Ilon stood at the base of a tall building, looking up at its towering height.
"…Perfect," he muttered.
A small grin formed on his face. "Let's test my magic."
He took a deep breath. "From what I understand… my magic gets stronger when I feel something emotional. Especially sadness…"
He closed his eyes.
"Alright… think of something sad…"
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
"…Whoa."
A strange energy surged through him.
"I think… something's about to happen…"
Dark shadows began to gather around his eyes.
From them—
Something emerged.
Shadowy wings burst out, stretching wide behind him like living darkness.
Ilon's eyes widened in excitement. "Shadow magic… awesome!"
With a single step—
Whoosh!
He lifted off the ground.
"HAHA! I'm flying!"
The wind rushed past him as he soared upward, reaching the top of the building within seconds.
He landed smoothly, looking proud of himself.
"At last… I reached the top."
"Not bad."
A voice came from behind.
Ilon froze.
"…No way."
He slowly turned around.
There she was.
Orpa.
Floating mid-air, flames blazing around her like a jet, almost like a human fire engine.
"…You've gotta be kidding me," Ilon groaned. "My transformation magic even boosted her powers?!"
Orpa's eyes burned with anger.
"Did you really think you could run forever?"
Without waiting—
She raised her hand.
Six blazing fireballs formed instantly.
"I'm ending this now."
"WAIT—!" Ilon shouted. "You gotta be kidding me!"
She fired.
The fireballs shot toward him at high speed.
But in that exact moment—
His eyes glowed again.
Instinct.
Six shadow arms burst out, moving on their own—
—and caught all six fireballs mid-air.
Boom—!
The flames struggled, but the shadows held firm.
Ilon blinked.
"…I'm alive?"
He let out a breath. "Okay… that was close."
Orpa landed slowly and began walking toward him.
Step.
Step.
"I'm going to kill you," she said coldly.
Ilon gulped. "…She's still on that?!"
Suddenly—
A sharp presence cut through the air.
Ilon's expression changed.
"…Wait."
From afar, something dark and fast was rushing toward them.
A shadow arrow.
And its target—
Orpa.
"That thing is coming straight at her!"
For a split second, Ilon hesitated.
Then—
"…I like her. I can't let anything happen to her."
His emotions surged.
And with that—
His magic exploded.
Giant shadow tentacles burst out from his eyes, slamming into the arrow mid-flight—
CRASH!
The arrow shattered instantly.
Far away—
Inside a dark cave.
A figure sat in the shadows.
A demon.
"…I sensed that girl's mana," it muttered. "I thought she might become troublesome in the future…"
A pause.
Then a slow, twisted smile appeared.
"But it seems… that boy is far more interesting."
Its eyes glowed in the darkness.
"I'll enjoy killing him."
A chilling, demonic laugh echoed through the cave.
Back on the rooftop—
Silence filled the air.
Orpa stood still, processing what just happened.
…He saved me.
Her expression softened slightly.
She looked at Ilon.
"…Hey."
Ilon blinked. "Huh?"
"My name is Orpa," she said. "I never got yours."
Ilon scratched his head awkwardly.
"…Oh. Right."
He smiled lightly.
"My name is Ilon."
And just like that—
What started as chaos…
Was slowly turning into something else.