The sun broke over the mountains in golden shafts of light, cutting through the dawn mist like blades. Birds chirped softly, and the fields of Hage Village rustled with the start of a new day. But for Kael, the morning came not with peace—but weight.
He stood at the edge of the cliff that overlooked the valley. The wind tugged at his white hair. His crimson eyes were locked on the horizon.
> One month until the Grimoire Ceremony.
One month until fate began.
He clenched his fist.
Behind him, Lyra's spirit shimmered into view, perched on a branch like a songbird made of stars. "You haven't slept again."
"I couldn't," Kael admitted. "Every time I close my eyes, I hear them."
"Voices?"
"Whispers. From...before. The System. The curse. The timelines." He exhaled slowly. "It's like I'm remembering a life that's trying to rewrite itself."
Lyra floated to his side. "You're adapting faster than expected. But hiding this power… will not be easy forever."
Kael looked at his hand.
> [Status Update – Passive Magic Growth Reached Threshold]
– Wind Affinity: E → C
– Spirit Fusion Compatibility: 72% → 79%
– Hidden Trait [Time Echo]: 4% resonance
"I can't let anyone see," he whispered. "If they knew what I had, what I am... the Magic Knights would take me. Or worse—try to control me."
---
Back at the orphanage, training was already underway. Sister Lily had agreed to let the three boys train in the western fields each day before chores.
Asta was punching logs until his fists bled.
Yuno sat cross-legged, eyes closed, focusing on sensing mana in the air.
Kael? He stood apart.
He was practicing something else entirely.
He slid across the grass, using Windstep, bouncing off tree trunks and pushing his limits in agility and motion. But unlike Asta's brute force or Yuno's composure, Kael moved like a shadow—graceful, controlled, invisible.
Every move was layered.
Weapon Creation Magic – Phantom Dagger Lv.1
Spirit Art – Windfeather Shift
A blade of translucent wind formed in his hand. He stabbed, spun, vanished into a gust, and reappeared behind his imaginary target.
Then he repeated it again. And again. For hours.
---
Later that day, Kael sat under a tree, breathing heavily.
Asta flopped down next to him, exhausted. "Man, you're crazy fast. You sure you're not using magic already?"
Kael smiled faintly. "Just body control. You'd be surprised what you can do if you feel the mana around you, not force it."
Asta blinked. "...Feel mana?"
Yuno, who had joined them silently, spoke for the first time in hours. "You're not normal, Kael. You learn too fast. You don't ask questions. You move like someone who's already fought for years."
Kael's expression didn't change. "Maybe I just want it more."
But deep inside, guilt twisted.
They're starting to notice.
> [System Alert: Concealment Threshold Dropping]
– Social Detection: Moderate
– Magic Knight Suspicion Level: 4%
– Local Unrest Risk: Minimal
> Hide it longer, he told himself. Until you're strong enough that no one can take it from you.
---
That night, Kael stood at the riverbank alone. The moon reflected in the water, broken and rippling.
Lyra appeared beside him once more.
"Your body's adapting," she said gently. "But your soul… still carries fear."
"I'm not afraid of death," Kael said quietly.
"No. You're afraid of being alone again."
He didn't answer.
Instead, he opened his palm, calling upon his weapon creation magic again.
This time, two blades formed—one longer than the other, both made of condensed wind and faint traces of light. They vibrated, almost humming.
"I can shape anything," he said. "Swords, spears, shields… even wings if I try hard enough. But I can't shape trust. Not yet."
Lyra touched his shoulder. "Then be patient. Real bonds are forged under pressure. Like blades."
---
Elsewhere, in a dark corridor beneath the Clover Kingdom, a group of robed mages examined magical readings from across the country.
One turned to the others. "Did you feel it again? The mana distortion from the Forsaken Region?"
"It was brief," another muttered. "Like a heartbeat through time."
"The Crimson Pulse," the eldest said. "It's not gone."
They stared at a glowing orb. At its center: a crimson eye—burning silently.
---
Back in Hage, Kael returned to his bed quietly.
Before sleep could claim him, the system chimed once more.
> [Checkpoint Progress 47% – Pre-Grimoire Synchronization Approaching]
Side Quest Complete: Hidden Training
– Reward: Windstep Lv.2 unlocked
– Bonus Skill: Veil Cloak (Passive – reduces mana signature)
– Affinity Growth: +5% Yuno, +3% Asta
Kael smiled slightly.
In silence, he was growing. In shadows, he was preparing. While the world looked elsewhere, he was becoming something more.
Not just a warrior.
A shield. A blade. A guardian of fate.