheeks turned into a deeper red, "we touched noses. Then, he came to see me the next day. He used his invisibility, so we both turned invisible."


    "I see," Ramiron said before Tori could carry on. "Are you here for Loter?"


    "Yes, I want to know what he is doing." Tori finally looked up at Ramiron as the tension in the atmosphere faded.


    "But you don''t want him to know you''re here."


    "It is complicated. You can ask Hiroku about it."


    "Does this have anything to do with the duel?" Ramiron instantly realized the ambiguity in her words. "No. Does this have anything to do with Loter''s duel?"


    "Yes, but you do not need to worry. I am on your side." Tori had her hands placed on her chest, leaning forward and nodding.


    "I will ask Hiroku later."


    "That is fine. Can you just tell me do you think Loter will win? I am worried that he might lose the fight. Boruka is strong. He is stronger and eviler than Zayio. He might appear to be gentle, but he is bad."


    "I think I''m the one least informed here." Ramiron shot her a bitter grin. "Since you know so much about Boruka, why don''t you help Hiroku with the strategy?"


    "I have told Hiroku all I know."


    Ramiron took a second to think. Her eyes lingered downward at her own body and swayed away. She looked back at Tori and said, "I think Loter will win. He''s doing great."


    Tori nodded while sighing in relief. She took a soft step back. "That is all I need to know."


    As the sentence ended, the girl with orange irises vanished in a plume of smoke. A juvenile fox jumped into the bush of the courtyard, scurrying away.

 Loter Spawman VS Boruka Kayama

    It was the same arena, the sunken area in the center of a lobby. It was the one where Hiroku almost died and Zayio got disfigured. The crowd, indistinguishable from the last, stood around the arena. Yet, the judges were no longer elderly Kayamas sitting on wooden chairs but the tribe master himself on his golden silk.


    Inside the sunken dent, Loter stood on the spot where Hiroku used to stand, and Boruka stood where Zayio used to stand. Appearance-wise, Boruka was very similar to Zayio. The brothers shared the same wide and round face frame. The only difference was the hair. Boruka had it entirely shaved.


    "Holy duels cleanse our conflict. It brings peace to the eager souls and differences. We may all gather around the flame of violence to celebrate the undeniable equality it provided. After all, the strong survive, and the survive rule. Let the strength be the law of us, and let the match begin in this present moment."


    As Miyadaki finished the last syllable, Boruka charged toward Loter. Two streaks of light shot out from the side of his right fist, leaving behind a glowing blue staff. Its two ends were wrapped in a golden material with the silhouette of a wyrm carved on it.


    He lunged and jabbed the staff forward.


    Loter had pressed his mental button the moment Boruka began running. Yet, invisibility and flight only kicked in a mere instant before the attack arrived. If he were an instant slower, the duel would have ended there.


    Fortunately, Hiroku was right when he said Boruka could not see invisible objects. Relieved, Loter floated in the air as he recalled what Hiroku taught him.


    That is the Staff of Cosmos, named after its blue pole with white, star-like spots. Hiroku said it can easily shatter steel and harder metals, so I can''t fight him up close. If I remember correctly, the plan is to keep stalling until the staff consumes too much of Boruka''s energy that he turns it off himself.


    Loter kept hovering in circles, watching Boruka cautiously look around and recurringly whip his head to the back.


    He must be anticipating me to attack him, but I won''t I will just wait here, comfortably.


    Loter slowly and casually rotated in the air, like a chicken during spit-roasting.


    Hiroku told me to tire him out with minimum contact, but I think I can give him a little tap. That won''t hurt. Besides, he''s not even looking upward. Maybe I can just kick his head once and fly away.


    Loter changed the direction he was rotating.


    Should I? Should I? Yeah, I''ll just do it.


    Loter plunged down at a 45-degree angle, pointing his right foot at Boruka''s bald head. Yet, out of nowhere, in a blink of time, Loter saw a discreet flick in his opponent''s ears.


    Wait, what?


    Boruka swiftly turned toward Loter and thrust his staff. The golden tip of the staff clashed with Loter''s right sole. Invisibility was deactivated right on the spot. Along with it was flight.


    Without his ability to fly, Loter was easily pushed meters away by the thrust. He landed with both feet but sprained the right one.


    Giving him no time to react, Boruka launched a Flame Throw. Loter barely dodged the attack by dropping sideways to the ground.


    Again turning invisible, he pushed the ground as he flew up. The next shot of fire almost scratched his palms.


    Boruka then calmly mumbled something in Habanese. Unlike Zayio, he did not appear to be vindictive, schadenfreude, or even conceited. He was calm and focused. There was not a smile on his face that indicated any feeling toward his dominance in their first clash.


    Loter, hovering invisibly, lifted and turned his right foot to see his sole. A melted hole was in the rubber bottom of his white sneaker. Even his right sock did not survive. Luckily, his foot was intact.


    Loter looked back toward Boruka, who stood several meters away. He was whipping his head around, looking in all directions just as he had before the clash.


    How did Boruka know I was attacking from above? I''m sure he can''t see me, but he somehow sensed my location back then. How does this work? Is this a spell that can detect things at a certain distance? If that is the case, why did Hiroku not tell me anything about this spell? Anyway, my foot doesn''t feel so good.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Loter tugged the shoes and socks off his feet and tossed them away. The two objects became visible as they fell off Loter''s hand. Boruka spotted them right away.


    Immediately, several Flame Throws flitted in Loter''s general direction. Most just flew past, but he did need to dodge twice.


    Seeing nothing being achieved by his latest attack, Boruka deactivated The Staff of Cosmos. Two streaks of light emerged on the golden ends and erased the staff as they moved to the center. Boruka raised his clenching hands before his face.


    Nice! He canceled the spell. Now is my chance.


    Loter quickly plunged and charged toward Boruka, ready to throw out his fists. Right before they went into direct contact, Boruka''s ears flicked again. He turned toward Loter and punched.


    Their fists and arms scratched against each other. The invisibility and flight disappeared together, but the accumulated momentum kept Loter gliding forward. His attack missed completely, and Boruka''s knuckles went directly into Loter''s right cheek, below the eye.


    Loter collided with Boruka, propelling him into the magic barrier. The back of Boruka''s head hit hard in the barrier. He slumped onto the ground against the barrier. Loter slowly rolled off the top of him. For a short moment, both of them were in a daze, unaware of their surroundings.


    Loter was the first to get back into his head. He felt the wetness and stickiness on his right hand and arm.


    What?


    He looked at his right arm, seeing fresh blood adhere to, flow through, and drip off it. Even some parts of his white hoodie, his neck, and patches of his hair were also stained red.


    Loter turned to face Boruka as he got back on his feet.


    Blood was streaming down Boruka''s arm onto his dark brown skirt. His reddened right sleeve was ripped open. Half of his white robe appeared scarlet.


    Did I do that? Wow.


    As his mind became clear again, Loter felt a blunt pain coming from the bruise below his right eye. Meanwhile, Boruka had also awakened from the daze. He braced his right palm onto the invisible barrier and flinched in pain as he stretched his injured right arm.


    Yet, he endured it instead of using the other hand. Boruka pushed that palm against the barrier and stood back up. He panted and said something calmly. Of course, Loter did not understand.


    Finishing speaking, Boruka faced his open palms upward and crossed his wrists before his chest.


    Wait, this gesture¡­ is Lock Watching! Kirane can perform this without any gesture, but most Kayamas need the gesture to activate the ability. Why would he do this? Does he not know how Kirane was defeated by my invisibility?


    As Loter disappeared again, Boruka covered his eyes with his open palms from the opposite side. After three seconds, he lowered his hands, and two shafts of violet light were already coming out of his pupils.


    Hovering in the air, Loter stared at Boruka, trying to figure out what his plan was. For an instant, the world was silent. Then, Loter heard a drop of blood hitting the ground. A Flame Throw was already coming toward him.


    Too late to dodge it, Loter punched the fireball back to Boruka. However, Boruka had seen how his brother was hit in the face. He stepped sideways, letting the fire pass right beside him while launching the next waves of flame.


    Loter could tell Boruka was trying to overwhelm him with Flame Throw. It was the same strategy that Zayio had used against Hiroku. The original counterplan Hiroku had come up with was to just fly away invisibly. However, Boruka had already spotted Loter with the dripping of blood, and his burning barrage was simply too intense for Loter to stop punching and fly away. The only good news was that Boruka''s attacks were mostly aligned at the same level with the same rhythm, so it was not too hard for Loter to hit them.


    After about fifteen back-and-forths, Boruka held his fist for an extra instant and slightly lowered his aim before launching.


    What?


    Loter jabbed into the empty air and was hit in the stomach before he could draw his hand back. The fireball knocked Loter onto the magic barrier, scorched through his clothes, and its remaining heat had his belly flushing in sharp pain.


    Loter plummeted to the ground with his invisibility deactivated. His hands scratched on the wooden floor as he attempted to soften the fall. Luckily, only two abrasions were made on the heels of his palms.


    Likewise, Loter''s chin landed hard on the ground. The shocking impact traveled through his jaw and bone, making his head all fuzzy. His knees were also aching after hitting the floor.


    When Loter finally regathered the bare minimum of his consciousness to wake up, Boruka had already finished whatever gesture he was making. His open palms were held vertically before his midriff, facing each other.


    Wait, what spell is that? I know Hiroku specifically mentioned this one before. It''s just that I can''t recall. Uh, I hate gestures.


    Then, a white spark emerged between the fingers.


    Oh, no¡­ Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky.


    Loter tried to crawl up. He pushed his upper body up from the ground, but his knees were stuck to the floor. He just knelt there, unable to move away.


    <hr>


    Yesterday, Ramiron went to continue her meditation treatment while Hiroku trained Loter on dealing with magic. They used the lavender spheres to simulate projectiles fired by different spells.


    Unfortunately, Hiroku only had limited control over the speed of his lavender sphere. Spells like Flame Throw were slightly faster than what Hiroku could perform. However, it was hardly a problem since Loter was already fast enough to dodge most of the spells, and he had his invisibility to bail him out.


    Also, Hiroku said it was fine to be hit by undodgeable attacks like the lightning spell. These spells were often less effective, except that one spell: Judgment Beyond Clouds and Sky.


    <hr>


    It was too late for invisibility. The long white sword had penetrated Loter''s right abdomen.

 A Streak of Light

    Lock Watching was deactivated the moment the sword went into the boy''s abdomen. There was no need for that anymore.


    Loter sat on the ground against the magic barrier. His arms hung softly, powerlessly on the sides. The back of his hands were resting on the ground. He panted with his eyes closed, and his head leaned against the barrier, tilting up slightly.


    Boruka finally let out a gentle grin as he palmed and ground his fist.


    Hiroku clung onto the handrail and yelled, "The word for surrender is ''toukou!'' Say it!"


    "Silence!" the master scolded from the other side, forcing Hiroku to mute.


    Boruka slowly walked toward Loter and crouched before him.


    Loter opened his eyes and received a left hook. His head leaned to the right after the impact, yet he turned it back to face Boruka. In return, he received the second punch to the same spot. This time, it left a dark bruise similar to the one on Loter''s right cheek.


    Loter fell to the ground sideways. The grip of the sword knocked on the wooden floor while its blade was still halfway inside Loter''s abdomen.


    Boruka raised a foot and dropped it onto Loter''s neck. He trampled down like he was stepping on a bug, imprinting his shoe''s sole pattern onto Loter''s neck.


    As his foot raised for the next tread, Loter held his arms upon his neck. The next stamp trod onto them, and the process repeated.


    I can''t give up¡ª I can''t give up¡ª Hiroku will die here¡ª if I can''t find a way to fight back¡ª I have to fight back¡ª I have to come up¡ª with something¡ª


    Loter''s thoughts were discrete and broken up with each stomp. Since most of the treading fell on his left forearm, there was a purple bruise in the center of it. However, it was not that big of a deal since the pain in Loter''s abdomen had already surpassed all forms of other suffering by a long shot.


    Eventually, the endless torment stopped. Boruka grabbed Loter by the collar, lifting him up.


    That''s my chance.


    When Boruka finally held Loter before him, Loter jabbed a fist into Boruka''s face. Yet, without his combat enhancement, Loter''s punch could not impact Boruka in the slightest.


    Boruka''s grin faded away. His brows tightened into an irritated look. He said something in Habanese and returned the favor. His straight fist aimed directly at Loter''s nose. It bashed in, almost breaking the nasal bridge. Blood burst onto Loter''s face and then onto Boruka''s fingers and knuckles as if the nose were exploding.


    Loter''s eyes were shut from the splattering of blood. For moments, even he himself thought he was dead. Fortunately, and unfortunately, he was not. He was still hanging on the cliff of life. His mind, although fading, was as dedicated as he used to be.


    I will save Hiroku. I haven''t lost yet. I won''t surrender. I am going to win.


    Loter clenched his soft hand and raised it again, throwing it at Boruka''s face. The strengthless attack touched Boruka''s jaw, yet not a thing happened. The hand slowly and gradually fell down as Loter kept pressing it onto Boruka.


    The knuckles slid down Boruka''s chin and slid over the collarbone. Loter put all his remaining force into his hand, pressing it against Boruka''s chest. Boruka snorted in contempt and whispered something in Habanese. He pulled his fist as backward as he could, preparing for the final strike.


    His fingers quivered under his firm grip, and his nails pressed hard into his skin. The thin bones within his wrist were held so taut that they could be seen beneath his skin.


    Power Activation: [unknown]


    A spark emerged from the tip of Loter''s knuckles. Following was a streak of white laser piercing through Boruka''s chest, leaving a bloody hole about the size of a coin behind.


    Boruka let go of Loter and staggered backward. Both of them dropped to the ground. Loter lay sideways, and Boruka was on his back.


    Loter did his best to force his eyelids open, and Boruka held his head up to an extreme to glare back at Loter. It was a war of resilience. The first one to faint from blood loss would lose.


    The two red ponds expanded separately and mixed when they met each other. There was no difference in the redness or the shade of blood. All fresh blood was bright, filled with the essence of life. Yet, this watery bloom of vitality was not a sign of life but a signage before death.


    When Loter woke up again, he was lying on a narrow wooden bed above a thin white mattress and under a thinner blue blanket. He could see the wooden roof above him and the hanging light bulbs. He looked around, seeing other beds of identical design. Next to him, there was a COW(computer on wheels), and some lines, including intravenous lines. Some were connected to his wrist.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Loter sat up from the bed and incidentally pulled the lines off his wrist. Groggily from the sleep, he rubbed his face to refresh his mind, habitually pressing his palms on his cheeks. Suddenly, he realized he was not in pain. No part of him was aching at all.


    Wait, what?


    He softly caressed his cheeks, lightly pushing his plush facial muscles. Then, he pinched his nose and did it again with more strength.


