The night Rein's life changed didn't feel special at all.
No thunder.
No prophecy.
Just a cold breeze brushing his neck as he walked home with his hands in his pockets.
He was seventeen.
The streetlamps flickered the way old lights do, but one thing was different — his shadow stretched longer than it should have, reaching far ahead of him like it was trying to show him something.
He didn't understand the strange squeeze in his chest until the pain hit.
A sharp, splitting headache.
He stumbled, placing his hand on the wall to steady himself—
And the wall… rippled.
Like water.
A pitch-black hole opened under his palm.
Not a hole — a doorway made of shadows.
On the other side stood a boy.
Same age.
Same height.
Same face but.
In a black suit.
His eyes glowed red and black, and the air around him trembled with something violent and alive.
Rein's breath froze.
The boy in the darkness lifted his hand too…
And their palms touched through the Rift.
Rein felt a surge burn through his bones — not pain, not warmth, but power, screaming to be awakened.
Then the Rift snapped shut.
Silence.
The next morning, Rein couldn't even remember the details.
Just the feeling of something cold watching him.
And from that night on…
His shadow was never just a shadow.
1
Where My Reflection Failed To Follow
The alarm hit 5:50 AM, but Rein was already awake.
He always was.
Nightmares had a habit of shaking him out of sleep before dawn—
strange flashes of a broken red world, a castle swallowed by darkness,
And a boy with the same face as his own.
Rein wiped cold sweat from his forehead.
Same dream. Same pressure in his chest. The same sense that something was watching him.
Another school day.
Another morning pretending everything was normal.
He pushed himself out of bed and caught his reflection in the mirror.
White messy hair.
Uniform half-wrinkled.
White hoodie ready to go.
Nothing special.
Except for his shadow.
It twitched a second before he moved—as it anticipated him,
Reacting to something he still couldn't feel or understand.
Rein looked away quickly. He always looked away.
He grabbed his bag, stepped into the hallway, and walked past a small wooden frame on the wall.
His mother's photograph.
She was smiling the same way she always had—warm, tired, and somehow alive even in the picture. She never made it past his seventh birthday. The crash took her instantly.
His dad?
He never met him. Never heard from him.
No letters. No calls. Nothing.
Just a blank space in his life.
Rein didn't linger. He never did.
Outside, the morning air was cool, and sunlight crawled between skyscrapers. Hover buses hummed overhead. Digital ads flickered awake across the city, all screaming the same message:
"Guild Exam Registration Open. Become an Elite Astral User."
Holograms of students soared through the air in shimmering silver light, blasting beams of Astral energy like superheroes.
Rein stuffed his hands in his hoodie pockets.
"Astral users this, Astral users that…" he muttered. "I can't even control my own damn shadow."
A voice behind him chimed in:
"Cursing Astral users again, huh, Rein?"
Rein didn't need to turn.
"Hey, Zen… and I wasn't cursing them. Just complaining."
"About what?" Zen asked, raising an eyebrow as he walked up beside him.
"Uhhh, it's nothing. Forget it."
Zen sighed dramatically. "Knowing you, you won't tell me. You won't tell anyone. Dude, try to open up sometime."
Rein didn't respond.
"So… what about that girl you like?" Zen prodded. "Stella, right?"
Rein instantly went red. "Shut up."
"Haha! Bingo." Zen nudged him. "Ask her out."
"ARE YOU CRAZY?! What if she thinks I'm weird?! I can't even control my own shadow! I don't have Astral energy—you KNOW that!"
"Oh, so that's what you were mumbling earlier." Zen shrugged. "Looks fine to me."
"You cunning bastard—"
Zen immediately bolted.
"Haha—catch me if you can! See you at school!"
Rein chased him down the street, but something felt off.
Even as he ran…
His shadow moved just a little faster than he did.
A FEW BLOCKS LATER – ASTRAL ACADEMY DISTRICT
Their school loomed ahead—Silverlight Academy, the top-tier institution for young Astral Users.
Sprawling glass buildings. Floating platforms. Mechs patrolling the outer gates.
Students with glowing energy lines running across their arms, warming up for morning combat drills.
Rein slowed down as they reached the entrance.
Zen exhaled. "Home sweet home… for people with talent."
"It's not a talent," Rein said. "It's a cheat code."
Zen smirked. "Jealous?"
Rein glared. "No. Maybe. Shut up."
Silverlight Academy was divided into three divisions:
Astra Division – students with natural Astral abilities
Flux Division – students who use tech to channel or mimic abilities
Basic Division – students like Rein, with no known Astral energy
Rein was stuck in Basic.
The division nobody bragged about.
Students in Astra walked past them, silver light flickering around their eyes or fingertips. A few looked at Rein like he wasn't even worth stepping around.
He ignored them.
Mostly.
One of them, a tall guy with spiky blue hair, scoffed as he passed.
"Hey, look… shadowless Rein."
Zen frowned. "Ignore him."
Rein forced a grin. "Dude, it's fine. I don't care."
But he did.
He cared every time.
CLASSROOM 1-B
Rein stepped in—and froze.
Stella was already there.
Long silver gradient hair draped over her shoulders, curtain bangs framing her electric-blue eyes. A faint astral glow pulsed across her fingertips as she wrote in her notebook — calm, precise, focused. She carried herself with that steady, almost celestial composure Rein could never mimic.
She looked up the moment she sensed him.
Of course, she did — Stella noticed everything.
Zen leaned over and whispered, "Your girlfriend's here."
"Zen, I swear—"
Stella closed her notebook.
Not a wave.
Not a squeal.
Just a small, controlled nod — the kind she used when greeting someone she respected.
"Morning, Rein," she said quietly, voice smooth but sharper than usual. "You look… tired."
Rein's brain stuttered. "I—uh—m-morning!"
Zen almost folded in half laughing.
Stella studied Rein for a second. Really studied him.
Her eyes moved from his posture to his face… then down toward the floor.
"Rein," she said, tone shifting — slightly lower, more serious, "your shadow's off."
Rein froze.
She wasn't confused.
She wasn't scared.
She was analysing it.
"It's moving a fraction late." She tapped her finger against her arm — her thinking habit. "That only happens when someone's Astral field is disrupted."
"Oh—that? Happens when I don't sleep well!" Rein blurted, practically sweating through his hoodie.
Stella raised a brow. Not mocking — evaluating.
"That's not how sleep deprivation works," she said. "At least… not for normal people."
Rein's soul tried to escape his body.
Zen had to shove his face into the desk to hide his laughter.
Stella looked away, pretending she wasn't blushing. Just barely.
Her finger tapped again — fast.
She'd noticed too much, and she knew it.
"…If something's wrong," she murmured, voice softer now, "you can tell me."
That line wasn't casual.
That was Stella — the calm one, the observant one — offering a hand without making it a big deal.
Rein swallowed. "I'm fine. Really."
Stella didn't believe him.
Rein could tell.
She could always tell.
She held his gaze for a moment — steady, warm, but hiding her own cracks — then returned to her notebook, posture perfect as ever.
But the glow around her fingertips lingered a second longer than usual.
She was worried.
And she hated showing it.
ASTRAL THEORY CLASS
Professor Orin scribbled glowing Astral diagrams across the board.
"Astral Light forms the basis of all recognised powers," he lectured, tapping the screen.
"But it's opposite—Chaotic Energy—is unstable, corruptive… and theorised to originate from an entirely different dimension."
Rein's pen stopped mid-stroke.
His shadow under the desk shivered… almost excited.
There it was again:
That word.
Chaotic.
His pulse quickened.
Professor Orin continued,
"No human has ever controlled Chaotic Energy.
Not even those on the brink of legend —
the Hex-Vein and Penta-Vein users."
Rein's jaw tightened.
His shadow twitched like an animal straining at a leash.
Then—
A whisper curled into his ear.
Smooth.
Cold.
Amused.
"Found you."
Rein's heart slammed into his ribs.
He jerked his head up.
No one else reacted.
No one seemed to hear anything.
Only him.
A slow laugh—quiet, sharp—scraped through his mind.
"You didn't think you could hide forever… vessel."
Rein froze in his seat.
Professor Orin's voice faded into static.
The lights flickered.
His shadow lengthened… stretched… reaching.
A cold chill washed down his spine.
He whispered to himself,
"Not again… please not again…"
A final whisper slithered through his skull, calm and merciless:
"Synchronisation: incomplete.
Proceeding."
Then—
Silence.
HALLWAY — AFTER CLASS
Zen nudged him. "Rein, bro. You looked like you were about to pass out."
"I'm fine," Rein muttered. "Just didn't sleep well."
"You always say tha—"
A scream cut through the hallway.
Students spun around.
Lights crackled violently overhead.
Paper scattered as a freezing gust tore through the corridor, despite all the windows being closed.
Rein staggered.
His vision split.
Something in his chest tightened—
Then the voice returned.
Sharper.
Colder.
Hungry.
"The vessel responds…
Promising."
Rein fell to one knee, clutching his skull.
Zen nearly shouted, "REIN?! What—what's happening?!"
Rein couldn't answer.
