CHAPTER 43: LAST GOODBYE

The next day, the graveyard was filled with silence, broken only by the rustling wind and the occasional creak of tree branches swaying under a fast, rain-threatening sky. The sun hung low, painting the world in a sorrowful orange glow.

All the staff and council members were present, dressed uniformly in black coats, white shirts underneath, and black pants. Rows of graves stretched along the grass, and among them, one stood freshly marked — Ren’s.

Squad 12 and Squad 4 stood together, still and silent. Leon stepped forward alone, a small bouquet in hand. He knelt in front of the grave and laid the flowers gently.

He pressed his palms together, bowing his head.

"Om Shanti," he whispered.

Then he rose and stepped back.

Hiroshi leaned toward him and whispered, "What was that?"

Leon kept his gaze forward. "It’s how we say ’Rest in Peace’ in my place."

Hiroshi nodded slowly.

Then came Celestine — dressed as somberly as the others, yet her eyes held no weight. She stood near the grave, surrounded by a few others, pretending grief with a face sculpted in false sadness.

Leon glanced at her but said nothing. Her performance didn’t deserve attention.

After the rituals ended, the council and staff began to leave one by one. The wind picked up, pushing the scent of wet soil into the air as clouds gathered above.

Only Alexia remained behind, arms crossed, standing under the grey sky. Squad 12 and Squad 4 lingered with her, quiet and still.

Lucas approached her from the path, holding a tablet.

"President," he said, "there’s a lady crying outside the school gates. Claims to be Ren’s sister, but we found no records of her in his documents. Should we let her in or send her away?"

Before Alexia could answer, Leon’s voice cut in.

"Let her in."

Lucas turned to him with a sharp side-eye. "Who asked you?"

Before either could continue, Alexia raised her hand.

"Enough," she said. Her tone was firm but calm. "Let her in."

Lucas gave a small nod and turned to go, leaving the tension behind him as the wind stirred the graves once again.

Leon stood motionless, eyes still fixed on Ren’s grave as raindrops began to hammer down on the world around him. The orange sky had been swallowed by black clouds, and without warning, the rain came — heavy, merciless, as if the sky itself was mourning.

Hiroshi opened an umbrella. Kami did the same.

He took a step toward Leon, but Kami gently grabbed his wrist.

"Let him spend some time alone," she said softly. "The weight in his heart... it needs to pour out first. The rain will help him."

Hiroshi looked at Leon, then back at Kami, and nodded. They stood silently under their umbrellas, letting the rain fall between them.

Leon didn’t move. He didn’t blink. His hair soaked through, his clothes clinging to his frame — he didn’t notice. His gaze stayed locked on the name carved in stone.

Life and death...

Will I ever transcend these boundaries?

Will I ever rise above Samsara?

Will I ever learn to reverse death itself... bring back what fate stole—

Before Leon could finish his thoughts, the sound of hurried footsteps cut through the rain. A woman ran toward Ren’s grave, falling to her knees, tears spilling freely.

Leon’s eyes widened as he saw her face clearly through the rain.

Miss Tina...?

The ancient weapon store owner? The same calm, sharp-eyed woman never lost her composure — now weeping like a child.

Why is she here?

Lucas stepped beside him, speaking low.

"This is the girl who was saying she’s his older sister."

Leon’s breath caught.

She...? Miss Tina? His sister?

Then the realization hit him like thunder.

The girl in Ren’s memories... that young, broken soul dragged by Celestine’s guards...

That was her?

He stared at Tina — no, not the shopkeeper now. Not the mysterious woman he knew.

But the lost sister of a lost boy.

Her cries weren’t just pain. They were guilt. Regret. A scream from someone who had survived the unbearable — and had to live with it.

The wind roared. Rain poured harder.

But all Leon could hear... was the silence between them.

Leon stepped forward, slowly, letting the rain soak into his clothes.

He knelt beside her and gently placed a hand on her trembling shoulder.

Tina flinched at the touch and looked up sharply. Her soaked hair clung to her cheeks, eyes red, breath shaky — but then, recognition flickered in them.