    The bruises are all gone¡ª Oh, yeah. I do have a weak form of self-healing. Is the cut also healed? That can''t be.


    Loter flipped the blanket away, pulled up his patient''s gown, and pulled down his pants. The opening made by the piercing sword had already become a faint, slim scar that was a bit lighter in complexion than the surrounding skin.


    How long have I been sleeping? I spent weeks in the hospital with stitches to heal the last cut on my belly. Sure, this one is a lot smaller than the last one, but it would still take days.


    Loter jumped off his bed and heard his stomach yelling for food. He strolled to the wooden sliding doors.


    The doors suddenly opened when he reached out his hand. On the other side was Tori in her jordy blue kimono.


    She pounced at Loter, hugging him with her arms wrapped around his neck. Her knees bent ninety degrees, hanging her feet in the air.


    Loter made a step back and intuitively placed his arms around Tori''s waist to prevent her from falling off.


    When Tori stood back to the ground, they let go of each other.


    Tori faced away while blushing like a tomato. Her hands were behind her hips. Normally, she would only loosely keep her hands there to follow the tradition. Yet, she held her hands together tightly this time, even squeezing her shoulders.


    Seeing Tori''s expression, Loter also blushed a bit. He scratched his head and asked, "So, did I win?"


    "Yes, do you not remember what happened?" Tori looked at Loter with excitement in her eyes. Her lips curled upward.


    "What happened?"


    "You stand." Tori corrected her grammar. "Stood up and pulled the sword out of you." Tori held her hands before her abdomen, doing the sword-pulling impression.


    "I did that? That''s amazing!"


    "You are amazing."


    Loter eyed away for a moment out of a sudden bashfulness. "Thank you," he said.


    Tori hard gripped her hands behind her back again. She dodged her eyes to a corner, grinning.


    "So, how long did I sleep?" Loter awkwardly said, shrugging to ease the vibe.


    "Today is the day after your fight. I do not know exactly how many hours."


    Wait, I healed all my wounds in a day? That is crazy! Did my ordering power become stronger? I know for sure I was not capable of healing that cut within a day. Did I heal faster because of Dowii''s training?


    "Loter, Loter?" Tori called and leaned slightly forward to examine the boy''s empty face.


    "Oh, uh, yeah. I was just daydreaming." Loter made an embarrassed laugh.


    Tori giggled in response. "I should tell others that you are awake," she said and fled into the hallway.


    Loter closed the doors and went back to sit on his bed. Within a dozen seconds, he shifted his position from sitting to lying. Shortly after, he changed his state from awake to asleep.


    "Lot, Lot." Ramiron forcefully shook Loter by his shoulder while Tori was reminding her that she was shaking a patient.


    Making a low noise from the bottom of his throat, Loter regained his consciousness. He opened his eyes to see Ramiron and Tori standing beside his bed. Both seemed pleasant.


    "I won the duel," Loter said and yawned as he got off the bed from the other side.


    "You did. You didn''t use Super Counter." Ramiron was slightly underwhelmed but then swapped to a more uplifting tone. "I heard you used that laser ability, though. You never mentioned you could do that."


    What? What is she¡ª Oh, yeah. I did shoot a laser during the duel. How did I do that?


    "That''s my first time, too. I think it''s like my invisibility and flying. I just randomly got those abilities," Loter said, habitually rubbing his face.


    "Where is Hiroku?" he yawned and asked.


    "He''s talking to other Kayamas about your recovery," Tori answered.


    Loter nodded while continuing to rub his face.


    Hm?


    He removed his hands and stared at the two ladies with his eyes wide open.


    "How do you two know each other?"


    Crossing her arms before her chest, Ramiron replied, "The real question is, how dare you and Hiroku make new friends behind my back?" She looked at Loter with a smug smile.


    "Yeah." Loter scratched his head and tittered awkwardly. "Sorry about that. I just didn''t want to interrupt your treatment."


    "Fair enough."


    "By the way." Loter changed to a more serious tone. "Tori, why are you here? Did you sneak out again?"


    "Well." Tori tucked a side of her hair behind her ear and quickly put her hands back behind her hips, blushing. "They want me to tell you something." Her eyes shifted away, fleeing from the boy before her.


    Ramiron let out a snort and headed toward the exit. "I will give you two some space."


    <hr>


    Loter Spawman''s current abilities:


    [unknown]:


    -[unknown]


    [unknown]:


    -Enhancing healing ability


    -Increasing strength and constitution during fighting


    -Performing a fast and instant attack without a clear triggering condition


    [unknown]:


    -Significantly boosting movement speed after running in an open space for some time


    [unknown]:


    -Turning invisible


    -Granting flying ability


    -Sharing the ability with another person in physical contact


    -Connecting emotions and feelings with another person in physical contact


    <hr>

 Waking Up

    While Hiroku was having a flowery, verbal interaction with other Kayamas, Loter and Tori struggled to get a single word exchanged between them.


    The vibe immediately went awkward when Ramiron left the room. Loter could only blush with Tori and scratch his hair as he waited for her to proceed with what she was trying to say.


    Nothing was spoken in this conversational stalemate. They just kept scrutinizing each other with their peripheral vision. Not even a single direct eye contact was made.


    Eventually, the two decided to break the silence.


    "Maybe¡ª"


    "I¡ª"


    They both paused their sentences as their eyes met in the air. Just before the ember of conversation could die in mutual embarrassment, Loter spoke up. He said, "What do you want to tell me? Uh, I''m, uh¡ª"


    "I, I need to ask you a question." Tori glanced at and eyed away from Loter repeatedly.


    Loter asked too fast, causing words to stick together clumsily, "Wha''que''tion?"


    "Do you want me to¡­ to go to Murkia Union with you?"


    "You? Go to MU?" Loter gaped. His shock then became pure happiness, curling his lips upward. "Really?"


    "Do you want me to?" Tori slowly moved her sight back to the front, looking at the boy before her.


    "Are there any consequences?"


    "I don''t¡­ don''t know the word." She averted her eyes again.


    "Consequence means, uh, the consequence of your action, no. Uh, what I want to ask is are you allowed to come to MU with me?"


    Tori gazed at Loter. Her eyes were opened wider than usual, and her brows rose in anticipation. "They will let me go with you if you want me to go with you."


    "Of course I want to."


    "Then, I will¡ª" A cheerful chuckle broke out of Tori''s throat before she could finish the sentence. "I will go tell them you said yes." She swiftly exited the patient''s room after finishing the sentence.


    Wow, Tori is coming to MU with me. That is unexpected. I did not even have time to worry about her situation, and the problem was solved behind my back. Did Hiroku do this? He must know something about it. I will have to ask him some questions. By the way, what will Tori be doing in MU? Will she enroll in HueCam Academy? Will she even stay in HueCam State? Wait¡­ How is she supposed to learn magic in MU? That''s the most important thing about this problem. How did I overlook it?


    "Lot, Lot? Are you there?" Ramiron''s playful voice dragged Loter back into the real world. It seemed like she had come back in when Loter was out of his mind. She tittered lightly at Loter''s daydreaming behavior.


    "Where is Tori?" Loter asked frantically.


    "I just saw her running by. What did you do?"


    "You know¡ª"


    "Aye, you two are getting engaged."


    "No, you get it wrong. I need to find her now," Loter exclaimed, bouncing his heels nervously on the floor.


    Ramiron''s surprise turned into confusion. She sighed, "I''ll help you, but you have to explain what just happened in this room later, aye?"


    "Yeah," Loter answered without hesitation.


    Ramiron held a hand toward him and turned her head to face the sliding doors. Loter gripped her hand. Immediately, they began teleporting out of the patient''s room and all the way through the hallway, startling and scaring several innocent servants.


    Eventually, they saw the staircase and caught Tori about to go down.


    "Wait!" Loter yelled. He let go of Ramiron''s hand and dashed toward Tori.


    Tori turned around and started as Loter approached. "What? Why?"


    Loter halted by pushing his palms against the handrail, and Tori stepped aside from the stairs so they would not block anybody''s way.


    "I forgot to ask you this back there. I have to ask you now."


    "Yes?" Tori nervously swallowed and said.


    "How are you going to learn magic in MU?"


    "I can learn from books."The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Ohh, yeah. You can learn from books." Loter suddenly felt stupid. He tittered awkwardly and quickly began explaining himself. "I didn''t know that and was worried that you wouldn''t be able to do what you want anymore if you left Cho-san Island. You didn''t mention it at all, so I thought you overlooked this aspect of the, the, the decision-making?"


    Is "decision-making" the right word? Anyway.


    Tori giggled with a hand before her mouth. "Thank you for worrying about it for me. You are¡­ I am very happy."


    "Yeah, uh, uh, I should go back to my room, the patient''s room." Loter pointed a finger behind him, although the patient''s room was not in that direction.


    "And I will go see my father." Tori pointed at the stairs.


    "See you soon."


    "Yes."


    They parted ways and clumsily walked in the opposite direction. Ramiron tapped Loter on the shoulder and led the way. Since they were not in a hurry, Ramiron chose not to scare the poor servants again with her teleportation.


    As they strolled through the hallway, she said, "I think it is nice of you to worry about her, Lot."


    Loter, zoning out with his mind roaming around, came back to his senses. "Thank you. I didn''t think that much. I just don''t want her to feel trapped. If she doesn''t get to do this thing she loves, then isn''t leaving Cho-san just sending her into another cage? I don''t know¡­ At that point, wouldn''t it be better if she at least gets to do what she likes in secret than not being able to do it at all?"


    "That''s what you been thinking?"


    "Yeah."


    "I never knew you would think about things like this, but it makes sense."


    "If I''m Hiroku, I would have an answer."


    "You won''t want to be him."


    "Why? He''s so mature, so much more hero-like than me."


    Ramiron looked away as the topic became somewhat heavy. Her eyes shifted back to the center, and she said, "Hiroku is not happy, but you are, Lot. It is important to be happy."


    "Yeah, he is not a happy person." Loter sighed as he thought about Hiroku and the months that he spent depressed. Then, he lightened up his tone. "But we talked it out, right? And he must be happy that Tori is going to MU. He can spend more time with her. That must make him happier."


    Hearing Loter''s response, Ramiron knitted her brows a bit and asked, "By the way, what exactly did Tori tell you when I was away?"


    "She asked me if I wanted her to go to MU."


    Ramiron waited for another second before asking, "That''s it?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No, nothing. You two spent quite some time there, so I thought more things were discussed."


    "Oh, yeah. I think we just like to talk slowly."


    "That must be the case." Ramiron opened the door back into the patient''s room and ended the conversation with a faint sarcasm Imperceptible to Loter.


    Loter lay back on the bed, and Ramiron sat on a stool beside him. He had his eyes pointing blankly at the ceiling and his hands calmly on his belly. Although there was not an expression on his face, his mind was unsettled. There were too many feelings, opinions, and questions.


    He suddenly asked, "I don''t feel like sleeping. When are we leaving?"


    "In two days. I think you''ll need to meet with Tori''s parents tomorrow, and I''ll finish the meditation thing. Then, we are done here."


    Loter quietly nodded, and Ramiron continued, "Oh, I swear, after this, I will never meditate ever again." She tittered a bit. Then, there was a moment of silence.


    Out of nowhere, Loter changed the topic. "Do you think you''ll miss this place, Cho-san Island?"


    "I''ll remember this place for sure."


    "Me too."


    "It''s a complicated place, just like every other place."


    "There are a lot of estates."


    "Aye, but no. I''m not talking about the locations of the buildings. There are a lot of bad things about this place. I saw a lot with my own eyes and heard more from Hiroku. However, the place also has positive things."


    "Um-hum."


    "No one has updated you on that, but Hiroku told me that Mi-something master of this tribe is actually helping us out."


    "Seriously? He sent me into a deathmatch." Loter whipped his head, looking at Ramiron incredulously.


    "Hiroku said he has to balance between different factions in the tribe, so he didn''t have many options. I don''t know, but Hiroku said so."


    "Yeah, sure, I can understand that." Loter sighed and added, "I decide to believe he is a good person."


    "Yotan is also a nice guy."


    "Really?"


    "Aye, we talked a few times. I can tell he doesn''t see me any less than him. Also, I think he helped Hiroku with the planning."


    "That is nice. I don''t know him much, but he seems to be very friendly."


    "Avuncular and genial."


    "Yeah," Loter replied. Ramiron did not continue to say anything, and Loter just stayed quiet, digesting the conversation.


    After a few more minutes, Hiroku arrived, telling them that Loter was allowed to leave the hospital. The first thing they did after getting back to their cottages was to have lunch first. Loter''s preference of "something he had not eaten" had Hiroku ruminating for some time.


    Eventually, he decided to order donburi, specifically, unadon for Loter, oyakodon for himself, and gyudon for Ramiron.


    When the food finally arrived, Loter took off the lid and looked into his bowl. He asked, "Isn''t this just fish on rice, but a lot of fish and a lot of rice?" He then peeked at others'' bowls, seeing chicken and egg in Hiroku''s and beef in Ramiron''s.


    Hiroku rolled his eyes and explained, "No, it''s not. The eels in unadons are made in a specific way that gives them a unique taste. Just take a bite, and you''ll understand."


    Loter scooped up a clump of rice with a piece of reddish-brown eel meat sitting atop. The black bottom skin of the meat was adhered to the oily rice. As he put the spoonful in his mouth, the smooth rice clump slid onto his tongue and disassembled. Savor, oleogustus, and kokumi burst as he bit down on the eel meat.


    "Oh, this tastes so good!"

 Toris Parents and the Necessary Prudence

    The early morning sun shone upon the slanted roofs of the three connected cottages. The earth was as dry as always. A faint snoring sound leaked through the wooden walls.


    Hiroku opened his eyes and got up, casually awakening with his circadian rhythm. He doffed his white pajamas that had purple elephant patterns all over them. Then, he deftly donned his iconic clothes of a white pullover plus a purple crop top.


    His entire outfit, including the trousers, was the one reused from the first day they arrived at Cho-san. No one expected the kids to stay for two extra days; not even the spare set was enough.


    Hiroku tied his double ponytails and properly straightened the quilt and mattress. He flew to the stream outside Yotan''s estate by island-hopping between his lavender spheres. Sitting on his shanks before the flowing water, Hiroku waited there a few seconds for the fresh smell of trees and the breeze blowing through his ears.


    After washing his face, he flew back and knocked on Loter''s door. Of course, no response was heard even after the third sequence of knocking. The only sound coming out was Loter''s light snoring.


    With patience, Hiroku leaned against the handrail, managing to knock for the fourth time later. Then, he found something off. He looked around and realized what was missing when the door slid open.


    "Hi," Loter said, yawning and rubbing his eyes.


    "Never thought you would wake up so early."


    "Yeah, me too. I think it''s because of my dream. It''s very weird today."


    "Nightmare?"


