Chapter 22: The Beginning of the Stars

Chapter 22: The Beginning of the Stars

“Morning, Tendou.”

Rubbing her eyes, Jing Liuli lazily waved at the silver-haired boy who was the last to walk through the door.

She clutched her pillow like a sleepy sloth dragged unwillingly out of bed, her whole posture screaming I was forced to be here.

And if someone as infamously laid-back as Jing Liuli had been forced to show up early—that alone spoke volumes about how important today was.

Aside from her, the meeting room was already filled with ten other Children of the Stars.

Counting the newly arrived Tendou, that made eleven in total.

Being suddenly met with that many gazes, Tendou simply grinned and raised a hand.

“Whoa, why so tense, everyone? It’s just the Star Origin Selection meeting, not the end of the world. Relax, relax.”

He said that with an easy smile, striding right up to the front of the room and sitting down—at the head seat, of course, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

And the funny part?

Even Chen Xing, who’d always seen Tendou as her greatest rival, didn’t say a word against it.

Because with Tendou’s talent and strength… if he wasn’t first, then no one deserved to be.

Still, for all his overwhelming power and genius, the boy also possessed one particularly irritating trait:

That mouth of his.

“Eh? Chen Xing, you still haven’t healed from that injury? Guess our organization’s medical tech isn’t as good as I thought—can’t even handle scar removal?”

His eyes flicked to the faint mark still visible on her arm.

Chen Xing answered calmly, “It has nothing to do with the organization. I asked them to leave it.”

Her expression didn’t waver as she continued,

“It serves as a reminder—to never forget that moment of despair. To make sure I never repeat it again.”

“Despair, huh? Funny, I thought the final exam was pretty easy. Just went in, punched a few things, and called it a day.”

“…”

Chen Xing shot him an annoyed glare but didn’t bother replying.

Just as Tendou looked about ready to tease her again, the doors to the meeting room swung open.

The Doctor entered, with Tachibana Yume following close behind.

The moment they appeared, everyone stood at attention to show respect.

Everyone—except Tendou.

He lounged in his chair, unmoving, like some delinquent student refusing to stand for the teacher.

Yet neither Tachibana nor the Doctor seemed the least bit bothered by his attitude.

The Doctor took his place before the massive projection screen, raising a hand for the others to sit.

As Tachibana passed Tendou, she gave him a light rap on the back of the head.

“At least pretend to behave. You’ve got no manners at all.”

Tendou just rubbed the spot with a sheepish grin. “C’mon, Yume-nee. My injury’s still acting up, can’t be moving around too much, right?”

“…Do whatever you want.”

Tachibana sighed, shaking her head.

After all, Tendou’s position within the Embers was… special.

Even she—someone known for her iron discipline—showed near-endless leniency when it came to him.

Things that would’ve gotten anyone else a week’s worth of punishment barely earned him a flick to the head.

His so-called “arrogance”? If it were anyone else, Tachibana would’ve made them understand the meaning of the word “discipline.”

But since it was Tendou… well, a little knock on the head was more than enough.

“Good morning, everyone.”

The Doctor’s calm voice filled the room as he reached toward the screen.

With a light tap, the projection came alive.

A vast holographic nebula blossomed in midair, swirling in brilliant colors.

Within that cosmic sea, several stars pulsed with strange, almost unnatural light—so distinct that even without a word spoken, every Children of the Stars present understood:

Something momentous was about to begin.

Expressions around the table shifted in unison—eyes widening, breaths quickening, the air itself seemed to tighten with anticipation.

Seeing their reactions, the Doctor chuckled softly.

“It seems you’ve already realized what those stars represent. Yes… they are what the ancients called Star Origins.”

“—Ninety-five years ago, a peculiar meteor shower changed the course of the entire world. The truth behind that event… was these stars, the very sources of this mysterious power.”

“For a long time after, humanity regarded the power of the Star Origins with both awe and fear.”

“But after decades of study, we’ve managed to uncover at least part of the truth behind them.”

As he spoke, the Doctor moved his hand through the holographic projection.

The shining nebula before them began to distort—then suddenly, a brilliant explosion erupted from its heart.

Countless meteors—glowing faintly like fireflies—scattered outward into the depths of space.

Watching those stars scatter, a sharp glint flashed beneath the Doctor’s silver mask.

“The origin of a star—its most fundamental, most primal cosmic force.”

“We still don’t know what caused that meteor shower ninety-five years ago,” he continued, his tone low and steady, “but we do know this—the moment it appeared, the universe began a new era.”

He paused.

Then, with a deliberate gesture, he caught one of the drifting meteors from the projection and held it up for all to see.

