Axiom closed the door behind him and stood there for a moment, arms crossed.
Professor Leo sat at his desk like nothing unusual had happened today.
Like students didn't just get carried out of a classroom.
Like he didn't just flash a secret Authority card in front of the superintendent.
Like he didn't just make Axiom the captain of the basketball team.
Axiom shook his head.
"…Okay."
Leo looked up.
"Yes?"
Axiom walked forward and stopped in front of the desk.
"You wanna explain why I'm the captain of the basketball team now?"
Leo didn't answer right away.
He just leaned back in his chair, studying Axiom carefully.
"…Sit."
Axiom sighed but sat down anyway.
He leaned forward.
"That wasn't random, was it?"
Leo shook his head.
"No."
"Then why?"
A short pause.
Leo folded his hands on the desk.
"Because the match in four days is not just a match."
Axiom frowned.
"…What does that mean?"
Leo stood up slowly and walked to the window.
He looked outside for a moment before speaking.
"The Dama Authority does not reveal itself to the public."
"You already know that."
Axiom nodded.
"Yeah."
"But that doesn't mean we don't watch."
Leo turned back to him.
"We observe places where awakenings are likely to happen."
"Schools."
"Competitions."
"High stress environments."
"Situations where people push past their limits."
Axiom's eyes narrowed.
"…Like sports."
Leo nodded.
"Yes."
He crossed his arms.
"Certain matches are… more important than others."
Axiom leaned forward.
"You're saying the Authority is watching this game?"
Leo didn't deny it.
"They will be."
Silence filled the room.
Axiom felt his chest tighten slightly.
"…Why?"
Leo walked closer.
"Because of you."
Axiom blinked.
"…Me?"
"Yes."
"You awakened recently."
"You showed abnormal control."
"You used multiple types of Dama instinctively."
"You reached Forge Stage Two in one morning."
Leo's gaze sharpened.
"That does not happen to normal users."
Axiom swallowed.
"…You think I'm an Origin type."
Leo didn't answer right away.
"That is a possibility."
The room felt heavier.
Axiom looked down at his hands.
"…And if I am?"
Leo's voice became serious.
"Then training alone will not be enough."
Axiom looked up.
"What do you mean?"
Leo stopped in front of him.
"Origin types grow differently."
"They don't just get stronger by practicing."
"They grow through experience."
"Pressure."
"Danger."
"Emotion."
"Conflict."
Axiom remembered the fight.
The dream.
The throne.
The battlefield.
His chest tightened again.
"…So you put me in the match on purpose."
Leo nodded.
"Yes."
"You need real situations."
"Real opponents."
"Real stress."
He pointed toward the door.
"That team you will face in four days…"
A small pause.
"They are not all normal."
Axiom's eyes widened.
"…They have Dama users."
"Yes."
"Not all of them."
"But at least one."
Silence.
Axiom leaned back slowly.
"…You're serious."
Leo nodded.
"The Authority suspects it."
"And they want to see what happens."
Axiom exhaled.
"So I'm bait."
Leo shook his head.
"No."
"You're a test."
Another pause.
"And possibly a candidate."
Axiom looked at him sharply.
"…For the exam."
Leo smiled faintly.
"You're catching on."
Axiom ran a hand through his hair.
"…This is insane."
Leo shrugged slightly.
"This is the world you awakened into."
He walked back to the desk.
"You will continue training with me."
"You will also attend practice."
"You will play in the match."
"You will not reveal your Dama."
Axiom frowned.
"…What?"
Leo looked straight at him.
"Control."
"Not power."
"If the Authority is watching…"
"They are not looking for strength."
"They are looking for potential."
A short pause.
"And they are looking for mistakes."
Axiom went quiet.
"…So I have to fight… without fighting."
Leo nodded.
"Exactly."
Silence filled the room for a few seconds.
Then Axiom smirked slightly.
"…You know this sounds like an anime plot, right?"
Leo smirked back.
"You said you liked anime."
Axiom laughed quietly.
"…Yeah."
Then his expression became serious again.
"…Why me though?"
Leo looked at him for a long moment.
Then spoke quietly.
"Because when you fought yesterday…"
"You didn't attack."
"You didn't panic."
"You didn't lose control."
He folded his arms.
"You moved like someone who already knew what battle feels like."
Axiom froze slightly.
The dream flashed in his mind.
The throne.
