The main hallway of Valorin Academy was crowded.
Arin and Kaito walked side by side toward class, talking.
A broad-shouldered man slammed into them—his shoulder crashing hard against Arin's.
Arin said calmly,
— "Excuse me."
The man shot him a venomous look and kept walking without a word.
Arin (thinking): What's with that guy?
---
In class, Arin and Kaito sat next to each other. The teacher entered and announced clearly,
— "Students, the exam begins in three days. Prepare well."
When the lecture ended, Kaito leaned over and whispered,
— "What is this exam?"
Arin:
— "Simple. We enter a forest full of intermediate-level beasts. Any student who kills one passes."
Kaito smiled,
— "An interesting test."
Arin:
— "Agreed."
---
The City — Valen Family Mansion
The bully sat on a luxurious couch, bandages on his face. His uncle sat beside him.
Uncle:
— "Arin… Black hair and green eyes, right, Kern?"
Kern:
— "Yes, Uncle Raine."
Raine, with a cold smile:
— "I'll kill him and reclaim the family's honor."
---
Academy Garden
Arin and Kaito were talking on a bench when system windows flashed before Arin:
[Daily Reward]
[You have obtained the skill: Invincible]
[This skill protects the Heir's body from any attack or effect for: 30 minutes]
Arin froze for a moment.
Kaito laughed,
— "Why are you staring at the air with your mouth open, you idiot?"
Arin:
— "Sorry… happens sometimes."
Kaito:
— "Cut the nonsense."
They both laughed.
---
Another Corridor in the Academy
Darin walked with Elyara.
Darin:
— "I want you to deceive that boy."
Elyara:
— "Understood."
She glanced out the window and spotted Arin and Kaito in the garden.
Elyara:
— "Let's go."
---
Garden
Elyara arrived with a gentle smile.
— "How are you, Arin?"
Arin (thinking): We'll turn her game against her.
Arin:
— "I'm fine. And you?"
Elyara:
— "Fine. May I sit?"
Arin:
— "Go ahead."
Elyara:
— "Why have you been missing?"
Arin, with a sly smile:
— "I'll tell you… when we're alone."
Kaito (thinking): This girl is dangerous.
Arin turned to Kaito,
— "Just one minute."
Then to Elyara,
— "To the academy rooftop."
---
Academy Rooftop
Arin stood at the railing, looking ahead; Elyara stood behind him.
Elyara:
— "Why did you bring me here?"
Arin turned around,
— "Let's end the game. I know your intent. You don't like people like me. Show your true face."
Elyara smiled wickedly,
— "Even if you know, what can a weakling like you do?"
Arin:
— "If you land a single hit on me… I'll kneel, apologize, and lick your shoe."
Elyara lunged with a lightning strike. Her blow smashed into Arin—nothing happened.
Elyara, shocked:
— "How…?!"
Arin drove a straight punch into her face. She staggered back, nose bleeding.
Elyara:
— "I'm intermediate level… and you haven't even reached beginner!"
Arin:
— "I'm already intermediate."
Arin (thinking): I won't say I'm stronger, or I'll draw attention.
Elyara:
— "If you're intermediate… someone stronger is about to appear."
Darin appeared behind Arin, sword ready to stab. At that instant, Kaito leaped in front of Arin, taking the thrust to his chest.
Arin:
— "Kaito!"
Kaito, raising a hand:
— "Don't worry. I'm fine."
Arin:
— "The blade is in your heart!"
Kaito, with a faint smile:
— "Did you forget I'm from the Hayashi family?"
Darin and Elyara drove more blades into Kaito's chest… No blood. No damage.
Kaito grabbed the sword blades with his hand, pulled them out of his body, and tossed them aside.
— "Get these things out of me."
Darin and Elyara's faces twisted in terror. They dropped to their knees.
— "We're sorry! We won't go near Arin!"
Kaito, icily:
— "Two conditions:
1. You do not touch Arin again.
2. You do not reveal who I am.
Otherwise… your families won't remain."
Darin and Elyara together:
— "Understood!"
They fled at once.
---
Academy Garden — Side Bench (a little later)
Breathing hard, Darin listened as Elyara explained:
Elyara:
— "Listen, Darin. Kaito is the heir of the Hayashi family. That means he bears the family's inherited techniques."
Darin:
— "Which are exactly what?"
Elyara:
— "At least three basics:
1. Spatial Technique: When you stab or strike him, the damage never enters the body. It's transferred into dimensional space—as if it dissolves into nothing. That's why the stabs don't affect him.
