The sparring fields buzzed with tension. A week had passed since the sealed room opened. Rumors spread like wildfire — tales of divine remnants, ghostly figures, and secret training sessions.
Kain, as always, kept to the edges.
But now, people were noticing.
His movements were tighter. Sharper. Controlled like a coiled beast. Even without showing off, his mere presence had started to draw whispers.
That morning, the academy posted a notice on the board:
MOCK BATTLE TEST: ONE WEEK FROM NOW.
TOP TEN PERFORMANCE EXPECTED.
Kain looked at the words.
He knew what it meant: a show of power. A chance to judge and be judged.
---
That night, Horizon Cutter returned — and for once, he looked… impressed.
"You've stopped flinching," the ghost said.
"I stopped thinking," Kain replied, gripping his blade.
"Good. Now you're ready."
"For what?"
"To feel mana properly."
The air shifted. Horizon Cutter raised two fingers, and the world stilled.
"Focus. Let your blood slow. Your thoughts quiet. The sword is not just steel. It's a medium."
Kain obeyed, and then he felt it — not the gentle warmth of mana that mages used, nor the brute force warriors forced into their limbs.
This was different.
It flowed. Like a storm wrapped in silk, a weightless pressure circling his core.
"Aura," Horizon Cutter said. "But not the way your kind uses it."
"What do you mean?"
"In this world, your warriors scrape against the surface of aura. They call it an extension of will, of force. They channel it through anger, dominance. Crude."
He took a step forward, the air cracking as a phantom wind brushed the trees.
"In my world… aura is harmony. You wield it like music. Balance it like breath."
The ghost touched Kain's chest. A faint golden light flickered beneath the skin.
"You can barely hold it. Four seconds, maybe. That's enough — to kill or to die."
Kain gasped, falling to a knee.
His heart throbbed. His hands trembled. But something burned inside him now.
Not fire.
Potential.
---
The next morning, Kain walked with a limp to class. His body was barely holding together, but his mind raced.
Teacher Vairon watched him from the corner of the room.
Later that day, Vairon called Kai into his office. The boy arrived, folding his arms as he sat down.
"You're close to Kain," Vairon said.
Kai raised an eyebrow. "We talk. He's… interesting."
Vairon stared at the bookshelf beside him. "Three nights ago, a divine chamber was accessed. One that predates even the first kings of Helon. It was never meant to be touched. Not by anyone alive."
Kai stayed quiet.
"I believe your friend has been there."
"You want me to spy on him?"
"No." Vairon's eyes met his. "I want you to understand him. If there is a storm approaching… I want to know if Kain is the thunder or the lightning."
Kai nodded slowly. "He's both."
---
That evening, Kain and Kai sat under the open sky, eating bread and dried meat.
Kai chuckled. "So, what did you do to your leg? Fell down a mountain?"
Kain smirked. "Something like that."
"Elira said you're training with a ghost."
"...Who told her?"
"She's smarter than she looks."
They shared a brief laugh.
"Are you going to try to rank in the mock test?" Kai asked.
Kain stared at the moon. "I don't care about the rank."
"What do you care about?"
"Getting strong enough… that no one can drag me where I don't want to go."
Kai fell silent. He understood that feeling too well.
---
Back in his room, Kain closed his eyes, letting the day's exhaustion take over.
Then, as the moonlight pierced the window, Horizon Cutter appeared — fading from the shadows like drifting ash.
"There was a man in my world," he said softly. "He stood against a creature that could devour a moon in a single breath. He wasn't a god. But he became something worse."
Kain opened his eyes. "Did he win?"
"I don't know. I only know this… there was another god watching from the edge of existence. A being not bound by the rules of our world — or yours."
"A god?"
"A creator. Maybe your Inventor. Maybe something else."
Kain sat up slowly. "And what happened to that swordsman?"
Horizon Cutter looked away. "He disappeared. But the enemy did too. Sometimes… sacrifice is the only path to peace."
They were quiet for a long time.
Then, Horizon Cutter said, "Let's begin."
The academy was no longer calm.
