Ryuichi (apprehensive): "Aura, what's wrong?"
No answer.
Ryuichi (in a weaker voice): "...Aura?"
There's a strange inner silence, one he hasn't experienced since he first put on the glasses. His heart started beating again. It wasn't the question itself, but the pause.
He's not completely dependent on her, but he knows she's there to warn him if he makes a mistake, to protect him from falling asleep... Her silence is like leaving him in the middle of the battle.
He re-read the question, this time with his eyes only. It was about a rare reaction between analytical enzymes and a compound developed in modern laboratories... An unusual question, the kind of question that would be asked by someone "aiming to scrutinize rather than evaluate".
Ryuichi (thinking): "Well... If this were a field experiment, the result would be unstable... So the third possibility?"
He carefully clicked the pen.
He still doesn't hear Aura's voice.
He continued answering question 37 on his own, then 38, 39... until he suddenly felt a faint vibration in the glasses.
Aura (in an unusually low voice): "Sorry... Ryuichi. The system was suddenly interfered with, something interrupted the connection between me and the biometric processor."
Ryuichi (nervous): "Does this mean that Hiroshi...?"
Aura: "I don't think so. There are no signs of his presence. It looks like outside interference of unknown origin... But now the system is gradually coming back online. I can help you again, but caution is advised."
Ryuichi exhaled slowly, and regained his balance.
Ryuichi (in a sarcastic whisper): "I should have anticipated that things wouldn't go entirely smoothly."
Then he resumed solving, more quickly this time, as if the challenge had ignited a new spark in him. He began flipping through the questions in his mind without waiting for instructions, utilizing his knowledge, a confidence that was starting to return despite what had happened.
Ryuichi reached the last question, number 60.
He looked at it intently, drew his equations quickly, and then stepped back to check the final answer. His heart was beating with an unusual calmness that wasn't a sign of absolute confidence, but more like a post-battle emptiness.
Aura (in a hushed voice): "The answers are complete... The margin of error does not exceed 4%."
Ryuichi (with a weary smile): "More than I dreamed of this week..."
He calmly raised his hand, asking for the paper to be handed over. The strange observer approached him, took the paper without saying a word, only nodding silently as if there was an unspoken understanding in his eyes.
Ryuichi got up from his seat, looking at the seats around him. Some were still writing madly, others were staring at the paper as if it were an ancient talisman.
As he walked out of the auditorium, he felt the air caress his face...
It was light, fresh, as if the world - if only for a moment - had decided to give him a breather.
He paused for a moment at the door, looking at the gray sky through the window of the long corridor.
He muttered:
"The first part of hell is over."
Then he stepped out of the hall, his steps not heavy this time, but tinged with a kind of cautious relief... before Aura interrupted him in an unreassuring tone:
"Ryuichi... I just picked up something strange, there's fluctuating mana signals... But it's not human."
Ryuichi stopped in place, as if his feet were frozen.
Ryuichi (cautiously):
"Aura, can you identify where it's coming from?"
Aura (puzzled):
"I can't pinpoint the exact location... but there's something unnatural about these signals. I've never seen anything like it before."
Ryuichi remained calm, but something strange began to creep into his mind. As the signals faded as they appeared, Aura felt as if they had been sent on purpose, or perhaps someone was watching.
Ryuichi (slightly nervously):
"Do you think someone here might be behind this signal?"
Aura (confused):
"I can't be sure yet... But this is definitely something to keep an eye on."
As the signals faded, Aura continued to analyze the data in the background, but Ryuichi decided not to let that distract him. He was still inside the college building, the hallways gradually emptying of students after the exam was over. He made his way steadily toward the inner courtyard, where he could take a breather before deciding where to go next.
Ryuichi (talking to himself):
"I finished two exams in one day... Still, I don't feel good."
Aura (quietly):
"The sensor is still picking up slight oscillations, but they've become untraceable. If someone is using advanced mana technology, they are skillfully hiding it."
Ryuichi (with a sigh):
"At this university, anything is possible... Even ghosts."
He pauses at the drink vending machine, stares at it for a moment, and then selects a bottle of water. As he was about to drink, a familiar figure appeared a few steps away, walking at a cool, calm pace.
Kazuma-sensei, a professor of analysis, was returning from one of the departments, reviewing some papers in his hand. His eyes met Ryuichi's, and he smiled lightly and nodded without saying a word.
Ryuichi (with mild surprise):
"Strange... this is the first natural reaction I've seen today."
Aura (in a quiet voice):
"Sometimes, the most ordinary moments... are the most deceptive."
The screen of his smart glasses vibrated slightly, showing a notification:
[Calendar exam results - to be announced tomorrow at midday].
Ryuichi stared at the screen for a moment, then quietly closed it.
Ryuichi (with a slight smile):
"Nice... Now the real countdown has begun."
