The soft chorus of birds singing fervently broke the morning silence, and the first rays of the sun shone through Fera's window, painting the floor in a vibrant gold. Fera, with the precision of a clock and an unbreakable routine, got out of bed. Every movement, from preparing his own breakfast to leaving his brother's carefully on the table—covered by a concise note that simply said: "Don't be late"—was a familiar dance he performed every morning.

After washing up and dressing, Fera set off for the academy. As he walked the streets, his mind was no longer at home but mentally reviewing the details of an investigation into some mysterious artifacts. His tutor had given them to him in advance, and although Fera didn't consider the information vital, he deeply hated skipping any detail. Although the academy was not far, the journey felt endless, as if each step brought him closer to an inevitable destination.

Finally, the doors of the Southern Academy rose before Fera, imposing and familiar. Upon crossing the threshold, the students' hustle and bustle enveloped him: laughter, conversations, and the sound of footsteps filled the halls, creating a chaotic but familiar symphony. As Fera walked down the crowded corridor, heading toward his classroom at a measured and observant pace, a whirlwind of nervousness burst into his field of vision.

Suddenly, a familiar figure materialized in front of him, almost crashing into him. It was Jin, a teammate, with his hair slightly messy and an urgent expression on his face, his breath ragged as if he had been running non-stop.

Jin, breathless—"Fera, we still have time! Can you help me review the artifacts? Knowing the tutor, it could be a pop quiz."

Fera, in a calm voice—"It's okay, Jin. We'll go over the most important things. I doubt he'll make us do the whole topic."

Jin, relieved—"THANK YOU! I don't know how to thank you. I know, I'll buy you lunch!"

As they walked down the hall, something felt different. In the distance, they heard the footsteps of someone coming in a hurry. As they became more visible, they realized it was Alex, Fera's brother, approaching angrily.

Alex, angry—"FERAAAAA! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP!"

Alex, now close to the two and about to say more, felt a hand rest gently on his shoulder. Startled and fearing it was Parker, Alex slowly turned his head to see who it was.

León, in a charismatic voice—"Have you calmed down, or do you prefer a hit to the head?"

The voice belonged to León, another member of Group A. This team was under the tutelage of John Parker, a retired professional Hero who now served as a professor. The four looked at each other, and a realization hit them: none of them were in the classroom yet! This was a problem, since at the academy each professor was only in charge of four students per course. Without hesitation, they all ran toward their destination.

The four, out of breath, stopped abruptly in front of the classroom door. When they opened it, the first thing they saw was their tutor, Professor John Parker, standing by the desk with a frown and four folders in hand. His gaze was so serious that he didn't need to shout for them to get the message. He motioned for them to come in and take a folder each. "They are twenty pages," he informed them, "it's a pop quiz. You have one hour." Then, in the same unperturbed voice, he added that after they finished, they would go to the training field to practice.

A murmur of resignation spread among the boys as they took their folders. León, upon opening his, immediately noticed something. The questions didn't match the topic they had been told to review at all. He tried to get Fera's attention with a discreet tap, but he realized something. Fera... with a pale face, had stopped processing the information. His gaze was fixed on the sheet, but his brain had already fried.

At that moment, John Parker, in an almost casual but unmistakably firm tone, dropped the final bombshell. "One detail I forgot to tell you," he said with a barely noticeable smile that didn't reach his eyes, "this quiz is about some research we saw three weeks ago. If you don't remember, that's not my problem." The irony dripped from every word, and the desperation on the students' faces was palpable.

The four young men surrendered to the inevitable reality of the quiz. The hour flew by, and as soon as time was up, they handed in their folders. Without wasting a second, they headed to the locker rooms and changed quickly. Their next destination was the special training room, a space designed exclusively to practice their abilities. Located in the academy's basement, this reinforced room allowed students to visualize and use their powers without the risk of damaging the facilities.

John, in a commanding voice—"Fera, your ability is only for area and not for combat. You'll go last."

