Aibar looked at Nikita with a calm yet surprised expression.
"What was that for...?" he asked quietly.
Nikita immediately exploded in anger.
"You always say that everyone must obey the Guardian of Order! You always say that the Guardian of Order's word is law! And yet you ignored my direct order!"
Aibar remained calm.
"But I was trying to save you..."
"Save me?" Nikita scoffed coldly.
"Fine. Let's say you saved me. After that, I told you to stop. I ordered you to stop. Even if you didn't want to obey me, then obey the laws you created yourself.
I am the Guardian of Order.
Under the school's rules, I ordered you to stop fighting.
But you're a bastard who twists laws to satisfy his own desires. You couldn't even follow the rules you created.
And another thing...
I never asked for your help.
Help me?
Know your place.
Stop trying to win my favor."
Anger appeared within Aibar.
Yet his voice remained calm.
"If I hadn't come...
If I hadn't helped...
They would've carried out their disgusting plan.
I wanted to punish them so something like this would never happen again."
"Shut up!"
Nikita shouted.
His voice became ice-cold.
"Save me?
You can't even save the people close to you.
You can't even save the people who care about you.
Whenever you try to do more...
You only make things worse.
Because this world doesn't need you.
You're useless!"
The words hit Aibar like a blade.
He grabbed his chest tightly.
For several seconds, he stood there in silence.
Then, without saying a single word...
He turned around and walked away.
Back toward the classroom.
The delinquents immediately began thanking Nikita for protecting them.
However, Meirzhan suddenly stepped forward.
To everyone's surprise...
He asked Nikita to apologize to Aibar.
Nikita looked at him with disgust.
"No.
I stepped in because he struck your private area with a weapon.
He had no right to do that.
You could've suffered permanent damage.
That could've affected your entire future.
That's why I opposed him.
I protected you, no matter how much of a scumbag you are."
Meirzhan lowered his head.
He genuinely looked ashamed.
"Yeah...
Thank you...
But you've misunderstood something."
Nikita frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Meirzhan awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"You thought he intentionally struck me there.
But he didn't.
It only looked that way.
Aibar is too fast.
The strike only appeared to hit that area.
In reality, he was being careful.
He's always careful.
No matter how angry he gets, he never seriously injures people.
If Aibar actually attacked with real intent...
None of us would still be alive."
Nikita froze.
For the first time, he realized...
He had misunderstood.
Completely.
Guilt immediately filled his chest.
Without wasting another second, he rushed toward the classroom.
He wanted to apologize.
He wanted to tell Aibar he had gone too far.
Meanwhile, Aibar had already returned.
He stood beside the classroom window, staring outside.
Trying to calm himself.
Trying to regain control.
For a long time he remained completely expressionless.
Then...
Something impossible happened.
A single tear rolled down his cheek.
The entire classroom froze.
Everyone stared.
Nobody could believe what they were seeing.
Symbat immediately shot up from his seat.
"What happened?"
Her expression darkened.
"Nikita...
Did that bastard do something?"
The class remained speechless.
For the first time in his life...
Aibar was crying.
Long ago, after the tragedy in the laboratory and the deaths of the people precious to him, he had sworn never to cry again.
As he grew older, however...
He became completely emotionless.
When he was thirteen, he had once thought:
"If I can recover the ability to cry...
Maybe the rest of my emotions will return afterward."
Eventually, he gave up.
He became accustomed to living without emotions.
Yet there was one thing he always wanted.
More than anything.
He wanted to laugh.
To experience genuine happiness.
Now, as he stood by the window, memories of the laboratory resurfaced.
The faces of the people he had failed to save.
The people he had lost.
And then Nikita's words echoed again.
"You're useless."
The moment he heard those words, all he could think about was how he had failed to save his friends.
How powerless he had been.
How useless he had felt.
At that moment, Nikita entered the classroom.
Immediately he noticed everyone staring toward the window.
Confused, he walked over.
With a small grin, he lightly poked Aibar's back.
"Hey...
No way.
You can actually cry?
I don't believe it.
You never cry.
Come on already, Mr. Emotionless. Stop sulking."
Then Aibar slowly turned around.
Tears were streaming down his face.
Nikita's smile vanished instantly.
His eyes widened.
"W-What...
I...
I'm sorry.
Please forgive me.
Punish me however you want.
Just...
Please don't cry..."
His own voice began trembling.Nikita's voice trembled.
For some reason...
Seeing Aibar cry hurt far more than he expected.
When Maria was little, other children constantly mocked her.
"Witch."
