"It's been three days since that talk in the cafeteria," Ryouma thought, Since then, Ryouma had spent more time around Mayuri Kazuki than anyone else in the class.
Mayuri stood across from him, panting lightly, hands on her knees.
"And I've actually learned a lot about her Ability," Ryouma mused, In his hand, he held a compact training gun that fired coin-sized discs. It was standard for target practice, but he'd modified it slightly. The idea was to shoot a disc and have Mayuri try to influence its momentum mid-flight.
"The Gaia Ability, Telekinetic," he had once explained, "isn't what people usually think. It's not traditional telekinesis. It doesn't move objects freely. It only works on objects already in motion—like a coin in mid-air or a ball that's been thrown. And even then, you can't curve its path or stop it. All you can do is adjust its forward motion—maybe push it a bit further. It's like guiding a breeze instead of creating one."
They were currently in a secluded training space behind the east wing of the academy—an overgrown park area that barely got any foot traffic. Mayuri had picked it. She hated attention.
He loaded a fresh coin-round, aimed it forward, and fired.
The small, disk-shaped bullet zipped through the air in a straight line.
"Okay," Ryouma said, watching its path. "Let's break it down again."
He turned to Mayuri, who was wiping sweat from her brow. "Your Gaia Ability—Telekinetic—works by influencing kinetic movement. But only when the object is already in motion. If it's moving in a straight line, you can slightly adjust or extend that same linear path. You can't curve it. You can't halt it midair. At least, not yet."
She gave him a dull glare. "Yeah, yeah, I've heard that lecture three times now."
"I'm just trying to make sure it's crystal clear. Right now, you're adding a tiny bit more force to the object—enough to give it a small boost, maybe redirect it slightly. That's still progress."
Ryouma clapped his hands together.
"Alright, I think that's enough for today."
"You're definitely improving," he added, casually holstering the weapon. "You're adding more push to it than before. With a bit more work, you might even manage to redirect one. Or maybe add some real punch to the impact."
Mayuri collapsed onto the nearest bench, groaning.
Mayuri groaned, flopping onto the grass. "Seriously… I'm beat. I never knew training your ability could be this draining."
Ryouma let the gun lower. "That's because you Level Eta Gaias don't train."
She nodded, eyes half-lidded. "Yeah. The Academy doesn't bother. The city higher-ups don't care about Level Etas. Most of us either don't have an Ability at all or have one so weak, it's considered useless. I think they just decided we're not worth investing in."
He crossed his arms. "You really think the higher-ups have that kind of say over the Academy?"
Mayuri sighed, her voice tinged with resignation."You don't get it. This place... it's not just a school. It's part of the system. The city governs everything. The board listens to the upper echelon. And the upper echelon says we're weak, so they just write us off. That's why training programs are only for Delta or higher. Even Gamma levels barely get attention. If anyone below that wants to improve, they have to do it like this, on their own."
Ryouma looked thoughtful, then gave a short laugh. "Then I guess it's a good thing we're not following their rules."
She looked up at him.
"Because with a little effort, even a weak ability can evolve. You just need the right environment." He walked over and gently ruffled her hair. "And the right motivation."
"That's why this... means a lot. It gives me a shot. Maybe one day I can prove even an Eta can stand tall." Mayuri said, after
she jerked back, cheeks flushing. "Can you not treat me like a child?"
Ryouma laughed under his breath, enjoying her flustered reaction.
"Oi! Are you two planning to miss class entirely?" came a familiar voice. Yuuto waved from behind a column, raising an eyebrow at the pair. "The bell rang ages ago."
Mayuri sat upright in alarm. "Crap!"
Ryouma laughed. "Guess training's done. Let's go."
They gathered their things and jogged back toward the main building, disappearing into the sea of students. From that point on, their days followed a rhythm. Class in the morning. Training in the afternoon. A quiet little routine, but one that stitched them closer with each passing session.
---
A full week later.
The bell echoed through the quad, signaling the end of the school day.
"Good work today," Ryouma said, waving as Mayuri tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded.