Fera already knew this, so he simply headed to the last spot without a fuss. His ability didn't usually attract much attention, although it was incredibly useful in combat. With Fera in his position, the first to go was Jin, who activated his Rearc ability. This ability allowed him to create objects from a piece of paper, on which Jin had to describe or simply draw the object. However, each creation consumed a considerable amount of energy, which meant that ammunition was always very limited.

Jin, with determination—"Okay, here I go!"

Jin created two axes. Since he himself forged his weapons this way, his training focused on perfecting his movements and fighting style. John deployed five practice drones for Jin to fight. Jin grabbed his axes, formed an "X" with them over his chest, and launched into combat.

The first drone charged with a hydraulic punch. Jin, quick as lightning, slid across the floor, the steel of his axes gleaming as he made a perfect transversal cut. The drone split in half with a metallic screech, its internal circuits sparking as they hit the ground.

The second drone, trying to flank, came up on his left. Jin, without even looking, spun around, the axes a silver blur that severed the automaton's leg joints. It fell with a thud, leaving only three.

The next two drones, with unexpected coordination, joined together. Their systems synchronized, their arms transforming into energy cannons.

Jin, surprised—"WHAT?! When did these things learn to do that?"

John, in a firm voice—"Focus, Jin!"

Jin tried to dodge the energy blast, rolling agilely. The explosion hit the ground where he had been seconds before. However, the moment he got back on his feet, he forgot about the third drone that had been waiting for its opportunity. This last one pounced, landing a direct hit on Jin's leg and taking him down. Lying on the ground, Jin groaned in frustration.

Jin—"That's so unfair! Who programmed that? They caught me off guard!"

León, in a mocking and confident tone—"Is little Jin going to cry? Stop whining and watch."

León prepared for his turn. His Beast ability allowed him to transform his limbs into those of an animal, specifically a lion, although for now only his arms changed. John had told him that if he improved his ability, he could evolve it and even transform completely.

John, in a challenging voice—"León, you're more trained. You're going to practice with ten drones."

León was surprised, but to impress everyone, he prepared and adopted a defensive stance. The drones, seeming a little more "animated" and with noticeable aggression, all launched at the same time. One hit him with a clean punch to the back. This infuriated León, who, with a primal roar that vibrated the air, launched a sonic shockwave that pushed them all away, interrupting their coordinated assault.

It seemed the drones had learned new tactics, as some attacked from a distance with energy bursts to prevent León from getting close. León felt pressured; frustration and worry built up. He was afraid of losing without having taken down a single one.

From the control room, John watched, smiling, and muttered to himself: "...It was about time..."

At that instant, something stirred within León. A new energy flowed through his veins. For the first time, he began to transform his legs. His muscles swelled, his skin covered in thicker fur, and his lower limbs became robust and feline. This caused a drastic increase in his speed and agility. He lunged, becoming a blurry streak of strength and reflexes. He took down five consecutive drones with devastating swipes and charges, his newly formed claws tearing open the metallic casings as if they were made of paper. But the burst of power was too much. The new form exhausted León greatly. He fell to the ground, panting, his limbs slowly returning to normal.

John, proudly—"Congratulations, León, on your new form! Train it for next time."

León, lying face down on the floor, raised his hand in a thumbs-up, an exhausted smile of satisfaction on his face. He was removed from the field.

Now it was Alex's turn. His Procec ability was defensive; it allowed him to create hexagons as barriers.

John, instructing—"Alex, one drone and four turrets. You must defeat the drone while defending yourself from the turrets. If one hits you, you're out."

Alex, in an arrogant voice—"Easy! This is a piece of cake!"

When the combat began, Alex noticed that the drone was quite agile and moved non-stop, dodging his attempts to trap it. The four turrets, located in the corners, did not cease their attack, firing energy bursts that forced Alex to constantly cover himself with his shields. Covering himself with his barriers, Alex thought of a way to reach the drone. He began to generate walls in front of the drone to make it crash, but it kept dodging each one with frustrating skill.

