The arena emptied slowly. Not in the usual way. No chatter. No complaints. No sideways jokes whispered under breath.
Just movement. Quiet. Heavy. Measured. They walked like people carrying something invisible on their backs.
The image wouldn't leave. Two bodies. Two heads. Rolling. Newton walked beside Samuel. Neither of them spoke.
Not once. Around them, others kept their distance. No one brushed shoulders. No one dared make contact. It was as if even accidental closeness could be mistaken for something else.
Something dangerous. Samuel exhaled through his nose. Slow. Controlled. But his fingers kept twitching at his sides.
Newton noticed. He didn't say anything. Ahead, a boy stumbled slightly. Another caught him.
For a second, their hands stayed locked. Then both of them pulled away instantly.
Too fast. Too sharp. Like they had touched fire. Newton's gaze shifted. He understood. No one needed to say it.
Love was a death sentence. The corridor stretched long.
Endless.
Each step echoed. Each breath felt louder than it should. When they reached their room, Samuel pushed the door open harder than necessary.
It hit the wall with a dull thud. He stepped in. Then stopped. Newton entered behind him and shut the door.
The silence inside felt different. Closer.
Samuel ran a hand over his head. "Did you see that?" Newton didn't answer immediately. He moved to the side of the room and rested his sword carefully.
Samuel let out a short, dry laugh. "Of course you saw it. Everyone saw it." He turned. His eyes searched Newton's face. "Just like that."
His voice dropped. "They didn't even hesitate.".Newton leaned against the wall. "They followed the rule."
Samuel's jaw tightened. "That wasn't a rule. That was."
He stopped. The words didn't come. Or maybe they did. But he swallowed them.
Hard.
Newton's gaze stayed steady. "It doesn't matter what we call it.".Samuel looked away .His chest rose. Fell. Then he nodded once.
Slow.
"Yeah.".A pause. Then he dropped onto the bed. The mattress sank under his weight..He stared at the ceiling. For a long time, neither of them moved.
The room felt still. Too still. Outside, footsteps passed occasionally.
Muted, and distant.
Time dragged. Then, the bell rang again. Sharp, and sudden. Samuel sat up instantly.
Newton was already standing. No hesitation this time. No confusion.
They moved fast. The door slid open and they stepped into the corridor. Again, the same rush.
Students pouring out.
Fully dressed. Fully ready. Newton adjusted the strap across his chest as they moved.
Samuel followed closely. When they reached the arena, the masters were already there.
Waiting.
One stepped forward, his face covered this time. Only his eyes were visible.
Cold, and observing. "Today," he began..His voice cut through the air. "You are going to practicalize your survival skills in water."
A pause.
His gaze swept across them. Slow, and measured.
"Follow me."
No one questioned it. They moved. The group shifted as one. A silent wave.
They followed the master through a side passage. The air grew cooler.
Damp.
A faint smell of water settled in. Then, they stepped into it. The pool was massive, wider than the arena itself.
Still, and dark.
It stretched far enough that the end blurred slightly. Samuel slowed. His eyes widened a little. "That's not a pool," he muttered. "That's something else."
Newton didn't respond. He was already scanning. Edges, depth, and reflections.
Then, the master turned. "Alright, Ninjas." His voice echoed slightly off the water. "I need you to survive one hour underneath the water."
A ripple of confusion spread instantly. Samuel leaned closer to Newton. "I thought we came here to be trained." His voice stayed low, and tight. "Why is he asking us to survive under the water without any training?"
Newton's gaze didn't leave the pool. "They expect us to apply the knowledge we were taught in level one."
Samuel's face tightened. His mind raced.
That day. That lesson. It slipped, and faded.
Gone.
His fingers curled slightly. "I don't remember anything from that day," he whispered.
Newton didn't look at him..He had already moved. At the edge of the pool, tools were arranged neatly. Oxygen bottles. Masks were simple, and practical.
