Rin continues, her voice filled with tension:
"But even after getting blasted away, Jared didn't stop."
"He stood back up, furious… his pride shattered."
"And then — he activated his own elemental power."
"Earth."
"He slammed his hands into the ground, and within seconds, rocks and soil began swirling around him…"
"Until he summoned a massive golem — a towering creature made entirely of hardened earth and stone."
"It stood beside him like a monstrous guardian… ready to crush anything in its path."
Shun leans forward excitedly, eyes wide with thrill,
"Brooo, this is getting crazy— I'm loving this!"
Rin gives him a quick glance, then continues seriously:
"While all of that was happening… the sound of their battle — the blasts, the roars — it finally snapped me out of unconsciousness."
"I woke up, dizzy and weak… and realized—"
"I was locked inside a metal box."
"My hands tied… my mouth gagged."
"I could barely breathe… but in my chest, one thought burned louder than fear—"
"Kyle is here."
Rin's voice becomes sharp and cinematic as she describes the scene:
"Kyle and Jared — both masters of hand-to-hand combat — were fighting like it was a duel straight out of an ancient war."
"No fancy moves. Just raw, classic martial arts — precise, brutal, and clean."
"Their fists collided like thunderclaps, their footwork was flawless — it was a battle of experience versus fury."
"But then…"
"Kyle found an opening."
"He charged up his fist mid-swing — and released a direct electric blast right into Jared's face." ⚡
"The impact was devastating."
"Jared's body flew back, and for the first time…"
"…he went completely unconscious."
"It was the turning point."
Rin's voice softens slightly, but the tension still lingers:
"Seeing Jared unconscious, Kyle didn't waste even a second."
"He knew this was his only chance — so he ran straight to Jared's headquarters, searching every corner."
"Meanwhile, locked inside that cold metal box… I started hearing footsteps."
"I didn't know who it was — friend or enemy — but I began moving, trying to make noise, anything."
"The sound of me struggling caught Kyle's attention."
"His eyes snapped toward the box… he rushed to it and tore it open."
"And inside… he found me."
"Tied, gagged, barely able to breathe… but alive."
"And when our eyes met… I knew I was finally safe."
Rin lets out a small laugh as she remembers the moment:
"Kyle's face was completely covered in blood… like literally soaked."
"He looked so terrifying, I couldn't even look at him properly—"
"And the next second… I just fainted on the spot!" 😅
Shun bursts out laughing,
"BAHAHA— bro saved your life and you passed out after seeing his face?!"
Rin chuckles too, shaking her head,
"Well sorry! Try waking up in a box and the first thing you see is a bloody lightning monster glaring at you."
Shun: "Okay yeah fair— I would've screamed like a goat." 🐐💀
Rin's tone settles again, a mix of tension and emotion returning:
"After I fainted, Kyle didn't waste time."
"He gently carried me out of that hellhole… and took me all the way up to the academy rooftop."
"He laid me down there safely… where no one could reach me."
"And then… without saying a word…"
"…he turned around — and went back down to finish what he had started."
"Back to Jared."
"Back to the fight."
"This time — to end it, no matter the cost."
Rin's eyes narrow as she mimics Jared's mocking tone:
"When Kyle returned to the battlefield… he saw Jared had already regained consciousness."
"Jared was casually stretching, rolling his shoulders like nothing had happened."
He looked at Kyle with a twisted grin and said,
"Ohh, Kyle… so you finally met your beloved?"
"I have to say… she's quite something."
"I mean—hot, really."
Rin scoffs slightly, then adds coldly,
"He said it just to provoke Kyle… to get under his skin."
"And believe me… it worked."
Then shun says
" Huh... I think jared was not wrong"
Rin turns sharply toward Shun, eyes narrowed with a deadly glare.
"Excuse me?" she says, her voice flat and dangerous.
Shun immediately raises his hands, laughing nervously,
"Arehh—I mean, I'm just saying what Jared said wasn't… you know… completely wrong."
