"So, are you sure this plan is going to work?" Scarlett asked, her voice tinged with skepticism as her crimson eyes narrowed at her brother.

"Of course, it's going to work. I came up with this!" Blaze replied confidently, flashing a grin that bordered on cocky.

Scarlett crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "You aren’t exactly known for your plans working, brother. Who's to say it won't fail this time as well?"

Blaze's grin faltered for just a second before he regained his composure. "Because this time, I'm sure it will work."

Scarlett and Lyria exchanged glances, shaking their heads at Blaze's unwavering confidence. Despite their doubts, they had no other plan. This was it—their only shot.

"This better work, or else I'm going to roast you alive," Scarlett muttered darkly, her voice carrying a promise of pain.

Blaze chuckled, though his eyes remained focused on their unmoving foe in the distance. "Trust me," he said simply, before taking the lead. His hands ignited, and he formed a giant ball of fire, hurling it at the enemy. The scorching orb sailed through the air, crackling with intense heat, but their opponent did not even flinch.

Scarlett and Lyria wasted no time. They charged in, flying right behind the ball of fire, using it as cover. As the fireball passed harmlessly through their foe, Lyria shot out an energy beam from her hands while Scarlett launched a flaming kick aimed squarely at the enemy's head. Both attacks connected, hitting with satisfying impact.

"Yep, as I said, it would work," Blaze smirked as he watched their foe stagger. He had figured out part of their opponent's abilities.

"How… what… how did we hit him?" Scarlett asked breathlessly as she and Lyria landed back beside Blaze.

Blaze’s eyes glinted with realization. "He has multiple abilities. So far, we know two of them. One, he phases through things, and two, depending on how he attacks, he can release beams of light. But… I'm sure he has another one."

Lyria tilted her head, curiosity evident in her gaze. "Do you have any idea what it could be?"

Blaze shook his head. "No clue. I just hope it’s not an ability we can’t get around."

Before they could regroup, their instincts screamed at them, and they leaped to the side just as a beam of red energy shot at them. The beam split into three, each one targeting them with deadly precision.

"Of course, he can do that," Blaze muttered under his breath. Without hesitation, he spun around, creating a flaming twister that sucked in the red energy beams. The fiery vortex rotated rapidly, holding the beams captive before launching them back at their enemy.

"Whew, thanks, Blaze!" Scarlett and Lyria said simultaneously, exhaling in relief.

"Don’t mention it," Blaze replied, wiping sweat from his brow. "Now we just need to figure out how to put him down, now that we know how to hit him."

Just then, a voice echoed in Blaze's mind—one that felt both familiar and foreign at the same time. It was like an echo from a distant memory, soft yet commanding.

‘Ara, it seems like you are struggling. Why don't you borrow some of my power? I'm sure it will help.’

Blaze’s eyes widened in surprise. "Who are you, and why would I need your power?" he asked aloud, confusion coloring his voice. Scarlett and Lyria turned to him, alarmed by his sudden outburst.

"Who are you talking to?" Scarlett asked, her brows furrowed.

Lyria remained silent, her gaze growing more intense as she recalled something their Sensei had mentioned about Blaze. Something ominous.

Blaze ignored their questions, still focused on the voice in his head.

‘In due time, my host, we will meet. But now is not the time. For now, you may call me Ēteru no Eikō. Enjoy the power you have gained.’

"What do you mean?" Blaze asked, but the voice faded away before he could get an answer. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming surge of energy course through his body. His hair shimmered, turning silver with streaks of violet, and his eyes transformed into deep, glowing violet orbs.

"This power… it feels incredible," Blaze whispered, flexing his fingers as raw energy pulsed through him. He felt invincible like he could take on the world. Without thinking, he punched the ground, creating a massive crater with a single strike.

"Blaze, what happened? Why are your eyes and hair like that?" Scarlett asked, her confusion evident. She took a step back, unsure of what to make of her brother's transformation.

Lyria, however, remained silent, her eyes narrowed as she studied Blaze. She couldn’t shake the words their Sensei had said about what was lurking inside him. This power wasn’t entirely his own—there was something else at play here.

"I don’t know exactly what’s happening," Blaze admitted, his voice filled with newfound confidence. "All I know is that with this power, we can win. That, I’m sure of."

Just then, a beam of light came hurtling toward Blaze at lightning speed. It was faster than he could react, but instinctively, he blocked it with his scythe, weakening the blow.

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‘I’m still not fast enough, even with this power-up… Then I’ll just have to make it count. I doubt I can stay in this form for long,’ Blaze thought to himself, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

With a determined grunt, Blaze charged forward, his eyes locked on their enemy. Every move his opponent made was under his scrutiny. He anticipated the next beam of energy or light, dodging or deflecting with newfound precision. But even with this enhanced power, his foe’s reactions were still faster.

Blaze appeared in front of the enemy and swung his scythe down with all his might. The scythe, however, phased through his opponent, crashing into the ground with a resounding clang.

‘Its reactions are still faster than mine. I’ll just have to try something else,’ Blaze thought grimly. He slammed his foot into the ground, causing a miniature earthquake that forced everyone into the air as the earth cracked beneath them. As the enemy leaped into the air to avoid the tremors, Blaze swung his scythe in a wide arc, sending a crescent-shaped flame straight at them.

