The weekend had ended, and people were returning to their routines of work and school. Tension still lingered among the civilians, prompting tighter security across the city starting today. Armed forces patrolled the streets actively, keeping watch over every corner.

  The day seemed calm and beautiful, for now. But weather reports from last night had warned of a small storm passing by the island, bringing the possibility of heavy rain.

  8:55 A.M.

  At the East-Wing Warriors Academy, students were arriving for their classes after early morning training.

  Cassie walked through the corridors and finally reached her classroom, 1-S2. More than half of the seats were already occupied, and the chatter of students filled the room.

  She ignored the noise and quietly stepped in. The moment she did, almost everyone went silent. As always, her presence drew attention.

  She didn’t speak to anyone without a proper reason, and no one dared approach her without one. Even her fans knew to keep their distance.

  Unlike Cassie, Viara was friendly despite her status—kind, cheerful, and always ready to help others. But today, she was nowhere to be seen, her absence known only to a few.

  As Cassie approached her desk, her eyes fell on the last seat in the row, where Zen was sound asleep. Finn sat at the desk ahead, absorbed in his notes.

  Cassie slid into her seat and set her bag on the desk, already unzipping it to take out her notebooks.

  Her gaze drifted to Zen’s sleeping form now and then, and for once, she understood his exhaustion.

  She knew that his presence that night—saving her and the others—was no coincidence.

  “Does he deal with trouble every night?” she thought, staring at a blank page in her notebook.

  Just then, the instructor entered, breaking her thoughts. Everyone stood to greet them. Finn gave Zen a small nudge, and Zen slowly opened his eyes, yawning as he rose.

  The instructor greeted the class and signaled them to sit. Cassie glanced at Zen once more, but he didn’t look back. After a few moments, she let out a quiet sigh and returned her attention to the teacher. For now, she decided to focus on class.

  After a chaotic night, settling back into the normalcy of school life would take some time.

  After four periods, the bell finally rang, signaling the start of lunchtime. Some students pulled out their lunchboxes, while others organized their books.

  Finn stretched lazily as he got up from his desk.

  Zen looked up. “Toilet break before lunch?”

  “Yep,” Finn replied.

  Zen smirked. “Every single day. What do you even have for breakfast?”

  Finn laughed. “Nothing special, bro. A trip to the restroom is just part of the routine.”

  Zen pushed his chair back, the legs scraping lightly against the floor. “Meet you at the cafeteria.”

  Finn nodded and headed out of the classroom toward the restroom.

  Cassie watched the exchange from her desk as she packed her bag. Once done, she stood and walked over to Zen, who was leaning against his desk, scrolling through his phone.

  She approached confidently, keeping her tone casual. “Hey, Zen. You’re going to the cafeteria, right?”

  Zen looked up. “Yeah?”

  Cassie smiled. “Great! Me too. Let’s have lunch together.”

  The class froze mid-motion, pin-drop silence. No one could believe their eyes—or their ears. The quiet, intimidating princess of the class… had just asked someone to join her for lunch?

  Since the start of the semester, no one had even seen her speak to anyone besides Viara, let alone invite someone to sit with her.

  Zen put his phone in his pocket. “Ok. Finn will join us later as well.”

  Cassie nodded, and both casually walked out of the classroom, heading towards the cafeteria.

  Everyone in the class remained stunned—until someone finally broke the silence.

  “Didn’t she hate his guts just a few days ago? What changed?”

  Sighs and groans came from a few students—the same pranksters who had swapped the restroom gender signs that day.

  “And he’s the one she’s friends with…?”

  “He was supposed to be dead!”

  “Yep. Totally our fault.”

  Cassie and Zen walked toward the cafeteria together, side by side, drawing attention from some. But it didn’t bother either of them.

  Cassie stared at the floor as she walked, a hint of worry on her face. Zen glanced at her and quickly understood what was bothering her.

  “So, how’s Elysia doing?” he asked quietly.

  The worry on Cassie’s face deepened. “She’s... traumatized. Even had a fever yesterday. Our maid is taking care of her.”

  Zen’s expression remained stoic. “Understandable.”

  “But it gets worse in this line of work,” he added. “The path of a warrior is never easy.”

  Cassie only nodded.

  “I hope she recovers quickly,” Zen said simply.

