Even after the man vanished…
Silence continued to hang over them, heavy and suffocating, as if the air itself had become wary of drawing near.
Nir…
Was still standing in his place.
His hand extended slightly before him…
As if the scene had not yet ended.
It was gone.
Only…
Gone.
He looked at the palm of his hand.
No blood.
No trace.
Nothing.
"I…"
The word came out weak.
But he did not finish it.
Because he did not know how.
"Nir…"
Lyra's voice was cautious.
Soft.
But there was something new in it.
Hesitation.
He raised his head slowly.
Looked at her.
She did not retreat.
But she also… did not draw near.
"…Are you alright?"
A simple question.
But its meaning…
Was not simple.
Silence.
"I…"
He stopped.
Then he said:
"…I don't know."
The truth.
For the first time… he did not try to deny it.
Cain took a step closer.
He hesitated… then said:
"What you did…"
"…That isn't magic."
Sern let out a short, tense laugh.
"That's very clear."
But his eyes… never left Nir.
"You…"
He paused.
Then he said with harsh bluntness:
"…You could erase us from existence, couldn't you?"
Silence.
Nir did not answer.
But this silence…
Was an answer.
The young girl stepped forward slowly.
She stood beside him.
Looked at his hand.
Then…
She offered a faint smile.
"You've begun to learn."
He turned to her.
"Learn what?"
She raised her gaze to him.
And her black eyes were strangely calm.
"You are not like them."
Silence.
"And you are not like me."
This time…
Nir's eyes widened slightly.
"What do you mean?"
She took a step forward.
Standing directly in front of him.
"I control magic."
She said it simply.
"I corrupt it… I distort it… I use it."
She raised her hand.
A small black thread appeared… then vanished.
"But you…"
She stopped.
She looked into his eyes with intense focus.
"…You protect it."
Silence.
"You don't break it."
"You don't absorb it…"
"You act as if it… never existed from the start."
A cold sensation passed through Nir's body.
"And this…"
She whispered.
"…is not natural, even for us."
In the distance…
Cain clenched his fist.
"Enough cryptic words,"
He said sharply.
"We must return to the Academy immediately."
"No."
Everyone turned.
Nir.
He was looking in a specific direction.
Far away.
Toward the horizon.
"…They are coming."
"Who?"
Before he could answer—
The air trembled.
Several presences appeared.
Suddenly.
Five people.
Wearing the same black cloaks.
But their auras…
Were stronger.
Heavier.
And more dangerous.
They stood in a single line.
Looking at them.
"Confirmed."
One of them said.
"The target is he."
Another added:
"The adaptation has begun."
The third…
Looked directly into Nir's eyes.
"…And the danger level has risen."
Silence.
Then…
He said coldly:
"Elimination… is authorized."