Rin crosses her arms, clearly unimpressed.
"Keep talking like that, Shun, and the next lightning blast might be mine."
Shun gulps,
"Okay okay! Jared's a villain! Total creep! Got it!" 😅
Rin smirks slightly.
"Good. Glad we understand each other."
Rin smirks, her voice laced with sharp sarcasm as she mimics Kyle's cold response:
"Kyle just stared at Jared and said calmly—"
'Yeah, because a bastard like you could never understand love.'
'A pathetic coward… who got beaten up by a 14-year-old kid.'
Shun bursts out laughing,
"OH DAMN—he really said that?! Bro cooked him alive!"
Rin nods with a proud smile,
"Kyle doesn't talk much… but when he does, he destroys people."
"And that insult? That was the spark that lit the final fire."
Rin's voice sharpens as she continues, the tension building again:
"Jared's face twisted with rage the moment Kyle said that."
"His pride shattered, ego burned — he completely lost it."
He shouted,
"YOU CALL ME A KID?!"
"Come on then! Today I'll show you what love really means…"
"…First I'll break you, and then I'll show you what true pain feels like!"
Rin clenches her jaw, voice low now,
"He wasn't just angry… he was mad."
"And Kyle… didn't even flinch."
"He just cracked his knuckles… and stepped forward."
"One last round."
Rin's voice turns intense once again, her eyes locked forward as if she's watching it happen all over again:
"And then… they charged."
"No more words. No more warnings."
"Kyle and Jared clashed like two storms colliding head-on."
"Fists flew, lightning sparked, the ground cracked beneath their feet."
"Jared was using earth like a weapon — summoning walls, spiking the ground, hurling boulders."
"Kyle, on the other hand, moved like lightning itself — dodging, striking, exploding with every punch."
"It wasn't a fight anymore…"
"…it was a war."
Rin's voice softens as she continues, but just as she's mid-sentence—
Footsteps echo from behind. Heavy. Calm. Unmistakable.
Shun turns his head, and Rin immediately goes silent.
Kyle walks in — face serious, aura cold, his presence almost freezing the air.
He looks at both of them, eyes sharp, and in a deep, composed voice says:
"What's going on here?"
"…Come. The academy head has called us for a meeting."
Shun gulps quietly,
"Wohh… timing ka to bhagwan hai bhai."
Rin just stares at Kyle for a moment — the very person she was just describing in a storm of blood and lightning… now standing calmly before them.
Rin quickly composes herself, hiding the rush of memories still echoing in her mind.
She looks at Kyle and replies calmly,
"I'm coming… just give me a few minutes."
Kyle gives her a silent nod, his expression unreadable, and turns to leave.
As his footsteps fade down the hallway, Shun leans toward Rin with a grin,
"That man just walked in like a final boss."
Rin sighs, a faint smile playing on her lips,
"Yeah… and you have no idea how true that is."
Rin watches the door for a moment after Kyle leaves, then turns back to Shun and continues in a low, serious tone:
"Anyway… where was I?"
She takes a breath.
"This time… Jared couldn't keep up."
"He wasn't just losing — he was getting beaten down."
"Kyle's attacks were faster, sharper… and his lightning was more controlled now, more precise."
"Every hit Jared tried to land — Kyle countered it with twice the force."
"The same man who once overpowered Kyle…"
"…was now barely surviving."
"He was no longer giving Kyle a tough fight…"
"…he was taking a beating."
Rin's voice grows heavier, like the weight of that moment still lingers in her chest:
"After some time… Kyle finally defeated him."
"Jared was on the ground — broken, bruised, barely able to move."
"But…" she pauses,
"…he still had a little life left in him. Just barely."
"He was breathing. Weakly. Struggling."
"But he wasn't dead."
Shun blinks and asks softly,
"Did Kyle… spare him?"
Rin just looks at him for a moment, then replies,
"…Kyle wasn't done yet."
