In a new perspective, a boy with wild green hair strolled through the dense forest, utterly unconcerned, as though the dangers surrounding him didn't exist. His steps were casual, hands tucked in his pockets as if he didn't have a care in the world. But that sense of tranquility was abruptly shattered as a group of participants lunged out from the underbrush, attempting a sneak attack.
Their ambush, however, proved utterly futile.
Without warning, a massive dragon made entirely of wind erupted from the boy's body, its fierce form coiling in the air with terrifying speed. The dragon roared, its gusts of wind powerful enough to send trees swaying and leaves swirling violently. The participants, wide-eyed in terror, stumbled back, their weapons shaking in their hands.
"Help! Somebody help us!" one of them cried out, panic setting in as the wind dragon circled ominously above them.
"Who... Who is this guy!?" another participant shouted, desperation lacing their voice.
The green-haired boy glanced over his shoulder at them, his lips curling into a wicked grin. He laughed, the sound cold and detached from the fear he had just instilled.
"You can call me the Wind Hero, Fin Jinsei," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance.
With a swift flick of his wrist, the dragon surged forward, slicing through the participants like paper. In an instant, the forest was filled with their terrified screams, but soon, silence fell. When the wind settled, all that remained were shattered skill cores and the boy's casual footsteps. Fin crouched down, picking up their orbs with a smirk, pocketing them as though it were nothing more than a day's work.
Meanwhile, Keiko...
Back in the forest, Keiko was walking beside Oshime, nervously fiddling with his fingers. He hadn't yet managed to ask her name, and every time he tried, his words stuck in his throat. She seemed so composed, her silver hair gleaming in the filtered sunlight, her confident stride making Keiko feel even smaller than he was. He admired her, but the longer they walked, the harder it became for him to summon the courage to speak.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Keiko blurted out, "S-so, uh... what's your name?"
Oshime stopped in her tracks, turning to look at him with a bemused smile. She giggled softly, her laughter light and teasing. "You're really cute, you know that?" she said with a playful glint in her eyes. "My name is Oshime Lionheart, from the Kingdom of Silvania."
Keiko blinked. Lionheart? From Silvania? The name rang a bell. The Lionheart family was famous for their magical prowess, known throughout the kingdom. It made sense now—her air of grace, her confidence—she wasn't just any participant. She was practically royalty.
Before Keiko could gather his thoughts, Oshime raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly as she asked her next question, "So, what's your ability, Keiko?"
Keiko's heart dropped. Oh no… He hadn't unlocked his ability yet. All he could do was basic wind spirit magic. But telling her that felt like admitting weakness, and he wasn't ready to look weak in front of someone like Oshime.
Panicking, he blurted out a lie. "Uh, I… I can manipulate wind."
Oshime's face lit up in delight. "Really?! That's so cool!" Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, her excitement bubbling over. "My ability is ice manipulation! We're going to make an amazing team!"
Keiko stood there, stunned, his face flushed red as Oshime pulled away, still smiling at him brightly. He forced a smile in return, though his mind was racing. What have I gotten myself into?
As they continued walking, Keiko's thoughts swirled with uncertainty. He knew the difference between spirit magic and true abilities. Spirit magic required an external bond, a connection with the elemental forces of nature. Abilities, on the other hand, were innate—unique powers that were part of a person's very being, tied to their soul and body. Lying about his ability wasn't just a small fib; it was setting up an impossible expectation.
How long can I keep up this lie? Keiko wondered, glancing at Oshime. She was chatting happily, unaware of his inner turmoil, her every word filled with confidence in their abilities as a team.
Keiko swallowed hard. I just have to figure something out... and fast.
Keiko and Oshime dashed through the dense forest, their breaths coming in quick bursts as they raced toward the next objective in the trial. The trees whipped past them, their footsteps barely audible over the rustling leaves and distant sounds of other students engaged in battles. Everything was moving smoothly, or so Keiko thought, until they came to an abrupt halt.
Ahead of them, standing in a small clearing, was a boy. His green hair swayed lightly in the wind, his appearance odd and out of place. He wore clothes unlike anything Keiko had seen in this world—an ordinary flannel shirt, jeans, and green low-top sneakers. His bright green eyes, however, stood out the most. They sparkled with a kind of calm, almost unnatural joy.
He turned to face them with a warm smile that felt strangely out of context given the tense atmosphere. "Hey there," the boy greeted, his voice as casual as though he'd bumped into them on a peaceful stroll. "How are you guys doing?"
Keiko, ever eager to make new friends and not sensing any immediate danger, jumped down from his perch. He was ready to introduce himself, his mind entirely focused on the idea of friendly competition.
"Hey, I'm Kei—"
"Keiko! Wait!" Oshime screamed, her voice breaking the calm.