Alex, angrily—"You stupid robot! Stop dodging and just fall down!"

The drone didn't stop for anything and, suddenly, began to transform its arm. An energy blade formed and launched a precise attack at the bottom of Alex's shield.

Alex, with a smug challenge—"You're going to play with those, huh! Look what I just discovered, you stupid robot!"

John was surprised; the rest of the group was also stunned. Alex, with a shout of defiance, formed a massive hexagonal shield beneath him, which began to hum. With a thrust, he began to fly! This was a major development in his abilities, as it had always been exhausting for Alex to move himself and his bubble. With this new move, Alex managed to get closer to the drone. He was about to launch a blow with a reinforced shield when the drone made a gesture that Alex interpreted as mocking and changed places. Alex, blinded by anger and the euphoria of his new power, didn't see the hexagonal wall that he himself had forgotten. He crashed into it head-on. The impact left him knocked out, falling from his bubble like a doll.

John, with an ironic smile—"You did well, Alex, but next time watch your step and stop being so arrogant."

Alex, groaning, but with arrogance—"Blah, blah, blah. Next time I'll show you what I'm really made of, you stupid drone."

It was Fera's turn. There weren't many hopes, as his Termoarc ability only generated a heat map. John prepared an environment filled with vapor to make it difficult for Fera to see. He, with only a dart gun, had to hit the drones in constant motion without being able to see them.

Fera was a brilliant strategist. No matter what kind of environment they put him in, he always ended up victorious. And so he did.

As soon as the test began, Fera gave a few turns on his own axis, making brief pauses. His eyes narrowed as his ability activated, projecting a mental map of the vapor and the drones' movements in his mind. He shot into the air in calculated bursts, with no visible target. The sound of the darts cutting through the vapor was the only clue to his precision.

An instant later, John removed the smoke, revealing the arena. The five deployed drones were immobilized, each with a dart stuck directly in the center of its head. Fera's precision was absolute, even while blind.

John, impressed—"Fera, well done. Is there any test you can't win?"

Fera shrugged, a faint smile on his face.

Once reunited in the control area, Group A discovered that another professor was also watching. It was Mimic, the tutor of Group F, with his unsettling mask and black suit. A professor of few words, but when he was with John, he couldn't stop talking and bragging about his students.

Mimic, in a grave and resonant voice—"Impressive! BRAVO! Let me tell you, I'm surprised, but my kids are more advanced than yours, John! Just so you can see, I'll give you a short demonstration."

Fera, whispering—"Is that Yellow? The one from the rumors...?"

Mimic pointed to the arena with his cane. "There is my favorite student, Yellow. He always shows me the best of himself in fights."

Mimic, in a challenging tone—"John, please, can you deploy the 2.0 drones that can become invisible?"

John, with an ironic smile—"It seems you never lose the habit of raising monsters."

Twenty invisible drones were deployed in the arena. Below, Yellow stood still for a moment, his twisted eyes directed toward the window, a macabre and chilling smile that no one could see. Every step he took was not just a movement; it was an act of creation. From his feet, shadows detached, which, like night-creeping vines, materialized on the ground. These shadows, as thin as threads, but as sharp as thorns, slid across the arena, a silent and deadly choreography.

With just three steps, and without even lifting a finger, the shadows pierced the twenty drones. There were no explosions, no sparks. Only a soft and disturbing metallic whisper as the dark appendages perforated and dismembered the metal with an eerie ease. The arena was transformed into a garden of shadow flowers, each "petal" a drone pierced, dismembered, and lifeless, a monument to Yellow's brutal efficiency.

Mimic, in a satisfied voice—"I'll be leaving..."

Group A turned around and, to their surprise, Mimic and Yellow had disappeared. John gave them some words of motivation to lift their spirits, and the group headed to their classroom. On the way, Fera saw something strange. A figure with a scythe, a hidden face, and a dirty body appeared in the distance. Fera tapped León's shoulder to make him look.

