The rooftop was quiet now.
The chaos from earlier had faded, leaving behind only a gentle breeze that brushed against the edges of the tall building.
Ilon and Orpa sat side by side at the corner.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Ilon slowly raised his hand toward the sky, palm open… then clenched it into a fist.
"…Strange," he murmured.
Orpa glanced at him. "Why do you use your magic in such a weird way?"
Ilon let out a small sigh. "Because… I can only use magic through my eyes."
"…What?" Orpa frowned. "How is that even possible? Your magical power is clearly off the charts. You should be able to use magic normally."
Ilon looked down. "…I never really thought about it that way."
Silence lingered for a second.
Then Orpa suddenly snapped her fingers. "Wait! My uncle!"
Ilon blinked. "Your uncle?"
"He's a professor at MSI—Magic and Science Institute," she explained. "If anyone can figure out what's wrong with your magic, it's him."
Ilon's eyes lit up. "Really? That would help a lot."
He smiled. "Thanks a bunch, Orpa."
He raised his right hand for a handshake.
Orpa grabbed it—
—but instead of shaking, she smirked.
"Now," she said confidently, "I'll show you just how powerful I've become."
Before Ilon could react—
"Flame Magic… Flame Dragon Wings!"
She raised her left hand, engulfed in a blazing aura.
WHOOSH—!
Massive wings erupted behind her—beautiful yet fierce, like a fusion of butterfly elegance and dragon scales, burning with crimson flames.
Ilon's eyes widened. "…Whoa."
Orpa pulled him along.
"Let's go!"
They shot into the sky.
Ilon held onto part of her wing structure, feeling the heat and power coursing through it.
The wind roared past them.
Orpa laughed freely. "YEEE! Ilon, this is so fun!"
Ilon couldn't help but be surprised. "Orpa… just how powerful have you become?"
Moments later—
They descended in front of a massive facility.
A grand structure stood before them:
MSI — Magic and Science Institute
They walked inside and stopped in front of a door.
A nameplate read:
Professor
Hazaul Rashid
IMT(Information and Magic Technology) Specialist
Knock. Knock.
"Come in," a voice replied.
Inside—
The room was filled with strange devices, glowing screens, and magical instruments.
"Hi, Uncle Hazaul!" Orpa greeted cheerfully.
The man turned around.
"…Orpa?" he squinted. "Is that really you? I must be getting old… the last time I saw you, you were just a little child."
Orpa gave an awkward smile. "…Can we… not talk about that right now?"
Then her expression turned serious.
"I came here about something important."
Hazaul adjusted his glasses. "Oh? What might that be?"
Ilon stepped forward. "Actually… it's about me. I can't use magic properly. I can only use it through my eyes."
Hazaul's gaze sharpened.
On his left eye was a square-shaped lens—an advanced magical appraisal device.
"Appraise," he said calmly.
An artificial voice responded:
[Appraising the individual…]
A transparent blue system window appeared in his vision.
Name: Ilon Cry
MP: ???
Affinity: All Elements
Skills:
Shadow Instinct (Defensive) Existence Eye (???) Auto Heal (Passive) Shadow Wings (Passive)
Hazaul's expression changed.
"…Interesting."
He looked at Ilon carefully.
"I've examined your entire body, boy," he said. "You are… uniquely constructed. Your magic system doesn't follow normal rules."
Ilon scratched his head nervously. "…Is that bad?"
"Not necessarily," Hazaul replied. "It just means… you need a different approach."
He turned and picked up a device.
A crown-like headband connected with cables.
"This is an older model," he explained. "It transfers mana within the body to a specific point, allowing controlled magic usage."
Then he placed it aside and revealed another device.
This one was smaller.
A single square lens connected to a black cable, ending in an arrow-shaped connector.
"This," Hazaul said, "is a modified version. Specifically for you."
Ilon leaned forward. "For me?"
"Yes. It will transfer the mana from your eyes… to your left arm."
Ilon looked at his hand.
The device was now attached to it.
"…So I can finally use magic normally?"
Hazaul nodded. "In theory."
Ilon grinned. "Then let's go for a test drive—"
"Wait."
Hazaul's voice stopped him.
Ilon froze.
"…Before that," the professor said seriously, "you must understand something."
The room grew quiet.
"There is a history… behind your condition."