Announcements echoed across every hall — a mock test was scheduled for the next week. Not just any test, but one that would redefine the rankings among students. Teachers whispered. Nobles schemed. And students trained like their lives depended on it.
Teacher Vairon stood before the class, his tone sharper than usual.
"Three rounds," he said. "Tactical assessment, combat simulation, and aura control. Rankings will shift. This is no formality — this is your first step into real classification."
Kain listened quietly, seated near the back. The mention of aura control caused a ripple of murmurs.
"Only those who've manifested aura may participate in the third round," Vairon added.
That shut them up.
---
That evening, Kain stood once again beneath the stars. Horizon Cutter emerged like a shadow stitched from starlight.
"A mock test," the ghost said. "Good. Pain sharpens better than peace."
Kain smirked, lifting his blade. "Still not sure if I should thank you or curse you."
"Do both. Then draw."
They trained.
But tonight… was different.
Horizon Cutter stepped forward, eyes glinting like tempered steel. "You've felt it, haven't you? The pulse in your chest when you channel your mana?"
Kain nodded slowly. "It burns. Like something's trying to escape."
"That's not aura — that's Horizon Aura. It's older. Wilder. Stronger. Not meant for mortals."
The ghost raised a hand, and the air trembled. A ripple surged through the night like a heartbeat in the sky.
"Aura, in your world, is the natural projection of inner energy — trained through spirit, body, and repetition. But this… is from my world. A technique known as Soul Draw. It manifests aura by syncing with the soul, not just mana."
Kain's sword glowed faintly.
"You'll only be able to maintain it for four seconds," Horizon Cutter warned. "But in that time… you will cut through things others can't even touch."
Kain clenched the blade. "I'll take it. Even if it burns."
The ghost smiled. "Then burn bright."
---
Four Days Later — Training Field, Academy Grounds
Kai stood beside Kain, panting after another spar.
"You're different lately," Kai muttered. "Faster. Stronger. Your eyes… they look like they see ten seconds ahead."
Kain grinned faintly. "I started listening to my ghosts."
Vairon approached, arms crossed. "You two. Tomorrow's mock test will decide your practical placements. Don't disappoint me."
Kai nodded with serious eyes. Kain said nothing.
Vairon narrowed his gaze at Kain. "You're a mystery wrapped in a uniform. Just don't explode."
---
The Mock Test — Day of Reckoning
The field was divided into arenas and obstacle zones.
Round 1 — Tactical assessment: Students were thrown into illusion-based dilemmas. Kain remained calm, choosing unorthodox paths that surprised evaluators. His scores were noted. Vairon simply smirked.
Round 2 — Combat Simulation: Kain faced off against two ranked students. He didn't overpower them. He outthought them. He endured hits, studied patterns, and struck clean when the opening came. His final blow knocked both opponents out with a clean parry-counter.
Round 3 — Aura Control Trial:
Kain stepped forward. Whispers rippled. He wasn't even known to have aura.
He closed his eyes.
Four seconds.
His sword ignited with sky-colored aura, wild and uncontained. The air screamed. Instructors froze.
With one swing, he cleaved the solid practice monolith in half — a feat none of the top students managed.
Then he fell to his knees, panting, the light gone.
Silence.
Vairon stood slowly. "...What did I just witness?"
The observers scribbled furiously.
---
Later That Evening — Results Board
The mock rankings were posted.
#1 - Anna (Ice Empress) #2 - Kai of the Dawn #3 - Elira of the Royal Family ... #8 - Kain of Helon Village
Gasps.
Kain blinked at the board.
Kai clapped him on the back, laughing. "Welcome to the front line, ghost-boy."
Elira appeared beside them. "I told you. You're catching up your own way."
From the shadows, Elmore watched, eyes narrowing.
But he said nothing.
---
That night, Horizon Cutter stood watching the stars.
"I once thought my world had no hope," he said. "But then a man came — one who fought for something beyond logic. Like a storm chasing silence."
Kain nodded. "You think I'm like him?"
"No. I think… you might be the one who teaches that storm to breathe."
And with that, he vanished into the night — leaving behind only the hum of power waiting to be mastered.