Kaz instinctively stepped back, trying to blend into the crowd. That guy's a complete psycho.
But it was already too late.
One of Ryuma's eyes snapped open, amber and sharp like a blade. Kaz's heart stuttered. He ducked behind the nearest person, standing back-to-back with a taller guy in a dark jacket.
"Hey man, what the hell are you doing?" the guy snapped, irritated by the sudden intrusion into his personal space.
Kaz didn't respond. Couldn't. His focus was locked on Ryuma, who was still staring right in his direction.
Then something shifted. Ryuma's head tilted slightly as a group of three students nearby laughed over something, their voices low but excited. Whatever they were saying caught his attention.
Kaz noticed it too.
And with their enhanced hearing, both of them caught the words.
The one on the right spoke first, his voice hushed but sharp with excitement.
"Hey… you see that guy leaning in the corner? That's Sarah Bloom's little brother."
The other two snapped their heads toward Ryuma, expressions shifting from curious to disturbed.
"No way," one of them whispered."I thought he vanished."
"He did," the first guy said. "After he left the Rift, they say he went on a rampage. Took out a bunch of Evolved—and even a few Sages. Then he just walked out. Left his clan without a word."
The group fell quiet, staring at Ryuma like they were looking at something inhuman. A monster in human skin.
And so did Kaz.
Honestly, who wouldn't? The gap between Novice and Evolved was already significant, but the leap from Novice to Sage? That was like a bug trying to bite a god. Most Novices couldn't even scratch a Sage, let alone survive a fight.
Maybe the story's exaggerated, Kaz thought. It had to be. Right?
He was still lost in thought when one of the guys, the boldest of the three, stepped toward Ryuma. Kaz instinctively leaned in to listen. Maybe he could pick up something useful.
"Hey there, Sir Ryuma of the Dark Bloom Clan, Heir of the Shadows," the guy said with a wide, too-confident smile. "My name is Lloydd of the Eleven."
Ryuma didn't move. Didn't even open his eyes.
He just sat there, ignoring him.
Lloydd's grin twitched, clearly irritated, but he kept pushing forward. Digging his own grave, Kaz thought grimly.
"I heard you left Dark Bloom…"
That was a mistake.
The air changed.
It dropped—sharp and suffocating, like a Rift beast had just stepped into the room. Kaz felt his lungs tighten, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck.
Ryuma opened his eyes. Slowly.
Amber and deadly. A predator's gaze.
"You think you can talk to me, roach?"
He raised his hand. Just a simple motion, but the intent behind it was loud enough to scream.
Before anything could happen, the silver-haired boy stepped in. Silent, calm. He moved between Ryuma and Lloydd like it was nothing.
His voice was even and blank "Just stop, dude" It The dull, but it seemed to put everyone on edge. Who was he? Why did the tensions just become heavier? These questions were running through his mind as the tensions grew, but the guy he was hiding behind finally had enough, "get away from me", pushing Kaz off of him, everyone turned to look at Kaz, who was thrust forward. He quickly stood out in his sweatpants and t-shirt was the main culprit
Kaz heard the whispers starting to spread.
"Who is he?""Why was he hiding?""Was he with them?"
They were soft, but sharp. Cutting.
And then—damn it—the two people he really didn't want noticing him both turned toward the commotion.
Ryuma was smiling.
Not the good kind. The kind that said he knew something. The kind that meant someone was about to get hurt.
Kaz's brain scrambled for a plan, but the fatigue dragged at him again, dull and invasive. Probably the effect of his Commandment: Rest. A constant pull, like gravity, trying to slow him down.
And then Ryuma spoke. Loud enough for the whole damn gym to hear.
"Kaz… you defeated that Rift Spawn."
A pause. A grin.
"I knew we were the same level. These weaklings don't know true power."
Then, his eyes locked on Kaz like a blade being drawn.
"You ready to decide who's stronger?"
What was he supposed to do?
He didn't even kill the Rift Spawn.
It tackled him off a cliff. He should've died—would've died—if it hadn't hit the ground first. That impact had just barely filled the Lineage Stone, triggering the emergency teleport. Pure luck. Nothing else.
But Ryuma wouldn't know that.
He'd been transported out before it happened. Right after Kaz got hit. To him, it probably looked like Kaz had gone down swinging, taking the monster with him like some kind of hero.
Kaz could feel everyone's eyes starting to turn his way.
He was frozen. The whispers were growing. His heart hammered against his ribs, and that creeping exhaustion from Rest only made it harder to think.
He didn't want this. He didn't want any of this.
But Ryuma had already painted the target on his back.
Ryuma kept going, eyes bright with something dangerously close to excitement.
"I was so irritated," he said, almost laughing. "When I saw that Rift Spawn just before I got teleported... I wanted to slay it myself. Would've been a nice warm-up."
He tilted his head slightly, genuine curiosity in his voice now."What rank is your Trait? Is it Divine like mine?"
The gym fell into a hush.
Ryuma's smile was sincere—maybe the first real expression Kaz had seen on his face. And that was the problem.
He was taking this seriously.
Kaz's mind raced. He had to shut this down. Now. If anyone found out about the rank of his Trait… things could spiral. Fast.
But before he could say a word, his vision began to blur.
Dark edges crept into his sight. The voices around him grew distant, muffled, like they were echoing down a tunnel.
What the hell…?
His knees buckled slightly. His balance went.
Am I… passing out?
His thoughts scattered as the world dimmed further.
The Commandment…That had to be it. Rest. It was punishing him again.
Damn it…
That was his last thought before everything went black.