Darkness.
That was the first thing Kaito became aware of, an all-consuming darkness that pressed against him from every direction, heavy and suffocating like being buried alive.
Am I... dead?
He tried to move. Couldn't. Tried to speak. Couldn't. His body felt distant, disconnected, like it belonged to someone else.
Then, from somewhere far away, a voice cut through the void.
"Kaito!"
Mom?
"Kaito, wake up!"
Yui?
The darkness began to crack, light bleeding through the fractures.
"KAITO!"
His eyes snapped open.
Pain. Immediate, overwhelming pain that made every nerve in his body scream in protest. His head felt like it was splitting apart, his muscles burned like they'd been set on fire, and his mana pathways, the channels through which magic flowed, felt raw and inflamed.
"Ugh... it hurts..." Kaito groaned, squeezing his eyes shut again. "My head... everything hurts..."
"Thank goodness you're awake!"
That was definitely Yui's voice. Kaito forced his eyes open again, blinking against the morning light streaming through his window.
Yui's face hovered above him, her expression a mixture of relief and worry. Behind her stood his mother, Akane, looking uncharacteristically serious.
"Yui...? Mom...? What... what happened?" Kaito tried to sit up.
Mistake.
Agony shot through his entire body, forcing him back down with a strangled gasp.
"Don't move, you idiot!" Yui pressed her hands against his shoulders, keeping him flat on the bed. "You've been unconscious all night! Your body needs rest!"
"All night?" Kaito's mind struggled to process. "But I was just... the river... there was something glowing..."
His memories were fragmented, confusing. The stone. The energy. The pain. Everything after touching that glowing object was a blur of overwhelming sensations and then... nothing.
"Kaito." Akane's voice was controlled, but he could hear the tremor beneath it. She moved closer, her hand reaching out to touch his forehead, checking for fever. "What were you doing at the river last night?"
"I... I don't really remember," Kaito said truthfully. His head throbbed with each word. "I went for a walk, and then... I think I fell in?"
It wasn't technically a lie. He had fallen in. He just left out the part about the mysterious glowing stone that had apparently tried to kill him.
Did that really happen? Or was it a dream?
Akane's eyes narrowed slightly, clearly not entirely convinced, but she didn't press. Instead, she stood up with a heavy sigh.
"You're lucky Yui and Kabuto found you when they did. You were unconscious in the river, half-drowned." She crossed her arms. "Honestly, Kaito. The exam is TOMORROW. Tomorrow! And you're out there nearly drowning yourself?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"No, no, it's fine." Akane's voice took on that familiar tone, cheerful, light, devastating. "Actually, this works out perfectly! Now you have a good excuse for when you fail the exam. 'Sorry, I almost drowned the night before, that's why I couldn't perform.' Much better than just admitting you're too weak."
"MOM!"
"I'm just saying, it's nice to have options." She moved toward the door. "I'll make you some soup. Try not to die before I get back."
The door closed behind her with a definitive click.
Kaito slumped back against his pillow, groaning. "Why is she like this?"
"Because she loves you and is terrified you're going to get hurt," Yui said matter-of-factly. She sat down on the edge of his bed, her expression turning serious. "Kaito... what really happened last night?"
"I told you, I don't..."
"Don't lie to me." Yui's voice was gentle but firm. "We've known each other our entire lives. I can tell when you're hiding something."
Kaito hesitated. Should he tell her? About the stone, about the energy, about the voice that had whispered in his mind?
But before he could decide, the door burst open again.
"KAITO, GET UP! WE'RE LATE!"
Both of them jumped at Yui's sudden shout, wait, that didn't make sense. Yui was sitting right next to him, so who...
"Oh." Yui-on-the-bed's eyes widened. "I forgot. Kabuto-sensei is outside."
"WAIT, WHAT?!" Kaito tried to sit up again, remembered that was a terrible idea, and collapsed back down. "Kabuto-sensei is HERE?!"
