Chapter 19: Regret and Resolve Rei's Defeat – A Heavy Realization
Rei Kurogane sat at his dormitory desk, staring at the final rankings still displayed on his holo-watch.
🥇 1st Place – Team Kozuki Renjou🥈 2nd Place – Team Rei Kurogane
He clenched his fists.
Rei (thinking): I thought I could outthink them… but in the end, Kozuki's team crushed us.
His **perfect vision, his calculations, his strategies—**they all failed against overwhelming strength.
Souta was beaten down.Akari barely stood after Kozuki's attacks.Rei himself had been helpless.
Rei (frustrated): I saw everything. I knew what was coming. But knowing isn't enough if I can't stop it.
For the first time, he felt powerless.
Aether Academy wasn't a place where intelligence alone could win.
It was a war zone.
And he wasn't strong enough to fight in it.
Souta and Akari – Rei's Weakness Exposed
As Rei sat in silence, he suddenly heard Souta's voice.
Souta (grinning, entering the dorm): "Hey, Rei, you alive in here?"
Rei didn't respond. He kept staring at his holo-watch.
Akari (noticing his expression): "You're still thinking about the fight, aren't you?"
Rei adjusted his glasses. "We should have won."
Souta's usual grin faded.
Souta: "Dude, we got second place. That's not bad."
Rei (shaking his head): "It is bad. We weren't even close."
Akari sighed.
Akari: "Kozuki was always going to win, Rei. It's not just you who lost. We all did."
Rei (frustrated): "That's the problem. I thought my strategies could match him. But strategy means nothing when we're too weak to execute it."
He clenched his fists.
Rei: "I watched you both struggle. I saw the attacks coming, but I couldn't stop them. My ability… it's useless if I can't protect my team."
Souta and Akari exchanged looks.
They had never seen Rei this shaken before.
Souta (grinning slightly): "So… what are you gonna do about it?"
Rei didn't answer right away.
Then, his eyes sharpened.
Rei: "I'll find a way to fix it."
Aether Academy's Next Challenge – Rei's Opportunity
The next morning, a new announcement appeared on their holo-watches.
[First Academy Trial: Begins Now]✔ Trial Type: Team Combat & Survival✔ Objective: Capture and Defend Key Zones✔ Time Limit: 6 Hours✔ Fail Condition: Elimination or Zone Loss
Rei (analyzing the trial details): This isn't just a survival test. This is a battlefield simulation. If we don't work as a unit, we lose.
He took a deep breath.
This was his chance to prove something.
Not to Kozuki.Not to the academy.But to himself.
If he couldn't fight like the others—
Then he would make sure his team never lost again.
Rei's New Strategy – Making His Team Unstoppable
Rei turned to Souta and Akari.
Rei: "I've been thinking. My ability—my eyes, my calculations—I've been using them wrong."
Souta (blinking): "Huh?"
Rei adjusted his glasses.
Rei: "I can't fight like Kozuki. I can't overpower anyone. But I can make sure you two fight perfectly."
Akari (curious): "What are you saying?"
Rei stood up.
Rei: "From now on, I'm not just thinking about winning. I'm thinking about how to make you two unstoppable."
His eyes sharpened.
Rei: "I'll analyze everything. Every attack, every weakness, every moment of hesitation from the enemy. And I'll guide you both in real-time."
Souta (grinning): "So basically, you're gonna be our commander?"
Rei: "Not just a commander. I'm going to be your eyes, your brain, and your perfect advantage."
For the first time since the exam, he wasn't doubting himself.
He had a new purpose.
The next trial wouldn't be just another test.
It would be his first step toward never losing again.
And this time—his team would be unstoppable.