The battlefield.
Callie.
Cammy.
People standing behind him.
He shook it off.
"…So what now?"
Leo walked to the door and stopped beside it.
"Now?"
He looked back at him.
"You train."
"You play."
"You live normally."
"Make friends."
"Go to class."
"Talk to that girl you like."
Axiom blinked.
"…You noticed that too?"
Leo smirked.
"I notice everything."
He opened the door slightly.
Then said one more thing.
His voice lower.
More serious than before.
"You are not training for a basketball game, Axiom."
A short pause.
"You are training for the moment the Dama Authority decides to look directly at you."
Axiom stared at Leo for a few seconds after hearing everything.
Authority watching.
Match in four days.
Possible Dama users on the other team.
Origin type.
Training through pressure.
He let out a slow breath.
"…Okay."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"That's all?"
Axiom rubbed the back of his neck.
"No, I mean… I get it."
Small pause.
"…But there's one problem."
Leo tilted his head slightly.
"What problem?"
Axiom looked straight at him.
"I've never played basketball before."
Silence.
Leo blinked once.
"…You're serious."
Axiom nodded.
"Completely serious."
"I've watched it."
"I've played it like twice in high school gym class."
"But I've never actually been on a team."
Leo stared at him for a few seconds.
Then sighed.
"…Of course."
Axiom crossed his arms.
"You made me captain of a team for a sport I don't even play."
Leo smirked slightly.
"I made you captain of a situation."
"That's different."
Axiom shook his head.
"…We're gonna lose."
Leo shook his head.
"No."
Axiom frowned.
"You sound very confident for someone who just found out I can't play."
Leo walked back to his desk and leaned against it.
"You won't lose."
"Because you won't be learning from the team."
Axiom blinked.
"…Then from who?"
Leo looked at him.
"Callie."
Axiom froze for a second.
"…Callie?"
"And Cammy," Leo added.
Axiom straightened.
"Wait… the girls from the game?"
"Yes."
Leo crossed his arms.
"They are not normal athletes."
Axiom's eyes narrowed.
"…Naturals."
Leo nodded.
"Exactly."
"They have been using Dama instinctively for years without knowing it."
"They move better."
"They react faster."
"They adapt quicker than normal people."
Axiom remembered the match.
The way Callie moved.
The way Cammy changed direction without losing speed.
"…Yeah… that makes sense…"
Leo reached into a drawer and pulled out a small piece of paper.
He slid it across the desk.
"Here."
Axiom picked it up.
A school name was written on it.
North Valley High School
Axiom looked up.
"You want me to go to a high school?"
Leo nodded.
"Yes."
Axiom blinked.
"…Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"You're not going to class tomorrow."
Axiom raised an eyebrow.
"You just decided that?"
Leo shrugged.
"You need training."
"Not lectures."
He tapped the paper.
"They graduated yesterday."
Axiom frowned.
"…What?"
Leo continued.
"They already passed their final exams."
"They start college next week."
A small pause.
"At this college."
Axiom's eyes widened.
"…Wait… what?"
Leo nodded.
"They've already been accepted."
"They just haven't officially started yet."
Silence.
Axiom looked down at the paper again.
"…So you want me to go there… tomorrow…"
"Yes."
"And ask them to teach me basketball."
"Yes."
Axiom looked back up slowly.
"…You really planned this."
Leo smirked faintly.
"I plan everything."
Axiom leaned back in the chair.
"…Do they even know?"
Leo shook his head.
"No."
Axiom laughed once.
"…Great."
Another pause.
"…And what do I tell them?"
Leo thought for a moment.
Then said calmly:
"Tell them the truth."
Axiom blinked.
"…About Dama?"
"No."
Leo smirked.
"Tell them you're the new captain."
"That you don't know how to play."
"That you need help."
Axiom stared at him.
"…You're serious."
Leo nodded.
"They will help you."
A short pause.
"Callie especially."
Axiom tilted his head.
"…Why her?"
Leo looked at him carefully.
"Because she likes challenges."
Another pause.
"And because her instinct already reacted to you once."
Axiom's chest tightened slightly.
He remembered that feeling at the game.
That strange pressure.
"…So tomorrow… high school… training… then practice… then match…"
Leo nodded.
"Yes."
"And after the match?"
Leo's expression became serious again.
"…After the match…"
A small pause.
"We'll see if the Authority decides to make their move."