Norman Grey saw the whole thing from the edge of the training grounds.
He didn't see a flash of light, but his preternatural senses perceived something fundamentally wrong.
It wasn't speed; it was a violation of causality.
The automaton's blade had been moving toward Robin's throat. Norman's enhanced vision tracked every microsecond.
The trajectory was perfect, unavoidable. Death was certain.
Then it wasn't.
Not a dodge. Not superhuman speed. Something else entirely.
For the briefest instant, Norman's beast-senses screamed at him. Reality had hiccupped.
The natural flow of cause and effect had stuttered, reversed, then resumed.
He'd felt it once before. Years ago. When his father had been consumed by Void corruption. The moment reality bent around the transformation.
This was similar. But controlled and deliberate.
Robin Stark had done something impossible.
---
That night, Norman waited on the Academy rooftops. The eastern tower overlooked the training grounds and dormitories.
It was isolated, forgotten. Perfect for conversations that needed to remain private.
He knew Robin would come eventually. The boy was predictable in his unpredictability, he never slept normally, always training, always moving.
Sure enough, just past midnight, a figure climbed the tower stairs. Silent and careful.
Robin emerged onto the roof, saw Norman immediately, and stopped.
"You've been waiting for me."
"Yes." Norman's golden eyes reflected moonlight. "We need to talk. About what happened today."
Robin's expression remained neutral. "The automaton malfunctioned. I got lucky."
"That's what you told them." Norman stepped closer. His voice was low and intense. "But I felt what happened. My senses aren't human. You know that."
Silence. Robin assessed him.
"What exactly do you think you felt?"
"Time." Norman's word hung in the cold air. "It moved wrong. Backward. Just for a moment."
He paused. "That blade was going to kill you. I saw it. Then suddenly it wasn't. You were in a different position. Like you'd known it was coming before it happened."
Robin said nothing. But his silence was confirmation enough.
Norman continued. "I'm not asking you to explain. I don't care about your secrets." His golden eyes were serious. "I care about strength, about survival. And what I saw today... that wasn't a technique. It was something else. Something they don't teach here."
"Why does that matter to you?"
"Because the instructors here are useless." Norman's frustration leaked through. "They teach basics. Controlled drills. Safe sparring. But we're not safe. You know it. I know it."
He gestured toward the distant mountains. "Out there, real monsters exist. Beasts that would tear through Class A students like paper. The Void corruption is getting worse. Everyone can feel it."
Robin tilted his head slightly. "And?"
"The Academy can't teach us what we need." Norman's voice was firm. "They're preparing us to follow orders. To be soldiers in formations. But you and me? We're different. We need to be stronger. Faster. Better than anyone else."
Norman crossed his arms. "I'm offering partnership. My enhanced senses can detect threats before you see them. My strength can push your limits. And whatever ability you have... it can help me learn control."
"Control?"
"The beast inside me." Norman's expression darkened. "It wants out. Especially during combat. I'm fighting it constantly. Maybe I can master it instead of suppressing it."
Robin was silent. Processing. The offer had merit. Norman's physical capabilities were exceptional. Been full partner with him would accelerate growth significantly.
And Norman already suspected Robin's secret. Better to bring him close than leave him as a potential threat.
"When?" Robin asked finally.
Norman's eyes gleamed. "Tomorrow night we continue our training. Midnight. Eastern gate.
"What kind of training?"
"Real combat. Full contact. No holding back." Norman's smile was predatory. "We fight until one of us can't continue. Then we analyze. Improve. Fight again."
"That's insane."
"That's necessary." Norman extended his hand. "The Academy trains soldiers. We're going to train survivors. Hunters. The kind of warriors who don't just follow orders, they change battlefields."
Robin looked at the offered hand. This was a normal risk. Norman, he was also genuinely skilled and completely pragmatic.
And Robin understood pragmatism.
He gripped Norman's hand. The shake was firm.
Tomorrow night.
"Agreed." Norman's smile widened. "Though I make no promises about what happens if my beast gets loose."
"Then I'll put it down." Robin's voice was cold. Absolute.
