At the beginning of the chapter, Kyle is sitting on the same couch.
He is thinking about whether what Rin said before leaving was right or not.
He sat there in silence, the room echoing with nothing but his own thoughts.
His gaze drifted downward, unfocused—
but his mind wasn't quiet.
It kept circling back to her voice.
To her words.
To the weight they left behind.
Was she right?
Was everything Rin said… true?
Kyle clenched his fists slightly,
as if trying to hold the answer in his palms.
But it kept slipping—
like everything else.
Her voice echoed in his mind—
soft… steady… unshakable.
Even in the silence,
it was her voice that filled the space around him,
pressing against the walls of his thoughts.
Like a memory refusing to fade.
Like a truth he wasn't ready to face.
"You have to make a choice, Kyle…"
"I can't keep sitting like this forever."
"Think about her. About me."
Each word replayed,
not louder—
but deeper.
Cutting through the noise of everything else.
Unavoidable.
Just as the echo of her voice tightened in his chest,
there was a knock—sharp and impatient.
The door creaked open,
and two boys from the academy peeked inside, their expressions tense.
"Kyle."
"We've been asked to bring you. The head wants to see you—right now."
Kyle didn't move at first.
His eyes still lost in a war of memory and reality.
The boys glanced at each other, uneasy.
"It seemed urgent."
Kyle slowly stood up,
the weight of a thousand thoughts clinging to his shoulders,
but his face remained unreadable—like always.
He gave a slight nod,
grabbed his jacket off the arm of the couch,
and walked past them without a word.
As Kyle followed the narrow corridor toward the academy head's chamber,
his footsteps echoed softly against the polished stone floor.
But then—
he stopped.
Through the large glass window lining the hallway,
his eyes caught sight of something unexpected.
Outside, in the main courtyard…
Colorful lights.
Laughter. Stalls. Music.
A small fair.
Banners fluttered in the wind.
Students gathered around food carts, some playing games,
others laughing freely as if the world wasn't on the brink of chaos.
It looked unreal.
Like a memory from a different life.
A life he never really got to live.
Kyle stood still for a moment,
his hand resting against the window.
"How can they smile… like nothing's coming?"
he thought.
But deep down,
a part of him envied them—
the simplicity,
the ignorance,
the lightness he had long forgotten.
Kyle tore his eyes away from the scene outside—
from the glowing lights and distant laughter that felt a world away.
He took a deep breath,
then turned and walked toward the heavy wooden doors at the end of the hallway.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
As he reached the room,
he paused for a second—his hand hovering over the handle.
There was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes…
And then—without another thought—
he pushed the door open.
The room inside was dimly lit,
filled with maps, monitors, and the thick tension of coming war.
At the far end stood the Academy Head,
hands clasped behind his back, eyes staring out the window.
Without turning around, he said in a deep, composed voice:
"Kyle Orion…"
"…I've been waiting for you."
Kyle stepped inside, letting the door close behind him with a quiet thud.
He didn't waste time with pleasantries—his tone was flat, steady, cold.
"What do you want from me?"
"Why am I here?"
His eyes locked onto the Academy Head's back—
unflinching, unreadable.
The man didn't turn around just yet.
He stood there for a second longer, as if choosing his words carefully.
The silence between them felt like a fuse—
short, and ready to ignite.
This time, Kyle's voice sharpened—
louder, firmer, laced with quiet anger.
He took a step forward, his boots echoing on the cold floor.
"I asked you something."
"What do you want from me?"
His jaw tightened.
The calm mask was cracking—
not with fear,
but with frustration that had been simmering far too long.
"Stop standing there like I owe you silence."
The Academy Head finally turned around,
a faint smile playing on his lips—
not amusement,
but something colder.
Calculated.
"There you are, Kyle…"
"…just the way I expected."
Kyle's eyes narrowed, his patience burning out.
He took another step forward, his voice now edged with fury:
"Just say it—what do you want?"
