Very first friends.

The training grounds had almost completely emptied.

Shinji remained on the ground.

He could hear footsteps somewhere in the distance, but he didn't bother looking up. His entire body hurt.

His cheek throbbed.

His ribs burned whenever he breathed too deeply.

His shoulder felt stiff, and his arms were still trembling from exhaustion. He slowly pushed himself upright.

The world tilted.

Shinji stopped.

He waited until the dizziness passed.

Then he looked toward the wooden sword lying several feet away. He reached for it.

His fingers closed around the handle.

He tried to stand.

His knees almost gave out.

"You're still here?" Shinji froze. A girl's voice.

He looked toward the entrance.

The girl from his past was standing there. Beside her was a boy

They had apparently been walking back toward the academy buildings when they'd noticed him.

The girl stared at Shinji.

Then her eyes widened.

"Whoa..."

The boy looked past her.

"Is that the guy who fought Saka?"

The girl nodded slowly. "Looks

like it."

They walked toward him.

Shinji instinctively tried to straighten himself.

"I'm fine."

The boy stared at him.

"You have a bruise covering half your face." Shinji touched his cheek.

His fingers came away slightly red.

"Oh."

The girl crouched in front of him.

"You're definitely not fine."

"I'm okay." "You can barely stand." Shinji looked away. He didn't know what else to say. The girl studied him for a moment.

Then she looked at the wooden sword in his hand. "That was your first fight, wasn't it?" Shinji nodded.

"Yeah."

The boy looked irritated by his loss.

"You've never fought before?"

"No."

"Ever?"

Shinji shook his head.

The boy let out a quiet whistle.

"That's rough."

The girl looked at Shinji's bruised face.

"What happened?"

"Saka challenged me."

"And you accepted?" Shinji nodded.

"Why?"

Shinji looked at the ground. "I don't know."

The girl sighed. "You're an idiot." Shinji looked up.

"What?"

She smiled.

"But that seems like something you would do." Shinji stared at her.

The boy laughed.

"That's probably the strangest way I've ever heard someone make a friend." She ignored him.

"My name is Maya."

Maya felt hesitant to say that because she knew Shinji didn't remember her.

She pointed toward the boy.

"And this is Kenji."

Kenji raised his hand.

"Hey."

Shinji looked between them.

"I'm Shinji."

"We know."

Maya pointed toward his academy identification plate.

Shinji looked down.

"Oh."

Kenji laughed.

"You really are quiet." Shinji didn't know how to respond.

Maya stood.

"Can you walk?"

"I think so."

"Try."

Shinji pushed himself upright.

His legs shook.

He nearly fell.

Maya grabbed his arm.

"Careful."

"I'm fine."

"You keep saying that."

She looked at Kenji. "He's definitely not fine." Kenji nodded. "Definitely."

Maya looked toward the academy. "Come

on."

"Where?" "The medical wing." Shinji hesitated.

"I don't need—"

"Medical wing."

She pointed toward the building.

"Now."

Shinji looked at Kenji. Kenji shrugged. "She's like this." Maya frowned. "I heard that." Kenji smiled.

"Good."

Shinji couldn't help it.

A small laugh escaped him. It hurt his ribs.

He immediately stopped.

Maya smiled.

"Come on."

She helped him walk.

They moved through the academy corridors together.

Students passed them.

Some stared at Shinji's bruises.

Others whispered.

Shinji kept his head down.

Maya noticed. "Ignore them." Shinji looked at her. "I'm

trying."

"You don't have to be embarrassed."

"I'm not."

"You look embarrassed."

"I'm not."

Kenji looked at him.

"You definitely are." Shinji sighed. "You're annoying." Kenji grinned. "Good." Maya laughed.

For the first time that day, Shinji felt some of the tension leaving his body. He didn't know these people.

They barely knew him.

Yet they had stopped. They hadn't laughed at him. They hadn't asked why he'd lost. They hadn't called him weak.

They had simply seen someone lying on the ground— and helped.

They reached the end of the corridor.

