Techno City was a sprawling metropolis unlike any other.
Towering skyscrapers of steel and glass stretched endlessly toward the heavens, their reflective surfaces shimmering beneath the morning sun. Flying vehicles zipped between buildings in carefully organized traffic lanes, while holographic advertisements illuminated the skyline with promises of humanity's next technological breakthrough.
To any outsider, it was a paradise.
A city where only the wealthy, the influential, and the brilliant belonged.
Yet every paradise cast a shadow.
Far away from the glittering skyline lay a district few people dared to acknowledge.
The Black Zone.
At least, that was what everyone called it.
There were no magnificent towers here.
No spotless streets.
Only narrow alleys, crumbling homes, rusted metal, and buildings that looked as though they might collapse with the next heavy rain. The air carried the scent of dust and old machinery, while silence often replaced the constant hum of advanced technology found in the city's center.
Some people liked to describe these two places with a simple comparison.
The City of Heaven.
And the City of Hell.
The prejudice between their citizens was obvious.
People from the upper districts looked down on those who lived in the Black Zone, treating them as if they barely existed.
Still...
There was one belief shared by everyone in Techno City.
Technology was everything.
Intelligence was everything.
It didn't matter where you were born or how much money your family had.
If you were a genius, society would welcome you with open arms.
If you weren't...
You would simply be left behind.
But among the countless people living in Techno City, there was one boy who couldn't care less about those rules.
Because he had a dream.
A dream that sounded utterly impossible in a world ruled by science.
He wanted...
To become a wizard.
Deep within the Black Zone, hidden among the oldest houses, stood a small wooden home.
It was old.
Dark.
And worn down by years of hardship.
Yet despite its appearance, a faint light still escaped through one of its windows, quietly pushing back the darkness of the night.
Inside was a tiny bedroom.
A nearly melted candle rested atop an old dresser, casting flickering shadows across the walls. There was only a single bed, and the family's clothes hung from rusty nails hammered into the wooden walls because there wasn't enough space for a wardrobe.
The room was incredibly modest.
But to its inhabitants...
It was home.
Lying on the bed was a fifteen-year-old boy.
Beside him sat a slightly older girl, gently holding an old storybook while reading aloud.
The boy listened with unwavering attention, hanging on every word.
His name was Demian.
He wore a faded black shirt paired with gray pants accented by blue stripes. His messy black hair framed a youthful face, while his warm brown eyes carried an innocent curiosity that had yet to be extinguished by reality.
The young woman beside him was Luna.
Despite her slightly messy hair and worn clothing, anyone who saw her would call her beautiful.
Her long black hair flowed gracefully over her shoulders, her sharp eyes reflected kindness and quiet determination, and although her white dress had clearly aged over the years, she kept it as clean as she possibly could.
She continued reading.
It was the legend of an ancient wizard capable of destroying mountains and splitting entire seas with a single spell.
Demian's eyes sparkled.
"Sister... is this story really true?"
Luna smiled softly before gently running her fingers through his messy hair.
"I don't know, Demian."
Her voice was calm and warm.
"But I've heard that magic does exist... It's just incredibly rare. Something only special people possess."
"Special people..."
Demian repeated quietly.
Suddenly, he leaped off the bed with excitement.
"Then I'll become a wizard! If I do, I'll be able to give us a better life, Sister!"
Luna couldn't help laughing softly.
"Easy there."
She motioned for him to calm down.
"I don't think having magic in this city would be such a good thing."
Demian tilted his head in confusion.
"Why?"
"Because this city only values technology and intelligence."
She looked toward the small window before continuing.
"I don't think anyone here would care about magic."
A playful smile appeared on her face.
"And besides..."
She looked back at him.
"You're not exactly the smartest boy around."
Demian froze.
A pout immediately formed on his face.
"...Did you just call me stupid, Sister?"
Luna covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
"I never said that."
She patted the bed, inviting him back.
"I only meant that you're... a little lacking in intelligence."
Demian crossed his arms dramatically.
"That's literally the same thing!"
Still grumbling, he climbed back onto the bed.
Luna gently pulled the blanket over him.
"That's enough talking."