"No riddles. No mind games. Just tell me."
His fists clenched at his sides.
The calm he always wore like armor was slipping—
because right now,
he didn't have time for manipulation.
Not when people were in danger.
Not when Rin's words still echoed in his head.
The Academy Head let out a slow breath…
then finally spoke.
The room went silent.
Kyle blinked—once.
As if he wasn't sure he heard it right.
The Academy Head, still calm and unreadable, looked directly at him and said:
"Come with me to the fair."
For a moment, the tension in the air froze—
then shattered under the weight of absurdity.
Kyle's eyes narrowed, voice low and incredulous:
"…What?"
The Head gave a small smile, one that didn't reach his eyes.
"Just walk with me, Kyle. That's all."
"There's something I need to show you."
Kyle didn't move.
His instincts screamed this wasn't just about bright lights and laughter.
It was something else.
And whatever it was…
it wasn't going to be simple.
The Academy Head let out a light chuckle, almost casual—
like he hadn't just dragged Kyle out of a storm of thoughts.
"Oh, don't worry."
"I'm not going to do anything."
He turned toward the door, hands still calmly behind his back.
"Besides…" he added with a smirk,
"…I'm the one who organized this fair."
Kyle's expression didn't soften.
If anything, his suspicion deepened.
"Why would you plan a fair?" he muttered under his breath.
But the Head was already walking ahead.
"Come on, Kyle. Sometimes… answers come in unexpected places."
"…Even in the middle of chaos."
For a moment, Kyle just stood there, skeptical… unsure.
But as he followed the Academy Head out into the corridor,
his eyes caught the faint glow of lights spilling in from the courtyard.
The laughter.
The music.
The smell of food in the air.
And slowly—just slightly—
his expression began to shift.
His brows relaxed.
His fists unclenched.
A small, barely noticeable smile touched the corner of his lips.
Maybe… just for a moment…
he could allow himself to feel something lighter.
Even if the war was coming,
even if his heart was still a battlefield—
right now, Kyle Orion felt… almost happy.
As Kyle stepped into the courtyard,
the fair unfolded before him like a forgotten dream—
lanterns glowing, students laughing, music dancing in the air.
He walked slowly, eyes scanning the crowd,
until—
"Oi!"
A familiar voice called out.
Kyle turned his head.
There they were—
Shun, waving like an idiot with a half-eaten candy stick in his hand,
and Rin, standing beside him with her arms crossed, trying (and failing) not to smile.
Kyle's smile deepened, this time real.
Something about the sight of them—alive, normal, there—
made his chest feel a little less heavy.
"Took you long enough," Shun said, grinning.
"Thought you'd skip the fun like always."
Kyle shrugged.
"Wasn't exactly planning to be here."
Rin stepped forward, her voice softer.
"But… I'm glad you are."
For the first time in a while,
Kyle didn't feel like the world was collapsing.
Just for tonight…
he let himself be a teenager.
Rin looked at Kyle—really looked at him.
There was a gentleness in her eyes… something she hadn't let show in days.
She stepped closer, lightly grabbing his wrist.
"Come on," she said with a soft smile.
"You've had enough darkness for a lifetime. Let me show you something else for once."
Kyle raised an eyebrow, half-amused.
"You're dragging me now?"
"Absolutely," she replied.
"You saved the academy. Let us at least save your mood."
Before he could argue, she pulled him into the fair—
into the colors, the lights, the crowd.
And of course, right behind them,
Shun followed, stuffing popcorn into his mouth like a child.
"Wait up! You can't leave your favorite person behind!"
Rin rolled her eyes.
Kyle smirked.
The three of them moved through the fair—
laughing at silly games, trying weird snacks,
and for the first time in what felt like forever…
Kyle felt human again.
Not a weapon. Not a leader.
Just… Kyle.
As they walked past a row of glowing lanterns and noisy game booths,
Shun—still chewing on roasted corn—leaned over with a playful grin.
