Rei's Apartment -- Late Night

  Rei stood rigid in his doorway, eyes locked onto Haikito, who leaned casually against the frame, an amused smirk playing at his lips. The contrast between them was stark—Rei's tension against Haikito's apparent nonchalance, as if this unexpected visit was the most natural thing in the world.

  The hallway's fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows across Haikito's features, accentuating the sharp angles of his face and glinting off his piercing blue eyes. Those eyes—always calculating, always seeing more than they revealed.

  "Between these last few days, you've grown much, Rei," Haikito said smoothly, his voice laced with an eerie certainty. "But don't rest just yet. There's still more you need to develop. More you need to grow—for me."

  His words carried a possessive quality that sent a chill down Rei's spine. Not a teacher proud of a student's progress, but something else—something more ominous.

  Rei's patience snapped. "Enough of these cryptic riddles." His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles whitening with the pressure. "I did my part. I became a hero. Now you owe me answers."

  Haikito remained silent, letting Rei vent. His expression didn't change, but something flickered in those blue eyes—amusement, perhaps, or satisfaction at having provoked a reaction.

  "Who am I?!" Rei demanded, his voice rising slightly. "Why me?! Why the hell does everyone suddenly have an interest in me? Before you, I was just some teenager—no one cared about me!"

  The questions that had been building since his conversation with Kage—since the trials, since the moment Haikito had first entered his life—poured out in a rush of frustration.

  Haikito exhaled, a knowing glint in his eye. "Nobody knew you because there was no need to. You weren't ready." His tone was eerily calm, as if explaining something obvious to a child. "But now you are. It's my job to put you in the best position... for everyone."

  Rei stiffened. "Everyone?"

  Something in the phrasing struck him as odd. Not for himself, not for Rei's benefit, but for "everyone"—as if Rei were a piece being positioned on a board for some larger game.

  Haikito's smirk softened into something almost apologetic. "Rei... I want you to trust me, but I cannot mention everything at once. You're not just a vessel, but the vessel."

  Rei's breath caught. "The?"

  The definite article hung in the air between them, weighted with implications. Not one of many, but singular. Unique. Chosen for something.

  Haikito sighed, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair—a rare show of genuine emotion. "The Academy high officials hold strong disdain for you, but I want you to trust that I have your best interests at heart. They blame you for what happened to Mrs. Inosuke, and that is not your fault."

  Rei's mind flashed back to Mrs. Inosuke's terrified whispers during their evaluation. The Devil... The Devil... The memory of her face contorting in horror still haunted him.

  Haikito continued, his voice smooth as ever. "And after your little bout with Jumba—you've drawn even more attention." He tilted his head, studying Rei's reaction. "Tell me, Rei... that feeling of being watched earlier. It wasn't just paranoia, was it?"

  Rei's stomach turned. The cold sensation of unseen eyes tracking his movements throughout the day—he had assumed it was Haikito monitoring him. But now...

  "If it wasn't you," Rei asked cautiously, "then who the hell was it?"

  Haikito merely chuckled, the sound carrying no warmth. "Good question. Could be the Underworld keeping tabs on you. Could be someone plotting to capture you, kill you, or something worse." His eyes gleamed. "Either way, you need to be ready."

  Rei's heart pounded in his chest, the implications sinking in. Kage had warned him—told him to trust no one, that the Underworld had taken an interest in him. And now Haikito was confirming it, as casually as discussing the weather.

  "Keep training with Kage," Haikito advised. "In time, I'm sure you'll learn just how devastating your abilities truly are." His smile softened—almost amused. "My only hope... is that you choose to use them for good, precious Rei."

  Before Rei could respond, Haikito slipped behind the doorframe and vanished into the hallway.

  Rei's body moved instinctively—he bolted after him, turning into the corridor—

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Gone.

  Not a single trace of Haikito remained, as if he had never been there at all. The hallway stretched empty in both directions, no doors ajar, no windows open, nowhere a man could have disappeared to in mere seconds.

  Rei stood there, confusion mingling with frustration. He was tired of being a pawn in someone else's game, tired of half-truths and cryptic warnings.

  Fumiko's Dojo -- Hinata's Training

  Hinata's hands trembled as she gripped the sand buckets.

  The weight had doubled.

  Her body screamed in protest, her breath uneven and shallow. Sweat drenched her training clothes, her arms shaking visibly under the strain. What's happening? Am I getting weaker?

  She saw Asahi's knowing smirk.

  "Stop overthinking, young Hinata," he said. "My Concept is Mass. I can manipulate the weight of anything I've touched—or have touched before."

  Hinata's eyes widened with realization. The training wasn't getting easier—it was deliberately getting harder. Asahi was actively increasing the challenge, pushing her limits in real-time.

  "You can adapt to the shift in your environment... or you can be crushed by it."