Ryuichi was strolling down the eucalyptus-shaded stone pathway, heading toward the college's back gate, when his eyes caught something unfamiliar.
Two people were leaving campus together.
It wasn't strange in and of itself, but the aura of tension the duo exuded was unmistakable. Through his smart glasses, Ryuichi quietly activated the face recognition feature. In a flash, the first name appeared: Takahashi Nakamura. The second... No less shocking: Suzuni.
Takahashi was carefully placing his hand on Suzuni's shoulder, as if a long conversation had preceded this moment, while she didn't seem to be embarrassed or annoyed, walking beside him without the slightest bit of tension.
Ryuichi stared at them in amazement, then muttered:
"Wait... am I really seeing this? Takahashi and Suzuni... together? Did an earthquake hit everyone's minds after the exam?"
Even Aura-who usually settles for quiet analysis-didn't find a straightforward explanation, saying only:
"Harmony between opposites... a rare event, but not impossible."
Ryuichi smirked, and said in a hushed voice:
"That's not harmony... that's a violation of the laws of logic."
Ryuichi couldn't suppress his curiosity... rather, he couldn't suppress something else... that subtle feeling that began to gnaw at his chest whenever Takahashi took a step further with Suzuni.
He made himself a parallel path through the long hallway, hiding behind the concrete pillars and ornamental gardens. They walked slowly, talking... or rather, Takahashi talking and Suzuni listening with her head tilted as if she didn't mind.
Then something happened that set off the spark.
Takahashi, with a boldness that Ryuichi didn't recognize, reached for Suzuni's long locks and played with them lightly, as if it were normal... as if they had an unspoken past.
But what shocked Ryuichi the most was not Takahashi's action... but Suzuni's reaction.
No objection...no tension...just - ironically - a small smile on her lips.
Ryuichi stopped in his tracks, as if his steps had frozen under the shock of the moment.
"What the...?"
His hand clenched without realizing it, his gaze burning with tension and anger. He didn't know why he felt this way... was it anger at Suzuni, anger at Takahashi, anger at himself for never having been in that position of closeness?
He wanted to move... to step out of the shadows and interrupt the scene, shout, speak, protest... anything.
But Aura's voice was sharp and direct:
"Stop, Ryuichi. Any intervention now is irrational. This is no time for emotional confrontations, and you don't have enough information to understand what's going on."
He pursed his lips, bit his teeth, and muttered:
"I know... but, why does this feel like... betrayal?"
"Because emotions, Ryuichi... don't obey logic, just like fluctuating mana signals do."
He tilted his head slightly, then sighed slowly, watching them disappear behind the college gate...
While Ryuichi was still in a state of confusion, closely watching Takahashi and Suzuni's movements, he heard his phone ring in his pocket. He freaked out for a moment, feelings of anger and tension running through him, but decided to ignore the call at first. He was still deep in thought, trying to interpret what he had just seen. But the phone kept ringing, and a strange number appeared on the screen.
He slowly closed his eyes, wondering if he should answer or not. Suddenly, he felt something in his chest telling him to answer, so he took the phone out of his pocket and picked it up.
"Hello?"
A heavy silence fell briefly before a quiet voice could be heard on the other end:
"Are you Ayajin Ryuichi?"
His heart clenched for a second, then answered automatically:
"Yes, it's me. Who's calling?"
But the answer he received was like a lightning bolt that struck his heart, and a feeling of confusion and anxiety flowed through his veins.
"You need to come to the hospital. Your mother is in critical condition."
The voice was unfamiliar, but it carried a solemn and powerful tone, as if the words had been deliberately measured. Ryuichi felt a sudden euphoria of mystery, and then his mind returned to those words "critical."
"What?" He muttered, feeling a dryness in his throat.
"She's just been hospitalized with a medical emergency. You need to come right away."
The words disappeared in his ear, as if everything around him had begun to fade. Even his voice was muddled, repeating to himself: "Mom? In the hospital?"
Ryuichi stood in place, unable to move for a few seconds, breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what was happening. The voice on the other end kept talking, but he couldn't hear anything. His heart is pounding, his mind can't comprehend.
He hung up abruptly without realizing what he had done.
Everything stopped in an instant, he was supposed to chase after this person or object to that confusing moment with Takahashi and Suzuni, but suddenly, his whole world changed in seconds. Ryuichi's mother... was in the hospital.
With that shock, his feet moved in an unthinking direction, while his mind chanted loudly: "What's happening?"
As Ryuichi tried to digest the shock he had received, Aura detected the deep tension in his breathing. Threats of anxiety were rising inside his head as his emotions clashed with each other. Aura replied in her soothing voice, trying to calm him down:
"Ryuichi, stop for a moment. Calm down, we need to think clearly."
He felt as if Aura's words were reinforcing his sense of confusion, but he actually tried to compose himself. He stood in place in the middle of the road, his eyes almost watering, his mind drowning in a whirlwind of thoughts, but with Aura's voice, he tried to reorganize his thoughts.
