[KATXU'S POV]
The next morning, I woke up with regret.
Not the normal kind of regret. No, this was the kind of regret that sat in your stomach like a brick, reminding you of every bad decision you made the night before.
And I made a lot.
Danryu had a permanent smirk on his face as he leaned against the doorframe, watching me suffer. "How's the stomach, Master Chef?"
I groaned, burying my face in my arms. "Don't talk to me."
Poco, sitting across the room, grinned as he casually ate a snack. "I'd say you learned your lesson, but I know you didn't."
Kelly, ever the kind soul, offered me a small cup of herbal tea. "This will help…"
I peeked out from my arms. "Kelly, you're an angel. I knew I could count on you."
Danryu snorted. "Says the guy who set a forest on fire."
I glared at him. "It was one time."
Poco smirked. "One time too many."
I groaned dramatically, finally sitting up. "Okay, okay, enough about my 'bad life choices' or whatever. Let's talk about something more important."
Danryu squinted. "If you say food, I'm throwing you out the window."
I waved a hand. "No, no. We should place bets on who's getting eliminated first in the next exam."
Poco immediately perked up. "Oh, now this is interesting."
Danryu sighed, but I could already see his brain working on insults.
Kelly, meanwhile, hesitated. "W-We shouldn't talk about elimination yet, right? We don't even know what the exam is…"
I grinned, pointing at Poco. "Which is why Poco is gonna make wild guesses based on his 'intel.'"
Poco smirked, pushing up his glasses. "I do like making people paranoid, so… I accept this responsibility."
Danryu crossed his arms. "Alright, let's hear it, genius. What do you think is gonna happen?"
Poco leaned back, looking way too smug. "Alright. Based on what I heard, the next exam will involve 'one-on-one performance evaluations.'"
I blinked. "That… sounds a lot like—"
Poco nodded. "A duel."
Danryu groaned. "Oh, great. We get to beat each other up for fun."
I smirked. "You sound nervous, Back Princess."
Danryu rolled his eyes. "Tch. I'm just saying, some people in this competition could actually kill us."
Poco shrugged. "Which is why we bet on who gets eliminated first."
Kelly gasped. "P-Poco!"
Poco held up a hand. "Relax, it's just a game. Loser has to do something embarrassing."
Danryu immediately pointed at me. "Katxu. 100%."
I gasped. "EXCUSE ME?!"
Poco laughed. "That was fast."
Danryu nodded. "He's reckless, cocky, and—most importantly—he has no actual Fin ability."
I narrowed my eyes. "You just called me Normal in a very fancy way."
Danryu smirked. "I did. And you are."
I leaned toward Poco. "Can I change my bet to Danryu's immediate downfall?"
Poco grinned. "Oh, absolutely."
Danryu rolled his eyes. "You're just mad because you know I'm right."
I scoffed. "Danryu, let's be real. You are one bad healing potion away from taking yourself out."
Danryu opened his mouth to argue. Then closed it. Then scowled.
Poco whistled. "Damn. He can't even deny it."
Kelly, still looking unsure, shifted in her seat. "W-What happens to the loser?"
Poco smirked. "They have to say something nice about the winner."
Danryu's entire soul left his body.
I leaned in, grinning like a devil. "Ohhh. So if I survive longer than you, you have to say something NICE about me, Danryu?"
Danryu was already reconsidering life itself.
Kelly, still trying to be the voice of reason, shook her head. "M-Maybe we shouldn't—"
Poco smirked. "Nah, it's too late. It's happening."
Danryu groaned. "Fine. But when you lose, you better call me 'Great Master Danryu.'"
I shook his hand. "Deal."
Danryu muttered under his breath, "I hate this already."
Poco grinned. "Well, this just got way more interesting."
Kelly sighed. "This feels mean…"
I shrugged. "It's only mean if Danryu loses."
Danryu glared. "I am going to eliminate you myself."
Poco clapped his hands. "Good, good. Now, let's move on to step two."
I blinked. "There's a step two?"
Poco grinned. "We mess with you for the rest of the day."
