Day 6 — Part 5
Ryuen sat quietly on a fallen log, his usual arrogant smirk absent as he toyed absentmindedly with a stone in his hand. Beside him stood Ibuki and Albert, their expressions cold and unreadable. The atmosphere between them felt heavy, tense, as if they all awaited something — or rather, someone.
That someone soon made his appearance.
Nero stepped into the clearing, hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers. His jet-black hair was tousled by the restless wind, each strand seeming to move with a life of its own. His expression was neutral, a stark contrast to the curiosity swirling in his mind as he took in the scene before him.
"What's this about, Ryuen?" Nero asked, his voice carrying a lazy drawl. "Another nuisance popping off lately?"
Ryuen chuckled under his breath, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Not any that I know of... but there's one that's been bothering me for half the exam now."
Nero tilted his head, the faintest trace of amusement flashing in his eyes. "Oh, really? And which one would that be?"
"Can't say yet," Ryuen replied with a shrug. "I haven't verified my theory."
Nero raised a brow, the slightest hint of annoyance slipping into his tone. "Then why am I here?"
Without answering verbally, Ryuen casually pulled out a small knife from his pocket and tossed it towards Nero. Nero caught it instinctively, fingers wrapping around the handle with practiced ease.
"You really should be more careful with stuff like this," Nero muttered, examining the blade. "You don't just toss knives around like it's nothing."
Ryuen's smirk widened. "It's not a problem for you, is it?"
Nero narrowed his eyes slightly, a flicker of hesitation betraying his otherwise composed demeanor.
Before he could respond, Ryuen pulled out another item — an apple, vibrant and red — and lobbed it toward Nero. This time, Nero fumbled slightly before catching it, a moment of clumsiness that did not go unnoticed.
'Interesting,' Ryuen thought, his sharp mind noting the inconsistency. Nero caught the knife flawlessly, by the handle no less, with perfect control. Yet the apple — harmless and soft — almost slipped through his fingers. 'Is he trying to act average? Or am I reading too much into this?'
Nero straightened up, tossing the apple once in his palm. "What happened to Albert and Ibuki? Why not make one of your minions do this for you?"
Ibuki's eyes flared with indignation. "Watch your mouth, foreigner!" she snapped.
Ryuen raised a hand, signaling her to stay quiet. Though visibly annoyed, Ibuki obeyed, falling back into stiff silence.
"It's nothing serious," Ryuen said lazily. "Ibuki's... not very fond of me at the moment. And Albert's feeling under the weather due to some... unforeseen circumstances." His voice dipped lower, almost conspiratorial, at the last part.
Nero held Ryuen's gaze with a calculating look, his mind already racing.
'Ryuen doesn't do anything without a reason. There's something he's trying to confirm here.'
Wordlessly, Nero began peeling the apple, slowly and meticulously. His movements were mechanical, precise — not the motions of a casual student doing a meaningless task, but of someone trained, someone who couldn't help but show their skill even in a menial task.
'If I refuse,' Nero reasoned, 'he'll grow suspicious. Better to play along for now.'
Halfway through peeling, Ryuen spoke again.
"You know, Sienna's been acting behind the scenes," he said casually, his tone almost playful. "But it seems I've figured out everything she's trying to pull. Safe to say, her little scheme won't yield any results."
Nero paused briefly, the knife hovering over the apple. He forced himself to keep his expression neutral.
"Who's... Sienna?" he asked, tilting his head innocently.
Ryuen's smirk deepened, reaching his eyes this time. He dug into his pocket again and pulled out another knife, this one gleaming ominously in the sunlight.
"It seems you're having trouble with that one," Ryuen said smoothly. "Albert used it earlier today, so it might've gone blunt. Here — use this instead."
Nero's fingers tightened around the knife in his hand, his mind flashing back to four days ago.
---
Flashback — Day 4
Albert stood by the thick bushes, arms crossed, waiting impatiently.
Crunch.
He tensed, only relaxing when Nero emerged through the undergrowth, holding something in his hand.
"Here," Nero said casually, extending the object — a small, sharp knife. "Ryuen told me to give this to you. Don't know why."
Albert took it without a word, nodding once before slipping away into the dense trees. Nero lingered a moment, pulling out his walkie-talkie and switching to Sienna's line.
"Bring me good news. You gave it to him?" Sienna's voice crackled through the device, laced with urgency.
"Yeah," Nero replied. "No one else knows. I used Ryuen's name to cover it."
"Sharp. We'll check in again at the end of the exam — for our victory and Lloyd's downfall."
Nero smiled slightly, pocketing the walkie-talkie.
---
End Flashback
Back in the present, Nero quickly resumed his calm facade, Nero accepted the new knife Ryuen handed him, exchanging it for the old one without a word. With steady hands, he resumed cutting the apple, each slice clean and precise, his movements mechanical and detached.
When he was done, he handed the old knife back to Ryuen.
Ryuen took it with a sly grin, dismissing him with a flick of his fingers.
"Any idea what Albert used the knife for?" Nero asked lightly, feigning idle curiosity.
Ryuen shrugged. "Something about carving wood. Didn't pay much attention."
'Good,' Nero thought, relief washing over him. 'He doesn't know the real plan... yet.'
"Speaking of carving wood," Nero said thoughtfully, "I might use this knife to make a new pin for the tent at the far side of the camp. Lost one last night."
"Sure... Go ahead," Ryuen said lazily, stretching his arms above his head.
Nero turned without further comment, walking away from the camp. A small, victorious smirk played on his lips.
'First things first — get rid of the knife. If I succeed, Lloyd's plan will fall apart before it even begins.'
The wind picked up, rustling the trees as Nero disappeared into the thickening woods, the knife hidden safely in his pocket — a single, decisive move to tip the scales back into his favor.