León, with disinterest—"Stop hallucinating, Fera, there's nothing there. Maybe you're still scared by Yellow's demonstration."

However, at that instant, the figure raised its head. Its gaze fleetingly met Fera's, and then the entity vanished into thin air. In the background, a girl with bright, light blue hair, beautiful and shy, seemed a little small. She looked at Fera and ran off.

The girl with the light blue hair, Frida, ran through the halls, not in a rush for a class, but from a mix of anguish and confusion. Her mind buzzed with a single question.

"Why was that boy looking at me?" she thought, stopping dead against a wall. "Did he see something? Kleif?"

Beside her, a diaphanous, floating entity named Kleif peered out, his figure barely perceptible as a heat wave distorting the air. Although he didn’t seem tired, the curiosity in his voice was palpable.

Kleif—"Hey, Frida, do you think that boy just now saw me? He stared at me. I don't know, I felt... exposed."

Frida leaned against the wall and let out a sigh of resignation. She had been dealing with this conversation for months.

Frida—"Kleif… do you seriously still believe someone else can see you? The world is already full of people with weird powers; I don't think people are seeing ghosts."

Kleif—"Of course! You never know what abilities people have. 'But don't forget what I asked you to help me find,' he exclaimed, his tone changing from intrigue to urgency. 'It's important, it’s our only chance. There's only one book, and we haven't found it!'"

Frida sighed. "I know. Nothing is easy to find," her voice sounding even more tired. "I'll help you, but give me time." She reminded Kleif that the academy library didn't have enough information on what he was looking for, so their only option was to seek external sources. Thus, outside the academy, they both headed to the Great Library of Praxis.

The vast library building looked more like a cathedral of knowledge, with shelves that rose to a glass ceiling. The air smelled of old paper and a subtle scent of candle wax. Despite the immense space, the silence was almost palpable, a calm that contrasted with Kleif’s constant hum beside her.

Frida—"Well… we're here. I find it hard to believe I’m with a… ghost."

Memories of how she got into this suddenly flooded her, returning to a not-so-distant past, on an ordinary day at the academy.

Frida was in the gym, practicing. It wasn’t an intense session, so she wasn’t using the special training room. Her ability, Cryotasis, allowed her to generate small fragments of ice. At that time, her power was limited: she could only create tiny offensive shards and a shield the size of her forearm. She was focused, forming an ice needle in the palm of her hand, when a strange sensation came over her. Her vision blurred, an intense pressure squeezed her head, and a distant voice, like an echo in her mind, began to speak.

Kleif, with difficulty—"H-hey… can you hear me? Can you… hear… my… voice?"

Frida let go of the ice needle, which dissolved on the floor. She put her hands to her head, confused and scared.

Frida—"Who are you? What are you? What do you want from me?"

Kleif, with growing enthusiasm—"Great! You can hear me! This is incredible! My name is Kleif, and we are all in danger. Please, help me find something."

Frida, regaining her composure, though still disoriented—"Who… who are you in the first place? My help?"

Gradually, her vision cleared. That’s when she saw him: Kleif, an ethereal figure. He wasn't translucent, but he barely floated; his form was fuzzy and shifting, like the steam from a teapot. Kleif explained that he didn’t know why he was there, or why no one else could see him until he met her. He revealed that he was incredibly ancient, and that, although he didn’t remember his past life, one mission was clear: his presence there meant that an ancient artifact had been stolen from the tomb of the First King.

Kleif, with seriousness—"That artifact could cause serious problems in the future. It is imperative to recover it. But the crucial thing is this: I need you to help me find history books. We need to know more about who the current Pillars might be. If the one who stole the crystal manages to unite it with them and absorb their powers… disaster will be imminent."

Frida was overwhelmed. She didn't expect so much information at once. It felt as if she had been dragged into the plot of a comic book overnight. After a long conversation, she managed to grasp the basics of the situation. The scene returns to the present.