    "I don''t think it''s a nightmare. It''s complicated. I will just tell you the whole thing." Loter cleared his throat and began, "At first, I was just lying on a hill with a lot of flowers around me. Then, I heard a sequence of very loud sounds. They were like the kind of noise you make when you punch a wooden plank."


    Hiroku nodded.


    "After that, I heard Tori''s voice. She was telling me that I need to meet her parents today, so I have to wake up."


    Hiroku let out an amused snort. He looked away as a set of inappropriately intimate imagination came to his head.


    "What are you laughing at?"


    "Nothing. I just think it is funny that you two have not even met for a week."


    "You don''t need to worry about that. You are still my best friend, along with Key, Ram, and Glacia." Loter put on a wide grin after he finished the sentence.


    Hiroku gave another short titter and walked to the stoop. "Get yourself ready. I will be waiting here."


    After Loter changed into his usual white hoodie, they went on their way to meet Yotan for his blessings. Of course, this practice was one of the traditions that Hiroku found meaningless. However, Loter thought otherwise.


    "It can be a great opportunity to practice my dining etiquette. You can tell me what I should be doing, and I will practice it while we are at Yotan''s place."


    Surprised, Hiroku replied a second later than normal, "Sure." He thought of asking Loter about his sudden prudence yet decided not to.


    In summary, the key to politeness was to stop fidgeting or daydreaming while others were talking. To really go above and beyond, Loter just had to wait for Hiroku to tell him how to eat different dishes. Others could not tell if Hiroku was really translating, anyway.


    What was actually hard was not the basic courtesy but the ability to maintain those tedious small talks about trivial things. Although Hiroku already said he would handle that part, Loter insisted on doing it by himself.


    "The weather is, uh." Loter frantically paused his sentence as Yotan gazed at him with overly intense anticipation and curiousness. Loter turned his head, trying to find a window, yet met no success. He gathered all his brain power to recall his memory from this morning and said, "The weather is very cozy. It is not too hot or too cold, and it feels refreshing when a wind blows by."


    Hiroku nodded in affirmation. He translated the sentence into Habanese and embellished it with Kayama flavor.


    Yotan guffawed and threw his head back.


    After they finished breakfast, Loter walked out of Yotan''s dining room with a confident smile. Hiroku was left behind, farewelling Yotan. He quickly caught up with Loter and said, "You¡ª"


    "I''m a weather master."


    "Hm?"


    "I was so smooth with my opinion on the weather. It''s like the words just flew out of my mouth."


    Speechless, Hiroku opened his mouth and closed it. He took a deep breath and said, "We can still practice on that."


    "Sure, bring it all on."


    "What do you think about the yard?" Hiroku pointed at one of the courtyards that were forbidden from entering.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Uhhh." Loter''s smile of confidence quickly became a pondering frown as he extended the "uh" sound. He stared at the yard, tapping a finger on his chin. Eventually, he said, "The grass is very flat, and the bushes are round. Uh. The water looks like a river, but it is not moving. Uh¡ª"


    "You can stop now."


    Loter sighed in relief and asked, "How''s my performance?"


    "It is acceptable. I will revise it in my translation, but you need to be more fluent. People will notice it if you start ''uh''ing in the middle of a sentence."


    "Yeah, I will work on that."


    "You are seeing Tori''s parents in about two hours. You do not have time to work on your fluency."


    "Yeah, you''re right¡­ What is the plan, then?"


    "You quit trying to make a comment and just focus on describing what you see or remember. I will add the details in my translation. You should be able to avoid stuttering that way."


    "Oh, It''s a really great plan. You''re a genius!"


    After returning to their cottages, Hiroku proceeded to read those old books, and Loter scrolled through his phone silently beside him. As the time of the meeting approached, Loter began to panic. He asked if he should wear a kimono. He paced and rolled around the room. He jumped up high and hugged his knees on the ground.


    Hiroku reluctantly patted him on the back in an effort to calm him down. They kept repeating this until it was time to head toward Tori''s parents'' estate. While they were walking on the pebble trail, Loter inhaled deeply every few steps until he stopped doing it.


    Slightly curious, Hiroku turned back and saw Loter''s tranquil visage.


    "I suppose you are ready?"


    "Yeah."


    <hr>


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    *A guy was climbing a climbing wall.*


    *A picture of an energy bar with the word "Hiker" was printed on the package. It also had a picture of a hiker.*


    <hr>


    The estate of Tori''s parents was similar to Yotan''s except for the huge house in the center. It was a three-story building with thick wooden walls and black tiles on the gable roof.


    The lunch meeting was set in the meeting room on the first floor. The layout of the room was similar to Yotan''s dining room.


    Two long floor tables with cushions were put by the two ends of the rectangular room, leaving a huge distance between them. One of the tables had two rolls of folding screens placed beside it. The decorations on the paper screens ranged from daily animals like rabbits to mythical creatures like wyrms and phoenixes.


    Of course, Loter Spawman and Hiroku Kayama sat by the table without folding screens. Shortly after the servants led them into the room, Tori''s parents arrived. Both of them were wearing a jordy blue kimono. The father was a bald man with a wide chin and a wider physique. The mother had her hair tied into a bun with golden flower kanzashi(hairpin).


    They comfortably sat on their shanks while Loter was slightly fidgeting due to the discomfort of this way of sitting.


    "Please make yourself comfortable, Mr. Spawman and Nephew Hiroku Kayama. The least we want is for you not to enjoy this meal. As the old saying goes, ''A good meal is the start of an excellent bond.'' We are not people who love to fixate on formality," the father said in Habanese with a friendly smile on his face.


    Hiroku translated, "He said you don''t need to sit on your shanks, but don''t move yet. He is just being nice. He also said he wants you to enjoy the meeting, so you need to act amused."


    "Then, tell him I''m enjoying it because, uh, because the decoration is good." Loter squeezed a command out of his mouth to Hiroku while looking calmly at Tori''s father the whole time.


    Hiroku said in Habanese, "Thank you profoundly for your kindness, but it is okay. I am getting used to this way of sitting. A slight new experience on my legs can not hinder my amusement, especially when the folding screens are so beautiful. We don''t have this kind of decorations in MU."


    Then, the father went on and on about the meaning and story behind each animal presented. Frequently, he would pause to ask Loter''s opinion, and Hiroku would need to paraphrase the entire story for context. On multiple occasions, Loter would misunderstand a concept, and Hiroku would have to come up with his own response.


    Hiroku''s brain ached as sweats of intelligence slid off his forehead.


    His suffering finally ended when the food was served. He literally sighed with a volume audible to Loter when the servants came in with various dishes in their hands. Topics about protein and starch on plates were way easier for Hiroku to translate than old stories that require deep cultural context to understand.


    Another thing was that Loter actually had a lot to say when it came to food. Even Hiroku was surprised when Loter could precisely tell the difference between rice textures and the hidden savor in sauces.


    The relaxed atmosphere provided Hiroku a mental relief right until Loter decided to ask, "What is Tori''s favorite food?"


    The father''s open-mouth smile turned into a close-mouth grin. The mother''s upward-curling lips went back to a flat, straight line.


    The father said, "Our daughter, Tori Kayama''s favorite food is miso broth. Her eyes used to glow like crystals when she saw it. She also likes to walk around in the garden. I remember every little detail about her." His eyes shifted lower and lower as if he was not talking to others but himself.


    Hiroku translated the entire sentence word by word to convey the emotion carried in the father''s speech.


    Loter nodded as he listened to the translation. He replied, "She is a very good girl. I will take the best care of her. She will be able to drink the, uh, the soup in MU, and there is a very beautiful garden in HueCam Academy."


    Hiroku repeated in Habanese without that slight stutter, and the father nodded. He said, "Tori is our only daughter. We want her to live a comfortable life. It is great to hear that there are already answers to some of our daughter''s needs. We feel genuinely relieved about this topic. There is no doubt that Tori will be treated with love and care, and a person as powerful as you must be able to protect her. However, we do want to add an extra condition. We hope you don''t find this request offensive, but you have to allow Tori to write a letter to us every four months."


    Loter reflexively asked, "What?" after hearing the translation.


    "They are asking your permission to allow their daughter to write letters back home. They are not assuming you will let their daughter do that," Hiroku explained while Tori''s parents were watching their conversation nervously.


    "Why would they think I can do that?"


    "It''s their culture."


    "Okay. Tell them I agree."


    Hiroku turned to Tori''s parents and said, "Mr. Spawman completely accepts the condition without any objection."


    Finally, a wide smile emerged on the father''s face, and the mother put a hand before her grin.


    The rest of the conversation flew by easily. There were still occasions when Loter got confused by the cultural differences, yet he did not get lost in his train of thought a single time, and the atmosphere remained pleasant.


    Tori''s parents even mentioned that they could seek help from Kayama''s representative office in HueCam State. Hiroku knew the office was too far away from Coral Cobble to be a practical option for them, but he chose not to bring it up.

 Key Rayth After the Fight

    While Loter, Hiroku, and Ramiron were having their adventure in Haban, Key Rayth was stuck with a cast on his right arm. He spent several days in the health center, being mocked by the doctor, aka the nurse woman.


    Since his desktop was in the dorm and he was not a TV person, Key could only scroll through his phone to pass the time. However, it was done half-heartedly. Most of his attention was spent hating himself.


    Key wanted to believe he was good enough. He had been using his victory against Kiznaq as evidence of that, yet deep down, he knew it was not.


    Kiznaq DoLock lost to his own overconfidence, not Key Rayth or his ability.


    Key just could not keep ignoring it after fighting Kirane in real life.


    He was supposed to be the one good at hand-to-hand, yet even his best defense could not match a random kick from that Kayama brat.


    He had been training for years without any progress in both his constitution and power. Meanwhile, Loter just arbitrarily gained a new ability halfway through a fight. The fairness of the world was truly incomprehensible.


    Key was the weakest one in the squad and likely in the entire academy. He knew he would not be put into the mountain campus if he was not a local. He might not even qualify for the inferior city campus if he were not in Coral Cobble.


    Maybe I should quit becoming a ''ero¡­


    But where else can I go? A random orphanage? I''m too old for that. Can I even find a place to live? What job can I do? Fuck¡­


    Shafts of sunlight shone through the wide windows, lessening Key''s suffering as he basked in their warmth. He closed his eyes and faced the windows. The heat went through his eyelids and caressed his eyeballs.


    Key sighed as he heard the door being opened.


    The nurse woman is back.


    He slightly adjusted his position on the bed, fully prepared for the mockery.


    "Mr. Rayth, how''s your recovery?" The genial voice of the vice principal, Sayrine Neosol, came into the room.


    Surprised, Key whipped his head toward her, watching her approach with his eyes opened wide.


    Neosol put a stool beside Key''s bed and sat down. She was wearing her iconic glossy blue duffle coat with a black capelet attached to the collar. Her golden fastening gleamed in the light. She adjusted her blue boonie a bit and placed her hands on her crossed thighs.


    Neosol greeted, "Good morning, Mr. Rayth."


    "Good morning, Ms. Neosol. I didn''t expect you to come."


    "Then, I must''ve failed as a teacher." Neosol faked a weeping impression with her white handkerchief.


    Amused by the humorous act, Key let out a cheerful snort.


    "So, Mr. Rayth, how''s your recovery?" Neosol put down her handkerchief and asked.


    "I don''t know. The nurse lady told me I will ''ave to keep the cast on for at least a month."


    "It must be a hindrance to your training."


    "Don''t worry. I''m not getting anywhere with the training, anyway." Key averted his eyes down, staring at the cast on his arm.


    "Don''t give up on yourself. You''re only sixteen. You have an infinite amount of potential."


    "It''s fine, Ms. Neosol. You don''t need to console me. I''m already seventeen. I know ''ow talent, gifts, and all that stuff work. It''s not like I want to be the future number-one ''ero, anyway."If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Neosol took in a breath, ready to say something. Yet, she dropped it and sighed. Perhaps she realized that she, a hero with one of the strongest superpowers, was probably not persuasive in the slightest.


    In the end, she could only squeeze a sentence out of her mouth. "You are very mature, Key."


    "Thank you, Ms. Neosol." Key forced a grin out of himself.


    Dispirited, Neosol stood up from the stool and said, "I have to attend a meeting with Kayama''s people soon. I have to go now. Will you be fine by yourself?"


    Key nodded, and Neosol left without saying anything else.


    Later that day, Glacia came in for her visit, yet their conversation did not go any deeper than a few friendly jabs.


    She said that he could not play games for a long time, and he replied that she would not be seeing Hiroku for a longer time.


    Dowii also came, but their interaction was even shallower than the one he had with Glacia.


    Just like the vice principal, Dowii and Glacia only stayed there for a couple of minutes. Key spent most of the time on the patient''s bed with himself, the person he disdained the most. Once, Key even joined the nurse woman to laugh at himself. The abnormal action freaked the nurse woman out so much that she just stopped mocking him altogether. Or, she was just pitying Key.


    Days were dull when the only thing one could do was sleep and scroll through the phone. Yet, the benefit of this dullness was how it dwindles feelings. All the disappointment and frustration became a tiny itch in his chest. He just wanted to play games or basketball now.


    Key was allowed off the bed after a few days. He still could not do either of his hobbies, but at least he could get back into the online courses and eat in the cafeteria now.


    He put on a smile and said "yo" to greet Glacia and Dowii when he entered the classroom. Although he did not feel like he was doing it the same way as before, none of the two raised a problem.


    Shortly after the bell rang, Key roamed off on the internet again, yet, this time, Dowii did not stop him. In fact, Dowii did not even step up from his seat to check on their screens.


    As soon as the first twenty-minute break in the morning arrived, Kiznaq rushed to Key. Key was by the stairs, leaning against the white handrail, when he saw Kiznaq coming down from the third floor. He gave Kiznaq an up-nod without a word.


    "I''m so sorry aboud whad habbened. I did nod know whad Kirane was blanning ad d''e dime," Kiznaq apologized as he jumped down three steps at once. His facial muscles, especially his cheeks, were pulled in a strange way that made his sheepish smile more awkward than it had to be. It was almost like he did not know if he should be smiling or not.


    "Don''t worry. I know ''ow forcing Kirane can be. Let''s just be ''appy that ''e''s gone for good." Key spontaneously grinned and held up his left fist horizontally. Just thinking about how much he hated Kirane made Key feel better.


    "So, we are sdill buddies?"


    "Yup, buddies for life."


    "Yay!" Kiznaq raised his fist and vigorously bumped against Key''s. "You say we go hid d''e courd and blay some one-handed baskedball afder class, no?"


    Key''s smile widened. "Can''t I catch a break?" He wiggled his fingers on his plastered right arm.


    "Id''s already many, many days. I miss you, and d''e boys miss d''eir goad!"


    Flattered, Key let out a chuckle. "Alright, I guess it will be fine as long as I don''t use my bad ''and."