Her voice became gentle once more.
"It's time to sleep."
Demian turned onto his side.
Even so, his determination never wavered.
"I still won't give up on my dream."
Luna watched him quietly.
A warm smile appeared on her lips.
She walked over to the wall, took down an old blanket hanging from one of the nails, spread it across the wooden floor beside the bed, and lay down.
That was where she slept every night.
"Good night, Demian."
She lowered the candlelight and closed her eyes.
A few moments later, she opened them once more to check on her little brother.
He appeared to be asleep.
Smiling affectionately, she whispered,
"Good luck... you silly boy."
She closed her eyes again.
Silence filled the tiny room.
Until...
A few moments later, Demian slowly opened his eyes.
Turning ever so slightly toward Luna, he whispered with unwavering resolve,
"I'll do it."
His voice was barely audible.
"I'll give you a better life, Sister."
Only then did sleep finally claim him.
The following morning, the first rays of sunlight streamed through the cracked window, landing directly on Demian's face.
It was probably around seven in the morning.
The tiny house had no curtains, so nothing stood between the rising sun and the boy who desperately wanted to keep sleeping.
"...Mmm..."
Still half-asleep, Demian lazily lifted one hand to shield his eyes.
It didn't help.
With a groan, he pulled the blanket over his head instead.
A few moments later...
He suddenly threw the blanket aside and sat upright, drenched in sweat.
"Ugh... It's so hot! Who could possibly sleep like this?"
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, letting out an exhausted sigh.
Just as he was considering trying to fall asleep again—
BAM!
A loud crash echoed from the front of the house.
Demian immediately looked toward the bedroom door.
"...Sister?"
The room was empty.
His eyes widened.
"Where did she go?"
Still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he climbed out of bed and walked into the hallway.
"Sister? Are you there?"
No answer.
Instead...
"I'm NOT SELLING!"
Luna's voice echoed from outside.
Demian froze.
"...Sister?"
Without thinking twice, he sprinted toward the entrance.
As he got closer, the voices became clearer.
"I already told you!" Luna shouted. "I'm not selling our land!"
Standing in the doorway, she faced two men dressed in elegant black suits.
Their polished shoes, expensive watches, and immaculate clothing immediately distinguished them from everyone else in the Black Zone.
They didn't belong there.
One of the men sighed impatiently.
"Girl, just accept our offer already. No one else will ever pay you this much."
His partner nodded.
"We're offering more than three times what this place is worth."
Luna clenched her fists.
"I've told you before, and I'll tell you again."
Her voice trembled—not from uncertainty, but from anger.
"No matter how many times you come here..."
"I will never sell my family's land."
The first man clicked his tongue.
"What an annoying girl."
From an outsider's perspective, refusing their offer made no sense.
The money they were offering was more than enough to buy a much larger house in a safer neighborhood.
Demian and Luna could have escaped the misery of the Black Zone forever.
But to Luna...
This house wasn't just wood and bricks.
It was the last place where their parents had smiled.
The last place where they had all lived together.
The last piece of her family.
No amount of money could replace that.
The atmosphere gradually became heavier.
One of the suited men slowly stepped forward.
"You should accept while we're still asking nicely."
Luna instinctively took a step back.
"...Are you threatening me?"
Before the man could answer—
"That's enough."
A calm voice interrupted everyone.
Cold.
Emotionless.
Powerful.
The two men in black immediately stiffened before quickly turning around.
"Sir!"
One of them bowed his head.
"You didn't need to come personally. We could've dealt with this stubborn girl ourselves."
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the street.
The man staggered sideways, holding his burning cheek.
His eyes were filled with terror.
"W-Who gave you permission to speak?"
The newcomer asked coldly.
"I-I'm sorry, sir!"
The man immediately lowered his head even further.
"I was out of line!"
Unlike the other two, this man wore an immaculate white suit.
On the back of his right hand rested a strange tattoo in the shape of a pair of wings.
Without another glance at his subordinate, he calmly walked toward Luna.
Each step felt strangely heavy.
Almost suffocating.
Luna instinctively tried to back away.
Before she could...
He caught her wrist.
