There are people who work hard to become strong.
There are people who are born strong.
And then—
there are people who never know what it feels like to be weak.
Caelum Argentis was the last one.
---
The sound of an explosion echoed throughout the Simulacrum Forest.
BOOM.
The ground cracked.
The air trembled.
The students still in the outer area stopped moving.
Afraid.
Confused.
"W-what was that?"
"A monster?"
"No… that wasn't a monster's sound…"
Xavier heard it too.
He was standing near a large tree, still trying to steady his breathing after the Direfang Wolf incident.
That explosion—
was too clean.
Too perfect.
As if the world itself had cracked.
And somehow—
he knew who caused it.
---
He found it a few minutes later.
An open area.
Or more precisely—
what used to be an open area.
Because now—
it was destroyed.
The ground was sunken.
Trees had fallen.
The air felt cold.
Not normal cold.
A wrong cold.
A cold that had no temperature.
And in the middle of the destruction—
stood a single person.
Caelum Argentis.
In front of him—
a monster.
Not a Direfang.
Not a normal test monster.
This was—
Chronovore Spawn.
Its body was like a giant insect.
But its form—
was unstable.
Sometimes it looked whole.
Sometimes it looked damaged.
Sometimes it looked like—
it had never existed.
A monster that devoured time.
A monster even professors did not want students to face.
But Caelum stood there.
Alone.
Calm.
The Chronovore moved.
It disappeared.
Then appeared—
behind Caelum.
Fast.
Too fast.
Its jaws opened—
ready to bite.
And then—
it stopped.
Not slowed.
Stopped.
Like a painting.
Not moving.
Not alive.
Not dead.
Just—
still.
The air around Caelum cracked.
Thin lines appeared.
Like glass.
Like—
time itself.
Caelum raised his hand.
Not hurried.
Not dramatic.
Not difficult.
And said—
"Stop."
Not a command.
Not a spell.
Just—
a statement.
CRACK.
The monster—
shattered.
Not its body.
But—
its existence.
Parts of its form broke into fragments of light.
Then—
disappeared.
As if it had never existed.
Silence.
Absolute.
---
Xavier didn't realize he was holding his breath.
"…What."
It wasn't a question.
It was an admission.
It was—
disbelief.
Caelum didn't even look tired.
Not sweating.
Not injured.
As if he had just turned off a candle.
Not a monster.
A monster that could kill Xavier—
without effort.
And Caelum—
erased it.
Without effort.
---
For the first time in his life—
Xavier felt small.
Not because he was insulted.
Not because he was looked down on.
But because—
reality.
This—
was talent.
Not luck.
Not coincidence.
Not miracle.
But power—
that truly belonged to him.
---
Caelum turned his head.
And saw Xavier.
His gray eyes were calm as usual.
Not surprised.
Not disturbed.
As if he had already known Xavier was there.
"You've been standing there for a while,"
he said.
Not a question.
Xavier scratched his neck.
"Heh… maybe."
Silence for a moment.
Xavier didn't know what to say.
What could you say—
to someone like that?
Good job?
Cool?
Impossible?
All words felt insufficient.
Or maybe—
useless.
Caelum stared at him for a few seconds.
Then asked—
"Why didn't you run?"
The question was simple.
But—
Xavier didn't have a simple answer.
"…I don't know."
That was his honest answer.
Caelum looked at him a bit longer.
Then—
gave a small nod.
As if that was enough.
And started walking away.
As usual.
Calm.
Silent.
Without hesitation.
---
As he passed Xavier—
he said one thing.
Softly.
"Your luck."
He paused for a moment.
"…is interesting."
Then he left.
Leaving Xavier alone.
Again.
---
Xavier stood there for a long time.
Staring at the place where the monster had disappeared.
The place where—
absolute power had just been displayed.
His hand clenched.
Unconsciously.
For the first time—
he didn't feel lucky.
He felt—
weak.
And that feeling—
was uncomfortable.
Very uncomfortable.
---
Deep inside him—
something moved again.
Slightly stronger than before.
Still unseen.
Still not understood.
But—
no longer completely still.
As if—
responding to something.
As if—
luck itself
did not like
being compared.
---
And for the first time—
Xavier L'Amour
asked himself:
What does it feel like—
to be strong?