But it was too late. A radiant golden light began to emanate from the green-haired boy, flooding the clearing with an intense brightness. Keiko shielded his eyes, but he could still feel the power coursing from the boy—no, from something else entirely. It wasn't human. The light grew so strong that even the staff observing from afar could see the explosion of golden brilliance piercing through the forest canopy.
The boy's previously carefree expression was gone, replaced by a blank, emotionless stare. His movements became rigid, and when he spoke again, his voice was a monotone, devoid of any of the cheer he had shown moments before. His eyes no longer glinted with warmth but glowed a deep, otherworldly green.
"I am Gaia," the boy said, his voice hollow, almost mechanical. "The god of all things Earth."
Keiko's heart skipped a beat as he realized this was no ordinary encounter.
The boy, now possessed by this ancient force, raised his hand. The ground beneath him trembled, vines and roots sprouting from the earth, wrapping themselves around the trees and boulders nearby. The air felt heavy with the sheer weight of the god's power, and Keiko could sense something even deeper—a vast, ancient presence that seemed to reach into the very core of the planet itself.
Gaia continued speaking, "This body is but a vessel, a temporary form. You stand before the force of nature itself." He gazed at Keiko and Oshime, his face devoid of any emotion, almost as if they were insignificant to him.
Oshime, shaken but resolute, gripped Keiko's arm tightly, her icy magic instinctively beginning to gather in her hands. "Keiko, we need to get out of here... This isn't something we can fight."
Keiko, still stunned by the encounter, nodded, but his legs felt heavy. His thoughts raced. A god? Here? In the middle of the exam? What is happening?
Gaia's glowing eyes flickered toward Oshime, his monotone voice echoing through the clearing. "And this is my domain. You cannot run from the earth."
The vines shot forward, faster than either Keiko or Oshime could react, wrapping around their legs, pulling them toward Gaia. Oshime's ice magic flared in an attempt to freeze the vines, but Gaia's power was overwhelming. The vines snapped through the ice with ease, tightening their grip.
Keiko struggled, his mind spinning in confusion. He had only just started this journey, and now he was face-to-face with a god—something he wasn't remotely prepared to face. The lie about his wind ability gnawed at him as he wondered whether he could truly protect Oshime, or even himself.
Gaia's eyes glowed brighter. "You will know the weight of the earth. Resist, and you will be crushed."
But then, out of nowhere, a sudden gust of wind surged through the clearing, more powerful than Keiko had ever felt before. The vines recoiled, releasing their grip. The golden light around Gaia flickered, as if his connection to this plane had weakened. The earth god's control wavered.
Another figure appeared—Fin Jinsei, the Wind Hero, his expression smug and his eyes blazing with confidence. "Tsk. Guess I'm right on time," he muttered, glancing over at Keiko and Oshime. "You guys looked like you could use a hand."
Gaia's focus shifted to Fin, the golden light around him intensifying once more.
Fin grinned, unfazed. "Gaia, huh? Too bad. I've got enough wind to blow away even a god."
Keiko stood frozen, his body locked in place as his mind spiraled into a whirlwind of memories and emotions. The confrontation with Gaia—the god that had taken over the boy's body—had pushed him to the brink. His hands trembled, not from the cold but from fear, a deep-rooted fear that stemmed from the day his father was taken from him. The guilt, the powerlessness, it all crashed into him like a tidal wave.
Oshime, standing next to him, was trembling too. Her usual confidence was nowhere to be found, and her ice magic flickered, weak and inconsistent. But Fin Jinsei, the green-haired boy with the power of wind, seemed unfazed. In fact, he was laughing, his voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere.
"Haha! Aren't you supposed to be a god?" Fin taunted, sending a powerful gust of wind directly toward Gaia. The wind tore through the clearing, scattering leaves and debris in its path. The god-possessed boy barely flinched, and yet, something strange began to happen.
Oshime, previously paralyzed by fear, started to move. Her body, as if responding to some hidden strength, began to shake off the terror. With a determined shout, she pulled herself free from the vines that had ensnared her. Keiko watched as her ice powers returned, stronger than before, and she summoned a massive ice hammer that shimmered in the sunlight.
But Keiko himself... he was still trapped.
In his mind, the scene played out over and over. His father's voice, the day he was taken, the powerlessness Keiko had felt. Why can't I move? he thought. Why am I still so afraid? His heart raced, and his vision blurred with the weight of it all.
Meanwhile, Gaia's vines shot out again, this time wrapping around Fin Jinsei's legs. The wind hero's usual cocky expression faltered for a brief moment as he struggled to free himself. "What the—?" Fin gasped, realizing that the vines were stronger than before, even with his wind power pushing against them.
