The battlefield was quiet now. The storm of blood, fury, and sacrifice had finally passed.
Only two figures remained standing—Kira, his Phantom Aqua form receding into silver-blue mist, and Rhea, battered but unyielding. The silence between them wasn't awkward. It was sacred.
In the distance, the judges had already descended, activating protective domes to assess casualties and extract the injured. Students whispered among themselves as they were teleported away, those eliminated lying unconscious on stretchers or supported by medics.
Kira turned his eyes upward. Above them, a new dome shimmered to life—not meant for battle, but for something ceremonial.
The lead judge hovered before them. "Kira Elren. Rhea Violette. You two remain. As per the rules, you are entitled to a single shared wish."
Rhea gave Kira a quiet nod, deferring to him. She already knew what he was going to say. The boy who fought with fire in his veins and snow in his voice was predictable in the best ways.
Kira stepped forward. "Grant Lina Roselle a full scholarship. Effective immediately."
The judge blinked, as if confused. "That is... your wish?"
Kira didn't flinch. "She earned it. That's all that matters."
A hush swept through the arena.
Even some of the teachers watching from the sidelines paused in surprise.
The judge exhaled slowly, then nodded. "It is done."
In another part of the academy, Lina—still recovering in the medical ward—felt a soft glow pulse around her. A magical inscription appeared on her ID badge: "Status: Scholar (Kira's Wish)"
She blinked, tearing up. "Kira..."
Meanwhile — Sector Zero, Administrative Tower
A giant viewing crystal dimmed, flickering off the final images of the battle.
The room was carved from obsidian and marble, layered in enchantments no student had ever seen. No one entered this place unless they bore the mark of the Council of Regents.
A dozen chairs circled the center. Only three were occupied now.
Headmistress Liora Calwen, draped in white robes that shimmered like moonlight, tapped her gloved fingers on the crystal surface. "Leo's return… There's no mistake?"
A projection of Raya's body hovered before her—eyes burning crimson, aura fractured with remnants of a second soul.
"Yes," came the voice of Archmagister Draxon, an old man cloaked in emerald runes. "That's him. The soul signature matches. It's Leo."
A third figure—tall, broad, face half hidden beneath a war mask—grunted. General Kael, commander of the academy's internal security. "Then we failed. We never destroyed him."
Liora's gaze sharpened. "No. Someone preserved fragments of his soul. A contingency."
She stood up slowly.
"We've been too lenient… hiding the truth behind the 'Crimson Incident.' The students are catching on. Kira, Chris, Yuujin—they're not ordinary anymore. They've seen too much."
Kael cracked his knuckles. "Do you want me to wipe them?"
"No," Liora said. "We do not provoke the Crimson Class again. Not yet."
She turned toward the giant magical seal embedded in the center of the room—a chained, glowing rune.
"Activate Protocol Nine," she said coldly.
Draxon's eyes widened. "That hasn't been touched since the War Era."
"Exactly," Liora whispered. "If Leo has returned… it means the prophecy may have already begun."
Later That Night — Crimson Dormitory
Rain tapped against the windows.
Kira stood in the hallway, drenched after a silent walk back from the arena. His knuckles were still sore, though his wounds had been magically treated.
He reached Lina's door and knocked.
It creaked open slightly. She was already crying.
"I heard," she whispered, voice trembling. "You… used your only wish on me."
He said nothing, just nodded slightly.
Lina rushed forward and pulled him into a hug. "You idiot," she sobbed. "You beautiful, reckless idiot."
Rhea watched from the stairwell above, a faint smile on her lips before walking back to her room.