Chapter — Lines That Slowly Divide
The morning bell rang like any other day.
Students filled the corridors with chatter, bags slung over shoulders, footsteps echoing against familiar walls. Yet beneath the normal rhythm of school life, something invisible had shifted. Luke could feel it—not through aura, but through people.
The world had changed, and now school was changing with it.
Luke sat at his desk, staring at the blackboard as the homeroom teacher adjusted her glasses. Her expression was serious in a way that didn't belong to an ordinary announcement.
"Starting today," she said, "our physical education curriculum will follow the new Aura Practical Education program, approved by the government."
A quiet murmur spread through the classroom.
"The purpose," she continued, "is to help students understand their aura safely, responsibly, and according to their assigned category."
Luke's fingers tightened slightly around his pen.
So it begins…
"The class will now be divided by category: Average, Aura Blaster, Creator, and Destroyer. Each group will train separately under specialized instructors."
Just as Luke had feared.
Not everyone reacted the same way. Some students straightened proudly. Others looked uneasy. A few glanced around, unconsciously measuring themselves against classmates.
When the groups were announced, Luke found himself standing beside Loid in the Average line.
Uno and Chika walked toward the Aura Blaster group, already arguing about who would outperform whom. Marin stood alone under the Aura Creator sign, calm and composed, her posture straight as ever.
Luke noticed something then—how space itself formed between them. Invisible lines, drawn not by walls, but by categories.
Exactly like I thought, Luke said silently. Aura isn't just power. It's separation.
---
Phase One — Aura Control & Stability
The first half of PE focused on individual control.
Luke stood inside a marked circle, gloves hidden beneath his sleeves, Auru's presence faint but steady. The instructor explained the task.
"Release a controlled aura pulse for three seconds. No more. No less."
One by one, students tried.
Some released too much and staggered backward. Others barely produced anything. The room filled with uneven waves of aura.
When it was Luke's turn, he inhaled slowly.
Auru, minimum output.
Understood.
Luke opened his palm slightly—not fully—and released a thin, calm flow. The aura shimmered softly, steady and precise, then vanished exactly at three seconds.
The instructor nodded.
"Good control. You understand restraint."
Luke lowered his hand quickly, heart beating faster than he wanted to admit.
Next came aura shaping—maintaining a small sphere without fluctuation. Luke kept his sphere compact, modest, nothing that would stand out. Even so, the instructor paused.
"Your control suggests potential closer to Average Two or Three star," the man said thoughtfully.
Luke's chest tightened.
Before he could speak, the instructor added, "That's not unusual. Some Average Ones simply understand their aura better."
Luke forced a polite smile.
If only you knew how wrong—and how right—you are.
---
Phase Two — Role-Based Team Simulation
After a short break, the second phase began.
The gym transformed into a simulated urban zone—collapsed structures marked by barriers, glowing indicators representing civilians, unstable aura zones flickering like warning lights.
"This exercise is about cooperation, not power," the supervising teacher announced. "Each role has a responsibility."
---
Average Team — Luke & Loid
Their task was support and coordination.
Loid took the lead naturally, directing routes, stabilizing small zones, encouraging Luke with quick nods. Luke followed smoothly, reinforcing shields, keeping pathways clear.
"Nice timing," Loid said at one point. "You're really calm under pressure."
Luke smiled faintly. "You're doing great as leader."
---
Aura Blaster Team — Uno & Chika
Uno struggled at first, blasting too aggressively. Chika snapped at him.
"Control it! This isn't a contest!"
Gradually, Uno adjusted, shots becoming precise. Chika covered blind spots, their movements syncing without them realizing it.
For the first time, they weren't competing—they were cooperating.
---
Aura Creator — Marin
Marin worked alone, yet the field seemed to move around her. Barriers formed smoothly, reinforcing weak points, protecting civilians before danger reached them.
Her expression never changed—focused, thoughtful.
An instructor whispered to another, "She thinks like a commander."
Luke noticed.
And quickly looked away.
After Class
The bell rang.
Students returned to normal classes as if nothing had happened. Laughter resumed. Desks filled. Notes were taken.
Yet something had changed.
Groups lingered together longer. Categories stuck closer.
The invisible lines grew clearer.
Luke walked home later, schoolbag heavy on his shoulder—not with books, but thoughts.
Home — The Only Safe Place
His room welcomed him with silence.
Luke closed the door and leaned against it, exhaling deeply.
Auru floated out of his bag, her glow soft.
"This room," Luke murmured, "is the only place I can breathe."
Auru smiled gently. "Then let it be your shelter."
Luke sat at his desk, staring at his reflection in the dark screen.
"The world is changing faster than I expected," he said quietly. "School,
Friends. Everything is testing me."
He clenched his fists.
"How much longer can I hide from this world?"
Auru hovered closer. "As long as you choose to."
Luke closed his eyes.
Outside, the world divided itself neatly into categories.
Inside this small room, Luke remained something else entirely—undecided, unseen, and standing at the center of a future he never asked for.
---
End of Chapter.