    "See you on d''e courd d''en." Like the over-energetic kid he was, Kiznaq flicked around and ran up the stairs.


    Minutes later, the bell rang, and Key went back into the classroom. However, Key had no mood for any learning or internet roaming. He was thinking about basketball, the sport that allowed him to abuse his power to the fullest.


    Although the basketball league had explicitly barred anyone with superpowers from entering the scene, Key could still play it with his friends. Since all of them were superpowered, none had an issue with Key having a "little" advantage.


    Recalling those fragmented moments on the basketball court, Key felt his heart lightened and the subtle stifling in his chest lessened. First time in a period, he was not non-dejected but genuinely content.


    With this concrete satisfaction, Key actually scrolled through some of the literature lessons he hated the most. Of course, he roamed off on the internet afterward.


    After the morning period ended, Glacia told Key she would be sitting with some of her friends for lunch. Consequentially, Key decided to sit by Kiznaq''s table after the game. They had an empty seat since they lost a member.


    Yet, when Key exited the classroom, he saw a girl waiting outside.


    The girl had long, black hair and wore a white sundress. She stood a few steps away from the door and turned to Key the moment he came out.


    "Lyra Vesp?" Key said, not sure why the reincarnated heroine would be outside his classroom.


    "Key Rayth, I need you to come with me," Lyra stated with an assertive tone, leaving no room for further discussion.


    Yet, Key proceeded. "Why is that?"


    "You''ll see by yourself."


    "Sorry, but I ''ave already told my friends I would join them on the basketball court."


    "Unfortunately, you''ll have to cancel your plan. This is an important matter."


    Key sighed, "Sure."


    "Loter is so much cuter than you."

 Alt-Evolvers Are Back in Town

    The cabin slowly glided down the cable that connected the top of Mountain Vault to Coral Cobble below. Judging by the timeworn dustiness of the clusters of short buildings, Key could tell they were heading toward the Cobble part of the city.


    What he could not tell was why Lyra, a furlough superhero with decades of experience, would need his help. Also, from what Key heard over the years, Lyra was a friendly and blithe person. Why was she so mean this morning?


    Key opened the Hiker energy bar that Lyra tossed him earlier and took a bite. If Lyra did not force him to come, he would be eating a cheeseburger in the cafeteria instead of this meager compensation for lunch.


    Key moved his sight away from the verdant mountain and glanced at Lyra. He searched through her blank visage, seeking answers to both of his questions, but nothing was there to be found.


    "What?" Lyra raised her brows and looked back at Key.


    "Why can''t you tell me why you''re taking me to Cobble?"


    Lyra cautiously looked around and leaned forward. Then, she answered with a hushed voice, "This is kept secret from the public, so I can''t talk about it in the academy."


    "What is it?"


    "Alt-Evolvers are back."


    "''Ow?" Key also lowered his volume.


    "We don''t think it is the original group since their leader has been dead for years, but their technology must have been preserved covertly."


    "But, ''ow do you know it''s their tech?"


    "We''ve got five bodies with Alt-Evolvers'' modification inside."


    "''Oly shit," Key swore without raising his voice. He lowered his sight to the ground in melancholy. There was something especially dispiriting about how these villains just kept bouncing back even after their initial death. There was always a secret successor, a copycat, or a wacky resurrection.


    "Yeah, holy shit. I haven''t even mentioned the part that now they can even make those abominations without changing their test subjects'' outer appearance."


    Key raised his head immediately upon hearing the news. His eyes opened wide. He had fully understood what the news meant the moment he heard it.


    "Three human males and two human females. None of them has any outside characteristics that can indicate any change inside their body."


    Key''s mind flew out of his head for a moment before Lyra called him back.


    "Sorry, I wasn''t paying attention," Key said with his left elbow propped on his thigh and his left hand holding against his forehead.


    "It''s okay." Tenderly, Lyra put her tiny, fourteen-year-old hand on Key''s left shoulder. "I know what you''ve been through. It must be traumatizing for you."


    Key, finally pulling his mind back into the cable car, looked Lyra in the eyes and said, "You don''t need to worry about that. I don''t ''ave a trauma."


    "Good, ''cause I do not have the time to console you." Lyra packed up her geniality, drew her hand back, and reclined against the seatback. Her words seemed more like a genuine response than a bitter jab, yet Key could only hear the latter.


    "I''m older than you."


    "Sure."


    "And you need to stop talking to me like I''m a kid." Key raised his voice a bit.


    "And when did I ever do that?" Lyra replied without breaking a slouching tranquility.


    Key opened his mouth and failed to recall an example to back up his accusation. He then shut his mouth and chose silence.


    Lyra said, "As much as you want to deny it, Alt-Evolvers did leave a scar in your heart."


    Key increased his volume again. "I''m not angry about Alt-Evolvers. They are nothing more than some criminals."


    Lyra looked at the mountain beneath them and said, "Loter is so much cuter than you."


    <hr>


    Advertisement:This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Ocelot. The car for you and your family.


    <hr>


    As they arrived in the evening, a dark-skinned man exited his old Ocelot sedan. He scurried onto the terminal platform with two wads of tin foil in his hands. His leather jacket had no sleeves. Decorative chains tightly wrapped across his shoulders and loosely hung before his abdomen.


    "Lyra, here," the man said in the empty terminal as a way of greeting. He tossed one wad to Lyra and the other to Key.


    As Lyra walked toward the man, Key followed behind and opened a tiny slit in the hot tin foil. He peeked inside. A small grin appeared on his face as he saw the beef burger inside.


    "Key, this is Ros, Rolling of Seas. Ros, this is Key Rayth, the kid who was once EEG." Lyra stood beside the two and did a simple introduction.


    Smiling, R.O.S. reached out a hand and added, "If you don''t know me already, I''m Loter''s mentor, and I''m currently working with HUCC and CAPD."


    "Thank you for the burger." Key put the wad on his hanging cast and shook the man''s hand.


    "I suppose Lyra has already told you about the situation?"


    "Yup." Key nodded with his improved emotion.


    R.O.S. beckoned them to follow him into his car. As soon as he got to face away from the kid, he silently sighed and dropped his smile. There was nothing for him to be happy about.


    Key went into the back row of the sedan, and Lyra sat on the passenger seat. Before she could close the car door, R.O.S. said, "You can''t sit here."


    "I''m sorry?" Lyra shut the door forcefully and stared at R.O.S. with a faint irritation in her slightly squinting eyes.


    "The law said kids below sixteen can''t sit in the front row."


    "No one will notice."


    "Everybody will know."


    "Fine." Lyra opened the door with an unnecessary amount of strength and slammed it close as she went into the back row.


    With the awkward atmosphere filling the entire sedan, R.O.S. stepped on the gas pedal, driving forward.


    The street of Cobble was no different from the day Key first entered the academy. It was the same even before Key got kidnapped. People with the same brown complexion as Key walked by the two sides of the asphalt road, flooding and completely blocking off streets with popular food stalls. No sidewalk would ever be built, and nobody complained about it. They would even laugh at the tourists and visitors when they got scared by the cars dashing beside them.


    The familiar view put a blunt unease in Key''s chest. On the one hand, he felt nostalgic. On the other, he had nothing to miss. His parents died during his kidnapping, and nobody would accept a monster like him, anyway. Key believed that those two factors were partially why he was put into HueCam Academy.


    With the ambivalence unresolved, Key spread the tin foil and bit into the hot beef burger.


    Minutes after Key finished the food, they arrived at the headquarters of the Cobble Area Police Department(CAPD). The building was gray, with about six floors, almost undistinguishable from any other governmental facilities.


    Before R.O.S. drove to the parking lot, Lyra exited the car. Key asked her why, and she answered she would be in the cafe across the street.


    Only after Lyra closed the door did R.O.S. say, "Her current appearance is a bit inconvenient, so she prefers to stay outside."


    Key nodded, saying nothing in return. He could relate to this feeling, the feeling when nobody sees you without either fear or curiosity in their eyes.


    As R.O.S. parked into one of the few empty slots, he suddenly asked, "By the way, how''s Loter doing? I know he''s in Haban. He told me about it, but how about before that? Is he blending in? Did he make any friends?"


    "''E is, and ''e is in ''aban with another two students. That must mean they are ''is friends."


    "Yes, of course." R.O.S. unbuckled his seatbelt and asked, "How about you? Are you close with Loter? I know you are in the same squad with him and the other two students."


    Key hesitated for a second and answered, "We are close. I''ve done some shitty things, but ''e has forgiven me."


    "That sounds just like him."


    <hr>


    The bunker under CAPD''s headquarters was built a hundred years prior to the police department itself and was almost entirely disjointed from the building above, except for the vertical shaft and the ladder attached to it.


    Inside, there was a central lobby with several doors and hallways leading to different rooms, big and small. Back in the day, the facility was used by the military. Now, CAPD and the Hero Union in Coral Cobble(HUCC) used it for supernatural investigation and superhero-related stuff.


    Despite its age, the old bunker did not seem to be worn. Its metallic tunnels, pipes, walls, and platforms were still gleaming under electric light. A sparse amount of people were in the lobby. Some were guards with ballistic armor and guns. Some were researchers heading between labs in their white coats. Others were officers waiting for science people to produce the results and pacing as they pondered their brains out.


    <hr>


    R.O.S. and Key walked past every single one of them, sticking to their own business. Their designated room had filing cabinets aligned by the wall and several officers arguing loudly. They pushed their fingers onto the whiteboard and the papers on the wide table. Meanwhile, a white machine with a gray helmet sat quietly in a corner.


    The room did not immediately fall silent when R.O.S. entered. However, most of the contention did pause itself.


    Some officers introduced themselves to Key one by one, and others did not bother. They summarized the whole situation with the new Alt-Evolvers and somehow managed to give less information than Lyra.


    Key pointed at the five X-ray images on the whiteboard and asked what they were. One officer answered that those belonged to the victims of the new Alt-Evolvers. All five images appeared to be identical to those of normal people. Not a single one depicted anything abnormal about the skeletons.


    What they actually needed Key to do was pretty dull, even more boring than Key''s worst expectation. They asked Key to sit by the white machine with the gray helmet on. He fainted directly after they activated the machine.


    When Key woke up again, R.O.S. was already taking him out. He explained that they needed Key''s consciousness turned off to access the modification in his brain so that they could track down the signals of other Alt-Evolvers'' victims. Key''s modification contained this function since he was once the brain of the Ever-Evolving Grosteque(E.E.G.), and the function was required to connect different parts of the monster.

 Assassination

    The process repeated for the next few days. Although Key did not tell anyone about it, he was thinking maybe he could track down Alt-Evolvers by himself. If this function existed in his head, he must be able to access it. The only problem was how.


    Key lay flat on the cheap bed of the equally cheap motel. A shaft of moonlight went through the wide window, covering him and leaving the rest of the room in dimness. R.O.S. was in the room beside Key''s, and who knew where Lyra was.


    Occasionally, Key would sit up from the bed. Then, he would look out from the window. He would stare at the street and gaze into buildings. Yet, nothing had yet to catch his eyes.


    Key sighed, lying back on the bed. He looked at the unfamiliar ceiling and closed his eyes. He, again, contemplated how he could unlock that part of his brain by himself. He had been pondering over this question continually for the past few days.


    Suddenly, Key slapped himself on the forehead.


    What am I thinking? I''ve been training for so long, and my power did not grow a single bit. There is no way I can suddenly unlock a new ability.


    He raised his hand a little and hit the same spot again.


    Why can''t my brain learn a thing? Where is the "ever-evolving" part? Nothing is evolving. I''m stuck with this useless calculator. I can''t do anything with it.


    Key removed his palm from his face, letting the hand naturally fall onto the bed. He forcefully inhaled a mouthful of air and exhaled it entirely. He did it two more times to calm his thoughts down.


    It''s fine. It''s not a problem. You are not trying to join HueCam League. Your power is enough for you to be bottom-line passable. It is enough¡ª


    Kraiger Motel.


    A random name popped up in Key''s head. He opened his eyes in confusion. His brows knitted slightly.


    "What is that?" he asked quietly into the void, not expecting an answer.


    Kraiger Motel.


    The name emerged again.


    Why is my brain repeating the name of a random motel? It''s not even the motel I''m in.


    Key sat up and looked out from the window. His sight wandered for a second and locked onto one of the buildings across the street. Specifically, his eyes were staring at a short motel called "Kraiger."


    My brain is mentioning that motel. Is it trying to tell me something? What can¡ª


    Trench Line Street.


    Upon hearing the next name, Key searched the street and stretched his head sideways before the window to see what was on the side. Luckily, he spotted a blue street sign. Although the words were too small for Key to see, his power examined his vision and projected what was written in the corner of his sight.


    Key stared at the corner to see the three green words: Trench Line Street.


    My brain just mentioned a motel and the street before it. What can my brain be doing? Is it tracking a person? Who is it tracking?


    Key stared at the crowd on the street. Yet, the density of the crammed throng of people prevented Key from singling out a single suspect.


    Maybe I should tell¡ª


    Happy Motel.


    That''s the name of this motel. Whatever my brain is tracking is in this building with me. I ''ave to tell¡ª


    "Ksshh!"


    The wide window beside the bed shattered into pieces. Glass debris burst into the room as Key rolled off the bed sideways and continued further away. Within a second, Key had gone from his bed to the wooden door. His back bashed against the door plank since he had not learned how to halt with only one hand.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    As Key faced back toward the bed and the broken window, his peripheral vision spotted a pair of dents on his bed rebounding back and the bed frame quivering. From the two pieces of information alone, Key''s power generated an estimated silhouette of the attacker.


    Before Key fully realized what was happening, he was already looking at a person with a clear outline on their legs and a blurry one on their upper body.


    The person ran across the room, stepping on and crushing the glass shards.


    What is ''appening? Who is this?


    Key pressed his good hand against the floor and pushed himself forward as he lunged his feet into a kick.


    His soles landed right on the attacker''s right shin. The attacker, with their left foot in the air, fell forward.


    "Krak!"


    Their face smashed into the wooden architrave and slipped off. A few wood chips burst off the door frame.


    As their body fell beside Key, the invisibility was disabled.


    With no delay, Key got back onto his feet, stepping away and staring down at the brown-skinned man on the floor.


    The person seemed to be a local male with a buzz cut similar to Key''s. His short-sleeved shirt was light blue, and his pants were a pair of jeans. The slimness in his exposed arms suggested no strength or power to climb up a building or punch through a window.


    It could be that he had mastered the same kind of technique as Rag Dowii. Yet, Key knew it was probably not the case.


    Groaning, the man curled his back, attempting to stand up.


    No, ''ere''s my chance. I can''t let ''im get up.


    Key stepped forward and kicked him in the nape. The man''s rising shoulders lowered as his elbows slipped under the impact.