"Old hag."
"Freak."
Again and again.
Many times, she would run home in tears.
Back then, she made a promise to herself.
"I never want to make someone cry with my own hands.
I know how painful it feels.
No one deserves this feeling."
And now...
The person crying because of her words was standing right in front of her.
Without saying anything, Aibar placed a hand over his chest.
Then he turned around and left.
Quickly.
As if he couldn't bear staying there any longer.
The entire class immediately followed him outside.
Students spread throughout the school grounds, searching for him.
Eventually, they found him sitting alone in the school park.
This time there were no tears in his eyes.
His face had returned to its usual state.
Emotionless.
Cold.
Nikita slowly approached him.
His head lowered.
His voice sincere.
"I'm sorry..."
But Aibar didn't react.
He sat motionless on a bench with his head lowered.
Then Symbat suddenly stepped forward.
Anger burned in her eyes.
She shoved Nikita away from the bench.
"So?
Are you happy now?"
Her voice was cold.
"Did your dream come true?"
Nikita remained silent.
Symbat continued.
"You think you defeated him several times?
You didn't.
During the history competition, Aibar lost on purpose.
I deliberately passed him the question because I wanted him to win.
Instead...
He chose you as the winner.
And when he congratulated you and offered his hand...
You acted like some kind of celebrity and slapped his hand away."
Her expression grew darker.
"Ugh...
After that, Aibar continued losing to you on purpose.
Do you know why?
Because he wanted to become your friend."
Nikita's eyes widened.
Symbat stepped closer.
"Who exactly do you think you are?
Aibar is a hero.
And who are you?"
Her voice rose.
"Aibar tried to befriend you because he didn't want you to end up isolated and alone.
Honestly?
Someone like you offers him absolutely nothing."
The surrounding students remained silent.
Nobody interrupted her.
Symbat continued.
"In short...
You're a terrible Guardian of Order.
Aibar is far above you.
You're not even worthy of being compared to—"
Suddenly—
A hand covered her mouth.
Symbat froze.
Aibar had stood up.
Calmly.
Without anger.
Without emotion.
He looked at Nikita.
"Forgive her, Guardian of Order."
Then he added:
"And forgive me as well.
I interfered with your responsibilities.
He spoke harshly to you.
Punish me instead.
You have every right to."
He removed his hand from Symbat's mouth.
Nikita looked completely overwhelmed.
"N-No...
Nobody is being punished.
It's fine."
His voice shook.
"I was the one who went too far.
She was right.
So...
Aibar...
Please forgive me."
Aibar said nothing.
He simply turned around and walked back toward the school building.
He entered the school building.
Picked up his bag.
Then left.
School wasn't even over yet.
Nikita immediately ran after him and blocked his path.
"Stop.
Where are you going?
At least stay until classes end.
That's one of the rules you created yourself."
In truth...
Maria desperately hoped to earn his forgiveness before the day ended.
Aibar looked at her calmly.
"Rules?
I'm just an ordinary student now.
If you can, enforce them."
His eyes remained cold.
"Back then, I enforced the rules myself.
If someone refused to obey them, I made them obey.
But now...
I'm leaving."
Nikita gritted his teeth.
"Stop!
Otherwise I'll expel you from school.
The Guardian of Order has the authority to do that."
Aibar didn't even blink.
"This school doesn't interest me anymore.
If you want to expel me...
Then do it."
And he continued walking.
Panic filled Maria's chest.
This time she grabbed his hand.
"Stop..."
Her voice was almost pleading.
"Please don't leave.
It's all my fault.
Forgive me just this once."
Aibar slowly looked at her.
Those terrifying crimson eyes met hers.
Then, in a cold voice:
"Let go of my hand."
Without realizing it, he pushed her away.
Hard.
Nikita stumbled backward.
At that exact moment—
Someone rushed over.
Alexei.
He had returned from class early and witnessed the scene.
Immediately, he shoved Aibar away.
His gaze was icy.
"How dare you."
For several seconds he stared directly at him.
"You were the one who made him Guardian of Order.
And now you're ignoring him?
Using force against him?"
Alexei clenched his fists.
"Yes.
I'm much weaker than you.
But if I have to protect my younger brother..."
His eyes sharpened.
"I'm prepared to fight you."
His voice lowered.
"As his older brother...
I can't just stand by and watch."
Aibar looked at him quietly.
"There is no need to fight."
A brief pause followed.
Then:
"I'm sorry."
And with those words...
He turned around and left.
This time for real.
Nikita tried to stop him.
