Vision of Ryuji Takeshi Iwahara
I woke up to the sunlight gently touching my face, but my thoughts immediately returned to yesterday—this isn't going to be easy.
I tried sending Hana a few messages, but got no reply. Deciding that the best option was to speak with her in person at class, I hurried to arrive early.
After a hearty breakfast, I skipped my usual training and headed straight for the classroom.
I arrived around 7:30, and finding the room empty, I decided to use the time to refine my mana core. I focused on making the flow of elementals circulate in and out of my mana core—a slow, laborious process. I stayed in that meditative state until the door suddenly opened.
"Good morning, Takeshi! What a surprise to see you here so early," said a voice. I immediately recognized it—it was Rei Suzuki. I opened my eyes to confirm her presence.
"I didn't know you'd come so early, Rei," I replied, although I hadn't had many interactions with her until then.
"It's not that early—it's already 8:30. I prefer the atmosphere here over my room or the training field, so I meditate for about an hour. By the time I finish, the other students usually arrive about 15 minutes later," she explained as she sat in her usual spot, a little apart from the others.
"I was trying to refine my core and lost track of time. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to work very well," I admitted. A moment of silence fell over the room, and just as I was preparing to resume my meditation, she walked over to me and said, "Takeshi, as the group leader, I'd like to ask for your advice." Her tone held a hint of desperation.
"Of course, if I can help," I replied, curious about what she needed.
"How did you manage to unite your group? It seems like you all get along so well."
I was a bit taken aback by the question—I rarely paid attention to the dynamics of other groups—but I assumed she was referring to how we interacted. "Could you explain a bit more?"
"Your group is the only one that's different. Lee Min-Jae seems like a dictator, Haruki's group barely spends any time together, and mine isn't in great shape either. Ever since the professor reprimanded us on the first day and I chickened out, I feel they've been reluctant to trust me as a leader." I saw her face tense at the mention of that first day—it was clearly a painful memory.
"Especially Li Na Zhang. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but she never sits with me. She said she wants the leadership role because she thinks I'm weak." I could only recall the green-haired girl who always sat behind her.
She appeared to be in a difficult situation; her hesitant voice and worried expression made it clear that this was serious.
"To be honest, the dynamics in my group developed gradually—it wasn't something I planned. But it's clear that their lack of trust in you is the weak link. You need to show strength. We're only at the beginning of the year; there's still time to change their perception of you."
"I've tried to project confidence—I told them it was just a slip-up because I'd never been under that much pressure before." She looked down, her fists clenched. "It won't happen again. I need to…," she paused, and I could see determination in her eyes. "I will surpass myself. I'll show them that I can lead." She was very determined; she wanted a leader like that.
"I understand your goal, but your teammates don't seem convinced—perhaps because everyone here says the same thing. You'll have to win them over with actions. I think that's why mine trust me," I replied, a hopeful look crossing my face.
"And what should I do?" she asked.
"That's something you'll have to figure out on your own." To be honest, I didn't have a clear answer myself.
She fell silent for a moment, placing a hand on her chin, eyes fixed on the floor as if searching for a solution. Then, with a genuine smile, she squeezed my hand. "Thank you, Takeshi. You've given me a new perspective. I hope you win your duel—I think we need to support each other." Her words surprised me; whatever she was thinking, I hoped it would work.
"Sure, but you can just call me Ryu if you want, alright?" I said, not feeling too comfortable being addressed by my last name. I still have to prove I deserve it.
"Okay, but for me, Ryuji is too formal—just Ryu is fine. Thanks for the advice; I'm going to meditate a bit now," she replied before turning back to her seat, leaving me with a sense of camaraderie. She really is a dedicated leader, isn't she?
Returning to my meditation, I found my focus was fragmented—I could only maintain the right state for a few minutes before losing concentration. Even Rei, who was meditating nearby, didn't budge—a truly impressive display.
Time passed, and more students began to arrive, though none of my close companions were in sight. When the clock struck 10, I saw them entering with Professor Takeda. Quickly, they made their way over to where I was. Aiko looked at me with an expression of discontent, while Hana avoided my gaze. Both took seats at the back of the room. I saw Kenji sitting at the far end of our table, and only Daisuke remained beside me.
A tap on my shoulder pulled me close, and he said, "You need to adapt, boss." Before I could reply, Takeda began the lesson.
"Today will be an important day. Since classes began, you have all improved your mana control rapidly. From what I hear from the other teachers, you're doing well in your other subjects, too. Therefore, a new concept will be introduced today." Murmurs rippled through the room. I was curious—if it were something combat-related, it might only add to my burden.
"However, we cannot begin this lesson unless every student is present." A brief confusion followed as everyone started looking for the missing student—yet all 19 of us were there.
"Excuse me, Professor, but if everyone is here, who is missing?" asked Rei.
"Please, come in," the professor said, eyeing the door.
A few seconds later, it opened, and a boy began walking toward the professor. Dressed in the institute uniform and nearly my height, with striking spiky gray hair, I couldn't help but think I knew him. Professor Takeda motioned for him to introduce himself.
"I am Katsu Yamamoto, the man who will become a Lance." An unforgettable smile broke across his face.
My eyes widened in disbelief. Katsu Yamamoto? It couldn't be—the boy who had wept during the exam was now here, smiling as if nothing had happened.