    Key''s next stomp fell onto the attacker''s occiput, pressing his face against the ground. He reached out a hand, trying to grab Key by the ankle. Yet, Key lifted his foot and stamped that hand onto the back of his head.


    Key had made the same move three times, stopping the attacker''s progress with every single kick. It was only natural for him to go for the fourth shot.


    He raised his foot, and before he could tread down, the attacker rolled sideways, away from him.


    "Thwok!"


    The sole landed heavily on the empty floor, making only a blunt chirp of wood.


    The attacker wasted no time and crawled up, stepping his feet on the ground again. The two''s eyes met in the air.


    Finally seeing the attacker''s wrathful face, Key noticed that it was still intact. Not a scrape was made from being smashed into a wall or being pushed against the ground. Following this discovery was his realization that he could not beat this man.


    He had to run.


    The attacker lunged toward Key, clumsily throwing his fist. Key lowered his head and dodged backward. The attacker repeated his offense, and Key avoided it again.


    Both punches were calculated, predicted, and analyzed by Key''s power even before the fists were swung.


    As expected, the attacker raised his left hand for the third punch. A clear image of his estimated posture and position after the punch was shown in Key''s sight.


    Key leaned his body sideways, ready to perform the dodge. His nervous heart had already calmed down after avoiding two attacks in a row. His bygone worry seemed unnecessary.


    Yet, in the blink of an eye, the green outline disappeared along with the attacker. All of a sudden, nothing was left in Key''s sight.


    What?


    Then, Key felt a force bashed into his chest.


    "Thwok!"


    He fell to the ground, hitting the back of his head against the wooden floor. Immediately, Key felt immense pressure on the top of his left shoulder and clamped around his neck.


    A clear outline of the attacker re-emerged in Key''s sight: He was straddling Key with his right knee pressing on Key''s left shoulder and his hands choking his throat.


    Instinctively, Key tried to grab the attacker''s grasping hand. Yet, his right arm was plastered, and his left arm was pinned by the knee. He could only barely move his left forearm. Even lifting his elbow up from the ground was impossible.


    Key panicked, not due to the suffocation but the force around his neck. He could feel his flesh and trachea being squeezed together as if they were about to explode. His mouth opened and closed, and nothing went through whatsoever.


    He kicked the man in the back with his knees, yet no air meant no strength. The first two hits were decent, but the following three were just meaningless taps.


    The silhouette of the attacker blurred with the rest of Key''s sight. Thoughts and feelings, even fear, stopped going through his head. His leg dropped to the floor after one last kick. The movable left forearm had been lying there motionlessly for some time.


    The only sound Key could hear was the attacker''s heavy breathing, which was busy fading. That was until he heard a knock on the door and some unrecognizable words from R.O.S.


    The clamp on his throat seemed to become tighter. The increased pain grasped Key''s last string of consciousness before it slipped off the cliff.


    Ros¡­


    Key raised his plastered arm and knocked the heavy cast against the wooden floor plank.


    "Krak!"


    "Krak!"


    A splash of water crushed through the door while Key''s consciousness plummeted down the cliff.

 Afterward

    When Key opened his eyes again, he saw R.O.S. shaking his arms and heard him calling his name at a moderate volume.


    "Are you alright?"


    Key nodded weakly at a barely perceptible angle. He sat up as he felt a burning pain around his neck.


    R.O.S. held a hand some distance behind Key''s back, supposedly preventing Key from falling if he suddenly faints.


    Key pressed a finger against the bruise on his neck and flinched immediately. Meanwhile, his wandering eyes fell on the attacker, who was now lying among the glass shards and a thin haze produced by R.O.S.''s ability.


    "I''m sorry. I should''ve been here earlier," R.O.S. said, watching Key push his left palm against the ground and clumsily stand up while lifting his plastered arm in the air.


    "It''s fine. You don''t need to worry about me." Key plodded to his bed, grabbing his arm sling. For this entire time, his sight did not leave the body on the ground. He asked, "Is ''e still alive?"


    "I only knocked him out. We already have too many corpses and too little information. If he is really an assassin sent by Alt-Evolvers, it would be a huge advancement in the investigation."


    Key sat atop the bed. Too much was flying through his mind, yet too little stayed. A blunt headache had his thoughts as clean as a stainless paper. He stayed silent for a while and asked, "''Ow did they know we''re ''ere?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe they have people watching us. Our activity here is not so discreet, after all."


    Key did not say another word. He put a hand on his forehead and kept his eyes closed. Everything was just too fuzzy. He wanted to ignore the dull pain, yet it had already occupied his head.


    R.O.S. sat on the little wooden chair in the room, waiting quietly. His seemingly negligent action gave Key a short break. An ephemeral peace was established in the silence and behind Key''s closed eyelids.


    Within ten minutes, some officers came and drove the two back to CAPD''s headquarters. The fainted attacker was put in a separate police van.


    Key fell asleep shortly after entering the car, and R.O.S. chatted with the driving officer about the night. After they began to hear Key''s low snoring, the topic slowly shifted away from work.


    "Are you sure we should be putting the boy through this?" the officer asked, glancing at the sleeping teenager through the rearview.


    "He''s supposed to be a hero in the future. He will face situations that are much worse than what happened today."


    The officer paused, took another brief look at Key, and said, "''E''s still a kid."


    R.O.S., on the passenger seat, looked over his shoulder to see Key''s muscular yet fragile body and the drop of saliva about to fall off his lip. His eyes averted. Then, he turned back to face the front. "He''s tough enough," R.O.S. said to both the driver and himself.


    "Yeah¡­ My son is never going to become a police."


    "How old is he?"


    "Five, but I''d break ''is leg if ''e dares to tell me ''e wants to be like dad in the future." The officer smiled, and R.O.S. tittered slightly.


    "Maybe he will want to be a hero instead, Jim." R.O.S. went along with the joke.


    "Oh please, I''m not you. I can''t imagine my son being a ''ero."


    "Yo, what are you talking about? I''m not even married."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "You''re not? But don''t you ''ave a kid in the academy?"


    "Loter? He''s not my son. I just need to look after him."


    "I see. You''re like an uncle or something?" Jim lightly nodded.


    "Not exactly, but close enough."


    Jim let out an amused snort and said with a raised voice and an uncontrollable curve on his lips, "Oh, Ros. You know what Billy said? ''E said your wife cucked you with a white guy. That''s why the kid is so damn white." Jim''s laughter continued. The ridiculousness of the story had R.O.S. stuck between irritation and mirth.


    The next day, Key woke up in the police sleep room. Since the space was completely lightless, Key fell to the ground the moment he tried to sit up from the bed.


    The door was then opened halfway by an officer. She stuck her head into the room and asked, "Are you alright?"


    The shaft of light entering from the ajar door had Key holding his left arm before his eyes. Factually speaking, he did land on his plastered arm when he slipped off the bed, but he decided not to make a scene of it. "Yup, nothing''s wrong. Just ''ad a bad dream."


    "Great, the phone on the nightstand will ring if you''re needed," the female officer replied and deftly closed the door, not wasting an extra second before getting back to her own business.


    The dark room went back into silence. Key recline against the nightstand while rubbing his face with his good hand. He learned his habit from Loter, and just now, he figured it was pretty effective in sobering up.


    Afterward, he gathered just enough energy to lift himself up and climbed back onto the bed. He sighed and began recollecting what had happened last night.


    He first thought about the assassin. Almost instantly, three other ways he could have approached the fight popped up in his head. It was in hindsight he realized how stupid it was to forget the assassin''s invisibility completely.


    Key clenched his good hand, denting his palm with his nails. He knew his wishful thinking had gotten him again last night. That was not supposed to happen, and it was especially so after Dowii addressed this problem so many times.


    He took a deep breath, exhaled, and repeated until his nails quitted stabbing his palm.


    Key then rubbed his chest, specifically on his freshly gained bruise. He could sense a blunt and light pain as he pressed down. It was not severe, yet it was still there, reminding him that his body was as weak as before. If it were Ramiron, that blow to the chest would not even be considered an attack but a mere tap.


    Key rolled onto the right side of his body, facing the wall. He then recalled what had happened a bit earlier: A voice was telling him the location of the attacker even before the fight broke out.


    Back then, he was too occupied to reflect upon it. Now, he could actually look back at the experience; Key realized it was exactly the kind of growth in ability he was searching for. He was supposed to be excited and even feel cheerful, but the feeling just did not emerge.


    Key was thinking about it rather rationally. He had to make sure it was real. He needed to ensure those words were not his hallucination.


    ''Ow did I make the voice appear last time? I was just lying there at the time. What did I do?


    With an instant insight, Key slapped himself on the forehead. Then, he did it again with more strength.


    No, that does not work. What else did I do at the time?


    Key continued to ponder on this problem as he tossed around in the bed. He reached his plastered arm out so he would not press on it when he lay on his right.


    What if I just think about it? Would the voice just answer my question? I ''ave to try. Where are Alt-Evolvers?


    Key asked the question in his head and opened his eyes. He turned and lay supine on the bed with his limbs resting beside him.


    Key shut his eyes again to focus on his hearing. Yet, there was nothing to hear except the low humming of the air conditioner.


    After a short sigh, Key flipped to his left to face the wall again. His ruminating proceeded.


    That''s not ''ow it works. One more possibility checks out, but which one is the one that works?


    He turned and lay on his back again. Just as he was about to sit up from the bed, the voice appeared again.


    Believerance''s Hospital.


    What is that? Say it again. Where are Alt-Evolvers?


    Believerance''s Hospital.


    Key repeated the name to himself and dug his hand into his shorts'' pockets. Finding nothing inside, he reached for the nightstand. Since it was on his right side, Key had to hold his plastered arm in the air while sweeping his left hand on the wooden top.


    Knocking off what seemed to be an alarm clock and almost doing the same to a landline, he picked up his phone and turned it on.


    Sharp light jabbed him in the eyes as his lock screen of an armored game character popped up. Key, while squinting his eyes and facing away, glanced at the upper right corner of his phone.


    The eighteen percent remaining power had reddened the battery icon. Ignoring it, Key opened his search engine and began battering his left thumb on the digital keyboard.


    Believerance''s Hospital¡­ Six blocks away. Is that the location of another Alt-Evolvers'' assassin, or is that the location of their secret lair? Should I tell this to Ros?


    Key stared at the map on his phone. The darkness of the room made the screen light sharply dazzling.


    He swallowed a mouthful of his own saliva.

 Folding the Quilt

    <hr>


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    <hr>


    Loter threw himself onto the couch as soon as he got back to the dorm. His gray suitcase was left standing beside the door. He purred as he buried his face in the soft fabric of the couch.


    "Go take your luggage back to your room," Hiroku said, carrying both of their suitcases while entering the unit. Yawning, Hiroku pushed and let Loter''s one slide to him.


    "I will. I''m tired," Loter replied without heaving his head up. His suitcase slowly approached him and stopped as it touched his foot.


    Not responding, Hiroku went into his room and closed the door.


    Loter continued lying there. His eyelids shut uncontrollably. The couch''s thick cushion felt extra soft to Loter after lying on a floor mattress for nine days. The familiar smell of dust mites only added to the coziness.


    Loter''s intangible will of getting up was greatly suppressed by the tangible comfort.


    I''ll just stay here for another twenty seconds. Then, I will go to Tori. She must be stressing out, facing the vice principal alone.


    Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen. Seventeen. Sixteen. Fifteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Fifteen. Fourteen. Thirteen. Two-teen. Eleven. Nine¡­¡­ Six¡­ Wait, what? Where am I? Should I do the counting again from twenty? No, I need to go find Tori. I need¡ª


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    What? I need to get up.


    Before his consciousness could escape his head again, Loter slapped himself on the occiput and purposefully rolled off the couch.


    "Ouch." Loter groaned as he crawled up from the floor.


    I have to get to Tori. I can''t be sleeping.


    Not laying an eye on his suitcase, Loter walked to the elevator. When he finally arrived at the first floor, he saw Tori and Vice Principal Neosol standing before him.


    "Ah, Mr. Spawman. We are just looking for you," Neosol said with a genial grin and walked into the elevator immediately.


    "Yes, what took you so long? You said you were just putting down the luggage." Tori followed behind the vice principal and asked. Her eyes blinked in innocence and a genuine curiosity.


    "Uhhh," Loter uttered and swayed his eyes between the woman and the girl as he failed to generate an intelligent excuse.


    "It must be the stomach. The unfamiliar food in Haban must put your stomach under a lot of pressure." Still smiling, Neosol tossed Loter a perfect cover-up.


    "Yeah, that''s why. I was in the bathroom this whole time. Huh, huh." Loter ended his sentence with an awkward laugh. Even he himself had no faith in his ability to lie.


    However, Tori did not seem to spot a single thing that was off. She nodded and asked with genuine care, "Are you still feeling unwell?" She shifted herself closer to Loter as she spoke.


    In the meantime, Neosol''s grin widened and blossomed. For some reason undiscoverable, she exited the elevator and, before leaving, she said, "I just had a whim, so, Mr. Spawman, you''re in charge of the rest of the campus tour now. Enjoy your time, kids."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Wait, what?" Loter was caught by surprise while Tori was smashing the "close" button.


    "She is a very cute lady," Tori giggled and commented after the elevator doors slid together.


    "Yeah, but what tour are we talking about?"


    "Ms. Neosol said she would introduce me to different parts of the school, just like how you have, ha-, had a school tour when you first came here." While explaining, Tori slightly shifted a bit more toward Loter and discreetly held his hand.


    "That makes sense. Where has she taken you to?" Loter proceeded with the topic they were on. He did feel Tori''s soft and tiny palm grabbing onto his hand, yet he was used to it enough not to bring it up.


    "We have not started yet."


    "Okay, I can show you my dorm first."


    Tori nodded enthusiastically. Her eyes sparked.


    "By the way, did she assign you a unit already?"


    "Yes, she said the room is 406."


    The elevator arrived at the third floor. Loter led Tori through the vestibule and into the hallway.


    "Hey, Lod. Long dime no see," Kiznaq exclaimed without a sense of urgency as he left his unit. He rushed to Loter with quick steps. His eyes flicked to the holding hands and quickly rose back to meet Loter''s.


    "Kiznaq! This is Tori. The new student here." Loter reached his free hand high into the sky, waving and making the occupied one even more obvious.


    Staying slightly behind him, Tori took a tiny step forward. "My name is Tori Kayama. I am from Haban." She said with her back pushed forward and her shoulders lifted upward. The confidence in her voice was firm and concrete.


    Despite her positive attitude, Kiznaq was not impressed or, more accurately, uninterested. He glanced at Tori and quickly said his name before shifting his attention back to Loter. There was a conspicuous awkwardness and hesitation in his conflicted eyes.


    He stuttered, "Lod, I, I¡ª"


    Out of his expectation, Loter interjected, "Is this something important? Can you tell me later? I''m giving Tori a campus tour." The girl behind him flushed, and the boy before him smiled, relieved from his stress.


