Raizen returned to the Central Academy three days after the northern mission.
At first glance, everything seemed normal.
Students trained in the courtyard.
Teachers continued their lessons.
Laughter echoed through the halls.
Yet Raizen no longer felt like he belonged there.
He walked through the corridors without saying much.
Kaira noticed the change.
So did Zayden.
Neither of them knew what was going through his mind.
Raizen had become quieter.
More distant.
And increasingly secretive.
The Forbidden Archive That evening, Raizen stood before one of the oldest doors in the academy.
The ancient door was covered in layers of magical seals, each one glowing faintly in the darkness.
Raizen had discovered the place during his first years at the academy.
The Forbidden Archive.
It contained knowledge that students were never allowed to access.
Raizen placed his hand against the door.
A magical barrier appeared before him.
RESTRICTED ACCESS.
Raizen stared at the message.
“I know.” Darkness spread from his fingers and flowed across the barrier.
The magical seal reacted instantly.
A powerful force pushed against him.
Raizen narrowed his eyes.
“You’re stronger than I expected.” He increased the pressure of his magic.
The barrier trembled.
Then— CRACK.
A fracture appeared.
Another followed.
CRACK.
Raizen pushed harder.
BOOM!
The barrier shattered.
The fragments of magic dissolved into the air.
Raizen stepped inside.
He wasn’t there to steal anything.
Not yet.
He wanted answers.
What the Academy Hid The archive was enormous.
Thousands of books filled the towering shelves, containing ancient magical records, forbidden techniques, forgotten kingdoms, powerful mages, and knowledge that had disappeared from the world centuries ago.
Raizen moved slowly between the shelves, scanning the titles.
Eventually, one caught his attention.
The Origin of Magical Powers.
He pulled the book from the shelf and opened it.
His eyes moved quickly across the pages.
Most of the information was useless.
Then he found something that made him stop.
A passage described individuals whose abilities could not be classified using ordinary magical theory.
One sentence immediately caught his attention: Some powers are not born from magic.
They are connected to something older.
Raizen stared at the words.
His shadow moved slightly beneath his feet.
He closed the book.
“What does that mean?” There was no answer.
He continued searching.
He found records mentioning ancient beings, strange forms of energy, and abilities that had vanished from the world centuries ago.
But something was wrong.
Several pages were missing.
Entire sections had been deliberately removed.
Raizen studied the empty spaces.
“Of course.” He slowly closed the book.
“The academy knows.” The answers existed.
Someone had simply decided that he wasn’t allowed to see them.
A Secret Plan Raizen returned to his room before dawn.
He placed several notes on his desk.
The academy’s defensive barriers.
The location of the restricted archives.
The names of important professors.
The structure of the academy.
The magical communication system.
He had memorized everything.
Raizen stared at the documents.
He wasn’t planning to attack the academy.
Not yet.
He wasn’t planning to destroy anything.
Not yet.
He was preparing.
If the academy refused to give him the truth…
he would find it himself.
Even if that meant breaking its rules.
He folded the notes and hid them.
Then— A knock came at the door.
Raizen immediately turned.
Kaira entered.
“You’ve been disappearing a lot lately.” Raizen remained calm.
“I’ve been training.” Kaira glanced around the room.
“You train at night now?” “Sometimes.” She studied his face.
“You’ve been acting strange.” Raizen raised an eyebrow.
“Strange?” “You don’t tell us anything anymore.” Raizen looked away.
“We’re friends.” “I know.” “Then trust us.” Raizen met her eyes.
“I do.” The words sounded convincing.
But they weren’t entirely true.
Kaira seemed to notice.
Still, she didn’t press him.
Not yet.
She left the room.
Raizen watched the door close.
“I’m sorry.” Zayden’s Doubt Later that day, Zayden found Raizen in the training courtyard.
Raizen was practicing with his shadow sword.
Every movement was controlled and precise.
Zayden watched him for several seconds.
