Inside the cell—its four stone walls still and cold, its ceiling a grid of iron bars, and its only light source a soft, golden-glass panel embedded into one wall—Shiroha sat calmly in the corner, knees drawn close.
“Alright,” she said, voice composed. “Let’s try again. Do you see anything above my head now?”
Akira sat across from her, gaze lifting toward the top of her soft, blonde hair. At first—nothing. But as he focused a little harder, something flickered in his vision.
A glowing yellow mark—delicate, like a crest of light—floated gently above her.
His violet eyes shimmered. “It’s back,” he whispered.
“Now try to make it disappear,” she said softly.
“How?” he asked. “I don’t exactly have a switch for it.”
She shrugged faintly. “I don’t know.”
He closed his eyes, breathing in slowly.
When I open them again, there will be no numbers. No symbols. Just the real world.
He repeated it over and over inside his mind while Shiroha waited, watching him in silence. Then—he opened his eyes.
The symbol was gone.
His lips parted in disbelief. “It’s gone…”
He focused again.
It reappeared.
He tested it once more. Eyes closed. Eyes open.
Gone.
Akira laughed under his breath. “I can control it… just like that.”
Shiroha raised her finger to her lips. “Shhhh. Keep it down.”
He blinked. “Why?”
She leaned in slightly. “Because no one else can know about this. I’ve never heard of an ability like yours. Neither has anyone I know. That makes it rare—or dangerous. Either way… we keep it to ourselves.”
“But you already know.”
She smiled faintly. “Then it’s our little secret. From now on, don’t say a word about it. Not until we understand more.”
Akira looked down at his hand, his voice low. “Maybe you’re right… But seriously, how are these floating letters supposed to help me in a fight?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “But the fact you can turn them off and on—that’s a promising start.”
He watched her for a moment, then remembered something.
“That symbol above your head… it’s red. The letter ‘A’. I think it’s your rank. That knight who hit you—his was green. A ‘D’.”
Her face lost its amusement. “What are you implying?”
Akira spoke evenly. “In English, the ranks go A, B, C, D… lower means weaker. You’re ranked above him.”
Her brows furrowed. “Your power is more annoying than I thought.”
“What annoys me,” Akira said with a quiet breath, “is how you let him hit you. If what I saw is true, couldn’t you have crushed him?”
She eyed him with a flat stare. “Do you trust those weird letters that much?”
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“Honestly?” he said. “No. And you know that.”
She was quiet a moment, then sighed.
“You idiot. Even if I’m stronger than him, I wasn’t about to start a fight like you. I could’ve obliterated that knight. But then what? Live as a fugitive? Get captured or executed? What if there was someone stronger nearby?”
Akira watched her calmly.
She continued, voice steady. “You have to think smarter. We all hate the Earth Kingdom of Drogaran deep in our bones. But they have warriors you haven’t even seen yet. And things with the Water Kingdom are getting worse.”
Akira nodded slowly. “Yeah… I’ve heard war might be coming. But it’s been years. Nothing’s happened.”
She scoffed. “That’s not the point. You and I? We’re nothing. Insects buzzing in the shadows of this kingdom. Next time you defy a knight like that, you could be executed on the spot. They nearly threw you into Orrgwen Forest just for the look in your eyes.”
Akira said nothing.
She exhaled. “By the way, what’s your name? I think your friend called you something in the carriage, but I forgot.”
“You mean Serio?” Akira snorted. “He’s not really a friend. Anyway… I’m Tomokui Akira. I—”
A flash of light.
A translucent screen lit up in front of him, floating midair.
His eyes widened.
Profile
Name: Tomokui Akira
Age: 16
Rank: F
HP: 120
[IMAGE: A clear portrait with natural colors—soft blue hair, violet eyes, fair skin.]
Akira’s mouth parted. “It’s my profile… it just popped up.”
Shiroha leaned slightly. “What does it say?”
“It’s got everything. My name. My age. My stats… Even my picture. Though I don’t know what most of it means.”
“Focus on the elements,” she said. “Any icons showing?”
He scanned the interface. “No. There’s nothing about elements here.”
She frowned. “Maybe the system responds to voice… or intention. Try asking it directly.”
Akira nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
He spoke aloud. “Element list.”
The screen shimmered—and changed.
Before him appeared a floating ring—a full circle composed of seven distinct emblems, each representing one of the primal elements:
Fire. Water. Earth. Wind. Lightning. Ice. Nature.
But every single icon was locked.
Gray. Lifeless.
No glow. No aura. No color.
Just dull padlocks sealing each one.
The entire interface turned neutral gray. Colorless. Cold.
It was a stark contrast to his profile screen just moments ago—where his image had been filled with real color: light blue hair, violet eyes, pale skin. Even his HP bar had been a healthy green.
But this?
This was dead. Silent.
During the silence that followed, Shiroha’s voice came, soft but steady.
“What do you see?” she asked. “What’s the result?”
Akira didn’t answer right away. His violet eyes were fixed on the hovering interface before him, scanning the contents with furrowed brows.
“I’m… not entirely sure,” he said at last. “It looks like all seven elements. But they’re not in their natural colors. Everything is gray—lifeless. Each element is wrapped in chains, locked down. It’s like…”
He trailed off, uncertain how to describe it.
Shiroha’s golden eyes trembled. Her blonde strands stirred gently as if reacting to his words. Her breath caught.
“…All seven?” she murmured under her breath. “All seven elements…?”
She couldn’t believe it. Her gaze remained locked on Akira—who wasn’t looking at her, but at a vision she couldn’t see.
He was muttering softly to himself, trying to make sense of it.
But Shiroha didn’t hear his words. She didn’t even try. Her thoughts were racing.
What does this mean?
All seven elements? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Never seen it—not even in legends.
What if it’s real? What if… Akira truly has access to them all?
Her thoughts spiraled, swirling faster and deeper into a storm of possibilities.
Then—her name echoed gently in her mind.
Shiroha… Shiroha…
A third time, clearer now.
“Shiroha!”
She blinked.
Her golden eyes snapped into focus, returning to the here and now. Akira was staring at her now, brows drawn with concern.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look… spooked.”
A silence lingered between them. Then, a single bead of sweat slid slowly down her cheek.
“Sorry,” she said, forcing a small breath. “I was… distracted.”
Akira arched a brow. “Seriously? Now’s not the time to drift off into deep thought. We’re literally unlocking some mystery system no one else can see.”
Shiroha exhaled, centering herself again. Her pulse slowed. Her breath steadied.
“Akira,” she said suddenly, voice low. “Promise me something.”
His expression shifted. “Why do you sound so serious all of a sudden?”
“Just promise me.”
He looked genuinely thrown off. “I mean, I don’t even know what I’m promising…”
She didn’t let him finish.
“No matter what happens in the future,” she said, golden eyes burning into his, “keep your ability a secret. Between you and me. No one else. Ever.”
Akira blinked. “I… don’t get why you’re this intense about it, but if that’s what you want… alright. I promise.”
For a moment, silence returned.
Then—clink… clink… clink…
The faint sound of metal footsteps echoed through the floor above. A rhythmic march—armored boots striking the stone walkway with increasing volume.
Shiroha’s eyes flicked upward. Calm, calculating.
“A squad of knights,” she whispered. “And they’re heading this way.”
She didn’t move from her spot.
“…Now what?”