    "Of course, we will dalk lader, and please dell Hiroku aboud id. He needs do hear d''is doo."


    "Okay, I''ll tell him about it."


    "Good, good." Kiznaq hurried away, rounding them without any extra eye contact.


    Tori glanced at the leaving guy and softly asked Loter with her mouth close to his ear, "Did I do something wrong?"


    "What?" Loter intuitively asked back and said, "No. I think you did pretty well. Very confident. Kiznaq is just a little shy. Besides, he seemed to be occupied. You don''t need to worry about it. I will introduce Key to you later. He''ll be happy to know you." Loter opened his dorm unit, entering while still holding hands with Tori.


    Tori made several gentle "oh" sounds as Loter began his most certainly unnecessary summary.


    "That is the couch. Beside it is my suitcase. That''s the television. That is a table¡ª"


    "Where do the two doors lead to?"


    "Oh." Loter pointed at the one on the left. "That leads to my bedroom." He then pointed at the one on the right. "That leads to Hiroku''s bedroom, and there is another door to the bathroom¡­ There." Loter moved a few steps to point at another door in the unit.


    "Can you show me your room?"


    "Yeah, I just cleaned it before going to Haban."


    Loter opened the door, and Tori peeked in.


    The laptop on the desk was closed with a thin layer of dust on top of it. The windows were locked, and the blinds were drawn down. The alarm clock quietly sat atop the drawer. Beside it, the wrinkled quilt lay on the bed like a wrung rag. Above it was the poster of Strikelet.


    "Hah, hah, hah," Loter laughed awkwardly as he saw the quilt. "I must''ve forgotten that part before I left."


    "Do you not know how to fold quilts? I can teach you." Tori released Loter''s hand and went past him, entering the bedroom with bobbing steps. She quickly strolled to the bed, and Loter followed, letting the door close itself.


    Tori deftly snapped the quilt twice, turning the wrung rag into a smooth sheet of cloth. With an even smoother sequence of dexterous actions, Tori turned the mess into a fluffy rectangle.


    "See? Now is your turn." Holding her mellow grin, Tori pulled up the rectangle and undid her earlier effort with a toss and a fling.


    "Uhh." Loter had his eyes swayed between the girl and the bed several times before he said, "Yeah, you need to do it again."


    "You need to pay attention this time." Tori gladly warned Loter without a wisp of a threat in her voice. She folded the quilt again, and Loter restated his request. The process repeated another time before Tori came up with an idea.


    "Okay, you stand there and held, hold your hands out," Tori commanded while giggling.


    "Yeah?" Loter followed the instructions with some curiosity. As he glanced sideways and realized Tori was no longer beside him, a pair of soft palms held his wrists from behind. The short and thin fingers clung to the back of his thick and wide hands.


    Tori''s unfluent words came from behind, "I will, I will hold your hands, and we will did, do it together, alright?"


    "Okay," Loter answered. His cheeks faintly blushed. He could sense the soft touch on his hands. However, this touch was a bit too light that the fingertips were barely brushing on his hand hair. Then, Tori tightened her grip yet shrunk back immediately when her skin pressed onto Loter''s.


    "I am about to start. Are you ready?" Tori audibly swallowed a mouthful of her own saliva. She was looking at the quilt by sticking her head sideways, and she peeked at Loter for a moment. But, his expression could not be seen from her angle.


    "Ye, yeah." Loter, influenced by Tori, also stuttered.


    "Okay." Tori slowly held her palms around his hands. Seldom to no strength was put into the grip. By a little bit, she tried to move her hands forward.


    Loter followed, perfectly synchronizing her movement. Even the slightest shift in position was done without any dissonance.


    They held up the quilt and began. Tori''s voice came first, their arms and hands moved second, and Loter''s fingers either grabbed or released.


    Loter was not sure if he was hallucinating or if he was actually listening to Tori''s heartbeat. Either way, he found the rhythm amusing.

 The Mellow Sweetness and the Scary Bitterness

    Loter skipped up the stone stairs before the training center as Tori effortfully followed. He turned around with excitement from the quilt folding and anticipation about what they were about to do. He said, "We are about to meet Glacia. She is a very nice girl."


    "A very nice girl?" Tori asked, panting. She halted and propped her hands on her knees as she finally caught up with Loter. Her wooden sandals and thick blue kimono were certainly not helping.


    "Yeah." Loter lowered his voice and whispered into Tori''s ear, "And she is actually dating Hiro."


    "My cousin." Tori panted. "Have, has a girlfriend? That is so unexpected."


    "Yeah, but he has already changed a lot. I think he is much happier than when I first met him," Loter said while walking to the kiosk in the center of the building''s first-floor lobby.


    "What is this?" Tori pointed at the kiosk as Loter poked and swiped his index finger on the glowing screen.


    "This? It''s like a big phone on the ground. You use it to control the two rooms there," Loter explained and peeked at the two training rooms several meters behind the kiosk.


    "So, this is a landline?" Tori asked. She cocked her head slightly to one side.


    "Wait, what? No, a landline is a phone." Loter made a gesture of picking a handset.


    "But you said it is a phone on the ground?" Tori''s voice was filled with an innocent curiosity.


    Loter turned to the screen and looked back at Tori with his expression frozen. "That makes sense. It is a landline. You can even make calls with it." He tapped a finger on his chin while averting his eyes upward to further contemplate the topic.


    "How do you use it? Teach me," Tori requested.


    "Sure, you just click here, then here, and then there." Loter clicked a few digital buttons, and a ringing sound began to come out of the kiosk.


    Tori gazed closely at the machine, slightly reaching her head forward. In no time, Glacia''s face appeared on it. Huge drops of sweat were sliding down her forehead. She smiled the moment she saw Loter on the other side of the call.


    "Loter, you''re back. I already heard from Dowii that you took a girl back with you." Glacia''s exuberant voice came out from the kiosk. "Hi~, my name is Glacia Quakeheart. What''s your name?"


    "I am Tori Kayama," she replied, expanding her chest and lifting her shoulders, displaying the confidence and enthusiasm she had been told to show.


    "I''m really looking forward to being on the same squad as you," Glacia said, her smile widening.


    "Me too!"


    "Great," Glacia replied, "do you two have anything important to tell me? ''Cause I''m in the middle of my training. Dowii has been pretty strict with me since I was the only available one on the squad."


    Loter picked up the conversation and said, "Nothing too serious. I''m just giving Tori a campus tour. We are going to the health center to see Key next."


    "Key''s not in the academy. Ms. Vesp took him."


    "What? Why?"


    "Dowii said the Coral Cobble police needs help with a case, and Key''s ability can assist them in some weird way."


    "When will he be back?"


    "I don''t know. He''s been gone for three days."


    Loter nodded.


    "By the way, is Hiroku not with you?"


    "Hiro?" Loter paused for a second to recall the scene in which he last saw Hiroku. "I think he is sleeping in his dorm. He seemed really tired."


    "All right, I''ll go check on him after my training."The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Great!"


    "I''ll see you at the dinner?"


    "Yeah, oh, another thing. I have to tell you!"


    "Hm?"


    "Hiro has changed quite a bit in Haban. You''ll be surprised when you see him." Loter lowered his voice for the vibe.


    "What happened?" Glacia raised her brows and volume. Her attention paid to the conversation visibly increased by a full notch.


    "I''m not telling you," Loter said with a smug smile and ended the call, cutting off Glacia''s loud protest.


    As they went upstairs, Tori asked, after some serious hesitation, "How was my cousin like before he went to Haban?"


    Going up the stairs without lowering his speed, Loter answered, "He was not very happy." He sighed in light dejection and continued, "He said he was responsible for what other Kayama had done, and I think he got upset whenever he thought about Cho-san Island."


    "Is he still like this?"


    "I don''t know. I think he has improved, but, to be fair, I also get very unhappy when I think of Cho-san Island."


    Tori did not say a word back, so Loter proceeded, "It just feels like there is nothing I can do. I can''t help people there by defeating a monster, or criminal, or a criminal organization. I can only watch bad things happen. It is depressing seeing people getting all their possibilities shut down at birth¡ª"


    "I am the lucky one. I am lucky to meet you, Loter. You can not change my world, but you brought me out of it," Tori abruptly interjected. She grabbed Loter by his white sleeve, stopping him from going upward. Before Loter could turn around, Tori hugged him from behind and buried her face into his white hoodie.


    Without a sign, a sudden impulse flooded through Loter''s chest. He gasped. Yet, his breath was cut in two by a hiccup. Tears damped Loter''s eyes. He had his hands lightly held onto Tori''s forearms. He would have been clasping her if she were not behind him.


    Feeling Loter''s touch, Tori hugged tighter, pressing her encircling arms against Loter''s stomach.


    The two fell into silence, and it lasted for what felt like an entire day.


    Tori''s grab eventually lightened. Loter said, "It''s okay, Tori. I''m fine already. It''s just a part of being a hero. Hiroku had told me this and I''ve learned it from the hero ethics class. Heroes are not supposed to get involved in social issues. I can understand this rule and follow it. It''s just that those things still sadden me when I think about them."


    "Then forget them," Tori instantly replied, "Loter, you can forget about those things. You are not a Kayama. You do not need to remember those things for us."


    After a short hesitation, Loter answered assertively, "No, I won''t forget them. I can not help these people, so the least I can do is remember them. That is all I can do, and that is what I think is right to do." His voice was firm and steady, with no quivering or hiccups.


    Still had her face buried in Loter''s back, Tori nodded. Her forehead softly scratched against Loter''s smooth white hoodie. She gave Loter a smile and a cheerful chort. "Let''s get back to the campus tour, you time-waster!" Tori emphasized the last two words with a fake irritation. She immediately giggled afterward.


    Struck by the sudden change of tone, Loter also tittered. He held his hands next to his head and said, "Only if you let go of me first."


    Tori intentionally strengthened her hug and rubbed her face sideways against Loter''s back. "I am not listening to you," she exclaimed in a joyful tone.


    <hr>


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    <hr>


    While the two were playing on the staircase, Hiroku was still in a deep sleep in his bedroom. About half an hour later, his phone began to ring, waking him up.


    Hiroku raised his head, unearthing his face from the quilt he had been lying on. He turned the alarm off with a simple click on his phone and went straight to the bathroom to wash his face without bothering to close his door.


    Murkia Union. HueCam State. Coral Cobble. Mountain Campus. I''m finally back. I can''t believe I''m happy to be here.


    Hiroku gazed at himself in the mirror. He was not looking for anything on his wet face. It was just a blank look with nothing but hollowness inside. He removed both his hair ties and tied them back onto his double ponytails. Then, he involuntarily recalled that he had to face Glacia within an hour. A layer of frustration was added to his lifeless visage.


    Damn.


    Leaving the dorm, Hiroku then strolled to the garden. It was supposed to be his hobby, yet neither the walking nor the sight of flowers could stop him from thinking about Glacia. He knew how to break things to her. The biggest struggle was how he could do it without hurting her feelings. The second biggest struggle was how he could avoid depicting himself as an asshole.


    Hiroku sat on the pavilion and sighed, looking at the flowers and the setting sun. Unfortunately, none of their beauty could enter his head. Again and again, his brain kept playing out different imaginary scenarios and failing them in various fashions.


    Finally, his phone began to ring, knocking Hiroku out of his imagination. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw the contactor''s name: Glacia Quakeheart.


    Damn.

 The Figuring of Love

    "Glacia¡­"


    "Welcome back to the academy. I heard from Dowii you got quite an adventure in Haban." Glacia''s voice was a notch lighter and higher than when she was talking to Loter.


    "That is one way to put it."


    "I''m glad you''re safe."


    Hiroku opened his mouth and then closed it after finding nothing to say. He wanted to get to the tough topic immediately, yet he also had an urge not to.


    Hearing no response, Glacia continued, "Where are you now? In the dorm or in the garden?"


    "Garden," Hiroku said, "I have something to tell you." His voice was as serious and dispiriting as he used to be.


    "Alright, I''m coming," Glacia replied in a serious tone, without her earlier pleasance. It was already clear to Hiroku that he was off to a bad start.


    When Glacia arrived at the pavilion, Hiroku initially thought she would sit beside him. Instead, she took her seat across the round marble table, facing Hiroku from the opposite end. This made Hiroku much more comfortable than he had expected.


    He stared at the marble table and occasionally glanced outside the pavilion, not brave enough to look Glacia in the eyes. He sighed and inhaled. Just as he opened his mouth, Glacia asked, "Is everything alright?"


    "Yes, yes. Everything''s alright."


    "Then, what''s wrong?"


    "I just." Hiroku paused for a moment to reconstruct his sentence. "I want to say sorry, and I want to break a thing to you."


    "Yes?"


    "I''m sorry. I don''t think I like you." Hiroku stole a glimpse of Glacia and averted his eyes back to the table. The Glacia he saw was calm and unbothered, so he raised his head to check again. This time, he saw it clearly: Glacia''s eyes were dampened, and her hands clenched together on the table.


    "Then, all the snuggle and everything¡­ Why?" she asked with a quivering voice.


    "I''m sorry. I just felt lonely, and your company was enjoyable."


    "What?" Glacia, confused, squeezed her question out of her throat.


    Hiroku clamped his teeth, turned away, and faced back at Glacia as if he had made a difficult decision. "I''ve been feeling lonely ever since I entered the mountain campus. I lost all my friends, and this place was such a strange place. I was desperate, and you were there. I knew you liked me from the beginning, but I just can''t say no to you because I''m a selfish fuck, and I don''t want to lose you." Hiroku closed his eyes and pressed his left palm against his forehead. "I''m sorry I''ve been using you. It felt really good when you were around me. I should''ve rejected you at the very beginning. I''m so sorry for all the time you wasted on me." Hiroku''s spirit fell to the ground, yet there was a weak sense of relief among the dejection. Although he probably lost himself a friend, he finally faced his wrongdoing.


    For what felt like an hour, Glacia did not respond. The air kept flowing, and the sun kept setting. Hiroku''s desperation slowly diminished as his impulse faded. He raised his head to look at Glacia again. The girl also appeared more dignified, with her tears already wiped.


    "Hiroku, what do you want to accomplish with what you told me?" Glacia asked in her casual voice, almost as if her emotions were not impacted by what she heard.


    "I, I." Hiroku took an extra second to think and answer, "I want you to know that I can''t love you back."


    "But do you want me to leave you alone and treat you like a complete stranger? Avoid talking to you?"


    "No, I." Hiroku hesitated for a moment and lowered his head before he disclosed his selfish wish. "I don''t want you to leave me. I want things to stay the way they are."Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Then, who are you to say that is not love?"


    "Hm?"


