Keiko felt like he was losing his mind. Every time he closed his eyes to sleep, a nightmare greeted him. The same nightmare. A snake's grip would tighten around him, constricting his chest, suffocating him until he fell to the ground, powerless. Outside, the orange energy that once defined him would burst violently from his body, destroying everything in its path. He would wake up drenched in sweat, his room in ruins from the uncontrolled outburst.
Not again, he thought, staring at the remnants of the shattered room. His hand trembled as he lifted it, trying to summon his energy, his core's power. For a brief moment, his body flickered orange—his familiar dynamokinesis. But then, just as quickly, the flicker shifted to red, fading completely as though it had never existed. His energy construct ability wasn't responding. Nothing was working.
With a heavy sigh, Keiko dragged himself out of bed, his movements sluggish, devoid of his usual fire. The day ahead seemed like a long road of misery, but he forced himself to go to class, even if just to distract himself from the crushing emptiness that gnawed at him from the inside.
The day dragged on. Every step felt heavier than the last. A random student, eager to make a name for himself, challenged Keiko in the training yard, expecting a fight with the famous number one student. Normally, Keiko would have ended it in an instant, using his Potential Field or his Spirit Weapons. But this time, when he tried to summon his energy, nothing happened.
The attacker lunged at Keiko, and he barely dodged, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. His Potential Field wasn't working. His Spirit Weapons didn't respond. The despair that had been lurking within him now threatened to consume him.
Keiko closed his eyes, trying to focus. If nothing else, he could still rely on his Ki sense, something he had been forced to hone when his mana pathways failed. He dodged the student's attacks one after another, relying only on his instincts, before landing a precise strike that knocked the challenger out cold.
But there was no satisfaction in the victory. It only deepened the emptiness he felt inside.
Later that day, Keiko found himself standing outside the academy's medical wing, waiting for answers he already dreaded. Inside, Doctor Cyrus was examining him. The man was a calm presence, always collected and insightful, but his face was tense as he placed a hand over Keiko's chest, sensing the energy within him.
"I can't use my ability," Keiko finally admitted, his voice hollow.
Cyrus frowned, his hand glowing faintly as he traced the pathways of Keiko's core. "Your mana core… it's dormant. It's like you've pushed yourself too far. Not just that—your mana pathways are blocked." He pulled his hand away, his expression serious. "I can try to open them again, but your ability will be severely limited. You may never fully recover."
Keiko's heart sank. It felt like the ground had crumbled beneath him, like everything he had worked for was slipping away. His dreams, his strength, his place in the academy—all of it felt as if it was unraveling.
Walking out of the doctor's office, his eyes were downcast, shadows under them darkening his already sunken expression. The sky seemed darker, even though the sun was shining. Nothing felt the same.
As he walked aimlessly, Silver came running up to him, smiling brightly. "So how did it go?" Silver asked, his excitement contagious—until Keiko just walked past him, not even acknowledging his presence.
Silver's smile faltered, confusion taking over. Keiko had never ignored him like that.
Before Silver could react, Ryuga strode up to Keiko, determination in his eyes. "Fight me for the number one spot," Ryuga demanded, fully expecting Keiko to accept the challenge. But Keiko only shook his head, declining without a word. His wristwatch, which displayed his rank as the academy's number one, flickered. In an instant, it dropped to number three.
Silver watched, stunned. "Keiko… what are you doing?" Ryuga was about to speak, but Silver, now overcome with emotion, grabbed Keiko by the shoulder, spinning him around to face him.
"What was that, Keiko? Why did you just give up the number one spot like that?" Silver's voice cracked with frustration and disbelief. But Keiko couldn't bring himself to respond. He just stood there, head down, defeated.
Silver's anger flared. "Why?!" he shouted. "You're just giving up? What happened to the guy who was so excited to face the world, to prove himself, even without relying on his ability? Now you've lost it and you just give up? I thought you were stronger than this, Keiko!"
Keiko's eyes stayed glued to the ground, unable to meet Silver's gaze. His heart ached, but the words felt empty in his mouth. He couldn't explain how lost he felt, how powerless. He couldn't even explain it to himself.
"I… I've lost my ability," Keiko whispered finally, the words like shards of glass cutting through his throat. "I can't use it anymore."
Silver's face twisted with frustration, his fists clenching as tears welled up in his eyes. "So, that's it? You just give up because you can't use your power? That's not the Keiko I thought I knew! You're a disgrace."
The word stung more than any physical blow. Keiko stood in silence as Silver stormed off, leaving him alone in the quiet, with only his own despair for company.
For the first time, Keiko felt truly lost. His power, his identity, and the person he thought he was—all of it felt shattered, like the pieces of his broken room. And he didn't know how to put it back together.