Maya looked at him.

"So, Shinji..."

"Yeah?"

"Why did Saka call you an abomination?" Shinji went quiet.

His hand slowly covered his tattoo.

Maya noticed.

Kenji did too.

Neither spoke.

After a few seconds, Shinji answered. "Because

I'm a Half-Born."

Maya looked at the tattoo.

Then back at him.

"So?"

Shinji blinked.

"So?"

Maya shrugged. "You're a Half-Born." She smiled. "I'm a Half-Born too." Shinji stared at her.

Kenji looked at Maya. "Technically, you're—" Maya elbowed him.

"Ow."

She laughed.

Shinji looked at her tattoo.

Then at his own.

For some reason, the sight made him feel less alone.

Maya extended her hand.

"Friends?"

Shinji looked at it.

The question seemed strangely simple. He slowly reached out.

Their hands met.

"Friends."

Kenji immediately held out his own.

"Me too."

Shinji looked at him.

"You weren't asked." "I'm a half born too alright" Kenji grinned.

"I invite myself anywhere and everywhere." Maya laughed.

Shinji smiled.

It was small.

Almost invisible.

But it was genuine.

The three continued down the corridor toward the medical wing. None of them knew it yet.

But this was the beginning of something that would last far longer than their time at the academy.

For Shinji, who had spent seven years learning how to live with loss— this was the first time he'd found people who made him want to stop looking backward. He had come to the academy alone.

He wouldn't remain alone for long.

Chapter Nine — The Dining Hall

The medical treatment didn't take long.

The academy healer had cleaned the bruises along Shinji's face and applied a thin layer of cooling ointment across his ribs and shoulder.

The doctor drew signs in the air writing the specifics of the injury and adding another spell that closes the injuries almost like a maths equation when healing wounds. Green light had flowed through his body. It didn't erase the pain.

It simply dulled it.

"Your injuries aren't serious," the healer said.

Shinji sat on the edge of the examination bed.

"How long until they're gone?"

"Several days."

"Days?"

The healer smiled.

"You're expecting magic to repair everything instantly? Not even I have that kind of power." Shinji shrugged.

"I don't know."

The healer looked at his tattoo.

For a brief moment, the markings along Shinji's arm gave off a faint glow. The healer noticed.

Her expression changed.

But she didn't comment.

She simply removed her hands.

"Get some food and you should be alright" Shinji stood.

"Thank you."

Maya and Kenji were waiting outside. Kenji looked at Shinji's face. "You look slightly less dead." Shinji raised his eyebrow.

"That's good."

Maya folded her arms. "You shouldn't have fought her." Shinji looked at her.

"I know that now."

"You accepted the challenge and lost."

"I lost yeah, but insulting my family is something I cannot let slide." Maya sighed and thought to herself. "I guess the wounds haven't healed at all." She said softly.

Shinji looked at her then looked away. "It's nothing a little spit can't fix."

For a moment, Maya looked at him. There was something about his expression. The way he stood.

The way he looked at her without recognition.

She remembered a much smaller boy.

An eleven-year-old child sitting beside the railway station. His face covered in tears.

His voice completely gone from crying.

She remembered reaching toward him. She remembered wanting to help. She remembered Irina seeing the tattoo. And she remembered thinking:

He's our Shinji.

Now the boy was standing in front of her. Older.

Taller.

Alive.

But he didn't remember her.

Maya looked away before the feeling could show on her face. "Let's go we should get something to eat, don't you think?." Shinji followed.

"Where are we going?"

"Dining hall."

"I'm not hungry."

Kenji looked at him begging him to stop.

"Shinji LET IT GO, and let's eat... NOW!" Kenji cries out.

Shinji looked at Kenji in disgust "I guess I am a bit hungry." Kenji laughed.

Kenji nudging him as he speaks.

"I knew it, you could have said something friend, i just had a feeling." Putting his arm around Shinji as they walk off.

Shinji looking at him displeased.

"Right right... right right..." Maya smiled.

"Hold up you two."