But Alexei placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Let him go."
Later, Nikita explained everything that had happened.
Every detail.
Alexei listened.
And eventually admitted that he had misunderstood the situation and acted rashly.
The next day, Nikita tried speaking to Aibar.
But Aibar walked past him without even looking.
Ignoring him completely.
Then he returned to his original seat.
The seat beside Symbat.
Symbat looked happier than she had been in weeks.
His old seatmate had returned.
Only then did Nikita truly understand.
Aibar was deeply hurt.
Ever since they first met, Aibar had always chosen to sit beside him.
Always.
And now he had gone back to where he originally belonged.
As if everything between them had disappeared.
Aibar began winning every competition again.
Every academic challenge.
Every contest.
Without difficulty.
His perfect version had returned.
Symbat couldn't be happier.
The old, unstoppable Aibar was back.
Even if he was no longer the Guardian of Order.
Meanwhile, Nikita kept searching for opportunities to apologize.
Again.
And again.
And again.
But every time he approached—
Aibar simply stood up and walked away.
Ignoring him.
Refusing to even listen.
Regret slowly consumed Nikita.
For the first time, he began realizing something.
How much Aibar had actually meant to him.
Aibar would sit with him.
Talk to him.
Try to cheer him up.
Even though Aibar was naturally a quiet person.
And now...
It was too late.
Aibar no longer wanted anything to do with him.
That night, Nikita barely slept.
As he stared into the darkness, he made a promise.
Tomorrow.
No matter what happened.
He would make things right.The next morning, Aibar and Nikita arrived early as usual and began organizing the classroom.
The moment Nikita gathered enough courage to apologize again, Aibar quietly walked outside.
Soon the bell rang.
The first lesson was about to begin.
Maria rested her head on her desk.
A book covered part of her face.
Her eyes were closed.
She was exhausted.
Quietly, in her heart, she whispered the truth she had finally accepted.
She genuinely loved Aibar.
Just as she was lying there, she felt someone sit beside her.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and raised her head.
Then she froze.
Aibar had returned.
He was sitting beside her again.
Symbat stared in complete confusion.
Aibar calmly pointed toward the empty space beneath Nikita's desk.
"Yesterday, while everyone was distracted, I taped today's textbooks under your desk."
He reached underneath and pulled them out.
Then he looked at Nikita.
Calmly.
As if nothing had happened.
"I forgive you."
For several seconds, Nikita couldn't speak.
Then tears appeared in his eyes.
He was that happy.
The rest of the class also looked relieved.
Symbat smiled faintly.
"Good...
If that's what you want, then I have no objections."
She turned forward again and quietly remained in her seat.
The lessons passed peacefully.
When school finally ended, everyone began preparing to leave.
Before leaving, Aibar looked at Nikita.
"I won't be able to come to school tomorrow.
I have some business to take care of."
Nikita nodded.
"Alright."
The next day, Nikita arrived alone.
As usual, he came early and organized the classroom.
Being the Guardian of Order meant constant work.
Every break was filled with paperwork, documents, and responsibilities.
By the time the final lesson was nearing its end, he was exhausted.
Then suddenly—
Symbat glanced out the window.
Her eyes widened.
Someone...
Was floating in the sky.
Far above the school.
Unknown to the students, an organization had been secretly investigating Aibar for a long time.
Gathering information.
Studying him.
Watching him.
Eventually, they decided to act.
One of their members had been sent.
The information he received was simple:
"Guardian of Order."
"Fifteen years old."
"Black hair."
"Red eyes."
That was his target.
Now, floating above the school grounds, he stared down coldly.
"Hey!
Guardian of Order!
Come out here!"
His voice echoed across the campus.
"I'm here to avenge my friend."
After a brief pause, his voice became angrier.
"I'll give you three minutes.
If you don't come out...
I'll enter the school myself.
And trust me—
you don't want that."
The entire school was stunned.
Nikita was equally shocked.
As the three-minute deadline approached, everyone watched nervously.
Ten seconds remained.
Finally—
Nikita stepped outside.
He stood face-to-face with the mysterious man.
The floating man looked him up and down.
Then scoffed.
"Hmph.
This brat is the Guardian of Order?
I expected someone more impressive."
He smirked arrogantly.
"Whatever.
Before you die, at least learn the name of the man who kills you.
My name is Arsen."
Nikita remained calm.
"Yes.
I'm the Guardian of Order.
But I don't know you.
And I don't know your friend either.
Or...
Were you looking for Aibar?"
Arsen's expression darkened.