"..."
She tried to pull free, but his grip didn't move an inch.
The man looked directly into her eyes.
"Is this truly your final answer?"
Despite the fear coursing through her body...
Despite the fact that her hand trembled uncontrollably...
She answered without hesitation.
"...Yes."
For several seconds...
Silence.
Then the man released her wrist.
"I see."
He turned around.
"Let's go."
The other two looked completely confused.
"...Sir?"
"We're just leaving?"
The man in white didn't answer.
He simply continued walking away.
Reluctantly, the two subordinates followed.
Only after they disappeared from sight did Luna finally release the breath she had been holding.
"..."
Her knees nearly gave out.
She quietly entered the house.
Standing inside was Demian.
His face was filled with concern.
"Sister... are you okay?"
Luna immediately forced a cheerful smile onto her face.
"Of course!"
She laughed awkwardly.
"Didn't you see your amazing sister scare those guys away?"
As she said that, she discreetly hid her trembling hand behind her back.
She didn't want Demian to notice.
But he did.
He simply remained silent.
—
A short distance away...
The three suited men continued walking through the streets of the Black Zone.
One of the men finally spoke.
"Sir... are we really giving up?"
The man in white didn't even slow his pace.
"Of course not."
His voice remained completely emotionless.
"We already gave her one final opportunity."
"She refused."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"So..."
"We'll simply have to do it the hard way."
The corners of his lips curled into a faint smile.
One devoid of warmth.
Back inside the old house...
Neither Demian nor Luna realized...
That their peaceful days had just come to an end.
Some time later...
Luna decided to lie down and get some rest.
Her encounter with those men had drained far more of her energy than she wanted to admit.
"I'm going to rest for a little while," she said with a tired smile.
Demian simply nodded.
"Okay."
As soon as she disappeared into the bedroom, he stood silently, staring at the wooden floor.
"What happened earlier... was serious."
She had tried to hide it.
She had pretended everything was fine.
But Demian knew Luna better than anyone.
He knew she was terrified.
"I should've done something..."
His fists slowly clenched.
"I couldn't even protect my own sister."
Taking a deep breath, he stepped outside.
Maybe a walk would help clear his mind.
The Black Zone looked the same as always.
People struggling just to survive another day.
Children playing between houses that looked ready to collapse.
Old men silently watching the streets from broken porches.
Life there was harsh.
But it was the only home Demian had ever known.
As he wandered aimlessly through the neighborhood, his thoughts drifted back to the story Luna had read the night before.
"Magic..."
"If I could really use magic..."
"Would I finally be able to protect my sister?"
"Could we escape this life?"
His heartbeat quickened.
"I have to find a way."
"I have to become a wizard."
Completely lost in thought, Demian failed to notice someone walking straight toward him.
BUMP!
The two collided.
"Ah!"
Demian stumbled backward and landed on the ground.
Before he could stand, a hand appeared in front of him.
It belonged to a man wearing a long dark cloak, his face completely hidden beneath a hood.
"Thank you."
Demian accepted the offered hand.
The moment their hands touched...
He felt something strange.
The man helped him back to his feet.
"It's nothing."
His voice was calm and oddly soothing.
"You seemed lost in thought."
Demian gave an awkward smile.
"Yeah... I guess I was."
Silence lingered between them.
Then Demian noticed something.
The stranger was still holding his hand.
"Um... sir?"
"Hm?"
"...When are you planning to let go of my hand?"
The hooded man remained perfectly still.
Although Demian couldn't see his face, he felt as though the stranger was carefully examining him.
Finally...
The man spoke.
"It seems..."
"...you're going to need this very soon, kid."
Demian frowned.
"Huh?"
The next instant—
An overwhelming surge of electricity exploded through his entire body.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!"
Every muscle convulsed violently.
It felt as though his entire body was being torn apart from the inside.
He collapsed onto his knees, screaming in agony.
"W-What are you doing?!"
The stranger never released his hand.
"I'm giving you a gift."
His tone remained perfectly calm.
"For now... simply endure the pain."
"A gift?!"
"This is torture!"
"It feels like thousands of ants are eating me alive from the inside!"