The world pulsed red for a heartbeat—
A ruined landscape flashing behind his eyelids.
A grotesque throne.
A boy with his face…
But eyes far crueller.
The voice murmured like a blade brushing his neck:
"Wake up.
I'm not done with you."
And then—
Everything stopped.
The hallway returned to normal.
Students walked as if nothing had happened.
The scream vanished.
Only Rein was trembling.
Zen grabbed his shoulder. "Dude. You're seriously scaring me."
Rein forced a shaky smile.
"I scare myself."
But inside?
He knew the truth.
This wasn't stress.
This wasn't a nightmare.
This wasn't in his head.
Chaos was real.
Chaos had found him.
Chaos wanted something from him.
And Rein could feel it—
Whatever lived in his shadow
Was no longer waiting.
Stella rushed to Rein's side the moment class ended.
"Rein! Are you okay?" Her voice cracked just a little — more than she meant it to.
Rein forced a small smile. "Yeah… I'm fine, I swear."
Zen stepped closer, frowning.
Rein exhaled through his nose and turned to him. "Hey, uh… Zen? Can you take me to the nurse? My head feels like it's gonna explode."
Zen blinked. "Wait—what? You literally said you were fine two seconds ago."
Sarcastic, yes — but under it was the same frustration he always felt when Rein shut him out.
Rein's thoughts snapped like a rubber band:
"YOU ABSOLUTE JERK—why call me out now?!"
Zen rolled his eyes. "Agh—fine. I'll take you."
Stella hesitated… then stepped forward, her fingers brushing her notebook nervously.
"Can I come too? Just—please?"
She tried to sound calm, but the worry still leaked through.
Zen leaned in toward Rein and whispered, "Bro. Your girlfriend is literally panicking."
Rein's entire soul went red. "DUDE—SHUT UP. We're all friends, aren't we?!"
Stella looked away, cheeks faintly pink.
Zen smirked.
And Rein… tried not to collapse on the floor while his shadow quietly twitched behind him.
As they walked down the hallway, Rein kept his eyes low. Every step felt heavier than the last.
The guilt sat in his chest like a stone.
"Hey…" Rein muttered, voice barely above a whisper. "I'm… sorry. For making you guys worry this much."
Zen clicked his tongue. "Yeah, you should be sorry."
Rein flinched—until Zen continued, softer but frustrated:
"You've gotta drop that whole 'I don't tell anyone anything' habit. Seriously. We've known you for four years, man. Four years… and we still barely know you."
Rein's steps slowed.
"Zen," he asked quietly, "are you sure you know nothing about me?"
Zen's expression froze.
"I—…that's not what I meant." His voice cracked slightly. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said it like that."
Rein gave him a small, tired smile. "Don't worry about it."
Stella had been silently walking beside them, listening—pretending she wasn't listening.
Finally, she spoke.
"Zen… what do you know about him that I don't?"
Zen stiffened. "It's… private. It's his thing, not mine."
Rein sighed. "Just tell her when I'm with the nurse. It's fine. I trust her."
Zen's head snapped toward him. "What!? Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Rein replied. "I am."
They reached the infirmary door.
Stella cleared her throat, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Well… here we are! The, uh… nurse. Haha… ha… hehe…"
She immediately regretted every sound that came out of her mouth.
Rein smiled despite the pounding in his skull.
"I'll go in. Wait for me, okay?"
Stella nodded too quickly. "Of course. Take your time."
Zen crossed his arms, pretending not to worry.
But Rein could feel it anyway.
He pushed open the door—
Head aching, shadow restless,
And two friends waiting behind him who cared far more than he felt he deserved.
The moment Rein stepped inside, the nurse looked up with a knowing sigh.
"Oh well, look who we have here," Miss Ruby said, folding her arms with that mix of concern and amusement she always had for him.
"Hi, Miss Ruby," Rein replied, trying to sound normal.
"Sit," she instructed gently, already pulling out a small tray of supplies.
Once he settled, she gave him a look — the kind adults give kids they've seen struggling for too long.
"So," she asked, "what's the problem this time, Rein?"
He rubbed his forehead. "My head feels like it's about to explode into a million pieces."
Miss Ruby's eyebrows shot up. "Again? This is the same issue as last time."
She paused, then added, "You come here way too often for someone your age. Is everything really okay?"
"Yes," Rein answered quickly. Too quickly.
Miss Ruby didn't believe that for a second, but she let it slide… for now.
"Alright," she said, opening a small drawer. "I'll give you some medicine. Take one right after lunch, and another before you sleep. That should ease the pressure a bit."
She glanced at him. "You have lunch after this, right?"
"Uh… yes. We do." Rein nodded.
She turned back to him, voice softening. "Rein… if you ever want to talk about something — anything — all of us teachers, and me especially, are here if you need it."
Rein looked down at the floor. "Yes, Miss Ruby. Thank you for the medicine."
"Good." She placed the packet into his hand and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Take care of yourself. And tell those two friends of yours not to hover outside the door like lost puppies."
He almost smiled.
"Bye, Miss Ruby."
"Bye, Rein. Don't disappear on me for another two weeks."
While Rein was still with the nurse, Zen finally decided to tell Stella the truth he'd been carrying for years.
"Before I tell you anything… You have to promise you won't repeat this to anyone," Zen said, his voice unusually serious. "I'm not joking, Stella."
"I won't. I promise," she replied softly.
Zen took a shaky breath, like he was bracing himself.
"When Rein was seven… he and his mom got into a car accident. The crash was brutal. She… she didn't make it. It happened instantly." His eyes lowered, as if he was watching the memory replay. "Rein was all alone. No one around. No one to help."
Stella didn't interrupt. She could feel something heavy coming.
"I still remember that night," Zen continued. "It was around ten. We heard this frantic banging on our door. When I opened it—God…" He swallowed hard. "Rein was standing there, covered in blood. Crying, shaking so violently he could barely breathe. The second he saw me, he just collapsed into me. Hugged me like he was drowning and I was the only thing keeping him alive."
Zen's voice broke. "He was saying my name over and over—barely getting the words out. I'd never seen him so terrified. My parents rushed out to help his mom, called the ambulance… but it was already too late."
Stella covered her mouth, eyes stinging.
"He didn't let go of me for the rest of the night," Zen whispered. "He wouldn't stop crying. And I… I didn't know what to do except hold him and hope it helped."
A tear finally slid down Zen's cheek. "I just… I wish I could've saved her. Or at least spared him from seeing all that."
Stella gently pressed a tissue into his hand. "…Zen… I'm so sorry. He must've gone through hell."
Zen wiped his face, still trembling. "Yeah. And he's been carrying that weight ever since."
Then Stella asked, barely above a whisper, "What about his father?"
Zen let out a humourless, almost bitter laugh. "Father? Rein never even met the guy."
She blinked. "Never?"
"Not once," Zen said. "No calls, no messages, no birthdays—nothing. The guy disappeared before Rein was even born. Rein only knows the name because of some old hospital paper." He shook his head. "When we were younger, I asked him about it once. Just stupid kid curiosity. And Rein… he didn't get mad or sad—he just went empty. Like he'd already accepted he'd never get anything from that man."
Stella felt something twist inside her chest. "…So his mom was literally all he had."
"Yeah," Zen whispered. "His only family. His whole world. And when she died… Rein didn't just lose his mom. He lost his home, his safety, everything."
He dragged a hand through his hair. "He jokes a lot, acts easygoing, looks strong… but he's been alone for so long he doesn't even realise when he's hurting."
Stella's eyes softened. "Then we have to make sure he never feels alone again."
Stella put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Zen…"
He broke.
Not loudly—but the quiet kind of crying that hits harder.
And before Zen could wipe his eyes, a pair of arms wrapped around him.
Stella blinked—because it wasn't her.
It was Rein.
Rein had stepped out of the nurse's office without them noticing, and now he was hugging Zen so hard it nearly knocked the wind out of him. His forehead pressed against Zen's shoulder, his arms tight—desperate, grateful, hurting.
"R-Rein…?" Zen choked out.
Rein's voice was painfully soft. "I'm sorry you had to go through that with me… and I'm sorry for making you carry it alone."
Zen's breath hitched. "Dude… don't apologise. I— I just wanted you to be okay."
Rein tightened the hug. "Thank you. For that night. For everything. For staying."
And for a moment, the world felt still.
No powers.
No ranks.
No chaos.
Just two boys holding each other together, the best they could.
After a few seconds, Zen tried to hide his red face. "Bro, you're gonna break my ribs at this rate."
Rein actually laughed—quiet but real. "Sorry."
They separated, wiping their faces like idiots trying not to cry again.
Stella watched them with gentle eyes.
She could see it clearly now:
Rein wasn't just strong.
He was surviving.
And Zen wasn't just his friend.
He was his lifeline.
LUNCH — THE DAY BEFORE THE CONCERT
The three of them sat outside under their usual tree, half-eating and half-talking like always. Zen suddenly clapped his hands together, almost making Rein choke on his drink.
"Alright, listen up!" Zen announced dramatically. "Tomorrow's the school concert. You two wanna go? It's supposed to be pretty big this year."
