Haruto's eyes narrowed. He was doing everything the book had told him to, yet the power was elusive. The page describing the flow of mana and the ways to connect with it felt so distant, like trying to grasp something intangible. But there was a feeling deep inside him—a strange stirring, a presence that seemed to resonate with the words on the page.
"Why is this so hard?" Haruto muttered under his breath, frustration bubbling to the surface. The heat in his chest flared, feeding his restlessness. It was as if the power was right there, just out of reach, mocking him.
His fingers twitched as he tried again, focusing harder, imagining the mana flowing through his body. Slowly, a cold sensation began to spread from his chest, crawling up his arms and into his fingertips. It felt strange—unfamiliar and yet oddly comforting. He breathed in deeply, trying to direct it, to mold it.
"Come on… just a little more," he whispered, his heart racing as he poured all his energy into the task. He wasn't sure why he was so desperate for this to work, but something in him demanded success.
And then—something shifted.
The air around him grew heavy, thick with energy. It started in his chest, a pressure, an almost unbearable weight, and then surged outward. His palm began to tingle more intensely, and before he could react, a dark shadow began to seep from his hand, curling like smoke in the air.
"What—?" Haruto gasped, his body stiffening in shock. The shadow was like nothing he'd read about in the book. It twisted and moved, almost as if it had a life of its own. He tried to pull his hand back, but the darkness clung to him, growing thicker and more intense.
The shadows expanded rapidly, twisting around his arm, his chest, and even his legs, as if they were trying to consume him. Haruto's breath quickened in panic, the chill of the dark energy pressing in on him. He felt as though his body was being ripped apart by the power coursing through him.
"No, no, no!" Haruto's voice cracked as he tried to regain control. The words from the book echoed in his mind, but they were meaningless now. The power was spiraling out of control. He could feel it, hear it, even taste it in the air—the weight of the energy, the intensity of the dark force that now surrounded him.
The shadows fed off his fear, growing more erratic, their movements becoming violent. The air itself seemed to warp around him as if the very space was bending in response to the surge of energy. His heart pounded in his chest, and he couldn't tell if it was his own pulse or the throbbing of the power that threatened to break him apart.
"Stop! Please, stop!" Haruto cried out, but it was no use. The more he tried to resist, the stronger the shadows became, pulling him deeper into the chaos.
And then, in an instant—BOOM!
A blast of energy erupted from Haruto's body, sending a shockwave through the yard. The force was so powerful it knocked him off his feet, throwing him back into the ground. His vision went black as the explosion consumed everything in a blinding flash.
Haruto woke…
Haruto's eyelids fluttered open, his body heavy and weak. The ceiling of his bedroom came into focus, the familiar wooden beams above offering a sense of stability to his disoriented mind. He lay still for a moment, his chest rising and falling with each shallow breath.
"Haruto," a voice called softly.
Turning his head, Haruto saw his father, Kazuki Renma, sitting beside him. His father's face was etched with worry, but his expression softened when their eyes met.
"You're awake," Kazuki said, his voice low and careful. "You've been out for two days."
Haruto's throat felt dry, and his voice came out in a raspy whisper. "Two days…?"
Kazuki nodded. "You collapsed in the yard. When I found you, the ground around you was scorched. Do you remember what happened?"
Haruto frowned, his memories of the event rushing back in fragments. The mana, the shadows, the explosion—it all felt like a chaotic dream. He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the faint echo of the power that had surged through him.
"I… I don't know," Haruto lied, lowering his gaze.
Kazuki's expression darkened, but he didn't press further. "Rest for now. We can talk when you're ready."
With that, Kazuki stood, leaving Haruto alone with his thoughts. The door closed softly behind him, and the room fell silent.
Haruto's fingers curled into the blanket as he replayed the events in his mind. The sensation of the shadows, the overwhelming power that had consumed him—it wasn't something he could ignore.
And then, a thought struck him. As he sat there in the quiet, fragments of something deeper stirred within him. Faint images flashed across his mind—a battlefield, blood-soaked steel, and a voice calling out his name.
Haruto clenched his fists, his breathing shallow.
"This isn't just mana," he muttered, his voice trembling.
He looked out the window, the soft light of dawn spilling into the room. Questions swirled in his mind, but no answers came. He knew only one thing for certain: whatever he saw was greater than anything he could have ever imagined.
And he had to uncover the truth.