Kei and Shima were sitting in a hut during break time.
Kei began to tell Shima everything that had happened, including the mysterious conversation he had with the unknown voice.
Shima nodded in understanding and quietly listened to every word.
She remained silent for a moment after hearing Kei's explanation.
"The mark of a magician?"
Shima asked, wanting to be sure.
"Yeah... Every magician has a mark somewhere on their body after obtaining their power. But I don't know where mine is. I tried looking for it, but I couldn't find anything."
Kei replied weakly.
He hadn't been able to sleep all night because he kept thinking about it.
"I think... I know where it is."
Shima said as she stared at the back of Kei's neck.
Kei noticed where she was looking.
He immediately touched the back of his neck.
Is there really something there?
"I think there's a mark on the back of your neck. At first, I thought it was a tattoo. Let me take a closer look."
Shima turned Kei around and gently tilted his head forward.
"It hurts... If you want to look, don't pull my head so hard."
Kei complained.
"It looks like... a bird? Hmm... Embers? Or maybe a firefly? No... a flying bird?"
Shima murmured as she carefully examined the mark.
"Just take a picture. What's the point of having a camera if you're not going to use it?"
Kei said impatiently.
Shima lightly pushed his head before taking out her phone and snapping a picture.
She handed it to Kei.
Kei looked at the photo and zoomed in.
Is it a bird? Fire? Or a bird in flight?
He still had no idea what the mark meant.
It was too small...
And too faint.
It almost looked as though it had faded.
"So... how are you supposed to use your magic, Kei?"
Shima asked curiously.
She wanted to know what kind of power Keishii possessed.
"I don't know... I really don't know. But the man's voice told me that if I called the name of the djinn within me, I wouldn't be able to hide from the Death Wolves anymore."
Kei explained as he frowned.
"Hmm... I'm more curious about that man. Who is he? Why did he help us yesterday? Is he a magician too?"
Shima asked as she imagined the face behind the mysterious voice.
Kei simply shrugged.
He didn't even know who the man was.
But that man possessed some kind of power.
Maybe he really was a magician because he was helping another magician.
But how was Kei supposed to meet him?
The man had never told him his name or where he lived.
Does he live in this city too?
Kei became lost in thought and completely forgot that Shima was still beside him.
"Hey, Kei! I'm talking to you."
Shima shook his arm.
"I'm sorry... I was thinking about the owner of that voice."
Kei smiled awkwardly.
"Come on. Let's go to class. Break time is almost over."
Shima said.
Kei handed her phone back before the two of them walked toward their classroom building.
Behind the wall near the hut where Kei and Shima had been sitting, five boys watched them walk away.
Freddy, who saw how kindly Shima treated Kei, became even angrier.
You stole her from me, Keishii!
Kei remained focused on the teacher's lesson.
Meanwhile, Freddy quietly unfolded the note that Kei had handed him earlier.
At first, he wondered why Kei had suddenly given him a small piece of paper.
After reading it, he finally understood why Kei and Shima had become so close.
It was because of the strange creatures that had suddenly appeared in their city.
"Keishii... Are you serious about your plan? Shima won't be coming home with me."
Freddy whispered from behind.
Kei didn't answer.
He simply continued writing.
A few minutes later, while the teacher was writing on the whiteboard, Kei quietly placed another note on Freddy's desk.
[If you want her to stay alive, you have to protect her. Don't let your ego control your anger, Freddy. Shima doesn't like the person you've become. Her parents will accept you. I don't want her involved in my plan.]
Freddy carefully read every word.
He looked at Kei's back.
He knew that Kei and Shima had been friends since elementary school.
However, ever since he started dating Shima, he had become jealous of how close they were.
Because of that jealousy...
He had lost Shima.
He refused to make the same mistake again.
"Alright. I'll protect her."
"But what about you? Are you sure you can stop those strange creatures?"
Freddy asked seriously.
He had also heard stories about magicians.
But wasn't this supposed to be a city where no magicians existed anymore?
"I'm the Last Magician."
"That's why those creatures came here."
Kei answered as he turned to meet Freddy's eyes.
His expression was serious.
His sharp gaze never wavered.
"Keishii! Freddy! Both of you, stand outside the classroom!"
The teacher's loud voice interrupted them.
Without saying a word, Kei stood up and walked out.
Freddy followed behind him.
The classroom filled with whispers.
Kei could hear every one of them.
His hearing had always been unusually sharp.
Even from several meters away, every whisper sounded perfectly clear.
Outside the classroom, Freddy leaned against the wall beside Kei.
"What do you mean... the Last Magician?"
Freddy asked.
"It's a long story."
Kei replied.
"Then tell me the short version."
Freddy answered.
"As long as I can understand."
Over the next fifteen minutes, Kei briefly told Freddy everything that had happened the night before.
Freddy simply nodded.
Kei was actually surprised that Freddy believed his story so easily.
"So... you're the Last Golden Magician?"
Freddy asked.
"Huh? I never told you anything about Golden Magic."
Kei replied in surprise.
"My grandfather once told me about the Last Magician."
Freddy answered honestly.
"I never expected you to be the owner of Golden Magic."
Freddy smiled proudly and gently patted Kei's shoulder.
"I don't think this power is something to be happy about."
"Because of it, innocent people are dying."
Kei said quietly.
"You don't have to blame yourself."
"You didn't even know magical blood runs through your veins."
Freddy tried to reassure him.
"Kei..."
"Only you can stop those creatures."
"I believe you can save our city."
Freddy patted Kei's shoulder three times.
Suddenly...
Everything froze.
Kei looked at Freddy.
He remained frozen in the middle of patting Kei's shoulder.
At the end of the hallway, two female students were also frozen just before entering the classroom.
Kei reached out and touched Freddy.
He didn't move.
Kei opened the classroom door.
His classmates and teacher had frozen as well.
Suddenly...
A familiar voice came from behind him.
"We meet again, Keishii."
Kei quickly turned around.
Two masked men stood behind him.
Although they looked human...
Something about them clearly wasn't.
Startled, Kei instinctively stepped backward.
Fullus slowly walked toward him.
Kei immediately turned and tried to run.
"Keishii..."
"We were the ones who helped you yesterday."
The moment Kei heard those words...
He stopped.
He turned around and looked at the two half-beast men.
"Are you magicians?"
Kei asked.
"No."
"We're not magicians."
"But if you want to learn about us... and the history of magic..."
"Come with us."
"Plifer can't maintain his power much longer."
Fullus said calmly.
"Alright."
"I'll go with you."
"But don't hurt my friends... or anyone else."
Kei replied.
Fullus and Plifer nodded.
A thick cloud of smoke surrounded the three of them.
Moments later...
They had vanished.
Outside the classroom, Freddy suddenly looked around in confusion.
"Where did Kei go?"
"What happened just now?"
He whispered to himself as he scratched his head.