Heavy footsteps approached, and then Kabuto filled the doorway, his expression caught somewhere between concern and exasperation.
"You look terrible," he observed.
"Good morning to you too, sensei," Kaito muttered.
Kabuto's sharp eyes scanned Kaito from head to toe, and something flickered in his expression, something that might have been recognition, or suspicion, or both.
He knows something, Kaito realized with a start. Or at least, he suspects something.
"Kaito," Kabuto said carefully, "do you remember what happened last night? Everything?"
"Not really. It's all kind of fuzzy."
"Fuzzy how?"
"Just... blurry. I remember going to the river, and then waking up here."
Kabuto studied him for a long moment, his gaze intense enough to make Kaito squirm. Finally, he seemed to come to some internal decision.
"How are you feeling? Physically."
"Like I got trampled by a herd of earth golems, then struck by lightning, then trampled again for good measure."
"But your mana?" Kabuto pressed. "How does your mana feel?"
That was an odd question. Kaito closed his eyes, reaching inward to sense his mana reserves the way Kabuto had taught him.
And froze.
What... what is this?
His mana, his pathetic, tiny pool of mana that had barely been enough to qualify as an ordinary mage, felt... different. Not necessarily larger, but denser. More concentrated. Like someone had taken his weak candle flame and compressed it into something solid, something tangible.
"It feels... strange," Kaito said slowly. "Different. I don't know how to explain it."
Kabuto's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "Different how?"
"Just... not like before. It's hard to describe."
He definitely knows something, Kaito thought. But why isn't he saying anything?
Kabuto was quiet for a moment, then turned to Yui. "Can you give us a moment? I need to speak with Kaito privately."
"But..."
"Please, Yui."
The unusual politeness in Kabuto's voice made it clear this wasn't a request. Yui looked between them, clearly wanting to protest, but finally nodded.
"I'll be right outside if you need me, Kaito," she said, squeezing his hand briefly before leaving.
The moment the door closed, Kabuto's entire demeanor changed. The stern instructor facade dropped, replaced by something Kaito had never seen before, genuine worry mixed with barely contained urgency.
"Kaito." Kabuto sat down where Yui had been, his voice low and intense. "I need you to tell me the truth. All of it. What happened at the river last night?"
"I told you, I don't remember..."
"Don't." Kabuto's hand shot out, gripping Kaito's shoulder. Not painfully, but firmly. "Don't lie to me. Not about this. What did you find in that river?"
Kaito's breath caught. He knows. He definitely knows something.
"I... there was something glowing," Kaito admitted quietly. "In the water. I went to look at it, and when I touched it..."
"When you touched it, what happened?"
"Energy. Massive amounts of energy just... poured into me. I couldn't let go. It hurt so much I thought I was going to die, and then everything went black."
Kabuto's face had gone pale. "Did you see what it was? The glowing thing?"
"A stone, I think? Small, about this big." Kaito held up his hand, indicating something roughly the size of a large marble. "It was glowing with different colors, red, blue, green, white, all swirling together."
"Four colors," Kabuto whispered, more to himself than to Kaito. "The four elements..."
"Sensei, what's going on? What was that thing?"
Kabuto was silent for a long moment, clearly wrestling with how much to reveal. Finally, he spoke.
"I don't know for certain. But I have a theory." He met Kaito's eyes. "Have you heard the full story of how Monk Zuzu defeated the Demon God Kilran thirty years ago?"
"Everyone knows that story. Monk Zuzu sacrificed himself to seal the demon god away, saving the kingdom."
"That's the simplified version. But according to certain historical records, ones that most people don't have access to, Monk Zuzu didn't just seal Kilran. He poured his entire life force, all his accumulated mana, and his mastery of all four elements into a single object before he died."
Kaito's eyes widened. "A stone?"
"A magic stone. One containing power that shouldn't exist in this world anymore." Kabuto's grip on Kaito's shoulder tightened. "And if that's what you absorbed last night..."