"I can't take this!"
His screams echoed through the empty streets.
Yet the hooded man didn't move.
"Just a little longer..."
The pain only grew worse.
Each passing second felt like an eternity.
Until...
The man finally released his hand.
Demian immediately collapsed unconscious onto the ground.
The hooded figure quietly looked down at him for several moments.
Then, beneath the shadow of his hood, a faint smile appeared.
"Excellent..."
"I wasn't mistaken."
"This boy truly possesses extraordinary talent."
A gentle breeze swept through the alley.
And in the blink of an eye...
The mysterious man vanished as though he had never been there at all.
Several hours passed.
"...Ugh..."
Demian slowly opened his eyes.
Every inch of his body ached.
It felt as though every muscle had been torn apart and rebuilt countless times.
He took a deep breath, trying to endure the pain.
"What... did that man do to me...?"
Bracing himself against the ground, he struggled to stand.
The moment he put weight on his legs, they trembled violently.
"Ngh..."
For a moment, he thought he would collapse again.
After several exhausting minutes, he finally managed to stand upright.
His entire body still hurt, but the unbearable agony had begun to fade.
"I should go home..."
He let out a slow breath.
"My sister must be worried."
He began walking through the streets of the Black Zone.
Yet something felt...
Different.
With every step, a strange sensation coursed through his body.
It was difficult to describe.
Like an invisible current flowing beneath his skin.
A faint tingling spread through his limbs.
This time...
Without pain.
Demian stared at his hands.
"What's happening to me?"
He slowly closed his fist.
For the briefest moment...
Tiny blue sparks danced across his fingers.
Then they vanished.
So quickly that he questioned whether he had imagined them.
"Was it because of that man?"
Shaking the thought away, he continued toward home.
The sooner he got back, the better.
...
A few minutes later...
His house finally came into view.
Then he stopped.
The front door was standing wide open.
His heartbeat skipped.
An overwhelming sense of dread gripped him.
"...I've got a bad feeling about this."
At that very moment—
CRASH!!
The sound of furniture breaking echoed from inside the house.
Then...
"Stop!"
Luna's desperate voice rang through the street.
"Please... don't do this!"
Demian's eyes widened.
"Sister!"
Without a second thought, he sprinted toward the house.
His heart pounded wildly inside his chest.
The instant he burst through the doorway—
SLAP!
The sound echoed throughout the room.
Demian froze.
He watched Luna fall to her knees after being struck across the face.
Her hair partially covered her expression.
A crimson mark slowly appeared across her cheek.
In that instant...
Something inside him snapped.
An indescribable rage swallowed his mind.
"He..."
"He hit my sister..."
His entire body began trembling.
A brilliant blue glow erupted around him.
Tiny sparks crackled across the floor.
CRACK!!
Lightning burst violently around his body.
His hair slowly rose.
The very air grew heavy.
Everyone in the room instinctively turned toward him.
Demian slowly raised his head.
His eyes shone with an intense blue light.
"DON'T..."
His voice no longer sounded like his own.
It was colder.
Heavier.
"...TOUCH MY SISTER!!"
BOOOOM!!
With a single step...
He disappeared.
Before the man could even react—
Demian was already standing in front of him.
His fist shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
BAAAAM!!
The impact was catastrophic.
The attacker was hurled across the room, smashing straight through the wall.
Wood and concrete exploded outward.
Dust engulfed the entire house.
Blue lightning continued dancing wildly around Demian's body, destroying parts of the room with every uncontrolled discharge.
Luna could only stare in complete disbelief.
"D-Demian...?"
Immediately, he rushed to her side.
For a brief moment...
The rage disappeared.
"Sister!"
He gently grabbed her shoulders.
"Are you alright?"
Still stunned, Luna couldn't take her eyes off the lightning surrounding him.
"W-What..."
"...What was that?"
Her voice trembled.
"Demian..."
"What did you just do?"
Demian looked down at his own hands.
Blue sparks still leaped between his fingers.
"I..."
He slowly shook his head.
"I don't know..."
He took a heavy breath.
"I just saw him hurting you..."
His fist clenched once again.
