The day of Ray's funeral arrived under a heavy, gray sky. The entire city of Meridicus seemed to have gathered in the large cemetery outside the eastern gates. Tall black banners hung from iron poles, swaying gently in the wind. Rows of white flowers surrounded the freshly dug grave, their soft petals trembling under the quiet murmurs of the crowd. Everyone wore black. Soldiers stood in disciplined lines. Citizens whispered sadly among themselves. Many had tears in their eyes as they looked toward the large portrait of Ray placed beside the grave—his proud smile captured forever in the photograph. For Meridicus, Ray had been more than just a technique user. He had been their symbol of strength. And now he was gone. Lux and his friends had come as well. Rose, Emma, and Zack stood among the crowd, their dark outfits blending with everyone else's. But Lux… Lux stood a few steps away from them, his hands buried in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the ground. He hadn't wanted to come. Of course he hadn't. Rose had practically dragged him there. But Lux's behavior was… strange. Unnatural. Normally he would be cracking jokes, teasing Zack, or annoying Rose with some stupid comment just to see her reaction. Today he was silent. Too silent. Rose looked at him for a long moment before finally stepping closer. "Lux," she said quietly. He didn't respond. "What happened to you?" Lux shrugged slightly. "Nothing." Rose frowned. "That's not true." Still no response. She crossed her arms and leaned closer, lowering her voice. "You've been acting weird since yesterday. You didn't joke once on the way here. You didn't even argue with Zack. That alone is suspicious." Lux gave a faint smile, but it was forced. "I'm just tired." Rose studied his face carefully. She knew Lux well enough to notice when he was lying. Something was wrong. But Lux clearly wasn't going to talk about it. So she sighed and stepped back, though her eyes stayed on him. What are you hiding…? Meanwhile, the funeral ceremony continued. Priests spoke solemn words. A few of Ray's close companions gave emotional speeches about his bravery and dedication to protecting the city. Some people quietly wiped tears from their eyes. Lux barely listened. His thoughts were somewhere else entirely. Ray's final moments kept replaying in his mind. The cracks. The explosion. The blood. Lux clenched his fists slightly. Then suddenly— Something caught his attention. Lux slowly lifted his head. His eyes moved across the crowd. As a Light user, Lux could naturally sense the presence of other technique users around him. It wasn't something he consciously tried to do—it simply happened automatically. Every technique user had a certain energy signature, a faint presence that others could feel. Right now, Lux could sense dozens of them. Earth users. Fire users. Water users. Air users. Their energies moved through the air like faint currents. But then— There was one spot where Lux felt nothing. Not a faint presence. Not even a trace. Just… emptiness. Lux's eyes slowly focused on the source. A boy stood near the edge of the cemetery, slightly separated from the rest of the crowd. He wore a dark hoodie with the hood pulled low over his face, hiding his eyes in shadow. His posture was quiet, almost timid, like someone who didn't want attention. His hands rested loosely in his pockets. He wasn't talking to anyone. He wasn't crying. He wasn't even looking at the grave. He simply stood there. Calmly. Lux narrowed his eyes. Why can't I sense him…? Every technique user had a presence. Even normal humans had a faint life energy. But this boy felt like… Nothing. Lux slowly began walking toward him. Each step felt strangely heavy, though he couldn't explain why. When he finally reached the boy, Lux stopped beside him. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The wind moved quietly through the cemetery, carrying the distant sound of prayers. Lux glanced sideways. "Too bad," he said casually, trying to sound normal. "Someone like Ray dying like that." The boy didn't respond. He didn't even turn his head. Lux frowned slightly. Then— The boy spoke. His voice was calm. Almost emotionless. "I guess even the ones calling themselves the strongest… aren't strong enough to save others, are they?" Lux froze. His heart skipped. Slowly, he turned his head toward the boy. But the boy had already started walking away. He stepped out of the crowd, leaving the cemetery path without another word. Lux stood there for a moment, completely still. One thought echoed loudly in his mind. How did he know that? Ray's death had been reported as a mysterious incident. No one knew someone had been trying to heal him. That detail had never been revealed. Lux's eyes darkened. There's something wrong with that guy. Without hesitation, Lux began following him. Quietly. Carefully. Whatever this mysterious boy was hiding… Lux intended to find out.
