The stars hung quietly above, the sky a deep ocean of silence. Cold wind brushed across the balcony rails, carrying with it the scent of ash and lightning. Kazimir leaned over the railing, motionless. His eyes stared out into the void, though they saw nothing.
The static around him buzzed faintly, like the heartbeat of a storm barely held back.
Behind him, footsteps. Familiar. Controlled. But even her usual calm couldn't mask the tension she carried now.
Neve: "Kazimir…"
Her voice was gentle—more like a sigh than a call. Like she didn't want to fight, but knew she had to.
Neve: "Tell me exactly what's going on."
He didn't move for a moment. Then, finally, his voice cut through the quiet like distant thunder.
Kazimir: "Gendai's fighting something… something inside her. I've seen it from the start. She's terrified of what's inside. She can't control it."
Neve stepped forward, her breath visible in the cold air. Her tone sharpened—not cold, but deeply concerned.
Neve: "So it's that. I had a feeling… But Kazimir, do you really not see what you're doing to her? She worships you. You're everything to her."
He turned, slowly. His eyes—galaxies laced with lightning—met hers. Hollow. Distant.
Kazimir: "I know."
His voice cracked slightly, but he masked it with a bitter breath.
Kazimir: "But I can't help her. Not with what's holding her back. It's not power. It's fear. She's afraid to face herself. If she could just… embrace who she really is, she'd surpass all of them."
He exhaled, eyes drifting to the ground.
Kazimir: "Since the moment I joined the academy, everyone's depended on me. Every crisis, every near-death. 'Kazimir will fix it.' 'Kazimir will find a way.' And I did. Every damn time."
His fists clenched.
Kazimir: "Now look. Tojo and Xavier are dead. Riah and I walked away from the Alliance. And Gendai… she would've died too."
His voice cracked fully now, raw and tired.
Kazimir: "They were weak. That's why I'm doing this. I want a new foundation—stronger than anything before. The new generation? They're powerful. They don't lean on me. That's what I want for this academy. For the world."
He looked up again, and for a moment, his vulnerability showed through the cracks.
Kazimir: "They call me the face of this world. But no one ever asked if I could carry it alone…"
Silence.
Then Neve's voice, trembling with frustration and heartbreak.
Neve: "And yet, in doing all of this, you've pushed away the one person who needed you most."
She stepped closer, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Neve: "You gave everything to the others. You bled in training, you gave them strength… but not her. You left her in the dark."
Kazimir looked away.
Neve: "Is it because she cares too much? Because she's too attached? Because you're scared of what she makes you feel?"
Before he could answer, the door creaked open.
Mia, James, Felicia, Ava, and Lihanna stood in the doorway. They had felt it—the energy in the air, the weight in Neve's voice. And now they saw it: Neve standing against Kazimir.
James: "So… it's really about Gendai? This deep?"
His tone was cautious. Careful.
Neve: "Riah's gone after her. But Kazimir's the problem. He won't see it. He refuses to see it."
She turned back toward him.
Neve: "Kazimir… does Gendai mean nothing to you?"
The air froze. Everyone held their breath.
Kazimir's voice was cold. Controlled.
Kazimir: "After what she said… about Xavier, about Tojo… I lost all respect. Yes, she's stronger now. Brave, even. But to her, I'm not a person. I'm just a weapon. A machine."
His voice faltered, but he forced the words out.
Kazimir: "Even I… can't save everyone."
No one dared speak. Not even Mia, who always had something to say.
Then—
Neve: "I truly thought… you were better than this."
Her voice cracked.
Kazimir's eyes met hers again.
Kazimir: "You're strong, Neve. I respect you. But you're naive."
He turned his back.
Kazimir: "I don't hate Gendai. I don't love her either."
Neve closed her eyes, pain creeping through her composed face.
Neve: "Now I understand why they call you the Eye of Nullity…"
Kazimir didn't pause.
Kazimir: "Took you long enough."
He stepped off the balcony rail and walked toward the door. But James stepped forward and grabbed his shoulder.
James: "This isn't you, man. Be better than this. She's your mentor. She's always looked out for you."
Kazimir's body pulsed with faint lightning.
Without a word, a crack of energy erupted—James was launched back, crashing into the balcony rails with a grunt of pain.
Mia: "James!!" She rushed to him, panic in her voice as she dropped to her knees. "Kazimir—what the hell is wrong with you?!"
Kazimir kept walking. Never looking back.
Neve: "Don't waste your breath. He won't answer."
She turned to the rest, wiping her eyes.
Neve: "Since you're all here… I was going to tell you yesterday. Next week, there's a tournament. In another country."
The announcement fell heavy.
But no heavier than the silence Kazimir left behind.