Arc I: “Apocalypse”
Chapter I: “The Generals”
Episode V: “Questions”
[Back at the village]
“Hey, you guys are back already? Did you find anything in the cave?” Fevee asked as Akira and Rackon entered the house, shaking snow off their boots.
“Yeah,” Rackon said, loosening his fur-lined armor. “The man Akira warned us about was there. But… a pair of other UFA students beat us to it.”
“Oh, really? Well, that’s good, right? We should all be safe now.”
“I’m not so sure.” Akira’s voice was low, thoughtful.
“Something still feels off. I’ve decided to stay in this village for a while — to make sure everything stays safe.
There’s no time limit on my Trial, so the academy should be fine with it.”
Fevee leaned in with a cheeky grin and tilted her head. “Ohhh~ Is that just your excuse to spend more time with me?”
Akira flushed, waving his hands. “N-no, that’s not why I’m staying. I just—”
“—care about me that much?” she finished, bright smile widening.
“I care about everyone in this village,” Akira said, his face burning red as Rackon groaned and walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to report this morning’s events to the elder. I’ll also inform him of your decision to stay in the village.” Rackon replied without looking back.
“Oh. I see. Alright, well... I’ll stay here, I guess.”
“Seeee,” Fevee sing-songed. “You do want to spend time with me.”
“W-what?!”
Rackon let out a sigh, then muttered, “You two idiots better not do anything stupid while I’m gone.”
He begrudgingly stomped out the door.
[That night…]
Akira lay awake in Fevee’s bed, staring at the wooden ceiling beams above.
I need to catch up to Rayon’s level. And Rikito’s.
His mind replayed his last fight with Rayon — the boy’s effortless counters, his overwhelming speed. Even after all those rematches… I’m still behind him.
He clenched his fists.
But my new technique… Hyper Energy Mode…
He thought back to his training: absorbing his aether inward, storing it, then forcing it through his meridians in short, violent bursts.
His instructor’s lecture on refining energy had planted the idea — but his version felt like walking a razor’s edge.
It boosts my strength for a few minutes… but the backlash nearly cripples me.
The strain on my meridians… I’ll need to get stronger just to withstand it. If I don’t, this power will break me before I can use it to its fullest.
He rolled over, exhaling. If I want to protect anyone… I can’t stay weak.
[The Next day]
“You want to spar?” asked Rackon.
Akira had taken him to a clearing in the forest, just outside the village walls.
“Yeah… I need to get stronger as fast as possible. After what we saw yesterday, I’m sure you want to as well.”
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Rackon chuckled, “Hmph. Alright then. Don’t hold back.”
He waved his hand, signaling Akira to approach.
“Don’t regret this later!” Akira said as he charged forward.
[Three months later]
Akira and Rackon had spent every day training together. Amidst their grueling routine, something felt off.
“You sense that?” Akira asked.
“Yeah,” Rackon said. “There’s someone… strong. East of the village.”
Akira’s jaw slackened. “I know who it is.”
[A few minutes later]
Felix stood at the mouth of his cave, a sickly purple glow behind him.
“Ahhh. So nice of you to join me.”
His grin was jagged, too wide to be human.
“I have a gift for you.”
Two large demon wolves padded out of the darkness, their fangs dripping, eyes burning red.
“I’ll handle the wolves. You deal with him,” Rackon said, squaring his stance.
“You sure? Working together would make this easier.”
“I’m sure. Focus on beating Felix. I’ll manage.” Rackon’s energy surged past his usual limits, shaking the snow beneath his feet.
“Fine. Just don’t die,” Akira said, eyes locked on Felix.
Felix tilted his head, almost pitying.
“Hmph. I was hoping to sit back and enjoy the slaughter.
No matter. I’ll beat you bloody and take you back to my lord with the others.”
“‘Your lord’…?” Akira’s eyes narrowed. “Are there more of you? Other generals working for Apocalypse?”
Felix’s grin widened as if savoring a private joke.
“Hehehe… I could tell you. But what fun would that be? You wouldn’t understand what it means to serve him… to become part of something greater than this rotting world.”
Akira’s aura flared. “Haaaaaaah!”
Felix chuckled. “Oh? You’ve grown stronger. Good. I’d hate to crush you too easily.”
“Heh. Watch this.” Akira braced himself, gathering aether. “Haaaaaa… HUUUURGH!”
The ground cracked under his feet as a fiery-orange cloak of energy erupted around him, lightning dancing across his limbs.
“Hyper Energy Mode,” Akira growled.
Unknown to Akira, a rune seal made from aether formed inside his body.
This technique lets me force more aether out of my body! I haven’t been able to do this yet… but I’ll layer it!
“Layer Two.”
Rackon blinked, momentarily distracted. He actually pulled it off…
Felix’s expression twitched— interest replacing amusement. “Ahhh… so, this is what the vessel can do.”
“The what?” Akira snarled. “What does that mean? Why do you keep calling me that?”
Felix didn’t answer. Instead, he lunged.
Their fists collided in a blur of sparks and shockwaves.
For a moment, Akira held his own — darting around Felix using Aether-Skips, his strikes landing with explosive force.
But Felix’s smirk didn’t falter.
“You’ve improved,” Felix said, swatting Akira away like a child. “But it won’t save you.”
“Then I’ll push even further!” Akira roared. “Hyper Energy Mode… Layer Three!”
His aura flared brighter, tearing at the air.
In a blur, he blitzed Felix, his blows raining like hammers. Felix stumbled, caught off guard.
“D-dammit! No way a child can—!” Felix thrust out his arm. “Come forth… my cursed hound!”