Frida, now immersed again in the immense library, browsed the shelves with renewed determination. Her finger stopped on the spine of a book that looked centuries old.

Frida, excitedly—"Look, Kleif, I found something! It's called: 'Stories of the First King and the Origin of Powers: An Ancient... and Long History!'"

Kleif floated over her shoulder as he read the crucial passage.

The book narrated the history of the First King, the first in history to possess Powers. His kingdom, Aratzzi, was an example of peace until human ambition unleashed tragedy. The King, his family, and his personal guardians, the legendary Eight Pillars, fell victim to a mysterious disease. In his most vulnerable state, a strange individual—possessing a sinister ability to snatch the powers of others—stabbed the King. However, his attempt to flee with the stolen ability was foiled by the intervention of the Eight Pillars.

The attacker, with no escape, sacrificed himself. He activated the stolen ability and transformed into a mineral. This relic contained not only the King's original power but also a fusion of multiple abilities, an object of immense power. It was no longer a person, but an inert crystal, charged with energy.

The King died that same night, and his son inherited the throne and was left in charge of this formidable artifact, which was given the name Dark Heart.

The Eight Pillars were:

Saman, Bearer of the First FireRia, Bearer of the EarthEsther, Bearer of the WaterGraxio, Bearer of the AirGauss, Bearer of FertilityBreims, Bearer of LightningHeim, Bearer of the SoulSerena, Bearer of the ExtractWhen the second King died, his last breath was a definitive order: to hide the crystal. The guardians, faithful to their duty, hid the Dark Heart in a place so remote and secret that it became virtually impossible to find, even for themselves. Once their mission was complete, the Pillars returned to their daily lives, dissolving into history.

Frida—"Is that all? The book seemed longer. It’s a shame it doesn't say who has the crystal now."

Kleif, his voice filled with urgency—"You already know who the Pillars are. Now listen to me: I know who stole the crystal… I saw it!"

Frida, naively—"So what are we waiting for? This is so easy!"

Kleif, sorrowfully— "It’s not that simple. I'm not a Pillar, but the one who took it had the same uniform as you and was your age. And this happened almost forty-five years ago…"

Frida, with growing astonishment—"They had the same uniform as me? Wait, something doesn't fit. If it was forty-five years ago… are you talking about the Atzal Academy?"

Kleif nodded. He told her everything he remembered: he simply woke up in the midst of the chaos, just as a girl took the crystal. Then, some heroes arrived and stopped her. The academy was left in ruins, there were many dead, but the crystal remained in the crevice where it had been hidden. However, amidst all the pandemonium, a boy who was somewhat wounded took the crystal, and it melted into his chest, disappearing.

Kleif—"My reason for existing is to recover that crystal. If we do, I can finally disappear."

Frida, perplexed—"And that's it? Just take the crystal and disappear? I thought it would require a ritual or destroying the crystal."

They left the library, the afternoon sun beginning to tint the sky orange. Frida headed home, exhausted and with a whirlwind of thoughts. The image of that boy in her own academy’s hallways came back to her. The look on his face, the way he had looked at her... had he seen Kleif? Was he the one who had something to do with all this? No, that was impossible, right? She wondered what would happen now. With Fera and his thermal vision ability and Alex with his flying bubble. Could this be the beginning of something much bigger?

The next day, the Southern Academy was buzzing with an electric energy. The principal, Ángel, took the stage to make the announcement everyone was waiting for: the Annual Groups Tournament. The competition, a game of capture the flag, would be held at the Gaia Coliseum, a mythical venue that broadcast events on a global scale. The excitement was palpable; the top three places would qualify for the prestigious national tournament.

Ángel paused at the podium, her imposing presence filling the auditorium. Her voice, clear and motivating, resonated in every corner.

Ángel—"First, I wish you all the best of luck. This year I have seen several students demonstrate their best in every training session, which fills me with pride. Presenting the leaders of each team, we have…"

A luminous panel lit up behind her, showing the names and abilities of the chosen ones.

