Reina stood at the edge of the training field.
She turned to face him, her eyes held a serious look that he had never witnessed before.
"I'm gonna cast my spell toward you," she said, standing with her hands on her hips.
"Your job is to defend yourself with your gear. Understood?"
Makoto raised his hand hesitantly. "Wait, hold on. My Gear is just a kind of sword handle.. It doesn't even have a blade yet."
"That's why we're doing this," she shouted back. "You'll never manifest the gear if you're still acting like a coward."
Reina slowly lifted her hand, and the air around her began to swirl. Heat rippled outward from her palm. A faint red glow starts to appear in the air.
A whoosh echoed through the field as the wind around them began to swirl.
Then, a fireball the size of a fist burst from her palm, shooting directly at Makoto.
It was fast enough to see it, but also enough to put some pressure on him as well.
"Wa… Wait, hold on, I'm not ready yet!" Acting on pure instinct, he raised his right hand up.
A faint white light shimmered in front of him, gathering into the shape of a hilt that glowed dimly in his right hand. Makoto swung the handle up just in time to block the upcoming fireball. The explosion shattered the air, and sparks flew across his hand. The heat shot through his skin, causing him to gritted his teeth "That's hot as sh*t!"
"Gear," Reina called out, still casting the flames from her palm, "is the physical manifestation form of your mana. It's a step above ordinary spellcasting because it requires perfect focus and control. Let's say, it's creating magic as a touchable object using your willpower."
"Some types of Gears could even develop their unique abilities," she continued. "Like swords that are able to cut through magic, shields that can reflect spells, even one can change the properties of mana itself."
"Heh, don't be mad if I said," he shouted back, deflecting another fireball with his gear, "that I didn't catch a single word of that!" He swung again. The impact was powerful enough to force him to take half a step back. "Damn it—they're getting stronger"
The barrage of fireballs shoot directly at him all together, lighting up the air with heat and sparks. Makoto narrowed his eyes, focusing everything, while welding the grip in his hand.
"Makoto!" Reina's voice pierced through the air, her eyes wide with concern as she noticed the pallor that had overtaken his face. He was struggling to maintain his stance. Just as she was canceling her spell, the fireballs began to fade away, one by one, dissolving into the tendrils of smoke.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Turns out that Makoto stood still in the middle of the field. The hilt in his hand had transformed into a full-length blade, its silvery-gray sheen mesmerizing. The edge gleamed an ethereal white, reflecting nothingness—an unsettling mirror of the emptiness of the welder.
"Huh… you did a great job right there.," she murmured. Makoto stared at the sword in disbelief before collapsing from his knees. "It… it happened all of sudden."
"Man, you sure call that training?" he groaned.
Reina approached him, with a soft smile as an up to help him stand. "For a beginner, I'd say you did pretty well."
"It feels like my body's ripped apart," he muttered.
"Of course," she laughed. "You used too much mana."
"Mana is like your life's energy," she elaborated. "If you use them too much, you'll end up dizzy and weak… exactly like you are now. If you keep pushing, you might even lose consciousness or pass out."
"You knew all of that information, and you still made me fight? You're crazy." he retorted
"That's why we do the training—so your body can handle it," she replied with a playful grin.
He let out a sigh, as he looked at her with an exhausted face. "So in the end, I'm still training no matter what, huh…"
"Oh, looks like you still have some whining left in you, so I assume that you are not going to die any time soon, " she teased. A playful glint sparkling in her eyes.
"By the way… those fireballs I didn't manage to block—they didn't hit anything important,
did they?" He asked, filled with concern.
"Nah" she replied with a triumphant smile. "I calculated the mana ratio and trajectory of every single one"
"Alright, that's enough." Makoto interrupted, along raising a hand "My brain can't take any more information right now."
Reina giggled. "Sorry… sorry. Then how about we do something a little less intense for a change?"
"Like what?"
"Shopping!" she declared, her eyes sparking with excitement.
"Shopping? You mean… in the city?" he asked, with a confused look on his face.
"Absolutely. You just need more proper clothes, you know. You can't go around in the city with that uniform all the time" She pointed out that Makoto was just too broke to buy cloth himself.
Makoto looked down at his school uniform. "Fair point."
They walked along the city's main street. Shops lined both sides of the road. Holographic signs floated above. The neon lights shimmered across the polished, glass-tiled pavement, and the laughter and chatter of the crowds felt like a warm embrace, unlike the training section that they fought earlier.
Not so long, they arrived at a massive thirty floor shopping complex, its glass facade gleaming under the sunlight. "It looks… way more normal than I expected," he muttered, glancing around. "And that building—it's huge. What's it for?"
"This is Delphi Central Mall. You can find everything here from stylish clothes to high-grade mana materials."