The Academy Dining Hall

The dining hall was enormous.

Shinji stopped the moment he entered.

He had expected something below the standards of a restaurant. It wasn't.

The room looked more like a grand public hall.

Long wooden tables stretched across the enormous floor.

Metal beams crossed the ceiling.

Large decorative church like windows allowed sunlight to pour into the room.

Magical lamps hung between the beams, although they weren't needed during the day.

Students from every corner of the academy filled the room.

Humans.

Demi-Humans.

Half-Borns.

Students with horns.

Students with tails. Students with pointed ears. Some had

scales.

Others had fur covering parts of their arms or faces. Shinji had seen Demi-Humans before.

But seeing hundreds of different races eating together was still strange. He looked toward the serving area.

Then stopped.

"What?" Kenji looked at him.

Shinji pointed.

"Those."

A long counter stretched across the back of the hall. But there were no servers standing behind it. Instead— plates were hovering a little on top of the counter. Dozens of them.

Some carried bread.

Others held rice.

Vegetables.

Meat.

Soup.

Fruit.

Tea.

The plates slowly moved along invisible paths before stopping above the counter.

Shinji stared.

Small glowing stones had been embedded beneath the counter.

Each stone emitted a faint magical light.

Kenji noticed his expression.

"First time seeing the food system?" Shinji looked confused.

"Is this a normal thing people see every day?"

Kenji looked distraught

"Maybe not I didn't think about that, but they work with magic stones"

"Magic stones."

Shinji stepped closer.

The plates moved smoothly through the air.

"The stones create a weak levitation field," Kenji explained. "The kitchen staff load the food onto the plates, then the system carries them to the serving stations." Shinji watched one plate glide toward the front.

"And if someone drops one?"

"It floats back."

"Really?"

Kenji pointed.

A student had accidentally knocked a plate off the counter.

Instead of falling, it stopped in midair.

The food remained perfectly balanced.

The plate slowly rose back onto the counter.

Shinji stared. "That's useful." Kenji grinned. "Very."

Maya walked toward the serving counter.

"You two coming?"

Shinji followed.

They collected their food.

Shinji chose rice, roasted meat, vegetables and a cup of tea. Maya took a smaller meal.

Kenji somehow managed to fill almost his entire plate.

Shinji looked at it.

"Are you actually going to eat all that?" Kenji looked offended.

"Of course."

"You've got enough food for three people."

"I train."

Maya shook her head.

"You eat."

"Same thing." They found an empty table.

The three sat together.

Shinji looked around.

There were conversations everywhere.

A group of wolf Demi-Humans were arguing about martial arts.

Two students with elaborate natural tattoos were comparing their markings.

A human girl was reading a book while eating. A tall student with antlers was carrying three cups of tea. The academy didn't feel like a school.

It felt like a city.

A small city filled with people from different worlds. Shinji looked at Maya. "Are you from District 7?" Maya paused.

Kenji giggled and thought to himself

"This guy is seriously blunt"

"Yes I am from here why?"

"Born here?"

"Yes."

Maya's eyebrow started to twitch "Will you answer my question why or what?" Shinji felt an ominous vibe from Maya.

"You seem very familiar"

"What makes you say that?"

Shinji looked at her eyes "Could you say my name again?" Maya looked at him in disgust.

Kenji looked terrified as he could feel her mana rising. "-

MMmaya... I am sure he mean-"

Shinji looking at her with confidence and seriousness.

She composed herself.

"I will not be able to grant that request I apologise." Shinji looked completely unfazed.

"That's okay if I put you on the spot, I am sorry."

Kenji creeping up behind them getting goosebumps by their touching reunion. Biting his fingers hoping they'd say more.

"Let's eat."

Shinji says with a warm smile.

Kenji looks terrified thinks.

This guy must have a death wish.

"I'm from District 3 originally." Kenji says.

Shinji looked at him.

"You travelled here?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Kenji put himself in a thinking pose while staring into space.

"I come from a family full of psycho government officials called DAIMO" Shinji looked down at his food.