Rin's voice drops to a near whisper, her expression unreadable as she continues:
"Kyle slowly walked toward him… calm, controlled — but with something dark in his eyes."
"He reached into his pocket… and pulled out a small, blood-stained knife."
"Then he knelt down… grabbed Jared by the hair — lifted his face just enough to look him in the eyes."
And in a voice colder than death, Kyle said:
"You'll never understand… what love truly means."
"Not someone like you."
Rin pauses, her eyes lowered.
"It wasn't rage in his voice anymore… it was grief."
"And that's what made it even scarier."
Rin takes a long breath, her voice turning quiet… almost respectful:
"And then… without hesitation…"
"…Kyle ended Jared's journey."
"One swift, silent motion."
"No scream. No mercy. Just… closure."
She looks down slightly, the weight of it still pressing in her chest.
"With that… the corruption died."
"The smuggling, the lies, the cruelty — everything Jared had built over the years…"
"…collapsed in that single moment."
"Kyle didn't just kill a man that night."
"He saved an entire academy."
Shun, for once, is silent.
And Rin finishes softly:
"But sometimes… to be a savior…"
"…you have to become the monster others fear."
Shun says,
"So that means… I can now call Kyle my true friend."
Rin turns to Shun with a gentle but serious expression, a small smile forming on her lips.
"You can."
"But just know…"
"Being Kyle's friend isn't easy."
She pauses, then adds softly:
"He carries a lot inside him — more than you or I can ever understand."
"But if you truly stand by him…"
"…he'll protect you with everything he has."
Shun nods slowly, his usual playful tone replaced with rare sincerity.
"Then from today… he's not just a classmate."
"He's my brother."
Rin smiles more fully now.
"Good. Because someone like Kyle… needs people who won't walk away."
Then Rin and Shun both stand up, and Shun says with a nervous grin:
"Let's go to the meeting… before Kyle does to me what he did to the whole academy."
Rin chuckles, shaking her head,
"Yeah, better not test his patience."
And with that, the two walk off—
down the quiet hallway,
toward whatever was waiting next.
As they walk down the corridor, footsteps echoing softly, Shun glances at Rin and asks curiously:
"Rin… why does Kyle like you?"
"I mean… what does he even see in you?"
Rin slows down a little, surprised by the question.
She looks ahead for a moment, then replies quietly:
"I don't really know…"
"Maybe because… I never treated him like a weapon."
"I saw him when no one else did."
She glances sideways at Shun with a faint smile.
"And maybe… just maybe… that's all he ever wanted."
Shun falls silent for a second, then mutters,
"Damn… that's kinda deep."
Rin laughs softly,
"You asked."
As they continue walking, Shun smirks and nudges Rin playfully.
"Or maybe…" he says with a teasing tone,
"It's 'cause you're kinda hot, huh?"
"That's why he likes you, right?"
He grins wide, clearly trying to mess with her.
Rin rolls her eyes, face turning a little red,
"Oh my god, Shun— seriously?"
"Can't you not be a clown for five minutes?"
Shun chuckles,
"Nope. It's part of my charm."
Rin shakes her head with a small laugh,
"You're lucky you're funny, or I'd have electrocuted you myself."
Shun grins mischievously, walking with his hands behind his head and eyes full of playful curiosity.
"Okay fine, serious question now…"
He leans a little closer to Rin with a cheeky smirk.
"Tell me this—does Kyle look at you like… you know, you're hot?"
"Like... hot-hot?" 🔥😏
Rin stops in her tracks, visibly flustered.
"Shun!" she snaps, cheeks turning pink.
"What kind of question is that?"
Shun laughs,
"A very important one. For scientific reasons."
Rin mutters, trying not to smile,
"You're so annoying sometimes."
Shun grins even wider,
"And yet… you keep answering." 😎
Shun walks backward in front of Rin, still grinning like a troublemaker.
"Come on, Rin… just tell me already."
"Bata bhi do naa!"