He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't have to.
"But that's impossible," Kaito protested weakly. "I'm just an ordinary mage. How could I possibly absorb something like that without dying?"
"That's what concerns me." Kabuto stood up, pacing the small room. "Normal humans can't absorb magic stones. The pure mana concentration would kill them instantly. But you survived. Which means either the stone chose you for some reason, or..."
"Or what?"
"Or there's something about you that we don't understand yet." Kabuto stopped pacing and turned back to Kaito. "Listen to me very carefully. What happened last night cannot become public knowledge. Do you understand?"
"Why not?"
"Because if anyone finds out you absorbed Monk Zuzu's legacy, if they suspect you might be his successor, your life will become infinitely more complicated and dangerous." Kabuto's voice was deadly serious. "There are forces in this world that would either try to use you, or kill you to prevent you from becoming a threat. And right now, you're not strong enough to defend yourself from either."
A chill ran down Kaito's spine. "What about Yui? She knows something happened..."
"I'll handle Yui. She's trustworthy, and she cares about you too much to put you in danger." Kabuto moved toward the door, then paused. "Kaito. Whatever you do at the exam tomorrow, take it easy. Don't push yourself. Don't try to use more power than you normally would. Just... be normal."
"But..."
"Promise me."
The intensity in Kabuto's voice left no room for argument.
"I promise," Kaito said quietly.
Kabuto nodded, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "Good. Now rest. You'll need your strength for tomorrow."
He opened the door to leave, then stopped one more time.
"Kaito?"
"Yeah?"
"Whatever happens from here on out... I've got your back. Always."
Before Kaito could respond, Kabuto was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the strange new feeling of power humming beneath his skin.
Outside, Kabuto found Yui waiting exactly where he'd expected her to be, pressed against the wall next to Kaito's door, clearly having tried (and failed) to eavesdrop.
"How much did you hear?" he asked without preamble.
Yui jumped, going red. "I wasn't, I mean, I was just..."
"Yui."
She deflated. "Not much. The walls are thicker than they look. Something about a stone and being careful?"
Kabuto studied her for a moment, weighing his options. Yui was loyal to a fault, but she was also young and inexperienced. Could he trust her with something this important?
Kaito trusts her, he reminded himself. And she's proven herself time and again.
"Walk with me," he said.
They moved away from the house, finding a quiet spot beneath a large tree where they couldn't be overheard.
"Last night," Kabuto began, "when we found Kaito, there was something with him. Something he'd pulled from the river."
Yui's eyes widened. "What was it?"
"I'm not entirely certain. But I believe it was a magic stone, possibly one of the most powerful magical artifacts ever created." He fixed her with a stern look. "And I need you to promise me that you will never, ever speak of this to anyone. Not your parents. Not your friends. Not even under torture. Do you understand?"
"I..." Yui swallowed hard. "Is Kaito in danger?"
"Potentially, yes. Which is why absolute secrecy is critical."
Yui was quiet for a moment, processing. Then her expression hardened with determination.
"I won't tell anyone," she said firmly. "Whatever it takes to keep Kaito safe, I'll do it."
"Good girl." Kabuto almost smiled. "Now, there's something else you should know. The exam tomorrow..."
"KABUTO!"
Three figures materialized from the shadows, palace guards in official uniforms, slightly out of breath from running.
"We've been looking everywhere for you," one of them panted. "His Majesty has summoned all generals and instructors to the palace. Immediately."
Kabuto's expression darkened. "What's happened?"
"The statue," the guard said, his voice trembling slightly. "Monk Zuzu's statue in front of the palace. It... it started glowing last night. Emitting massive amounts of mana."
Kabuto felt his blood run cold.
No. It can't be a coincidence.
"I'll be there shortly," he said, his voice carefully neutral.
The guards hesitated. "Sir, His Majesty said 'immediately'..."
