'Day 47... the training is getting more intense. For some reason, Paola decided it would be a great idea for me to start doing push-ups using a boulder as weight, outrunning dangerous beasts, and taking punches imbued with mana. At least I’ve grown strong enough and evolved a lot; my physique has reached a completely different level!'

  Giyo stood in his dormitory, observing himself in the bedroom mirror. The satisfaction with his new physique filled him with confidence.

  "Look at this! In just one month, I managed to look like this!"

  "Fufufu... admiring oneself in the mirror isn't such a bad thing, is it?" Paola’s calm voice echoed behind him. Giyo jumped, his skin crawling at her sudden presence.

  "W-what are you doing here?!"

  A few minutes later, once the boy had finished getting dressed...

  "Strong enough?" the woman reflected on his statement. "Are you telling me you're already at the peak of your power?" Paola looked skeptical.

  "I know I still have much to learn. My physique has improved, and my strength has reached a much higher level in just one month." He stared at his hands, clenching his fists with determination. "But I have to say, that’s not the only thing that will make me strong... That black flame... it’s been stuck in my head for days. I want to explore that side—to grow stronger based on that hidden power."

  Paola tapped her chin, thoughtful.

  "Very well. Just know that even I don't know what this magic is capable of." She stood up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, looking at him sternly. "If this ever gets out of control, you must stop immediately..." Then, her posture relaxed, and a smile broke across her face. "That’s why I want to give you a little present."

  "A present?" Giyo looked confused.

  Paola walked over to her desk and picked up a small box, handing it to the boy. When he opened it, he found a small locket.

  "It’s not anything fancy... but it’s from the heart." She interlaced her fingers behind her back, looking a bit shy. "The golden heart represents our bond. Inside is a photo we took a few days ago during your training, haha..." Her gaze lingered on the necklace for a moment. "You know... I consider you very close to me, Giyo... like a... son." She looked up, meeting his eyes. "You’re like a son to me."

  Paola’s words and the gesture hit him hard. Tears streamed down his face, and through his sobs, he managed a smile.

  "T-thank you, Paola. You were the only one who protected and took me in. I consider you a mother, too." He put the necklace on, clutching the pendant tightly against his chest. "You can bet I’ll never take this off."

  Unable to hold back, Paola lunged forward and pulled him into a warm embrace.

  "Fufufu... thank you."

  "Paola, since you're a professor, tell me about the concept of magic. If my black flames are so mysterious, maybe knowing more about the origin of magic will improve my understanding."

  "Fufufu... very well, my dear student. Know that magic has a very dark past, involving everything from witches to terrifying demons." She crossed her arms, looking directly into the boy's eyes. "Magic originated in Year Zero, known as the Ashura Year. Ashura was a human who dedicated his time and training to understand the concept of magic. We humans back then didn't know how to use magic, yet mana already flowed through our bodies."

  Giyo’s eyes sparkled as he imagined the scenes.

  "Throughout his training, Ashura created Stance Techniques, drawing inspiration from brave warriors, animals, and monsters." She clenched her fist, her tone becoming more dramatic. "With a simple hand seal, one could manifest the element represented."

  "Year Zero... I've never heard of that before," Giyo remarked, fascinated.

  "And you’re right. No one knew about this history. The person who spread this part of the past to the world was the man whose greatest feat was being the most dangerous man alive... the one who challenged the Gods." Paola sat down, crossing her legs and leaning back on her palms. "His name was Rex, also known as the captain of the Dex crew."

  The boy froze at the mention of the name. His body trembled, and a chill raced down his spine. Even without a direct threat, just hearing that name seemed to instill an ancestral fear in him.

  "Rex Dex had reddish braids, a killer’s gaze, and carried a long sword. He claimed he wanted to spread the truth to the world and rule above the heavens, but greed led him to ruin." Paola stood up, pulling a book from her shelf. As she opened it and blew away the dust, she turned to a specific page. "In the year 750, Rex decided to destroy the world. Gods, Angels, and even other races joined forces to stop him... In the end, the battle had a result that disappointed everyone: the end of all nations."

  "Does that mean... there’s nothing left outside this country?" Giyo was in shock, covering his mouth as he tried to stop his teeth from chattering.

