The last thing Ren remembered was a blazing fire, an unstoppable one bursting from his own hands. The monster had lunged at him and its fangs had been inches from his throat, then everything had gone up in flames.
And then, Nothing. Just darkness.
When he woke up, pain slammed into him like a hammer to the skull. His head throbbed so badly that it felt like someone had split it open.
His body was heavy and aching all over, as if he had been trampled upon.
He tried to move but Nothing.
His fingers twitched weakly beneath the thick blankets wrapped around him, but the moment he tried to shift, a sharp jolt of pain shot through his body, forcing him still. He felt drained, empty, like all the strength had been sucked out of him.
He wanted to speak, he wanted to ask what had happened. But even opening his mouth felt impossible.
Then he heard voices.
Hushed. Tense.
They were trying not to wake him up. But their words caught his interest. So he just lay there, listening. His body was too weak to move, but his mind clung to every word.
"You took him where?!"
Kana's voice was sharp with disbelief. It was filled with frustration and fear. She was Shiku's mother. And she was furious.
Shiku stood in the middle of their home with her arms folded and her jaw clenched. She hated this. She hated being scolded like a reckless child.
"Do you even realize what you've done?!"
That was Riko, her father. His voice boomed through the room with barely contained rage.
"That part of the forest isn't just dangerous Shiku, it's forbidden! The gate is there! That's where the monsters come from! And you took him straight to the edge of the abyss! And you know that boy have no powers, no magic and he's at the mercy of those beasts. "
Ren's fingers twitched under the blanket. The gate?! His mind was still foggy, but he knew one thing, he shouldn't have survived that and he had no idea how he did.
Shiku inhaled deeply, she was already expecting this reaction.
"I know," she muttered.
"You know?!" Kana snapped. "And you still went?! With Ren of all people?! A boy with no magic, no way to defend himself?!"
Seventeen years ago, the Seer—a man of great respect—arrived at their doorstep and placed baby Ren in their arms.
He told them that this child was destined for greatness but could only be safe here, on the outskirts of Tatsuhana. He made them swear to protect him no matter what.
"This is the will of the gods."
Those were his exact words.
A heavy silence filled the room. It was thick and suffocating.
Shiku had always gone to the woods. Every time she unlocked a new skill, she tested it there, where she knew the monsters would come for her.
He wasn't just curious, he was desperate.
He wanted to train with her, push himself, find some way to get stronger. No matter how many times he failed, no matter how much he was told he had no magic, he refused to accept it.
But how was she supposed to explain that to her parents?
Then, just when the air felt ready to snap from the tension, Riko exhaled sharply and ran a hand down his face.
"…Enough," he muttered. "What matters is that he's alive."
Shiku blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift.
Riko sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "We can argue all night about what should or shouldn't have happened, but at the end of the day… the boy survived." He shook his head. "And that… might actually be a good thing."
Shiku frowned. "What do you mean?"
Riko's expression darkened. "I wasn't planning to bring this up yet, but… we just got news from the city."
Shiku's body tensed. "What news?"
Riko's eyes met hers. "Kurugami isn't a threat the Dragon Lord can face alone."
Shiku's stomach dropped. "What?"
Riko sighed deeply. "Turns out, defeating him is going to take more than just the Dragon Lord's flames."
"The city has finally admitted what the elders have been whispering for years," Riko continued. "Kurugami is too powerful. Even if the Dragon Lord awakens, one person alone won't be enough to stop him."
For generations, everyone believed that the Dragon Lord's flame was the only thing strong enough to defeat Kurugami. That was how it had always been. The prophecy, the history, the legends, everything pointed to that one truth. But now, suddenly, the city was changing its stance.
The reason isn't far fetched.
There were people in the city, powerful families, ones who had been part of its foundation, who were no longer just ordinary citizens.
They were secretly serving Kurugami. In the shadows, they had been working against the city, feeding him strength even while he remained in bondage. He wasn't alone anymore. He had followers. Loyalists. Traitors hiding in plain sight.
That was why the city was pushing for something different. They weren't just relying on the Dragon Lord anymore. Now, they needed elites, warriors trained to fight alongside him. Because this wasn't just about stopping Kurugami.
This was about taking down him and his growing army.
Shiku's heartbeat quickened. "Then… what's the plan?"
"They're forming a battle force," Riko said. "A team of fighters, one from each clan. Every clan in the city is choosing their strongest, most promising young fighters to send to Tatsuryoku Academy."