    "No, your whole argument is based on your imagination," Glacia hastily answered and continued frantically and hurriedly, "You are not as selfish as a person you think you are. You shooed me away every single time I tried to get close to you. You''ve been rejecting me since the very beginning. It''s me who never took any of it seriously." Glacia paused and gazed into Hiroku''s eyes, searching for the impact of her words. Finding only a blank slate of a face, she continued, "You said you can''t love me back, but you do want me. You still want to hug me. You still want to spend time with me. Do you even know what love is? You love me."


    "I¡­" Hiroku tried to argue back instinctively, yet nothing processed through his brain. Not a cohesive opinion could be formed. In frustration, Hiroku pushed a hand against his forehead and forcefully closed his eyes. "I¡­"


    "Hiroku¡­" Glacia called his name softly. What lay in her voice was not cheap pity for strangers but genuine concern for a person who she cared deeply about.


    "I need some time." Hiroku squeezed the sentence out of his throat as he struggled to even think of anything else than what Glacia just said. Her voice echoed in his head, leaving no space for anything of value.


    "Yes." Glacia stood up from the seat and exited the pavilion. As she went down the stoop, she took one last glance before speeding up and leaving the garden.


    Hiroku stayed in the pavilion for a few more minutes before going back to the dorm. The overwhelming shock and emotion had already mellowed to a trace of bitterness on his tongue and an impulse in his chest. Not a thing else than where he was heading popped up in his head. Hiroku tried to think about Loter and Key, but the thoughts just dropped off the cliff the moment they formed. Key''s exact location did not interest him a bit, and he was not in the right mood for Loter''s love story.


    It was an exhaustion that occupied his head. This tiredness bolstered his aimless urge and dejection, putting extra weight on his every shaky step and causing his upper ponytail to bounce slightly to his pace. When Hiroku finally stepped into his dorm, he slammed the door closed and threw himself onto the couch. Pulling his two hair ties off his head, Hiroku turned around to stare at the empty ceiling, the same ceiling he had been living under for what felt like an eternity.


    Finally, Hiroku circled back to what Glacia told him in the garden.


    Do I like Glacia? He asked himself. I just enjoy her presence. I don''t know what her hobby is. I don''t know how her power works. I don''t know her life before joining this jail of a school. How can that count as love?


    As his mind wandered to a dead end, the phone in his pocket suddenly buzzed out of nowhere. Hiroku pulled it out and saw Loter''s message: "Hey, Hiro. Are you awake? If you are, please come to the garden. Tori said she wanted to play poker. Surprising, right? I thought people in Cho-san would play some old Habanese card games."


    What? Where did she learn how to play poker? I thought¡ª


    Hm?


    Tori does not know a thing about Loter, and Loter barely knows anything about Tori. How did they fall in love? It doesn''t make sense. Or am I the one who''s not making sense?


    Throwing all these thoughts out of the window, Hiroku sent a generic "sure" sticker to Loter. He got up from the couch, did not tie his hair, sighed, and took a deep breath before leaving the dorm. His head remained empty until the elevator stopped by the second floor.


    As the doors slid open to the two sides, Hiroku and Glacia''s eyes met in midair. Both of them averted away immediately. Still, Glacia stepped into the elevator. She stood beside Hiroku with her hands held behind her back. The doors closed as they both purposefully ignored each other.


    Before they opened again, Glacia turned toward Hiroku and abruptly asked, "What do you think?"


    "Hm?" Hiroku, startled by the question, took an extra second before looking at Glacia. The elevator opened, and he finally answered, "To be honest, I don''t know. I''m confused. I don''t even know what ''love'' is anymore." His eyes lowered to the floor.


    Without a sign, Glacia took a step closer and hugged him sideways. Her arms wrapped around him, and her head lay on his shoulder. The sense of maiden softness went through Glacia''s thin, white tube top, dazing Hiroku and freezing him into a statue. The doors before them slid shut.


    Hiroku could feel Glacia''s breath blow against his right cheek. He was convinced that their noses and lips would touch if he dared to turn his head rightward.


    A soft voice came into his ear. "Do you like this?"


    Do I like this?


    The moment Hiroku asked himself this question, his calmness came back to him. "I, I," Hiroku halted, letting go of the impact of teenage hormones and sighing as he felt his heart bumping in his chest. "I am happy when you are with me."


    "What?"


    "I don''t know if this qualifies as love, but I do enjoy your presence, and seeing you makes me happy."


    Glacia pulled away and took a step back as Hiroku turned toward her. Their eyes met in the air. Both pairs were in anticipation, yet waiting for different things.


    Hiroku continued, "I don''t want things to change. Can we just rewind everything and get back to normal?"


    "Of course," Glacia said and once again embraced Hiroku. This time, his arms also wrapped around her naked waist. With her face buried in Hiroku''s shoulder, Glacia added, "Do you know you just sounded a bit like Loter?"


    "That''s definitely untrue." Hiroku could not control but let out a chort.


    "No, you actually did. Who else would''ve asked others to rewind time with him," Glacia said and giggled, for both her humor and her relationship.


    "Do you want to go play poker with Loter and Tori?" Hiroku conspicuously changed the topic.


    "Yup, but let''s just stay here for a bit longer."

 Back to Normal

    The poker game went well with three hands and four players. Since Tori''s knowledge of poker stopped by the game''s existence, Loter had to share a hand with her and explain the rules as the game went. Of course, they accidentally touched hands consistently, and Loter had to whisper into Tori''s ear every few minutes. Hardly paying attention to the actual game, Glacia blinked at Hiroku and giggled. To that, Hiroku chorted and rolled his eyes.


    Afterward, they had dinner in the cafeteria, in which Loter discovered that Tori''s favorite food was not miso broth. He told her the information came from her parents, and Tori explained that they had not been close for a long time. Before the atmosphere could become depressed in any way, Hiroku abruptly changed the topic.


    The next day, Loter woke up earlier than Hiroku with a spilling excitement. He knocked hard on Hiroku''s door until Hiroku opened it and glared with his lifeless eyes.


    "What''s your problem?" He came out of his room and sat on the couch in his white pajamas with purple elephant patterns. "The cafeteria is open in an hour."


    "I''m just excited that Tori will join our class today. It''s her first time receiving real education." Loter, wearing his usual white hoodie shirt and gray trousers, pounced onto the couch beside Hiroku.


    "Real education," Hiroku repeated Loter''s words with a sarcastic tone.


    "Haha. Yeah, not really ''real education,'' but she''ll start learning math, and I''ll be able to help her with that!"


    "I''m sure she will love learning math," Hiroku chuckled, not changing his tone.


    "Yeah, me too!" The obvious sarcasm flew over Loter''s head without being detected.


    Hiroku paused for a second and decided not to bring this up. He changed the topic. "By the way, what are you studying in the math section now?"


    "Spectral theorem."


    "I see." Hiroku, uninterested, nodded, hearing the theorem for the first time in his life. "I''m going to get ready. I can''t sleep anymore." He yawned, slowly walking back into his bedroom.


    After about two hours and several tens of minutes more, Hiroku followed Loter out of their unit. Hiroku was wearing his iconic purple crop top and a white pullover beneath it, with his two ponytails, one behind and the other atop his head. Changing took a lot more time than usual since he fell back asleep after entering his room.


    While they were exiting the dormitory, Kiznaq happened to be coming in. They met at the front lobby just as the two exited the elevator. Loter waved naturally and gave him an open-mouth grin, yet Kiznaq''s expression was stuck between a polite smile and a guilty frown. The corners of his mouth were the only parts of his face that were lifted.


    "Uh, uh, hi, Loder. Hi, Hiroku." His hands were held aimlessly before his stomach. His elbows were bent into an awkward "L" shape.


    Listlessly, Hiroku rolled his eyes and said, "We know what you want to say already, so spit it."


    Kiznaq took a deep breath and said, "Righd, righd. Sorry, I''m sorry for whad I did. I should''ve dold d''is do Mr. Kashner. I was coerced. I''m so sorry." The apology was heavily disjointed, with a short pause after every few words. In those pauses, he would look away and quickly turn back to continue his sentence.


    Loter, not so sure about the situation, turned his head and swayed his eyes between his two friends, choosing not to say a single word.


    "Besides the fact that your action definitely violated the hero''s ethics guideline, Ramiron and Key were the ones who got hurt."


    "Yes. I''ve already dalked do Mr. Kashner, and I''ve med Key. I will dalk do Ramiron lader doday, brobably. I''m working on id."


    Hiroku nodded, walking forward. As he went around Kiznaq, he called, "Come on, Loter. Let''s go."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Oh, Okay!" Loter hurried up immediately. Going past Kiznaq, Loter glanced at him but only saw his eyes locked in the opposite direction.


    Hiroku pushed the glass door open, walking out at a speed slightly slower than usual for Loter to catch up. "He intentionally helped Kirane to ambush you, Key, and Ram."


    "Wait." Loter''s face froze for a second before he proceeded. "That¡­ Makes sense. He was never trying to be friends with her¡­" Loter looked down at his moving feet, shocked by the discovery.


    "I know I don''t have the right to forgive people on others'' behalf, but Kiznaq is just a kid, and Kirane is gone already. It will be better if you forgive him," Hiroku said in his usual monotone, yet there was a sense of sincerity in his words.


    Surprised, Loter said, "Don''t worry. I don''t think Kiznaq is a bad person. It''s all Kirane. I know. It just feels weird. Also, I didn''t expect you to say such a thing."


    "You don''t know me enough."


    Loter tittered and said, "Well, we have a lot of time to work on that."


    Hiroku glanced back, seeing Loter still smiling. A small upward curve discreetly appeared in the corner of his mouth. "How unfortun¡ª" Before he could finish his second word, Loter pounced onto his back and hugged him by his neck.


    After around a minute, they finally got to the cafeteria. Glacia, Ramiron, and Key were already finishing up. Loter reached his hand high up above his head and waved the moment he saw them. Key responded with his iconic up-nod. Ramiron grinned upon seeing them. Glacia did not lift her head up a bit while typing deftly on her phone.


    Loter scurried to the table and asked, "When did you come back? Last night?"


    "Earlier this morning." Key yawned while putting a piece of poutine into his open mouth. He was wearing a long-sleeved black jacket and a white T-shirt inside instead of his usual red tank top. His right arm was still plastered and hung on a sling.


    "Did you buy this yourself?" Loter pointed at Key''s fashionable clothing.


    "One of the officers bought it for me, but it is pretty cool, right?" Key chewed and picked up another piece from his food carton. His head lightly bobbed as if he was in a good mood, yet he was not smiling in the slightest.


    "Lot, by the way," Ramiron called. Her left arm rested on the empty chair beside her. "Tori was taken by the vice principal to go shopping. She will be absent for the entire morning. They just left." She then shoved her last, the sixth, slider into her mouth.


    "Awww. I thought she would join us today. I was all prepared!" Loter pulled out a chair and sat down, reclining against the seatback.


    "What do you mean by ''prepared''?"


    "I''ve already rehearsed what I will say when she can''t understand the math material."


    Ramiron swallowed her food and asked, "What did you prepare to say?" Meanwhile, Hiroku came back to the table with two trays in his hands. One held a bowl of ramen on top. The other one had a plate of green pasta.


    Loter tried to take a spoonful but winced when the hot rice touched his lips. He set the spoon aside and began delivering the "find x" speech that was supposed to be performed to Tori.


    As Hiroku sat down beside Glacia, she glanced at him, hooked her arm around his, laid her head on his shoulder, and continued using her phone.


    The rest of the day went by without a hassle, just like the days before the incident with Kirane. To Loter, everything seemed to have remained the same except for Key needing to play basketball with only one hand. Yet, Loter''s vision was often limited compared to Hiroku''s.


    Key''s brows were lower than usual. His flat lips failed to make fake smiles every single time. On multiple occasions, he zoned out when Loter was speaking. None of these signs escaped Hiroku''s eyes, and none of them registered in Loter''s mind.


    After the training, Hiroku went to Key''s dorm unit and knocked on the door. Key''s roommate soon opened the door and said Key was gaming. Hiroku figured it was the case since Loter had locked himself in his room and had been shouting gaming terms for some minutes already.


    Regardless, Hiroku knocked on Key''s door. If time allowed, Hiroku would never choose to bother Key while he was on his computer. However, Key and Loter would probably keep playing until dinner and continue after that, so Hiroku really did not see another option here.


    "One sec. One sec. I''m almost done." Key exclaimed inside his room.


    Hiroku put his hands in his pockets and stood before the door, quietly waiting for Key to finish the match.


    "Don''t touch the pudding in the fridge, alright?" Key''s roommate said before leaving the unit. Hiroku nodded in response.


    Of course, it took Key a lot more than one second to open the door, not to mention that he actually forgot the person waiting and "unintentionally" played another match.

 Frankness

    Key frantically opened the door and found Hiroku eating his popsicle, sitting on his couch, and watching television.


    "That''s a long second," Hiroku said with no facial expression but all the vocal sarcasm. He tossed the wooden stick into the trash can after finishing the last bite.


    "Yeah, sorry about that." Lightly embarrassed, Key sat on the island between the living room and the open kitchen while scratching his nape with his good hand.


    "How did you play with one hand, anyway?" Hiroku turned off the television and asked. There seemed to be a general curiosity in his voice, yet Key was never so sure when it came to Hiroku.


    "Loter found a 2v2 card game we could play while my arm was recovering. It''s kinda fire, to be ''onest. Didn''t expect that."


    "That''s mindful of him."


    "It is. So why are you ''ere?" Key asked, straddling the island to get to the other side. He opened the fridge as Hiroku answered.


    "You''ve been acting unnaturally. Something is on your mind."


    "''Ave I really been that obvious?" Key took out a pudding from the fridge and then tore the seal off with his mouth.


    "I''m sure Loter did not notice a thing," Hiroku answered, watching Key from the couch. His voice was static.


    Not responding, Key took out a little plastic spoon for the pudding.


    Hiroku continued, "I''m worried about you. Is it something related to whatever you were doing down in Coral Cobble?"


    Key casually answered and shoved a spoonful of pudding into his mouth in between every sentence, "It''s so sweet of you, ''Iro. But you don''t need to worry about me. I''m just a bit tired today. Like, I slept in the cable cart thing last night and ''ad to walk all the way from the top of Vault to the academy. It''s insane ''ow ''ard it takes to get in ''ere."


    Hiroku had his brows and eyes lowered for a short moment before looking back at Key and said in a firm tone, "I know you are nervous. It''s fine. I can tell something is on your mind. If you need ''elp, I mean, help, I''m here." He stood up from the couch and walked straight toward the exit. Key stayed before the island and robotically dug another spoonful off the pudding.


    Hiroku''s hand grabbed onto the knob. While opening the door, he sighed. "I don''t know what exactly is on your mind, but I was in a similar position. I know how hard it is to bear everything by yourself. I let Loter and Ramiron helped me, and now I feel better." Finishing his last sentence, Hiroku closed the door behind him.


    Key put another bite of pudding into his mouth and chewed.