I frowned. "Wait. That wasn't part of the deal."
Danryu smirked. "It is now."
I suddenly realized I had made a terrible mistake.
***
I couldn't sleep.
Even with everything that had happened—the chaos of the last two exams, the exhaustion settling into my bones, the teasing from Danryu still ringing in my ears—I just couldn't.
My thoughts were racing. The next exam was coming, and we all knew it was going to be different. One-on-one battles. No team to cover me, no allies to watch my back. Just me and an opponent.
For once, I wasn't sure if I was excited or terrified.
I sighed, pushing myself off my bed. The apartment was silent, everyone asleep, even Ren. Poco had passed out first, Kelly had curled up near Grimm, and Danryu… well, he'd probably punch me if I woke him up for no reason.
I needed air.
Sliding on my boots, I quietly left the apartment, stepping into the cool night breeze. The academy grounds were eerily peaceful at this hour, the usual clamor and energy replaced with the occasional rustle of leaves or distant footsteps.
I wandered into the park, my hands stuffed into my pockets. The lanterns flickered softly, casting faint golden hues on the stone paths. I passed a small pond, my reflection staring back at me—messy white hair, eyes slightly shadowed from lack of sleep.
I sighed. "This is stupid. I should be asleep."
But my body refused to rest.
I sat down on one of the empty benches, leaning back, staring up at the moonlight cutting through the leaves.
Tomorrow, I'd be fighting alone.
For the first time, I had to prove myself—not as a Normal. Not as the guy who throws jokes around to cover up his weaknesses. But as someone who belonged here.
The thought sent a strange mix of excitement and dread crawling up my spine.
Then, in an instant—everything changed.
A sharp, cold pressure hit my neck.
Before I could even react, my vision blurred, my body numbing instantly. I barely had time to suck in a breath before the world spun violently.
Darkness.
My limbs refused to move.
I was falling—no, being dragged.
Then, silence.
***
A faint, damp drip-drip-drip pulled me out of unconsciousness.
My head felt like it had been split open, my body aching in places I didn't even know could ache. I tried to move, but my arms—I couldn't move them.
A cold realization settled in my stomach.
I was bound.
I groggily blinked, my vision adjusting to the dim, flickering light of torches. The air was thick with moisture, the faint scent of metal—blood—clinging to it.
My arms were stretched above me, bound tightly by thick, enchanted chains that extended across the rough stone walls. My legs were folded underneath me, my body forced into a kneeling position.
A deep chill ran down my spine.
This wasn't just some random abduction.
This was planned.
I took a slow, shaky breath. "...Shit."
My vision cleared enough to take in more details. The cave was wide, deep, carved by time itself. But what caught my attention was what was directly beneath me.
A circle.
A massive one.
Dried blood had been painted into complex symbols, stretching from beneath my knees to the walls themselves. Intricate patterns, spiraling shapes, and unrecognizable glyphs.
A ritual.
And I was at the center of it.
A heavy, suffocating feeling coiled around my gut, something deeply wrong about all of this.
Before I could process anything further, the sound of footsteps echoed in the cave.
I tensed.
Out of the shadows, three figures stepped forward.
They weren't examinees. I could feel it.
Draped in dark cloaks, their faces hidden behind smooth, eerie masks, they moved with a calm, measured precision. Not like people who happened upon this place—but like people who owned it.
One of them stopped just a few feet from me.
A low, smooth voice filled the space. "Awake already? Impressive."
I took a deep breath, masking the instinctive fear crawling up my throat. "Yeah, well. Sleeping tied up isn't exactly comfortable. You should try it sometime."
The masked figure in the center let out a small, amused chuckle. "Still joking, even now?"
I smirked. "Well, it's either that or start screaming."
The second masked figure, whose voice was lower, colder, finally spoke. "Screaming is inevitable."
Okay. Bad vibes.
I forced myself to stay casual. "Look, I'm flattered. But if you wanted my attention, there are less creepy ways to ask for it."
The third masked figure tilted their head slightly, considering me. "It's fascinating how you can still talk."
My smirk twitched slightly. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
The first figure stepped closer. "We don't have much time. Let's begin."
