A soft light filtered through the shutters, caressing Menma's still-weary face. His eyelids opened slowly, his mind fogged by fatigue and the weight of the past few days.
He felt a slight anxiety rise within him — the fear of having failed, of not being good enough. But the familiar presence of William and Alina soothed him a little, like a promise that the battle wasn't over.
— "YOU'RE FINALLY AWAKE!" exclaimed William,bursting into the room without warning, out of breath, his face lit with a mix of relief and raw emotion.— "We thought you were gonna die, seriously… Two days without a single sign of life, it was really freaky!"
Alina entered in turn, gentler, but the gravity in her eyes betrayed the worry that had eaten away at them both. She placed a trembling hand on Menma's shoulder.
— "You really scared everyone, Menma… We didn't know what to think anymore. But you're here now, and that's all that matters."
Menma attempted a tired smile, his heart tight with this unexpected warmth.— "Sorry… I didn't mean to worry you. I just needed to… recover."
William sat down near the bed, his gaze shining with sincerity.— "That fight… everyone's been talking about it. You really made an impression."
At that moment, Calem stepped through the door, his footsteps calm but his expression serious, carrying news that would shake Menma's path.
— "You did much more than just get noticed, Menma," he said, his voice steady, weighted with a certain gravity.— "I spoke to someone… someone who might help you. A mentor."
Menma raised an eyebrow, curious but cautious.— "Someone?"
Calem gave him an enigmatic look, a faint smile at the corner of his lips.— "For now, that name stays secret. But know this — they'll guide you in mastering amplification… on your own body."
Menma felt his heart race.— "Until now, you trained me on the physical side, on combat… but magic…"— "Exactly. I did my best to forge you into a fighter," Calem replied.— "But it's time you went further. That you mastered this power like never before."
A silence settled, heavy with promises and expectations.William placed a firm hand on Menma's shoulder, a silent encouragement.Alina, her eyes shining, murmured almost to herself:— "You'll make it. We believe in you."
As he crossed the doorway, Calem turned back, as if he had forgotten something…— "Almost forgot to tell you: meeting is the day after tomorrow, the field behind the academy. That's when your training begins."
William reacted, surprised:— "What? Already?!"Alina voiced her concern:— "But he just barely recovered from his injuries…"
Menma sighed deeply, then calmly declared:— "I'll be there."
The next day, in the academy's isolated training grounds, William and Alina had discreetly taken position behind an old stone wall, invisible to the others.
— "You think Ayame's really going to help him?" asked Alina, her voice low and tinged with concern.— "I don't know… But Calem believes in her," William replied, brows furrowed.— "She's second in the Nova class — that's gotta mean something."
Not far away, Calem watched, hands behind his back, calm and attentive.Menma arrived, still fragile, but determined.
Ayame was already there, standing like a blade. Without a word, she crossed her arms and stared at him with a look that allowed no weakness.
Calem approached Menma.— "This is where you'll learn. I'll stay for the first attempts, but after that…"He turned toward Ayame.— "I'm leaving you in charge."He walked away with a calm step, taking a seat at a distance.
A silence settled.
Ayame stepped slowly toward Menma.— "Keep doing what you were doing the other night. I'll assist you."
Menma nodded, resumed his stance, trying to channel the Flow back into his arms. The pain returned, sharp, but Ayame's presence beside him seemed to ease it.A soft blue glow slowly enveloped his forearms, more stable than ever.
— "Let me rewrite your amplification in real time," Ayame murmured, her moving hands drawing arcs of energy that seemed to guide the Flow.
It was a rare, almost artisanal technique, mastered by few — modifying magic as it rose was playing with a fragile balance between power and destruction.
But Ayame was used to it, and her focus calmed the tremors in Menma's power.— "You'll feel less pain, and you'll have more control."
A slight shiver ran through Menma, the burning sensation faded as if by magic.— "It's working… I can feel the difference," he whispered, surprised.
In the shadows, hidden behind a hedge, William and Alina observed silently.
— "You think he'll make it?" William asked, voice low.— "It's impressive… but so hard to watch. Every attempt hurts him," Alina replied, tense.— "The prof said he's working on amplifying his own body. That's new — it changes everything."
William nodded.— "Ayame's got a crucial role, clearly. She's not just giving advice, she's actively involved. She's rewriting the magic live. Calem made a good choice."
On the field, Calem smiled inwardly.— "Exactly. This is the key to him crossing that threshold. Menma's improving — and fast."
Menma felt the pain lessen with each new pulse, his control growing stronger step by step.
Night was falling, the last light sliding across the training field as Menma and Ayame collapsed side by side, sitting in the cool grass, panting and soaked in sweat.
Only the two of them remained. Calem had already left, and William and Alina had gone a while ago. The training had lasted late, longer than expected.
— "Phew… We can stop for today, right?" Menma breathed, a tired smile on his lips.
Ayame nodded, just as exhausted.— "Yeah, that was a good session. You earned your reward."
He looked at her, a bit surprised.— "A reward?"
She raised a mischievous eyebrow.— "I'm heading to eat somewhere nearby. You need fuel. And I don't feel like eating alone. So you're coming."
Menma blinked.— "Is that an invitation?"
Ayame looked away, crossing her arms.— "It's… purely strategic. I'm preventing you from having a blood sugar drop."
A small smile spread across Menma's lips.— "Got it, boss. I just hope your 'reward' isn't a disguised chore."
Ayame threw him a half-annoyed, half-amused glance, a rare spark of mischief in her usually guarded eyes.— "Just don't get cocky, or you're stuck washing dishes in the kitchen."
He stood up, still a bit wobbly, but on his feet. Ayame was already a few steps ahead, hands in her pockets.— "Hurry up, Menma. Or I'm leaving without you."
Outside, the night stretched out, dotted with the golden glow of lanterns. The scent of warm bread and spices floated in the air. Menma felt, for the first time in a while, a sense of lightness settle in, as if this simple moment opened a new door.
And without thinking too much, he followed.
That night, they spoke of neither training nor power. Just this and that. About their favorite dishes, the weird people at the academy, eccentric professors, and the day's gossip. For the first time, they laughed together.
In that soft night, between stifled laughter and complicit silences, something new was woven — fragile, discreet… but precious.And Menma, without being able to explain it, felt that this moment marked a turning point.Not in his magic… but in his life.