Twelve years later.
The city of Lumeria, capital of the Ajia continent, gleamed beneath a lavender sky. Skyscrapers of glass and crystal rose beside ancient temples protected by enchantments from a bygone era. Mana flowed through neon veins in the streets like blood through arteries—structured, humming, alive.
Inside a modest apartment near the city's edge, Rio Narasuki groaned as he shut off his alarm.
"Ugh... another Monday," he muttered, ruffling his messy black hair as sunlight poured into the room.
He dragged himself out of bed and began his morning routine with practiced laziness. As he brushed his teeth, he stared into the mirror. Blue eyes stared back—unremarkable, perhaps even kind. There was nothing about his reflection that screamed "special." Yet beneath his skin, something stirred.
"Rio! Breakfast!" came a familiar voice from the kitchen.
He perked up. "Coming, Auntie!"
Since the accident that took their parents when Rio and Sai were just twelve, their mother's elder sister, Aunt Kaede, had taken them in. She was stern, practical, and above all, patient.
As Rio entered the kitchen, he spotted Sai already eating, dressed neatly in his school uniform. Sai had always been the more polished of the two—organized, respectful, and absurdly talented. His silver-white hair and calm golden eyes drew attention everywhere he went.
"You're late again," Sai remarked, not looking up from his food.
"You're early again," Rio countered, plopping into his seat with a grin.
Kaede sighed. "Eat, both of you. Then get going. Today's your evaluation."
Rio blinked. "Wait... that's today?"
Sai glanced at him sharply. "You forgot again?"
"I was busy—playing games," Rio admitted shamelessly. "Besides, I'm not an Awakened like you. Nothing special's gonna happen."
Sai's expression softened slightly, though it still held something unreadable. "Just be on time."
At Lumeria Academy, the Evaluation Grounds buzzed with excitement. Students were lined up, waiting to undergo the Magical Potential Test—an ancient ritual designed to measure one's affinity with mana, elemental aptitude, and mental resilience. Each student would touch the Arcstone, a relic that reacted to the soul's innate magical nature.
"Next—Rio Narasuki," the examiner called.
Rio trudged forward, hands in pockets.
The Arcstone pulsed gently, a clear, colorless crystal about the size of a basketball. Most students caused a simple flash or a faint glow. Sai's turn had ignited a cascade of golden runes and lightning sparks, earning him whispers of awe.
Rio placed his hand on the stone.
Nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM!
A shockwave burst from the Arcstone. The crystal exploded in a flare of violet and black flames, sending the examiner flying back. The floor cracked beneath Rio's feet, and a pulse of pure, ancient energy radiated outward. Every magical detection device short-circuited. Runes across the walls blinked violently before collapsing into static.
Gasps filled the room.
"W-What in the world—?!"
The dust settled, revealing Rio, unharmed and still blinking in confusion.
Sai stood frozen at the edge of the crowd, a hand clenched tightly at his side.
"No way... that energy... That's..." he whispered. "That's him."
That night, Rio sat on the apartment rooftop, legs dangling over the edge, staring up at the stars.
"I don't get it," he muttered. "Why did the stone explode?"
He heard the door creak behind him.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Sai said, stepping onto the rooftop.
Rio tilted his head. "Felt what?"
Sai walked over and sat beside him, his gaze distant. "The power inside you. It's not normal. It's... ancient."
Rio shrugged. "I don't feel anything. I'm just me."
Sai looked at his brother, conflicted. "Do you ever dream... about another world?"
Rio blinked. "Dream? Hmm... I guess. Sometimes I see fire, and swords, and a girl with golden eyes calling my name. Weird, huh?"
Sai went silent.
"I remember everything," he finally said.
Rio turned sharply. "Huh?"
"I remembered who I was, five years ago. After that accident. I wasn't just Sai Narasuki. I was Rainhart von Haliohart—the Hero of Beginnings."
Rio laughed nervously. "You... what?"
Sai didn't smile. "You don't remember yet. But you will. Because you were the one I fought in that final war. You were the Demon King of Endings."
Rio's breath caught in his throat.
Sai placed a hand on Rio's shoulder. "You don't have to believe me now. But soon... the world won't let us forget who we were."
Thunder rolled in the distance, despite the clear sky.
Far away, in a chamber deep beneath the city of Eldridge, an ancient eye opened.
A voice echoed from the void.
"The End has returned. So shall the Beginning."