"See you tomorrow."
He slung his bag over his shoulder and turned toward the school's west gate. The sky was turning amber, the breeze cooler than usual. The late-hour lull brought a stillness to the school grounds.
And then he saw her.
Sitting again on that same bench, robes fluttering gently at her ankles, eyes staring off at the empty path in front of her like she'd been waiting all day. Just like before—expression calm, but her eyes hollow, like they were watching a world just out of reach.
Ryouma slowed his pace.
"It's her again… That girl."
He stared for a moment longer before resuming his path.
"Maybe she really is waiting for someone."
He passed by in silence, the shadows stretching long behind him.
And the girl didn't move.
Ryouma got home, flopped onto the couch, flicked on the TV, and ate his dinner in silence. The program barely registered. His body felt heavy, the kind of weight that only sleep could lift. Not long after, his eyes shut on their own.
The next morning came quietly. He stirred awake before dawn, blinking at the digital clock—5:03 AM.
With a stretch and a yawn, Ryouma slipped into his tracksuit and headed out for his usual jog. The streets of District 7, Block E were empty—just the hum of streetlights and the rhythm of his footsteps. Passing by that same spot, he looked around. She's not there today...
He finished his jog and returned home, took a shower, and slipped into his school uniform.Still no sign of her when he left for school.
Maybe she's gone for good... or maybe... like last time, she'll come back. He sighed and headed to school.
Classes were normal. Mostly. The usual teasing of Ms. Tomoe, the usual banter, and a few thrown chalk pieces.
Training with Mayuri was becoming a routine too.
"You're improving, Mayu," Ryouma said after their latest session.
Mayuri exhaled hard, her hands on her knees. "Seriously, I'm beat. I didn't think training a Gaia Ability would be this draining."
---
Back in class, Ryouma stared out the window, thoughts drifting again.
"That girl… why is she even in Gaia City? And in robes like that, walking around like a literal walking target?"
She looked around 14 or 15.
"And that is District 7, Block E… not exactly the safest corner of the city."
Eventually, the final bell rang.
He grabbed his bag, said a quick goodbye to Yuuto, Ryu, and Mayuri, and started the walk home.
That's when he saw her again.
The robed girl—running.
Her steps were frantic, her face pale with fear.
Is she being chased? Ryouma broke into a run. "Hey! Wait!"
She spun mid-step, eyes wide. "Are you one of them?! The ones after me?!"
Them? Who's 'them'? "No! I'm not!" he shouted, but she kept running
He chased her, weaving through narrow streets until she darted into an alley."For a little girl, you sure are fast," he muttered between breaths. "And wearing that in this summer heat, no less…"
Suddenly, she tripped—her body hitting the ground with a thud.
Ryouma caught up, crouched beside her, and gently held her down. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm not who you think I am. I saw you running. You looked terrified—like someone was chasing you. I just wanted to help."
She blinked up at him. "You… you're really not one of them?"
"I'm not," he said, firm but calm. "Now take a deep breath."
She inhaled slowly, then exhaled.
"Come on," Ryouma stood, offering a hand. "Let's get out of here. If someone's chasing you, this isn't the place to stay."
"My apartment's nearby. You'll be safe there."
She hesitated. "What are you planning to do with me?"
"Nothing. Just trying to help. So maybe ease up on the suspicion?"
She narrowed her eyes. "No one helps for free. Maybe you're one of those creeps who pretends to be nice and then asks girls to repay with their bodies later."
Ryouma gagged at the idea. "Eww, what the hell—? I would never."
And so, the two made their way to his building.
The elevator in his building was still busted.
They climbed the stairs—four floors—before finally reaching his room.
Inside his room, she sat silently on the couch, robes still on.
Ryouma stood nearby, arms crossed, watching her.
"Okay… why did I bring her here?" he thought.
"If I'd just handed her over to Order or Anti-Force, they'd know what to do."
He sighed.
"And if someone's really after her, they'd be way more helpful than I ever could."
CHAPTER END.