  Cassie’s tension eased a little. “Thank you. She did say she plans to attend classes again very soon.”

  “Good to hear,” Zen replied.

  His gaze shifted to the school field, crowded with passing students, but his mind lingered elsewhere.

  If only I’d gotten there sooner… she wouldn’t have suffered so much.

  Amidst their conversation, the two arrived in front of the cafeteria. The moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by the smell of various cuisines, the chatter of students ordering lunch, and the clatter of trays as staff moved busily behind the counters.

  Students from other classes were still arriving, so no line had formed yet. After a few students finished ordering, Zen and Cassie stepped forward. Cassie scanned the menu, weighing her options, while Zen ordered what he had already decided on.

  “Pasta and a chocolate milkshake, please.”

  A simple, functional dish paired with a drink he could safely enjoy. Cassie chose fried chicken and a small cup of ice cream for dessert.

  “Follow me,” Zen said, leading the way once they had their orders. Cassie trailed behind him to the table he usually sat at. She was a little surprised at what she saw—but maybe she shouldn’t have been.

  Madoka was already at the table, enjoying the ramen she had prepared herself, waiting for Zen and Finn. Cassie now had to navigate the tricky task of making friends with yet another rival.

  Madoka’s eyes landed on Zen, then flicked to Cassie behind him.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  She studied them for a moment before giving Zen a teasing grin. “Didn’t know your girlfriend was joining us today.”

  Cassie’s face turned bright red. “What?!”

  Madoka laughed. “Relax. I’m joking.”

  Zen sighed as he took a seat. “We’re friends. Which means she’s also your friend.”

  Madoka smirked. “What if I don’t want to be friends with her?”

  “Deal with it,” he replied, picking up a plastic fork.

  Cassie silently sat beside Zen.

  Madoka glanced at Cassie’s tray. “Fried chicken? I don’t mean to be rude, but that’s the worst food you can get here.”

  Cassie raised an eyebrow. “Is it?”

  “Try it,” Madoka said.

  Cassie took a bite, chewing slowly to test the flavor. Her eyes narrowed in disappointment. “It’s so... bland.”

  “Told you,” Madoka said, returning her attention to her meal.

  Zen looked at Cassie. “You can return it if you don’t like it.”

  Madoka teased, “I’m sure they’ll immediately compensate if you’re the one complaining.”

  Cassie paused, then shook her head. “No… I’ll just finish it. I don’t want to cause trouble. It’s edible, at least.”

  Madoka smirked, amused. “Since when did you become so considerate?”

  She glanced at Zen. He just shrugged, chewing.

  Cassie said nothing, focusing on finishing the bland fried chicken as quickly as possible.

  Just two tables away, three students from class 1-S1 watched them while eating lunch.

  “She dueled him, and now she’s having lunch with him?” Max asked, a mix of confusion and jealousy in his voice.

  “I don’t even dare to talk to her.”

  Edric, the quiet, sharp one, adjusted his glasses. “He was also seen with President Marcevelle just a few days ago.”

  “Really?” Max leaned closer.

  Alex, the girl sitting with them, studied Zen for a moment.

  “He doesn’t strike me as the type to chase attention,” she said bluntly.

  “He isn’t,” Edric replied. “He’s Madoka Fuyukawa’s brother, a recent transfer, and… pretty reserved, if anything.”

  Alex took a bite of her food. “So that’s why. Being the brother of an S-rank sure has its perks.”

  “How do you know all this, Ed?” Max asked.

  Edric’s face remained expressionless. “I’m just more aware of things happening in the academy.”

  Zen was quietly eating—until he wasn’t. He gulped, took a sip of his milkshake, but when he was about to pick up pasta with his fork again, his hand froze. His mind got lost, and his vision subtly blurred.

  His left arm stiffened, and his right eye twitched just a little. Everyone but Madoka missed it. She was too sharp to miss even the tiniest detail, especially when it involved Zen.

  “You, okay?” she asked.

  Zen blinked, then continued eating. “I’m fine. Just... tired.”

  Madoka’s eyes narrowed. “Right…”

  But she decided not to press further, for now.

  Cassie looked at Zen. “Did something happen?”

  “No,” Zen replied and went back to chewing.

  Just then, Finn arrived at the table, balancing his tray carefully as he scanned the seats.

  He stopped short when he noticed Cassie sitting beside Zen.