Stella perked up immediately.
"Oh, that actually sounds fun."
Rein gave a small shrug. "Sure. I don't mind."
Zen rolled his eyes. "Bro, you say everything like you're agreeing to do the dishes. It's a concert, not a punishment."
Rein smirked. "Same thing if you're the one dragging us."
Stella laughed softly, and Zen pretended to take offence, but his smile said he was relieved.
He loved it when Rein sounded even a little bit normal.
And just like that, all three agreed to go.
THE DAY OF THE CONCERT
Night rolled in with bright stage lights, food stalls, and students buzzing everywhere. The energy was chaotic, loud, and… honestly? Kinda perfect.
Rein didn't even get two steps into the courtyard before Zen yelled:
"REIN! LOOK ALIVE! We're here to socialise, not to rehearse your funeral expression!"
Rein blinked. "…This is how my face always looks."
"Exactly! And that's the problem!"
Stella arrived just in time to hear that, smoothing her outfit with a shy little smile.
Rein stopped walking.
He didn't freeze.
He didn't pause.
His system fully crashed.
Zen waved a hand in front of him like a parent checking on a broken TV.
"Hello? Spirit of Rein? You still in there? Blink twice if you can hear me."
Rein blinked once.
Then glared.
"I'm not dead, Zen."
"Bro, your soul just left your body. She looks great, right?"
Stella's cheeks warmed. "Please don't make it weird—"
"Too late," Zen said proudly.
Rein managed to speak. "You look… amazing."
Stella melted a little. Zen pretended to wipe tears.
"Look at my boy. Already down bad."
"Zen, I will throw you into the fountain."
"Worth it."
WAITING FOR THE SHOW TO START
They found a spot near the front.
Music tested. Lights flickered. People joked and laughed.
Stella held a cup of strawberry soda, sipping nervously.
Rein noticed. "You okay?"
"Huh? Oh—yeah! Just… concerts are loud."
Zen chimed in, "Then you're lucky. Rein's existence absorbs all sound within a five-meter radius."
Rein punched his arm lightly.
Zen exaggerated the pain as he got hit by a truck.
"AH?! My life… ending… vision fading…"
Stella giggled. "You two are idiots."
Rein shrugged. "He started it."
"You stared at her chest for eight full seconds earlier! You definitely started something."
Rein nearly combusted.
"I—bro—what—"
Stella choked on her drink.
"I—I didn't notice—"
"Oh, she noticed," Zen added. "She totally noticed."
Stella elbowed Zen. "SHUT UP."
Zen winced. "Ow—okay, okay! Damn—both of you hit like professional assassins."
Rein and Stella exchanged a look.
And laughed.
For a moment, it was perfect.
THE MOMENT EVERYTHING BREAKS
The host ran on stage.
"Welcome, everyone! Let's kick off the second half—"
And the lights died.
Instantly.
Students cheered at first, thinking it was part of the act.
Zen laughed nervously. "Okay, this is kinda cool—"
Then the wind changed.
Cold. Sharp. Wrong.
"Uh… guys?" Stella whispered.
Silence fell.
The sky… cracked.
A black tear rippled open right above the school. Shadows spiralled down like liquid night, warping the air, swallowing the stars.
Zen stepped back. "Nope. No. Nonono—Rein what the HELL is that?!"
Rein's heart hammered.
His Vein-Code burned under his skin.
"I… I don't know—"
A figure walked out of the Rift.
Calm. Confident. Moving like he owned the darkness itself.
His white hair drifted like smoke, untouched by gravity.
His crimson eyes glowed, sharp enough to cut through the panic.
He stepped out wearing a dark, perfectly tailored suit, threads woven with faint shadow patterns that pulsed as he moved.
Black dress shoes gleamed unnaturally, like they were carved from the void itself.
The outfit didn't look human-made.
It looked summoned… shaped by the Rift.
The crowd froze.
Some screamed.
Some fainted.
Zen muttered, "Bro's wearing a whole MENACE outfit?? At our school concert??"
Chaos didn't even blink.
He just stared straight at Rein — like he'd been searching for him all along.
Stella's breath hitched.
"Rein… he… he looks like you."
Zen stared between them.
"HOLY—WHAT—WHY IS THERE A COPY OF YOU DESCENDING FROM SATAN'S WIFI ROUTER?!"
Rein stumbled backwards, shaking uncontrollably.
His double… his mirror…
No—
Chaos.
The being looked straight at him.
And smiled with slow, terrifying familiarity.
Zen's voice cracked.
"Rein… is that your evil twin? Did you clone yourself? Are these taxes catching up with you? WHAT AM I LOOKING AT—"
Rein couldn't answer.
Because for the first time in years…
He was genuinely afraid.
Chaos tilted his head slightly, studying Rein like a scientist examining a rare specimen.
Not angry.
Not excited.
Just… evaluating.
The shadows behind him curled upward like obedient animals.
Rein's breath hitched.
His knees gave out.
Stella grabbed his arm.
Zen stepped in front of both of them, even though he was shaking like a wet cat in a thunderstorm.
"HEY—HEY YOU VOID-FASHION SHOW REJECT!" Zen shouted, voice cracking. "BACK OFF! THIS IS A SCHOOL ZONE! WE HAVE—UH—RULES!"
Chaos didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
He lifted one hand slowly. Two fingers raised… then lowered.
Like he was testing the air.
Then—
SNAP.
The sound was soft.
Too soft.
But the effect hit like a hurricane.
Reality bent inward.
The air imploded with a warped thoom, and Chaos vanished from the stage in a smear of dark light.
Zen's jaw dropped.
"…Bro didn't even walk. He loading-screen teleported!"
Stella's voice shook.
"He—he just snapped… and reality listened."
Rein felt ice crawl down his spine.
Because Chaos didn't disappear randomly.
He reappeared—
right behind Rein.
No footsteps.
No sound.
Just a presence so cold it froze the world.
Rein turned his head slowly.
Chaos stood inches away, crimson eyes burning with recognition… and something far worse.
A whisper escaped him, soft as a blade sliding from its sheath:
"Found you."
Rein's entire body locked.
2
Energies That Shape the World
Most people grow up thinking the world is simple.
Land. Sky. Stars.
But beneath all of it beats a structure far older and far stranger — the kind that doesn't show up in textbooks because no one sane wants to study it.
At the centre of everything lies The Pulse — the quiet, steady rhythm that keeps reality from falling apart. It doesn't sound, and it isn't light. It's more like the universe's heartbeat, a calm thrum that Astral energy naturally aligns with. When someone trains, meditates, or sharpens their will, they're not "getting stronger."
They're syncing with that rhythm.
Flow with it, and your power grows smooth, stable, controlled.
Fight it, and you tear yourself apart from the inside.
Holding this entire cosmic heartbeat together is the Arcane Lattice, the invisible framework beneath reality. Picture an infinite web holding every realm, every dimension, every star in place. Astral energy flows through this Lattice like electricity through circuits. As long as it stays intact, the world is calm.
When it cracks?
Rifts appear.
Chaos leaks in.
And nightmares get ideas.
ASTRAL ENERGY — THE CALM THAT SHINES
Astral Energy is the universe at its best — steady, warm, patient.
People describe it as a soft light inside their bones, humming whenever they find clarity or resolve. It reacts to intent, not impulse. If your heart steadies, Astral steadies. If your will sharpens, Astral sharpens with you.
Astral users can strengthen their bodies, shape armour or wings of light, or form techniques guided by pure concentration. The only caveat? Its limit isn't physical. Overuse doesn't break your bones — it cracks your spirit, stretching your soul like glass under pressure.
CHAOTIC ENERGY — THE STORM THAT WHISPERS YOUR NAME
Chaotic Energy is nothing like Astral.
It doesn't follow the Pulse.
It breaks the Arcane Lattice just by existing.
It leaks from the Rift — a wound in reality that should've stayed sealed. Chaotic energy feels alive, like static mixed with a bad idea. Where Astral is patient, Chaos is entertained. It amplifies whatever emotion is closest:
Anger → wildfire
Fear → a blade
Ambition → an explosion
Despair → a bottomless pit
You don't learn Chaotic techniques.
You unleash them.
But the cost is viciously simple:
The more you use it, the more it takes — balance, judgment, identity. The strongest Chaotic users aren't the most talented. They're the ones still winning the war inside their own minds.
THE VEIN-CODE RANK SYSTEM
Human bodies weren't meant to handle raw energy.
They have to be carved open for it.
When someone awakens Astral or Chaotic power, glowing lines bloom beneath the skin — living tattoos called Vein-Codes. Every line is a limit already broken.
They don't glow unless your energy is active.
They don't lie.
They don't forgive anyone who pushes past their capacity.
Astral Veins shine in cold colours — white, silver, blue, gold.
Chaotic Veins burn in violent ones — red, black.
Whether someone becomes a hero or a calamity…
Starts with how many Veins they can survive.
RANKS
Rank 1 — Sole Vein
The first crack in the body. A faint line wraps the wrist. Beginners can sense energy but barely control it. Most are terrified of overloading.
