Layla walked back inside.
Calm.
Collected.
Normal.
That was the plan.
The problem—
was that her face completely disagreed.
She stepped through the door.
Everyone looked over.
Then froze.
Kierran blinked.
Lucas blinked.
Alex looked confused.
Tom slowly lowered his cup.
Alexi stared.
Rivien stood up.
Layla stopped.
Slowly.
"…What?"
Nobody answered.
Kierran squinted.
Then pointed.
"…Why are you red?"
Layla blinked.
"…I'm not."
Lucas immediately replied.
"…That was too fast."
Layla looked offended.
"…No it wasn't."
Alex narrowed his eyes.
Then looked toward the door.
Then back at Layla.
His eyes widened slightly.
Silence.
Then—
"…You were outside."
Layla froze.
Everybody looked at her.
Layla looked around.
Danger.
Tom quietly observed.
Alex quietly observed.
Arthur was not here.
Suspicious.
Rivien's eyes widened.
His entire body straightened.
No.
No.
Not again.
Then—
he pointed dramatically.
Silence.
"…OH."
Layla's eyes widened.
Immediate danger.
Rivien nodded slowly.
"…Interesting."
Layla immediately pointed.
"No."
Nobody had accused her.
That somehow made it worse.
Lucas looked interested now.
"…Why are you defending yourself?"
Layla froze.
Alex crossed his arms.
"…Actually."
Pause.
"…Why are you red?"
Layla looked around.
No escape.
Alexi stared.
Then slowly smiled.
Dangerous.
"…Layla."
Layla immediately looked nervous.
"…Yeah?"
Alexi smiled.
"…Where were you?"
Layla blinked.
"…Outside."
Silence.
Alexi nodded.
"…With who?"
Layla immediately answered.
"…Nobody."
Immediate mistake.
Everyone stared.
Kierran slowly leaned forward.
"…Nobody?"
Layla realized.
Too late.
Rivien slammed his notebook shut.
"I HAVE A THEORY."
Layla immediately pointed.
"No."
Rivien ignored her.
He stood dramatically.
"…Ladies and gentlemen."
Layla stood.
"No."
Rivien nodded.
"…Arthur."
Silence.
Layla froze.
Alex immediately turned.
Lucas turned.
Kierran gasped.
Tom quietly looked away.
Alexi slowly smiled.
Layla's face became even redder.
Which everyone thought was impossible.
Kierran pointed.
"THAT IS A TOMATO."
Layla immediately covered her face.
"I HATE YOU PEOPLE."
Alex nodded seriously.
"…Interesting."
Layla looked betrayed.
"You too?!"
Alex shrugged.
"Evidence."
Rivien pointed dramatically.
"She cannot even defend herself."
Layla looked around.
No support.
Sunny quietly walked into the room.
Everyone looked.
Sunny looked around.
Then looked at Layla.
Then quietly said—
"…Why is she red?"
Layla looked personally attacked.
"…YOU TOO?!"
Sunny blinked.
"…What happened?"
Rivien pointed.
"She spoke to Arthur."
Sunny nodded.
"…Okay."
Then walked away.
Everyone stared.
Layla stared.
"…That's all?"
Sunny looked back.
"…Talking is normal."
Layla froze.
Then immediately sat down.
"…Thank you."
Sunny nodded.
Then casually added—
"…Although you do look suspicious."
Layla looked horrified.
The room exploded again.
---
Meanwhile—
outside—
Arthur remained where he was.
The night stayed quiet.
He looked up.
Thinking.
About tomorrow.
About training.
About Layla.
His eyes softened slightly.
Then—
memory.
Not forced.
Not painful.
Just…
memory.
He closed his eyes.
And suddenly—
he was younger.
Before the Collapse.
Before monsters.
Before aether.
Before all of this.
Bright sky.
People walking.
Cars.
Noise.
Life.
His parents.
Smiling.
His mother looked younger.
His father laughed more.
They had money back then.
Not rich.
But comfortable.
Enough.
Enough to send him to a good school.
That school.
He remembered.
Uniform.
Classrooms.
Friends.
And—
Layla.
Smaller.
Long black hair.
Sitting quietly.
Back then—
she still smiled more.
He remembered hearing she lost her parents.