"Enough talking."
He smirked.
"Attack me.
I'll even give you the first move."
Maria frowned.
"What?
What are you talking abou—"
BOOM!
A violent gust of wind exploded outward.
Before she could react, her body was launched backward.
She flew several meters through the air and smashed into the school's wall.
CRASH!
Her head struck the concrete.
Her vision blurred.
Then—
Her wig came off.
Silence.
Arsen blinked.
"Huh?
What's this?"
He slowly descended and approached her.
All around them, students stared in complete shock.
"Nikita...
is a girl?"
"What?!"
"No way..."
Maria struggled to lift her head.
Blood trickled from her forehead.
Stains of red appeared in her white hair.
Arsen looked disappointed.
"Tch.
You're not the Guardian of Order."
Despite the pain, Maria raised her head.
"No.
I am the Guardian of Order.
I just received the position recently."
Arsen sighed.
"You're not the person I'm looking for.
But I'll kill you anyway."
He slowly drew his sword.
Then—
A sword came flying through the air toward his head.
FAST.
Arsen barely managed to react.
Just before the blade struck his face, he caught it with one hand.
The impact echoed loudly.
Immediately he turned toward the school gate.
Someone was walking through it.
Aibar.
Expressionless.
Cold.
Arsen grinned.
"Oh?
And who might you be?"
Inside, he thought:
"What a handsome guy.
A model?
Could this be the one we're looking for?"
Aibar continued walking forward.
Eventually he stopped directly in front of Arsen.
"I am the former Guardian of Order."
His voice remained calm.
"You came here for revenge because of Asanali.
I don't know why your organization wants to destroy the world.
But I believe there's a reason you chose this path."
Arsen's face twisted with rage.
"Bastard.
You admitted it yourself.
You admitted killing Asanali without hesitation."
His grip tightened around his sword.
"Not even a little afraid?
Fine.
Then I'll kill you."
The next instant—
He attacked.
Both remained in their human forms.
No superpowers.
Just skill.
Arsen rushed forward with his sword.
Aibar calmly defended.
Then he retrieved the sword he had thrown earlier.
Steel clashed against steel.
A sword fight erupted.
Aibar dominated from the beginning.
Without much difficulty, he wounded Arsen's shoulder.
Then his thigh.
Blood sprayed into the air.
Arsen's expression darkened.
Immediately—
He transformed into his Wind Form.
Aibar activated his own Wind Form as well.
The battle exploded into the sky.
Aibar deliberately tried carrying the fight higher and higher.
Away from the school.
Away from the students.
Arsen quickly realized what he was doing.
He understood that Aibar didn't want the school turned into a battlefield.
So Arsen repeatedly attempted to force the battle back toward the ground.
Aibar refused to let him.
The fight became increasingly fierce.
Yet even in the air—
Aibar remained superior.
Then Arsen switched forms.
Fire Form.
Instantly the battle changed.
Fire was vastly stronger than Wind.
For the first time, Arsen gained the advantage.
Maria, now conscious again, looked upward.
Then she suddenly realized—
Her disguise had been exposed.
Her face turned red.
But before she could think about it further—
BOOM!
Aibar came crashing down from the sky.
The impact shook the ground.
Even though Wind Form was naturally weaker than Fire Form, Aibar had nearly fought Arsen on equal footing.
That alone was unbelievable.
Arsen floated above.
His eyes narrowed.
"How...?
He's using Wind Form against Fire Form and still keeping up with me?"
For the first time—
Arsen was genuinely surprised.Aibar slowly rose to his feet.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Without hesitation, he launched himself back into the sky.
He refused to retreat.
He refused to give up.
Even against an opponent stronger than himself.
Arsen watched him approach and smirked.
The two clashed once again.
Wind and fire collided violently in the sky.
Shockwaves spread through the clouds.
Aibar fought with everything he had.
Yet Arsen still held the advantage.
Suddenly, Aibar threw away his slender sword.
The students below stared in confusion.
Then—
A massive greatsword came flying through the air.
It spun through the sky before landing perfectly in Aibar's hand.
A few minutes earlier, when Arsen had announced that he would give the Guardian of Order three minutes to appear, the principal had managed to call Aibar.
Now, Azamat had thrown the weapon directly toward Aibar.
The moment Aibar caught it, the battlefield changed.
The sword was enormous.
A weapon that should have required two hands just to lift.
Yet Aibar wielded it effortlessly.
As though it weighed nothing.
As though it were an ordinary sword.
The students below were speechless.
Swinging such a gigantic blade with one...