Rein: Single Vein
Rank 2 — Dual Vein
The body stops breaking. Control stabilises. A Double Vein can finally fight without collapsing.
Stella: Double Vein
Rank 3 — Tri Vein
Energy begins obeying. Basic shaping becomes possible — blades, waves, barriers.
Zen: Tri Vein
Rank 4 — Quad Vein
Power shakes the ground. Their strength is refined, their stamina terrifying.
Rank 5 — Penta Vein
Elites who distort the air with every movement. Legends in the making.
Rank 6 — Hex Vein (Hidden)
Whispered about. A Hex Vein can compress energy into catastrophic density. Entire squads deploy to stop one.
Rank 7 — Void Vein (Mythic)
Seven perfect lines forming a halo. A Void Vein no longer fights power — they are power. Even Rifts and storms cannot break them.
Some call them heroes. Others call them omens.
Two days before the school concert, the front lawn of Silverlight Academy looked like someone had dumped a festival, a tech expo, and a circus on the same patch of grass.
The open field—normally used for combat training—was covered in:
Floating lantern frames waiting to be filled
half-built holo-stages
speaker drones hovering like impatient pigeons
Astra students are shaping light into decorative ribbons.
Flux kids are climbing scaffolds with tools they definitely should not be trusted with
Rein dragged a heavy box of prism-lights across the field.
"This is child labour disguised as school spirit," he muttered.
Zen walked behind him, holding a bundle of sparking cables like they were snakes.
"If you hate school spirit, just say that."
"I don't hate it," Rein said. "I just… hate being chosen for the 'manual labour' team every year."
Zen raised an eyebrow. "Bro, you are the manual labour team."
Rein launched a dead glare at him.
Before Zen could add another insult, Stella approached from the scaffolding area. Her hair was tied up, cheeks lightly dusted with silver sparks from Astral shaping. She looked… unfairly composed for someone working under the sun.
"Rein," she said, "we need those prism-lights set on the centre arch."
Rein looked at the giant arch being constructed at the field's entrance — a towering silver frame surrounded by floating holo-panels.
"Up there?" he asked.
"Yes," Stella answered. "Zen, you're holding the cables incorrectly. They're going to shock you."
Zen froze mid-step. "Wait—WHAT—"
Bzzzzt.
He yelped so loud that an Astra student fell off their hoverboard.
Stella sighed. "I warned you."
Rein snorted as he hauled the prism-lights over to the arch scaffolding. The air smelled like grass, metal, and student sweat—classic school festival vibes.
All around them, groups were working:
Astra Division
Shaping floating orbs of light to form a glowing dome over the field.
Flux Division
Programming sound drones to hover at the edges of the crowd.
Basic Division
Carrying chairs. Sweeping dirt. Setting up tents. Basically, doing everything no one else wanted.
Rein climbed the scaffolding ladder with a prism-light tucked under his arm.
The higher he went, the more the whole school came into view — students running around, holo-lanterns drifting, Astra orbs sparkling against the bright sky.
For a brief moment…
It actually felt peaceful.
Stella called up from below, shielding her eyes from the sun.
"Rotate the prism clockwise once you get it mounted!"
"Got it!" Rein called back.
Zen added, "Don't fall! I'm not catching you twice in the same week!"
Rein rolled his eyes. "You're not catching me even once."
He reached the top… but then—
A cold prickle crept down his spine.
He looked at the grass far below.
Everything seemed normal.
Kids arguing over popcorn machines.
A group is testing fireworks too early.
Stella is reorganising equipment with intense focus.
Zen nearly electrocuted himself again.
But then Rein glanced at his shadow on the wooden plank.
It bent wrong.
Just for a second.
It didn't match the angle of the sun.
Like something else was pulling it.
Rein blinked.
The shadow flicked back into normal shape.
He swallowed hard. "Just tired. Just… tired."
He secured the prism-light. Stella raised her hand, sending a precise pulse of silver Astral energy upward. The prism activated, scattering a soft glow across the entire field.
Everyone cheered.
Zen whistled. "Stella, you're single-handedly carrying the visuals. Rein, meanwhile, is carrying boxes."
Rein flipped him off.
Stella pretended she didn't see it.
Her voice softened slightly as she looked up at him.
"You okay up there?"
"Yeah," Rein lied.
Stella narrowed her eyes. "Your shadow looks off again."
Rein stiffened. "…Probably the lighting?"
"There is no lighting," she said flatly. "We're outdoors."
Zen whispered to him, "Bro, she caught you in 4K."
Stella stepped closer, hands on her hips. "If something's wrong, at least let us—"
Before she could finish—
A whisper slid through Rein's mind.
Smooth.
Sharp.
Hungry.
"…soon. Under the open sky… we begin."
Rein almost missed a step climbing down.
Zen grabbed the ladder. "HEY—watch it!"
Stella instantly moved beside them, worry flashing across her face.
"Rein?"
He forced a breath.
"Sorry. Heatstroke, maybe."
It wasn't.
He knew it wasn't.
But with the concert only two days away…
That voice was getting louder.
And the open sky above him felt way too big.
Way too exposed.
"Hey, Rein! You good up there?" Zen shouted from below. "What are you looking for—some goddess coming down to bless us with free snacks?"
Rein, balanced on the ladder like he'd been born on one, slowly turned… and gave Zen the finger. Again. Calm. Professional. Like it was part of the school uniform.
"Rein, come down and take a break," Stella said, hands on her hips as she checked the decorations. "And Zen—go help the others. Properly."
"WHAT? WHY DOES HE GET A BREAK?" Zen gasped, clutching his chest. "I've been working my soul to the bone! MY LIFE IS FLASHING BEFORE MY EYES—OH GOD I SEE THE LIGHT—WAIT NO THAT'S JUST A LAMP—AHHH—"
He tripped over absolutely nothing and stumbled backwards. Rein didn't react. Stella did.
She flicked his forehead. Hard enough to echo.
"Can you be useful sometimes? Just once? In your entire existence?" she snapped.
Zen rubbed his forehead dramatically. "Whoa. I actually made you mad. Historic moment. Somebody write this down."
"Shut. Up." Stella glared. "Just go. Before I use your skull as a hammer."
"Threatening violence already? Wow, Stella, you've grown," Zen said, skipping away with the energy of someone whose brain was on permanent vacation.
A second later, he tripped over a box labelled 'Fragile – DO NOT KICK'.
Rein finally climbed down the ladder, deadpan. "He's gonna break something."
"He already did," Stella muttered. "My sanity."
Zen popped his head up from behind the box. "I heard that!"
"Good," Stella said sweetly. "Now get back to work."
"I hope he actually does some work," Stella muttered, glaring in Zen's general direction.
"I hope so, too," Rein agreed, dusting his hands off.
He glanced at her. "But uh… why'd you call me down for a break?"
Stella hesitated—not something she did often. "Because you deserve it, obviously. You've been carrying, like, the entire decorating team on your back."
She looked away for a moment, then added, softer, "Also… would you maybe… want to sit with me? For a bit?"
Rein froze.
Not just frozen—
Full system crash.
Brain: blue-screen.
Body: overheating.
Emotional processor: "ERROR 404: COHERENT THOUGHT NOT FOUND."
His whole face went red enough to be used as a warning light.
"H–huh… ehh… y–yea," he stammered, voice cracking like a brittle cookie. "S–sure. W-why not."
Stella smiled—small but warm—and Rein's heart did a backflip so loud he was surprised Zen didn't hear it from across the field.
"Come on then," she said.
Rein followed her like a lost puppy whose legs were made of jelly.
As they walked, Stella kept sneaking little glances at Rein. After a few steps, she finally gathered her courage.
"And Rein… don't be shy around me, okay? I'm your uhhh—"
Her voice wavered. She looked embarrassed, almost shy in a way Rein had never seen before.
"I'm your best friend… right?" she said at last, her cheeks quietly burning.
Rein blinked—then laughed softly.
A small, warm sound he hadn't made in years.
"Of course," he said, giving her a faint blush of a smile. "Of course we are."
He hesitated, then added quietly, "You and Zen… you're the only ones I trust the most."
Stella stopped walking.
Right in front of him.
Hands behind her back, eyes lowered, voice soft enough to almost blend with the evening air.
"Then… come to the concert," she whispered. "Please. I'd really… really like to spend some time with you."
Her blush deepened.
So did his.
"…Yeah," Rein said, steadier than he expected. "I'll come."
For once, he spoke without stuttering.
Without freezing.
Without falling apart.
Behind them—quiet, unnoticed—Zen stood a few meters back.
He didn't laugh.
He didn't crack a joke.
He just watched the two of them with a calm smile tugging at his lips.
Stella… you're good for him, he thought, eyes soft.
You make him breathe a little easier. And that's all I could ever ask.
He didn't say it aloud.
He didn't need to.
For now, he was just happy—quietly, honestly happy—for both of them.
Rein and Stella sat at the back of the school, hidden in the quiet little garden that almost no one visited—a few benches curved beneath the trees, where falling leaves drifted like lazy snowflakes. The concert chaos felt far away here—replaced by birds, soft wind, and the warm evening sun.
