Once, all humans were ordinary.
No powers. No magic. Just life as we knew it.
But then, everything changed.
A spark ignited.
Strange, unique humans began to emerge — each with abilities the world had never seen.
Soon, 99% of all humanity developed supernatural powers.
But these powers weren't random.
They traced back to the very first —
The original ten.
The first to awaken.
Known as the Guardians of Magic, each one possessed a unique trait.
Together, their abilities formed the blueprint of all supernatural power known today.
But not all power stayed in balance.
One of them turned.
The Guardian Flame — once a symbol of light and leadership — was cast out.
Consumed by bitterness and isolation, his power twisted and darkened.
In time, he became a creature of vengeance… a monstrous being known only as the Beast.
He returned with wrath, wielding corrupted power, determined to destroy the others.
The war that followed shook the world.
It ended with the Beast sealed away…
But the price was unimaginable.
The Guardians were gone. Every last one.
And though their essence lived on in the powers of generations,
The age of the originals had ended.
Years passed.
Legends faded.
Magic evolved.
But not a single fire-borne soul had risen again…
Until now
"Yo… I guess this is where I'm supposed to say my name, crack a dumb joke, and tell you about my normal Awakening day, right?
Yeah… that's not happening.
Name's Nesshou Genta. And my Awakening?
It didn't go the way it was supposed to.
See, for everyone else, turning sixteen is like a party — the Bloom, the magic, the cheers, the photos.
For me?
It was panic.
Shouting.
The kind of fear you can smell in the air.
I didn't wake up surrounded by friends.
I woke up surrounded by flames… and bodies.
They say everyone's magic shows up on the Bloom test.
Mine didn't.
Not a spark. Not a flicker. Nothing.
And yet… when it came, it came like it had been waiting for centuries to burn through me.
Now people are looking at me like I'm something that shouldn't exist.
Like I'm a mistake.
Like I'm dangerous.
Maybe they're right.
But if I'm a mistake…
I'm going to be the kind that no one can ignore."
PREVIOUSLY on CLASS 24
Kenzo tested the five recruits in the training hall — and crushed them without breaking a sweat.
Ibuki's shadow-step was caught mid-strike.
Reiji's blade, Shin'en, was dodged again and again before being knocked away.
Hanari's petals and Kurai's power were disrupted before either could land a hit.
In moments, four were down.
Nesshou was the last standing — untrained, unready, unable to call on his flames.
Kenzo's attacks were merciless, his words pressing for the fire to appear.
Before the final blow, Daichi arrived, ending the match.
The recruits were taken to the infirmary.
When Nesshou woke, the others were already awake… but no one spoke.
Until Ibuki broke the silence.
A sharp exchange followed — and Nesshou learned Ibuki had seen the night of the fire.
Before Ibuki could answer his question, the infirmary door slid open…
Her eyes landed on us, and she let out a sigh so heavy it could've carried the weight of the whole building. "Ahh… these children, always running around, fighting like they've got nine lives. Haa… and when they break themselves, who has to fix them? Me."
She bustled over, pulling a small satchel from her side, already fishing out bandages and little jars that smelled like a mix of mint and fire. "Tch… stressing their bodies when they should be resting. And that Kenzo… ah, that boy will never change. Always stirring the pot, like a cat knocking things off shelves."
Her muttering kept going as she started checking us over one by one, hands surprisingly quick and gentle for someone talking like she'd been doing this for a hundred years.
Obaa-sama dusted her hands after finishing the last of the bandaging.
"There," she said, voice warm but firm. "You'll all live… for now."
She turned to Ibuki first. "You—stop pretending you're made of stone. Soak those hands in warm water tonight, or I'll know."
Ibuki only gave a half-smirk. "Yes, ma'am."
Next was Reiji. "Less thinking, more sleeping. A sharp mind dulls when it's tired."
Reiji gave a small nod, saying nothing.
Kurai was next. "Keep your head covered in the mornings, girl. Drafts sneak in faster than trouble."
"Yes, Obaa-sama," Kurai replied softly.
Then Hanari. "Drink the tea I left in the infirmary. All of it. No excuses."
Hanari smiled faintly. "I'll drink it."
Finally, she stopped in front of Nesshou. "Fire burns brightest when it's fed well. Eat. And don't you dare skip breakfast."
Nesshou blinked. "Uh… okay."
With a satisfied hum, Obaa-sama slung her satchel over her shoulder. "Children with no sense of self-preservation… one of these days…" she muttered, shuffling toward the door.
The room stayed quiet until the sound of her steps faded away.
The door shut behind Obaa-sama.
"Man, she's scary," Hanari said, exhaling.
"She's kind," Kurai replied, her tone calm. "Just… sharp around the edges."
"Sharp? She's got fangs," Ibuki muttered, flexing his fingers.
Nesshou leaned forward. "Back in the hallway… when you called me 'Flame.'"
Ibuki's eyes narrowed slightly. "What about it?"
"You were there," Nesshou pressed. "In the desert. When my grandpa—"
A faint smirk tugged at Ibuki's mouth. "Maybe I was."
The silence that followed was heavier than the words.
Before anyone could speak again, the door swung open hard enough to rattle the frame.
Daichi stepped in first, one hand gripping Kenzo by the collar and dragging him like a misbehaving kid.
"You're going to apologize," Daichi said flatly.
Kenzo rolled his eyes but straightened his robe. "Alright, alright…" He turned to the group. "Sorry, Ibuki."
Ibuki crossed his arms. "Hmph."
"Sorry, Reiji," Kenzo continued.
Reiji gave a slow nod. "Noted."
"Sorry, Kurai."
Kurai's voice was soft. "It's fine."
"Sorry, Hanari."
Hanari smiled faintly. "Apology accepted."
