2026-05-13 22:15:08
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Chapter 90: You Don't belong
Instructor Keal was already inside, pointing instructions. Students grunting in frustration, Ryan paused for a second outside the large hall doors, his hand resting on the handle.For a moment, he could almost hear Ruby’s voice in his head. He exhaled and pushed the doors open.The moment he stepped inside, the room didn’t just continue as normal. The air shift and students stopped mid-conversation.A few smirked at Ryan’s presence, and he could tell after yesterday some already bet on him quitting. He walked forward, ignoring the burning soreness in his body."Kook, who's back?"“Why is he back? I thought he disappeared yesterday.”“He didn’t show up for Keal’s training. I knew he was one of those lazy ones.”“He probably couldn’t handle the academy.”A loud laugh broke out from the left side of the hall, and Ryan’s gaze shifted to a group of Tier Two students standing together near the sparring circle, their uniforms clean, their expressions smug. “Well look who finally decided to
Chapter 89: Coming Back
Several thoughts lingered in his mind. He had come here to train and rebuild himself. But somehow, the war outside the walls had followed him in. He raised his gaze again, studying them.Their dissatisfaction was obvious; Ryan could tell they hated this plan and the idea of relying on money instead of strength, but desperation was the only reason warriors like these would ever consider surrendering their home to a businessman’s contract.Ryan exhaled. “What makes you think the council would sell the academy to me? A Tier Three student?”“They won't,” Odessa answered immediately. “That's why you have to be on the council,” she added.Ryan frowned. “And how do I do that?” he asked.Odessa glances at the rest of the group. “By participating in the upcoming competition,” she replied. “If you win, you’ll gain influence, recognition, and a chance at a seat at the table.”Ryan’s chest tightened. The competition—he had heard whispers about it, and some even spoke of it like it was a battlefie
Chapter 88: The Truth
Ryan shifted his gaze across their faces again, looking for any hint of amusement that would tell him this was a joke, another plan for him to reveal his identity, but none of them wore their usual expressions. They looked like people who had been dragged into a truth they didn’t want to speak aloud.Nile’s arms were folded across his chest, but his posture shifted into defensiveness, like he was holding back words. Their eyes were all on him, and Ryan could swear he saw a subtle fear in their expression, and that alone made his stomach twist. His mind flashed back to Mr. Wilson’s voice and the warning the moment he arrived at Iron Gate Academy.The lump in his throat refused to go down, making his voice hoarse. “You know my father?” Ryan repeated.Odessa didn’t answer. Her gaze drifted to the doorway, and the morning sunlight fell behind her, framing her silhouette.Ryan watched her eyes, and she didn’t look surprised by his question. He could see how she was deciding how much truth
Chapter 87: We Know
Ruby stepped forward. “This training has one rule,” she said. “If you fall, you get up. If you can’t get up, you crawl. If you can’t crawl, you stay here and die.” Ryan’s throat tightened, and he stared at her, unsure if she was exaggerating. The training went on. They didn’t train him like a student but like an enemy, attacking in turns, switching without warning, giving him no rhythm to adapt to. One moment he was blocking Ruby’s strikes; the next, he was slammed sideways by the tall boy’s brutal punches. When he tried to create distance, the quiet one moved in and swept his legs out from under him with precision. Ryan hit the ground again. He tasted blood again, and then he forced himself up. The sun climbed higher, but the mountain fog still clung to the air like a curse. The cold didn’t leave. It only made the sweat on Ryan’s skin sting harder. Hours passed, and Ryan’s arms became heavier and his legs became slower, accompanied by ragged breathing. They didn’t stop
Chapter 86: Ex-Tier Sparring
Ryan shifted his gaze to the boy who attacked him under Odessa's command. He walked closer and stopped directly in front of Ryan, and his gaze scanned Ryan from his sweaty hair to his aching feet. He scoffed. “You’re already shaking,” he said, voice almost laced with amusement. “That’s disappointing. Are you sure we made the right choice?” He narrowed his gaze back to the group, but none of them spoke. “Let him be, Nile; it's his first time. Cut him some slack,” Ruby muttered. Ryan shifted his gaze to Nile, who furrowed his brows. “You better be worth this stress,” he muttered, walking away from him. Ryan remained quiet, and his eyes scanned through the room. He hated the way they stood with their arms folded and their eyes cold. He could see the doubt masking their features. Ruby stopped first and stretched her arms overhead, rolling her shoulders as if she were loosening up for something more serious. “Listen carefully,” she said. “This isn’t academy training. This isn'
Chapter 85: Back Gate
That was when Ryan finally realized her name.‘Ruby Francis.’And the way she said it carried authority.The guards’ eyes narrowed, studying her face, then flicked toward Ryan.Ryan felt their suspicion land on him, and then a taller guard lowered his weapon, and the others followed.The massive double gate behind them groaned, and the metallic gate opened.Ruby slipped through, and Ryan followed, stepping past the gates. The moment they crossed the boundary, something felt different. The air smelled wilder, like the academy’s protection ended here.Behind them, the gates began to close again, and Ryan glanced back just in time to see the heavy iron doors seal shut, locking him outside. He faced forward again, and Ruby was already jogging. Ryan heaved another sigh and followed.Minutes turned into an hour, and the terrain changed quickly; the neat academy field disappeared behind them, replaced by dry land and cracked earth. The grass became thinner and weaker, like it struggled to su
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