Infinite Recall

They didn't reach their maximum potential at the nick of time. Several factors led to Dio's loss, the most obvious and important one being his overconfidence. Of course, no one there really expected him to lose; it wasn't that he didn't have it in him to win; out of everyone there, his ability to express and show his true potential was the highest.

There is no doubt that if he were to go all out from the beginning, much like Alex usually did, then the chances of him winning would be nearly 100 percent. It wasn't that Hina was weak; it was simply because of his ability to conjure a spell for any given moment or situation that Hina could potentially put him in.

Perhaps the outcome would've been different if fatal injuries were allowed, but that would give Hina more freedom to go all out as well. However, the main advantage Dio had over her was the fact that he was able to get in her head. For him to suddenly lose, all because of a risk he took, was somewhat anti-climactic.

Dio's body was sent flying across the stage as he rolled down and fell right in front of the audience. Hina, on the other hand, stood there breathing heavily, with sweat pouring down her face, enough to fill an entire bucket. She had no energy left in her, even if she wanted to and somehow pushed her body past her limits. The two spells that Dio had used were preventing her from making any sort of movement. Although, it wasn't like she had any mana left, leaving her only option to stand there still until someone gets her out of there. Or, of course, there is the more dramatic and cinematic choice, that is, simply passing out after your victory.

And that was exactly what she did, she passed out right on the stage with the laurel wreath and the anemo current trapping her. Moments later, professors rushed to the stage and broke the spell apart without any difficulty whatsoever. Obviously, for professors, the majority of the magic that was usually used in such tests was literally child's play.

"Winner….Hina Jaeger!!!"

The crowd erupted; roars and cheers for both the applicants could be heard as Alex pushed past the students and made her way to Dio. He was out cold; the punch to the gut had flushed out all the air in his body. It definitely wasn't life-threatening, but the chances of some of his ribs being cracked were high.

'I told you! I told you not to be overconfident!' Alex walked over, visibly concerned about her friend. 

"Excuse me, but you can see the applicant after he's healed, by the looks of it. It shouldn't take too long; he's still conscious, although barely. So please, understand and stand back," one of the medical team assistants told her as she tried to move forward.

"Alright….."

The fight definitely didn't go according to the flow. Dio had the upper hand through the fight, and even as it ended, he managed to trap her, but unfortunately, it seemed as if the risk he had taken was just too much. 

"Mr. Aethereus, if you can hear me, how many fingers am I holding up…?" another member of the medical team had asked him. By the looks of it, she was a student of Hexora, someone proficient in healing magic.

"…two…" he groaned as he tried sitting up straight, he pushed aside his thoughts and only focused on being able to sit upright.

"Alright…" she whispered something to someone behind her, before proceeding to warn him, "this might hurt a bit, but it won't be anything you can't bear, so please sit still and try not to move,"

A perfect memory. Part of remembering everything included remembering the repressed or the "forgotten." As the green light enveloped his body, Dio was pushed out of his consciousness. He closed his eyes as he entered into his mind space.

A never-ending library. That was his first impression of his mind space. But that wasn't what concerned him at the moment, he was taken back to the very first few seconds he was born. Under his mother's warm embrace, he was still a child, although to Luna, he would always remain as such.

"It's a boy…a cute little boy,"

'Why am I here…' Dio's spirit floated as he looked at the scene. His father, Drake, was standing right there, along with another old lady, someone he recognized. It was the same woman who had helped deliver him, the very same one who had cast a healing spell on him for the first time.

The events went by as he remembered and experienced them, but he was now at a point where he couldn't comprehend what was being talked about. It was when he first learned about Bloom. As a baby, Dio couldn't comprehend or understand too much, but his spirit could now understand everything that was being talked about. It was weird. Why now? Why this?

"What have you decided to name the child?" Theo asked as he slowly handed baby Dio back to Luna, and a green light slowly covered him.

"Well….father.." Drake looked down and scratched the back of his head, he was visibly cautious of what Theo would think of the name they had in mind. "We are aware of what society thinks and the burden that comes along with naming him as such, but Luna and I have spoken, and we decided to name the child after the King himself…"

"You don't mean…." Theo's eyes widened as he looked at Luna for confirmation.

"Yes…the very same. There has and will always be only one true king. In memory of the strongest mage to ever exist, so that this child can grow up to be as strong as him, so he can live freely and protect those in need... My baby…my love…my world….

From this moment on, he shall be known as Dio Aethereus Wolfriver…"