“And just as the Star Origins marked the dawn of a new era… I believe your arrival will mark the birth of another.”

“An era that will be known—”

“—as the Era of the Stars.”

His words carried an uncanny resonance, like a melody vibrating somewhere deep in the soul.

Even Caroline, normally composed and emotionless with her machine-born mind, couldn’t hide the flicker of excitement in her eyes.

“Now then,” the Doctor said, tone returning to its calm authority, “everyone except Tendou—and Chen Kong, who is still recovering in the recovery pod—will follow Instructor Tachibana to receive your designated Star Origins.”

At that, the others glanced curiously at Tendou.

He merely leaned back in his chair with his usual lazy grin, watching as the group rose and followed Tachibana out of the chamber, their footsteps fading into the depths of the base.

Once the room fell silent, the Doctor turned toward the lone figure still seated at the front.

“Tendou,” he began, voice thoughtful, “are you absolutely certain about your choice?”

“With your record, if you wanted any Star Origin—no matter how rare—I could acquire it for you.”

“Based on our long-term analysis of your innate traits, the Imaginary Type Star Origin currently in containment would be a perfect match. Are you truly going to abandon that one, and choose the ordinary Vector Control instead?”

He reached into his coat and drew out two metallic cubes, their surfaces engraved with glowing patterns that pulsed faintly like living hearts.

A moment later, the cubes floated through the air and hovered before Tendou.

Each one held a power countless people would give anything to possess—one, the Vector Control that Tendou himself had specifically requested.

—The other, the rare Imaginary Type Star Origin known as Dreamweaver.

[Star Origin: Vector Control]

• Effect 1 · Kinetic Interference: Can alter the motion of any object it touches—redirecting, accelerating, or neutralizing kinetic force. For example, slowing a falling object or accelerating a swinging blade.
  
  

• Effect 2 · Energy Flow Interference: Can deflect or disperse energy-based attacks (such as fire, lightning, or shockwaves). Cannot create energy from nothing—only manipulate existing vectors.
  
  

[Star Origin: Dreamweaver]

• Effect 1 · Synchronize: Temporarily copy a Star Origin the user has come into contact with and use its power. (Copied power functions at 50% strength, and only one can be used at a time. The user may store up to three copied Star Origins, but cannot copy powers exceeding their own Star Energy level unless the target willingly lets the user copy their Origin.)
  
  

• Effect 2 · Imagination: Temporarily fuse copied Star Origins into a composite Origin with multiple abilities. The resulting power depends on the user’s Star Energy level and the types of Origins combined. (Can only be used once per lunar month.)
  
  

Dreamweaver—a Star Origin of the Imaginary Type, mysterious and endlessly coveted.

It was, without doubt, one of the most extraordinary powers the Doctor had ever seen.

And yet, before it, Tendou only smiled faintly.

Its range of application was vast—its adaptability, unmatched.

Combined with Tendou’s extraordinary combat instinct and naturally high Star Energy level, Dreamweaver could, in theory, let him adjust his entire combat system to counter any opponent.

A power that, on paper, bordered on omniscience and omnipotence.

But that was only in theory.

In reality, without the Void Star—a unique auxiliary Star Core capable of offsetting Dreamweaver’s fatal weaknesses—the so-called “Imaginary Type” was far less impressive.

It was a toy for crushing small fry, not a weapon fit for the front lines.

In truth, Dreamweaver had been designed from the very beginning for someone else—Chen Kong, the story’s destined protagonist.

And Tendou? He was never meant to wield it.

Of course, he wasn’t about to say that out loud.

Resting his palm atop the cube that contained Vector Control, he spoke with a quiet, effortless confidence.

“Whether it suits me or not—”

“—that’s not for anyone else to decide.”

He grinned, eyes gleaming with the same reckless arrogance that made people either admire or despise him.

“Dreamweaver’s just a power that hides behind others’ strength. That’s not my style.”

“I, Masamune Tendou, either do nothing—”

“—or I do it as the strongest.”

“So yeah, Doctor,” he said, tapping the cube lightly, “this Vector Control suits me just fine.”

Before the Doctor could even reply, Tendou snapped his fingers, unlocking the metallic cube.

In an instant, a small sphere no larger than a ping-pong ball floated up, radiating a dazzling constellation-like glow.

Without hesitation, he reached out and placed his hand upon it.

The light surged—streams of pure, prismatic energy flowed into his body, coiling around him like threads of living starlight.

And as the last trace of light vanished into his chest, he let out a quiet breath, his lips curving upward.

Dreamweaver?

That one’s better left to Chen Kong.

After all—that guy always did prefer standing in the shadows, didn’t he?

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