The air in the locker room instantly grew thick, as if charged with static electricity ready to explode. The four other students—Drake, Ace, Kelvin, and Mason—who had been pretending to be busy with their preparations, now froze in place. They stared in our direction, their eyes darting back and forth between me standing calmly and Maximus, still on one knee cradling his twisted hand.
No one dared to move. No one dared to speak. Least of all, to intervene. They were like spectators trapped in a lion's den, watching two apex predators of the academy's food chain.
A low growl rumbled from Maximus's throat, like a wounded animal.
"You bastard...!" he snarled softly.
Then, something happened. The aura around him shifted, becoming denser, more dangerous. His power surged several-fold, his Awakener Rank A energy now erupting wildly. The air in the room felt heavier.