"So, brother…" he said, elbowing Kyle lightly,
"How's life treating you?"
Kyle glanced at him, a dry smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Oh, you know... just the usual."
"Fake deaths. Murder plots. Lightning explosions. Secret organizations."
"Couldn't be better."
Shun burst out laughing, nearly choking on his food.
"That's the spirit!"
Rin rolled her eyes beside them, though a smile crept across her face.
"You two seriously need therapy."
Kyle actually laughed—soft, but real.
And in that fleeting moment,
with the night sky glowing above and his friends beside him,
even the weight of the world didn't feel so heavy.
Suddenly—Kyle stopped walking.
The lights.
The laughter.
The warmth of the fair… all began to fade into the background.
The camera—if there was one—
slowly began to pull back.
The angle widened.
The world around him blurred just a little.
Kyle's expression shifted—subtle, but unmistakable.
His eyes narrowed, not in focus—but in memory.
In tension.
Like he had heard something.
Or felt something.
A disturbance. A whisper. A shadow that didn't belong here.
Shun noticed first.
"Yo… Kyle? Everything good?"
But Kyle didn't answer.
His mind was elsewhere—
locked in a moment that no one else could see.
The joy around him began to dull.
The distant echo of Rin's laugh
melted into a low, haunting hum in his ears.
Something was wrong.
And Kyle could feel it in his bones.
Kyle's breath hitched.
His eyes—once calm, even playful—
now flickered with a fear he rarely showed.
His lips parted slightly, voice barely above a whisper…
but heavy with dread.
"He's here…"
"…he's back."
Rin's smile vanished in an instant.
Shun froze mid-step, the corn dropping from his hand.
"What…?" Rin asked, her voice tight.
Kyle didn't blink.
His gaze was fixed on something no one else could see—
as if the very air had changed.
"I can feel him."
"The one we weren't supposed to face again."
The lights of the fair kept glowing.
The crowd kept laughing.
But for Kyle…
the nightmare had just returned.
Kyle's body stiffened.
His eyes locked onto something across the fairground—
something no one else seemed to notice.
There…
just beyond the lights, at the edge of the shadows…
A figure.
Tall.
Still.
Draped in darkness like a veil.
Its body wasn't fully solid—
a flickering silhouette, like smoke trapped in a shape.
Its presence felt wrong,
as if the air around it had frozen in fear.
Kyle's heart sank.
His lips trembled as he whispered—
"…It's him."
The shadow didn't move.
It simply stood there, watching.
Memories surged in Kyle's mind—
the pain, the screams, the defeat.
The way that creature had broken him once before…
and left him crawling through blood.
Shun stepped forward, confused.
"Kyle, what are you looking at?"
But Kyle didn't look away.
"That thing…"
"That monster nearly killed me last time."
His voice was hollow.
Haunted.
"He's not human… he never was."
Rin followed his gaze—
but saw nothing.
Yet the fear in Kyle's eyes?
That was real.
Too real.
Meanwhile—
deep inside the Academy,
in a dimly lit strategy room behind locked doors,
the Academy Head stood over a large tactical map—
red and blue markers placed with precision.
It was the classified attack pattern—
the plan to strike the opposing clan.
Every move. Every counter. Every fallback point…
laid out perfectly.
He leaned forward, unaware of the faint click behind him.
From the shadows,
a figure stood silently.
Face hidden behind a sleek black mask.
Clad in dark clothing that blended with the room itself.
They didn't make a sound.
Just one quiet step.
A gloved hand raised.
A camera lens glinting in the dark.
Click.
A single photograph—
the plan exposed.
The masked figure turned swiftly, vanishing into the corridor like a ghost.
No face.
No identity.
But they had what they came for.
And the war… had just been handed a new weapon.
Just as the masked figure slipped out of sight,
the Academy Head turned sharply,
his instincts on high alert.
From the corner of his eye,
a blur moved past the hallway window.
A shadow—too fast. Too silent. Too deliberate.