Begin what?
My instincts screamed that whatever this was, I didn't want to find out.
I pulled against my chains, testing the bindings. Solid. Enchanted. No use.
I exhaled sharply. "Alright. Since I'm apparently the main event, how about you tell me what this little show is about?"
The first masked figure crouched slightly, tilting their head at me. "You should already know."
I blinked. "Yeah, gonna be honest, I have no idea what you're talking about."
The second figure hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps he truly doesn't know."
The third one sighed. "Then let's teach him."
Before I could respond, the first figure raised a hand.
The symbols in the blood circle ignited, glowing deep crimson, and suddenly—
Pain.
A searing force tore through me, like something was being dragged from my very core.
My veins burned, my body convulsing violently against the restraints. A deep, foreign pressure crushed my chest, like an invisible force was reaching inside me, trying to take something.
I gasped, choking back a scream.
I didn't know what was happening, but I knew it wasn't normal.
The second masked figure murmured, "He's resisting."
The first one tilted their head. "Not him."
A surge of black energy erupted from my body.
Dark veins cracked along my skin, spreading from my neck to my arms. My breath hitched, my vision flickering between light and shadow.
Then, for a brief moment—
I saw something.
A glimpse into the depths of my being.
Chains. Seals.
Something buried deep inside me.
Something that did not want to be touched.
And then—it fought back.
I screamed, my voice shattering the silence of the cave.
A violent shockwave exploded from my body.
The masked figures staggered back, barely dodging the recoil of energy that blasted through the cave.
The first figure's voice was tense, controlled. "Something blocked it."
The second nodded. "No… something is guarding him."
My body slumped, gasping for air. My vision blurred, but I could still see the masked figures standing before me, calculating, considering.
The third one stepped forward, raising their hand again. "We should try once more."
The first figure hesitated. "We're running out of time."
Then, suddenly—
A presence entered the cave.
It was fast. Heavy. Cold.
A deep, lethal voice cut through the space.
"Let him go."
The masked figures immediately reacted, their posture tensing.
I could barely focus, my breath ragged, but I knew that voice.
Dairon.
The second masked figure tilted their head slightly, intrigued.
The first sighed. "Next time, then."
And just like that—they vanished.
I felt my body finally release its tension, exhaustion crashing over me like a wave.
My vision swam, my mind barely holding onto consciousness.
But I felt it—the shift in the air, the cold presence stepping closer.
Boots scraped against the stone.
I forced my eyes open, barely able to lift my head.
Dairon stood there.
His golden eyes locked onto me, sharp, unreadable.
My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "...Took you long enough."
Dairon exhaled sharply. "Damn idiot."
I barely registered the sound of his sword unsheathing.
A sharp slash—
The chains shattered.
And then—darkness took me again.
***
[DAIRON'S POV]
Tracking them had been a mistake.
I had been watching them since the second exam ended—the masked figures.
They were too perfect, too calculated, too inhumanly efficient in their movements. They weren't just examinees playing by the same rules as the rest of us.
And I knew that better than anyone.
They weren't fighting to win. They were hunting.
So I followed them. Watched them. Waited.
At first, it was subtle.
They never spoke to anyone outside their own circle. Never engaged in unnecessary fights. Never revealed too much power.
But they were always there.
Watching. Waiting.
And then last night, they did something different.
They vanished.
Not through teleportation. Not through normal movement.
One second, I had their presence locked—traced through faint shifts in energy, footfalls barely detectable against stone.
Then the next… they were gone.
Completely.
It wasn't a normal disappearance.
It was as if they had stepped out of existence itself.
And I knew only a few things in this world that could do that.
So I did what I always did—I followed the faintest trace of where they had been.
And it led me here.
A cave.
And inside…
Katxu.
I stepped into the dim torchlight, my boots silent against the cold, damp stone.
The air stank of old blood.
It took me less than a second to assess the situation.
A ritual circle. Blood-drawn symbols. Enchanted bindings.
And in the dead center of it—
Katxu.