    <hr>


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    Loter sat blankly before his laptop, idly rotating his revolving chair. Every few seconds, he looked at his screen to find Key still offline and his patience diminishing. Eventually, after a minute that felt like an hour, Loter stood up from his seat and went out of his bedroom. He glanced at the entryway to find Hiroku''s shoes missing.


    Is he in the garden? I can go find him.


    With some enthusiasm, Loter rushed out of the room after putting on his sneakers. He greeted people as he ran past the campus and approached the garden. However, he did not spot Hiroku from afar, so he went closer to the pavilion.


    "Loter? It''s nice to see you again," Lyra said in a soft voice. She was sitting on the edge of the round table with her arms straight and her hands propping on the marble surface behind her. Her youthful skin and sundress blended with the white pavilion, causing Loter to miss her presence before closing up.


    "Oh, Lyra! Hi." Loter scurried up the stoop with bouncing steps, throwing his roommate out of his head.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "I''m surprised you still remember me." Lyra''s smile widened. Her eyes genially and lightly squeezed.


    "Oh yeah, I even heard that you are a hero. That''s so cool!"


    Lyra''s brows raised high, and the curve on her lips flattened. "So you know my real age?"


    "Sorry, I forgot it, but I promise I will remember it this time if you tell me." Loter leaned against the balustrade of the pavilion, propping his hands behind him just like Lyra.


    She moved her hips off the table, took a step closer to Loter, and asked, "You don''t find it weird?"


    "No, why would I? It''s so cool, and I enjoy playing flowers with you."


    Lyra sat back on the edge of the marble table, her grin brightening again. "You are a special kid, just like Wetman said." She looked sideways into the empty flower field as if she were pondering something else.


    "Wetman? Do you mean Ros? You know Ros?" Loter''s voice went up a notch.


    "Yeah, he''s been such a bitch ever since I reincarnated, always saying shit like ''your cognitive functioning also degraded, so you should bla, bla, bla.'' It''s so annoying," Lyra, flailing a hand in the air, complained passionately, "I can''t even ride shotgun. Like, what''s his problem? We are literally working with CAPD. How can a stupid traffic rule be an issue? This¡ª"


    Loter giggled, interjecting Lyra in the midst of her constructive speech.


    "What?" The whiny grimace on her face was replaced by a smile, although she did not know what was so funny.


    "No, it''s just that you talked just like Glacia. She''s my friend."


    "I''m not a kid," Lyra exclaimed. She jumped off the table, poked Loter''s waist with her elbow, and went out of the pavilion. "I''m not talking to you anymore."


    "Wait, I''m sorry. I don''t mean to say that." Loter, still laughing, chased behind her.


    "No, you''re not sorry." Said in a teasing tone, Lyra began running deep into the garden. Her pace was merely faster than walking, and she kept glancing back as she went.


    "Yes, I am." Loter pranced behind her, maintaining a speed that kept him just a step behind.


    Eventually, Lyra halted in the center of a field of yellow flowers. Loter, startled, tripped over the grass and rolled on the ground. Lyra panted, putting her hand on her knees. She watched Loter get up from the ground while sticking his thumb up and saying, "I''m okay."


    "You know, despite all the hassles, one perk of being young again is this vigor. I''m panting, but I don''t feel tired at all." Lyra held her arms to her sides and took a deep breath, facing the setting sun and the incoming breeze that billowed her white dress. Then, she leaned backward, dropping on the flowers and landing on her back.


    "How old were you before the reincarnation?"


    Lyra closed her eyes to think for a second and answered, "Twenty-four. I know that doesn''t sound very old, but I never exercised in my youth, and I had a very minor weight issue."


    "You can start exercising now," Loter said, lying on the ground. With his head among the grass and flowers, he could no longer see Lyra but the vast orange-hued sky.


    "I can. I guess this is another perk of being young again. All the choices¡­" Lyra''s grin faded. Her mouth was still open, but no words came out of it. Her eyes shifted from left to right and back again, searching through the sky and between the clouds for the itch in her heart.


    Then, she found it. "Well, not really."


    "What?"


    "What had happened happened. There is no choice of reverting it. There is hardly a single choice when it comes to things that matter. I can exercise more to be healthier, but that is not important."


    "Why?"


    Lyra remained quiet for a moment and, after careful consideration, asked, "Do you mind if I trauma dump you a bit? I don''t really have a person to talk to about this."


    "Don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone." The curve on Loter''s lips no longer existed, and his tone straightened for the incoming seriousness.


    "It''s okay. Everybody knows it already." Lyra opened her mouth to inhale a lungful of air and threw Loter the question: "Have you ever lost someone close to you?"


    "Yeah, my father."


    "You would choose for him not to die if you have the opportunity, right?"


    "Yeah?"


    "but you don''t."


    "..."


    "My ''DEGRADING'' can not reverse time. The best it can do is to degrade my age back to a kid." Lyra had her hand on her stomach.


    "What happened?" Loter kept his voice down and asked hesitantly.


    "When the villains struck, I was pregnant. My fiance was driving. We were two blocks away from the scene. I told her to rush there as soon as possible¡­ She did not hesitate. She did not question my decision. She trusted me to take care of both the city and our kid."


    "Doesn''t the Hero Union have the maternity¡ª"


    "I was young."


    "Sorry."


    "I lost the fight. I lost her. I lost our child. To survive, I had to degrade my body to a level that the remaining life energy in my body could sustain¡­ Not attending the fight was the only option that would matter, but it doesn''t exist. I can''t go back in time¡­ Everything else just flows with the wind. I became a hero because I have a strong power. I engaged with her because I fell in love with her. We got a baby because we decided it was fun to be mothers. None of those are choices. They were just logical extensions of what already happened."


    "..."


    "..."


    Loter did not return a word. He closed his eyes, dispirited by Lyra''s story. He was not sure what to say or feel except dejection. Loter just kept thinking and sensing the unidentifiable emotion surging in his heart.


    The conversation died. Loter did not come up with a response, and there was nothing else for Lyra to say. The two just lay there quietly.


    Eventually, the sun was blocked by the mountain, and its orange hue in the sky inevitably faded.

 The Lair of Alt-Evolvers

    "Lot," Key said as he and Loter''s last match ended. He reclined his slouching back against the back of his revolving chair.


    The response came out of his green headset. "Yeah? You want to call it a day? You do need to rest more for your arm to recover."


    Key sighed in exhaustion, "No, and yes. I want to ask you for a favor."


    "What favor?"


    "I need you to take me to Cobble with your flying power."


    "Wait, what?"


    "..."


    "You want to sneak out of the campus?"


    "..."


    "But why?"


    Key took a long pause and sat up straight, gathering his breath before opening his mouth. He said with a firmness in his voice, "I know you probably don''t want to ''ear me yap about my past, so I''ll make it simple. There was a villain organization that ''ad done things to me. I thought ''Ero Union ''ad already dealt with them, yet it seemed like they ''ad returned. I need to defeat them this time."


    Loter took a second to process and replied, "But you don''t need to. The heroes will sure handle them this time if they did it off last time."


    "But those ''eroes aren''t me. I need to be the one who beat them this time!" Key''s voice raised gradually.


    "So¡­" Loter paused his sentence for a moment, attempting to understand Key''s perspective. "You want to take your revenge?"


    "It''s not about revenge¡­ If they are who I think they are, I need to see them! They gave me the power and turned me into who I am today. I don''t know ''ow to explain this to you, but I ''ave to meet them."


    "But your right arm ''asn''t, hasn''t healed yet¡ª"


    "Please!" Key suddenly exclaimed, pronouncing every stress with extra strength. "It''s my only chance, Lot. I need to do this. I ''ave been waiting for this day for three years. I need this, Lot!"


    After his abrupt exclamation, a dead silence was the only response. Not a noise or rustle was present. Key could not even hear Loter''s breathing through his phone. As he slowly put down his phone, Loter finally replied.


    "Does this really matter that much to you?"


    "What? Say it again. I didn''t ''ear it."


    "Does this choice really matter that much to you?"


    "Yes¡­ Nothing matters more than this."


    "Fine. I''ll help you."


    "Thanks, pal."


    Loter and Key met outside the dormitory. Key reached out his hand without delay or hesitation. Loter checked Key''s determined visage one last time before holding his hand. Their physical bodies went invisible, and their emotions connected. Seriousness, nervousness, anxiety, and a speck of worry occupied the atmosphere.


    They ascended into the sky, flying over the tip of Mountain Vault and descended along and above the slope. As they flitted through the sky, they suddenly noticed their speed increasing. They could see the city far away becoming bigger and bigger in their vision. When they looked toward the mountain beneath them, they realized the trees were already dashing past their eyes.


    "I never know you can fly so fast."


    "Me too. I thought the speed boost only applies when I''m running. Now, I guess I have underestimated it."


    "''Ow much more can your power do?" Key asked after giving a mocking chort to himself.


    "I can also shoot laser from my fingertip, but I''ve only done it once, and I''m not sure how to activate it."


    Key sighed, "You''ll learn ''ow to do it, eventually."


    "Yeah, I''m not worried about it."


    As the chat went on, they arrived at Cobble, and Loter slowed their speed. They hovered above the city and under the lustrous moon.


    "Okay, where should we be going from here?"


    Key pointed a finger in a certain direction and said, "That tall building over there."Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "The one that says ''Believerance''?"


    "Yes, that one."


    Loter squinted his eyes and inspected the building as he flew toward it. The dirty gray walls were the same as those of the other buildings nearby. The only things that set this one apart were the big red cross sign around the third-floor level and the big "Believerance" written beneath it.


    Loter dropped Key off on the roof of the building. The moment he let go of Key''s left hand, Key''s body reappeared before him.


    Landing with his feet on the ground and knees bent deftly under the force of gravity, Key told Loter without looking up, "Thanks again, Lot. I''ll call you when I''m done."


    Loter turned off his ability and stood beside Key. "Are you sure you don''t need any help?"


    "The sun will be up in six ''ours. You need to get back now so people in the academy won''t suspect you."


    "Yeah, you''re right," Loter answered, reactivating his ability and disappearing in thin air.


    All by himself, Key shoved open the door to the stairwell and sneaked down. Despite being Alt-Evolvers'' lair, Believerance''s Hospital was still a functioning hospital. He had to avoid normal nurses and doctors while finding things that were actually tied to Alt-Evolvers. For that purpose, he would much rather stay in the stairwell than explore the entire hospital. He set his first stop as the basement.


    Key slowly crept down the stairs, step by step and landing by landing. Whenever he arrived at a new floor, he would peek through the door lite and bend his back down when he spotted a living thing, whether a nurse or a patient. For every floor he passed, Key''s heart bumped a bit faster. On the landing before the first and the second floors, he paused and braced a hand against the wall, inhaling and exhaling heavily to balance his breathing.


    It is not even the dangerous part. I ''ave to calm down. I need to calm down if I want to reach my goal.


    Repeating the sentence three times silently to himself, Key blew a puff of air and continued down the stairs.


    Eventually, he arrived at the basement floor. He put a hand against the steel door and peeked into the basement through the door lite just like how he did it to every other floor. The hallway was dimly illuminated by weak recessed light on the ceiling. The white walls were not dirty but not as white as spotless. The gray concrete floor had a dark hue due to its antiquity.


    Key cautiously pushed the steel door open just enough to create a small gap for him to slip through. The door quietly closed behind him as he scanned through his surroundings and swiftly sneaked forward, mapping the entire floor in his head. With each new door plate and every turn in the hallway, a green road map was slowly but gradually generated in the corner of his vision.


    He would silently walk into empty rooms like the storage and HVAC.


    He would jump upward and hang onto the ceiling with one hand when footsteps approached.


    He would crawl through the vent to check on occupied rooms like the waste management and CSSD.


    He would eavesdrop on the nurses, janitors, and doctors as they chatted about their lives, patients, money issues, and else.


    Yet, not a trace of Alt-Evolvers was found. Everything seemed so natural and unsuspicious that it felt impossible for a secret villain organization to set their lair here.


    Then, footsteps coming from behind the corner startled him. With a flinch, Key stepped his right foot backward.


    "Tunk"


    A light noise was made the moment his right foot touched the ground. Ignoring the footsteps, Key flicked his head around, staring at the manhole lid his right foot was stepping on.


    Are there usually manholes in basements? No, right? ''Ow is this¡ª


    The doctor turned around the corner and stepped on the lid as he passed by. Beneath him, Key climbed down the hole with a hand and two feet on the rungs.


    After both of his feet touched the ground, Key activated his thermal vision. What appeared before him was a huge drainage tunnel. The wall was as cold as the odorous stream flowing past. On both sides of the stream of wastewater was a narrow path. Both paths were slightly higher than the water level and only wide enough for one man to walk through.


    Normally, drainage tunnels are built under the city to prevent floods. Nobody would build one like this under a basement, especially not a poor ''ospital with money problems. This tunnel is practically a place that people do not expect to exist. It''s like one of those secret studies in detective movies. If I can''t find Alt-Evolvers ''ere, I doubt I will ever find them anywhere.


    Key silently walked forward. Just several tens of meters away was a turn, and just behind the turn were multiple rooms with dim lights emitting through the empty doorways. Key peeked his head over the corner and turned off his thermal vision.


    There were about three different rooms within this section and a T-junction at the end of it. Key''s ability activated again, analyzing the floor and picking up every possible trace of someone or something walking past.


    Although vague and disjointed, a possible trail of footprints appeared on the other side of the stream, going through the entire section and making a left turn at the T-junction.


    Key felt his own heart racing again. A wave of cold sweat slid down his forehead. Reclining against the dirty wall, Key pressed his left hand lightly against his left breast and took a few deep breaths.


    Thoughts, coward ones and weird ones, intruded his head as he closed his eyes. Just as a precaution, Key asked himself again if this place was the actual lair of Alt-Evolvers.


    Believerance''s Hospital.


    Key reopened his eyes and stood straight. He sneaked past the corner and peeked into the first room on his side of the tunnel. Inside, rolls and packs of steel cylindrical containers were tied in ropes and stacked upon each other. Some were put on shelves. Others were just against walls and each other. A wooden table was in the center of the room, with some papers and pens on it. Above was a cheap pendant light that solely provided the dim lighting in the room.


    Key could not be more familiar with those cylindrical containers. He had seen more of them, a lot more, when he was first kidnapped by Alt-Evolvers. He gasped at the sight of them and swallowed a mouthful of his own saliva. Although Key already knew Alt-Evolvers were back, the actual emotional realization only hit when he could see these containers with his own naked eyes.


    Key, again, took a few deep breaths to calm down before turning away from the first room. Sure, he could take some time to check out those papers, but that was not his objective.


    He needed to find Doctor Jamount, who was the head of Alt-Evolvers at the time and who had turned Key into the Ever-Evolving Grosteque.


    Key had to find him.