Royoshi did not answer instantly.
The hologram had vanished into nothingness, the pressure lifted, and the med-bay returned to its artificial silence. Lights stabilized. Reality pretended that nothing extraordinary had just happened.
It wasn't a command. It wasn't an order.
It was something way worse.
It was permission.
After some time, Royoshi closed his eyes.
Sleep came calmly—not deep but enough to pull him to the next day.
Royoshi got out of the med-bay.
By morning, the Citadel was filled with energy again.
Recruits filled the corridors. They showed off their Shuryoku signatures to each other. Royoshi walked unnoticed between the crowd. His injuries had healed faster than expected.
He kept thinking about the promise, what he would say to the hologram once he saw him again.
After walking for some time, he reached his class. Class C.
He got in and saw that all his classmates were already there.
"Hey, isn't that the kid who fainted out in the previous mission?" Some murmurs rose among the recruits that had gathered in the class.
"I can't believe how he got in Class C. It was a pretty easy mission."
"He's lucky that Ishara helped him get carried to the med-bay."
Royoshi couldn't care less.
He moved to a free seat at the back of the class.
With this, the day began.
As the bell rang, Devrik walked into the class.
"Welcome to the first class of this session," he said.
"I am sure by now most of you know each other."
He then began explaining instructions about his class.
After a long day of sitting in class, the day concluded.
Everyone started to get up from their seats.
As he got up, he heard footsteps approaching him.
It was Ishara Veyl.
The top student among the top students.
"How are you now?" she asked Royoshi calmly.
"I am better than before…" Royoshi replied. "Thanks for helping me the other day."
"No worries," she replied calmly. "Just make sure to be careful next time."
With that, she left.
Royoshi took some time, but he left as well.
He went back to his dorm.
As he opened the gate to his door, reality started to bend again.
He knew who was there.
The gate closed automatically.
"So have you decided yet?" the translucent man asked.
"Before that," Royoshi asked. "HOW DID YOU GET IN MY DORM?"
"That doesn't matter."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT DOESN'T MATTER?"
"Answer me first, or did you already forget about the question I asked you before?"
Royoshi came back to his senses.
"Oh wait…"
"Sit down."
Royoshi sat down.
"Close your eyes and focus on your Shuryoku," the hologram asked him calmly.
Royoshi closed his eyes.
"What do you feel?"
"I feel… nothing..."
"Circulate it." The translucent man replied.
"I keep trying… I just can't…"
"You're looking for noise. Shuryoku doesn't announce itself," the hologram replied. "Let me help you a little."
The hologram touched Royoshi's forehead with his finger.
A sudden surge came in.
"What… WHAT'S THIS?" Royoshi asked in confusion.
"This is your potential," the hologram assured him. "It's just suppressed within you."
"But… I thought I had no potential…"
"Everyone has a potential," the hologram replied. "They just don't know how to achieve it."
"Open your eyes again."
Royoshi slowly opens his eyes again.
"So what's your choice?" the man asked. "To be average or reach your potential."
"Alright then…" Royoshi replied. "I accept."
Chapter 4- Acceptance.
"Alright then, I will see you tomorrow then." The hologram replied.
"Wait! before you go…?" Royoshi asked. "Who are you really?"
The man smirked a little.
"I will tell you when the time comes."
With that the reality came back to as it was.