"Does Kyle look at you like you're just a friend… or like someone he can't stop staring at?"
He wiggles his eyebrows dramatically,
"You know what I mean~"
Rin groans, covering her face with one hand,
"Ugh, Shun! You're so embarrassing!"
Shun smirks,
"Not denying it though…"
Rin shoots him a side-eye, blushing,
"…Maybe."
Shun gasps like he just uncovered a national secret,
"AHA! I knew it!"
Rin pushes him playfully,
"Okay okay bas! Meeting hall aa gaya, ab chup."
Shun, still smiling like a fool, zips his lips and walks in.
As they reach the meeting hall, both laughing and nudging each other—
—they suddenly stop.
At the gate… stood Kyle.
Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
A file clutched in one hand.
He was staring straight at them.
Not blinking. Not smiling.
Just… watching.
The air turned heavy in an instant.
Shun gulps, whispers from the side of his mouth,
"…Was he standing there the whole time?"
Rin freezes, then mutters under her breath,
"…Please tell me he didn't hear anything."
Kyle tilts his head slightly, his voice deep and calm:
"Glad you two could finally make it."
"Having fun?"
Shun chuckles nervously,
"Hah… just friendly scientific discussion, bro…"
Kyle doesn't respond.
He just opens the door slowly and says:
"Get in."
Shun leans toward Rin and whispers,
"…Yep. We're dead." 😅
As Kyle opens the door, a brief silence hangs in the air…
Then—
he lets out a faint chuckle, and for the first time that day…
he smiles. Just a little.
Turning slightly to them, he says in a low, calm voice:
"I'm sure Rin already told you everything…"
"So relax, I'm not going to kill you."
He pauses—then adds with a sharper tone:
"…But don't mess with my head, Shun."
Shun stiffens instantly, laughing nervously,
"Whaaat? Me? Never!"
Rin tries to hold back her laugh, covering her mouth.
Kyle glances at her for a second, then walks ahead into the room and says simply:
"Come in. The meeting's about to begin."
As they all enter the meeting room, the atmosphere grows tense. A large screen shows maps, clan symbols, and blurred surveillance images.
Kyle steps forward, his expression now completely serious.
He turns to everyone in the room — his presence commanding, his voice deep and steady:
"The academy head believes that a group from another clan is planning to attack this academy soon."
"And that's why…"
"…I want to ask you all directly—"
He looks each one of them in the eyes.
"Who among you is truly ready to fight?"
"Not just to protect this academy…"
"…but to protect the people who can't protect themselves."
Silence fills the room for a moment.
Everyone feels the weight of his words.
Then slowly… Shun steps forward and says:
"Count me in."
Rin follows, her voice calm but firm:
"I've already made my choice."
Kyle nods, the faintest hint of pride in his eyes.
The war wasn't here yet—
but the warriors had already stood up.
A heavy silence lingers after Kyle's speech, but then Shun, genuinely confused, steps forward and asks:
"Wait… Kyle, what about you?"
"Are you going to fight too?"
Kyle looks at him for a moment—calm, composed, yet distant.
Then he replies, voice cold but certain:
"You still haven't understood, have you?"
"I'm not going to fight."
"No matter what happens."
The words hit like a shockwave.
Shun frowns, stunned.
"What? But why? After everything—"
Kyle cuts him off, eyes unwavering.
"Because if I fight again…"
"…I won't stop until everything burns."
"And this time, there may not be anything left to protect."
The room goes quiet again.
Even Rin looks at him with concern.
Shun whispers,
"…That wasn't a refusal. That was a warning."
Just as Kyle's heavy words settle into silence,
—a voice rises from the group seated around the table.
It's a stern-looking man from the academy's internal force.
He leans forward and asks cautiously:
"Do you have any idea… when this attack might happen?"
Kyle doesn't look at him immediately.
He stares ahead for a moment, deep in thought… as if playing through scenarios in his mind.
Then he speaks, his voice sharp and certain:
"No confirmed date."
