C-Team: From Here To The Multiverse

He saw it coming.

He flinched.

Closed his eyes.

Then—

Nothing.

Silence.

He peeked one eye open.

The mannequin's fist was frozen mid-air — inches from his face.

The test was over.

"Not bad, Tadashima!"

Skyla called out as she strutted into the room, offering a light clap with a mischievous smile.

Haru chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Could've done better if I hadn't tried to show off."

"Showing off was the point, Haru," she replied, tossing him a fake patronizing wink.

Then, without missing a beat—

"Follow me."

She spun on her heel and led the way out.

Haru trailed after her, still catching his breath.

It wasn't long before they reached the main office nearby, where Leonidas was already waiting.

"Good job, kid," Leonidas greeted. "Learned a few new tricks, I see?"

"Yeah. Anime makes a great teacher."

Souta looked up from his desk just as Skyla passed him the datapad with a quiet smirk.

He blinked, then offered Haru a small, shy smile and extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Haru."

Haru stepped forward and shook it, friendly and relaxed.

"Nice to meet you too. So… Souta, right?"

"Y-Yes, indeed." Souta adjusted his glasses nervously. "I assume you've been told… I'm the head of the Arknights' science division. Not exactly a prestigious title—"

"Stop downplaying yourself, Souta," Leonidas cut in with a scoff.

Souta scratched the back of his neck, clearly retreating inward.

"Don't worry about him, Haru," Skyla said bluntly. "Boss here's a bit shy. Not the best with people."

Haru offered a warm smile.

"That's okay."

Souta cleared his throat, eager to pivot.

"Let's, uh… move on to your assessment, shall we?"

"Of course," Haru nodded.

He followed Souta to a seat in front of a large monitor.

Leonidas dropped into the chair beside him, while Skyla perched casually on the desk nearby — watching with hawk-like focus.

Souta coughed once, formally.

"So, Haru… to begin — are you familiar with the twelve divisions of power used in the Arknight ranking system?"

Haru shook his head honestly.

"Not particularly, if I'm being honest."

Leonidas rubbed his neck and offered a sheepish smile.

"Probably should've told him that."

Souta gave Leonidas a small sigh before turning on the monitor.

The screen lit up with a sleek graphic — twelve divisions, stacked like a pyramid. Division 12 at the bottom.

Division 1 at the very top — the pinnacle of capability.

He explained:

"At Division 12, we have Null — an individual with absolutely no Manna. Theoretically impossible… but the fact The Watchers even included it means it must be possible. Somehow."

"Division 11 is Dormant — the majority of people. These individuals have Manna, but they're unaware of it. They lack natural sensitivity and, as a result, live their lives never knowing it exists inside them."

"Division 10 is Sensitive — a rarer group. They can sense Manna in some form, maybe through instinct or intuition, even if they don't understand what it is or how to use it."

"Division 9 is Awakened — people who are aware of their Manna and can manipulate it to a degree, though they lack full control over their baseline."

He continued.

"Division 8 is Trained — individuals who've developed full control over their baseline and understand how their Manna works uniquely for them."

"Division 7: Advanced. These are specialists — they use their Manna with precision and efficiency, often in task-oriented applications."

"Division 6 is Mastery — individuals who have pushed their Manna to new heights, evolving their abilities beyond the ordinary."

"Division 5: Ascension — Arknights who've transcended even those limits, unlocking a level of power that redefines possibility."

Souta paused there. The monitor now showed a dark silhouette at the top — the remaining levels.

"And that… is as far as we've ever seen an Arknight go."

He tapped the screen again, but the next slides showed only shadows.

"Division 4… 3… and 2 — we know nothing. The Watchers have mentioned them. They claim these levels exist. But no one — no Arknight, no team, no program — has ever reached or even glimpsed them."

He turned toward Haru, expression tightening.

"Division 1, however… is Godhood. A divine state. The source of all Manna. A level of power thought to belong only to the origin of the Multiverse itself."

He hesitated.

"And only one Arknight has ever reached even Division 5. Zane Zaurelias."

He said the name with visible discomfort — like it carried a curse. Haru saw it in Leonidas too, and in the small flicker of unease on Skyla's face.

"Even then," Souta added quietly, "it lasted only a moment. A blink in space-time. Never seen before… and never seen again."

He gave a small, nervous smile.

"So — don't feel pressured to chase it."

"Yeah, kid," Leonidas added. "Not even your father reached that level."

Haru nodded slowly. Division 5 to 1? That wasn't just power. That was something else entirely.

"You," Souta continued, "currently operate somewhere between Division 9 and 8. Your control is solid. With more training, I suspect you'll stabilize at Division 8 very soon."

He gave a brief glance to Leonidas, who nodded in agreement.

"Normally," Souta said, "we'd only allow Division 8s or above to go on missions. But you're close enough — with a partner or a team, I believe you're ready."

Haru exhaled. That felt… validating.

"As you know, Haru," Souta added, "Manna behaves differently in everyone. It's tied to the soul — to who you are."

He leaned forward slightly.

"Can you describe how your abilities work?"

There was something in his tone — like he already had a theory… and just needed Haru to confirm it.

"It's like a sense," Haru began. "My normal eyes need glasses and stuff — but when I activate my ability, my eyes go golden. They radiate with Manna."

He paused, searching for the right words.

"It's as if… how do I say it… I can sense everything around me. Almost like a bird's-eye view. And sometimes, when it's really strong, it feels like precognition."

He leaned back slightly, letting it all pour out.

"It's like… I can see everything. Even things my regular eyes shouldn't be able to. From afar, across rooms, even through things. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing stuff I'm not supposed to — like the Manna flowing through a person… or even a deeper layer of the world itself, one nobody else can see."

He rubbed his neck, hesitating before continuing.

"Sometimes I'll get these daydreams — or actual dreams — that show me things. Memories of stuff from the past I shouldn't know… or glimpses of the future. Nothing major so far, just small things. Like knowing where I lost my keys, or seeing someone enter a room a few seconds before they do, or dreaming of something that ends up happening later that day."

He shrugged.

"I can't really control it. That part just… happens. It's actually the reason I was able to see my own Manna and learn how to manipulate it so quickly — I could literally see it. I'm mostly theorizing, but that's what I've noticed. It's been this way since I was a kid. Sometimes it kicks in by instinct — without me activating it."

He looked down for a moment, thoughtful.

"My dad… he taught me early on how to switch it off and on. That's been my saving grace."

It was a long explanation — one Haru hadn't fully put into words until now. Like a patient finally describing symptoms of an illness no one had ever been able to diagnose. And just speaking it aloud was a strange relief.

Souta watched him carefully. Analyzing. Processing.

"I'll need to run some tests," he said gently. "I'll study what's available to me for now… but do you have a name for it?"

Haru paused. One word floated to the surface — something he remembered from Scripture. A phrase that always stuck with him. Maybe it wasn't the most accurate description of his ability.

But it was… cool.

And somehow, it felt right.

"The Prophet's Curse."