Nagasora, Senba Academy.
Dusk.
"Boom~"
On the basketball court inside the campus gym, a white-haired boy was awkwardly practicing his shots.
He, Kevin, had always had excellent motor skills since childhood.
He could run faster and jump farther than others from a young age.
But he thought brute strength was hollow and not cool at all.
He preferred to delve into "skills."
So... he would earn that "moment of victory" through his own tireless efforts.
Lately, he had started focusing on basketball.
Because he discovered that in this sport, brute force alone wouldn't work.
He felt like he was proving his worth through it.
Today was simply the beginning.
A moment passed.
"唪~"
The basketball hit the net.
"Nice!"
Kevin clenched his right fist, excitement clearly written on his face.
Even if it was just a simple shot.
Even if it was taken from very close to the basket.
He was still pleased by this joy of victory.
Unfortunately, his best friend and the girl he liked weren't here today.
He couldn't share that joy with anyone else.
Suddenly—
"Dongdongdong"
The basketball that had gone through the net landed on the ground and bounced several times.
Eventually, it rolled to the edge of the basketball court.
It rolled to... someone else's feet.
"Huh?"
Kevin was stunned.
Just now, in this indoor basketball court, was there someone else here?
Why hadn't he noticed?
With a heart full of doubt, he looked up to see the other's face.
It was a dark-haired youth with a plain appearance—at best, mildly handsome.
He... obviously didn't look as good as Kevin thought he himself did... Kevin wasn't arrogant, but he was confident in this area.
But for some reason, the aura this person gave off—its deep mystery—left him far behind.
Especially the eyes, which seemed out of focus, looking at everything with disdain.
"For you."
Kevin was still deep in thought, but the other person had already picked up the basketball and tossed it back to him.
Faintly, Kevin felt something.
It was as if the other person wasn't just tossing him the ball—it wasn't just any ordinary basketball he had thrown.
But rather, an "opportunity."
A "second chance!"
"Ah, oh... thanks."
Kevin caught the basketball and thanked him.
He was outgoing. Since he had doubts in his heart, he immediately asked, "Are you a transfer student?"
"I haven't seen you before!"
"...The school uniform you're wearing isn't the same as Senba Academy's."
Kevin didn't say those last words out loud.
In response—
"No, just passing through."
The dark-haired youth curled his lips slightly, seemingly trying to show a calm smile.
It seemed he was no longer good at this sort of thing.
"I've been busy with a big project lately and finally finished it. Now that I have some free time, I wanted to take a walk."
That's what the dark-haired boy said.
"Huh? Big project?"
Kevin pointed at him and muttered to himself, "You look like someone doing big business?"
"But you seem about the same age as me."
"Life paths are just different."
The black-haired youth shrugged. "Studying isn't the only way forward. Of course, there are many people who want to study but can't fulfill that wish for various reasons."
"...Uh, maybe I've said too much."
He pointed toward the door of the indoor basketball court. "Your friends are here. I won't bother you any longer. No need to worry."
"Go on, hero who 'saves the world.'"
"Huh?"
Kevin was stunned again.
Because at that moment, the door of the basketball court was still closed.
The soundproofing here was excellent.
So Kevin couldn't hear any footsteps outside.
Naturally, he couldn't sense the situation beyond.
Which meant—
"How did you... know...? Huh? Where did he go?"
With just a turn of his head, Kevin discovered that the dark-haired youth he had just been chatting with was gone.
At that moment, the door slowly opened.
His best friend—Su—and the girl he liked—Mei—walked in together.
Unlike someone like him who focused on physical strength, Su and Mei were more scholarly types.
So they often arrived later after school.
"Come on, Kevin."
"It's time to eat."
"Don't forget we're going to Eden's concert tonight."
"It's almost time."
Su and Mei each spoke as they approached to remind him.
But as they "looked," Kevin was still staring blankly in a certain direction.
Still muttering: "Was it an illusion?"
"There's no reason... I haven't even been staying up late lately."
"Could I have seen a ghost...?"
"Hey!"
"Wah!"
Kevin jumped when someone patted him on the shoulder.
He almost dropped the basketball in his hands.
Fortunately, when he saw it was his best friend standing beside him, he quickly relaxed.
"Oh, it's just Su. Why are you walking so quietly?"
Kevin patted his chest, still feeling his heart pounding.