Lux moved quietly behind the mysterious boy. The gravel path of the cemetery crunched faintly under his shoes as he followed him at a careful distance. The boy walked calmly, hands still in his pockets, his hood low enough to hide his eyes completely. For a moment, everything seemed normal. Then Lux blinked. And the boy was gone. Just… gone. Lux stopped immediately. His eyes darted around the empty path. The wind rustled through the nearby trees, and dry leaves rolled slowly across the ground. "…What?" Lux muttered under his breath. He had been right behind him. There was no way the boy could disappear like that. Lux turned slowly, scanning every direction. Nothing. No footsteps. No presence. No energy. Just silence. Then suddenly— A deep, calm voice whispered right beside his ear. "Why are you following me?" Lux froze. His body stiffened instantly. In a reflex, he spun around with a violent jerk. Bright golden light exploded from his hands as he launched an attack behind him. The flash cut through the air. But it hit nothing. Only empty space. Lux's breathing grew heavier. Then— The boy appeared again. Standing several steps in front of him. Exactly where he had been earlier. Hands in his pockets. Hood still covering his eyes. His posture calm… almost bored. "Go back," the boy said quietly. Something inside Lux snapped. His fists trembled. His breathing became uneven. And then— Lux exploded. "YOU KILLED HIM!!!" His voice echoed through the empty road near the cemetery. "YOU KILLED RAY!!" His eyes were filled with rage. And tears. "HOW DID YOU KNOW I WAS TRYING TO HEAL HIM?! HOW DID YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT?!" Lux stepped forward violently. "WHY DID YOU—" His voice broke. For the first time since anyone had known him… Lux looked completely shattered. Meanwhile, a short distance away— Rose, Emma, and Zack ran toward the noise. They had followed Lux after noticing him leave the funeral abruptly. But when they reached the road and saw him… They stopped. Frozen. Lux stood there trembling with rage, tears in his eyes, golden light flickering uncontrollably around his hands. They had never seen him like this. Not once. Rose instinctively stepped forward. "Lux—" Zack quickly grabbed her arm. "Don't." Rose looked at him in shock. "What are you doing?!" Zack kept his eyes fixed on Lux. "…Do you know which technique Lux actually uses?" Rose blinked. "What?" "He always dodges the question whenever we ask him," Zack continued quietly. "He either jokes… or changes the topic." Rose frowned slightly. "Well… he's an Air user." Zack looked at her. "How do you know?" "I saw him using an Air technique two months ago in the school playground." Emma shook her head immediately. "What are you talking about?" Rose turned to her. Emma crossed her arms. "I once saw him use an Earth technique to pull a truck out of a pit." Rose stared at her. "…What?" Zack slowly exhaled. "You see?" His eyes remained fixed on Lux. "I always had this feeling Lux was hiding something from us." He paused. "Not in a bad way…" "But I think he just didn't want us to know." Their attention snapped back to Lux. Because he screamed again. His voice shaking with pure rage. "AURORA KICK!!!" In the next instant— The entire area exploded in a blinding flash of light. A massive wave of radiant energy shot forward from Lux's kick, illuminating the entire street like a miniature sunrise. The ground cracked under the force, dust flying into the air as the attack surged toward the hooded boy. Rose, Emma, and Zack instinctively shielded their eyes. Even standing far away, the power behind the attack was terrifying. Lux charged forward immediately after it. But then— Something impossible happened. The glowing attack simply… stopped. Right before reaching the boy. And then— It vaporized. Like mist disappearing in sunlight. Lux froze. Rose, Emma, and Zack stared in disbelief. The boy hadn't even moved. He simply stood there calmly. "Don't try," the boy said quietly. "You might die." Before Lux could react— The boy vanished. And appeared behind him in an instant. Lux barely had time to turn his head. The boy casually flicked his wrist. That was all. Yet the impact was devastating. Lux's body jerked violently as blood suddenly burst from his nose. Then his eyes. His knees slammed against the ground. He collapsed forward, barely holding himself upright. The boy turned and began walking away. Calm. Unbothered. As if nothing had happened. Lux struggled to breathe. His vision blurred. But with the last strength he had left, he forced the words out. "Who… exactly… are you…?" The boy stopped walking. For a moment, he stood there silently. Then, without turning back, he answered. "Go to Mount Solmora." "There… you'll meet him." Those were the last words Lux heard. The world around him faded. And Lux collapsed unconscious onto the ground. Rose ran toward him immediately. "LUX!!!" Emma knelt beside him, panic in her voice. "He's bleeding—!" Zack quickly helped lift him slightly. "Lux! Hey, wake up!" But Lux didn't respond. The mysterious boy was already gone. And the only thing left behind… Was a single name echoing in their minds. Mount Solmora.