Kaien's grin returned.
"You're strong, Rei… but your defense is too focused on range."
In a blink, he disappeared.
Ash's eyes widened.
"He vanished—!"
BOOM!
Kaien reappeared right in front of Rei, his fist glowing with burning energy.
"Flame Burst Fist: Core Strike!"
His punch connected directly with Rei's chest—right over his heart.
CRACK—
A shockwave burst through the arena, rippling the ground.
Rei's eyes widened as his body froze. For just two seconds... silence.
His heart stopped.
Then—
THUD!
Rei collapsed.
Misaki screamed, racing toward the arena.
"REI!!"
Koharu's eyes narrowed in fury.
"He hit his heart directly… That was too far."
Ash clenched his fists.
"Damn it… was that really necessary, Kaien!?"
Kaien stood over Rei's body, the flames fading from his fist. His voice was quiet, but firm.
"In a real fight, hesitation means death. He passed… but he has a long way to go."
Guild staff rushed in, checking Rei's pulse.
After a tense moment—
"He's alive. Barely—heartbeat just returned."
Misaki knelt beside him, holding his hand tightly.
"You idiot… Why didn't you dodge that…"
Ash looked down, a mix of anger and admiration on his face.
"You were willing to take that hit just to prove something, weren't you, Rei?"
Kaien looked at Rei one last time, then turned to walk away.
"He's got the strength. But next time… he better learn to survive."
Infirmary – Midnight Sun Hero Guild
A faint beeping echoed softly in the sterile room. Rei's fingers twitched.
Then—
His eyes opened.
He sat up suddenly, gasping for breath as the memory of Kaien's strike flashed in his mind.
The pain in his chest still pulsed faintly.
"Rei!"
Misaki, who had been silently crying beside the bed, lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"You idiot…! You absolute idiot…!"
She sobbed into his shoulder.
"Why didn't you dodge that? You scared the hell out of me!"
Rei blinked, his voice low.
"…I'm alive?"
At the door, Ash stood with crossed arms, a relieved smirk tugging at his lips.
"Barely. You scared all of us. Especially her."
Koharu leaned against the wall, arms folded.
"That attack… it nearly stopped your heart for good."
Another student from the elite Hero S-Class peeked into the room, expression calm but serious.
"Kaien didn't even use his full power. If he had…"
He paused.
"You'd be dead."
Rei's eyes widened slightly.
The impact he felt… it wasn't even Kaien at full strength?
"So that's… the gap between me and an S-Class hero," Rei muttered.
Misaki wiped her tears and glared at him, but her voice was softer now.
"That doesn't mean you have to throw your life away trying to close it in one day."
Rei let out a small chuckle, then winced.
"Noted… Next time, I'll dodge."
Ash laughed.
"Yeah, do that. I don't wanna carry your unconscious body again."
Midnight Sun Hero Guild – Observation Balcony
Kaien stood with arms crossed, looking down at the arena, now empty.
His eyes were focused—not cold, but calculating.
A voice beside him spoke.
"You almost killed him."
Kaien didn't glance sideways.
"No. I pulled back. Just enough to show him reality."
He finally turned, his gaze sharp.
"That kid… Rei… has something."
Another instructor raised a brow.
"He couldn't even take one clean hit."
Kaien smirked faintly.
"Exactly. And yet he stood there, no fear in his eyes. His instincts, the way he moved… It wasn't polished. But it was raw—real. That kind of potential doesn't come from training."
The instructor asked, "So you see him becoming S-Class someday?"
Kaien was silent for a moment. Then:
"I see him going beyond."
He turned away from the arena.
"If he survives long enough."
Infirmary – Midnight Sun Hero Guild
Rei sat on the bed, bandages across his chest. The room was quiet except for the gentle hum of healing magic.
Misaki sat beside him, drying her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Idiot… You scared me."
She suddenly hugged him tightly.
"Next time, dodge!"
Rei chuckled softly, though it hurt to breathe.
"Didn't expect a punch to stop my heart for two seconds…"
He looked down.
"But I felt it. The gap between us. Kaien wasn't even serious."
Ash leaned against the doorframe.
"That's what the other heroes said too. If Kaien had gone all out… you'd be dead."
Rei clenched his fists.
"Then I'll become someone he can't hold back against."
Night – Guild Dormitory Rooftop
Rei stood alone under the moonlight, shirtless, sweat dripping down his body. He repeated combat stances, breathing steadily, replaying the moment Kaien struck him over and over.
"I need to be stronger," he whispered.