"...and I attacked him with everything I had."
Silence filled the room.
Then...
A calm voice echoed through the dust.
"That..."
"...was magic."
Both siblings slowly turned.
Emerging from the cloud of debris...
A man dressed in an immaculate white suit calmly stepped forward.
It was the same man from earlier.
Dust still filled the air.
Fragments of wood and concrete slowly fell from the ceiling while blue arcs of lightning continued to dance around Demian's body.
The silence was suffocating.
Then...
A figure calmly emerged from the cloud of dust.
Dressed in an immaculate white suit, the man walked forward as though nothing had happened.
Not even a scratch could be seen on him.
Luna's eyes widened.
"...You..."
It was the same man from that morning.
The same man who had demanded that she sell her home.
The same man who was now destroying everything she had left.
Without hesitation, Demian stepped in front of his sister.
Lightning still crackled around him.
"What do you want?!"
The man stopped a few meters away.
His gaze remained fixed on Demian.
"I already told you."
His voice was calm.
Cold.
Utterly devoid of emotion.
"I asked your sister to sell this house."
"She refused."
His eyes briefly shifted toward the hole in the wall.
"So I was forced to resolve the matter in the simplest way possible."
Demian gritted his teeth.
"You call this simple?"
"You break into our home..."
"You hit my sister..."
"You destroy everything..."
The man didn't react in the slightest.
As though those accusations held no meaning.
"Emotions are meaningless."
"They only interfere with rational decisions."
Luna grabbed Demian's arm.
"Demian..."
But he could no longer contain his anger.
"I don't know why you want this house..."
Electricity surged violently around his body once again.
"But I won't let you destroy the only thing my family has left!"
The lightning intensified.
The wooden floor beneath his feet cracked under the pressure.
The man in white watched everything in silence.
Then...
He smiled.
It was almost imperceptible.
"Interesting."
His eyes remained fixed on the blue lightning.
"So I was right."
Demian frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
"Magic."
The answer came immediately.
"The power surrounding your body..."
"...is mana."
Those words seemed to make the atmosphere even heavier.
Demian looked down at his own hands.
Mana?
Magic?
Then...
That story...
It had been real?
The man continued.
"You've only just awakened."
"You still have no control over your own power."
"The mana is escaping from your body naturally."
Small bolts of lightning struck the floor around Demian.
He silently watched the electricity spread.
The man was right.
He couldn't control it at all.
Even standing still...
The lightning continued to leak from his body.
"But..."
The man took another step forward.
"Awakening does not make you strong."
Demian glared at him.
"What?"
"You've only just been born as a mage."
The man slipped one hand into his pocket.
"I..."
"...have walked this path for many years."
An overwhelming pressure suddenly engulfed the room.
Without making a single move...
The man's presence alone felt powerful enough to crush everything around him.
Luna's body trembled.
Even Demian found it difficult to breathe.
"What... is this pressure?"
The man looked directly into his eyes.
"Come."
"Show me what your newly awakened power is truly worth."
Demian narrowed his eyes.
"You're going to regret laying a hand on her."
BOOOOM!!
The floor exploded beneath his feet.
Demian vanished once again.
Wrapped in brilliant blue lightning, he shot forward like a living thunderbolt.
In the blink of an eye...
He appeared directly in front of the man.
His fist tore through the air.
"AAAAAHHH!!"
BOOOOM!!
...
The man caught the punch with one hand.
Without moving even a single step.
The impact released a violent shockwave that blasted apart what remained of the living room.
Yet...
The man remained perfectly still.
Demian's eyes widened.
"He... stopped it?"
"With one hand?"
The man stared at him with complete indifference.
"Your speed is impressive."
His grip slowly tightened around Demian's fist.
"For someone who has only just awakened."
CRACK.
The sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the ruined house.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!"
Agonizing pain shot through Demian's arm.
The color drained from his face.
The man continued squeezing.
"But..."
"...it still isn't enough."
Demian's scream echoed throughout the ruined house.
It felt as though his arm were about to be crushed completely.
Even so...
Not once did he beg for mercy.
The man in white watched him for a few seconds.
Then he spoke.