Stepping inside the mall was glowed with warm lighting. The chatter of civilians and music blended together and created a cozy atmosphere. They stopped at a floating map, then Reina glanced back at him. "Let's start from this section, shall we?."
The first shop they entered was a sleek clothing boutique. The glass walls, and every rack were arranged perfectly by color and style. Reina picked up a white shirt. "This one would look great on you, Makoto."
He chuckled, along with taking the shirt and holding it against himself in the mirror. "It's just another school uniform." he remarked with a hint of mischief.
Reina smiled back at him. "But white really suits you." she replied.
"Then…" he said, picking up a blouse from another rack, "this one gonna suit you too."
After trying on outfits, they stopped by a shoe store. The interior was lit with warm yellow tones and soft wood. Rows of shoes glowed under individual spotlights. Reina picked up a pair of white sneakers. "These would fit you perfectly."
"White again, huh," he said, taking a few testing steps.
Their next stop was a bakery. The sweet aroma of fresh bread and roasted coffee filled in the air. "This place feels just like a normal mall," Makoto commented.
"Of course it is," Reina said with a gentle smile, as she chose the cake in the glass display. "You're not ordering anything?"
"Nah. You've already treated me enough," he replied, lifting the shopping bags in his hands.
"Then I'm gonna buy one for you," she said, pointing at a slice of cake.
"You're unbelievable…" he said, shaking his head in mock disbelief.
As they walked out of the bakery, Reina suddenly turned to him. "Ah, right… You seem like cooking stuff, don't you?"
"Yeah, why?" he replied with curiosity.
"Then let's check out the food market. I want to see the stuff they sell." she suggested enthusiastically.
"Sounds good. But if I cook something, you'd better come eat it."
She laughed softly. "Deal. Then, I'll teach you how to use the kitchen."
By the time they returned from shopping, the sun had already dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange. Both of them carried shopping bags in each hand, stopping in front of the dorm entrance.
"Today was really fun, right Makoto?," Reina said, smiling brightly.
"Yeah… it really was. Thanks," Makoto replied. Reina cheeks flushed slightly pink. "After dinner, don't forget to eat the cake I bought for you, okay?"
"Sure thing." he replied with a gentle smile.
"Then, see you tomorrow morning!" she called out quickly before walking into the dorm, leaving him frozen on the spot.
"...Huh!?" he exclaimed, confusion washing over him.
"What about the meal you promised you'd eat!?" he shouted after her, but she was already gone.
Makoto let out a heavy sigh before stepping inside. The lobby was as quiet as ever.
"Man, it's dead silent and hill here," he murmured, slipping off his shoes.
But just as his foot was about to touch the carpet, a voice roared from the left. "Stop right there, Makoto Kurosawa!"
He turned, startled. An elderly woman with silver-white hair stood on a chair behind the counter, gripping a cane in one hand.
"Uh… excuse me?, who are you?" he asked the woman.
she slammed her cane against the wall, then hopped down with surprising agility for someone of her age. "You! walking in this dorm like you own this place without greeting its manager? Unbelievable!"
"And… you are?"
"Kids these days have absolutely no respect for the elders," she muttered, her gaze looking at him like a hawk eyeing its prey. "Just call me Eldra."
"Uh, got it, sorry… Miss Eldra."
"Good. At least you still have some manners." She held out her tiny hand. "Show me your student card."
"O-Oh, right!" He fumbled in his pocket and handed it to her. Eldra squinted at the card, her brows knitting together making a confused face. "Makoto… Kurosawa…" she repeated slowly, glancing back at him like she was trying to recall something. After a moment, she handed the card back. "Just for the security, don't worry."
"...Thank you," he said, bowing slightly in respect.
Eldra hobbled back to her seat behind the counter, the tapping of her cane echoing against the floor. Makoto scratched his head. "Everyone here is a lil wacky, huh…"
As soon as Makoto entered his room, soft amber light filled the space. There's a small kitchen in the corner—just one stove, one sink, seems enough for a decent meal. He dropped his shopping bags on the table and began unpacking. "She said to focus on my mana, right…?"
He took a deep breath then exhaled slowly, resting his hand over the stove before turning the knob on. An orange flame flickered to life. Makoto began to cook.He sliced the beef into bite-sized pieces, seasoning it lightly before placing it on the sizzling hot pan. The sound of meat searing filled the room, the tantalizing aroma wrapping around him like a cozy embrace—it was a simple moment, yet peaceful.
Once the steak was perfectly grilled, he plated it alongside roasted vegetables and bread, the colors glimmered under the room's warm light. "If I pack this for Reina tomorrow, I wonder if she'd actually eat it," he thought with a small smile as he was having his meal.
After finishing his meal, he stood to clean the dishes—when his eyes caught another unopened bag. "Oh, right, almost forgot." He opened it and found a small cake box—the one Rena had bought for him. He placed it on the table, opened the lid, and stared. Inside was a delicate slice of chocolate cake, topped with bright red berries. Simple, yet made with care.