2. Sequential Dissection: A focused cutting strike. The target's hardness or armor doesn't matter. The sequence continues cutting until the target is neutralized. In duels, it's a guaranteed execution if the heir activates it fully.
3. Heavenly Healing: Instant restoration of any harm, even lethal wounds or poisons. The body returns to optimal condition within seconds.
— The rest are secret, but these three alone explain why he's nearly unbeatable. The previous family head died, the blessing passed to Kaito… and now he's the heir."
Darin swallowed hard,
— "So we were on the brink of death… Good thing we apologized."
---
Student Dorms — Arin & Kaito's Room, Night
Each lay on his own bed.
Arin:
— "You're really the new heir?"
Kaito:
— "Yes. Don't tell anyone."
Arin:
— "Why didn't you tell me?"
Kaito:
— "The secret is dangerous."
Arin, smiling:
— "Your secret's safe."
Kaito:
— "Thanks, my friend."
Arin:
— "I've heard there are other techniques besides Space, Dissection, and Healing."
Kaito:
— "True. I'll tell you only two. I'm forbidden to disclose the rest:
1. Absolute Severance: An advanced, wide-area version of Dissection. Instead of cutting a single target, the entire zone becomes a field of sequential cuts. An entire city could be erased at maximum release. It consumes immense energy, and the heir's body must endure extreme strain.
2. Limitless Perception: Freezes temporal perception within a limited radius for ten seconds. To the opponent, everything is frozen; the heir moves freely and delivers his strikes. When the ten seconds end, all the effects appear at once."
Arin:
— "With all that… why enroll in the academy? You're already the strongest."
Kaito:
— "Not yet. Some techniques require a conditioned body and higher mana tolerance. I came to develop the body… and to make friends, too."
Arin:
— "Alright. We're friends."
Kaito:
— "Of course."
---
Forest Beside the Academy — Midnight
Raine Valen stood among the trees, watching the dorms from the shadows.
— "I know you're here, Arin… Come out."
In their room, Arin suddenly got up.
— "There's a sinister aura in the forest."
Kaito stood as well,
— "Let's see what it is."
They reached the source. Raine stepped out of the darkness.
Raine:
— "Tonight I'll kill you… you and your weak friend."
Arin:
— "Why do you want to kill me? Do I know you?"
Raine:
— "How dare you insult the Valen family?"
Arin:
— "Valen? Never heard of you."
Raine, angry:
— "We're among the top ten families in the city!"
Arin:
— "Great. And the reason you're killing me?"
Raine, with an evil smile:
— "Because you hurt my nephew, Kern."
Arin:
— "Right… that bully."
Raine lunged with his sword at Arin.
Kaito stepped between them and raised his hands.
— "I won't move, and I won't retaliate. Try to kill me."
Raine stabbed Kaito in the chest… No blood. No wound.
Raine, stunned:
— "H… how?!"
Kaito, coldly:
— "Playtime's over."
Kaito drew his sword and, with a single clean stroke, cut Raine down. Raine fell, motionless.
Arin's chest tightened in shock,
— "You killed him?"
Kaito:
— "First reason: he would expose that I'm the heir. Second: he tried to kill you and me. Self-defense is obvious."
Arin:
— "And the body?"
Kaito:
— "Leave it. The investigation will treat it as a self-defense encounter in the forest. And even if we're questioned… I defended myself."
---
Arin's Room — After Returning
Arin (thinking): Kaito is training now… I need to catch up. I can't rely on him every time.
The ranks… King, then Emperor, then Immortal, then Sovereign… Very few ever reach them. Kaito's power is at least Emperor; he killed Raine easily, and Raine was Master level.
Doesn't matter. What matters is that I grow stronger.
System windows appeared:
[New Quest: You must cleanse a Strong-Rank Gate]
[You will be granted access to the gate]
[Access granted. Head to any cave to open the gate]
Arin:
— "I'll return to the same cave… tonight."
---
Headmaster's Office
The vice-principal burst in, agitated.
— "Headmaster! We found a body in the forest near the academy."
Headmaster, stunned:
— "Whose body?"
Vice-principal:
— "Raine Valen, uncle of the student Kern Valen."
Headmaster:
— "Who did it?"
Vice-principal:
— "We're investigating… No clear evidence yet."
---
Night — Inside the Cave
A green gate pulsed on the stone wall.
Arin stepped closer, examining the color.
— "Different this time."
He smiled with confidence.
— "Time to raise my power."
— To be continued —