  “Huh,” he muttered. “That’s new.”

  Zen glanced up. “You’re late.”

  “Bathroom line,” Finn replied, sliding into the chair beside Madoka and setting his tray down—a grilled cheese sandwich with a generous portion of fries on the side.

  Zen looked at the fries. “Can’t live without them, huh?”

  Finn smirked. “Just like you can’t without milkshakes.”

  Zen smirked back. “Fair.”

  Finn leaned back slightly. “So… didn’t expect Princess Lysandra to join us for lunch today.”

  Cassie hesitated for a fraction of a second. “Is that a problem?”

  “No, no,” Finn said quickly. “Just… surprising. Zen doesn’t usually bring people here.”

  “I didn’t bring her. She asked,” Zen said, chewing.

  Cassie frowned slightly. “I did. And just call me Cassie. No need for formalities.”

  Finn raised both hands. “Alright. Formalities out the window. Call me Finn.”

  Madoka chuckled. “Look at that. Progress.”

  Cassie glanced at Zen, then back at the others. “Do you always sit here?”

  “Yeah,” Finn replied. “Same table, same time.”

  Madoka added, “Less trouble.”

  Cassie considered that, then nodded slightly, as if committing the information to memory.

  The four continued eating. The tension that had once hovered over the table was gone, replaced by something unfamiliar—but not unwelcome.

  But throughout the entirety of lunchtime, Madoka’s eyes never stopped monitoring Zen.

  3:40 P.M.

  Classes were nearly over.

  The restless energy in the room was obvious. Glances darted toward the clock, waiting for the bell to ring.

  Then—

  CRACK.

  Thunder roared overhead.

  A girl near the window yelped, half-screaming as the sound rattled the glass. Everyone turned instinctively.

  Rain poured down all at once—heavy, relentless sheets lashing against the windows.

  A collective groan swept the room.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

  Zen leaned back in his chair, unfazed. Finn exhaled with a long sigh. Cassie simply stared out the window, expression unreadable.

  By the time the final bell rang, the rain showed no sign of letting up.

  Students arrived at the building gate, some opening their umbrellas and others waiting for the rain to stop.

  Zen, Cassie, Finn, and Madoka stood beneath the building’s overhang near the exit, watching water cascade down the steps.

  Cassie sighed. “I didn’t even think to check the weather report.”

  Finn snorted. “You and half the damn academy.”

  Footsteps approached from behind.

  Julianna stopped beside them, adjusting the strap of her bag. “Good afternoon.”

  Finn raised an eyebrow. “Really? Good afternoon? With this weather?”

  Julianna chuckled softly. “Old habit, I guess. I say it every time I see someone—rain or shine.”

  She glanced at the downpour. “I’m heading back to the dorms early. No more work left for today.”

  Her gaze shifted to Cassie. “I overheard you saying you didn’t bring an umbrella. You can walk with me—mine’s a bit more spacious.”

  Cassie smiled. “Thanks.”

  Zen, Finn, and Madoka opened their umbrellas. Julianna and Cassie stepped out first, followed by the others, and together they started toward the student residential zone.

  After a moment, Julianna spoke again. “How is Elysia now?”

  Cassie paused slightly. “She’s recovering. Probably a few more days before she returns.”

  The worry in her eyes hadn’t faded.

  Julianna glanced at her. “You don’t seem as shaken, though.”

  “I’ve faced danger a few times before,” Cassie replied quietly. “I can tolerate it better.”

  Then, softer, “Vi hasn’t.”

  Julianna nodded once.

  “And you?” Cassie asked.

  “I’m also quite familiar with danger,” Julianna replied simply.

  As they continued walking, Finn checked emails on his phone.

  “Rank reassessment exams,” he read aloud. “What’s that?”

  “Think of it as a midterm,” Julianna replied. “First, everyone goes through written exams—combat theory, elemental energy output measurements, etc.”

  “And then…” Julianna continued, “They select forty to eighty students for a tournament system. That determines the higher A and S ranks.”

  Finn tilted his head. “What about people like me? I’m not an Elemental.”

  “For non-elementals, they focus on various physical evaluations,” Julianna said smoothly. “Elemental energy isn’t the only metric.”

  Madoka smirked. “Good luck with maintaining your apex spot, President. I’m definitely coming for it.”