"You're so spaced out. Mei and I called you several times."
Su looked slightly exasperated. "By the way, what were you doing?"
Right, he asked about that.
"Uh, nothing."
Kevin scratched his head. "I just met a weird guy."
"A weird guy?"
Not far away, Mei approached slowly. "Why do you say that?"
"Because he was right here just now."
Kevin gestured with his hands. "But as soon as I turned around, the guy was already gone."
"..."
Mei had a face like, "What nonsense are you talking about.jpg."
"I'm serious."
Kevin spoke loudly in protest. "And before you guys even opened the door, he told me someone was coming."
"Hey, Kevin."
Su couldn't help but interrupt. "Isn't the indoor basketball court at our school only accessible from one entrance and exit?"
"That's the one Mei and I just used," Mei added.
"Uh~"
Kevin was speechless.
Now that he thought about it, that really was the case.
Thinking further—
"I'm done."
He shouted, "Did I really see a ghost?"
"But why would it be a man?!"
Mei: "Huh?"
Meanwhile, outside Senba Academy.
A dark-haired youth walked alongside a white-haired youth (?).
"Unexpectedly, the 'enlightened one' of the later generation is currently at Senba Academy."
"I thought he'd be living in another city by now."
Said the dark-haired youth.
In response—
"He spent some time as a transfer student at Su Lai Qianyu Academy."
"But he left before the 'Third Eruption' broke out."
"Later, he and I met again after four years."
"And that was already after the 'Seventh Eruption.'"
The white-haired youth (?) replied.
For some reason, he added: "Su and I have only watched Eden's concert twice."
"Tonight will be the last time."
"Oh?"
The dark-haired youth didn't look at him and casually asked, "You're not going to see your best friend and your love again?"
"No need."
The white-haired youth (?) replied solemnly: "It's enough to watch from afar."
"This new era belongs to them."
"It doesn't belong to me, an undying person who shouldn't exist."
Upon hearing that—
"But you're not planning to just disappear either... are you?"
The dark-haired youth smiled and asked again, "So what's your next move?"
"I am a Flame-Chaser Hero, bearing the mark of 'saving the world.'"
The white-haired youth (?) replied with a serious expression: "I was before, and I still am now."
"I'll protect this era from the shadows."
"Watching closely those who could destroy it."
At the end of those words, the white-haired youth (?) fixed his gaze on the dark-haired youth.
He seemed to regard him as a threat, too.
One might even say— the greatest threat.
But it couldn't be helped.
After all, though this "second chance" was granted by the other person, at the same time... that person also specifically selected many individuals to bring into this era.
As said before, this "second chance" wasn't born out of someone's pure wish for good.
Rather, it was born from "malice" directed at a few specific individuals.
Therefore—
"You've chosen your path, Kevin."
The dark-haired youth smiled and said, "Go on, and simply follow through on your beliefs."
"And what about you?"
Kevin Kaslana asked, "Ling Ke, now that you've avenged yourself, what do you plan to do next?"
"Me?"
The dark-haired youth... Ling Ke slightly curled his lips. "Very simple."
"Like you once told another version of yourself—the last 'big project' is done. And before the 'next act' begins, I just want to walk around a bit."
"See it all for myself... maybe it really is a different era."
He stretched. "It's been a long time since I had this much free time."
"I'm taking a break first."
He really needed a break.
"Understood."
Kevin nodded slightly. "Then let's leave it at that."
He turned and walked away, choosing a different path at the corner.
Suddenly, he paused for a moment.
"Hopefully, we won't meet again."
After saying that, the man who chose solitude left.
Today, light rain fell in Changkong.
Where he walked, ice crystals formed beneath every step.
Meanwhile, Ling Ke—
"Truly decisive."
He smiled... slowly regaining the feeling of "smiling."
He stopped thinking about Kevin.
After all, from now on, he would live for himself.
Of course, the "next act" he had mentioned earlier... its "main cast" had already taken their positions.
With free time on his hands, he might watch a bit of it.
It was, after all, his own masterpiece.
Besides that—
"There's a concert from Eden tonight?"
Ling Ke felt drawn to it, secretly intrigued. "Before traveling through time, there was nothing but praise about her in the story... I'm really interested!"
"Alright then, let's see how good she really is to be called the world's top superstar."
"Hopefully it won't ruin my vacation."