His eyes narrowed.
Without wasting a second,
he rushed back toward his office—
boots echoing through the corridor, heartbeat rising.
He pushed open the door with force—
only to find chaos.
His desk was a mess.
Confidential files scattered, maps half-rolled,
the strategic plan clearly tampered with.
He froze.
His hands trembled slightly as he looked over the mess.
Then, under his breath—half panic, half rage—
"Oh shit…"
"…what the hell is going to happen now?"
For the first time in years,
he felt like the academy wasn't under his control anymore.
And that meant only one thing—
They were already inside.
Without wasting another second,
the Academy Head slammed a button on his desk—
triggering the internal announcement system.
A sharp beep echoed through every hallway, training zone, and dorm room.
Then his voice rang out, stern and urgent—
more serious than ever before.
"This is an emergency announcement."
"All members who were involved in recent combat operations—report to the meeting hall immediately."
"I repeat, all combat unit members… reach the meeting area as fast as possible."
The message ended,
but its weight lingered in the air like a storm cloud.
Students paused mid-laugh.
Swords stopped clashing.
The music from the fair dimmed.
Everyone knew—
something had gone very, very wrong.
Rin, Kyle, and Shun exchanged tense glances as the announcement echoed above them.
Without a word, the laughter of the fair was left behind—
and the three made their way through the now-quiet academy corridors.
The atmosphere had shifted.
The warmth of moments ago replaced by cold uncertainty.
They entered the meeting hall.
A large, dimly lit chamber—
at its center stood a long table surrounded by chairs.
And there, at the head of it,
stood the Academy Head.
Not his usual confident, commanding self.
But tense.
Uneasy.
A hint of fear showing through his composed expression.
His hands rested on the table, gripping the edge slightly.
Files were stacked beside him—some open, some still scattered.
As more members gathered around,
his eyes met Kyle's for a brief second.
No words.
Just a silent exchange of worry and urgency.
Rin whispered to Shun,
"He looks… scared."
Shun nodded slowly.
"Yeah. And when he's scared…"
"…you know it's bad."
Kyle's jaw tightened.
He didn't say anything—
but deep down, he knew:
Something was coming.
And this… was just the beginning.
Kyle slowly stepped forward,
his boots echoing against the stone floor—
the murmurs in the room fading as eyes turned toward him.
He stopped right in front of the Academy Head,
his expression calm…
but sharp.
"What happened?"
his voice was low, steady—
yet carried a weight that silenced the room.
"Why the sudden emergency?"
The Academy Head looked at Kyle—
and for a moment, it was like he didn't know how to answer.
His throat tightened.
He glanced around the room—
at the faces watching him, waiting, trusting him to lead.
Then finally…
he spoke.
But even his voice sounded different—
not with authority, but with quiet urgency.
"Someone was in my office."
"They saw the plan… for the strike against the opposing clan."
Gasps echoed lightly.
Rin's eyes widened.
Shun muttered,
"No way…"
The Head continued,
"Whoever it was—masked. Silent. Professional.
They took pictures. And vanished."
He clenched his fists.
"Which means the enemy… might already know everything."
Kyle's expression hardened instantly.
The room turned cold.
And just like that,
the countdown to chaos had begun.
Kyle's jaw clenched.
His breathing grew heavier as the weight of the situation sank in.
He took a slow step back,
then suddenly—
slammed his fist into the table.
"I can't handle this one…"
he growled, voice shaking with fury.
His knuckles whitened as his fist tightened—
rage and frustration boiling just beneath the surface.
Rin's eyes flared with anger.
She crossed her arms, stepping forward.
"They played us. Again."
Shun cracked his neck, fists clenched at his sides.
"If they want war… they'll get it."
The room fell silent.
Everyone could feel the pressure in the air—
like lightning about to strike.
Kyle looked toward the door,
then down at the ground…
Eyes full of fire.
Something had snapped.
And then—
the screen fades to black.
—End of Chapter—