"I said I'll be there shortly." The edge in Kabuto's voice made it clear this wasn't negotiable. "Go. Tell them I'm on my way."
The guards exchanged glances, then wisely decided not to argue with a purple soul mage. They left quickly, disappearing back toward the capital.
The moment they were gone, Yui grabbed Kabuto's arm. "The statue glowing, that's connected to what happened to Kaito, isn't it?"
"Almost certainly." Kabuto ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. "Damn it. This is happening faster than I expected."
"What's happening?"
"Change. The kind that kingdoms go to war over." He looked at Yui seriously. "Listen to me. The exam is still happening tomorrow. You and Kaito will attend as planned. Act normal. Pretend nothing has happened. And whatever you do, don't let anyone see Kaito do anything unusual with his magic."
"But what if..."
"Yui." Kabuto placed both hands on her shoulders. "Kaito is going to need someone he can trust completely in the days ahead. Someone who can keep him grounded when everything around him goes insane. Can you be that person?"
Yui's eyes were wide, slightly frightened, but she nodded firmly. "Yes. I can. I will."
"Good. Now go back inside and keep him company. Make sure he rests. And remember..."
"Not a word to anyone," Yui finished. "I know."
Kabuto watched her go back into the house, then turned toward the capital, his mind racing.
If the statue is responding to Kaito's absorption of the stone, then the connection between them is already established. Which means...
He didn't want to finish that thought.
But he couldn't avoid it either.
The demons will come. It's only a matter of time.
The royal palace of Xyruz was a marvel of magical architecture, white stone towers that seemed to glow with inner light, floating gardens suspended by wind magic, and barriers so powerful they could withstand a dragon's breath.
But today, all anyone could focus on was the statue.
Thirty years it had stood there, silent and unmoving. A monument to their greatest hero, carved from a single piece of white marble. Monk Zuzu stood with his hands raised toward the sky, as if calling upon the very heavens themselves, his expression serene and powerful.
And now, impossibly, it was glowing.
Not just glowing, radiating mana. Waves of it, powerful enough that even ordinary citizens could feel it, like standing near a bonfire and feeling the heat on your skin.
The four generals had already assembled by the time Kabuto arrived.
General Shinji Tokoyami, the First General and strongest mage in the kingdom. His fire-red hair seemed to catch the light from the statue, making him look like a living flame.
General Mei Hideyoshi, the Second General, looking uncharacteristically serious. The usual playfulness in her expression was gone, replaced by focused concern.
General Kenji Tobirama, the Third General, his massive frame tense as he studied the statue with narrowed eyes.
General Hiro Kai, the Fourth General, and Kabuto felt a strange twist in his gut seeing him. Hiro was a wind user like himself. A mentor, once. And now the brother of a student who would soon be entering the academy.
I wonder if Hiro knows about Baki yet, Kabuto thought briefly, then pushed it aside. That was a complication for another day.
Other instructors were gathered as well, murmuring among themselves, casting nervous glances at the glowing statue.
"That's everyone," Shinji announced, his voice cutting through the whispers like a blade. "Let's begin."
They moved to the palace's war room, a large chamber with a circular table and maps of the kingdom spread across every available surface.
Emperor Kotastu Jin sat at the head of the table, looking every one of his seventy years. His hands trembled slightly as he gestured for them to sit.
"Generals. Instructors." His voice was tired but firm. "I'm sure you all know why I've summoned you."
"The statue," Mei said quietly. "It started glowing last night, around sunset."
"Not just glowing," Kenji corrected. "Emitting mana. Massive amounts of it. And the mana was cycling through all four elements, fire, water, wind, earth. Just like..."
"Just like Monk Zuzu's signature technique," Shinji finished. His eyes were sharp, calculating. "Which should be impossible, since Monk Zuzu died thirty years ago."
"Unless he didn't die," someone suggested.
"He died," Shinji said with absolute certainty. "I've read the historical accounts. Multiple witnesses confirmed it. His body dissolved into pure mana. There's no question."
