The sun had already vanished beyond the horizon when the school bell rang.
— "Later, bros!" said Ryu, stretching his arms.
— "Catch you tomorrow," Ethan nodded, raising a hand.
— "Bye, Ryan… I'll text you when I get home!" Annie added with a smile before vanishing with her friends.
Ryan stood still for a moment, gazing at the darkening sky. A soft breeze brushed across his face.
— "Time to go…" he murmured, shoving his hands into his pockets.
He walked through the city streets until he stopped in front of the Ray Stormbreak Monument — a tall, imposing statue carved from polished black stone, its eyes gazing endlessly into the distance.
Ryan said nothing. His eyes shimmered beneath the streetlights.
— "Will I ever… reach Ray's level?"
A deep, calm voice rose beside him:
— "Tough question, isn't it?"
Ryan turned, startled.
Standing before him… was Inavy Stormbreak.
Crimson eyes, black hair streaked with white, and a heavy expression — he looked at the monument with a kind of gravity, as though he carried the weight of the world.
— "I-Inavy Stormbreak!?"
Inavy glanced over, offering a faint smile.
— "Hey there. You must be young Ryan… doing alright?"
— "Yes, sir… I'm fine." Ryan straightened up. "But… isn't it dangerous walking around this late?"
— "Habit," Inavy replied, his eyes back on the statue.— "Since I was fifteen, I've been coming here. I clean this statue with my own hands. I never let a single speck of dirt settle on it."
Ryan was silent for a moment. Then he said:
— "Makes sense. He was the greatest of them all…Sometimes I look at him and wonder if I'll ever be like him."
Inavy murmured at the same time:
— "Sometimes I look at him and wonder if I'll ever be like him."
They looked at each other — and smiled.
They sat together on the bench in front of the monument. The wind blew softly once more.
— "Mr. Inavy… are you stronger than your father?" Ryan asked.
Inavy took a deep breath.
— "Yes. But I'm still far from reaching him."
— "What do you mean?"
— "Ray wasn't just a hero. He was wise, fair… and pure of heart.He always said: 'True heroes are the ones who sacrifice themselves to protect what they love most.'"
Ryan clenched his fists. The words struck something deep inside.
— "He taught me something new every day.He shaped me — not just as a fighter, but as a man.He was my hero." Inavy added.
— "What was it like… living in those days?" Ryan asked, his eyes sparkling.
Inavy chuckled lightly.
— "You really are a fan, huh?"
— "Of him… and of you too."
— "Thanks." Inavy said sincerely.— "Ray's era was intense. One day everything seemed calm — the next, the world felt like it was ending.We fought against the Order of Tyrus. It was hell.But Ray taught me one essential thing…"
— "BREAK MY LIMITS!" they both said at the same time.
Inavy blinked, surprised. Then burst into genuine laughter.
— "I'm starting to like you, kid…Wish Ethan understood that as well as you do."
— "Ethan admires you a lot," Ryan said seriously.
Inavy raised an eyebrow.
— "He always runs from my image. Hates being compared to me, Ray, or even Ron."
Ryan shook his head.
— "It's not that.Ethan just wants to be the first Ethan.The weight of comparison suffocates him."
Inavy was silent for a moment… then smiled softly.
— "Maybe… I should talk to him more."
— "Mr. Inavy… I'm going to enter the Draft." Ryan said firmly.
Inavy stood up.
— "Even without aura, huh?"
— "Even without aura. I'm going to become a hero."
Inavy smiled, stepping closer.
— "I believe in you, Ryan.You'll become a hero.You'll show the world that even someone without aura can be the hope it needs."
Ryan raised his hand to his face — tears had begun falling.
— "You crying, kid? Did I say something wrong?" Inavy asked, confused.
— "No… just… thank you.I'll become a hero.And you'll be there to see it."
Inavy held out his fist.
— "I will. Now go… and BREAK YOUR LIMITS."
They bumped fists.
Above them, the starry sky gleamed over the two heirs to Ray Stormbreak's legacy —one carrying the burden of the past,and the other, the hope for the future.