Nobody knew how to talk to her after that.
Kids were awkward.
Cruel sometimes.
But she stayed.
Arthur remembered another day.
Rain.
He was younger.
Surrounded.
Three boys.
Making fun of him.
Not because he was weak.
Because he didn't fight back.
He remembered standing there.
Silent.
Then—
someone walked over.
Layla.
Small.
Annoyed.
She looked at the boys.
Then said—
"Leave him alone."
Arthur remembered thinking—
That's not gonna work.
Then she immediately hit one with her school bag.
Arthur blinked.
That was unexpected.
The boys left.
Layla looked at him.
Then simply said—
"…You should hit back sometimes."
And walked away.
Arthur remembered following her afterward.
Not because he had a crush.
At least—
that's what younger Arthur insisted.
But because—
she showed up.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Study groups.
Helping.
Talking.
Being there.
Even after things started falling apart.
Even after everything changed.
Arthur opened his eyes.
Looked at the stars.
Then quietly laughed.
"…Huh."
He looked down.
Then quietly said—
"…You've always been around."
The night stayed quiet.
And Arthur sat there a little longer.
Thinking.
Arthur stayed outside for a while after the memories faded.
The night felt different.
Not heavy.
Just… quiet.
The kind of quiet that made you think too much.
He looked up.
Then looked toward the house.
Then looked away.
Then looked back.
His expression slowly became suspicious.
"…No."
Pause.
"…That's stupid."
He stood.
Walked two steps.
Stopped.
Looked toward the edge of the clearing.
His eyes landed on something.
A flower.
Small.
Red.
Growing near one of the areas where everyone had sparred earlier.
Arthur stared.
Long pause.
Then—
"…That is an incredibly bad idea."
He walked toward it immediately.
The flower was simple.
Not glowing.
Not magical.
Just a red rose growing near the grass.
Arthur crouched down.
Looked at it.
Then looked around.
Nobody.
Good.
He carefully picked it.
Then stood there holding it.
Immediate regret.
He looked at the rose.
Then at the house.
Then at the rose again.
"…Okay."
Pause.
"…Hypothetically."
Another pause.
"…This means absolutely nothing."
His own brain disagreed.
Arthur ignored it.
He quietly walked back.
Trying to look normal.
Which immediately failed because walking around at night holding a red rose is not normal.
Luckily—
nobody saw him.
Probably.
Hopefully.
He reached the side of the house.
Looked up.
Layla's window.
Closed.
Curtains partly open.
Light off.
Arthur stood there.
Staring.
Then immediately realized—
he had not thought this through.
"…What am I doing?"
Good question.
No answer.
He looked at the rose.
Then quietly muttered—
"…It's just a thank you."
His own brain called him a liar.
Arthur ignored that too.
He looked around.
Found a small place near the window.
Carefully placed the rose there.
Not inside.
Just where she'd see it.
No note.
No message.
Nothing dramatic.
He stepped back.
Looked at it.
Nodded once.
"…Okay."
Then immediately left.
Fast.
Like someone escaping a crime scene.
---
Inside—
Layla was sitting on her bed.
Still recovering from being publicly accused of existing.
Alexi had eventually stopped smiling.
Kierran had been banned from speaking.
Rivien had declared himself "relationship investigator" and was threatened by multiple people.
Layla sat quietly.
Thinking.
Then—
she looked outside.
Her eyes paused.
Window.
Something red.
She frowned.
Slowly stood.
Walked over.
Opened the window.
Looked down.
Silence.
A red rose.
Her eyes widened.
No note.
Nothing.
Just—
a flower.
Layla stared.
Long silence.
Then she looked outside.
Nobody.
She looked back at the flower.
Then quietly picked it up.
Her expression softened.
She stared at it for a few seconds.
Then quietly smiled.
Small.
Almost invisible.
She looked out the window again.
Then quietly said—
"…Idiot."
But she placed the rose beside her bed.
And didn't move it.
Not that night.
Not the next morning either.
Morning came quickly.
Too quickly.
Nobody wanted to admit it—
but everyone had slept lighter than usual.
Maybe because of the tournament.
Maybe because of the system.
Maybe because nobody wanted to think about the fact that in less than three months—
they might be fighting people from across the world.
