Ryuu's Path

  The streets of Japan continue to tremble under Ryuu Hanma's footsteps. Each step brings him closer to the Academy—only two days away now.

  For the past days, he has walked, absorbing the modern world that has evolved in his absence. Towering skyscrapers, neon billboards, a sea of illuminated technology—Japan has transformed. Yet, beneath the glitz, he can still feel the filth of corruption, the silent whispers of the underworld. Power has changed hands, but the hunger remains the same.

  Then, he senses it.

  Something... unnatural.

  Across the street, an unknown man in a top hat strolls casually through the city.

  His tailor-made Tom Ford suit is cut from exquisite fabric, and on his wrist rests a 1-of-1 Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime. His expression is one of absolute disgust, as if merely walking among normal people is beneath him.

  A little girl with a soda cup rushes past him, tripping and spilling her drink.

  Time freezes.

  The drink hovers in mid-air, droplets suspended, cars stopped, pedestrians locked in place.

  Only the unknown man continues walking. He steps around the spill carefully, ensuring not a drop touches his suit. As he passes, time resumes.

  The girl stares at the street, confused. Wasn't there a man in front of me?

  Across the street, Ryuu's eyes narrow slightly. Something moved.

  The unknown man turns his head, finally spotting his target.

  With impossible speed, he appears beside Ryuu.

  "We need to talk."

  Ryuu sighs, already irritated.

  Kenji's Investigation

  Back at The Academy of Arcane, Kenji flips through restricted records inside the dimly lit archives of the Academy, his thoughts racing.

  He has been digging through files for a week now, looking for anyone with a connection to Rei's assassination attempt.

  He leans back in his chair, frustrated. Shinjuu? No. Too airheaded, but he's principled.

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  Kage? No. Even though he's an assassin, he's had multiple chances to kill Rei and hasn't. He's honoring something for Haikito.

  Then—something clicks.

  Mrs. Inosuke.

  His mind flashes back to that day in her office. Kage had dragged Rei in for his test, and Mrs. Inosuke had attempted to measure Rei's magical potential. The memory plays vividly in Kenji's mind:

  The cup of water in her hands had completely evaporated—an impossibility. When she tried again, she suddenly recoiled in terror, dropping the cup as it shattered on the floor.

  "Devil!" she had screamed, backing away from Rei. "Devil! Devil!" Her eyes had been wide with genuine horror, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

  Kage had quickly pulled Rei from the room while Kenji tried to calm her. And then, she had whispered something as she reached for her phone:

  "I need to call Shoto. He needs to know what's here."

  Kenji's eyes sharpen. He was standing right next to her when she called Shoto.

  Shoto...

  Kenji pauses.

  The disdain Shoto has for both Rei and Kage isn't exactly hidden. But would a high-ranking official really go this far?

  The thought is insane. The Academy, plotting to kill one of its own heroes?

  Kenji shakes his head. If this is true... then the Academy has been compromised in ways no one could imagine.

  And Mrs. Inosuke is the key to proving it.

  "She knows something," Kenji mutters, closing the file with determination. "And I intend to find out what."

  Kenji's grip tightens around the file, his fingers pressing into the pages as if trying to crush the truth before him. His heartbeat quickens, erratic and uneven. The idea that someone within the Academy might have orchestrated an assassination attempt on one of their own heroes feels too insane to be real.

  Yet his breathing slows, and his mind races through every possibility. The deeper he digs, the more impossible it becomes to ignore.

  "If this is true... the Academy has been utterly compromised."

  At the Medical Ward

  The Academy's medical clinic is eerily quiet. Sterile, lifeless.

  Rei lies still. Unlike before, his body no longer flickers uncontrollably.

  Hinata stands outside his room, watching through the glass. She wishes he would wake up. Not just because she wants him to be okay—but because she needs her friend back.

  A presence approaches. She doesn't realize it until the last moment.

  "Oh my goodness—Mr. Haikito! I didn't notice you."

  She straightens, visibly startled.

  Haikito stands beside her, his hands clasped behind his back. His expression is unreadable, but his piercing blue eyes seem to glow under the clinic's lights.

  "It's okay, Hinata," he says softly. "You care for your friend dearly."

  He glances through the glass at Rei's unconscious form. Then, almost casually, he asks—

  "Where is Josuke? I haven't seen him accompany you in a while."

  Hinata hesitates. How does the chairman even know her name?

  She swallows. "Josuke... he's been different since everything that happened two weeks ago."

  She tears up slightly. "He's colder now. He just trains all the time, trying to fight the past."

  Haikito places a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  "It's okay," he says, his voice calm. "Pressure can either make diamonds... or bust pipes."

  Hinata looks up, surprised by his words.

  "Right now, it sounds like Josuke is trying to be stronger," Haikito continues. "Whether to protect his friend, or to earn his friend's respect."

  Hinata's eyes brighten slightly.

  "Either way," Haikito says, his gaze lingering on Rei, "I need you and Josuke to be next to him. No matter what."

  Hinata nods firmly.

  Haikito slowly removes his hand, his piercing blue eyes flickering. He turns and begins walking away, his expression shifting to one of calculated determination as soon as he's out of Hinata's sight.