The clash of wooden swords echoed loudly across the backyard of the Altherion estate.
Kazuki and his sister, Lycia Altherion, were practicing swordsmanship as usual. The midday sun beat down, beads of sweat dripping from Kazuki's brow. Unlike Lycia's intense focus, Kazuki moved sluggishly, occasionally leaving openings on purpose.
"Hah… You're too strong, Sis. I don't stand a chance," Kazuki said nonchalantly, twirling his wooden sword like a toy. His tone was flat, as if the training were an empty ritual.
Lycia sighed in frustration, then suddenly thrust her wooden blade toward Kazuki's shoulder. He tried to dodge too late to avoid being grazed.
"Don't joke around, Kazuki! If you keep this up, you'll never improve!" Lycia scolded sharply.
Kazuki simply smiled faintly. From the outside, he looked like a weak noble boy. But inside him was a hidden, immense power—dense and profound, undetectable by others.
"I could actually fell a dragon in one strike… but that'd be too obvious," he thought, suppressing a quiet laugh.
Despite Lycia's earnest attacks, Kazuki only dodged half-heartedly and never countered.
"Yeah… I have magic. I could even rewind time if needed. But now isn't the time. Let the world see me as the weak, mysterious little brother."
Then—
"Don't get cocky, Kazuki!!" Lycia shouted, leaping forward with her wooden sword.
Kazuki met her gaze calmly. In an instant, his eyes glowed bright violet. Time slowed. The wind stilled. A falling leaf paused mid-air.
"Alright… I'll move a little. Just a bit."
He easily evaded her strike. But after a few seconds, he exhaled softly.
"Too fast. Let's try again."
With a flick of his magic, he reversed time by one second—and this time, let himself get struck.
BUAGH!!
Kazuki was flung against a tree. Dust billowed.
"Ugh… that actually hurts…" he murmured, smiling despite the bruise forming on his shoulder.
Lycia rushed forward.
"Kazuki! Are you okay?!"
Kazuki merely nodded and stared up at the sky.
"For now, I'm just the weak little brother… But soon…"
"White Reaper will emerge from the shadows."
---
After Training… (Family Dining Room)
After practice, Kazuki relaxed at the grand Altherion dining room table with his family. The evening light poured through large windows, casting warm silhouettes.
He sipped water from a crystal glass, lounging casually. With one hand, he covered an eye—either as a gesture or to hide something.
His father—an imposing nobleman with a neat beard—glanced at Lycia.
"How is Kazuki's progress? Has he mastered basic techniques?" he asked.
Lycia shot to her feet, irritation on her face.
"Father! Kazuki isn't serious at all! It's like he's training in a dream!"
Kazuki didn't respond. He gazed out the window, wearing a faint, lazy smile.
"Daily training? Too much hassle. I just want to live normally… until the time is right."
He glanced at his father and sister. His expression was calm, slightly sleepy, but unreadable.
"Everything is going according to plan. For now, I'm just a pawn in the shadows."
"Heh… White Reaper doesn't need the spotlight yet."
Without another word, Kazuki set down his glass, stood up, and walked out. His cloak rustled softly.
"Crowded places… not my operation zone," he thought.
His father sighed and massaged his temples.
"That boy… always like that. Does he even have ambition?"
Lycia remained annoyed, but deep down she knew… her brother was hiding something she couldn't yet grasp.
---
Steps Toward the Stage
Kazuki walked through the shaded rear courtyard, eyes fixed on the sky.
"This world… too peaceful. But I am patient. My time will come."
He closed his eyes briefly, then smiled softly. The evening breeze stirred his white hair.
"When the shadows begin to move… I will open the main stage."
He strode through the mansion corridors toward the front gate. The rising sun greeted him, its light reflecting softly on his face.
He paused in the flower-filled garden, expression unreadable as he gazed at the blooms.
"My goal in this world… is simple. To become the strongest. I don't care about others' opinions. Even this world isn't a great deal to me."
The morning breeze swept through his hair. He looked ahead, his violet eyes calm.
"When they busy themselves with feasts and status… I will move."
A mysterious smile formed on his lips.
"I'm going to the city. Searching… for my first stage. That's when, White Reaper will introduce himself to the world."
His footsteps merged with the birdsong, the wind, and the morning light.
"Remember my words, dear readers…"
"I harbor magic that even gods have never seen."
And this chapter ends… with one small step from the shadows toward a world unprepared to welcome the White Reaper.