My name is Ryusei Ryugu.
I'm thirteen years old.
And I'm an Elementalist.
Unfortunately.
Most people would probably think that sounds amazing. In our world, Elementalists are admired and respected. They possess incredible powers known as Elemental Arts, abilities capable of controlling the forces of nature itself. The stronger your Elemental Art, the higher your status in society.
For most people, becoming an Elementalist is a blessing.
For me, it's a curse.
Because despite being born an Elementalist...
I can't use magic.
Not even the simplest spell.
No matter how hard I trained, no matter how many years I spent trying, I could never activate a single Elemental Art.
In a world where power determined everything, I was nothing more than a joke.
A failure.
A disgrace.
A cool morning breeze brushed against my face as I stood alone in the park near my school. The sunlight filtered through the trees overhead, casting dancing shadows across the stone pathway beneath my feet.
In front of me stood a massive monument.
The statue towered high above the surrounding park, carved with incredible craftsmanship. Every detail had been preserved perfectly despite the centuries that had passed.
It depicted a woman.
Long flowing hair.
A regal posture.
Eyes that seemed to stare beyond time itself.
Quintela Shiori.
The Empress of Death.
Even now, hundreds of years after her disappearance, stories about her remained some of the most famous legends in the world.
Children learned about her in school.
Historians dedicated their lives to studying her.
Some feared her.
Others admired her.
As for me...
I couldn't explain why, but every time I looked at the monument, I felt something strange.
Almost as if it were calling to me.
Like there was a voice buried deep within the stone, desperately trying to tell me something.
I stared at the statue for several moments before a familiar voice suddenly shattered my concentration.
"Ryusei?!"
I turned around.
A girl with bright blue hair was running toward me while trying to catch her breath. Her sparkling blue eyes immediately locked onto mine.
Kayosha Mizu.
One of my closest friends.
And...
If I was being honest with myself...
My first crush.
She finally stopped in front of me and bent over slightly, placing her hands on her knees.
"Ryusei! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Class is about to start!"
I glanced back at the monument.
"I was just looking at the statue."
"The statue?" she asked.
I nodded.
"It always feels like it's trying to tell me something."
Kayosha blinked.
Then she checked the time on her wristwatch.
The moment she saw it, her face turned pale.
"Oh no."
"What?"
She grabbed my hand.
"WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!"
Before I could react, she took off running.
"Wait—!"
My protest was immediately swallowed by the wind.
I was practically dragged halfway across the city as Kayosha sprinted toward school at full speed.
Aluxany High School.
We burst through the classroom door just seconds before the bell rang.
The entire class looked toward us.
Kayosha immediately collapsed into her seat.
"Late again..." she groaned.
"Why does this always happen to me?"
A red-haired boy sitting nearby grinned.
"Oh?"
His mischievous eyes shifted between us.
"You and Ryusei dating or something?"
He pointed dramatically.
"This is like the sixth time you two have been late together."
"WE ARE NOT DATING!"
Kayosha jumped to her feet instantly.
Her entire face turned bright red.
"It's Ryusei's fault!"
"My fault?!"
"Yes!"
"He keeps hanging around statues!"
The red-haired boy stared at me.
His name was Kasai Hoño.
My best friend since childhood.
He folded his arms.
"...Are you attracted to rocks or something?"
"NO!"
"Then why are you always staring at them?"
I pointed toward the window.
"I don't know. It just feels like they're trying to tell me something."
The classroom immediately fell silent.
Kasai slowly nodded.
"Yeah."
"What?"
"You're definitely weird."
Before I could argue, the classroom door suddenly slammed open.
BANG!
Every student immediately froze.
A terrifying aura filled the room.
Standing in the doorway was a tall man with sharp eyes and an expression capable of making grown adults cry.
Professor Hexio Magistus.
The strictest teacher in the entire academy.
Even other teachers were afraid of him.
"LISTEN UP, MAGGOTS!"
The entire class sat up straight.
"Today," he growled, "we will be conducting a Shototsu."
The room instantly exploded with excitement.
"A Shototsu?!"
"Seriously?!"
"No way!"
Professor Hexio ignored the commotion.
"Get changed and report to the gymnasium immediately."
With that, he turned around and left.
The moment he disappeared, students began rushing toward the locker rooms.
A Shototsu.
An official Elementalist sparring match.
The only time students were permitted to freely use their Elemental Arts inside school grounds.
For most students, it was exciting.
For me...
It was a nightmare.
Inside the locker room, students were changing into their combat uniforms while discussing possible opponents.
Kasai sat beside me.
"So who do you think you're fighting today?"
I stared quietly at the floor.
"It doesn't matter."
"Huh?"
I clenched my fists.
"I can't even cast a single spell."
The words felt heavy in my chest.
"How am I supposed to call myself an Elementalist when I can't do something as basic as magic?"
Silence filled the space between us.
I lowered my head.
I've already accepted the truth.
A long time ago.
Even when I was a child.
I knew there was something wrong with me.
I was nothing more than a cursed child.
Kasai placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Just believe in yourself, Ryusei."
"You'll get stronger."
I wanted to believe him.
I really did.
But before I could respond—
SLAM!
My face smashed against a locker.
Pain exploded across my skull.
I barely had time to react before someone grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the metal a second time.
"Keep dreaming, Ryusei."
A familiar voice laughed.
I looked up.
Sanda.
A tall blond-haired student with sharp yellow eyes.
One of the strongest students in our year.
And one of my biggest tormentors.
He grabbed my neck and lifted me up.
Then drove his knee into my stomach.
The impact knocked the air from my lungs.
I crashed onto the floor.
"You've gone too far, Sanda!"
Kasai stepped in front of me.
Flames erupted around his right fist.