"Then what's causing the statue to react?" Hiro asked.
"That," Shinji said slowly, "is the question, isn't it?"
He stood up, moving to stand before a large map of the kingdom.
"In the legends surrounding Monk Zuzu, there's a recurring theme. The idea of a 'successor', someone who would inherit his power and carry on his legacy." Shinji's finger traced patterns on the map. "I believe the statue is responding because somewhere in this kingdom, Monk Zuzu's successor has appeared."
The room erupted into noise.
"A successor? After thirty years?"
"How is that possible?"
"Where would they even be?"
Shinji waited for the noise to die down before continuing.
"We don't know where. We don't know who. But we do know one thing." His expression turned grave. "If the statue is responding, it means the seal on Kilran is weakening. The two are connected, they have to be. Monk Zuzu's power was what sealed the demon god away. If that power is manifesting again..."
"Then the demons will come," Mei whispered. "Just like before."
Silence fell over the room like a shroud.
These were people who remembered the war twenty years ago. Who had fought in it. Who had lost friends and family to the demon hordes.
The idea of that happening again...
"We need to find the successor," Kenji said firmly. "If they're going to face what's coming, they'll need training. Protection. Guidance."
"Agreed," Shinji nodded. "Which brings us to the academy entrance exam tomorrow. It will proceed as scheduled, but with additional security. All generals will be present, along with extra instructors. We'll use the mana gauge testing to screen for anyone with unusual power signatures."
"You think the successor might be among the examinees?" Hiro asked.
"It's possible. We can't rule anything out."
Kabuto sat silently through all of this, his face carefully neutral, even as his mind raced.
They're going to test every student tomorrow. Which means Kaito's unusual mana signature, if it shows up, will immediately draw attention.
He needed to warn Kaito. But how, without revealing what he knew?
"Instructors," Shinji addressed the room, "you all have students taking the exam tomorrow. If any of them display unusual abilities or reactions during the testing, report it immediately. We cannot afford to miss the successor."
"And if we find them?" one instructor asked. "What then?"
"Then we train them," Shinji said simply. "We prepare them for what's coming. Because make no mistake," his eyes swept the room, hard and determined, "this is not a drill. This is not a false alarm. The demons are coming back. And this time, we need to be ready."
The meeting continued for another hour, discussing preparations, protocols, emergency plans.
But all Kabuto could think about was a boy lying in bed, completely unaware that he'd just become the most important, and most endangered, person in the entire kingdom.
Kaito, he thought desperately. What have you gotten yourself into?
Back in his room, Kaito lay awake despite his exhaustion.
His body still ached. His head still throbbed. But beneath it all, he could feel something new, a current of power running through him, foreign yet somehow familiar.
He raised his hand toward the ceiling, focusing on that strange energy.
Just a little, he thought. Just to see what happens.
Mana gathered in his palm. More easily than it ever had before. More smoothly.
And then...
A tiny flame flickered to life above his hand.
Kaito's eyes went wide.
Fire?
He was a wind user. He'd always been a wind user. That was his element.
But there it was, a small, perfect flame dancing in his palm.
He concentrated, and the flame shifted, becoming water. Then earth. Then wind. Then cycling back to fire.
All four elements.
Just like in the legends.
Just like Monk Zuzu.
"Oh no," Kaito whispered to the empty room. "Oh no, oh no, oh no."
Outside his window, in the distance, he could just barely see the lights of the capital city.
He didn't know that at that very moment, generals were gathering.
He didn't know that plans were being made.
He didn't know that his life had just become infinitely more complicated.
All he knew was that something impossible had happened to him.
And tomorrow, he had to take an entrance exam and pretend everything was normal.
"I am so screwed," Kaito muttered, watching the four elements dance across his fingertips.
Yuri the cat, sleeping at the foot of his bed, opened one eye, seemed to judge him, then went back to sleep.
Even his cat knew he was in trouble.