Sandy clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, but felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Neil shaking his head in disapproval, while the other girl walked up to the pale one. “Delia,” she called. “What was that for?” Silence answered her. “They’re not the bullies,” she continued. “And even if they were, I can take care of myself.” “If you say so,” Delia muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced at her smiling friend in disbelief before turning around to leave. The other girl bowed politely to Neil and Sandy before hurrying after Delia. Sandy’s fist trembled violently, his teeth grinding against each other. Shoving Neil’s hand off his shoulder, he pulled a card from his pocket. “Sandy,” Neil called, his tone warning. “Don’t—” “Hey!” Sandy shouted, conjuring a fireball above his palm. He hurled it toward Delia and her friend. But just as it closed in, the fireball vanished, leaving only a wave of heat that brushed past her. Both girls turned sharply towa

Class went by slowly, and the silence was deafening. Neil could literally hear the heartbeats of everyone around him—some steady, some racing, some faint as whispers. The rhythm of it all pressed against his head until the big brass bell rang, cutting through the stillness. Ms. Wade excused herself and left, and in an instant the room returned to chaos. A storm of chatter and laughter erupted, almost violent after the quiet. Neil remained seated, trying to distract himself, but the noise was overwhelming. He was about to leave when a finger tapped his shoulder. He turned and saw Jade. “Hey,” she said softly. “Hey…” Neil replied, shifting slightly to make room. They shared an awkward silence until Jade slid into the seat beside him. “Busy day, huh?” she asked. “Not that much.” Neil looked around, his lips twitching into a faint smile. “Just not what I imagined.” “You were hoping for peace and quiet?” Jade tilted her head. “Sadly…” Neil sighed. “But what can I do? He’s having f

Delia was even faster now, her movements sharp and unpredictable as she tried to land a clean strike on Neil. But Neil was not the same helpless boy from the past. He had taken lessons ever since he was little, small pieces of training his father had drilled into him over the years. They weren’t flashy, nor the kind of techniques one would see in a grand arena, but they were practical—enough to defend himself when it mattered most. And this was one of those moments. He steadied himself, feet planted firmly on the broken floor. His father’s voice rang somewhere in the back of his mind, reminding him of the basics—anticipate, don’t flinch, redirect the attack. When Delia’s fist came barreling toward him, he stood his ground, caught her fist in his palm, and with a sharp twist of his body drew her closer. Using the momentum, he rammed his shoulder into her, shoving her off balance. The impact forced her a step back, but Delia was far from finished. Neil followed through, swinging a cou

Delia blinked once, then nodded quietly. She walked over, picked up her gloves, and slid them back onto her hands. Her expression didn’t change, but when her eyes flickered toward Jade, there was a soft understanding. Toward Neil, though, she allowed herself a small, almost playful smile. "See you in class," she laughed lightly before turning away. Neil stared after her, oddly unsettled. Watching her walk away without a glance back shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. Somewhere deep inside, it hurt. Why? he asked himself. There was a strange connection he couldn’t shake, as if her blank expression had been hiding real pain. Sandy noticed Neil’s gaze, then glanced at Professor Hiro, who stood quietly with that gentle grin. Smirking, Sandy tiptoed toward Neil, about to scare him. "Don’t even think about it, Sandy," Neil said suddenly, still staring. Sandy froze mid-step, blinking. "His gift… it’s activated? But why, Professor?" Professor Hiro chuckled. "Because I already deactivat

“Professor…” she began, her voice low and urgent. “We have a problem.” Hiro raised a finger to hush his secretary, then walked closer. She quickly closed her mouth and handed him a file. Together, they left the hall, leaving Neil standing there alone. Inside the office, Hiro turned to her. “What is the urgent problem?” he asked, sitting down. “One of the nineteen elders is visiting our establishment,” she said carefully. “He’s coming for the inspection himself.” Hiro tapped his fingers on the desk. “And which elder would that be?” “The Seventh Elder,” she replied. “The Sensitive Blind Mole.” Hiro lifted his gaze at her, then leaned back into his chair with a sigh. His fingers kept drumming against the table as the chair swayed under his weight. “What do we do about him, sir?” she asked again. “Especially with the reinitiation of Classroom D.” “I’ll think about it.” She turned for the door, but Hiro’s voice stopped her. “Any news on the other matter?” “None, sir. The convoy