Sanda grinned.
"Oh?"
"You want to fight me?"
Crackling sparks of electricity began dancing across his hand.
"I've never backed down from a fight."
Kasai clenched his fist.
"No one hurts my friends and gets away with it!"
He inhaled deeply.
A spiral of flames gathered inside his mouth.
"Fire Dragon: Blazing Roar!"
A massive torrent of fire exploded forward.
The spiral inferno raced across the locker room.
Sanda merely smirked.
"Lightning Dragon: Electrovolt!"
Lightning gathered around his arm before erupting outward as a concentrated blast.
The two attacks collided.
BOOOOM!
The explosion shook the entire room.
Lockers were ripped apart.
Benches shattered.
Students scrambled for cover.
Both fighters charged forward.
"Fire Dragon—!"
"Lightning Dragon—!"
Their fists became engulfed in elemental energy.
Just before they could collide—
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
A furious voice echoed throughout the locker room.
Two beams of energy shot across the room.
Both attacks wrapped around Kasai and Sanda, binding their arms and legs instantly.
The pair crashed to the floor.
Professor Hexio stood in the doorway.
His expression looked murderous.
"You two couldn't behave for five minutes."
Neither student dared respond.
The professor turned toward me.
"And you."
I slowly stood up.
"Flame boy."
Kasai looked up.
"Take white-hair to the nurse's office."
"He needs treatment."
Professor Hexio snapped his fingers.
The bindings around Kasai and Sanda vanished.
"As for you, lightning idiot..."
He cracked his knuckles.
"We need to have a conversation."
Sanda visibly paled.
Kasai helped me to my feet.
"Come on."
As we left the room, I thought I heard a faint whisper behind me.
A voice so quiet I almost missed it.
"Don't ever give up, kid."
I turned around.
No one was there.
The nurse treated my injuries.
Thankfully, I only suffered bruises and a few cuts.
After receiving bandages, Kasai and I headed toward the gymnasium.
The Shototsu was already underway.
The massive arena buzzed with excitement as students battled in the center.
"Kasai!"
"Ryusei!"
We looked up.
Kayosha was sitting in the bleachers, waving energetically.
When we approached, her expression immediately changed.
"Oh my god!"
Her eyes widened.
"What happened to you?!"
She pointed toward my bruises.
"Why are you covered in bandages?"
"Long story," I replied.
She turned toward Kasai.
"Sanda."
Instantly, Kayosha's face darkened.
"That jerk."
"What's his problem?"
"Can't he leave Ryusei alone for one day?"
Then she looked back at me.
For some reason, my face immediately grew warm.
"Sit."
I obeyed.
Kayosha raised both hands.
The water stored inside the canister attached to her waist floated into the air.
The liquid spiraled around her fingers before gathering around her palms.
"Water Dragon: Mystical Oasis."
A soft blue glow illuminated her hands.
She gently pressed them against the bruises on my cheek.
Warmth spread throughout my body.
The pain disappeared almost instantly.
It felt peaceful.
Comforting.
I slowly closed my eyes.
For a moment, I nearly fell asleep.
Then the loudspeaker echoed throughout the gymnasium.
"Final match of the day!"
My eyes opened.
"Ryusei Ryugu versus Flick Blaze!"
I sighed.
Of course.
I stood up.
"Thanks, Kayosha."
She smiled.
"Good luck."
I nodded and made my way toward the arena.
The crowd watched silently as I stepped onto the battlefield.
Across from me stood Flick Blaze.
A fire-element user.
The moment the match started, he smirked.
"Fire Art: Flame Bullet."
A sphere of fire shot toward me.
I couldn't react.
The attack struck me directly.
Pain exploded across my chest.
Before I could recover—
"Fire Art: Flame Bullet."
A second blast hit me.
Then a third.
Then a fourth.
I collapsed to my knees.
Laughter filled the arena.
"Just give up!"
"Pathetic!"
"How is he even an Elementalist?"
"He's worthless!"
Every word stabbed into my heart.
Maybe they were right.
Maybe I didn't belong here.
Maybe the world would be better off without me.
My vision slowly darkened.
The crowd disappeared.
The arena vanished.
And then—
I found myself standing inside an endless white void.
Silence stretched infinitely in every direction.
Far ahead stood a gigantic door.
Ancient.
Majestic.
Its surface was covered in countless carvings.
At its center was the symbol of a blue dragon.
The moment I saw it, something deep inside me stirred.
A voice echoed within my soul.
Open it.
Without understanding why, I stepped forward.
My hand touched the door.
Then I pushed.
The door slowly opened.
An unimaginable surge of power exploded outward.
Light flooded the void.
A colossal dragon emerged from within.
Its body was formed entirely from divine energy.
Its eyes shone like stars.
Its roar shook existence itself.
The dragon looked directly at me.
Then charged forward.
Before I could move—
It swallowed me whole.
Back in the arena—
"Since Ryusei Ryugu can no longer continue—"
Professor Hexio suddenly stopped speaking.
His eyes widened.
The crowd fell silent.
Everyone stared toward the battlefield.
I was standing.
Slowly.
A massive pillar of radiant light erupted from my body and pierced the heavens.
The gymnasium shook.
The sky trembled.
Across the kingdom, Elementalists looked upward in shock.
The pillar of light could be seen from every corner of the nation.
Far away, beyond civilization, deep within a barren wasteland littered with the corpses of fallen Elementalists, a mysterious figure sat upon a throne made entirely of bones.
His face remained hidden beneath a dark hood.
Yet a smile slowly spread across his lips.
"So..."
He gazed toward the distant pillar of light.
"He has finally awakened."
The smile widened.
"Or should I say..."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"The Grand Elementalist has returned."