The glow erupted into what seemed like yellow light. It flashed briefly before vanishing, replaced with nothing but the opaque color of the crystal ball. The man squinted, blinking twice before rubbing his eyes as if he had seen something impossible. His gaze flickered between Hikari and the now-dull crystal ball, his brow furrowing in thought.
"Well, it seems like my crystal ball has malfunctioned. Strange." The man pressed his hand onto the sphere, and instantly, a scarlet fire blazed inside it, illuminating the swirling depths of the orb. His voice carried an amused lilt, but there was something more behind his words—something calculating. "How did yours flash yellow...? You're a Shadow Manipulator, right?"
Hikari tensed. The way the man spoke, the way his eyes gleamed with interest—it sent a shiver down his spine. But he remained composed, nodding slightly.
The man grinned before removing his hood, revealing a cascade of stark white hair. His long beard, thick and flowing, caught the wind, giving him an almost ethereal presence. Now that he was standing, Hikari could see how truly imposing he was. The man was nearly twice his size, broad-shouldered, with a presence that filled the space around them.
Then, as if on cue, his entire body flickered with an inner light. His skin took on an ember-like glow, heat radiating from his form. His eyes, once deep and mysterious, burned a brilliant scarlet, and his hair ignited into hues of red-orange, crackling softly like a controlled inferno. The sheer power rolling off him was suffocating, pressing down on Hikari's chest like an invisible weight.
Hikari clenched his fists but held his ground. "How did you know who I am?" His voice was steady, though his mind raced to make sense of what was happening.
The mysterious man said nothing. Instead, he moved.
In an instant, he struck, faster than Hikari's eyes could register. The ground beneath him cracked as he lunged, leaving behind a scorch mark where he once stood. Hikari barely had time to react, instinct screaming at him to dodge. He twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding a fist wreathed in flame that would have caved his ribs in. The air where the punch landed shimmered from the heat, an aftershock of power rattling through the street.
Hikari's breath hitched. This wasn't a casual test of strength. This was a full-blown attack.
The next strike came from above. The man had leaped impossibly high, his body a comet of fire descending upon Hikari like a falling star. He barely managed to roll out of the way, the impact sending a shockwave through the ground. Stone shattered, dust rising in thick clouds. His heart pounded. The fight had only just begun, and already he felt like he was being hunted.
Trying to gather himself, Hikari attempted to materialize his shadow blade. But before it could even take shape, another attack forced him on the defensive. A jet of flame roared toward him, and he threw himself backward, feeling the searing heat kiss his skin. The crowd had long since scattered, giving them space, yet some still lingered at a distance, watching in awe rather than fear.
This guy isn't normal.
Hikari tried to blend into his shadow, slipping into the darkness to reposition himself, but his focus wavered. The sheer bloodlust rolling off his opponent disrupted his concentration. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to move—to survive. The next moment, an arm wrapped in flames lashed out at him. He dodged again, barely, feeling the heat singe the edge of his uniform.
He had to do something.
Steeling himself, Hikari pivoted and dashed forward, trying to close the distance. He feinted left before twisting to the right, aiming for the man's exposed side. But his opponent was faster. A swift backhand sent him flying, his vision tilting as he tumbled through the air before crashing onto the cobbled street. Pain jolted through his ribs. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself back up.
A chuckle. The man stood over him, his ember-like glow casting an eerie light in the dimming evening. "Is that all?" he mused, voice laced with curiosity rather than malice. "You're quick, but your instincts need refining. You hesitate too much."
Hikari grit his teeth. He wouldn't go down that easily.
With a deep breath, he tried once more, shadows coiling at his fingertips. But the man closed the gap instantly. Before Hikari could react, a searing-hot hand grabbed his shoulder. His body stiffened, expecting unbearable pain.
Yet, nothing happened.
He blinked. The heat was there, thrumming like a controlled blaze against his skin, but it didn't burn. It didn't even hurt.
The man's eyes widened in brief surprise before his grin returned, though now with an edge of intrigue. "Huh. You should be screaming right now." His grip tightened slightly, testing. "Interesting."
Hikari's breath was ragged. He couldn't even process what just happened before a familiar voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Here you go again, you and your antics, Headmaster." The casual yet authoritative tone sent a wave of relief washing over Hikari. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Can you let go of my successor?"
Master Ryu stood a few feet away, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
The flames on the man's body flickered before dying down slightly. The overwhelming heat dissipated just a little, though his aura of dominance remained unshaken. The man—no, the Headmaster—tilted his head slightly, eyeing Master Ryu before turning back to Hikari with an amused smile.
"Successor, huh? Well, well... this just got a lot more interesting."
Hikari remained frozen in place, his mind still struggling to process everything. The crystal ball, the strange light, the attack, and now this revelation. He had no idea what he had just stepped into.
His uniform, while slightly singed at the edges, remained largely intact, as though protected by an unseen force. Then he remembered the Headmaster's fiery hand, placed on his shoulders yet he didn't feel a thing. Was it his own power? Or something else entirely?
The Headmaster studied him for a moment longer before chuckling. "I think I'll keep my eye on you, kid. You're different. And that... is always worth watching."
Master Ryu exhaled. "Enough, old man. Let's go."
With that, the tension finally eased, though the unspoken questions between them remained. Hikari took one last glance at the broken street, the lingering heat in the air, and the expectant gaze of the Headmaster before silently following after Master Ryu and the Headmaster.
"How on Earth did his clothes not get incinerated?" Hikari commented, asking the right questions indeed.