Still—
training day arrived.
And unlike the casual sessions before—
this felt official.
Sunny had expanded the training grounds again.
Different sections.
Open arena.
Obstacle area.
Aether control zone.
Recovery area.
Even Rivien admitted it looked cool.
He then tried naming sections after himself.
Nobody allowed that.
Tom stood at the front.
Arms crossed.
Alex stood nearby.
Everyone gathered.
Tom looked around.
"…Rules."
Immediate silence.
Tom nodded.
"Good."
He continued.
"Training isn't fighting."
He looked at Arthur.
"Especially for you."
Arthur looked offended.
Tom ignored him.
"We're focusing on fundamentals."
He pointed at Sunny.
"Control."
Lucas.
"Efficiency."
Kierran.
"Adaptability."
Then looked directly at Arthur.
"…Discipline."
Arthur immediately looked attacked.
Alex stepped forward.
His voice was calm.
"…You all rely too much on force."
Arthur immediately looked away.
Suspicious.
Alex continued.
"You'll train until your bodies fail."
Rivien nodded seriously.
"Normal."
Alex looked at him.
"…Not you."
Rivien looked betrayed.
Then—
training began.
---
Arthur ended up with Alex.
Which immediately became annoying.
Because Alex barely explained things.
He just demonstrated.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Punch.
Step.
Breathe.
Move.
Repeat.
Arthur stood there.
Sweating.
Annoyed.
"…Can you explain what I'm doing wrong?"
Alex folded his arms.
"…Everything."
Arthur stared.
"…That's not helpful."
Alex shrugged.
"It's accurate."
Arthur took a breath.
Focused.
He reinforced himself with aether.
Stepped.
Punch.
Again.
Again.
Again—
—
Arthur.
—
Arthur froze.
His punch stopped.
His eyes widened slightly.
Silence.
Alex looked at him.
"…Why did you stop?"
Arthur blinked.
Looked around.
Nothing.
His expression shifted.
"…Nothing."
Alex stared.
"…Continue."
Arthur nodded.
Stepped again.
Focused.
Moved—
—
Arthur.
—
His foot slipped.
His balance broke.
Alex moved instantly.
Tap.
Arthur hit the ground.
Alex stared.
"…Again."
Arthur frowned.
Got up.
No.
Focus.
Focus.
He moved.
Controlled breathing.
Again—
—
Arthur.
—
Closer.
His eyes widened.
Not loud.
Not screaming.
Just—
there.
His chest tightened slightly.
He looked around.
Nobody.
Training continued normally.
Nobody reacted.
Alex looked mildly annoyed.
"…Are you distracted?"
Arthur immediately answered—
"No."
Too fast.
Alex looked suspicious.
Arthur ignored him.
Moved again.
Punch.
Step.
Aether.
Move.
—
Arthur.
—
His body froze.
His heart skipped.
Same voice.
That voice.
Black.
Red eyes.
His breathing slowed slightly.
Not fear.
Recognition.
He looked toward the forest.
Nothing.
Nothing there.
Alex stepped in front of him.
"…Arthur."
Arthur blinked.
Alex frowned.
"…What are you looking at?"
Arthur stared for a second.
Then shook his head.
"…Nothing."
Alex watched him.
Longer this time.
Then stepped back.
"…Again."
Arthur nodded.
Training resumed.
But his focus didn't.
Every few minutes—
he heard it.
Not words.
Not conversations.
Just—
his name.
Always calm.
Always distant.
Always familiar.
And every time—
his chest felt strange.
Not dangerous.
Not painful.
Like something waiting.
Arthur thought about telling someone.
Sunny?
No.
Layla?
No.
Tom?
Definitely not.
He frowned.
Because—
he didn't know why.
But something inside him quietly said—
Don't tell anyone.
No explanation.
Just—
keep it to yourself.
Arthur didn't understand.
But—
he listened.
And training continued.
Only now—
every punch—
every breath—
every movement—
Arthur was listening for a voice nobody else could hear. Training continued.
Arthur kept moving.
Punch.
Step.
Breathe.
Reinforce.
Again.
Again.
Again.
But his rhythm was off.
Small mistakes.
Nothing obvious.
Yet enough.
