The morning brought no peace.
Quite the opposite.
The Academy… had fallen silent.
Too silent.
Not even the birds were singing.
It was as if even the wind was giving the place a wide berth.
---
I stopped in the middle of the courtyard.
And I sensed it immediately.
— …He's here.
---
— Who? — So A asked quietly.
— The one… who drains power, — I replied.
---
Aki frowned.
'So, we found him before he found us.'
'No,' I said quietly.
Pause.
'He found us.'
---
…
And at that moment—
THUD.
---
Someone fell.
Right in front of us.
The student.
Alive.
But…
Empty.
Completely.
---
"Damn…"
So A sat down beside me.
"Again…"
---
"No," said a voice.
Calm.
Too calm.
---
We looked up.
---
He was standing on the roof.
Looking down.
As if watching an experiment.
---
— Not again.
A pause.
— Right now.
---
He jumped.
Easily.
Silently.
---
A lad.
He looked ordinary.
Too ordinary.
But…
His eyes.
Empty.
As if inside… there was nothing left.
---
— You…
I took a step forward.
— Is that you?
---
He tilted his head.
— Yes.
A pause.
— And no.
---
…
— I hate people like you, — I said.
---
He smiled.
Weakly.
— Then you're going to get hurt.
---
At that moment, the air around him…
collapsed.
---
As if reality couldn't bear his presence.
---
'My name is…'
He raised his hand.
And a dark current swirled around it.
'Kyril.'
---
So A clenched her teeth.
'Ha Jin…'
'I know.'
---
'I won't kill you straight away,' Kairel continued calmly.
'First…'
He looked straight at me.
And smiled even wider.
'I want to try you out.'
---
'Your power.'
'Your SCAR.'
---
My heart skipped a beat.
— Where did you…
---
He took a step.
And in the next moment—
he was right in front of me.
---
I didn't even see him move.
---
— Because…
He whispered:
— It's delicious.
---
BLOW.
---
I was thrown back.
The ground shattered.
Blood.
Pain.
---
— HA JIN!
---
I stood up.
Slowly.
My body ached.
But inside…
something was boiling.
---
— At last…
I smirked.
— An interesting one.
---
⚡ Lightning flashed.
The blade rang out.
---
Aki stood beside me.
The whip coiled like a snake.
— Don't overestimate him.
— I won't.
---
So A rose up from the other side.
Her energy swirled around her hands.
— But don't underestimate him either.
---
I nodded.
---
Kairel looked at the three of us.
And laughed quietly.
---
— Three against one?
— Fine.
---
He spread his arms.
And shadows…
exploded around him.
---
Figures.
Forces.
Alien techniques.
As if dozens of people were standing behind him.
---
— Then I'll take a little more.
---
FIGHT
I lunged first.
Lightning sliced through the air.
---
BLOW!
---
But…
Empty.
---
— Too slow.
A voice from behind.
---
I spun round sharply—
A BLOW to the stomach.
---
Blood.
The wind knocked the air out of me.
---
— Damn…
---
Aki intervened instantly.
The whip lashed out—
WHISTLE!
---
Kairel caught it with his hand.
Effortlessly.
---
— Interesting.
---
So A raised her hand—
—RESTRAINT!
---
Energy compressed the space around him.
---
But…
He smiled.
---
And…
drank it in.
---
The energy simply vanished.
---
— Thank you.
---
So A froze.
— He… absorbed my technique?!
---
— My turn, — he said.
---
The darkness surged forward.
---
I shielded myself with my sword—
EXPLOSION!
---
I was thrown back again.
But this time—
I held my ground.
---
The SCAR inside…
stirred.
---
"Give me…"
A whisper.
---
"No."
---
"GIVE IT TO ME."
---
I clenched my teeth.
— Shut up.
---
Kairel stopped.
And looked at me with interest.
---
— Ooh…
— He's already awake.
---
…
— Then…
He stepped forward.
---
— I'll take him all.
---
At that moment—
I vanished.
---
WHISTLE.
---
The sword flew past his neck.
His hair flew back.
---
He was surprised.
For the first time.
---
— Quick…
---
— I said…
I appeared before him.
Lightning flashed all around.
---
— DON'T TOUCH HIM!
---
A BLOW.
---
This time—
I hit him.
---
Kairel was sent flying.
For the first time.
---
The ground cracked.
---
Silence.
---
He slowly stood up.
And…
smiled even wider.
---
— Now that…
— is tasty.
---
The aura around him exploded.
Even stronger.
Even darker.
---
Aki tensed.
— Ha Jin…
— He's getting stronger.
---
So A clenched her fist.
— We won't last much longer…
---
I remained silent.
---
SCAR…
laughed inside.
---
"Give me control…"
"And I'll destroy it."
---
…
I closed my eyes.
For a second.
---
And then I opened them.
---
"No."
---
The lightning flashed again.
But now…
it was different.
---
Heavier.
Darker.
---
Kyriel smiled.
---
— Then…
He raised his hand.
---
— Try to survive.
---
And in the next moment—
the world exploded.
---
To be continued…