Fera, Termoarc Ability – Leader of Group AQuira, CraCandy Ability – Leader of Group BMorfeo, Letalis Ability – Leader of Group CPaola, Auros Ability – Leader of Group DHeinel, Necrobones Ability – Leader of Group EYellow, Shadow Ability – Leader of Group FXela, Negative Ability – Leader of Group GYelena, Golsit Ability – Leader of Group HÁngel—"These are your leaders and their respective groups. The matches will be chosen randomly on the day of the tournament. We have also prepared four fields for capture the flag: Forest, Spheres, Labyrinth, and Desert. And, as a small incentive, we have hired renowned designers to create an exclusive suit for each of you, adapted to your abilities. I wish you all luck again and we will see you in two weeks."

The tournament announcement unleashed a wave of euphoria. The students were excited about the new suits and the opportunity to shine. Several groups immediately headed to the training fields, anxious to prepare. But in a dark corner of the academy, the excitement of the moment did not exist.

A masked figure moved stealthily, whispering with a dark and resentful voice, as if speaking to herself.

Masked Figure—"The Pillar of Fire must be here... If I find it, I can take it and fix everything... I can get back everything... everything I lost... Mom promised..."

This person was seen by Quira, who recognized her instantly. An icy shiver ran through her body, and repressed memories of a painful past resurfaced with overwhelming force. Quira’s eyes widened in horror, fixed on the figure disappearing into the shadows.

Quira, in a trembling whisper—"What is she doing here? She's not supposed to leave Gold State Academy. Why is she here...? I need to warn him..."

Without a second thought, Quira ran to the Group A classroom. She burst through the door, her breath accelerated, and shouted Jin's name. The entire Group A, immersed in a casual conversation, was perplexed. Jin got up, worried, and before he could say anything, Quira grabbed his arm, dragging him in a hurry down the hall. The adrenaline of panic consumed her.

Quira—"You better get ready, Jin! She's here!"

Jin, scared and hesitant—"By 'she' do you mean…? Is Angela here? Why?"

Quira—"I don't know for sure, but if she's here, it's not good! She can do anything to get what she wants."

As Quira and Jin ran down the hall, a long, dark figure swooped through the windows, shattering the glass. The twilight sky was interrupted by the crash. A broken, shrill, and agonizing voice resonated in the air. Angela, the masked figure, laughed in a disturbing way as her form materialized inside. Her body recomposed, adopting a more humanoid form. However, several dark, twisted tentacles emerged from her back, each ending in sharp bony protrusions that gave her an unnatural agility.

Angela, with a deformed and mocking voice—"But look who we have here... it's little Jinney who had to run from me in fear... You never needed to run... I will always find you wherever you go."

Without giving him time to react, Angela grabbed Jin with surprising force and threw him violently outside. Jin, bruised but furious, got up with difficulty, unsheathing a pair of swords with blades that shone faintly in the gloom.

Angela, with a childish and threatening tone—"Am I that scary, little one? You were everything to me..."

The creature unleashed a fury of attacks. Her tentacles lunged at Jin with lethal speed and precision. He danced among the blows, his swords tracing arcs of light as they cut the dark appendages, but the number of attacks was overwhelming. He couldn't evade them all, and several tentacles reached him, tearing his clothes and leaving deep cuts from which crimson blood flowed.

Quira, stumbling, arrived at the combat. Angela, with surprising agility for her grotesque form, plunged a bony spine into her arm. The sharp pain made her fall to her knees, a choked scream escaping her lips.

Angela, with disdain and rage, her eyes fixed on Quira—"Don't interfere...!"

The crash and the screams alerted the nearest professors. Axel, with his flame-red hair and a permanently tired expression, burst onto the scene along with Emma, who radiated a charismatic energy even in the tension of the moment.

Simultaneously, Axel, whose Pyro power allowed him to control fire, raised his hands. A wave of intense flames surged from the ground, creating walls of crackling fire to try to trap Angela. At the same time, Emma, activating her Neow ability, manifested sharp, knuckle-like claws on her fists and launched a series of fast, precise blows, targeting the creature's vulnerable points.

