On one of the cold days that heralded a harsh winter, the young Raio, with his dark eyes and his hair tied back, stood before one of the deepest challenges of his military career. He was sitting in the training hall, his eyes following the movement of a warplane high in the sky. In that moment, he recalled those days when he was just a student at the military academy, where his story began with grueling training under the supervision of one of the greatest military leaders the air force had ever known: Tsuji Matsumo, the late father of Saki.
Tsuji Matsumo, the late commander, was a pivotal figure at the academy, a man who knew no mercy when it came to preparing soldiers for battle. He was strict, intolerant of mistakes, and placed heavy emphasis on developing both the mental and physical skills of his soldiers. At that time, Raio was a young man full of ambition, looking for a chance to prove himself, but in the eyes of the late commander, he was still far from being a true leader. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped the seat of the plane during his first training session, while Tsuji Matsumo issued commands from his nearby seat. "Training is not just about the plane; it's about how to be a leader in the sky and on the ground," he would always tell him, his voice calm but firm.
Raio was not alone in receiving this kind of tough training; Tsuji Matsumo believed the greatest lesson a pilot could learn was how to be a leader and how to prioritize the lives of his men. "You are not here just to be a pilot, but to be a leader in war, in danger, where the fate of everyone is decided in critical moments," he repeated those words every time Raio found himself in a difficult situation. And Raio was not the only one who faced this type of harsh training. The late commander treated every student with the same level of rigor, regardless of their age or abilities. He believed that war shows no mercy.
Despite the toughness of the training, and what initially seemed like an impossible challenge, Raio began to learn. Every plane he flew, every maneuver he undertook, was a lesson in leadership, in how to make decisions quickly in situations where there was no room for error. Though he struggled with personal doubts in the beginning, he grew more confident in himself thanks to those teachings, and Tsuji Matsumo saw potential in him that few others could see. Raio was quick to grasp concepts, creative in adapting to changes, and in those moments, despite the harsh training, he gained the experience that would shape him into a future leader.
But no matter how tough those moments were, there was something particularly special that connected Raio to this late commander. In the presence of Tsuji Matsumo, there was something Raio could not express in words, a deep sense of appreciation, something like an inheritance that he left for him. The intense training Raio endured under his guidance felt like the final test, through which he understood that true leadership is not measured by physical strength alone, but by the ability to face challenges and protect those who rely on you.
And the day Raio lost Tsuji Matsumo, sorrow seeped into his heart like never before. It was not just a remarkable military leader who had passed away, but also a mentor who had helped shape his military identity. That day marked the beginning of a new phase in Raio's life, as he began to bear the immense responsibility he had been prepared for at the flight academy, to become the leader who would one day command the military base. He learned more from Tsuji Matsumo than any other instructor could teach him: how to balance firmness with empathy, how to be strict without losing his humanity, and how to make his soldiers trust him in the toughest moments.
The tattoo that now adorns Raio's neck, an indelible mark on his memory, carries many meanings. This tattoo was not just a symbol, but a constant reminder of what he went through, what he learned, and that the path to true leadership is not easy. He may be the leader today who shows no mercy to his enemies, but deep inside, he knows he would never have reached this point without the training of that great commander, Tsuji Matsumo, who was once his mentor.
Chaos struck the Air Force Academy on a cold morning when a soldier discovered the body of Commander Tsuji Matsumo in his office. The news spread like wildfire, as if the wind had carried the scent of death into the heart of the academy, which had always been a sanctuary for strict military training. The scene was horrifying; the late commander was found sitting behind his desk as if he were preparing to take the next step in his career. His eyes were half-open, his body stiff in a strange position, as if he had received a fatal blow without moving. On the table in front of him were scattered papers and a cold coffee cup.
Immediately, confusion swept through the soldiers and officers at the academy. Everyone rushed to the command building, where the area was sealed off and a complete lockdown was imposed. The silence of death hung in the air, and when Raio arrived, he found himself in an indescribable state of shock. His heart nearly leapt from his chest as he stood before the closed door of Commander Matsumo's office. He couldn't believe what was happening. This place, where he had spent his early days at the academy under his supervision, the place that had witnessed Raio's transformation from a novice student to a promising leader, had now become a place thick with the scent of an unexpected end.
Raio entered the office, as though his feet were leading him without his will. Commander Matsumo lay in his chair, his glassy eyes staring blankly into space, and there was something odd in the atmosphere, something unsettling. There were no clear signs of violence on his body, but something unnatural hung in the air, something mysterious that couldn't be explained. Raio began to examine the room, his mind drifting back to the long hours he had spent training under this man. Tsuji Matsumo's voice still echoed in his ears, those firm words he had said to him every time:
"Do not overestimate yourself, even if you are the most skilled pilot in the sky. Overconfidence is the first step toward falling."
But now he was standing before this man's body, in the very place where he had been seen as a symbol of strength and leadership.
Rumors spread quickly, and various stories emerged about the death of Commander Matsumo. Some said it was due to a sudden illness, while others went further, speaking of assassination or even an internal conspiracy. But the truth was far from being uncovered, and the mystery lingered around this tragic incident.
Raio, whose emotions were a mix of shock and anger, decided not to stop there. The academy's mission had now changed, becoming more complicated. He had to stand alone, as he always had, but this time he would face enemies he had never expected. That body, still present in his mind like a heavy shadow, made him realize that the truth about Tsuji Matsumo might be more complicated than he had thought.
Thus, the Air Force Academy entered a new phase, filled with mysteries and secrets that awaited someone to uncover them.
Since the day he read the name "Saki Matsumo" on the army pendant she wore, Raio felt something strange seeping into his core. The pendant, which distinguished exceptional soldiers in the academy, gleamed under the sunlight. But what made it more remarkable to Raio was not its shine, but the carefully engraved letters: Matsumo. There, the truth stood out clearly before him, in that tense moment.
It wasn't just an ordinary military pendant; it carried the weight of something much greater. It was the same pendant that her mother had worn before she disappeared, a gift from her late father, Commander Tsuji Matsumo, on one of the days they shared special training moments. When Raio saw the pendant around Saki's neck, he realized it wasn't just a memento. It was a symbol of her father's legacy, a reminder of a bond that could never be erased.
As he looked at Saki, with the light reflecting off her military pendant, his breath caught for a moment. It wasn't a mere coincidence that she was the one to inherit that pendant; it meant something much larger. It meant she was not just the daughter of the late commander, but she carried the weight of his legacy—the same strength and perseverance he had instilled in Raio during their years of training together. And in that moment, Raio realized that he could no longer ignore the invisible bond between him and this young girl, who carried the name that had traveled with her from the past.
He made a promise to himself in that instant, standing there feeling the heavy responsibility pressing on him. He knew that within the heart of this legacy, in the pendant that gleamed on her chest, lay the future of the academy and Saki's future. He could not leave her to face a world that might be harsher than she could imagine alone. From that moment on, his goal became clear—to stand by her side, to be the one to guide her and teach her how to become the leader her father had hoped she would be.