"They'll train together, sharpen their skills, and when the time comes… they'll stand beside the Dragon Lord in battle."
Shiku's breath hitched. "Wait… just the kids?"
Riko nodded. "Yes. The younger generation. The older warriors have already hit their limits. They're strong, but they can only get so far. But the younger ones… their potential is endless.
If trained properly, they could become stronger than anyone before them. They could become monsters in battle."
But raw strength wasn't enough. They needed discipline. Strategy. Unity.
That's why the academy was preparing them for war, not just training them. Every warrior-in-training would have to join a clan, each with its own way of fighting, its own ideals..
Each student would have to choose a path. A clan that matched their strengths, or tested their weaknesses.
Because when the real war began, only the strongest would survive.
Shiku's fingers twitched at the thought.
She crossed her arms, her frustration clear. "And why are you telling me this? You know people like us, from the outskirts, don't belong with the elites. The ones born with magic. The ones who act like they're better than everyone else. They're proud, arrogant, and they look down on us."
Riko didn't flinch. His face stayed calm. "Your martial art is outstanding. More than anyone that lives around here. You could go to that academy, Shiku. I doubt they would refuse such a talent."
Shiku exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "You want us to change our lives? Fine. You want respect? Fine. Then why don't we send Ren?"
The room fell silent.
Ren, who had been quietly listening, felt his heart pound in his chest. His mind spun with a million thoughts at once.
Send me? To the Academy?
But… I've never trained like them. I've never fought like them. I've never even had magic—until now.
Plus I need to remain here till I am 18. So my life won't be in danger again. In the hands of my father and siblings. The eerie thought loomed Ren's head.
His hands curled into fists. The weight of the situation made his skin prickle. He wasn't sure if he was ready for this. He wasn't sure if he would ever be.
But if he didn't go… if he stayed here, hiding like always… then what?
Would he ever truly become strong? Would he ever be able to protect anyone or change his destiny?
Even though he would be getting his system at 18, what stops him from going after it now?
There was silence all over the room.
Her parents stared at her, stunned. Then, almost at the same time, they spoke.
"Ren?"
The disbelief in their voices was clear, like she had just said something ridiculous.
Her father frowned. "Shiku, we all know Ren doesn't have magic. He's not fit for the academy. You've trained for this. You're strong."
Her mother nodded. "Tatsuryoku Academy isn't for just anyone. It's for warriors. The gifted—" She hesitated, glancing at Ren. "And Ren… he's different."
She sighed, her expression firm as she looked around the room. "The Seer told us to protect him from the outside world until he showed signs of magic. That was the deal."
"That was why we kept him here, away from the others. We all know he hasn't shown a single trace of magic, not even a spark. If we had let him out there, he would've been bullied, ridiculed… or worse."
She squared her shoulders, her voice growing sharper. "And now, after everything, you want to throw him into the academy? Into a place where the strong thrive and the weak are crushed? Have you considered what could happen to him?"
She didn't need to say more. They all knew what she meant.
Ren had never been like the others in the outskirts. While everyone else trained, pushed their limits, and fought to survive, he was always the odd one out. The one without magic. The one who had to be protected.
Shiku stood up, her jaw clenched. "But what if we've been wrong about him all this time?"
Her parents froze.
Shiku took a deep breath,but her voice was calmer but firm.
"You weren't there. You didn't see what I saw." She glanced at Ren, who lay numb on the bed, then she turned back to them.
"The monster looked at him differently. The moment it locked eyes with him… its eyes turned red."
Her father's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.
Shiku's hands curled into fists. "And then… he did something impossible." She took a step forward. "He emitted fire "
Silence.
Her mother slowly raised a hand to her mouth while her father's fingers twitched at his side.
Shiku held their gaze with her eyes filled with conviction. "I saw it. He didn't just create a tiny spark. It was fire. And when it happened… that monster was consumed to ashes."
She took a step forward. Her voice steady and firm.
"What if Ren is the next Dragon Lord? What if keeping him here is only holding him back? You keep talking about protecting him, but what if that's the very thing stopping him from becoming who he's meant to be?"
She looked around the room, meeting each of their eyes.
"Kurugami's influence is growing. The city is already changing. If Ren really is the Dragon Lord, then keeping him here isn't going to help him. It's only going to make things worse. He needs to go to the Academy. He needs to train. To master his power."
She exhaled sharply as frustration flickered in her eyes.
"Because if we keep hiding him away, if we keep pretending like this isn't happening, then the city is going to be ruined. And when that time comes, there won't be anyone strong enough to stop it."