"What's up with you? You've been acting a little off lately."
"I don't know… I feel off myself. It's like—I don't even know who I am anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, and that's the thing. Something's wrong… but I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Well, you're the Head Boy. Get your head in the game. I'd hate to be the one doing all the work around here. Not to mention—our plan's going into motion soon. We need you sharp."
"…What plan?"
"What do you mean 'what plan'? The plan to create the cloud—"
Stephen froze, having stumbled upon a conversation far more dangerous than he anticipated. His heart pounded as the implications settled in. If they succeeded, it would be catastrophic. He had to do something—but what could he do alone? He needed to tell the others. But he wasn't exactly on good terms with them. And if he went to Kelvin, Kelvin would take all the credit. But if he didn't act… he'd be proving Emilia right.
It was time to swallow his pride.
—
Meanwhile, school had just closed, and Victor and Kelvin were in the park, training—though only one of them seemed to take it seriously.
"What's the point of all this?" Kelvin asked, dragging his feet, voice thick with laziness and disinterest.
Victor narrowed his eyes. "If you can't have any more visions, and you can't summon the sword, then right now—you're basically useless."
"Hey. Don't forget—I'm the only one who can touch the book. You people were practically helpless before I came along. Come on, you were so insignificant even the Red Hoods didn't notice you."
Victor's tone sharpened. "Yeah—and we were safe. Until you showed up. The 'savior of all.' Destined for greatness. Yet here you are, unable to even control your so-called divine weapon."
Kelvin paused. "What did you say? Did you say 'divine weapon'? You know what it is?"
"You're not the only one who knows things. But that's not the point." Victor stepped closer, voice tightening. "You've put us all in danger. And now you want to quit? Leave us to die? You're not special. You're just a scared boy hiding behind a god complex."
The air between them thickened, heavy with tension. Then—Kelvin tore off his necklace and, filled with fury, tried to summon the sword. Nothing happened. He flung the necklace away and charged at Victor, fists flying.
Victor dodged easily. Kelvin hit the ground face-first, but didn't stop. He scrambled back up, wild and relentless, throwing punch after punch—none of which landed.
Victor was stronger. More muscular. A skilled fighter. He might have grown up among plants, but his father had made sure he knew how to defend himself—against more than just thorns.
He caught Kelvin's fist mid-swing and dropped him with a single blow.
"You call your—"
Victor's words were cut off by a sudden punch to the jaw, heavy as a hammer.
"I thought you wanted to help me," Kelvin snarled. "But it seems you're just a prick. You think you know me? You don't. You have no idea what I've been through—those sleepless nights, haunted by Mr. Smiley, even before I stepped into this cursed school. You think I transferred here by choice?"
He stepped forward, eyes blazing red with fury.
"No. I came here for a reason. One goal."
Another wild swing—Victor ducked, but Kelvin's fist struck a nearby tree. The trunk cracked from the sheer force.
"I didn't come here to save you. I came here to end this—all of this."
With a roar, he drove his fist into the tree again—and this time, it toppled, crashing to the ground with a thunderous crack.
Victor stumbled back, stunned. Kelvin lunged, gripped him by the throat, and began to squeeze. Tears streamed down his cheeks—of rage, of pain, of something deeper.
"You… are… killing me," Victor gasped, choking.
Kelvin's grip trembled. Then, as if waking from a trance, he released him. He stepped back, picked up his necklace, and turned to leave.
"Don't… don't go," Victor called out, still struggling to catch his breath.
Kelvin hesitated.
Victor slumped to the ground at the edge of the park, near the brush. "I knew it," he muttered, a strange excitement in his voice.
Kelvin frowned. "Are you serious right now? I almost killed you—and you're excited? Wait… did you provoke me on purpose?"
Victor gave a half-smile through the pain. "Yes. And you nearly killed me… I really should've seen that coming."
Kelvin stared, confused. "Why the hell would you do that?"
"I knew what the sword was," Victor said, "but not why you could use it. That part I couldn't figure out."
"…What are you talking about?"
"Sit. I have a story to tell."
Kelvin reluctantly dropped to the grass beside him.
"After you fought that monster with the sword," Victor began, "I did some digging. Clera's book had some referrals. I followed the trail. Turns out, holy relics are real. Demons, monsters, devils—they're all real. Anything that carries even a trace of Jesus' DNA is considered a holy relic. That includes objects from the Holy of Holies. And the sword you carry—it's the last known relic."
Kelvin blinked, stunned.
"They're extremely rare. But someone obsessed over them, not too long ago. He tried to unlock their power—but ended up destroying most of them. No one believed him because he couldn't use them. But here's the twist: the secret to using a relic is ignorant faith. The few who did use them never knew what they had—by the time they figured it out, they were already dead."
Victor leaned closer. "Only one person truly figured it out. He said to wield a holy relic, your mind has to be clear. No evil thoughts. No guilt. No fear. Just sheer will and purpose. Which is why… you can't use it now."
Kelvin looked away.
"As for why you can use it in the first place?" Victor continued. "There's this energy flow I see—between you and the sword. I don't know what it means. I've never seen a relic before, or someone with the will to wield one. But what I saw today? There's more to you than the sword."
He paused. "It's a lot, I know. But breathe. Let it sink in. Clear your head."
Kelvin stood up slowly. "So you figured all this out by reading Clera's referrals… and using your third eye? And you're telling me we're dealing with actual demons—and I should relax?"
He began pacing. "Now I know you're insane."
When he turned back—Victor was gone.
"Victor?!"
"KELVINNNNNNNNNN!"
The scream tore through the trees. Kelvin spun around just in time to see vines dragging Victor into the bush. Without thinking, he sprinted after him—heart pounding, feet barely keeping pace with his racing thoughts.
His mind was clear.
He had to save Victor.