Rein glanced at the small notebook Stella always carried.
"Soo… why do you keep that notebook with you all the time?" he asked.
Stella flipped it open absent-mindedly, revealing sketches—armour lines, wing shapes, Astral circuitry patterns.
"It's just some drawings," she said with a shy smile. "Ideas for when we reach Class 4 and get our Astral suits custom-made."
Rein blinked.
"Stella… we still have three whole years left. Why start now?"
Stella closed the notebook slowly, fingers lingering on the cover.
"Because… I need to make my family proud."
The way she said it—soft, almost fragile—made Rein pay attention.
"Stella… did something happen?" he asked quietly.
She hesitated… then began.
"I grew up in a house where everything was a rule," she said. "Wake up at five. Train before school. Train after school. Study until your hands shake. Then train again. My dad believed strength was everything. 'Weakness is a choice,' he'd say."
She smiled sadly.
"Mom was the only warmth in that place. She made life feel normal. She used to sneak me out for ice cream and call them 'missions.' She had this way of making everything—training, school, life—seem lighter."
Rein nodded gently, encouraging her to continue.
"But when I was twelve," Stella whispered, "she got diagnosed with Type 4 lung cancer. It spread too fast. She… she kept smiling until the very end."
Rein felt something twist in his chest.
"When she passed," Stella said, voice tight, "Dad didn't slow down. He sped up. More drills. More pressure. My sister and I barely had time to breathe. Crying wasn't allowed. Questioning anything wasn't allowed. We were just… tools he had to sharpen."
She looked away, eyes clouded.
"Eventually, my sister snapped. On her eighteenth birthday, she grabbed my wrist and said, 'We're leaving. Now.' And we did. We ran away to Senkai City with two bags and whatever courage we had left."
Rein swallowed.
"And your dad…?"
"He didn't come after us. Just sent money and told us to 'maintain the family's reputation.' That's it."
Silence hung for a moment, heavy and real.
Then Stella glanced at Rein—really looked at him.
"You always ask if you can help when someone's hurting," she said softly. "You did it just now, too. That's… that's rare."
Rein blinked. "Well… I mean… if I can help, I want to."
For a heartbeat, Stella's inner voice whispered—quiet but desperate:
"Yes… There is something. Please… stay with me forever."
But out loud?
"No," she said gently. "You've already gone through much worse. I don't want to burden you."
Rein shook his head lightly. "You're not a burden, Stella."
Stella froze—because no one had ever told her that before.
Rein continued, voice warm and steady.
"You don't have to earn love or pride or care. You don't have to become something for someone else. You're already… enough."
That was the moment her composure shattered.
Her breath hitched; her eyes shimmered—and before Rein could fully process it, Stella stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Not a dramatic hug.
Not desperate.
Just… real.
Soft. Quiet. Trembling.
Her forehead rested against his shoulder as she finally let a few tears slip out—silent, warm, and honest.
Rein stiffened for a second, stunned… then slowly lifted a hand and placed it gently on her back, holding her with a kind of careful sincerity he didn't know he had.
For the first time in years… Stella let herself be vulnerable.
And for the first time… Rein let someone close without shutting down.
Zen stood a good distance away, hands on his hips as a proud, chaotic parent witnessing their kids graduate from heartbreak to healing.
"OH MY BABIES—" he fake-sobbed dramatically. "THEY'VE GROWN SO MUCH— WAAAAAH!"
Then he immediately switched moods, snickering as he whipped out his phone and snapped a warm, wholesome photo of the hug.
A second later, Rein's phone buzzed with a notification.
The message read:
"I wish I could get a girlfriend someday… XP"
Rein stared at the message, disbelief turning into volcanic rage.
His inner thoughts exploded instantly:
"THAT BASTARD— I'M GOING TO END HIM."
He was about to speak—
"Hey, Stella, I—"
But Stella suddenly hugged him tighter, her face still buried in his chest.
"Sorry, Rein… I didn't expect to break down like that," she whispered shakily.
Her tears soaked lightly into his hoodie, and Rein gently brushed tears from her face and hood.
"Don't apologise," he said, voice soft. "That's what best friends are for."
She managed a tiny smile.
Then Rein sighed. "Uhh, sorry to ruin the moment, but… Zen took a photo."
Stella didn't even flinch.
"It's fine. He's stupid, but he's also incredibly kind."
Rein laughed lightly. "Yeah… I know. Still need to catch him, though."
"Don't worry," Stella said calmly. "I have a tracker on him."
Rein blinked. "What? When?"
"Oh, when you share contact info, there's an optional 'track them forever' setting."
She shrugged. "Zen just said yes immediately because he thought it'd make him famous."
Rein paused.
"…Yeah. That sounds like Zen."
Stella checked her phone and tilted her head. "He's… uh… behind the cafeteria. Hiding in a bush. It says 'User is stationary… rustling.'"
Rein blinked. "Rustling?? Why is he rustling??"
Right on cue, a distant whisper floated toward them:
"THE BUSHES ACCEPT ME AS ONE OF THEIR OWN…"
Rein stared into the distance like he was questioning every life choice that led him here.
Stella clamped a hand over her mouth, trying not to burst into laughter.
"…We should go get him," Rein muttered.
"Yeah," Stella giggled, "before he evolves into a shrub."
And together, they started walking toward Zen's hiding spot.
Rein didn't even slow down. He reached into the bush, grabbed Zen by the collar, and yanked him out like pulling a loose weed—
BANG!
Zen's head met Rein's fist on the way out.
"OW—MY BRAIN CELLS!" Zen yelped, clutching his head like it might fall off.
"Delete. The. Photo." Rein growled.
Zen grinned, wounded pride and leaves stuck in his hair. "Nope. Never. This is historical evidence. I'm practically a war journalist."
Rein cracked his knuckles. "Zen…"
"OKAY OKAY—WAIT." Zen pointed accusingly at Stella. "How did you even track me?!"
Stella calmly lifted her phone and turned the screen toward him. The tracker blinked with an almost mocking Zen: Detected.
Zen gasped dramatically. "STELLA. YOU HAVE A TRACKER ON ME? HOW COULD YOU?! Betrayed by my own comrade!"
Stella raised an eyebrow. "Zen… you literally clicked 'YES' on the permission pop-up."
Zen froze. "Oh."
Rein sighed. "Idiot."
Zen puffed out his cheeks. "Still betrayal."
Stella burst out laughing first—like full-on, can't-breathe laughing.
Zen joined instantly, slapping the table like a seal.
Rein chuckled too, trying to stay composed but failing miserably.
"You two are idiots," Stella said between giggles.
Zen puffed his chest. "Correct. Certified, even."
Rein nodded. "Top-tier idiots."
Zen threw an arm around both of them. "ANYWAY—pizza. A new shop opened. Let's go before my internal organs resign."
Stella squinted at him. "Fine. But after you eat, you're telling me if your work is done."
Zen waved casually. "Details. Future Zen can deal with that."
Rein's inner voice: Future Zen is going to die.
After eating…
Stella planted her elbows on the table. "Okay. Talk. Did you finish your tasks?"
Zen didn't blink. "I… absolutely… completely… did nothing."
BANG!
Stella slammed the table so hard that Zen jumped like a cat stepping on a cucumber.
"YOU TWO ARE TRYING TO KILL ME!" Zen screamed.
Rein held up his hands. "Hey, don't drag me into this. I worked."
"You EXISTED next to Zen, that's enough!" Stella snapped.
Zen rubbed his neck. "Look, look, it's not my fault. I was busy."
Stella glared. "Doing WHAT?!"
Zen's eyes glazed over as his brain opened a dusty drawer labelled: Memories I Should Not Admit To.
Flashback — 20 minutes before they met up:
Zen stood on a ladder outside the school, holding a broom like a holy weapon.
He pointed it at a group of pigeons sitting on the roof.
"LISTEN HERE, SKY RATS. If even ONE OF YOU poops on the stage during the concert, I will PERSONALLY file a lawsuit. Don't test me. I know a guy."
One pigeon blinked slowly.
Zen gasped. "DON'T YOU BLINK AT ME WITH THAT ATTITUDE."
A janitor walked by.
"…Kid, what are you doing?"
Zen whispered dramatically, "Negotiations."
Back to the present.
Zen wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead. "So yeah. I was… ensuring aerial security."
Rein stared at him.
Stella stared harder.
Zen smiled like a child who definitely broke the vase.
Stella blinked once.
Twice.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
"Zen…" she said, voice trembling like a volcano trying to be polite, "you spent an hour arguing with pigeons?"
Zen nodded proudly. "They respect me now."
Rein whispered, "No, they don't."
Before Zen could reply—
BANG!
Stella's fist came down on his head like divine punishment.
Zen fell to his knees instantly.
"OW—OW—OW—MY BRAIN IS LEAKING—OW—WHY—STELLA—PLEASE—MERCY—"
Stella stood over him, fist still shaking with righteous fury.