"But based on the intercepted signals and the missing patrols near the western border…"
"…we have less than 72 hours."
Gasps and murmurs ripple through the room.
"This isn't a drill." Kyle continues.
"They're not coming to warn us… they're coming to erase us."
Everyone goes silent, the gravity of war now real—
and dangerously close.
As the tension thickens in the room, Kyle walks toward the front—
but instead of standing tall like a typical leader...
He drops onto the couch casually, one arm resting over the back, legs slightly spread, expression unreadable.
Then he says in a calm, almost lazy tone:
"The leader has asked me to lead your team."
"…But don't expect me to be a great leader."
"I'm not here to inspire you."
"I'm not here to hold your hand."
"You follow if you want. If not…" he shrugs
"…I really don't care."
Shun mumbles under his breath,
"Bro leads like a villain who got forced into being the hero."
Rin just crosses her arms and sighs,
"At least we know what we signed up for."
Kyle, eyes closed now, adds one last thing without looking up:
"Just don't get in my way. That's the only order I'll give."
Kyle stays still on the couch, eyes half-closed, like he's ignoring everything.
But Rin steps forward, her voice calm—yet firm.
"You are a good leader, Kyle."
"You already have a team. You lead them. You protect them."
She pauses, looking straight at him.
"You always have."
Kyle opens one eye slowly, glancing at her.
He doesn't reply immediately.
Then, almost like a whisper, he says:
"That's different."
"They're mine."
"This... isn't."
Rin walks closer, not backing down.
"If they fight beside you long enough, they will be yours too."
Kyle looks away, a shadow in his gaze.
But he doesn't argue.
And for the first time…
he doesn't completely shut the door.
Rin suddenly breaks into a teasing smile, trying to lighten the heavy mood in the room.
She places her hands on her hips and says boldly:
"Kyle, our leader already gave me the responsibility—"
"—so from now on, I'm leading this team."
She points at him playfully and adds with a grin:
"And you…"
"…are just going to supervise. Nothing more."
The room goes silent for a second—
and then a few people chuckle under their breath.
Shun bursts out laughing,
"OHHH! Power shift!"
"Kyle Orion demoted to babysitter!"
Kyle slowly opens both eyes and gives Rin a long, blank stare.
"…You really want me to electrocute this entire room, don't you?"
Rin smirks and shrugs,
"Not unless you wanna challenge my leadership."
Kyle leans back, muttering under his breath:
"…This team's going to be a disaster."
But for the first time…
there's a slight smile tugging at the edge of his lips.
As the tension dissolves into quiet laughter and murmurs, Rin stands confidently at the center of the room.
She smiles and says loudly:
"Then it's settled— I'll lead this team."
"Let's get ready."
One by one, the team members nod in agreement.
Some clap Rin on the back, others give Kyle a respectful glance… before they start heading out of the room.
Shun stretches and walks a few steps, but notices Rin hasn't moved.
He turns back—Rin is standing still, her eyes now on him.
"Shun," she says gently,
"Go on ahead. I need to speak with Kyle… alone."
Shun raises an eyebrow, grins like a devil,
"Ohhh? Private talk, huh?"
Rin crosses her arms.
"Before I change my mind and assign you to clean the weapon storage."
Shun backs off with hands raised playfully,
"Alright alright! I'm going!"
He walks to the door, then winks.
"Don't kill each other."
Click. The door shuts behind him.
Now… only Rin and Kyle remain.
And the room grows still once again.
Rin walks slowly toward the couch, her confident demeanor fading into something softer—quieter.
She reaches Kyle, who's still sitting, arms resting on his knees, staring blankly at the floor as if lost in thought.
Without saying a word,
she sits down beside him.
Close.
Not too close to make it obvious…
but close enough for him to feel her presence.
For a moment, neither of them says anything.
The silence between them is heavy… but not uncomfortable.
Kyle finally speaks, his voice barely above a whisper:
"…You really think I'm fit to lead anything?"
