Night had fallen over São Paulo, but in Zeki's room the light was almost nonexistent. Only the soft glow of a crescent moon slipped through the half-open window. The air was still.
Zeki was floating.
Seated in a lotus position, about half a meter above the bed, his body hovered motionless. A subtle, controlled light-blue psychic aura wrapped around him like a second skin. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and deep. The silence was absolute.
Ten days.
The thought emerged clearly in his mind, unhurried. He felt no anxiety — only focus.
My defense is still vulnerable. Against Chapo, I needed excessive effort to free myself from the rocks. If it had been a faster opponent or one with direct psychic attacks…
He slowly extended his hand. A psychic sphere the size of a tennis ball formed above his palm, spinning steadily. Zeki focused. The sphere shrank, became denser, and its color shifted to a deeper blue, almost violet. He threw it against the wall. The impact was silent, but the mark left on the building's reinforced concrete was visible — a small, perfect crater.
Better. More concentrated. More lethal.
He created two spheres at the same time, making them orbit around his body as he floated. He tested his endurance, trying to keep them stable while expanding his psychic perception throughout the room. He felt every object, every particle of dust in the air.
Levitation against enemies… I need to improve precision while in motion. It's not enough to lift. I need to control with enough speed and force to immobilize someone like Isadora in the middle of an attack.
The aura around him pulsed stronger for a few seconds, becoming brighter. Zeki smiled slightly, satisfied with his progress. He was refining not only raw power, but fine control — the true essence of a psychic user.
Suddenly, the apartment door opened. Zeki heard his father's familiar footsteps.
"I'm home," Cleiton said, his voice tired but firm. "Smells good, Claudia."
"Welcome, love. Dinner's still warm." His mother's voice came from the kitchen. "Zeki's in his room. Training again."
Cleiton sighed audibly.
"Training? Again? He barely got home and he's already at it?"
"He's been floating all day in his head, I think," Claudia replied in a light but concerned tone. "He didn't even eat properly. Just stayed in that meditation state. You know how he is when he starts focusing."
Cleiton remained silent for a few seconds.
"I trust his intellect. The boy is smarter than most adults I know. But… he's still just a kid. If he pushes himself too hard and something goes wrong with those powers…"
"I know," Claudia replied softly. "I worry too. But he seems to know what he's doing. I've never seen him lose control. Let's let him go at his own pace."
Zeki, still floating, heard the entire conversation. A faint smile touched his lips. His parents were good. Worried, yes, but they trusted him. That was enough.
He slowly descended onto the bed, sitting cross-legged. The psychic aura diminished, but didn't disappear completely.
His thoughts returned to recent battles.
Against Chapo… I could have done more. I stayed on the defensive for too long. If I had used the psychic blade earlier, or combined it with element manipulation, maybe I could have ended the fight before Rosa Clure showed up.
He closed his eyes tighter.
And against the monsters… the Chief Serpent. I underestimated her attack. I was thrown away like a rookie. If it weren't for my barrier, it could have been worse.
An uncomfortable feeling arose in his chest — disappointment in himself. His psychic aura reacted, pulsing more intensely. The air in the room grew slightly heavier.
I'm Rank 2. But I still make basic mistakes. I still hesitate to unleash my full power. And the worst part…
Zeki took a deep breath.
…I'm afraid.
Not afraid of losing, but of going too far without fully understanding his own abilities. Every time he felt his power grow, a part of him wondered: How far does this go? What else am I capable of? And what if I lose control?
The aura around him grew stronger, almost vibrating. For a few seconds, light objects in the room — a book, a remote control — began to levitate involuntarily.
Zeki noticed and breathed slowly, controlling his breathing. Gradually, the aura stabilized. The objects gently returned to their places.
He opened his eyes. Calm again.
Fear is normal. But it can't paralyze me. Ten days. I'll use this time to better understand my limitations… and overcome them.
Zeki lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The moon shone outside.
The Rank D tournament was approaching. And he would be ready.