"Gotcha!" Blaze shouted triumphantly, but his victory was short-lived. The being raised a hand, and a rainbow-colored shield materialized around it, effortlessly blocking the attack.

For the first time, the being spoke, its voice a cold whisper that sent chills down their spines. "My master will be pleased with this new outcome. To think you possess that power and are one of them… Before I go, I will give you my name. I am Chroma Wraith, and I bid you adieu." The being bowed mockingly before vanishing into thin air.

Scarlett quickly attempted to sense the enemy’s energy, but Blaze stopped her with a shake of his head.

"Don’t bother. It's no use," Blaze said, his voice tinged with frustration. "We did everything we could, but in the end, he was holding back the whole time. Something tells me he let us sense his presence from the start. If he wanted to, he could have killed us without breaking a sweat."

Scarlett clenched her fists, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "Then what was the point of all this? If he was toying with us…"

Blaze sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don’t know. But what sticks with me the most is what he said—‘one of them’ and ‘that power.’ What did he mean by that?"

Lyria’s eyes narrowed as she recalled their Sensei’s warnings once more. "We need to head back and report this. We might not have beaten him, but the information we’ve gathered could save someone else. There’s no way he’s just an A-class Kōsō."

Scarlett nodded, still fuming but understanding the gravity of the situation. "Yeah, let's go. We’ll figure out the rest later."

Blaze’s hair and eyes slowly returned to normal, but his steps became sluggish, the toll of the power-up weighing heavily on his body. By the time they returned to their base, an hour had passed.

"I guess you were right," Principal Nakamura remarked as they returned. "They did return after an hour”

"You three did amazing," their Sensei greeted them with a proud smile. "I'm impressed with how far you were able to go against an enemy that outclasses all of you. And Blaze, congratulations on the new form."

Blaze offered a weak smile in return, though his mind was still racing with questions. This new power… What was it? And more importantly, what was the true nature of the being called Ēteru no Eikō?

Only time would tell.

“Were you watching us the whole time, Sensei?” Blaze asked, his eye twitching in annoyance.

“Of course I was. There's nowhere any of you could hide from me.” Aeloria just smiled and clapped her hands together as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

A cough redirected their attention back to Principal Nakamura. “I heard all the details from Aeloria, and I must say, you three have impressed me. I will assign you as a team, and you will become first years.” He paused before continuing, “I will also instate you three as Delta Rank. You’ll be able to take on more difficult missions.”

“Delta Rank? You mean we can skip all the first two?” Lyria asked, surprised.

“Sis, just accept it. I wasn’t planning on starting at the bottom rank anyway,” Blaze said casually.

“Same here,” Scarlett agreed, sharing Blaze's confidence.

Principal Nakamura smiled at their responses. “Oh, youth. The reason I’m instating you as Delta Rank is simple: you three have shown extreme discipline in both combat and your powers, with a strong grasp of both. You also understand that teamwork is critical in battle.”

“Well, of course,” Lyria said. “We’ve always worked together as a team since we were younger. It’s only normal.”

“But, Sensei, how come you didn’t come? You could’ve taken it down by yourself,” Scarlett questioned, curious about Aeloria’s decision to stay out of the fight.

“And waste my time?” Aeloria laughed. “A minor threat like that isn’t something I need to worry about. Besides, this was your test—to see how well you’d handle a stronger opponent.” Her laughter echoed through the room, confident and slightly condescending.

‘Here we go again with her all-mighty attitude, just because she’s so powerful,’ everyone thought to themselves.

“You do know I can read minds, right? And I’m always reading minds. Do you all want to fight me?” Aeloria asked sweetly but with a dangerous smile.

“No, Ma’am!” they all replied in unison, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.

“Good, then keep it that way. Now, you three will be a part of my team, and I’ll be your teacher again. Make sure you’re ready—your first official mission begins tomorrow at 6 a.m.” With that, Aeloria vanished.

“6 a.m.? Is she insane?” Scarlett huffed in frustration. “Maybe I shouldn’t ask that… because she obviously is.” She stormed out of the room, annoyed that her beauty sleep and training would be disrupted.

—In a Different Realm—

“Master, I have returned,” Chroma Wraith said, kneeling before the shadowy figure in front of them.

A gentle feminine voice answered, “Tell me, how did he do? Was he just as I had hoped?”

“He was quite good,” Chroma Wraith replied. “He discovered my powers and quickly found a way around them, but he still lacks the power.”

“That is fine,” the voice said, satisfied. “In due time, he will reach the level I wish for him to be at before we meet. Is there anything else you wish to report?”

“Yes, there is one more thing. Not only is he different from most—gaining your attention—but he also has a Kōsō inside him. His hair and eyes changed color during the fight.”

“Oh, really?” The voice took on an intrigued tone. “Now that makes things far more interesting. Oh, how I wish I could meet him right now… but alas, I cannot. If I do, I’ll risk getting in trouble with our king—at least not yet.”

She paused for a moment before issuing her next command. “I want you to keep an eye on him and help him grow. Make sure no one stands in the way of his progress.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Your wish is my command,” Chroma Wraith said before vanishing.

The shadowy figure sighed wistfully. “Ara… Oh, my love, how I long to meet you. I’m getting chills just thinking about it.” She wrapped her arms around herself, a delightful expression spreading across her face as she imagined their eventual meeting.