"It's not over yet, boy."
Before Demian could react...
His body was lifted effortlessly off the ground.
"W-What—?!"
The next instant—
BOOOOM!!
The man hurled him high into the air.
Demian barely managed to regain his balance.
Then...
The man vanished.
"Where did he go?!"
His eyes searched frantically.
Too late.
BAM!
A devastating punch slammed into his stomach.
Every bit of air was forced from his lungs.
Before he could even scream—
BAM!
Another punch.
BAM!
Another.
BOOM!
Blows rained down from every direction.
He couldn't follow a single movement.
Each impact felt as though another bone shattered inside his body.
He was tossed through the air like a rag doll.
Until—
CRAAASH!!
His body smashed through the wall of the house and crashed into the rubble outside.
Blood covered his face.
His breathing was ragged.
Yet...
He remained conscious.
The man calmly landed in front of him.
He stared at Demian for a long moment.
"Remarkable."
Demian slowly lifted his head.
His vision was blurred.
He could barely see.
"At the very last moment..."
The man continued.
"...your body instinctively used mana to reduce the damage."
Silence lingered.
"You possess extraordinary talent."
His expression became cold once again.
"What a shame..."
"...that you'll die here."
Demian's eyes widened.
The man slowly raised one finger.
A tiny crimson sphere of energy formed at its tip.
It was small.
Yet the amount of power contained within it was terrifying.
Luna immediately rushed in front of her brother.
"Stop!"
She spread her arms to shield him.
"Please don't kill my brother!"
The man merely tilted his head.
"Would you do anything for him?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Luna answered.
"Yes."
"I'll sell the house."
Her voice trembled.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I'll do anything..."
"Just..."
"Please spare Demian."
Demian struggled to stand.
His body refused to obey.
"Move..."
"MOVE!!"
Nothing.
He couldn't even move a finger.
The man silently looked at Luna.
"So..."
"You would die for him?"
She smiled.
A small...
Gentle smile.
The same smile she had always shown her little brother.
"Yes."
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
Only...
Love.
The man slowly closed his eyes.
"You truly are a wonderful sister."
Then...
He pointed his finger at her forehead.
The crimson sphere shone brilliantly.
Demian felt his blood run cold.
"NO!!"
His desperate scream shook the air.
"STOP!!"
Luna slowly turned toward him one last time.
Despite the tears running down her face...
She smiled.
"Live well..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"And become..."
"...a great wizard..."
"...my little brother."
"SIS!!!"
BANG.
The shot echoed across the entire neighborhood.
For one brief moment...
Everything became silent.
Luna's body slowly collapsed onto the floor.
The light faded from her eyes.
Demian remained frozen.
His mind refused to accept what had just happened.
Then—
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
His scream tore through the skies above the Black Zone.
Birds scattered into the air.
Windows rattled.
It was a scream born from unbearable grief.
From despair.
From hatred.
The man in white glanced once at Luna's lifeless body.
"Well."
His voice remained completely emotionless.
"Now all that's left..."
"...is to find the deed to this house."
He turned to leave.
Then...
He heard a voice behind him.
Low.
Hoarse.
Filled with murderous hatred.
"I swear..."
Demian still lay among the rubble.
His fingers dug into the earth.
"I'll kill you..."
His entire body trembled violently.
"I swear..."
He slowly lifted his head.
His eyes burned with tears and hatred.
"I'll kill you..."
"...you bastard."
The man simply smiled.
"Fascinating."
He knelt before the broken boy.
Looking directly into his eyes.
"That killing intent..."
"...is truly extraordinary."
He grabbed Demian by the hair.
"Don't worry."
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"I'm going to take you somewhere..."
"...where you'll become strong."
"...Very quickly."
Demian gritted his teeth.
"W-What..."
"...are you talking about?"
The only answer was a punch.
THUD.
Darkness swallowed Demian once again.
The man casually lifted the unconscious boy onto his shoulder.
He cast one final glance at the ruined house.
At Luna's lifeless body.
Then he walked away without looking back.
"Come, boy..."
His voice echoed through the empty street.
"It's time..."
"...for you to meet..."
The Coliseum.