From the cave lumbered an Ultimate Demon Wolf — larger than any they’d seen, its aura writhing like living shadow.
Akira crouched, palms at his side, energy swirling. “Starrrrr…”
Felix’s eyes widened. “That technique…”
“DES…TROYER!” Akira thrust his palms forward.
A golden beam roared out, swallowing the wolf in a blinding explosion.
When the smoke cleared, the beast was gone — reduced to nothing.
Rackon finished the remaining wolves, panting.
“Damn. He got away,” he said as Felix’s fading energy signature vanished into the forest.
“Yeah,” Akira said, lowering his hands. “But something tells me… he won’t stay hidden for long.”
I knew he was still alive… something didn’t feel right when Rikito beat him.
“Hey down there!”
Akira glanced up to see two figures perched in a nearby tree.
“Akira!” Sikira grinned, hopping down. “You didn’t tell me you were out here playing hero without us!”
“Sikira?” Akira blinked. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh yeah, forgot to mention. I also got chosen for this Trial. Darc too — though he’s back in the village. Couldn’t handle all the pollen.” She smirked.
“Anyways, this is Julie. Met her a few weeks after I met you. She’s another UFA student.”
“Nice to meet you,” Julie said, landing softly beside her, her movements fluid and precise.
“Likewise,” Akira said, still catching his breath.
“And who’s the glowering one?” Sikira asked, pointing to Rackon.
“Oh, that’s Rackon. Woodberry’s best warrior,” Akira said.
“Heh. I can see that,” she said with a grin.
“Let’s head back,” Rackon said, brushing past them.
[Later that evening]
Akira and Sikira were standing on a lookout post outside the village.
“So, he called you the ‘vessel’?” Sikira asked in a hushed tone.
“Yeah,” Akira said. “But I don’t know what it means. Don’t tell anyone. Not even Darc or Master Kai. Not yet.”
“Fine.” She leaned in, “What I wanna know is why you’ve been spending all this time with Fee. You have a crush on her or something?”
“O-of course not. She’s just a friend.”
“Mhm. Whatever you say.”
“Anyways… Felix also said that there are other generals. Or at least other people that he’s working with.”
“That’s bad news.”
“Yeah, we gotta figure out a way to deal with them.”
“Should we tell Master Kai about this?”
“Nah. At least not yet. This is still part of the Trial. We’ll deal with them on our own.”
“Alright.”
[After dark]
Akira sat on a post along the village wall, gazing at the stars, when he heard soft footsteps.
“Can’t sleep?” Julie asked, approaching.
He glanced at her, surprised he hadn’t sensed her aether.
“Guess not. And you? What’s your deal?”
“Same.” She sat beside him, closer than expected. “I was curious about you.”
“Curious… about me?”
“You’re one of the only kids at UFA who can keep up with Rayon,” Julie smirked. “I like strong people, Akira. That makes you interesting.”
Akira shrugged, scratching his cheek. “That guy… he’s still ahead of me.”
Julie chuckled. “You’re modest. I like that.”
Her laugh… is kind of cute…
“You know, I hear that he has personal connections to the headmaster.”
“Really? That’s interesting. I actually don’t really know much about the headmaster. I don’t think I’ve ever met him.”
“Me neither…” She glanced at the stars.
“But I heard that he used to be really powerful. He even fought in the last Cosmic War. There are rumors that he still uses strange techniques and artifacts from back then.”
“Cosmic War?”
“Yeah, you don’t know about it? I mean, it was before we were born, but still, you’ve probably at least heard of it from class, right?”
“Uh, I don’t pay that much attention in class, hehe,” Akira chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Hehe, you’re funny. The Cosmic War involved Earth and a few other planets nearby. The UFA and the Cosmic Guard both worked together to fight against some monster that used to terrorize the universe.”
“Woah, really?”
“Yeah, crazy, right?” Julie leaned a bit closer to Akira.
“You know… After the war, a lot more races were able to move around to other worlds thanks to the Cosmic Treaty imposed by the Guard.
Many UFA students actually aren’t Earthlings or at least pure Earthlings. Even me... I might live on Earth now, but I actually come from another planet.”
“Really? Where from?”
“Well… It’s actually an old place that doesn’t exist anymore, so you’ve probably never heard of it, haha.”
“Oh, that sucks. Sorry.” Akira looked back towards the stars.
“What about you? Where are you from?” her eyes focused on his as he looked back at her, like she was trying to peer into is soul.
Akira blinked. “What are you getting at?”
“Just wondering…” She tilted her head toward him. “Are you really an Earthling?”
Akira froze. “…of course… I am.”
Julie hummed, unconvinced. “If you say so.”
She stood, brushing snow from her cloak.
“Goodnight, Akira.”
Akira stared at his hands.
Am I?
[Next Time on Lyte of Utopia]: “Felix”
[Yield Levels]:
Akira: 8,000
- Aether Resurgence: Surge: 10,000
- Post Training: 15,000
- HEML2 (Post Training): 30,000
- HEML3 (Post Training): 45,000
- Star Destroyer: x1.5
Rackon: 9,500
- Post Training: 16,000
- Max Power (Post Training): 32,000
Large Demon Wolf: 14,000
Ultimate Demon Wolf: 50,000
Felix: 35,000
- Suppressed: 20,000
Sikira: 700
- Six months of training: 6,900
- Three months of training: 10,000
Darc: 850
- Six months of training: 7,800
- Three months of training: 12,000
Julie: ???
Fevee: 2
Rayon: 2,500
- Six months of training: 14,000
- Three months of training: ???