# Chapter 6: The Weight of Weakness
*Five years later - Royal Academy of Finslia*
The grand halls of the Royal Academy buzzed with the excitement of a new school year. Sunlight streamed through tall, arched windows, illuminating tapestries that depicted the great heroes of Finslia's past. Students in crisp uniforms moved through the corridors, their voices echoing off the polished marble floors.
Thirteen-year-old Ronin walked quietly beside his friends, trying to ignore the whispers that followed him. Five years at the academy had not been kind to his reputation.
"There goes the weakest student in our year," someone muttered as they passed.
"I heard his magical power is still E-rank after all this time," another voice added with barely concealed mockery.
Lucy, now twelve and showing the grace of her royal bearing, moved closer to Ronin protectively. "Ignore them," she said softly, her blue eyes flashing with anger. "They don't know what you've been through."
Rin, at fourteen the unofficial leader of their small group, nodded in agreement. "Besides," he added with a slight smile, "magical power isn't everything. You've seen how hard Ronin trains."
They entered their classroom where other students were already gathered. At the front of the room stood Miss Heather, a kind-faced woman in her thirties who served as both their homeroom teacher and magical assessment instructor. Beside her sat a crystalline device that made Ronin's stomach clench with familiar dread.
"Good morning, class," Miss Heather announced. "Today marks an important milestone. You're all thirteen or older now, which means it's time for your official magical assessment and weapon compatibility testing."
Excited murmurs filled the room. This was the moment every student had been waiting for—the day they would receive their true magical ranking and potentially be chosen by a legendary weapon.
Ronin slumped in his seat. He already knew what his results would be.
Near the front of the classroom, Prince Kazuma of Finslia sat with his twin sister, Princess Haruna. Kazuma, with his perfectly styled blonde hair and confident demeanor, was everything Ronin was not—powerful, popular, and proud. He turned to smirk at Ronin.
"I wonder if the crystal will even register your power this time, Ronin," Kazuma said loudly enough for the class to hear. "Maybe it'll just show zero."
Several students snickered. Haruna elbowed her brother sharply. "Kazuma, that's enough," she whispered, but the damage was done.
Miss Heather clapped her hands for attention. "Let's begin with the assessments. Prince Kazuma, please step forward."
Kazuma rose with practiced confidence, his movements fluid and self-assured. He placed his hand on the magical crystal, and the room was immediately filled with brilliant yellow and light blue energy.
"Extraordinary!" Miss Heather exclaimed, reading the measurements. "Thunder and ice magic, both at A+ rank. Your magical affinity is over 700!"
The class erupted in applause. Kazuma basked in the attention, his chest puffed with pride.
The weapon summoning portal opened, revealing a magnificent sword with a golden hilt and lightning patterns along its blade. "The Thunder Sword," Miss Heather breathed. "Only one in a generation is chosen by such a weapon."
Several more students took their turns, each showing respectable magical abilities. Then came Princess Haruna, whose plant and healing magic combination earned gasps of admiration, followed by her summoning of the legendary Helen's Staff.
Finally, it was time for their small group.
Rin stepped forward first, his hand steady as he placed it on the crystal. Orange and brown light swirled together, creating patterns that resembled both flame and earth.
"Fire and earth magic," Miss Heather announced with satisfaction. "A+ rank with over 700 magical affinity. Excellent, Prince Rin."
The weapon portal opened to reveal a black-hilted sword with orange flames dancing along its blade. "The Flame Lord Sword," Miss Heather said with reverence. "This belonged to your great-grandfather, Your Highness. It seems the blade recognizes your royal bloodline."
Rin accepted the sword with humble dignity, though Ronin could see the pride in his friend's eyes.
Lucy was next, her water and cosmic magic earning respectful nods from the class. Her summoning of Sylvie's transforming water staff drew appreciative murmurs.
Then came the moment Ronin had been dreading.
"Ronin," Miss Heather called gently. "Your turn."
Every eye in the classroom turned to him as he slowly made his way to the front. He could feel the weight of their expectations—or rather, their lack thereof. Rose, who served as one of the academy's instructors, watched from the back of the room with carefully hidden concern.
Ronin placed his trembling hand on the crystal. The faintest glimmer of white light appeared, so weak it was barely visible in the bright classroom.
Miss Heather frowned at the readings, checking them twice. "Light magic," she announced quietly. "E-rank, with magical affinity of... 80."
The silence in the room was deafening. Then the whispers began.
"Eighty? That's pathetic."
"How is he even in our class?"
"My little sister has more power than that."
Kazuma's voice cut through the murmurs like a blade. "He's worthless. He can't even be a decent foot soldier with power like that."
"Kazuma!" Haruna hissed, but her brother continued.
"It's true! Look at him—he's a disgrace to our class. How did someone so weak even survive whatever happened to his family?"
Ronin's hands clenched into fists, his face burning with shame and growing anger. Lucy started to stand, ready to defend him, but Miss Heather quickly intervened.
"That's enough," she said firmly. "Ronin, please proceed to the weapon summoning."
With shaking hands, Ronin cut his finger and let the blood drop into the summoning portal. To everyone's surprise, not one but two blades emerged—curved, crescent-shaped weapons, one blue and grey, the other black and red.
Miss Heather examined them carefully. "I've never seen these particular blades before," she admitted. "They appear to be designed for speed and agility rather than raw power."
Kazuma snorted. "Weakest weapons for the weakest student."
Ronin picked up the blades, feeling their perfect balance in his hands. Despite everything, they felt right—like they belonged with him.
"What will you name them?" Miss Heather asked kindly.
"Sei," Ronin said quietly, holding up the blue blade. "And Kuro," he added, raising the black one. "Seikuro."
As the class ended and students filed out, chattering excitedly about their results, Ronin remained behind, staring at his new weapons.
Rose approached him quietly. "Don't let their words poison your heart," she said softly. "Sometimes the greatest power is the one that remains hidden until it's needed most."
Ronin looked up at her, his eyes filled with frustration and pain. "But what if there is no hidden power? What if I really am just weak?"
Rose's soul-sight revealed the truth—the massive, swirling energy within him, barely contained by some unknown force. But she couldn't tell him that. Not yet.
"Then you'll prove that weakness can become strength through determination," she said instead. "And you won't be doing it alone."
As Ronin walked home that day, his new blades at his side, he made a silent vow. Weak or not, he would find a way to become stronger. He had to. For his parents' memory, for his friends who believed in him, and for the future that seemed so uncertain.
Behind him, Rose watched with worried eyes. The demon blood within him was growing stronger, and she feared what might happen when it finally broke free of whatever was suppressing it.
[To be continued in Chapter 7: The Price of Anger]