  "Exactly. Rex destroyed everything you could possibly imagine. Seas of lava, fields of sand, mountains of ice... it’s all gone. The government that rules above all kingdoms feeds the people with faith and hope, promising that in the near future, we will have our lands back."

  Paola closed the book, pressing her palms together.

  "That guy... what level of power could he have possibly reached?" Giyo wondered, unable to believe how absurd the story sounded.

  "A power beyond anything you can imagine. To destroy countries and islands, to rival every race and even the Gods... this man and his crew were a true menace." Paola wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, leaning in with an excited look. "I believe there is so much more the world is hiding! Giyo! What do you say we venture outside the world together? Just you and me, free from anything that holds us back!"

  The tension rose. The dreams felt impossibly high, and the reality of the challenges felt like a mere fleeting illusion in the face of her excitement. With a sigh, she looked at the boy with a relieved expression.

  "I know it sounds strange... this dream of mine, these goals. I am obsessed with knowledge. If one day I could see the world as our ancestors did... I would probably be the happiest woman alive."

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "YOU BET I WILL!" The boy leaned in, his face just inches from hers. "I’m going to become a Captain, and then I’m going to show the world to you! Everything you told me is so interesting, so beautiful... so wonderful... I want to make your dream come true!"

  A blush crept up Paola’s face at Giyo's words. She gave him a light playful slap on the head, ruffing up his hair to hide her shyness.

  "Ahem." Paola tried to lighten the mood. "I think it's better if we focus on your goal first. Since I've told you about the origin of magic, I want you to know one thing... as much as you might think magic is everything, I must tell you it's a great lie."

  She stepped back, keeping her hands on his shoulders.

  "There have been many humans who managed to surpass their limits. The only problem is that no power other than magic is mentioned in the grimoires." She touched the boy's chest, seemingly analyzing something. "I believe this power has something to do with our soul. The Church has always taught us to strengthen ourselves spiritually and physically... in this case, this power might be the soul awakening something entirely new."

  "I can already tell how much you love knowledge, hehe. But... what interests me most is the story you told me. Rex, Ashura, and the Gods... it all feels like pieces of a puzzle."

  Driven by excitement, black flames flickered in his eyes, startling Paola. She leaned in to read his expression.

  "Incredible! Your eyes are on fire!"

  "W-what?!" Giyo began to move frantically until Paola stopped him. "What should I do?"

  "Don't worry. Perhaps your feelings are the key to your awakening. Since you can't control your true power, this emotional stimulus ignites something within you."

  After the intensity settled, Paola and Giyo got ready and left the dormitory. Walking through the school, students appeared from all directions to greet the professor.

  "Where are we going?" Giyo asked.

  "You said before that you didn't want to focus so much on physical training anymore. Since I've shared some knowledge of magic with you, I know exactly what we can try."

  Arriving at the courtyard where Giyo had trained since the beginning, Paola sat on the ground. With a snap of her fingers, a magic symbol appeared on the floor.

  "Stand on the symbol. I’m going to start the tests."

  Giyo walked to the center of the circle.

  "What is this? You're not going to curse me or anything, right?"

  "Fufufu, of course not. I'm going to start a very simple process." She pointed to the symbol. "This symbol allows me to control your body; with it, I can bond 100% with you." She made some playful gestures. "I can change how you express yourself and even put you to sleep easily. Since your body is limited by the lack of magic, I can't implement spells into you or cast magic through your body."

  "I understand..." The boy clutched the necklace on his chest, looking worried. 'If she can control me, maybe I can connect with that man again! That malevolent presence... I’ll never forget those four arms, those bone-like plates on his face, and those long horns. What could that thing be?'

  The ritual began. The woman chanted the spell in Old Norse, the symbol lit up the room, and with a flash, everything went black...

  The aura the boy radiated was now unique and terrifying. His gaze was cold and cruel; he crossed his arms over his chest as a dark smirk took hold. When he spoke, his voice was deep and raspy, and strange markings appeared on his skin.

  In a swift motion, Paola stood before the entity that had taken over the boy, pointing her finger at his throat.

  "Don't move," she said. "I don't know what you are or what you're planning, but switch back with Giyo right now!"

