"Okay… this is it. This is where I need to get stronger… and defeat that monster who killed my father," Akai muttered, tightening his fists as he walked through the empty halls of Netherfall High. The echo of his steps bounced off the walls, the quiet only broken by the faint hum of the city outside.
He pushed open the doors to the training grounds. The wide, open field stretched before him, sunlight scattering across the neatly kept grass, casting long shadows from the surrounding walls.
Ishima Takayuki was already there, standing calmly in the center. His white coat shimmered faintly in the sunlight, sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows. Beneath it, his school uniform—a crisp white shirt and black pants—was perfectly fitted, and his thin-rimmed glasses caught the light just enough to make Akai pause.
Ishima's eyes widened slightly. "Hmmm… Eclipse Genesis," he mused, his tone calm but intrigued. "Sounds really… formidably extraordinary."
Akai swallowed, the black-gold energy of Eclipse Genesis pulsing faintly beneath his skin. "Earl… the source of my power. I have multiple powers… there's more within it."
Ishima nodded slowly. "Alright then. First, we're going to test out your super strength. Bit by bit, we'll unlock all your powers."
Ishima summoned multiple boulders, each one hovering slightly above the ground.
"Wow… what are we gonna do with this?" Akai said, eyes wide.
"You are going to carry these… all the way to the other side of the field," Ishima said calmly.
"What!? This is crazy!" Akai shouted, panic and excitement mixing in his voice.
Ishima let out a soft, amused hum, smirking as he pushed his glasses up with his index finger, standing perfectly still, exuding calm authority.
"See you tomorrow," Ishima added.
"Wait… you're leaving me here?" Akai called, panic rising.
"Yes. I'm leaving now. Get started," Ishima said gracefully, walking away, his coat fluttering slightly in the breeze.
Akai gulped, looking at the hovering boulders… this was going to be harder than he thought.
Akai walked toward a boulder, clenching his hands at the bottom.
"Ruhhhhhhhhhh!"
Boom. The boulder fell with a heavy thud, and Akai immediately moved his hands. This is going to be harder than I thought… he thought.
He clenched his hands on the boulder again. "I… I can do this!" Akai shouted.
Slowly, the boulder began rolling, dust kicking up around him. Sweat ran down his face. "Yess… I'm doing it!" he yelled, pushing every ounce of strength into moving it forward.
Step by step, he rolled it across the field, muscles straining, shadows stretching faintly at his feet. Finally, he reached the other side. He let out a calm sigh, eyes lingering on the other boulders.
"Ugh… more to go," he muttered.
Hours passed as he repeated the process, one boulder after another. His arms shook, sweat soaked his shirt, and his shadow flickered with the black-gold energy beneath his skin. With each boulder, he grew stronger, more precise, more in control of his strength.
Finally, Akai dropped the last boulder. He fell onto the grass, gasping for air, fists clenched tight.
"I promise… I will get stronger," he whispered, determination burning in his chest.
"Yohoo," Yuri said with a calm smile, waving at him.
Akai grinned, telling Yuri all about his intense training. After gathering his things, they walked home together. Akai greeted his mom, who noticed subtle changes in him—his posture, his energy—small signs of growth she couldn't quite explain.
The next morning came quickly. Akai and Yuri walked to catch the bus, chatting quietly along the way.
At school, Akai asked his math teacher if he could step out to the bathroom. As he walked down the halls, Nash appeared, smirking. "So… did all that boulder lifting make you any stronger, charity case?" he taunted, stepping closer.
Before Akai could respond, Ishima appeared, calm but commanding. "Akai… follow me, please. I saw that you completed your first task."
"Yes! I did!" Akai shouted excitedly. "Meet me after school! Oh, and Earl told me about my other powers, so I'll summon him to help with the next step of training!"
The bell rang, and students rushed through the halls, eager to leave.
Once the halls emptied, Akai headed to the training grounds. Ishima was already there, waiting calmly.
Akai took a deep breath, the air around him already feeling charged. He stepped into the center of the training grounds, shadows stretching slightly beneath his feet, a faint golden-black glow pulsing within him.
"I'm ready," he whispered, determination flashing in his eyes.
He raised his hand, and a small, flickering orb of light appeared, hovering in front of him. Earl, the source of his power, materialized with a soft hum, golden threads of energy weaving through the shadows around him.
"Akai Kuraiyami," Earl said, his voice resonating in the open air. "I am here to guide you. Your Eclipse Genesis is more than raw strength—it is the synthesis of all your powers. Now… we begin the next step."
Akai's chest tightened with anticipation. "Let's do this."
Ishima nodded from the side, calm as ever. "Focus, Akai. Control first, then power. Everything else will follow."
The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the field. Akai felt the weight of what was to come, but excitement and determination burned brighter.
This was only the beginning.