Alex noticed.
Of course he noticed.
Arthur missed a timing window.
Again.
Alex stepped in.
Light push.
Arthur lost balance immediately.
Not because he was weak—
because his focus wasn't there.
Arthur clicked his tongue.
"…Again."
Alex didn't move.
Arthur looked up.
Alex stared at him for a few seconds.
Then calmly asked—
"…What's wrong?"
Arthur answered instantly.
"…Nothing."
Alex looked unimpressed.
"…That's a bad lie."
Arthur looked away.
Alex didn't push.
Instead—
he walked closer.
Then said calmly—
"…You know what your problem is?"
Arthur looked over.
Alex pointed at his chest.
"You stop at one thing."
Arthur frowned.
Alex continued.
"You reinforce."
Then pointed at Arthur's hands.
"You attack."
Then pointed at Arthur's head.
"You think."
He folded his arms.
"…But you do them separately."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"You move."
Pause.
"You absorb."
Pause.
"You use abilities."
Pause.
"You reinforce."
Pause.
"…One at a time."
Arthur frowned.
"…Isn't that normal?"
Alex stared.
"…No."
Arthur blinked.
Alex looked toward the training field.
Then calmly said—
"…Strong people multitask."
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
Alex continued.
"Aether isn't supposed to sit still."
He pointed toward Arthur.
"You absorb while moving."
His hand moved.
"You circulate while attacking."
Another gesture.
"You reinforce specific body parts."
Then he looked directly at Arthur.
"…While using abilities."
Arthur froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
Alex nodded.
"Everything at once."
Arthur stared.
"…That sounds impossible."
Alex shrugged.
"…For now."
Arthur looked annoyed.
"…Helpful."
Alex ignored him.
Then—
unexpectedly—
he smiled slightly.
"…Tell you what."
Arthur blinked.
Alex crossed his arms.
"You're a fire and ice user."
Arthur nodded slowly.
Alex continued.
"You still haven't mastered earth."
Arthur nodded.
"Lightning."
Nod.
"Wind."
Another nod.
Alex looked at him.
"…Good."
Arthur blinked.
"…Good?"
Alex nodded.
"Don't rush."
Arthur frowned.
Alex continued.
"…Your strongest elements right now are fire and ice."
Arthur stayed quiet.
Alex looked away.
Then casually said—
"If you learn proper aether manipulation…"
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued.
"…I'll teach you a finishing move."
Silence.
Arthur stared.
"…What?"
Alex looked calm.
"You heard me."
Arthur blinked again.
"…You have one?"
Alex shrugged.
"…Maybe."
Arthur stared suspiciously.
"…That's suspicious."
Alex ignored him.
Then looked at Arthur again.
His expression became serious.
"…But you don't get it for free."
Arthur listened.
Alex pointed at him.
"Condition."
Arthur crossed his arms.
"…Okay."
Alex spoke clearly.
"Absorb aether while moving."
Pause.
"Circulate it continuously."
Pause.
"Reinforce selected body parts."
Pause.
"Maintain elemental output."
Pause.
"…At the same time."
Arthur stared.
Long silence.
Then—
"…That's insane."
Alex shrugged.
"…Exactly."
Arthur stared.
"…And if I do that?"
Alex nodded once.
Then looked directly at him.
"…I'll teach you a move made specifically for someone with fire and ice."
Arthur's eyes widened.
Alex looked away.
"…A finishing move isn't meant to be your strongest attack."
Arthur blinked.
Alex continued quietly—
"…It's the attack that ends the fight."
Silence.
Arthur stared.
Then—
for the first time all morning—
he smiled.
Not joking.
Not lazy.
Excited.
He stood straighter.
Rolled his shoulders.
Then looked at Alex.
"…Okay."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
Arthur smiled slightly.
"…Teach me."
Alex nodded once.
Then pointed forward.
"…Run."
Arthur blinked.
"…What?"
Alex looked calm.
"…Start absorbing."
Arthur looked horrified.
"…WHILE RUNNING?"
Alex nodded.
"…You wanted a cool move."
Arthur stared.
Then immediately started running.
And for the first time that morning—
the voice didn't interrupt.
Because Arthur's entire brain was busy trying not to explode.