"YOU ABSOLUTE MENACE! We're trying to prepare for a SCHOOL CONCERT, and you're out there running a bird diplomacy program?!"
Zen held his head. "I WAS DEFENDING THE STUDENTS FROM AIRSTRIKE HAZARDS!"
Rein couldn't hold it—he burst out laughing.
Stella shot him a glare. "DON'T encourage him!"
Rein froze.
Zen, still on the ground:
"Rein… help me up… my thoughts are blurry… I can see god…"
Stella cracked her knuckles.
Zen immediately stood up straight. "I'M HEALED. HAHA. MIRACLE. LET'S WORK!"
Stella sighed in disbelief.
Rein whispered to himself, "You punched him again… and again it fixed him…"
Zen nodded proudly. "Stella punches are basically medicine."
Stella raised a fist.
Zen screamed. "NOPE! RETRACTED! I TAKE IT BACK!"
Soon enough, the three of them dragged themselves back to school. Zen tried to quietly slip behind Rein like a scared cat, hoping Stella wouldn't notice him—
She noticed.
BANG!
"OW—WHY AGAIN?!" Zen clutched his head, wobbling like a malfunctioning robot.
Stella pointed at him. "THAT'S for not starting your work the first time."
Zen raised a finger. "Objection—actually, I did start—"
"What did you start?"
"…a conversation with birds."
BANG!
"OW—STELLAAAAA—PLEASE—MY BRAIN CAN'T KEEP SAVING OVER NEW DAMAGE FILES!"
Stella crossed her arms. "Then start WORKING before your brain runs out of storage."
Zen scrambled away instantly. "YES, MA'AM."
Rein chuckled as Zen fled like he was escaping an assassin.
But the moment they stepped back into the concert grounds, reality kicked in.
Students were everywhere — carrying lights, hanging banners, assembling stalls, testing speakers. It felt like a small festival on the verge of being born.
Stella looked around, inhaled deeply, and straightened her posture.
"Rein," she said softly, "I've got to head to the south stage team. Dual Veins get assigned as sub-leads… so I have to make sure the wiring and decor match the performance sequence."
Rein nodded. He knew the rules — Dual Vein students had heavier responsibilities, especially for public events. Astral stability allowed them to handle more delicate tasks.
"Go," Rein said with a small smile. "You'll be fine."
Stella smiled back — warm, almost shy — before she jogged off toward the stage.
Rein watched her go for a moment.
Zen, from behind a stack of crates: "Ayo… Rein… you staring for a bit too long there, buddy…"
Rein kicked a crate at him.
Zen dodged. "AGH—OKAY, OKAY, I'LL WORK!"
And finally…
All three actually began helping.
Sort of.
3
When the World Forgot to Breathe
The word still echoed in Rein's skull.
Found you.
Rein couldn't move.
Stella couldn't breathe.
Zen couldn't decide whether to scream, faint, or throw his shoe at the intruder.
Chaos stood behind Rein like a living eclipse — the air around him bending, shadows crawling along the ground like hungry snakes.
Nobody else in the crowd dared to speak.
Nobody even dared to blink.
Zen whispered, "Rein… bro… don't panic, but—HE'S SO CLOSE I CAN SMELL HIS SHAMPOO."
Chaos didn't react.
Instead, he leaned slightly closer to Rein's ear — calm, composed, terrifyingly gentle.
"Your shadow… has grown restless," he murmured. "It reminds me. Even if you do not."
Rein felt his heart stop.
His shadow twitched violently at his feet, like it wanted to break free and crawl to Chaos.
Stella stepped forward, eyes blazing.
"Don't touch him."
Chaos finally looked at her — not surprised, not impressed, simply… curious.
"You have a strong Astral pulse," he said. "Dual-Vein."
Zen raised a shaky hand. "H-hey, hey, hey—NO analysing her. That's Rein's future wife—"
Stella punched Zen without looking away from Chaos.
Chaos blinked once. "Humans are loud."
The Rift above them pulsed.
Dark lightning coiled through the sky, spiralling toward Chaos like newborn serpents returning to their master.
Rein could barely speak.
"W-what do you want from me?"
Chaos's expression softened — disturbingly familiar.
Almost… fond.
"I've come to retrieve what was stolen," he said quietly, raising his hand toward Rein's chest.
The ground cracked under Rein's feet.
Even the shadows held their breath.
BOOM.
The world didn't just shake — it detonated.
The entire school grounds were swallowed in a blinding shockwave. Benches, lights, decorations, and even the concert speakers were shredded into airborne shrapnel. Dust exploded upward like a volcanic burst. The ground split, buildings cracked, and the night drowned in chaos.
And Rein—
Rein took the full force.
He crashed through a barrier, tumbled across shattered concrete, and slammed into a fallen beam. His ears rang. His ribs screamed. His entire body felt like it had been folded in half by a giant.
"AGH— agh— agh— ow— ow— OW—" Rein whimpered, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. "Th-that hurts… so much…"
He dragged himself behind what remained of a broken pillar, shaking, trying to breathe, trying to hide, trying to think—
Somewhere behind him, metal groaned and rubble shifted.
Zen and Stella were buried somewhere underneath the wreckage.
Rein's heart pounded. "Stella—Zen—please be okay—"
He peeked out—
And froze.
Chaos hovered above the ground like gravity had never applied to him. Dust curled around him in slow spirals, as if even the debris was afraid to touch him. His white hair drifted like mist, and his eyes—
His eyes were glowing crimson now.
He tilted his head, spotting Rein instantly.
"Where," Chaos asked softly, "do you think you're going to hide, Vessel?"
Rein flinched. "S-stay away—!"
Chaos took one slow, echoing step forward, the shadows following him like loyal pets.
"You can barely stand. You can barely breathe," he said in an almost disappointed voice. "Your Astral Energy is… pathetic. You're a Sole Vein. One of the weakest classifications."
Rein trembled so hard he almost dropped to his knees.
Chaos extended a hand toward him.
"Come with me. I can make you more. Better. Stronger."
A small, knowing smile crept across his face.
"Don't struggle. I won't kill you."
Rein's stomach dropped.
Because behind Chaos's gentle tone…
Behind the crimson glow…
He could feel it.
Chaos was not lying.
He truly didn't intend to kill him.
No—
He wanted something far, far worse.
A chunk of rubble exploded outward—
FWAM!
Zen burst out of the dust cloud, coughing, bleeding, and very obviously furious. His uniform was torn, one arm dangling uselessly, but in his good hand—
An Astral Energy blade roared to life, crackling like lightning against his palm.
Right beside him, Stella stumbled out, gripping his shoulder, her hands glowing as she tried to heal him on the move.
Zen didn't hesitate.
"REIN! RUN!" he shouted, voice raw with panic. "TAKE STELLA AND RUN! SHE CAN HEAL YOU!"
He didn't wait for an answer.
He dashed straight at Chaos.
Stella screamed, "ZEN—STOP! YOU'RE INJURED, YOU CAN'T—"
But Zen was already in the air, blade raised, eyes blazing with desperate courage.
Rein staggered forward, heart slamming in his ribs. "ZEN, YOU CAN'T WIN THIS—RUN!! PLEASE!!"
Chaos didn't even turn.
He just watched Zen rushing toward him like someone observing a child charging a hurricane.
Stella kept healing Zen as fast as she could, her breath shaking, tears dripping onto the rumble.
But Zen roared back—
"IF HE WANTS REIN, HE'S GOING THROUGH ME!"
SNAP.
Something black and metal flashed—
SHHK!
Chaos's blade tore straight through Zen's chest.
For a heartbeat, Zen just… froze.
His eyes widened.
His breath hitched.
The glow in his energy blade flickered and died.
Chaos didn't even bother to look impressed.
"Pathetic," he said calmly. "A Tri-Vein user… yet this is all you amount to? What a disappointment."
Stella's legs collapsed beneath her.
She fell to her knees like her bones had turned to water, hands trembling violently.
"Z–Zen…?"
Her voice cracked—then shattered.
"ZEN!!! NOOO—PLEASE!!" she screamed, tears streaming so fast she couldn't even see.
Rein's world stopped.
Everything—sound, air, thought—just broke.
His vision blurred.
His throat burned.
The tears came before he even realised he was crying.
"NO—NO NO NO—ZEN—NOT YET—PLEASE—" Rein choked out. "I STILL NEED YOU—DON'T—DON'T GO—"
Zen fell forward, collapsing into the dust.
Blood pooled under him, dark and horrifyingly fast.
Stella reached out, hands shaking so violently her healing light flickered.
"ZEN—HOLD ON—PLEASE—I CAN HEAL THIS—I CAN HEAL ANYTHING—DON'T—DON'T GIVE UP—NOT YET—PLEASE—"
She poured every last drop of her Astral energy into him…
But the wound was too deep.
And she was reaching her limit—her breaths sharp and ragged, her hands glowing weaker and weaker.
"Not yet…" she whispered, voice breaking as she fought to keep the light alive. "Please… Zen… don't leave us… not like this…"
Rein could only watch in horror.
His best friend is bleeding out.
Stella is breaking apart trying to save him.
