Four Months Later

Leo: Two months to go.

Sai: This year feels so long.

Leo: At least nothing dangerous has happened like at the start of the year.

Sai: What do you think we’ll learn in the second phase of our studies?

Leo: I don’t want to think about it…

Beatrix: How about we get some ice cream?

Sai (thinking): The last time we got ice cream, we were interrupted for a Dymas mission...

Leo: That’s actually a good idea.

The first Park

Leo: Vanilla is the best.

Sai: Chocolate is better.

Beatrix: Silence! Milk flavor reigns supreme.

Kinto: I agree with Sai.

Sai: Where did you even come from...

(Mary runs towards them.)

Mary: Eating ice cream without me?!

Leo smiles quietly as he watches them.

7:00 AM

Langst: Students, we have a mission.

Leo: Don’t tell me it’s rescuing an old lady from the top of a building again…

Langst: This is an exploratory mission, Leo. There’s a rural, abandoned village where strange phenomena have started to occur. Even the residents of neighboring villages report hearing voices from there.

Mary: Are we stepping into a horror movie or what…

Kani: Feels like it.

Langst: Of course not...

Kyotai: Don’t tell me we’re going to travel there using our abilities again...

Langst: That’s exactly what we’re going to do.

Leo: Damn it…

Beatrix: Not again…

Langst: But this time, you won’t help each other. Each of you must make it on your own.

Kano: But how am I supposed to get there?

Langst: Figure it out. Now, let’s begin.

Beatrix flies through the air. Kyotai creates a moving platform and wall behind him to push him forward. Garin jumps into the air, conjuring clouds of mist beneath him to leap from one to another. Karez creates a metal surface to glide on. Leo summons Betelus, but this time from the inside out. Kani looks at Langst and says...

Kano: Professor, how am I supposed to do this?

Langst: I said figure it out.

Kano (thinking): How can I move with my ability? I can’t create a moving tornado like Beatrix or clouds like Garin… Wait, I’ve got it!

Sand gathers around Kano's hands and launches to the ground, propelling him forward.

Kano: This is amazing!

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Kani: Why not copy you a bit, Karez?

Kani generates glass from her body and merges it to form a surface she can control using Shingen.

Kani: If I lose control of the Shingen, I’ll fall, right? So I won’t lose control!

Sai: While you’re all flying with your abilities, I’ll outrun you all on foot!

Sai activates his enhancement ability and starts running at incredible speed.

Kinto: Good thing I made a potion that enhances physical ability… though I’ll need to sleep for fifteen hours after it wears off.

Kinto drinks the potion and begins running alongside Sai.

Mary: I don’t need any of that. The forest is my domain.

Mary releases grappling hooks and uses them to swing between trees. Thanks to her agility, navigating the forest is effortless for her.

Langst: You’ve all improved greatly. I’m proud of you.

Langst begins running on foot like Sai and Kinto, but faster than all of them.

Langst: At this rate, I’ll beat you all. Hurry up, students!

Kyotai: You’ll never beat me.

Kyotai increases the speed of his moving platform.

Garin: Not really interested…

Leo: You won’t beat me!

The speed of Betelus increases.

Sai: I’m faster, Leo!

Leo: No way!

Kinto: I’m not drinking another potion…

Kani: What’s wrong with them…

Mary: I have no idea…

After a long journey, they reach the village. Langst tries to enter but is stopped by someone.

Stranger: Stop right there. What do you want?

Langst: I should be the one asking that. This village has been abandoned for ages. Why are you here?

The stranger replies with anger starting to show on his face.

"This village is no longer abandoned."

Langst: How can I be sure of that?

Stranger: Why should I answer you?

Langst is about to respond, but an old man appears and intervenes.

"Welcome. I’m Warik, the mayor of this village. Forgive my son for his rudeness."

Warik’s Son: But, Father—

Warik: Silence.

Langst: It’s an honor to meet you, Mayor, but I have a few questions to ask.

Warik: Of course. Follow me.

They enter the village and see that it’s full of life, with nothing indicating it was ever abandoned.

Karez: There’s no way this village was abandoned.

Leo: It’s full of life.

Warik: We’ve arrived.

Kinto: What is this place?

Warik: My house. Please, come in.

Everyone enters Warik’s house and is greeted by his wife. They sit in the living room, and Langst begins.

Langst: Mayor, we’ve known for years that this village was abandoned. How did it come back to life so suddenly?

Warik: We are the original villagers.

Langst: Does that mean you returned to the village? But how did you rebuild it so quickly?

Warik: We didn’t return to the village; we returned to life.

Everyone is shocked by this revelation.

Langst: M-Mayor, what do you mean by that?!

Sai (thinking): They returned to life?!

Mary (thinking): How is that even possible…

Warik: We are dreamers.

Langst: Mayor, what does that mean?