From the shadows, Koharu Shiranui watched quietly, a faint smile on her lips.
"He's already begun."
Guild Corridor – Midnight Sun Hero Guild
The hallway was quiet, lit by the soft glow of magic lanterns embedded in the walls. Ash walked slowly, hands in his pockets, his expression unusually serious.
Footsteps echoed behind him.
He turned slightly.
Koharu Shiranui approached, calm as ever.
They walked together for a moment in silence.
Then—
"What do you think about that attack?" Ash asked, his tone low.
Koharu didn't answer right away. Her eyes were sharp, thoughtful.
"I've never seen anything like it," she finally said. "It felt… impossible. Like the heat didn't come from magic alone."
Ash nodded, gaze distant.
"Yeah. That punch—Flame Burst Fist, right? It didn't just burn... it shook the air. I thought Rei's chest was going to explode."
Koharu's voice was quiet.
"He condensed all that power into a single point. Right over the heart. One mistake… and Rei wouldn't have made it back."
Ash frowned.
"Kaien's insane. But… maybe he wanted to teach something only pain could deliver."
Koharu looked ahead.
"Or he wanted to see if Rei would break."
They stopped at the window overlooking the training grounds. The moon cast long shadows across the empty arena.
Ash sighed.
"Rei didn't break. But next time… I'm not letting someone else take that hit alone."
Koharu glanced at him. A rare look of respect flickered in her eyes.
"Good. Then stand with him. Because from now on… things will only get harder."
Koharu stood there, her expression unreadable. Her hands were clenched tightly by her sides.
"Ash," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
He blinked. "Yeah?"
She took a deep breath, then stepped forward, eyes locked on his.
"I… I love you."
A pause.
"Will you go on a date with me?"
The wind stilled for a moment. Ash's eyes widened slightly.
Then he lowered his gaze.
"...I'm sorry, Koharu."
Her breath hitched.
"I don't feel the same way."
His voice was gentle, but firm.
"You're an amazing person… but I can't return those feelings."
Koharu stood there, silent. Her shoulders trembled slightly.
Then she smiled—a broken one.
"I know."
Without another word, she turned and ran into the night, the sound of her footsteps fading quickly behind her.
Ash remained where he was, staring up at the sky.
"...I'm sorry," he whispered again, to no one in particular.
Ash stood still, the cold breeze brushing against his face as the weight of Koharu's words lingered in the air. His heart felt heavy.
"I already have a wife," he thought to himself. "No, I'm someone else now… in a different body. But I love my wife... I'm such an idiot."
A soft rustle behind him made him stiffen.
"Hello, Kaelen Volrik."
The name hit him like a sudden strike, and Ash froze. He hadn't heard that name in years.
His heart skipped a beat as his mind raced.
"Kaelen Volrik?" Ash whispered under his breath. The name held so many memories. But he couldn't quite place them. He knew it had to be important. A part of him recoiled, but his curiosity got the better of him.
He turned slowly, his breath catching in his throat.
A man stood before him, dressed in a sleek black jacket and pants. His face was eerily pale, almost ghostly, and his eyes were a deep black—empty, yet intense.
"Who are you?" Ash asked, his voice steady but his mind screaming with confusion.
The stranger gave no immediate response. He simply stood there, watching Ash with a strange, unreadable expression.
Ash's pulse quickened. "This isn't good…"
The man didn't smile, didn't blink. His voice was calm, yet it carried an ancient weight.
"Who I am is not important."
He stepped forward.
"Why I'm here—that matters, Prince Kaelen Volrik."
Ash's heart froze.
That name.
A name he hadn't heard in years.
A name from another life.
He took a cautious step back.
"You… You know about my past life? But how?"
The man's expression didn't change.
"I am the god of this world."
Ash's breath caught in his throat.
"God… of this world?" he repeated, barely above a whisper.
The god's voice softened, almost mournful.
"I have always watched you, Kaelen."
Ash froze.
"I saw the way your kingdom adored you," the god continued. "Your wife… your friends… your army—they all loved you. And in the end, I saw the sacrifice you made. The way you stood alone, not for glory… but for them."
Ash's heart pounded. Emotions he didn't recognize welled up inside him—memories that didn't belong to Ash, yet somehow… did.
"I died protecting them…" he whispered.
The god nodded slowly.
"You gave your life to save a world that feared your power. You were no tyrant, Kaelen. You were a hero. One the world tried to erase."
Ash turned away, his voice low.
"If all that's true… then why bring me back? Why this life?"
The god's expression darkened.
"Because the threat that ended your kingdom… has returned."