Kenzo finally looked at Nesshou. "And… sorry, Flame-boy."
"Name's Nesshou," he replied.
"Yeah, that too," Kenzo said with a crooked grin.
Daichi released him with a sigh. "Try not to make me do that again."
Daichi's eyes swept over the five of them, lingering just long enough on each face to make sure his words would stick.
"When you're healed," he began, his tone carrying that quiet authority that made the room still, "all of you are to report straight to your class. No detours. No delays."
Kenzo tilted his head. "Ooh, sounds serious."
"It is serious," Daichi shot back, voice firm. "A special announcement will be made, and I want every single one of you there. Not almost everyone. Not 'most.' Everyone. Is that clear?"
Ibuki smirked faintly. "Yeah, we hear you."
"Not 'yeah,'" Daichi said, stepping closer. "Understood."
"Understood," Ibuki corrected, eyes narrowing but not breaking.
Reiji gave a simple nod. "Understood."
Kurai's voice was quiet but steady. "Understood."
Hanari folded her arms. "Got it."
Daichi's gaze landed on Nesshou last. "And you?"
Nesshou straightened a little. "Understood."
"Good," Daichi said, finally easing back. "Because if even one of you isn't there, we'll come find you — and trust me, you won't like how."
Kenzo chuckled under his breath. "He's not kidding. I've seen it."
Daichi didn't smile. "You'll see it again if I have to."
Without another word, he turned toward the door, Kenzo following behind — though not without tossing a casual wave to the room.
When the door shut, the air seemed to loosen again, but that unspoken weight of whatever this "special announcement" was lingered heavy over all of them.
Without a word, Ibuki pushed himself up from the bed and started for the door.
"We're not done," Nesshou called after him.
Ibuki didn't even turn around. "I am," he said flatly, stepping out into the hall.
Reiji rose next, his eyes flicking between the two of them. "If this is going to turn into another argument, I'd rather not waste the time." He followed Ibuki out.
Kurai stood slowly, smoothing her pink hair back. "Rest while you can," she said softly, and made her way toward the door.
Hanari lingered just long enough to offer a faint smile. "Try not to burn out too fast, Flame-boy." Then she slipped out, her steps light against the floor.
That left Nesshou alone in the infirmary, the quiet settling in like an unwelcome shadow.
Nesshou sat there for a while, the echo of Ibuki's "I am" still rattling around in his head. The room felt colder now, quieter, like the air had settled after a storm but was still waiting for the next one.
He let out a slow breath, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stood.
No point sitting here any longer.
With one last glance at the empty infirmary, he walked out, the door clicking shut behind him.
When Nesshou stepped into the classroom, he was the last to arrive. Every head turned, the weight of thirty pairs of eyes following him all the way to his seat.
The other four were already there — Ibuki leaning back in his chair, Reiji sitting straight as an arrow, Kurai with her gaze lowered, Hanari watching quietly.
At the front, Daichi stood beside Kenzo.
Kenzo grinned. "So tell me, Daichi… how did you know they'd all show up right away?"
Daichi's eyes swept over the room, his voice calm but certain. "Because some things… you don't ignore. Not if you know what's good for you."
Daichi's eyes settled on Nesshou.
"Take your seat."
Nesshou slipped into the last empty chair, every gaze still on him. The room felt thick with curiosity, whispers dying in the back of throats.
Daichi stepped forward, his voice calm but heavy enough to press down on the room.
"Today, Class 24 becomes whole. Each one of you will stand, give your name, and let the others know who shares this path with you. From this point forward, you're not strangers. You're classmates. Treat this seriously."
Kenzo leaned against the desk up front, grinning. "In other words — play nice."
One by one, they rose.
Ibuki stood first, his tone clipped.
"Yami Ibuki."
Then he sat, no more words.
Hanari rose next, a soft smile on her lips.
"Anjō Hanari."
Kurai adjusted the pink strands of her hair before speaking quietly.
"Kurai Sumika."
Reiji stood tall, voice measured.
"Shirakawa Reiji."
And finally, Nesshou rose, every eye dragging across him again.
"…Nesshou Genta."
But it didn't end there.
Daichi's gaze moved down the rows.
"All of you. Stand. Speak."
And so they did.
Hayato Minami smirked as he crossed his arms. "Hayato Minami."
Emi Kawahara gave a short bow. "Emi Kawahara."
Sakura Hoshizaki spoke brightly. "Sakura Hoshizaki."
Itsuki Morozawa muttered his name almost lazily. "Itsuki Morozawa."
Takumi Ishida spoke with confidence. "Takumi Ishida."
The voices rolled on, filling the room.
Riku Hayasaka.
Aoi Hayasaka.
Misaki Aozora.
Souta Kiryuu.
Hanae Sugisaki.
Reon Kazama.
Rika Mizuno.
Mei Tachibana.
Nozomi Fukuda.
Ryuuya Inoue.
Kaito Okabe.
Sayaka Morinaga.
Shunpei Takahata.
Nanami Hirose.
Renjiro Hatanaka.
Airi Kobayashi.
Ayame Saitou.
Kaori Endou.
Miyako Tanabe.
Haruna Kitagawa.
Takeru Noguchi.
Akihiko Matsuda.
Mizuki Honda.
Keina Shimizu.
Naoya Fujikawa.
Sumire Nakahara.
Arisa Yamamoto.
Makoto Ishikawa.
Hikari Motegi.
By the time the last voice faded, the room felt different — heavier, fuller, alive.
Daichi gave a single nod. "Now you know each other. Remember these names. From this day forward, you rise — or fall — together."
Kenzo clapped once, breaking the silence. "Well said. Alright, kids… let's see if you can actually live up to those names."
NESSGEEORIGINAL