Professor Atman turned away from the training grounds, robe wavering around his boots, and Raizen following.
The hallway swallowed the sounds fast. The further they walked, the more the roar of beasts and shouts of instructors faded into a muffled, indistinguishable sound.
The wood underfoot was smoother here, polished by years of steps. Lanterns set into the walls glowed with a steady, softer light.
Raizen's chest still calmed down, finally. Now everything that remained was just a thin, nagging line under his ribs every time he breathed a bit too deep.
"Do you get many visitors from other cities?" Raizen asked, mostly to fill the quiet.
Atman's hands were folded behind his back. He didn't walk fast. Just steady, like he had never rushed anywhere in his life.
"Not as many as we used to" he answered. "Ukai's methods are considered a bit… Intense. Some Academies prefer cleaner work. Fewer claws in the halls."
"I can see why" Raizen muttered.
Atman chuckled quietly.
