Night fell quietly.
Too quietly.
---
The training hall had emptied.
The spirits had vanished.
Kuroyama was silent.
---
I was left alone.
---
But inside…
there was no silence.
---
SCAR.
---
It… was moving.
---
'You felt it, didn't you?' he whispered.
---
I sat leaning against the wall.
---
'What exactly?'
---
A pause.
---
'The limit.'
---
My heart skipped a beat.
---
I clenched my fist.
---
'I've only just begun.'
---
'No.'
---
SCAR smirked.
---
'You're already on the brink.'
---
Silence.
---
I closed my eyes.
---
And tried to gather my strength again.
---
Lightning.
---
It appeared.
Weaker.
---
The spirits…
didn't respond.
---
— Tired… — I said quietly.
---
Kuroyama replied:
---
Overload.
---
I exhaled.
---
"Makes sense."
---
But at that moment—
---
Akarania activated again.
---
[WARNING]
[USER STATUS: UNSTABLE]
---
"Thanks, Captain Obvious…"
---
[RECOMMENDATION: STOP]
---
I smirked.
---
— Too late.
---
I stood up.
---
My legs were shaking.
---
But I raised my katana.
---
— One more time.
---
Silence.
---
Even SCAR fell silent.
---
I took a step.
---
Slowly.
---
I raised the blade.
---
And—
---
I tried again.
---
Lightning.
Spirits.
SCAR.
---
But…
---
nothing.
---
The power didn't come.
---
As if…
everything inside…
had shut down.
---
— …what?
---
I tried again.
---
Harder.
---
— COME ON!
---
Silence.
---
And the next moment—
---
a blow.
---
From inside.
---
I clutched my chest.
---
— Guh—
---
PAIN.
---
Sharp.
---
As if something had snapped.
---
'I told you…' said SCAR quietly.
---
I fell to my knees.
---
'That's not the limit of your strength…'
---
Pause.
---
— It's the limit for you.
---
Silence.
---
I was breathing heavily.
---
And for the first time…
---
I couldn't get up.
---
— Damn…
---
I clenched my teeth.
---
— No.
---
My hands were shaking.
---
But I…
got up.
---
Slowly.
---
— I won't stop.
---
Silence.
---
And suddenly—
---
footsteps.
---
I froze.
---
— Who…?
---
The door to the training hall creaked.
---
Light from the corridor.
---
And a silhouette.
---
— I knew you were here.
---
So A.
---
She came in.
---
Slowly.
---
She looked at the wrecked gym.
---
Then—
at me.
---
And her face…
changed.
---
'You're at it again…' she said quietly.
---
I turned away.
---
'It's all right.'
---
'Don't lie.'
---
A pause.
---
She came closer.
---
'You can barely stand.'
---
I smiled.
---
'I am standing, aren't I?'
---
And at that moment—
---
I staggered.
---
She caught me.
---
'Enough…'
---
Her voice faltered.
---
'Please.'
---
Silence.
---
I froze.
---
'You don't have to do everything on your own…'
---
A pause.
---
'You can…'
---
She held me tighter.
---
'…just stop.'
---
My heart tightened.
---
I closed my eyes.
---
And for the first time in a long while—
---
I didn't resist.
---
I just…
stood there.
---
With her.
---
…
---
SHRAM remained silent.
---
Kuroyami was silent.
---
Even Akarania…
didn't activate.
---
As if—
---
everything had agreed.
---
To this moment.
---
So A said quietly:
---
— Let's go.
---
I didn't reply.
---
But…
I didn't resist.
---
She slowly led me towards the exit.
---
And just before leaving—
---
I stopped.
---
I turned around.
---
At the ruined hall.
---
And whispered softly:
---
— Tomorrow…
---
Pause.
---
— I'll be stronger.
---
And this time—
---
it wasn't a challenge.
---
It was a promise.