Rin turns to him slowly, her gaze gentle.
"I think…" she says softly,
"…you carry more weight than anyone else in this academy."
"And somehow… you're still standing."
Kyle closes his eyes for a second, like her words hit a nerve he wasn't ready for.
She continues,
"That's not weakness, Kyle."
"That's exactly what makes you strong."
The silence returns—
but this time… it feels warm.
Rin slowly lifts her hand…
and gently places it over Kyle's.
He doesn't flinch.
But he also doesn't look at her—
his eyes remain fixed on the ground, as if afraid to meet hers.
Then, in a soft, steady voice, she says:
"Kyle…"
"…have you ever thought about someone else?"
"Not in battle…"
"…not as a teammate…"
"…but just as a person?"
Her words hang in the air, quiet and fragile—
like she's asking more than just a question.
Kyle's fingers tense slightly beneath hers.
A storm brews behind his calm expression,
but his voice, when it comes, is low and raw:
"…I used to."
A pause.
"But every time I did…"
"…they ended up hurt."
He turns his hand slightly—just enough for their fingers to brush.
And for the first time in a long time,
Kyle doesn't pull away.
Rin gently tightens her grip on Kyle's hand, her voice calm but filled with quiet strength:
"You'll have to make a big decision, Kyle."
"About which path you want to walk on from here."
She looks at him—steadily, honestly.
"No one can make it for you."
"Not me. Not the academy. Not even your past."
"This choice… is yours alone."
Kyle doesn't speak right away.
His jaw tightens slightly, emotions flickering in his eyes—
memories, regrets, fears… and something else.
Then Rin adds softly,
"But whatever path you choose…"
"…just don't let it be the one where you keep running from yourself."
Silence follows.
Heavy, honest, real.
And for once…
Kyle doesn't feel so alone in it.
Rin slowly leans in—closer than before—
so close that her breath brushes gently against Kyle's ear.
And in a whisper only he can hear, she says:
"If you ever find the time…"
"…maybe think about her too."
She pauses for a second, letting the words settle,
then adds softly:
"You know who I'm talking about."
Kyle's eyes widen just slightly.
His hand freezes under hers.
Rin pulls back just enough to look at him,
her voice now firm but vulnerable:
"I can't keep sitting like this forever, Kyle."
"You have to think about it. About her."
"…About me."
The silence that follows isn't empty.
It's filled with everything she just left unsaid—
and everything Kyle can no longer ignore.
Kyle slowly turns his head toward Rin, his eyes searching hers—conflicted, vulnerable, raw.
His voice comes out low, almost trembling—not with fear, but with the weight of everything he's been carrying:
"Rin…"
"…I don't know what to do."
He swallows hard.
"I'm not even able to understand myself right now."
"And thinking about her…" he pauses, gaze lowering slightly,
"…I can only do that when I finally have time to breathe."
"But right now… I'm drowning."
His fingers gently move beneath hers—
not pulling away, but not holding on either.
"When that moment comes…"
"…maybe then I'll be able to think about what you're asking me to."
He looks into her eyes again, this time more honest than ever.
"Just… don't wait forever."
Rin doesn't say another word.
She simply stands up, her hand slowly slipping away from Kyle's.
Her expression is unreadable—calm on the outside,
but her eyes… carry a quiet sadness.
She walks toward the door—
and without looking back, she exits the room.
Click. The door closes gently behind her.
Kyle remains seated on the couch,
his elbows on his knees, fingers interlocked, eyes lost in thought.
The silence wraps around him—
but this time, it feels heavier than ever.
He stares at the ground, whispering to himself:
"Everything's moving too fast…"
He exhales deeply, frustration flickering in his voice.
"I have to understand it all… before I make a move."
His brows furrow as he leans back, eyes drifting toward the ceiling.
"Choosing the right path…"
"…isn't as easy as I thought."
And with that thought echoing in his mind,
Kyle Orion sits—torn between the fire of his past and the weight of his future.