Chaos stood above them as the world belonged to him.
Rein's voice tore out of him—raw, broken, desperate:
"ZEEEEEN!!!"
For a moment, nothing happened.
Zen's body lay there, still, pale, barely clinging to consciousness.
Then—
Something shifted.
A pulse.
A spark.
Zen's fingers twitched… then curled into a fist.
His eyes snapped open—empty, wild, burning with a final, impossible surge of will.
Chaos didn't even turn. He assumed Zen was finished.
Big mistake.
B A S H
Zen vanished.
A displacement so fast that the human eye couldn't even catch the silhouette—just the shockwave left in his wake.
Chaos's expression flickered for the first time.
"What—"
Zen appeared right in front of him, blood dripping down his chin, breath wheezing like every inhale might be his last.
His hand clutched the very sword still lodged in his chest.
With a guttural roar that sounded more like a dying star than a human—
SCHHHK!
Zen ripped the blade free from his own body.
And in the same motion—
DROVE IT STRAIGHT INTO CHAOS'S SIDE.
Chaos staggered.
Actually staggered.
Not from pain—more from shock. No one expected a dying Tri-Vein student to strike him.
Zen's vision blurred. His knees buckled. His whole body trembled violently.
His strength was gone… everything spent.
He collapsed forward, leaning on the sword still buried in Chaos, his forehead against Chaos's shoulder, barely holding himself upright.
His voice was a whisper, ragged and fading:
"Rein… hngh …beat this… asshole… okay?"
He smiled—weak, tired, but real.
Then Zen dropped.
His body hit the ground with a soft, heartbreaking thud.
Chaos exhaled slowly, annoyed by the wound, annoyed by the audacity…
And he pulled the blade free like it was an inconvenience.
"Zen…"
That was all Stella managed to whisper. Her voice cracked, barely a breath.
Rein rose to his feet. His violet eyes—usually bright, restless, alive—were now hollow, emptied of everything but grief. Dust swirled around him as if afraid to touch the aura radiating from his still-growing rage.
Then his Vein-Code began to distort.
On his left hand, his Sole Vein glowed the usual calm blue… but violently brighter, like it was fighting to contain something.
On his right hand, however, something impossible.
A second Vein-Code pulsed to life.
Red.
Sharp.
Burning with the unmistakable symbol of a Tri Vein.
Stella froze, breath stolen from her lungs.
"That… that's not possible…" she whispered.
Chaos tilted his head with sudden interest.
"Oh? Now that's new."
Rein didn't answer.
He simply lifted both hands—one blue, one red—the conflicting energies crackling against each other as if reality itself struggled to understand what he had become.
And for the first time since emerging from the rift…
Chaos stepped back
Rein vanished.
It wasn't a movement.
It wasn't speed.
It was as if reality skipped a frame.
One moment, he was standing in the rubble—
Next, he was beside Zen, scooping up his limp body.
Then—another impossible flicker—he reappeared right in front of Stella, gently lowering Zen next to her.
Without hesitation, Rein pressed his hand over Zen's chest.
Chaotic Energy—unstable, wild, not meant for healing—bled from his palm, stitching the wound shut just enough to keep Zen alive.
"Stella," Rein said, voice razor-cold, "take care of him."
"But—what about you?" Stella asked, her voice trembling.
He didn't answer.
He simply stood and walked forward.
Chaos clapped slowly, mockingly.
"Wow. Amazing job, Rein."
Then Chaos extended his arm, revealing the sigil burned into his Vein-Code.
A swirling black mark—cold, endless, devouring.
A Void Vein.
"Now," Chaos said with a grin, "let me show you what you're competing against."
Rein didn't even flinch.
"I don't care," he growled. "I'll kill you."
Chaotic energy surged from his hands, condensing into a blade—jagged, unstable, vibrating with raw destruction. The ground beneath his feet cracked from the pressure.
Stella's eyes widened.
"H-He shaped… a weapon? Out of Chaos…?"
Even Chaos leaned forward, intrigued.
This was no longer the Rein they knew.
This was something else entirely.
Rein charged, Chaotic blade forming in his hand with a violent crackle. The ground split beneath each step he took. His eyes—one glowing blue, one burning red—were locked on Chaos.
Chaos didn't even bother taking a stance.
"Speed won't help you in this fight."
SNAP.
The world blurred.
Chaos vanished.
A cold whisper brushed Rein's ear an instant before—
CRASH!
Chaos drove his knee into Rein's ribs from behind, sending him tumbling through shattered stone. Rein skidded across the ground, coughing violently as blood splattered the dust.
His vision doubled.
His breathing hitched.
His hands trembled—but he forced the Chaotic blade to regenerate.
Chaos strolled toward him, amused.
"You're trying so hard… and yet you're not even fighting with your own power."
Rein darted forward again—faster, angrier, body screaming in protest. He slashed, each swing a streak of volatile energy. Chaos danced between them, barely moving, as if Rein's attacks were no more than falling leaves.
One step.
One blink.
Chaos appeared in front of him and flicked Rein's forehead with a single finger.
BOOM.
Rein rocketed backwards, cracking into the remains of a wall.
His Vein-Codes flared—
The blue on his left hand is pulsating chaotically.
The red Tri-Vein mark on his right hand was glowing like molten metal.
His body wasn't built to hold both.
He knew it.
Chaos knew it.
But he stood anyway, staggering.
Chaos smiled wider. "Yes… break yourself for me."
Rein roared, slashing again—
This time, unleashing a surge of Chaotic energy that tore a trench through the entire courtyard.
Chaos simply sidestepped it.
Then—shadows moved.
Boots crunched rubble.
Elite Penta Vein soldiers emerged, weapons drawn, faces pale as they took in Rein, the destruction… and the creature standing between them.
Chaos sighed dramatically.
"Oh dear. Rein, looks like our time is up."
He gave Rein a small, mocking bow.
"See you next time, Rein Seethoshi."
A jagged rift split open behind him—purple, black, and vibrating like a heartbeat. Chaos stepped backwards into it, eyes lingering on Rein for one last chilling second.
Then he was gone.
Rein exhaled once.
Just once.
Then the pain hit him all at once.
His knees buckled. The dual Vein-Code surge was ripping his body apart from the inside—blood dripping from his palms, his nose, the corners of his eyes. His vision collapsed into darkness.
And he fell.
"REIN!!"
Stella sprinted across the broken courtyard, ignoring the panicking soldiers. She slid to her knees beside him, lifting his head as her hands glowed with frantic healing light.
"Rein—Rein, please—wake up—stay with me!"
He didn't respond.
His body was limp.
Cold.
Overused.
Nearly drained dry.
Stella's voice cracked as she pulled him closer.
"Please… don't disappear too…"
Sirens wailed through the shattered courtyard, red and blue lights painting the dust-filled air.
Paramedics swarmed around the ruins, carefully lifting Rein and Zen onto stretchers. Both boys were hooked up to oxygen masks, their vitals unstable but still registering.
The ambulance doors were wide open.
Medics moved in and out rapidly, shouting readings, adjusting equipment, and trying to stabilise the two before departure.
Stella stood frozen just a few meters away, watching Rein's hand twitch lifelessly on the stretcher.
That's when she heard—
"STELLA!!"
A voice cracked with pure panic.
She turned just as Valkyrie sprinted across the debris, nearly tripping over fallen beams in her desperation. Her eyes were wide, red, terrified—like she'd been imagining the worst the entire way here.
She rushed to Stella, grabbing her shoulders with both hands.
"Stella—Stella, talk to me! Are you hurt? Are you bleeding?!"
Her voice shook as she scanned Stella up and down, fingertips trembling.
Stella didn't react.
Her eyes were glued to Rein—unmoving, pale—while medics worked frantically over him.
"Stella."
Valkyrie cupped her cheeks gently, forcing her to look up.
"Stella, please. Say something."
Stella's breath hitched.
Everything she'd been holding in crashed at once.
Her knees buckled, and she collapsed forward into Valkyrie's arms.
"R-Rein and Zen—they're not waking up—" she cried, voice cracking.
"I tried— I healed— I did everything— Zen was bleeding so much— Rein collapsed— I couldn't— I couldn't help them—"
Valkyrie wrapped her arms around her tightly, one hand cradling the back of her head.
"Hey… hey, it's okay. I've got you," she whispered, though her own voice shook.
"You're safe. You did everything you could. I'm here now."
Stella sobbed harder, clinging to her sister's jacket.
Behind them, the medics shouted something urgent.
The ambulance engine rumbled, still waiting, still open—
—and everything was hanging by a thread.
From across the rubble, a voice thundered:
"HEY! MEDICS! WE NEED THE WHITE-HAIRED ONE!"
Everyone turned.
A Penta Vein soldier—armour scorched, visor cracked, but aura burning—strode toward the ambulances with zero hesitation.
"We're taking him," he barked.
A medic stepped in front of Rein's stretcher, furious.
"He can barely breathe! Moving him now could KILL him! Are you insane!?"
The soldier sneered.
"Do I look like I care? He has priority custody. Hand him over."
The medic didn't move an inch.