Murmurs erupted around the room.
"Do you know him, Ryu?" Daisuke asked, noticing my surprise—I couldn't hide it.
"Yes, he took the exam with us…" My voice trailed off, unable to finish.
"Silence." After ensuring everyone quieted down, Takeda continued, "You may be wondering why he is entering so late. The answer is that until three days ago, he wasn't a mage. What happened to him was a late awakening." Anger flared inside me—how could this be? Why did no one tell us about this before? I raised my hand to ask.
"If such a possibility always existed, why didn't anyone warn those who failed the exam? You were in the same room as I was, and you saw that when Katsu failed, the atmosphere became unbearable—everyone clung to that idea." Even though I wasn't very close with my peers from back then, it was painful to witness their reactions to failure.
"This is going to be a long conversation. Katsu, you may sit over there," Takeda said, pointing to an empty table at the front. I wanted to speak with him immediately, but I knew the professor's explanation was crucial.
With a serious expression, Takeda began, "Before I explain why we didn't warn you, let me tell you how this exam works worldwide."
He tapped the table, and a hologram of the continent appeared, with four nations highlighted by imposing rivers crossing in an X shape.
"In every nation, the exam is held on the first day of February, to ensure equality. That's why each of you receives annual vaccinations that regulate the growth of your mana cores so that you are ready for this day. On average, 700 to 800 people awaken every year—this number has been steady for nearly a hundred years—but most never advance beyond a solid blue core. In the same century, only about 300 reach the red core."
"Professor, isn't it unusual that so few people reach such a high level?" asked Rei.
"Of course it is, but a mage who has just reached the red core should be equivalent to between 1,000 and 2,000 who are still at the blue core stage. It's a global consensus that quality far outweighs quantity in this case. Now, to answer your question: we didn't warn you because we had to make it more challenging."
"So that's why there are many more students in the upper years," I asked, somewhat perplexed.
"Exactly. Based on studies that show a mage's mental state can affect their ability to control their elements—even at the time of their initial awakening—we raised the question of whether those who awaken under such pressure are inherently stronger. But no one wanted to potentially lose hundreds of mages to test an unproven theory, so after ten years, the world finally achieved stability in the war against mana beasts, and this proposal resurfaced." He paused, perhaps waiting for questions, but most of us were still processing the information.
"So, the exams have changed. Previously, exams were individual, and those who failed had no contact with those who hadn't taken the exam. In the end, the total number of new mages worldwide, including late awakeners, was 183, and in the Asian Union, only 50, with five awakening late."
"So, the others went to the Boreal Arcane Institute, Professor?" asked Rei.
That was the school located further north in the Eastern Union.
"Regarding late awakening: it occurs because the user's core is not fully formed at the time of the exam. However, when elementals force their way through the core, it begins to develop rapidly. Within two weeks, all late awakenings will occur. After that, until July, the mana cores of those who did not become mages will naturally disappear from their bodies." He paused and surveyed us.
"The expectation is that everyone here will reach at least a green or yellow core. You are an elite class, handpicked. Allow me to reintroduce myself: I am General Takeda, and I am here to shape you into the best."
A stunned silence fell over the room, our faces reflecting shock. A general? He held the second-highest rank in the army. While I wasn't as surprised as some, a question nagged at me.
"Professor, if you wanted to form an elite group, why didn't you separate the most talented from those who seemed weaker? It doesn't make sense to crush the dreams of these people. Even if they don't become the strongest, they could be placed in separate classes."
"Good question, Ryuji. To be honest, they tried; it wasn't much different from usual. Their early performance was similar to what you see in this room—let's see if you can maintain that status. Also, this year, most of the late awakeners come from mage families. Among you, only Katsu and Haruki do not."
"Since the exam, we selected students whose cores weren't fully developed, knowing they would likely fail. Katsu was an example. If that failure had affected them, you couldn't be soldiers. Be grateful to your parents, who guided you onto this path—even without mentioning the magical world."
I had suspected that some of my peers were mages' children or relatives, but learning that only two weren't was a surprise.
"Now that you know this, I hope you won't disappoint us. The global committee decided to do this only once. If the results aren't effective, this selection process will never be repeated."
A heavy silence fell over the room as we exchanged looks of shock and apprehension. Some of us stared nervously, while others struggled to digest the information.
"Since there are no questions, let's move on. Katsu?"
"Yes," the boy exclaimed as he stood up.
"As I explained, from today your new leader will be Rei Suzuki." With that, Rei stood gracefully and smiled, "Welcome, Katsu. You can count on me."
"What luck—I've always thought she was beautiful." Before I could finish my thought, Takeda landed a punch on his head, knocking him to the floor.
"Show respect—she is your superior," Takeda admonished, swiftly diverting his gaze from Katsu to me, then beyond. He clearly wasn't subtle; my own conflict with Hana was known. I never wished things had come to this.
After Katsu sat beside his new leader, Takeda resumed, "Let's begin the lesson. As I mentioned earlier, your ability to manipulate mana is impressive. Therefore, I believe it is time to introduce the concept of pure mana."
At those words, my heart raced. I had given up trying to understand what my grandfather said I'd once used, but now, finally, I would learn about it. This would be the key to winning my duel.