Angela, however, defended herself with unexpected ferocity. Her tentacles moved with amazing coordination, blocking Emma's attacks and dispelling Axel's flames with ease, as if the fire were nothing more than smoke. While fighting both professors at once, she launched a tentacle charged with dark energy toward Jin, who was lying badly wounded on the ground.

Jin, in a barely audible voice—"Look out...!"

But it was too late. The blow connected squarely with his chest, throwing him a few meters back. His body impacted against the wall with a groan of pain.

Angela, momentarily free from Axel's and Emma's attacks, approached Jin's inert body. She leaned over, her deformed face close to the young man's ear and whispered in a voice that was both sweet and chilling: "See you soon… D-E-A-R."

With a quick and fluid movement, Angela vanished into the shadows like a creature from a nightmare. Axel, gasping and with several superficial burns from the effort, urgently called an ambulance before collapsing exhausted on the floor. Emma, though less wounded, watched the spot where Angela had disappeared with a somber expression.

Jin lay motionless, surrounded by a pool of blood. Quira, with a superhuman effort, managed to remove the bony spine from her arm, her face pale from the pain. Stumbling, she walked to Jin's side, her voice cracking as she spoke.

Quira—"Jin… Are you okay...?"

Jin, in a faint voice—"Everything… hurts..."

Quira, murmuring desperately—"This girl hasn't changed at all..."

With that last phrase, she fainted, falling near Jin's body.

The sirens of the ambulances were heard in the distance. The injured were attended to by a professor with medical skills, but the severity of their wounds required specialized care. They were taken away on stretchers.

Upon hearing what had happened, Fera felt a pang of worry for his friend. Meanwhile, somewhere in the academy, Frida, informed of the events, told Kleif everything.

Kleif, in a thoughtful voice—"Maybe they are already looking for the Pillars. Jin was just an obstacle that crossed their path."

While chaos spread, in a hidden place far from the academy, two figures conversed in the darkness. One voice, furious and repressed, addressed the other.

Voice 1—"You made a scene yesterday! WHY COULDN'T YOU STAY STILL?! What was the need to show yourself like that? What if the higher-ups start to get suspicious? How do you want me to help you?"

Angela, in a submissive and repentant voice—"Sorry, mother..."

The first voice let out a sarcastic laugh. "SORRY? Now you regret it. Continue with the mission, but don't attack anyone again... You are a disaster..."

The next day, at the hospital, the doctor informed John about Jin's condition.

Doctor—"He'll recover quickly. Thanks to the professor's attention, nothing serious happened, just some scratches... although deep."

John let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Doctor."

He headed to the waiting room where Alex, León, and Fera were, his voice turning serious.

John—"It's been a day since the incident. We don't know what that person was looking for. Quira still hasn't woken up to give details. The principal is investigating this thoroughly. The tournament is coming, and we don't want something so dangerous to happen at the event."

Fera, with concern—"Professor, our training is advancing, but Jin was an ace we were going to use. Although they said he would recover soon, I hope he can use his hundred percent."

León, with an optimistic smile—"Don't worry, Fera, everything will be fine."

Everyone left the hospital and headed to the academy. They were still repairing the mess: broken windows, the entrance marked by blows and remains of bony spines. The attacker's ability was strange and very rarely seen, according to the principal. They hoped to find the person responsible, but no one with such a power was known yet. Meanwhile, rumors about the event were spreading.

On the academy's terrace, two figures met in the twilight gloom.

Heinel, in a calm voice—"Hello, Xela. To what do I owe your visit to this terrace where only I can be?"

Xela, with an enigmatic smile—"You never cease to surprise me, you knew I was coming... You already know why I'm here... My sister attacked yesterday and made a mess, which means the oracle has already revealed that the Pillar of Fire is here."

Heinel, with determination—"It's time to catch that bastard before she attacks..."