Morning light bathed the bakery in a golden haze, the scent of fresh loaves drifting down through the floorboards and into the hidden world below. Underneath that warm and welcoming façade, Kael stood once again in the reinforced basement training room, tension in his limbs and focus sharp as a blade.
His breath misted faintly in the cool air, shadows curling around him like a living cloak. Today, he felt more in control—like he could finally feel Darkbind responding not just to his will, but to his intentions.
"Left, dodge, whip—control, not crush," Aunt Nari ordered from the corner, clipboard in hand.
Kael's shadow tendrils lashed forward with a fluid arc, striking three virtual targets as he spun low and sent a thin spear of darkness toward the last one. It shattered with a blink of light. A low beep confirmed his precision.
He exhaled, lowering his hands.
"You're getting the hang of it," Yumi said from her usual perch on the side bench, legs swinging idly.
Kael turned toward her, still catching his breath. "Darkbind's not… fighting me as much anymore."
"It's more like a conversation now," Aunt Nari noted. "You give, it responds. You panic, it panics."
Yumi grinned. "Sounds like every team-up I've ever had."
The training room lights flickered slightly as someone descended the staircase. Kael turned toward the door—and his eyes widened as a tall figure stepped into view.
A man in sleek black and deep violet armor entered, his presence commanding. His eyes glowed faintly like distant stars, and flecks of cosmic energy shimmered around his shoulders like a drifting nebula.
"Dad!" Yumi stood up instantly, her eyes glowing in a similar hue as her father's.
Kael's jaw dropped slightly. He knew this man. One of Japan's more elusive but powerful heroes—Hero Name: Voidflare—a cosmic-energy-class Pro Hero known for rare, space-bending attacks and protective applications that manipulated gravitational fields and raw interstellar force.
Voidflare walked casually toward the group. "You really buried this training room under a bakery, Nari?"
"Bakery's a good front," Aunt Nari replied, not missing a beat. "Plus, I still make a damn good sourdough."
Voidflare chuckled. "I'll admit, I'm impressed. This facility's almost Pro Hero-grade."
"I have friends," Nari said simply. "Tech-savvy ones. Retired support crew, a couple of engineers who owed me favors. Everything here's repurposed from the old Osaka Tower hero base before it got shut down."
"Convenient," he muttered, then looked to Kael. "So. This is the boy Yumi's been talking about."
Kael extended his hand. "Kael. It's an honor, sir."
Voidflare shook it firmly. "You're the Quirk-balancer. With the shadow beast."
Kael hesitated. "Something like that."
Voidflare's eyes glittered. "Power like yours attracts imbalance. But if you're learning to steady it, that means there's hope for control."
Yumi stepped up beside them. "Dad's Quirk is like mine, but his is… intense. Gravity shifts, particle control, solar and cosmic manipulation. I think I got the lighter version."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "So your Quirk really is cosmic energy?"
Yumi nodded. "I channel energy from ambient cosmic radiation—sunlight, starlight, even background cosmic particles. I can condense it into blasts, shields, or fields that mess with physics a little. Only downside is our power only works in the sunlight. But if we store some of the suns energy inside out body for days on end, we can use them at night."
Voidflare added, "Her quirk is overall better for tactical use. Mine's… messier in close quarters."
"She glows in the dark sometimes," Kael said with a grin.
"Better than you and your edgelord shadow tendrils," she shot back.
Voidflare watched them with interest. "You two work well together. That's.. interesting."
Then Aunt Nari cleared her throat. "Before we start up again, there's something Kael wanted to get off his chest."
Kael's stomach tensed. "Right. It's about Ren.
Voidflare tilted his head slightly. Yumi looked over with curiosity.
"I used my Quirk on him," Kael said carefully. "I took Ren's Hardening Quirk… not permanently. Just for a while."
Yumi's eyes widened. "What? Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense. I was wondering where you got it from! I know ren was sooo shocked to see his quirk vanish like that!"
"I gave it back," Kael added quickly. "I just wanted to feel what it was like—to understand how hard it is to master a Quirk like his. The raw physicality, the mental discipline. It wasn't about stealing. It was about learning."
Aunt Nari's face was unreadable. "We made sure the doctors had an explanation. Quirk regression. Temporary gene suppression. It's happened before. His family accepted it."
Kael nodded. "No one suspects that I had anything to do with his quirk's disappearance. I made sure of it."
Voidflare studied him, unreadable for a moment. Then he said, "What did it teach you?"
Kael blinked. "That power means nothing if you don't understand it. I was overwhelmed at first. Ren makes it look easy… but his control comes from experience, not talent alone."
"That," Voidflare said, "is the start of wisdom."
Yumi folded her arms. "I think you did the wrong thing for the right reason. Still dumb, though."
Kael grinned. "I accept that."
Aunt Nari looked toward Voidflare. "Want to test him yourself?"
Voidflare nodded. "If the kid's ready."
Kael swallowed. "Sparring? With you?"
Yumi beamed. "Don't worry. He'll only vaporize your ego."
Kael laughed nervously as the center of the room cleared. Voidflare floated to the far side, gravity-light and calm.
"I won't hurt you," the Pro Hero said. "But I will show you where your limits are."
Kael squared his stance, shadows rippling behind him.
"I want to know exactly that."
Aunt Nari moved to the control booth. "Training Match: Initiate."
Yumi stepped to the sidelines, cosmic light crackling at her fingertips. "Let's see what you're made of, Kael."
The basement hummed, bakery above blissfully unaware. But down here, stars and shadows were about to clash.
…