Then—
A calm voice slid into the chaos like a blade of ice.
"General Matson. You will NOT take that student anywhere."
General Matson turned, annoyed.
Standing behind the rescue team—dusty suit, cracked glasses, but presence towering—
Principal Wilson stepped into the light.
Matson scoffed.
"And who the hell are you to give ME orders, old man?"
Wilson didn't raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
"I am Wilson," he said, eyes hard. "Principal of this school. Guardian of every student enrolled under my care. Including him."
Stella, still clinging to Valkyrie, felt the tension shift—like the ground itself held its breath.
General Matson's grip tightened on his weapon.
"He's the cause of this entire incident! You think I'm letting him slip into a hospital bed?"
Wilson took one step forward.
Just one.
And every medic, every soldier, felt something heavy press against their chest—
Like the air itself respected him.
"Touch that boy," Wilson said quietly,
"And I will personally file a full Vein-Code violation against your entire unit. And trust me, Matson—your rank won't protect you from that."
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Matson's eyes.
The soldiers behind him subtly shifted…
hesitated…
Waiting to see what their general would do.
The standoff crackled like a storm seconds before it breaks.
"If that isn't enough for your idiotic monkey brain, then perhaps this will."
Principal Wilson calmly rolled up his sleeve.
A hush fell.
Etched across his forearm, glowing faintly under the ruined lights, was a Hex Vein — intricate, terrifyingly stable, and unmistakably authentic.
His eyes shifted too, burning with a deep gold-and-silver glow that made even the air tremble.
General Matson didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't blink.
On the surface, he looked unimpressed — bored, even.
But deep inside?
He knew damn well:
One wrong step toward Rein and Principal Wilson could vaporize him before his soldiers even had time to gasp.
"That still doesn't change the fact," Matson said slowly, meeting Wilson's glowing stare,
"That he is the cause of this mess."
Wilson opened his mouth—
—but Stella got there first.
She stepped forward, eyes fierce and cheeks streaked with tears.
"YOU'RE WRONG!" she shouted, voice shaking but loud enough to echo across the debris.
"YOU'RE SO, SO WRONG! You saw him, didn't you? The other one! The thing wearing that creepy black suit—that wasn't Rein!"
For a moment, Matson's jaw tightened.
He had seen Chaos.
And the memory clearly bothered him more than he wanted anyone to notice.
Wilson glanced at Stella, a rare spark of pride in his eyes.
"Indeed," Principal Wilson said, turning back to Matson.
"The girl is correct. You witnessed the intruder yourself. You know full well that my student is not responsible."
He lowered his sleeve, gaze hardening.
"So unless you want to escalate this into a Hex-Vein-level conflict in the middle of an active rescue scene…"
Wilson stepped closer, just enough for Matson to feel the pressure of his aura.
"You're going to let the boy go to the fucking hospital."
"BOYS, clear out! We're heading back to base—now!" General Matson barked, voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
But as he passed Principal Wilson, he leaned in, jaw tight.
"Listen to me, Principal Wilson. If anything happens to this damn country because of that boy—" his voice dropped to a low, deadly growl, "—I swear I'll kill him myself. And you won't be able to stop me."
Wilson didn't flinch. Instead, a slow smirk crept across his face, as if he knew something Matson didn't.
"Sure, General. Do what you must."
As Matson stormed off, Wilson turned his attention toward Stella, who was frozen in place, still shaking from everything that had happened.
He approached with gentle steps.
"Your name is Stella Yukishiro, right, my child?" Principal Wilson asked, his tone shifting completely—warm, almost fatherly.
"Y-Yes… it is," Stella whispered, wiping her eyes. "I'm so sorry for my behaviour earlier. I—I just… I had to protect him. I couldn't let anything happen to Rein."
"I know," Wilson said softly. "Don't worry. They're already on their way to the hospital. And I promise you—my wife can heal them in an instant."
Stella lifted her head. "Your… wife?"
Wilson chuckled lightly and leaned closer.
"Let me tell you a small secret, my child. My wife is a Penta Vein user."
Stella's breath caught. "A P-Penta Vein? Those are… extremely rare."
"Exactly," he replied with a warm smile. "Once she lays a hand on them, they'll be just fine. I give you my word."
"But… they still need treatment before that, right? They can't just skip steps…" Stella murmured, worry etching her voice.
"Yes, my child. They'll go through the full process." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Safety first."
At that moment, Valkyrie stepped forward, posture firm, protective energy radiating off her.
"You must be her elder sister," Wilson said.
"Yes. Valkyrie Yukishiro," she answered, bowing her head slightly. "Thank you for looking after my sister."
"My pleasure," he replied. Then he glanced at the sky—already dark. "If you don't mind, I can take you both home. It's far too late for young ladies to be walking alone."
Stella hesitated. "Are… you sure it's not a bother?"
"Nonsense," Wilson said with a gentle laugh. "Let me take responsibility for my students. Besides…" He smiled knowingly. "You two have had a hell of a night."
Stella and Valkyrie exchanged a look—tired, relieved, and still worried.
But for the first time since the chaos started, they felt a bit of hope.
Principal Wilson led the two sisters toward a sleek black sedan parked just beyond the academy gates. The engine was already running, its low hum blending with the quiet night.
"Please, get in," he said, opening the back door for Stella and Valkyrie.
Stella slipped in first, hands still trembling, and Valkyrie followed, placing herself closest to the door—protective as always. Wilson settled into the driver's seat, adjusting the rearview mirror until both sisters were in view.
Streetlights washed the interior in warm amber as the car eased onto the road.
For a few long moments, no one spoke.
Stella's mind spun—Rein bleeding out, Zen collapsing, Chaos stepping out of that rift… it all looped in her head like a nightmare refusing to end.
Wilson was the one who finally cut through the silence.
"You care for him deeply, don't you?" he asked gently, eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Stella's cheeks warmed. "I… yes. I do. Rein… he's not like everyone says he is." Her voice thinned. "They treated him like a monster today. And he still jumped in to save them."
Valkyrie rested a steadying hand on her sister's knee.
Wilson exhaled slowly. "That boy… Rein. He's been carrying a heavy burden for a long time."
Stella leaned forward, her heart tightening. "You… know him?"
"I know his past," Wilson said quietly. "All of it."
The air in the car froze.
"When the council learned who he was," Wilson continued, "they wanted to ban him from every academy in the city. Some even pushed for charges."
Stella's breath hitched. "Charges?! For what? He didn't do anything!"
"Correct," Wilson said. "But fear turns powerful men into fools. They saw what he might become, not who he is."
The car turned onto a dimly lit road, its headlights cutting through the darkness.
"And I was the one," he said, "who let him into this school."
Stella stared at him through the mirror, eyes wide.
"I fought the council myself. Signed the clearance and took responsibility for him." His voice softened. "And since he arrived, I've watched over him from afar. Not because I feared him… but because I wanted him to have a chance at a normal life."
Stella felt something tug in her chest.
"Y-You knew all this would happen?"
"I knew he'd be misunderstood," Wilson said. "But I also knew someone like you might enter his life."
"M-Me?" she whispered.
Wilson's eyes warmed in the mirror. "Someone who sees the person, not the power."
Stella's blush deepened, but Valkyrie spoke before she could melt entirely.
"Principal Wilson," Valkyrie asked, "if you knew his past… was any of what happened today really his fault?"
Wilson shook his head.
"No. Rein reacted as anyone burdened by trauma would. He protected people." His tone sharpened. "General Matson only sees threats. Never children."
Stella clenched her fists. "He was so cruel…"
"Matson lives like the world is always on fire," Wilson sighed. "But don't worry—he won't touch Rein while he's under this school's protection. Not while I'm here."
Relief passed through the sisters.
"But Rein isn't the only one I watch," Wilson added with a small laugh.
Stella blinked. "What?"
The principal chuckled.
"Ah, yes… Zen Kirisawa. That boy is a walking disaster wrapped in good intentions."
Even Valkyrie couldn't fight a smile.
Wilson continued, amused.
"I can't count how many times he's shown up in my office with bandages. One week, he fell down the stairs because he was 'testing a new breathing technique.' Another time, he tried sparring with a wooden dummy and lost."
Stella wiped her eyes with a small laugh.
"That… sounds exactly like him."
"Clumsy, careless, allergic to self-preservation," Wilson said fondly. "But loyal beyond measure. Today wasn't the first time he ran into danger without thinking."
Stella nodded. "And Rein always ends up protecting him…"
"They balance each other," Wilson said warmly. "Chaos and caution… and they'll need each other for what's coming."
The city lights brightened as they neared the Yukishiro home. Wilson slowed to a gentle stop.
"Here we are," he murmured.
Stella hesitated with her hand on the door.
"Principal Wilson… thank you. Truly."
He met her gaze in the mirror.
"Protect each other, my child. The world can be cruel—but none of you have to face it alone."
Valkyrie bowed her head. "We're grateful."
The sisters stepped out into the quiet night. The car pulled away, its headlights fading into the distance.
Stella looked up at the sky, hope and fear swirling inside her.
Rein… please be okay.