"You... you’re the boy who bought the dark-stone sword," she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.

Leon gave a slight nod.

"Yeah. I’m that boy."

Tina tried to hold back a sob but failed, her lip trembling.

"You knew... my brother?"

Leon looked at Ren’s grave, then back at her.

"Yeah"

His tone was calm.

She gripped his coat with both hands, her voice breaking.

"Was he... in pain? Was it... was it horrible?"

Leon didn’t look away.

"It was hell."

Tina buried her face into her hands, her body shaking.

"I should’ve saved him. I should’ve found him sooner... I—"

"You couldn’t have known," Leon interrupted, gently.

"The blame isn’t yours. The ones who hurt him are gone, or they will be. But you being here... it still matters."

She looked up again, tears mixing with the rain.

"Did he still remember me?"

Leon looked at the grave, the name Ren carved deeply into the stone.

"He never forgot. Even when everything was taken from him... he held onto the memory of a sister who might still be out there. You were his hope when everything else died. He also told me...his dream."

Tina’s eyes widened as she gripped Leon’s coat, her voice trembling.

"What... was his dream?"

Leon looked up at the darkening sky, a faint smile curling on his lips.

"To explore the world with you... to see you marry someone kind... and then, to die and be reborn as your son."

Tina froze. Her breath hitched—then the tears came like a flood. Her hands clung tightly to Leon’s coat as her body shook with sobs.

"I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... for that day we got separated... for saying ’I hate you’... I never hated you... I loved you. I always loved you...".

Inside the headmaster’s office, Arthur sat comfortably in his high-backed chair, fingers interlocked under his chin. Alexia and Lucas stood before him, composed and attentive.

Alexia broke the silence.

"What was it you called us for, Headmaster?" Alexia asked in her usual calm tone.

"It’s about Squad 12," Arthur said, his gaze narrowing. "Are they war potentials?"

Alexia nodded slightly. "Based on our observations and the battles fought alongside them, I can confirm that Hiroshi Nokawa qualifies. His aptitude in Divine Arts is exceptional—he’s clearly a war potential."

"And the girl?"

"Kami," Alexia continued. "She’s not to be underestimated. Her control over Magic Arts is already on par with an A-rank hunter."

Arthur shifted in his seat. "And the boy?"

Alexia paused for a moment. "Leon. In my professional assessment, he is not a war potential. He has no mana, his swordsmanship is average, and his speed and strength are unimpressive. The only remarkable quality he possesses is endurance. Even after losing critical amounts of blood and sustaining severe injuries, he remained alive and conscious."

Arthur gave a short nod. "You may go."

Without another word, Alexia and Lucas turned and left.

Back in the graveyard, the rain hadn’t stopped. Tina was still crying, her fists gripping Leon’s coat like it was the last thing keeping her together.

Then Celestine arrived, followed by rich guy and other guy. Tina’s eyes locked onto her—and in an instant, her expression shifted from sorrow to fury. She ran straight at Celestine and grabbed her by the collar.

Tears poured from her eyes.

"This all happened because of you!" she screamed. "You killed my brother!"

Celestine looked at her with a blank, annoyed stare.

"Hah? Because of me? That was his own mistake. Trying to play the hero. And what did he get out of it—except death?"

Tina froze. Her breathing shaky, her eyes wide.

"How dare you talk about my brother like that!" she roared, and in one fierce motion, she threw Celestine back onto the wet ground.

The rich guy from Celestine’s squad stepped forward, hand raised to strike Tina.

But then.

Suddenly, all of Squad 4 was forced down, their bodies pressed into the mud as if gravity itself had multiplied tenfold. Their eyes widened in confusion and panic.

Celestine lifted her head—and saw him.

Leon stood still, arms by his side, soaked in rain. His eyes were no longer their usual color.

They were glowing—pure white.

The air was heavy. Breathing itself felt unnatural.

Inside the school, Alexia’s eyes snapped open. Lucas immediately felt it too.

"Aura... Whose is it?" she whispered. Her voice tense.

Lucas stepped back. "That’s... that’s the same aura. That was coming from Leon—on that day in PA-4."