Kneeling. Unconscious. Arms stretched painfully above his head, chained tightly against the rough stone walls. His breathing was uneven, his body trembling from whatever they had done to him.
My jaw clenched. Idiots.
I scanned the room for threats—no signs of a struggle, no leftover energy fluctuations. They had left without a fight.
Why?
If they had taken him, if they had gone through all this effort—why leave him behind?
I stepped forward, my shadow stretching against the torchlight.
Katxu's breathing hitched slightly at the sound of my boots against the stone. He was awake—barely.
His head tilted up just a fraction, his half-lidded eyes barely registering me. His voice was hoarse, broken.
"…Took you long enough."
I exhaled through my nose. "Damn idiot."
His condition was bad.
Sweat clung to his skin, but his veins—they were darker. Visible. Like whatever they did had left something behind.
I tightened my grip on my sword.
Whatever they had tried to take from him… they had failed.
But something told me—this wasn't over.
I lifted my blade.
A sharp slash—
The chains snapped.
Katxu collapsed forward, but I caught him by the arm before he hit the ground.
His body was weak, his breathing shallow. But he was alive.
I held him up for a second, letting him catch his breath.
Then, without hesitation, I tossed him over my shoulder.
"Ugh—" he groaned weakly, barely conscious.
I ignored him. "Shut up."
Katxu let out a half-hearted wheeze. "You're… carrying me? Thought you didn't—ugh—like team bonding."
I rolled my eyes. "I'll drop you if you keep talking."
Katxu, still half out of it, grinned weakly against my shoulder. "Nah, you won't."
I considered it.
For longer than I probably should have.
Then, I stepped forward, out of the ritual circle, out of the cave, into the cold night air.
The masked figures weren't here anymore.
***
The night air was cold, but Katxu's body was burning up.
Even unconscious, his breathing was uneven, his skin paler than usual except for the dark veins creeping along his neck and arms. Whatever those masked bastards did to him, it wasn't just physical.
I walked fast, silent, my steps measured. The academy grounds were dead quiet at this hour, only the occasional lantern flickering along the cobblestone paths.
When I reached the apartment, I didn't bother knocking. I kicked the door open.
BANG.
Danryu jolted awake, his messy hair sticking in all directions as he glared, half-conscious.
"What the—" His voice stopped mid-sentence the second he saw Katxu slumped over my shoulder. His expression shifted instantly.
I didn't explain. I walked past him and dumped Katxu onto the nearest couch.
Danryu was already out of bed, crouching beside him. "Oi—he looks like hell. What the hell did you—" His voice cut off again when he noticed the black veins.
His gaze flicked to me for an answer.
I didn't give him one.
Danryu muttered a curse under his breath before pressing his hand against Katxu's forehead, his Needles weaving around his body. The soft green glow pulsed along Katxu's skin, working to stabilize whatever the hell was wrong with him.
The room was silent, except for the faint hum of healing magic.
Danryu's scowl deepened. "Tch… his body's reacting to something. His mana's unstable, like it's trying to fight something off."
I already knew that.
Danryu exhaled through his nose, his shoulders relaxing just slightly. "He'll wake up."
I waited.
He frowned, still checking Katxu's pulse. "…But I don't know if whatever's inside him will stay quiet for long."
Neither do I.
I crossed my arms, watching Katxu closely. His breathing had evened out, but his fingers still twitched slightly, his face tense even in unconsciousness.
Whatever those masked bastards did… they didn't finish it.
Danryu leaned back onto his heels, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Seriously. What the hell happened?"
I didn't answer.
Danryu's glare sharpened, but when I said nothing, he scoffed and looked away. "Tch. Whatever."
He didn't care for long. His exhaustion hit first. He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'm going back to sleep. If he starts convulsing or something, wake me up."
Danryu dragged himself back to his room, grumbling something under his breath, and within minutes, I heard his breathing slow into sleep.
I didn't move.
I pulled a chair near the couch and sat down.
The apartment was quiet again, but my eyes stayed on Katxu.
Waiting. Watching.
The masked ones said "Next time."
They weren't done.
I had a feeling neither was he.