YEAR 2144

The morning sun filtered through the high windows of Surge University, casting a golden glow over the hallowed halls that had borne witness to generations of legendary casters. In this bastion of magic and learning, a boy with an air of mystery made his silent approach to the head principal's office.

With ethereal silver hair cascading down his shoulders, he stepped into the office. His uniform was spotless, and despite his attire, there was an undeniable femininity to his features that often led to a second glance. His face, gentle and delicate as if sculpted with care, bore an expression of utter boredom. The principal, a man of sharp intellect, looked up from his paperwork, his eyes narrowing with concern.

"Son, why are you here again?" the principal asked, his voice tinged with worry.

The boy sauntered over to the couch near the principal's desk and sprawled out, closing his eyes as if the weight of the world was too much to bear. "Bored," he muttered, the word barely a whisper.

The principal's eyebrows knitted together in a mix of annoyance and fatigue. "Go back to your classroom; this is not a place for a nap."

"Can I go home?" The boy's voice was soft, almost pleading, yet there was a rebellious undertone that didn't escape the principal's notice.

"No," came the swift, stern reply. "You'll make your brother panic again. You can't leave him there in your classroom, being diligent while you're here doing the opposite."

The boy's lips curled into a frown. "I can't be here in this school. Everything seems so easy for me. I'm more than special," he said, his voice a gentle rebellion against the mundane.

The principal sighed, a sound of deep resignation as if acknowledging a battle he could not win.

A knock at the door interrupted their standoff. The principal looked up, and the door swung open to reveal another man, his hair a sunny yellow, holding two glasses filled with a mysterious liquid.

"Tony, check this out, I've got another cocktail for ya," the man said, grinning with excitement.

"Not again," the principal replied, humor lacing his resignation at the prospect of yet another of the man's experimental concoctions.

The man's eyes flicked to the boy. "Oh, he's here too? Guess this glass isn't for me anymore."

Tony smiled. "We can share. So, what is this now?"

The man held out the glass. "Tell me if the taste is livable. Hah, it's supposed to be a potion to enhance mana generation."

"You're not sure?" The principal raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, just try," the man smirked, pushing the glass closer. "I've been mixing this for weeks. I just need the right flavor. The potency is already there."

The principal took a glass from his close friend, who also happened to be one of the professors at the school, and the man passed the other glass to the boy.

"Hey, get up. This is yours," the man said.

The boy sat up and took the glass, drinking it without a second thought.

The principal grimaced. "This tastes weird. What's supposed to be the flavor?"

"Tamarind?" The man offered with a hopeful smile.

The boy spat out the liquid. "Blegghh… Tastes like dead fish."

The man frowned, his pride wounded. "Hey! It's not that bad."

Tony, with a glass of the man's latest concoction in hand, offered a suggestion laced with humor. "You might want to adjust the taste again, Rey. It's definitely not livable," he said, the sound of his gentle chuckle filling the room with a warmth that contrasted the coolness of the potion.

Rey, the man with an expression a mix of frustration and fatigue, protested, "Are you serious?!" The weight of countless hours spent perfecting the potion was evident in his voice. "I'm tired, Tony. I just want this available for every student so they can learn better. Infinite mana means more magic, more casting, and learning," he added, his laughter echoing Tony's, though tinged with the edge of desperation.

The boy, who had been observing the exchange with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, couldn't help but interject. "Uggh," he muttered, his voice dripping with youthful sarcasm. "Sounds like you just want to torture your students, sir."

Rey turned to the boy, feigning a need to hear the comment again. "Huh?!" he exclaimed, pretending not to have heard the boy's quip.

Tony's smile was a balm, soothing the sting of the boy's words. "Okay, okay. That's enough, son. You're hurting your guro's feelings."

The boy watched as his father, Tony, continued talking to the man. The adults were busy, their conversation carrying on without him. But suddenly, he felt his senses begin to fade. "W-what the-?" he questioned, his voice trailing off as his vision blurred and his head grew light. "W-what's happening?" he pondered in silence, his thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind..

His strength waned, and his head lolled over the couch, his world tilting into darkness. The sounds around him grew distant, and the last thing he heard was his father's worried voice, filled with sudden urgency.

"R-Rey… what did you do?"

At that moment, darkness claimed him, and the glass slipped from his limp fingers, clattering to the floor. It didn't shatter, but the remaining potion spilled out spreading across the floor.

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Minutes passed slowly. The once peaceful halls of Surge University were now tense around the principal's office. Unknown to the rest of the academy, a woman with bright green hair was walking down the corridor, holding a lunchbox, heading towards the principal's office.

She stopped at the door and knocked softly. When no one answered, she muttered, "Office empty? Maybe I should just leave this on his desk." Finding the door unlocked, she pushed it open, unaware that she was about to stumble upon a very unusual scene.

As the door swung wide, her eyes took in a sight that rooted her to the spot. Three men, armed with rifles, were in the midst of a heinous act. Two of them were preoccupied with carrying the unconscious boy, while the principal, a figure of strength and authority, was slumped at his desk, his head barely lifted, his consciousness hanging by a thread.

Tony, his vision blurred and fading, caught a glimpse of the woman frozen in shock. With the last of his strength, he whispered a desperate warning, "R-Rin… R-Run…"

Rin, her name called out in a hushed breath, could only utter a confused, "Huh?"

Before she could react, a hand clamped over her mouth from behind, silencing her startled gasp. "You shouldn't be here, Mrs. Surge," Rey's voice was a low growl, his words muffled against her ear as she began to struggle against the grip. The realization dawned on Rin too late—she had not entered this room alone. And Rey had been following her all the way there.

Tony, feeling the betrayal of someone he once considered a close friend, tried to speak, to appeal to Rey's conscience while pushing his body to resist the effects of the potion he had consumed. "Rey…s-stop-" he uttered weakly.

Rey's eyes widened slightly as he observed Tony, a hint of amazement flickering across his face. "You're still with us? Rey remarked, his voice with a touch of admiration. "Most would have succumbed to the depths of sleep by now. But not you, Mr. Oracle. Your spirit is as stubborn as the prophecies you wield."

He then turned to the men carrying the boy. "You two, take him to the library. I prepared the place already. It's closed so no students will be there. We will awaken him there."

Tony, still dizzy and weak, protested in a slurred whisper, "Rey, you can't do this…"

Rey chuckled, devoid of any warmth. "Seems like you finally read my thoughts, Tony. Don't worry, I'll use your son to his full potential," he said, smiling devilishly. "And you're going to witness it all."