The battlefield had gone quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of silence that only came after something terrible had happened.
Students sat scattered across the ground.
Some still shaking.
Some staring blankly.
Some forcing weak laughs just to convince themselves they were alive.
Kai stood apart from them.
Still.
Silent.
His hand trembled slightly.
His hand trembled slightly.
Not from exhaustion.
From something else.
"…That power…"
"Hey."
Kai turned.
Ray was walking toward him.
Slow.
Careful.
Watching him.
"You're not even trying to hide it, are you?" Ray said quietly.
Kai frowned.
"…Hide what?"
Ray stopped in front of him.
Eyes sharp.
"That thing you did back there."
A pause.
"…That wasn't normal."
Kai held his gaze.
For a moment—
Too long.
Then he looked away.
"…You're overthinking it."
Ray didn't move.
Didn't blink.
"Am I?"
Before Kai could respond—
A presence approached.
The teacher.
His footsteps were calm.
Measured.
But when he stopped beside them—
The air shifted slightly.
"…Both of you."
Ray straightened immediately.
Kai stayed still.
The teacher's gaze rested on Kai.
Longer than necessary.
"…What you displayed back there," he said, voice even,
"was beyond the expected parameters of this test."
Kai's expression didn't change.
"…I pushed myself. That's all."
Silence.
The teacher watched him.
Not convinced.
But he didn't push further.
"…We will discuss this later."
Ray glanced at Kai again.
More questions.
No answers.
And just like that—
The moment passed.
But not forgotten.
Later — Return to the Academy
The walk back felt heavier than the battle itself.
Students whispered.
Replayed moments.
Some laughed nervously.
Others stayed quiet.
Aeris walked silently.
Her lips still faintly stained red.
Her steps steady—but slower than usual.
Rex stretched his arm with a wince.
"…That thing almost took my head off."
"Almost doesn't count," Ray muttered.
But his eyes drifted again—
To Kai.
Kai didn't notice.
Or pretended not to.
At the front—
The teacher walked alone.
His expression unreadable.
But his thoughts weren't.
That power…
That wasn't a skill taught here.
His gaze darkened slightly.
This needs to be reported.
Inside the Academy — Later
The group dispersed.
Some went straight to rest.
Others to treatment.
Kai walked alone.
The halls felt quieter than usual.
His mind wasn't.
"…Absorb…"
"…Evolution…"
The Demon Ancestor's words echoed.
Kai clenched his fist.
"…What exactly am I becoming…?"
Before the thought could settle—
His phone vibrated.
A call.
Ren.
Kai blinked.
Then answered.
"…What?"
A familiar voice came through—
Relaxed.
Annoyingly cheerful.
"Wow. No greeting? I'm hurt."
Kai exhaled slowly.
"…Say what you want."
Ren chuckled.
"Straight to business, huh? Good. There's a new mission."
Kai paused.
"…Already?"
"Yeah," Ren replied.
"And this one's… different."
A short silence.
Then—
"Meet me. Same place."
The call ended.
Kai stared at his phone for a second—
Then turned.
"…Guess I'll find out."
Meeting Point
Ren was already there.
Leaning casually against a wall.
Arms crossed.
Smirking.
"Look who finally showed up."
Kai walked toward him.
"…You called me."
"Yeah, yeah."
Ren pushed off the wall.
Eyes scanning Kai briefly.
"…You look like you got hit by a truck."
Kai didn't respond.
Ren smirked wider.
"…I'll take that as a yes."
Then—
He turned slightly.
"Come out."
From behind him—
Three figures stepped forward.
The New Team
1. Lira Voss
A tall girl with ash-blonde hair tied back.
Sharp eyes.
Calm posture.
Her gaze swept over Kai once—
Assessing.
"Support-type," she said simply.
"Barrier and reinforcement."
A pause.
"…Try not to get reckless. I don't waste energy on lost causes."
2. Dain Korr
Broad-shouldered.
Scar running across his jaw.
Heavy gauntlets resting at his sides.
"Close combat," he said.
Voice low.
He cracked his knuckles slowly.
"If things go bad… don't freeze."
His eyes locked briefly with Kai.
"…Move. Or you die."
3. Sera Nyx
Quiet.
Dark hair falling over one eye.
Standing slightly behind the others.
She didn't speak at first.
Then—
"…I track."
Her voice was soft.
But precise.
"I see things others miss."
Her gaze lingered on Kai for a second longer than necessary.
Then she looked away.
Ren clapped once.
"Alright, introductions done."
He looked at Kai.
Smirk returning.
"Now the fun part."
Kai frowned slightly.
"…What mission?"
Ren's expression shifted.
Just slightly.
Serious.
"…A team went missing."
Silence.
Lira crossed her arms.
"…Not just any team."
Dain's voice dropped.
"An upper-class squad."
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"…And?"
Sera spoke quietly.
"…No bodies were found."
The air grew colder.
Ren stepped forward.
"They didn't send a distress signal."
A pause.
"They didn't leave a trace."
Another pause.
"…And the last location they were seen?"
Kai's grip tightened slightly.
Ren's smile returned—
But this time—
It wasn't playful.
"…Is the same zone we just trained in."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unsettling.
Kai's eyes darkened slightly.
Behind him—
The words echoed again:
Absorb.
Ren turned.
"Mission starts at dawn."
He glanced back once.
"Try not to die this time."
Kai didn't respond.
But his eyes—
Were no longer the same.
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