  "Relax." He smirked, revealing pointed teeth. "I would never harm my beautiful new future vessel." He bowed mockingly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, fair lady. If I may introduce myself, I am known as Chaos, but you can call me Demon if you prefer."

  "Chaos? A Demon? Don't tell me you..."

  "Exactly. I am a Demon." The smile vanished, replaced by an arrogant stance. "In truth, I have no interest in cooperation. You're lucky you’ve linked yourself to the boy's body, otherwise, I would have killed you and unleashed terror upon this place already."

  Looking around, Paola realized the Demon was calculatingly studying his surroundings.

  'If I had known this would bring such trouble... I would have avoided it,' Paola thought, her mind racing.

  "I must admit, this era is completely different from the one I knew. Humans seem to have gained incredible power in a very short time." He placed his hands on his hips, looking directly into the woman's eyes. "Tell me, what does the fair lady have to say? I know you're harboring many questions."

  "I want to know who sealed you inside Giyo's body. The boy would never have known such a thing was possible... Don't tell me his family did this?"

  "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The Demon laughed at the question, clearly amused. "No, no. In fact, you couldn't be more wrong." The Demon crossed his arms again. "The man who sealed me inside this boy was immensely strong. He surpassed my powers and defeated me three times... The man I speak of... is the boy's father."

  Shock paralyzed Paola. She lost her focus for a fleeting moment, her body trembling as a cold sweat broke out.

  "I’m going to force the switch back. Our conversation is quite interesting and tempting, but as I’ve learned from the grimoires... speaking with a Demon is like bargaining your soul with the devil. Therefore, I’ll leave this for a possible future encounter."

  "HAHAHAHAHA! I assume you won't say a word of this to the boy. Just leave it be; the less he knows, the better." He gestured dismissively with his hand, lightening the tension. "In the end, one way or another, he’s going to die. And I think you know better than anyone what happens if he becomes 'demonized'."

  With a flash, the negative aura vanished, and the boy reappeared, collapsing to the ground. Paola rushed to him, worriedly guiding his head to her lap and stroking his face with the utmost tenderness.

  "Oh, Giyo..." she whispered. 'The deeper I dive into your past, the more I understand why you are this way. I’ve noticed it since the day we met... your troubles, your fears, and the pain you’ve felt... if only I could do something...'

  "So, his power in the end... comes from a Demon?"

  The voice echoed behind Paola. The shock of the sudden presence made her spin around, pointing her palm toward the figure. Her eyes widened as she recognized the man standing there.

  "HIRO?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mixture of shock and relief at seeing her superior.

  He knelt beside her, looking down at the unconscious boy.

  "Don't worry. Of all the trouble you've caused me, this is nothing... But I must say, it is truly surprising that the origin of the power within him is a Demon."

  "What do you think we should do? I-I can't abandon him!" she pleaded, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Giyo is like a son to me, and I won't break our bond!"

  Hiro placed his hand on Paola’s shoulder, instantly calming her.

  "Don't worry. I won't say a word about what I’ve discovered." His gaze returned to the boy, recalling something from the past. "Since the moment I saw you two enter this room, I knew something special was coming..."

  Paola listened intently. She saw an empathy in her superior she had never seen before. That look, that thought... it was a new side of him.

  "Paola! Are you willing to carry this crime? Are you willing to keep this secret that could change the course of history?"

  Silence filled the courtyard. Paola stared into the distance, reflecting on every detail. Remembering the past, what she had lived through and what was yet to come, she simply smiled and nodded in agreement.

  "YES! Without a shadow of a doubt. I promise it upon my very soul."

  "You two truly have formed a strong bond... In the end, I can't just tear that apart." He smiled, seeing Paola's newfound protective nature. He stood up, looking heroic. "As the one in charge, I will carry this crime as well. As dangerous as a demon may be, Giyo doesn't seem like a threat to me... In fact, he seems calm and peaceful. Therefore, I want to watch him grow and, together, create a new world!"

  Sharing a smile, Paola looked back at the sleeping boy, stroking his face and clutching his necklace.

  "With all the protection of the Gods, I will never harm him. Angels, Demons, and Humans... I will unite the races and overcome them all with my love."

  She whispered into the boy's ear, forming a pact—a pact forged by the bond of their greatest dreams.