Ederson Lionheart.
During his time as an active mercenary, he was known in the mercenary world as the “Bomber”, a title that captured his free-spirited nature.
As he grew older, had children, and sought a stable profession that offered both steady income and social recognition, he took on the role of an Academy instructor.
Correction.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t entirely because of his family.
He didn’t enter the Academy solely to provide his children security or to give his family peace of mind.
Limits.
It was difficult to speak of this to others, but he knew he had limits.
The public rated him, Lionheart the Mercenary King, as S+ rank, and though he didn’t outwardly refute this evaluation and remained at ease with it, inwardly, he felt pangs of inadequacy.
– Hmm? You’ll have to struggle quite a bit to break through the wall, you know?
The [Witch], one of the beings who truly surpassed S+ rank, or rather S-rank as evaluated by current humanity, evaluated it that way.
– Fate has many paths, but you won’t easily reach ‘our realm’ as you think. Talent only gets you up to S-rank.
The [Witch] had said as much.
It seemed like she was casting a curse to paint his future in a shade of gray, yet as he continued his training, he gradually understood the meaning behind her words.
No matter how talented, there was ultimately an insurmountable wall.
The Mercenary King couldn’t overcome this wall for decades, and he stood as an instructor at the Academy, hiding this truth.
Perhaps, it was an excuse.
Perhaps it was the limiting belief he held that defined his boundaries, one that made him linger and grow complacent within those limits.
“Hah.”
He had surpassed his limits.
Youthful vigor coursed through him now, even stronger than the vitality he’d felt when he ran wild among many lionesses on the plains in his younger days.
It wasn’t just about magic power.
The lower part of his being felt the same resurgence.
“Is this… the power of [Saint Kegel]?”
Saint Kegel.
If the technique Phoenix referred to as the Kegel method was indeed named after someone, this technique was nothing short of a revolution and salvation for men.
Yes.
There’s no need to be at one’s strongest every moment.
One only needs to surpass limits when it truly matters.
– Let me tell you something: you don’t always need to break or cross the wall.
The [Witch] had shared such thoughts.
– How often do people live on ‘this side’? Most of the time, we just eat, sleep, and share love.
Love.
At the time, he hadn’t understood why she mentioned that.
– You only need to surpass the wall in moments when you’re most sincere, even if it’s only for a brief instant.
Now, he understood.
Having transcended his limits, Ederson’s senses perceived everything.
Ba-dump, Ba-dump.
He could see it.
The principles of nature.
– You’re wondering what it’s like on this side? Hmm… you’ll know once you get there. The world starts to look different.
He could now see strong life forces that hadn’t been visible before.
He could see the potent magic embedded in all living things, and within that flow, he observed something radiating brilliance.
– People experience this differently. I see vibrant, multicolored lights flickering within a gray world. For you… if I were to guess based on a similar person, maybe you’ll see ‘colors in the wind’?
The memory surfaced.
He could only recall the advice of the [Grey Witch].
Because it was indeed so.
From his partner lying on the bed, green winds emanated.
Around the exploded carriage, emerald winds, like the colors of nature, gently fluttered and billowed.
It resembled the light of a spirit, or the light of a soul, or perhaps the light of mana itself.
“Dean Ederson.”
Instructor Esta approached from behind.
Holding out a cloth with a calm expression, Instructor Esta was clearly avoiding his gaze, but as Ederson accepted the cloth, he couldn’t help but swallow upon seeing what lay beneath.
“Congratulations.”
Behind Esta, shimmering in pure white.
“Incredible, Dean.”
Step, Step.
“Roaring with enough force to make a carriage explode… How does it feel? Has your mana been drained?”
Though she continued talking about Academy matters casually, Ederson could see something different.
– You know, sometimes it’s better not to see. Once you start to notice these things, you begin to feel them even more deeply.
What was the Grey Witch warning him about?
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
A flicker.
Phoenix.
“Dean, you standing there like that is a bit awkward, you know.”
Something revealed itself from that figure who was pretending to be a cheerful student.
Within Ederson’s vision, a powerful azure flame burned brilliantly.