  Julianna laughed softly. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t try.”

  Her gaze shifted to Zen. “And you?”

  Zen shook his head. “Not required to participate. I won’t.”

  “Ah. Bummer,” Julianna said—unsurprised, but faintly disappointed. “I was curious to see where you’d place.”

  As they passed a crossroads, Madoka slowed her pace.

  “I need to buy some notebooks.” She glanced at Zen. “And I might need help carrying them. One person should be enough.”

  Zen met her gaze for a moment, then turned back to the others. “You guys can head back.”

  “Alright,” Finn said.

  “See you tomorrow,” Cassie added, giving a small wave.

  The three of them continued as the rain hammered down, their figures gradually fading into the distance.

  Zen and Madoka watched as the others slowly disappeared into the rain’s fog.

  Then Madoka turned right.

  “Walk with me.”

  Zen followed as she led him toward a nearby park, empty now because of the downpour. They walked side by side, and for a while none of them spoke. Rain pattered against the pavement; their footsteps broke shallow puddles, the only sounds in the open space.

  Madoka’s eyes swept the area, sharp and deliberate, making sure they were alone.

  “I’m having a bad feeling about this,” Zen said at last.

  “You should,” Madoka replied, never slowing.

  “I only have one question,” she continued. “What happened?”

  Zen didn’t answer.

  Madoka’s grip tightened around her umbrella.

  Zen exhaled slowly. “You’re too sharp for your own good.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Answer the question.”

  “It’s not important,” he said.

  She stopped and turned to face him.

  Her voice dropped. “Do you really think your pain isn’t important to me?”

  Zen looked away, avoiding her gaze.

  “Look at me when I’m talking to you,” she said, anger cutting through the rain.

  “I’m running out of ways to keep you alive without betraying you, Zen.”

  That made him turn back.

  “So,” Madoka continued, steady and unforgiving, “either you tell me everything—”

  She paused.

  “—or I’ll ask Sayuri to deal with you.”

  Zen knew then the argument was over. Bringing up Sayuri wasn’t a threat—it was leverage. Madoka always knew exactly where to press.

  He stared at her for a long moment before finally surrendering.

  “Jeez, I can never hide anything from you.”

  His shoulders eased as he forced himself to calm down. “I hope you’re not planning to tell her, though.”

  “That depends,” Madoka replied. “On what you’re about to say.”

  He took a deep breath and began. “It was last night. I was out for some… fresh air, as always.”

  The rain blurred, the smell of wet pavement fading. The city sounds dulled. All that remained was the memory, sharp and cold.

  Zen’s eyes snapped open, lying on his bed, his hand clutching his abdomen. The nightmare had hit him again. It always did, and it always felt real.

  He looked up at the digital clock on the bedside table. It was a minute past midnight.

  He got up and went to the bathroom. Washed his face to calm his heart, braced himself, expecting the familiar sting along his left arm and the inevitable heave in his stomach.

  The pain flared—sharp, but lower than usual. And the nausea… didn’t come. Not tonight.

  He let out a slow breath, counting the small mercies. If it hit every night, he’d bleed out far too quickly.

  Then—a shower. A change into his spare tracksuit. Head out.

  It was routine.

  He had been in this city for almost a week now, and by this time, he already had a specific route in mind to cover a small perimeter. Vanguard would cover the rest.

  He never considered these late night patrols an act of heroism. To him, it was his duty as a soldier. And as a special unit of elemental warriors with autonomy, it was his way of studying the criminal network.

  So, when real danger struck, he knew exactly what and where to investigate.

  But running the same route every night bred predictability. If he could watch others, the experienced ones could watch him—avoiding him entirely.

  And the cost of being predictable, even in the smallest details, was something he was about to pay.

  After scouting for nearly two hours, he finally arrived at the tallest building around—his usual spot, where he would come to rest and sometimes take a nap before heading back.

  As Zen walked silently along the railing, keeping watch over the city, his comms pinged.

  Ansar’s voice came through. “Surveillance network just went down approximately twelve hundred meters south of your location.”

  “Copy. I’ll check,” Zen replied, and the signal cut off.

  He paused, scanning the streets below one last time. Then, just as he was about to move, his senses flared.

  Something was coming.

  Fast—too fast.

  A projectile, tearing through the air at hypersonic speed.

  Then—

  CRACK.