  Her arms shook violently, her muscles screaming as the weight of the buckets increased to 45kg in each hand. The strain traveled from her fingers up through her arms, across her shoulders, and down her spine.

  Asahi observed her struggle with experienced eyes. "When I was young," he said, his voice lower, carrying the weight of a painful memory, "I couldn't control my Mass Concept properly. During a disaster, I tried to save someone trapped under debris by making it lighter—but my control slipped." His eyes darkened. "I made it heavier instead. Crushed them instantly."

  Hinata's eyes widened at the confession, momentarily distracted from her own struggle.

  "Through many years and trials," Asahi continued, "I was excommunicated from the Academy. But I swore my life to teaching others how to use their Concepts properly, with control and precision." His gaze was intense, focused on Hinata. "So they would never make the mistakes I did."

  Fumiko watched from the side, her expression somber. Her father rarely spoke of his past, especially to outsiders. She knew his story well—it was the reason she trained so diligently with her own Conjuring ability. My power is deadly too, she thought to herself. I must be wise in how I use it, or risk the same pain he lives with every day.

  Hinata's vision blurred, dark spots dancing at the edges.

  Her fingers slipped.

  The buckets fell—

  No!

  A sudden surge of mana shot through her body.

  She caught the buckets just before they hit the floor, her teeth gritted in determination.

  Fumiko's eyes widened slightly, impressed by the recovery.

  Asahi's smirk deepened. Interesting...

  Hinata's arms quaked, her body screaming in protest—but her resolve burned hotter.

  She remembered her mother's cries.

  She remembered the glass shattering.

  She remembered the nights spent burying her face in her pillow to drown out the yelling.

  I won't be weak. I won't be helpless.

  Her mana surged, stabilizing her grip. The blue energy around her hands grew more intense, more focused, no longer flickering but steady and strong.

  Asahi watched, impressed by the display. Most beginners would have given up by now, would have let the buckets fall rather than push through the pain.

  She was pushing past her limit.

  A few moments passed before the weight finally overwhelmed her.

  Her head turned purple from the strain, breath coming in short, desperate gasps.

  Then—darkness.

  Hinata collapsed, the buckets hitting the floor with heavy thuds as her consciousness slipped away.

  Fumiko caught her instantly, moving with impressive speed to prevent Hinata's head from striking the hard wooden floor. She lowered her gently to the ground, checking her pulse with practiced efficiency.

  Asahi stretched, seemingly unconcerned by Hinata's collapse. "I'll go make dinner." He gave his daughter a nod. "If she wakes up before I finish making ramen, tell her she did well for her first day."

  He exited the dojo, footsteps fading as he moved toward the kitchen.

  Fumiko knelt beside Hinata, a small, warm smile on her lips.

  The first day... I could barely handle 25kg, she thought, recalling her own initial training.

  Now? 45kg.

  Fumiko glanced down at the unconscious girl, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

  "She's strong," she murmured, almost to herself. The admission carried genuine respect.

  She was excited—because for the first time in years...

  She finally had competition.

  Someone who might push her to grow as well.

  Rei's Apartment -- Midnight

  Rei paced his apartment, the conversation with Haikito replaying in his mind. The vessel. Not just any vessel, but the vessel. What did that mean? And who was watching him?

  The walls of his apartment seemed to close in around him, the sparse furnishings suddenly claustrophobic rather than minimalist. He needed answers, real ones—not more cryptic hints and vague warnings.

  His phone felt heavy in his hand as he made his decision.

  No more waiting. No more being passive.

  His fingers flew across the screen:

  Rei: YOU. ME. TRAIN. NOW.

  Kage's Penthouse -- Midnight

  In an Alaskan King-sized bed, Kage lay sprawled between multiple women, the room dimly lit by neon blues and purples from the city lights filtering through floor-to-ceiling windows. Music played softly from hidden speakers, and empty champagne glasses littered the nightstand. It was a scene of decadent luxury, of someone who took what he wanted when he wanted it.

  His phone buzzed on the nightstand.

  He glanced at the screen.

  Rei.

  A slow grin spread across his face, predatory and eager.

  Then—he threw his head back and laughed maniacally, the sound startling in the otherwise quiet room.

  The women stirred, confused by the sudden outburst. "What's so funny?" one asked, tracing her fingers along his chest.

  Kage sat up, wiping a tear from his eye. "The brat finally wants to be social!" He clapped his hands together, standing up with sudden energy.

  His shadow flickered against the wall, growing larger, more menacing than it should have been given the room's lighting. For a brief moment, it seemed to move independently of him, stretching into something not quite human.

  "Tonight," Kage said, his voice dropping an octave as his eyes gleamed with anticipation, "we're going to find out exactly what's hiding inside our little Vessel."