Unlike the mana currents around him, this wasn’t merely the color of the surrounding winds; it was a monumental, fiery bird, its own being blazing with blue flames.
“Hmm.”
The moment “it” displayed a hint of wariness in its smile.
“First…”
A flicker.
Seven flames ignited, each taking on a different form.
“!!”
An illusion?
It must be an illusion.
Yet the overwhelming presence of these seven distinct, multi-colored entities behind Phoenix gave them a reality of their own.
From within the seven flames, their silhouettes emerged.
A wolf carrying the wind.
A frozen woman.
A serpent with nine heads.
A golden sphere shining like the sun in the sky.
A three-headed dragon with the depth of the abyss.
A gray fox, faint yet undeniably present.
And encompassing them all, a resplendent phoenix blazing with blue flames, its wings arched wide.
Underneath, one man stood.
“Is something wrong?”
The man smiled with concern, but within the fiery wings behind him, another presence reflected brightly.
Step, Step.
A young man with black hair and eyes as blue as the flames quietly raised his hand within the fire.
“You don’t seem well. Is something wrong?”
Inside the flames, the young man placed a finger to his lips and smiled softly.
With just that simple gesture, Ederson understood his task.
“…No, it’s nothing.”
Silence.
As he closed his eyes, everything returned to normal.
“…Thank you.”
To whomever he was addressing, he could only offer his sincere gratitude.
Ederson Lionheart.
After nearly 30 years, he found himself with more vitality than even in his youth, able to share love once again.
“…”
Thud!
Ederson relaxed, closing his eyes as a wave of exhaustion swept over him.
* * *
Dean Ederson had collapsed.
Some may have thought it was due to Mana Drain, but fortunately, the staff nearby didn’t think so at all.
“Stand by his side!”
“To the old school building…! No, we’ll make this place an emergency ward!”
“Could someone fetch Instructor Kadisha?!”
The staff bustled around, carefully laying Ederson down, avoiding the areas scarred by his recent roar, and set him on a hastily spread robe on the ground.
“Wow… damn.”
The moment they laid him down, one of the staff couldn’t help but mutter a curse.
‘That’s pretty much the usual reaction.’
Most men would understand.
If something is moderately impressive, people might mutter “damn” under their breath, suppressing jealousy and trying to act cool. But when faced with something truly awe-inspiring, beyond even envy, they can’t help but be in awe.
‘Think about it. It’s not like there’s some grand reason for the existence of Moai statues or the ubiquitous stone statues all over Jeju Island.’
Even in a world like the Bread Academy—
No, especially because this is the Bread Academy.
When women are “well-built”, it’s only fitting that men match that level of grandeur. So, as the staff attended to Dean Ederson, they couldn’t help but steal glances—
Click.
“What are you doing now!”
“Well, it’s already live-recorded on the magic pad; it’s not like taking a picture with a projection spell makes any difference.”
“Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“Embarrassed? No…! This is a photo that should be seen by all male students at the Academy, no, by everyone worldwide!”
One of the staff, having just snapped a picture of the collapsed Ederson, proclaimed seriously.
“This is a historic moment that could easily be part of a future academic thesis!”
Indeed, it was historic. Even unconscious, the SS-rank’s dignity stood tall, still aiming toward the heavens.
In short, it was like someone’s arm had extended skyward between his legs, and the staff found themselves swallowing hard, one by one.
“Student Phoenix…?”
Their gaze then turned toward me.
“You know… do you think… it’s possible for us too?”
It wasn’t a longing for the unattainable.
It was a fervent hope, a belief that they, too, could become like that.
“Hmm.”
To answer—
“It’s not impossible… let’s say that.”
In theory, it was possible for anyone.
“Mana is like muscle.”
With diligent training, one can bulk up.
“If you commit yourself fully and put in the work, it’s achievable.”
With proper mana refinement and cultivation, anyone could grow strong and resilient.
“Starting with detoxing your body, of course.”
Ederson Lionheart.
Upon his “awakening”, he successfully expelled the “angel energy” that had lodged within him.
Angel energy.
This was a substance that suppressed masculinity, hindering magic growth.
Now, at last, masculinity would be restored to its rightful, natural state.
