Ryuu lay on the cold ground, his body motionless as darkness surrounded him.

His breath came in shallow gasps, each one more difficult than the last. His mind raced with thoughts of regret and acceptance.

"Am I really going to die here? Just like this? I haven't even become the captain of the defense force yet..."

His heart clenched as tears began to fall.

"I guess this is really the end. Sorry, Mom, for being such an incompetent son. I'm leaving you alone, but at least I saved my best friend today. That's something, right?"

The darkness began to engulf him, creeping closer, swallowing every inch of his body. It felt final, inevitable. He shut his eyes, feeling the weight of it crushing his soul.

Suddenly, a voice pierced the suffocating void.

"Ryuu, you can't die. I won't let you leave me again. You have to live—for your people, and for me."

Ryuu's eyes shot open, barely able to comprehend what he was hearing.

"W-who's... who's speaking?"

His voice was faint, almost lost in the abyss.

Just as the last of his strength began to fade, an azure light burst forth, cutting through the darkness.

The light, pure and powerful, surrounded him.

Azure flames, both warm and comforting, enveloped his body, driving away the darkness like it was nothing more than a bad dream.

The flames entered his body, reigniting the spark of life within him.

He could feel strength returning, slowly but surely. Voices began to break through the haze of his mind.

"Ryuu-kun, wake up! Are you okay? Please wake up!"

"Ryuu, are you alright? Please, open your eyes!"

With a painful groan, Ryuu's eyelids fluttered open.

The world was blurry, but he could make out two familiar faces hovering over him.

Ryoko was kneeling beside him, her hands tightly clutching his as tears fell from her eyes. Seichii was next to her, his face etched with worry.

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"R-Ryoko-san? S-Seichii? What are you... where am I?"

Ryuu asked, his voice weak but full of confusion.

"RYUU, YOU'RE AWAKE!"

Both Ryoko and Seichii exclaimed in unison, relief flooding their faces as they threw their arms around him, holding him tightly.

"W-what's happening?"

Ryuu mumbled, still dazed.

"Ryuu, don't you remember? We were attacked by a dog demon, and you... you were heavily wounded.

If it hadn't been for Ryoko-san, we wouldn't have made it. She came just in time and... and saved us both,"

Seichii explained, his voice shaking with the memory.

Ryuu's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Ryoko-san... killed the demon?"

Seichii's face turned pale as he nodded.

"S-she didn't just kill it, Ryuu. She tore that demon apart... limb by limb. It was terrifying. I couldn't even move from the sheer power she unleashed.

I've never seen anything like it."

Ryuu was stunned. He had always sensed there was something more to Ryoko, but hearing this... it both shocked and comforted him.

There was no denying her strength, but there was also no denying the warmth that flickered deep within his chest.

He turned to Ryoko, his voice barely a whisper.

"Ryoko-san... thank you. You saved both me and Seichii. I... I owe you everything. I'll repay this debt one day, I swear."

Before he could say anything more, Ryoko gently pressed him back onto the ground.

"You need to rest, Ryuu-kun. There's no need to thank me—we're friends, after all. I would never let my friend die like that,"

She said, her tone firm yet soft.

Ryuu blinked, the word friend echoing in his mind. He laid back down, allowing himself to rest as exhaustion took over.

"You should recover fully soon,"

Ryoko continued.

"Don't forget, we're due at the Magic Association in three days. Seichii and I will visit you tomorrow. For now, just focus on healing."

Ryoko and Seichii stood to leave, and as they exited the room, a conversation between a nurse and a doctor in the hallway caught Ryoko's attention.

"Doctor! It's impossible! The boy's wound was critical, yet he's almost completely healed in just a day.

Even an experienced defense force officer would take at least a month to recover from that kind of injury."

"Yes, I've never seen anything like it either," the doctor replied, astonished.

Ryoko paused.

(So, the azure flame... I was right. He's starting to remember...)

She thought, her expression unreadable as she walked away.

The next day, Ryuu was miraculously discharged from the hospital, his body fully healed.

Both Seichii and Ryuu's mother were in disbelief at his rapid recovery. Even Ryuu couldn't quite understand how he had healed so fast.

Yet, a quiet part of him—the part that remembered the azure flame—began to stir.

Two days later, Ryuu and Ryoko stood in front of the towering gates of the Magic Association.

The building loomed before them, its structure imposing and ancient, radiating power.

Ryuu's palms were slick with sweat, and his body trembled with nervous anticipation.

"Are you nervous?"

Ryoko asked in her usual cold tone, though her eyes flicked toward him with subtle concern.

"O-of course I'm nervous!"

Ryuu stammered.

"I've never even seen the Association building before, and I don't even know why they've called me here."

Ryoko's expression darkened, and her voice dropped to a chilling tone.

"Don't worry. If anyone here tries to harm you, I'll tear them to pieces."

The air around them grew icy, a sharp wind swirling with Ryoko at its center.

Ryuu's heart skipped a beat—not out of fear, but out of awe at the power she possessed.

Before he could respond, the grand gates creaked open, revealing the officer who had been with them during the magic test.

"Aramiya Ryuu and Tatsuno Ryoko," he greeted, his voice steady.

"Welcome to the Magic Association. The president is waiting for you inside."

With a deep breath, Ryuu and Ryoko stepped forward into the unknown...