Night had settled deeply over the campus, wrapping the hostels in a quiet tension that only grew stronger with time. The faint hum of distant conversations and footsteps echoed through the corridors, but beneath that ordinary surface, something far more significant was beginning to unfold.
Inside the villa, Akshat sat in his chair, still surrounded by the glow of his desktop screen. The data on Rubika's blood remained open, but his attention had shifted. His eyes lingered on the analysis, yet his mind was clearly somewhere else, still processing the implications of what he had discovered.
Then his phone vibrated.
Akshat picked it up, glancing at the screen. The name displayed was Alexander.
He answered without hesitation.
"Speak."
Alexander's voice came through, calm but slightly urgent. He informed Akshat that someone was waiting at the hostel and that it was important enough to require his immediate presence. When Akshat asked who it was, there was a brief pause before Alexander gave the answer.
"Shintae."
The moment the name was spoken, Akshat's eyes sharpened slightly.
Shintae was not someone who moved without purpose.
"I'll be there," Akshat said before ending the call.
He stood up slowly, his expression unreadable. Something about the situation didn't sit right with him. Shintae appearing suddenly, asking for a meeting at night—it wasn't something that could be taken lightly.
Behind him, Ryuki stepped into the room, having noticed the shift in atmosphere.
"What happened?" she asked.
Akshat picked up his jacket calmly.
"We're going to the hostel," he replied.
Ryuki didn't ask further questions. She could tell from his tone that this wasn't a casual visit.
The campus looked different at night.
The same buildings that bustled with life during the day now stood in silence, their shadows stretching long across the empty pathways. Dim streetlights flickered faintly, creating patches of light and darkness that felt almost intentional.
When Akshat and Ryuki arrived at the hostel area, a few figures were already waiting.
Alexander stood near the entrance, his posture relaxed but his eyes alert. Beside him were a couple of others, but Akshat's attention immediately locked onto the one standing slightly apart from the group.
Shintae.
He leaned casually against the wall, his expression carrying a faint, almost amused smile. His presence alone created an invisible pressure in the air, subtle but undeniable.
As Akshat approached, Shintae's gaze shifted toward him.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Shintae's eyes moved past Akshat, scanning the surroundings. His gaze lingered on the nearby hostels before he let out a soft chuckle.
"So," he said slowly, "Hostel 5, 6, and 7… all under you."
There was a hint of amusement in his voice, but it wasn't admiration.
It was something else.
Shintae straightened slightly, his eyes returning to Akshat.
"You are so weak, Akshat."
The words were calm, almost casual, yet they carried a sharp edge.
Ryuki's expression hardened immediately, but Akshat didn't react.
Shintae continued, his tone unchanged.
"Learn something," he said. "Something you can actually call a technique."
He stepped closer, his gaze narrowing slightly.
"There will be a time when your instincts will be completely useless."
The statement hung in the air.
Akshat met his gaze without flinching.
"Did you call me here just to say that?" he asked.
Shintae's smile widened slightly.
"No."
The atmosphere shifted.
For the first time since the meeting began, the casual tone disappeared.
"Hostel 3 is with me," Shintae said.
Akshat's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'm here," Shintae continued, "to join your alliance."
A faint murmur of surprise passed through the others, but Akshat remained silent, watching him carefully.
Shintae raised a hand slightly, stopping any immediate reaction.
"But there are conditions," he added.
His gaze turned colder.
"This alliance stays secret."
Akshat didn't interrupt.
"Especially from Hostel 1… and Hostel 4."
At the mention of those numbers, the atmosphere grew noticeably heavier.
Shintae's expression became serious for the first time.
"And listen carefully," he said. "Do not try to reach Hostel 4."
Ryuki frowned slightly.
"Why?" she asked.
Shintae didn't look at her. His eyes remained fixed on Akshat.
"Because Hostel 4 is not what you think it is," he said quietly. "It's an extension of Hostel 1."
The weight of those words settled slowly.
"And Hostel 1…" Shintae continued, his voice lowering slightly, "…is something you're not ready to face yet."
Silence followed.
Shintae took a step back.
"If anyone from Hostel 4 approaches you," he added, "consider them a spy."
Alexander's expression tightened slightly at that statement.
Akshat remained still, processing everything.
This wasn't just an alliance offer.
It was a warning.
Shintae turned away as if the conversation was already over.
But before leaving, he paused.
Without looking back, he spoke one last time.
"Maybe in the future," he said, "if I need help from you, Akshat…"
There was a brief pause.
"…you will help me."
For a moment, everything felt still.
Then Akshat answered.
"I will."
Shintae didn't respond.
He simply walked away, disappearing into the darkness as quietly as he had appeared.
The silence that followed felt heavier than before.
Ryuki looked at Akshat, her expression serious.
"Do you trust him?" she asked.
Akshat's gaze remained fixed in the direction Shintae had gone.
"No," he said calmly.
He paused briefly.
"But I understand him."
Alexander stepped closer.
"Then what do we do?" he asked.
Akshat turned slightly, his expression returning to its usual composed state.
"We move forward," he said.
His eyes sharpened faintly.
"But carefully."
Because now— The hunt for hostel 1 is begin.
The game wasn't just about strength anymore.
End of ch 48
To be continue...
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