“You’re using a different technique.” Raizen stopped.
“Different?” “Your swordsmanship.” Raizen looked down at the blade.
“I learned something during a mission.” Zayden nodded.
“You’re always learning.” Raizen looked at him.
“Is that a problem?” “No.” A faint smile appeared on Zayden’s face.
“But one day, you might learn something that changes you.” Raizen’s eyes narrowed.
“Maybe I already have.” Zayden’s smile disappeared.
“What does that mean?” Raizen walked past him.
“Nothing.” Zayden watched him leave.
He didn’t believe him.
The Three Friends That evening, Kaira, Zayden, and Raizen sat together on the academy rooftop.
The city stretched beneath them, its lights beginning to appear as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.
For a while, none of them spoke.
Kaira finally broke the quiet.
“Do you remember when we first met?” Raizen looked at her.
“Yes.” “You were terrible at controlling your shadows.” Zayden laughed.
“You almost destroyed the training courtyard.” A faint smile appeared on Raizen’s face.
“I remember.” Kaira looked toward the city.
“We’ve come a long way.” Raizen followed her gaze.
“Yes.” She turned toward him.
“Are you happy?” Raizen didn’t answer immediately.
Kaira’s expression softened.
“Raizen?” He finally spoke.
“I don’t know.” Zayden looked at him.
“What do you want?” Raizen’s eyes remained fixed on Valthera.
“I want the truth.” “About your power?” “About everything.” Kaira sighed.
“And what if the truth is dangerous?” Raizen answered immediately.
“Then I’ll become strong enough to face it.” Zayden looked at Kaira.
Neither of them knew what to say.
The Meeting That night, Raizen left the academy.
He walked beyond the city walls and followed a narrow path into the forest.
Eventually, he stopped beneath an ancient tree.
Someone was already waiting for him.
A hood concealed the person’s face.
Raizen stopped several meters away.
“You came.” “Of course.” The figure’s voice was calm.
Raizen looked at them.
“I found what I was looking for.” “And?” “The academy is hiding information about powers like mine.” The figure said nothing.
Raizen continued.
“They have records.
But parts of them were removed.” “You understand what that means?” “Yes.” Raizen’s eyes hardened.
“They’re afraid of something.” The figure smiled beneath the hood.
“And what will you do?” Raizen looked back toward the distant lights of the academy.
“I’ll find out what they’re afraid of.” “And if they try to stop you?” Raizen remained still for a moment.
Then he answered: “I won’t let them.” The figure nodded.
“You’re walking toward a dangerous path.” Raizen turned away.
“I’ve been walking toward it for years.” The figure’s voice followed him.
“Are you prepared to leave everything behind?” Raizen stopped.
Images crossed his mind.
Kaira.
Zayden.
The academy.
His teachers.
The people he had met.
His childhood.
Then he closed his eyes.
“I haven’t decided yet.” The figure said nothing.
Raizen walked away.
The First Lie Raizen returned to the academy before sunrise.
As he entered one of the corridors, he found Kaira waiting for him.
She looked tired.
“Where were you?” Raizen stopped.
“I couldn’t sleep.” Kaira stared at him.
“You’ve been gone for hours.” “I was walking.” She didn’t believe him.
“Raizen…” He looked at her.
“What?” “Are you hiding something from us?” Raizen looked into her eyes.
Then he answered: “No.” It was his first serious lie.
Kaira said nothing.
Raizen walked past her.
She watched him disappear down the corridor.
Something inside her told her that things would never be the same again.
Raizen continued walking.
His expression remained calm.
But inside, a plan was beginning to take shape.
He would uncover the academy’s secrets.
He would discover the truth behind his power.
He would gather everything he needed.
And if the academy stood in his way…
he would no longer ask for permission.
Outside the window, the sun slowly rose over Valthera.
The city looked peaceful.
The academy looked peaceful.
But beneath that peace…
a betrayal had already begun.
To Be Continued…
— Kurotsuki