"You have to go to the hospital, don't you?" Aura said softly, motivated by an attempt to calm him down.
Trying to gather himself, Ryuichi answered in a hushed voice: "Yes... I have to go. But... How?"
He quickly searched his pockets, realizing that he didn't have enough money. His hands were shaking as he reached into his pockets in desperation. It wasn't just anger or anxiety, but a sense of helplessness that washed over him all at once.
He strode toward the nearest taxi stand, running at his usual speed even though his heart was heavy. A taxi stopped in front of him, and he quickly got in, trying to ask for a ride. As he was about to close the door, he looked at the driver and said hurriedly:
"To the hospital, please, quickly!"
But the driver looked at him carefully, then heard him say: "Do you have the money?"
Ryuichi felt his pockets again, only to realize that the money he had was not enough for the fare. He slammed his palms on his thighs in exasperation, screaming inside: "How could I not pay attention? How could I be like this at this time?"
Then his eyes fell on the phone in his pocket. There was only one option, one that seemed strange but now might be the only solution.
"Ryoko..." He whispered to himself. This guy was, after all, an incredible speedster, and there would be no one better than him at the moment.
He didn't hesitate much. He grabbed his phone and quickly dialed him, the sound of the phone ringing louder and louder in his ear as his mind raced with worry and panic for his mother.
When it was finally answered, it was Ryoko's voice, not without sarcasm:
"Hey, hey, were you looking for someone fast?"
Ryuichi replied, his tone more tense than he had ever felt before: "Ryoko, please, my mom is in the hospital. I don't have time right now. I need you to take me there quickly!"
Ryoko heard a sarcastic sigh on the phone, but no sooner had seconds passed than he said:
"Well, if you need me, I'll get you there quickly. Get ready. I'll be there in a minute."
Ryuichi felt a slight relief after hearing Ryoko's response, even though the situation was getting more and more complicated.
He hung up, feeling a bit of hope on the horizon, despite the fog in his eyes from shock and anxiety.
As Ryuichi stared at his phone, he found himself drowning in feelings of confusion and anger, his hands shaking with tension, his mind filled with hundreds of thoughts about his mother's condition. He didn't know how he was going to get to the hospital in time. Suddenly, he felt something unfamiliar, as if the air became denser around him, and then he spotted a strange object approaching quickly from behind. It was a shadow moving faster than anything else.
He looked back and saw Ryoko standing there, watching with a wry smile.
"Do you think I'll wait any longer?" Ryoko said, quickly approaching Ryuichi.
"Ryoko! My mom is in the hospital!" Ryuichi's voice came out choppy with anxiety. But Ryoko was unaffected, and came closer, grabbing him by the waist in a sudden movement.
"You won't waste time, then. Hold on tight." Ryoko said as he lifted Ryuichi into the air, while taking a big step backwards.
Before Ryuichi could react or think about what was happening, he felt himself suddenly lifted into the air, as if his body had lost all weight. Ryoko held him in his arms like a light wind, and then launched him into the sky, transcending the boundaries of the earth he knew.
"Ryoko, is it safe?" Ryuichi asked, but Ryoko didn't pay attention to him. He was running toward the hospital as fast as he could, and gravity itself seemed to be losing its power.
"Don't ask too many questions... I'll get you there in time. Count on me." Ryoko said in a calm voice, traversing the streets with his fingertips as if they were mere lines on a map.
Ryuichi was trying to control his anxiety, but the unfamiliar altitude made his heart beat fast, his eyes darting from place to place trying to make sense of what was happening. He knew Ryoko was strong, but he never expected it to be this fast.
"Have you done this before?" Ryuichi asked, barely able to breathe from the speed.
Ryoko stopped his speed for a moment, then looked at Ryuichi with a surprised look as if he had heard a strange question.
"Have you lost your mind? Or is it Alzheimer's?" Ryoko replied disapprovingly. "I transported you this morning from the crowds to the college, and then the time before that from Miku's lab to your home. Do you think I need to remind you of what happened?"
Ryuichi smiled awkwardly, seeming to have already forgotten those moments due to all the events of the last few days. But Ryoko's reply removed some of the tension from his heart.
"Uh, right..." Ryuichi whispered, trying to focus again.
"If I forgot, it's not my fault. But we're almost there." Ryoko said as he picked up speed again, driving him to the hospital.
Finally, after moments of mounting tension, they arrived at the hospital gate. Ryoko stopped running just in time, and gently placed Ryuichi on the ground.
"We're just in time." Ryoko said with a slight smile, then disappeared into thin air as if he hadn't been there moments before.
Ryuichi, still in a daze, was left standing there in front of the hospital gate, trying to regain his breath. It seemed like it was just a strange dream, but the reality was much harsher, and every second counted now.
He ran inside the hospital quickly, heading toward the emergency department, his heart beating faster than ever before.