Maya was looking at the way Shinji was eating while asking about Kenji.

"So, you're from a family of ninja's, was it?"

"Why are they psycho's though?"

Shinji carries on eating his food not adding anything to the conversation he started. "So listen Maya Okay, they put me through hell okay, they made me do this intense conditioning okay, just to learn magic I had to carry boulders, what does that have to do with magic??????????"

Kenji sobbing as he preaches his story.

Shinji gets up and takes his plate back.

Maya patting Kenji's shoulder.

"There, there."

"SHINJI YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME AT ALL YOU WASN'T EVEN LISTENING."

Shinji looks at him and compares him to the boar he tried to fight when he was young.

"You've become a fine Ninja." Shinji walks off.

Maya was quiet for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"Well Kenji shall we eat?"

Kenji looked at her and looked at Shinji's back as he walked off. "What just happened?"

Maya looks at Kenji.

"Eat your food."

Footsteps

Shinji stops walking in the middle of the school corridors. Shinji places his palm covering half his face.

He says quietly, "Maya..."

Shinji knew who she was but kept silent about it.

If she didn't recognise him, he didn't recognise her as he felt maybe she didn't want to expose something.

The academy grounds had become quiet.

Most of the students had already returned to their dormitories, leaving the long stone paths almost completely empty.

Shinji walked alone.

His hands were buried in his pockets as he slowly made his way through the academy grounds. His footsteps echoed softly against the stone.

He looked up at the enormous academy building.

So this is my life now...

He had entered the academy with one goal.

To become a Cleaner.

But simply becoming one wasn't enough.

Shinji stopped walking.

His eyes lowered.

The memories came back.

His mother.

His brothers and sisters.

The screams.

The Nightmare.

His chest tightened.

He clenched his fist.

“I'll kill them.”

The words came out quietly.

There was no hesitation in his voice.

Shinji looked at his hand.

I don't care what I have to become.

He remembered the students around him—their prestigious families, their teachers, their Houses, their connections.

Maya had the Ivanov family.

Kenji had House Diamo.

Others already had masters waiting for them.

Shinji had nobody.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Then it slowly became something darker.

But maybe I don't need my own family.

He thought about Maya.

Her family had influence.

Money.

Power.

Teachers.

Connections throughout the academy.

Shinji's smile deepened.

If I stay close to her...

I could use the Ivanov name to climb higher.

His eyes became cold.

Get stronger.

Become a high-ranking Cleaner.

Gain access to better missions.

Find information about the Nightmares.

And eventually...

His smile widened.

“...I'll find them.”

For the first time, there was something frightening in Shinji's expression.

Not anger.

Not sadness.

Ambition.

A quiet, ruthless determination that he had never shown anyone.

I'll use anyone I have to.

I'll climb as high as possible.

And when I'm finally strong enough...

He started walking again.

His dark smile remained on his face.

I'll make every Nightmare that took my family pay.

Shinji continued down the empty path, completely alone.

He didn't notice the man watching him from a distance.

A tired-looking teacher stood near the edge of the training grounds, half-asleep as he leaned against a wooden post.

His eyes followed Shinji.

Moss had heard everything.

And suddenly the bell rang.

DONG.

Everyone looked up.

Shinji checked his timetable.

His eyes widened. "Magic Fundamentals." Kenji stood.

"Already?"

Maya stayed sat.

"Come on."

"I haven't finished." Kenji grabbed her plate. "LET'S

GO!"

Maya immediately stood with a serious face.

"Fine!"

"Run."

The two hurried out of the dining hall.

For a moment, she thought of Shinji.

Seven years.

She had wondered what happened to him.

She had remembered him.

And now he was walking beside her again. But to him—

this was their first meeting.

Maya smiled faintly.

She decided not to tell him.

Not yet.

Maybe someday he'd remember. Or maybe he wouldn't. Either way— she was glad he had survived.

None of them knew that Magic Fundamentals would be the first place Shinji discovered just how difficult controlling the power inside his body would be.