Newton crouched, and picked one. His hands moved without hesitation. Connecting the tube. Adjusting the valve. Fixing it firmly into place.
Samuel watched, others watched. Newton tested it once.
A quiet inhale. Then, he jumped. The water swallowed him instantly. No splash lingered, just a ripple.
Samuel blinked. Then cursed under his breath and rushed forward. He grabbed one of the bottles..His hands fumbled. The strap twisted. He pulled it back, then tried again.
Behind him, others started moving. Some quick. Some slow. Some were uncertain.
One by one, they jumped. The water broke, and closed. Broke again, and closed again.
Samuel finally fixed his. Not perfectly, but enough.
He didn't wait. He jumped. Cold.
That was the first thing. It hit him like a wall. His body jerked slightly as he went under. Bubbles rushed past his face.
Then, silence.
Newton was already deeper. Calm, and still. His body floated just enough to conserve energy.
His eyes flicked to his wrist. The timer had started. Counting down. He exhaled slowly through the system.
Measured, and controlled. Around him, shapes moved. Students adjusting.
Panicking.
Some kicking too hard. Some sinking too fast.
Newton remained still. Watching, and observing.
Then his eyes shifted. The oxygen gauge. He paused, and watched it.
The percentage ticked down. Too fast. His brows narrowed slightly.
"With this rate," The thought formed quietly. "The oxygen won't last an hour."
He stayed still for a second longer. Then he moved. Slow, deliberate.
He loosened the bottle slightly, and removed it.
Instantly, his lungs tightened. The pressure hit. But he didn't panic. He closed his eyes.
Held it. One second, two, three. Time stretched. His chest burned. But he endured.
Then, he put it back. A deep inhale. Measured, and controlled. He watched the gauge again. Then he removed it.
Again, he repeated the circle. A rhythm. Three minutes on, three minutes off.
His body adapted, and adjusted.."It's working," he murmured inwardly.
Around him, the chaos grew. Students started rising.
Fast. Too fast. Bubbles burst upward in clusters. By thirty minutes the first ones broke the surface.
Gasping, and coughing. Pulling air like it would disappear again.
Samuel held on longer. But not by much..His movements grew uneven. His chest tightened. His vision blurred slightly.
Then, he couldn't hold it anymore..He pushed upward.
Hard.
The surface broke. The air rushed in. He coughed, and gasped.
His body shook. Around him, others did the same. One after another. Breaking, and failing.
By forty minutes, almost everyone was out The pool surface calmed. Except for one thing.
Stillness below..Samuel wiped his face..His chest heaved.
Then, his wrist flickered.
Tah! Tah! Tah!
The sound echoed sharply. He froze. Then, he looked down.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION.
TASK FAILED.
His jaw clenched. Around him, others received the same. The sounds overlapped.
Relentless, and final.
Within ten minutes, no one remained inside. The edge filled with bodies.
Gasping, and coughing. Some bent over, vomiting water. Others lay flat, staring at nothing.
The master stood still. Watching. His eyes moved slowly across them. Then he shook his head. His disappointment was clear.
"You mean…" His voice cut through the noise. "There is no student who could survive underneath the water for an hour?"
Gregory stepped forward. His chest was still rising heavily. His eyes were red. "I ran out of oxygen.".His voice held frustration.."It wasn't enough."
The master's gaze locked onto him.
Sharp.
"It wasn't meant to be luxury."
He paused.
"It was meant for you to manage.".The words landed hard.
Gregory said nothing. The master turned away. Disappointment lingered in every step. He began to walk.
Slow, and measured. As if already done with them. Samuel's breathing steadied slightly.
Then, a thought struck. Sudden, and sharp. "Where is Newton?"
He looked back at the water. Still, too still. His eyes searched. Nothing. His chest tightened again.
"I think…" His voice came out rough. "My friend is still inside the water."
The master stopped mid-step, then he turned. His eyes moved to the pool.
Searching, and waiting. A question formed.
Heavy, and unspoken. Was the boy still surviving, or already dead?