For a moment, the entire hall was silent — not from command, but from instinct.The eyes of Principal Raizen and Kazuki Ayanami, heir of the empire, met across the chamber like two ancient forces recognizing each other through layers of time and fate.
Though both men — one seasoned by decades of battle and the other merely an eight-year-old child — stood at Body Refining Tier 3, everyone in the kingdom knew that Kazuki was no ordinary child.
It wasn't just his ranking.It wasn't even that he possessed the highest Spiritual Force in South Ryehem's history.It was the presence he carried.And Raizen could feel it clearer now than ever before.
'Those eyes…' Raizen thought as he narrowed his gaze.
He remembered when he first met Kazuki.The boy had skipped 1st Class entirely, qualifying for 2nd Class without attending a single lecture, clearing his final exams on the very first attempt.
Back then, Kazuki had been a prodigy — sharp, confident, and unnervingly clever for his age.But still, at his core, a child.
Now…Now there was no mistaking it.
The way Kazuki stood — the calmness in his expression, the unfaltering gaze, and the quiet aura of one accustomed to dangerous games far beyond his years — told a different story.
He was no longer a prodigy. He was a force.
Raizen smirked."Kazuki." His voice echoed across the silent hall.
"I can see you've grown stronger."
The words hung between them like the first rumble of a coming storm.
"And truth be told… I'm a little rusty myself. So, how about we test ourselves?"
The students gasped.Teachers exchanged glances.A principal casually challenging a student — even the emperor's son — was unheard of.But no one dared speak.
"Let's have a warm-up match," Raizen continued, eyes gleaming. "I want to see how far the emperor's son has come."
Kazuki's lips curved into a cool, easy smile.His calm gaze met the old man's without a trace of hesitation.
"Alright, sir," he replied softly.
The room practically shivered.
They both knew what this was.
It wasn't about ranks.It wasn't about titles.It was about understanding.About power recognizing power.And neither of them intended to hold back.
This would be a fight not of technique, but of intent.
Raizen wanted to see what lay beyond those unreadable eyes.And Kazuki… already knew Raizen would test him sooner or later.
And Kazuki was ready for it