Oshime, now free from her own restraints, couldn't help but laugh as she saw the once-overconfident Fin struggling. "Looks like the wind isn't always the answer!" she teased, swinging her ice hammer and shattering the vines holding her down. She glanced at Keiko, who was still paralyzed in his spot. Her heart ached, but she couldn't help him right now.
Gaia's monotone voice echoed across the clearing, as if sensing the fear in Keiko's heart. "You, boy," Gaia intoned, his eyes locking onto Keiko. "Why do you resist? Your fate was sealed the moment you were born."
Keiko's thoughts were a storm. His body wouldn't move, and no matter how much he willed himself to break free, he was trapped in his own mind. The world around him grew darker, and in his head, he was back in that moment—when he lost his father. The powerlessness, the overwhelming fear, the guilt that had haunted him since that day.
Why am I scared? Keiko asked himself, his thoughts slow and heavy. Why do I always freeze?
Suddenly, a faint memory flickered in his mind—his brother's voice. Strong, confident. The brother who had absorbed the demon lord's power to protect him. "Keiko," his brother had once said, "No matter how scared you are, no matter how weak you feel... you have to keep moving."
His brother's words rang through his mind, echoing louder and louder until they shattered the dark cage around him. Keiko's eyes snapped open. The weight on his chest lifted, and he could finally breathe again.
With newfound clarity, Keiko clenched his fists and took a deep breath. He could feel it—something deep within him stirring, something powerful. His spirit magic, the wind that had always been there but had never truly felt like his own, now swirled around him, responding to his emotions.
This isn't about my father anymore, Keiko realized. This is about me.
Gaia's vines shot toward Keiko, but this time, Keiko wasn't frozen. He raised his hand, and a gust of wind surged forward, cutting through the vines with ease. The winds responded to his command, swirling around him like a protective barrier.
Oshime, her ice hammer at the ready, glanced over and smiled. "Finally decided to join the fight, huh?"
Keiko nodded, determination burning in his eyes. "I'm done being afraid."
Gaia's glowing eyes narrowed, but before the earth god could react, Keiko unleashed a powerful blast of wind, pushing back the vines that threatened to entangle him again. Fin, still caught in the god's grasp, grinned as he saw Keiko standing tall.
"About time!" Fin called out, his voice strained as he prepared to unleash a more dangerous attack. He glanced at Keiko, then at the sky. "Think you can keep up, kid?"
Keiko smirked. "Watch me."
As Keiko's newfound ability, dynamokinesis, activated, his entire body glowed with a radiant orange light. He propelled himself forward at such astonishing speeds that Gaia, the god-possessed boy, couldn't even react. Keiko touched Gaia, and for a brief moment, the god was immobilized, frozen in a blue energy field.
But the freeze didn't last long. Gaia began to move again, attempting to retaliate. However, Keiko grew even faster, his orange aura flaring brighter as his speed intensified.
Watching from a distance, Fin Jinsei's mind raced as he tried to comprehend what he was witnessing. Then, with sudden realization, he yelled in excitement, "KEIKO'S ability is dynamokinesis!"
As Gaia shrieked, "I just have to keep you from touching me!" she encased herself in a dense web of vines, intending to shield herself from Keiko's incredible speed. But she grossly underestimated the true nature of his ability.
Keiko's dynamokinesis was far more than just speed. He didn't need to touch her directly. His power manipulated potential energy itself, transforming it into kinetic force, giving him an explosive advantage. In a flash, Keiko charged, his body a blur of orange light, bursting through the vine barrier like it was paper. The impact knocked the god-possessed boy backward with a force that shook the ground.
Oshime and Fin stood, wide-eyed, in awe of what they had just witnessed. Keiko's potential was unlike anything they'd imagined. But it was Fin who moved first, rushing over with a broad grin on his face. He clapped Keiko on the shoulder, his voice filled with excitement.
"That was amazing!" Fin exclaimed, handing Keiko a skill orb as a gesture of respect. He winked and added, "You better celebrate now because there are so many strong opponents ahead. I can't wait for the one-on-ones later, man!"
Keiko smiled sheepishly, taking the orb, still processing everything that had just happened. However, the warmth of the moment was broken by a cold stare from Oshime. She approached slowly, her eyes narrowing with a hint of frustration.
"Keiko," Oshime began, crossing her arms. "You lied to me. You told me your ability was wind manipulation."
Keiko's face flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I... I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't know what my ability was until now."
Oshime let out an exasperated sigh. "Next time, just be honest, alright?" Despite her stern words, there was a softness in her eyes—a recognition that Keiko was still figuring himself out.
Fin laughed, nudging Keiko. "Looks like you've got more than just strong opponents to face, man. You've got to keep your team in line too!"