The Lion's Dawn

The cheers of the villagers faded into the distance as Escanor stood still, staring at his hands. Though the golden glow had vanished, he could still feel the lingering warmth coursing through his body. It was faint—nothing compared to the overwhelming power of Sunshine—but it was unmistakably there.

He clenched his fists, taking slow, steady breaths.

"So, my strength is not entirely gone," he muttered to himself. "It slumbers, waiting to awaken."

Mira's worried voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Escanor, are you alright?"

He looked up at her kind face and nodded. "I am fine, Mira."

Rowan whistled, shaking his head. "Fine? Kid, you just sent a grown man flying! I've never seen anything like that before."

Escanor offered a small smile but remained quiet. He did not fully understand this power yet, and until he did, he would not speak of it so lightly.

"Regardless, you saved the village," Mira said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You were so brave, Escanor."

Brave? No, this was nothing compared to the battles he had fought in his past life. The enemies he had faced before made these bandits look like insects.

And yet, for the first time in this new world, he had felt like himself again.

—---

That night, Escanor sat outside the farmhouse, gazing at the full moon above. The air was cool, but it did not bother him. In his past life, he had never liked the night—his weakness during those hours had always made him feel vulnerable. But now, as he sat in this quiet, foreign world, he found a strange sense of peace in it.

He raised his hand toward the sky, flexing his fingers.

His power had surfaced, if only for a brief moment. But why now? What had triggered it? The bandit's attack? The desire to protect Mira and Rowan? Or was it something deeper?

If my magic exists in this world, then I must understand it. I must regain control over it.

Determination set in his eyes. He had been given a second chance—a chance to carve out a new path, to reclaim his strength. And he would not waste it.

Tomorrow, he would train harder.

Tomorrow, he would begin his journey to regain his power.

Tomorrow, the sun would rise again.