**Volume 2: Upper World**

  **Chapter 82: A New Way**

  February 6th, 2:14 a.m. – Ruined Stadium (Hidden Lower Level)

  The lower level was dark — only emergency strips glowing faint red along the floor, casting long shadows across cracked concrete. Ray stood in the center — white hair catching the dim light, purple eyes calm. Leo leaned against a pillar — bat wings gone, stumps still raw, claws tapping slow rhythm. Reiji paced — crimson energy flickering at his fingertips. Jason grinned wide — fists clenched. Jaylee twirled threads between her fingers. Andrew (800 years old, looked 20) stood silent — black eyes like voids. Luka (500 years old, looked 16–23) sat cross-legged — silver hair floating slightly, smile sweet but wrong.

  Cam’s body lay on the floor — still, pale, knife wound in his back crusted black. Mara’s upper half rested beside him — clean cut across the waist, head turned slightly, still smiling that small, tired smile.

  Josh — or what was left of him — stood over Cam’s body. His blond hair was matted, academy jacket torn, but his eyes glowed faint black-red. He flexed his fingers — Cam’s fingers — and laughed — soft, disbelieving.

  “I can switch bodies now… thank you, Jane’s heart.”

  He looked down at Cam’s face — peaceful in death — and twisted it into a grin.

  Then the camera panned up.

  Jane’s face — real Jane — appeared in the shadows behind them. Red hair slicked back, green eyes glowing, core scar still cracked but pulsing steady. He smiled — slow, satisfied.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  Ray nodded once — no smile.

  “It begins.”

  ---

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  February 6th, 11:22 a.m. – Rebuilt Academy Courtyard

  Sky carried a crate of bricks — arms burning, sweat running down his back under the blue shirt. The academy was coming back — slow, painful. 5,000 people worked in shifts: stacking bricks, handing out food, clearing rubble. 20,000 total left here — survivors from the surrounding towns, kids, families, a few awakened who hadn’t run. Japan as a whole: 986 million still breathing. The fireball had taken millions, but not everything.

  Sky set the crate down — wiped his forehead — looked around. Frosty was handing out water bottles — ice already frosting the plastic. Max was stacking wood beams — shadows helping lift. Kira was sharpening her katana on a whetstone — quiet, focused.

  Sky walked over to the park — small patch of grass that survived, benches cracked but standing.

  Kira, Max, and Frosty were already there — sitting, talking low.

  Frosty looked up — smiled small.

  “Hey.”

  Sky sat on the bench — legs stretched out.

  Max grinned — tired.

  “Training time?”

  Sky nodded — stood.

  They sparred — light at first — Max throwing shadow punches, Sky dodging. Then Sky focused — light blue aura flickering — and moved at 24 fps. Max’s punches lagged — Sky weaved back like he was in a slideshow, untouchable.

  Max laughed — “Not fair!”

  Sky kicked — 15 fps slow-motion — boot to Max’s chest. Max flew back — rolled — came up grinning.

  Sky walked over — offered a hand — pulled him up.

  Then he placed a palm on Max’s chest — **Star Healing** — golden light spreading, ribs knitting, bruises fading. Max exhaled — shoulders relaxing.

  “Thanks, bro.”

  Sky looked at Kira and Frosty — they were talking low, heads close. He looked at the ground — then up at the sky. It was getting dark — clouds rolling in early.

  “Let’s go, guys. It’s getting dark.”

  They walked back — quiet — no one saying much.

  ---

  February 9th, 10:47 p.m. – Academy Roof

  Sky sat on the roof edge — legs dangling, Reaper leaning against his shoulder. The blade was cracked but still hummed faint void energy. Below — the academy glowed with campfires and lanterns — 20,000 people moving slow, rebuilding, healing, surviving.

  Max climbed up — sat beside him — shadows curling lazy around his boots.

  Sky looked at him.

  Max spoke first — voice low.

  “Sky.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You think when we get out of here… we’ll be the strongest? Have a happy ending?”

  Sky stared at the glass panel beside him — reflection clear for once — no corruption ring glowing, just his face — tired, young, scarred.

  “Yeah,” he said quiet. “I think… I hope.”

  He stood — looked down at the people walking below — lanterns swinging, kids laughing somewhere distant.

  “It was never about keeping people safe.”

  Max frowned.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Sky kept looking down.

  “We’re losing ourselves.”

  Max turned him — hand on his shoulder.

  Sky kicked him back — light, but firm — Max stumbled.

  Sky’s eyes turned blue — all of it — glowing cold.

  “Isn’t it obvious? They want us like this.”

  Max stared — shadows curling tight.

  Sky’s voice dropped.

  “If all these people died… there’d be no one to worry about.”

  Max’s eyes widened.

  “Then what would we be?”

  Sky’s eyes snapped back — normal brown — tears in the corners.

  “Come on, Max.”

  They walked down — back to the dorm.

  Sky opened the door — everyone was already asleep. Frosty curled on her bunk, Kira sitting up reading, Hiro breathing slow.

  Sky lay down — stared at the ceiling.

  The chapter ended.

  To be continued…