The sun was dipping beyond Min Academy's towers when Liora found Kaito standing beneath the old oak by the courtyard, his expression calm but expectant.
"I got it," she said quietly, holding out a sealed crystal capsule that shimmered faintly with black light. Inside, a thin thread twisted lazily, devouring the glow around it. "The Dark Thread. You asked for it… and now it's yours."
Kaito's eyes softened slightly. "You actually managed to get it."
She smirked. "Did you doubt me?"
"Never," he replied, taking the capsule with careful precision. "But that vault isn't exactly open to students."
"I had to pull a few strings," Liora said, crossing her arms. "Let's just say the Headmaster believes it's for a harmless resonance experiment."
Kaito chuckled under his breath. "You're getting dangerous, Liora."
"Maybe I'm just learning from you," she said, smiling faintly.
He studied her for a long moment, his tone softening. "Thank you. Truly."
She waved a hand dismissively. "No problem. For you, it's worth it."
He leaned closer, voice dropping into that velvety tone that always made her heart race. "Careful saying that. People might misunderstand."
Liora tilted her head, meeting his gaze. "Let them."
The air between them hummed with quiet warmth.
"I'll go elevate it," Kaito finally said. "Don't worry. I'll succeed."
Liora hesitated, searching his eyes. "Be careful, Kaito."
He smiled faintly. "When am I not?"
"Exactly," she muttered under her breath, but he was already walking away.
---
That night, his dorm was silent except for the hum of faint energy. Kaito placed the crystal capsule before him and drew a slow breath.
Time to break another boundary.
He opened his palm, and the Karma Thread stirred, glowing crimson deep within his soul. He didn't call it directly—only brushed its edge.
Just a little luck, he thought. Enough to make the impossible simple.
The air warped. Threads around him bent, weaving toward the crystal. The Dark Thread pulsed, recognizing the unnatural fortune wrapping it.
In seconds, the seal shattered. The black thread surged into his chest like liquid night.
A shockwave rippled through his veins, cold but exhilarating. For a heartbeat, he saw darkness swallowing light, shadows merging into one another, then—silence.
When he opened his eyes again, a faint black aura lingered over his hand.
> Dark Thread (Lifeline Thread) — Rank 2 Activated.
Abilities:
– Shadow Gate: Connects to any darkened space; enables instant teleportation through shadows.
– Void Swallow: Absorbs nearby thread constructs.
– Eclipse Bind: Overlaps with an enemy's shadow to immobilize or suppress.
– Possession (Hidden): Merge into another's shadow—use forbidden.
Kaito exhaled slowly, the faintest smirk crossing his lips.
Perfect. With this, I don't need to touch karma at all.
The red glow within him dimmed, fading back into dormancy. For now, the Karma Thread would sleep.
He clenched his fist, watching the shadow beneath it twist obediently.
"I can finally move freely," he whispered.
---
By morning, the academy buzzed with noise.
A grand announcement boomed through the halls:
"Attention all students! Club registration begins today. Every student must join at least one club by week's end—failure will result in dismissal."
Excitement swept across the campus. Banners of countless clubs filled the courtyard: Combat Division, Elemental Society, Research Guild, Thread Orchestra, and more.
Kaito stood with Liora near the center path, the noise around them fading into background static.
"So," Liora asked, smiling, "what club are you thinking of joining?"
Kaito shrugged slightly. "Haven't decided yet."
"Me neither," she admitted. "They all look… loud."
He gave her a small grin. "Then we're alike in that, at least."
Their casual flirting drew a few glances again, whispers spreading through the crowd—but neither of them cared anymore.
After a while, Kaito's gaze drifted to a small wooden sign tucked behind the bustling booths.
'The Nothing Club' — Do absolutely nothing. Tea optional.
He blinked once. Then smirked. "That one."
Liora followed his gaze, confused. "You're joking."
"No," he said simply. "It's perfect."
---
Inside a small shaded room behind the western garden sat three students, half asleep around a desk. Papers, snacks, and a single sleeping cat covered most of the table.
A senior with messy brown hair opened one eye lazily as Kaito and Liora stepped in.
"Visitors? That's new."
Kaito crossed his arms. "This is the Nothing Club, right?"
"Yeah," the senior muttered. "You planning to join?"
"I am," Kaito said.
The senior looked to Liora. "And you?"
She smiled faintly. "If he's joining, I might as well."
The senior blinked, then suddenly sat upright, energized. "Finally! We've been stuck at three members for weeks. With you two, we can officially stay recognized!"
He grinned broadly. "Name's Ren Tatsuya, club president. Those two lazy ones drooling on the floor are Mika and Rion. Welcome to the team."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "And what do we do here?"
Ren grinned. "Exactly what the name says—nothing."
Liora giggled softly, hiding her smile behind her hand.
Kaito smirked. "Sounds ideal."
Ren leaned back, arms behind his head. "Just one rule: don't make noise, don't attract attention, and nap whenever possible."
"Perfect," Kaito replied, already settling into a chair.
---
Days passed quietly. Between classes and idle club hours, Kaito found rare moments of calm. Sometimes, he dozed off in the corner while Liora would dozed to in Kaito's shoulder. Occasionally, they'd talk in hushed tones, trading subtle jokes that no one else caught.
The Nothing Club became their small sanctuary—a space untouched by ambition, noise, or fate.
But beneath that calm, Kaito could still feel the Dark Thread's quiet pulse.
Waiting. Hungry.
He smiled faintly to himself.
At least now, I can face the next storm without losing myself to karma.
Liora glanced at him from across the table, her sapphire eyes soft. "You're smiling again. That's rare."
He looked her way. "Maybe this club really is good for me."
She chuckled. "Then I'm glad I joined."
Outside, the sun dipped beneath Min Academy once more, shadows lengthening through the courtyard—obedient to their new master.
And deep below those shadows, something stirred faintly…
as if the world itself had noticed the birth of a new darkness.