Norman laughed. It was genuine, pleased. "Good. That's exactly the kind of partner I need."
---
The next night, Robin made his way through the eastern gate. It was poorly maintained, the lock was rusted, easy to pick. He'd been using it for weeks.
The forest at night was different. Darker. The sounds of nocturnal creatures created a symphony of potential threats. But Robin's enhanced perception made navigation easy.
Three miles in, he found the clearing. Norman was already there, stripped to the waist, stretching. His lean frame showed surprising muscle definition.
"You're early," Robin observed.
"Excited." Norman finished his stretches. "Been a while since I could really let loose."
Robin drew his practice sword. The weighted one Torren had given him. "Rules. First to yield or first incapacitation. No lethal strikes."
"Understood." Norman drew his own blade. "But don't expect me to go easy. My beast responds to real danger. If you hold back, you'll just get hurt."
"I won't hold back."
"Good." Norman's eyes flashed gold. "Then let's begin."
He moved.
Fast. Impossibly fast. Robin knew this, Not mana-enhanced, this was pure physical capability. His blade came at Robin in a blur.
Robin blocked. The impact jarred his arms. Norman's strength was monstrous.
The fight began in earnest. Norman attacked with savage efficiency. No formal technique, just pure predatory instinct.
His strikes came from unexpected angles. His footwork was animalistic, low and balanced.
Robin defended with Justin's lifetime of experience. Precise parries. Minimal movement. Using Norman's aggression against him.
But Norman was learning. Adapting mid-fight. Each exchange taught him Robin's patterns.
This is what real combat feels like. Not controlled sparring. Real danger.
Robin increased his own aggression. Started targeting weak points. Nerve clusters. Joint vulnerabilities.
Norman growled. Literally growled. His eyes flashed gold more frequently now. The beast was close to the surface.
They fought for ten minutes. Both landed hits. Both took damage. Robin's ribs ached from a glancing blow. Norman's shoulder bled from a precise cut.
Finally, Norman overcommitted to a powerful strike. Robin sidestepped, swept his leg, and pressed his blade to Norman's throat.
"Yield."
Norman's golden eyes stared up at him. For a moment, Robin thought he'd refuse. Thought the beast would reject submission.
Then Norman laughed. "Yield. That was incredible."
Robin stepped back. Helped Norman up.
"Your technique is perfect," Norman said, breathing hard. "But you're physically weaker. If I landed a solid hit, you'd be done."
"And your instincts are exceptional. But you telegraph attacks by shifting your weight too early."
They stood there, analyzing. Critiquing. This was what the Academy couldn't provide, honest feedback from an equal.
"Again?" Norman asked, eager.
"Again. But this time, I attack first."
They fought three more times that night. Each bout lasting longer. Each one teaching them more about their own limitations and their partner's capabilities.
By dawn, both were exhausted. Bleeding. Bruised.
And significantly stronger.
"Same time tomorrow?" Norman asked as they prepared to return.
"Same time." Robin paused. "And Norman? Whatever you felt during the automaton incident..."
"I felt nothing," Norman interrupted. "Just a lucky dodge by a skilled fighter."
Their eyes met. Understanding passed between them.
They would keep each other's secrets. The half-beast and the time-manipulator. Two outcasts forging each other into weapons.
Robin returned to the dormitory before sunrise. Cleaned his wounds. Lay in his bunk.
[TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE]
[PARTNER COMBAT BONUS: +100 EXP]
[SKILL IMPROVEMENT: COMBAT ADAPTABILITY +2]
The system tracked everything. Even this secret training.
Around him, his classmates slept. Unaware that two of their number had just begun a full training regimen that would make them deadlier than anyone else in the Academy.
Robin closed his eyes. His body ached pleasantly. Real growth. Real challenge. And this seems different from the usual training he had with Norman before the Automaton's incident.
This is how warriors are forged. Not in safe training yards. But in darkness. Against opponents who push you to the absolute edge.
Tomorrow night, they'd do it again.
And the night after that.
Until both of them became exactly what they needed to be.
Unstoppable.