"She really picked this for me, huh," he murmured, taking a small bite. The sweetness was gentle, with a hint of cocoa bitterness. He smiled without realizing it.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the dorm's glass door as Makoto stepped outside, carrying his bag and two lunch boxes. Reina was already waiting for him, she waved at him with a bright grin. "Good morning, Makoto!"
"Morning, Reina," he replied.
Her eyes drifted to his hands, looking with curiosity. "What's that you're holding?"
"Oh, this?" He lifted the boxes. "I packed a grub for you."
"Eh!? You woke up early just to cook this for me!?"
"Why not? It's the curry you recommended."
She blinked, clearly taken aback, before a shy smile bloomed on her face. "T-thank you."
"Well, since you brought food," she said suddenly, and grabbing his hand, "we'll be training all day today!"
"Wait—what!? Hold on!" But before he could finish his sentence, she dragged him straight toward the training ground, the morning breeze following behind them.
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. The Academy finally opened for the new semester. Makoto straightened his new uniform before stepping out of his dorm. As he passed through the gate, a grand sight awaited him—a white stone building with massive stained-glass windows gleaming under the morning sun. The courtyard buzzed with the lively chatter and laughter of students.
"So… where the hell am I supposed to go first?" spoke in his mind, while standing in the hallway.
Then a memory from yesterday flashed across his mind—it's a conversation with Reina.
"Oh, By the way," he asked, "we're not in the same class, are we?"
"Just one moment, Lemme check my student card" she replied while checking her student card "Yeah we're actually not in the same class." she continued.
"Ah, right. Makoto, We need to go to the main lecture hall tomorrow."
"Where is it?" Makoto asked.
"Ok, So you leave the dorm, turn left at the fountain, then you go to the main building, after… that…" As Reina mapped out the direction to the main lecture hall, she saw Makoto waved his hand dismissively, then he said "Too long pal. I'm definitely getting lost tomorrow."
She frowned. "So what should I do then?"
"How about you wait for me tomorrow morning, and I'll just follow you there?" He suggested.
"No! I'm not waiting for someone who overslept everyday" she shot back with a teasing glint in her face.
"Just this once! Pretty please...." He begged with a desperation in his voice.
She smirked. "Makoto, are you… bad at talking to people?"
He flinched. "N-no! Not at all."
"Then ask someone else for directions yourself then." she replied back teasely.
The next day. While Makoto struggled finding a main lecture hall, Reina's laugh still lingered in his mind. "Guess I have no choice then." he sighed as glancing around.
He noticed a girl walking alone. She was not far away, maybe even going the same way. As he was about to ask her for directions, a strong hand gripped his shoulder, halting him in his tracks.
"Hey. You there." The voice was deep and commanding, sending a little of surprise through him. Makoto slowly turned around. A tall young man stood behind him, the guy has an orange gold hair and light blue eyes that were sharp as steel. His presence was overwhelming.
"You," the man said, tightening his grip, "can't flirt with that girl."
Makoto blinked and spoke in his mind. "F#&k you mean?!"
"You don't know who she is?" The man's tone was serious. "That's Elene Marquess.
A second-year student. One of the close friends of—"
"Yeah Yeah, Whatever, but I'm not going to flirt with anyone here." Makoto interjected the man nonchalantly.
The man narrowed his eyes and laughed in his throat. "Hmph. Many people say the same thing as you."
Makoto squinted at him, realizing something. "Wait… I remember you. You're the guy who commented on my uniform that day."
The stranger raised an eyebrow. "Oh right. You're the one who showed up in the full outfit that day."
"So you're a first-year too. Can you show me the way to the main lecture hall?" Makoto asked
The man sighed and rubbed his forehead. "You got lost already? Fine. Follow me. But for your own good—don't go hitting on anyone."
He placed a hand on his chest. "Name's Rin Alderion. And you?"
"Makoto Kurosawa. Nice to meet you." He replied with a polite smile
"Makoto Kurosawa, huh? Sounds funny. Are you from another continent or something?"
Rin smirked and turned away, leading the way without another word.
Soon, they arrived at a colossal oak door carved with elegant patterns and brass handles that gleamed in the light. Voices could be heard from inside.
Makoto frowned. "Is this really the place I want? There's no people around here."
Rin shook his head. "You'll be fine. Just go on in." He pushed Makoto forward.
Makoto stood in front of the door. He grabbed the handle and pulled. But somehow the door swung open with a loud whoosh, air rushing past him. Every head in the lecture hall turned toward him. All conversations stopped.
Makoto's mind blanked, realizing he opened the door in the wrong way. He spoke in his mind
"Shit, What the hell just happened?!"