Warik: Some time ago, our Master came to the village. It was abandoned, and we were dead. But through his gift, we returned to life.

Langst: What do you mean by dreamers, Mayor?

Warik: Even I don’t know. Our Master said we are dreamers, and when we asked him what it meant, he said, “When you reach the required level, you’ll understand.”

Langst: Do you know his name, then?

Warik: No one does.

Langst: I see. Some soldiers will come to the village in two days for security purposes. I hope you’ll cooperate.

Warik: Of course. They’re welcome anytime.

Langst: We’ll be leaving now.

Warik: Wait, you’re our guests. You shouldn’t leave like this.

Langst: I appreciate the hospitality, but we can’t stay.

Warik: We’ve already prepared food.

Sai: Food?!

Kani: Professor, we can stay a little!

Langst: Fine, fine...

After a few minutes.

Kani: Delicious.

Sai: Very.

Leo: Eat quietly…

After everyone enjoyed their time, they bid farewell to the village mayor and returned to the academy. Langst provided all the information he could gather to the kingdom's security.

The next morning, everyone woke up to shocking news: the village had been destroyed, and all its residents, "the dreamers," had vanished.

---

Head of Security: How can you say it disappeared?!

Employee: Sir, even I can’t believe it, but the village was completely destroyed, leaving nothing but rubble.

Head of Security: What is wrong with this year, for heaven’s sake?

(Thinking): Could the "Master" be involved in this matter? They said the Master brought them back to life with his gift. It's a possibility. What exactly does this Master want?

The Silent Prison

Employee: Sir, the interrogation yesterday lasted six hours, but we couldn’t get any answers. Should we continue?

Head of Security: Yes.

Employee: "Proceed."

Torturer: So, which nail should I pull out today, Grace?

Torturer: Hey, Alvis, should I pull out another tooth?

Limitless Academy

Mary: The teacher said today’s lesson is special.

Leo: Are we going to learn something new or what?

Sai: We’ll see.

Kinto: If it’s not interesting, I’ll just sleep.

Langst: Alright, students, today’s lesson is special. You will meet the top three students in the academy.

Leo (thinking): The top three?

Mary (thinking): It really is a special lesson.

Kinto (thinking): I don’t think I’ll be able to close my eyes.

Kyotai (thinking): If I defeat them, then I’ll be the strongest, right?

Langst: Silva, Kon, and Marin, please come in.

The three enter the class, their aura alone making it clear they are on another level.

Karez, Leo, and Kinto,(thinking): So, this is the level I need to surpass.

Kon: How are you all doing, my brothers?

Name: Kon Figran

Ability: Engines

Marin: You just met them, and you're already calling them your brothers?

Name: Marin Charlotte

Ability: Transforming into animals

Kon: What’s wrong with that?

Silva: Why do we even have to do this…?

Name: Silva Reum

Ability: Shadows

Karez: Hey, Kon, how did you reach this level?

Kon: Well...I...don’t know…

Karez: Oh…

Leo: Your ability is shadows???

Silva: Yes.

Leo: Mine is darkness!

Silva: Darkness?...

Leo: Isn’t that a great coincidence?

Silva: Yeah, a great coincidence.

Beatrix: Two people with evil powers?

Leo: I told you those are just childish stories…

Marin: Why are you two so quiet?

Kano: W-We don’t have anything to say...

(Thinking): Too close…

Kani: Marin, your ability is transforming into animals? All animals?

Marin: Yes, I can transform into all Animals.

Kani: Amazing.

Kinto: What’s your ability?

Kon: Engines.

Kinto: Do you turn into a car?

Kon: No…

Kyotai: Teacher!

Langst: No, Kyotai...you can’t.

Kyotai: Teacher, I want to fight them.

Langst: I told you, no…

Kon: Teacher, it’s fine. I don’t mind.

Langst: If you insist...

Training Building

3, 2, 1, Begin!

Kyotai charges at Kon, attempting to punch him. He successfully lands a punch on Kon’s stomach and tries again, hitting him a second time. Kyotai kicks Kon, but this time, Kon blocks it.

Kon: Three hits are the limit. You couldn’t defeat me.

In a flash, Kon punches Kyotai in the stomach. The force of the punch sends Kyotai flying backward, knocking him to the ground, defeated.

Garin: That fast?

Leo: Seriously…

Sai: What kind of strength is this?

Kinto: So this is the difference.

Karez: He didn’t even use his ability.

Mary: And he beat him with just one punch.

Kano: Can we even reach this level?

Beatrix: We must reach it.

Kani: Exactly.

Kyotai: This isn’t fair. How did you beat me?!

Kon: Figure that out for yourself.

Langst (thinking): The goal was for them to talk and learn from the top three, but this fight will benefit them as well.

That night, everyone went to sleep, only to wake up to unexpected news. After four months of relative calm, the Headmaster of the great Academy, Titans, in the Kingdom of Ashansia, was assassinated.