Sei immediately snapped to attention. The voice in his head was hoarse and deep—definitely not Fari.
He immediately scanned the classroom but couldn't find who it was.
'Do you want to get caught? Do as I say,' the voice commanded.
Sei gave a faint nod.
'Pick your hand up a little from the slab, and try to use any one of the energies you know how to use perfectly.'
Sei instantly raised his hand a little, just enough to break the contact without anyone noticing, and focused.
'Tempest energy, that's my best bet,' Sei thought as he channeled the air, and soon the air in the classroom started to move faster. The slab started glowing white, getting brighter by the second.
A storm erupted in the room, the air roared. Gasps erupted through the class as the students watched the air rage. Pages flew here and there.
The instructor's eyes went wide open, he yelled with the pages in his hand fluttering, "Control it!"
But Sei got an idea; he dramatically stumbled back, and with pure coincidence—or a planned coincidence—the energy under his palm shot forward at the boy who teased Navi.
The air was so strong that it made the boy fall off his chair down to the ground flat.
The raging air dropped down, and the room erupted in laughter. The boy pushed himself up, gritting his teeth, his rage-filled eyes gazed at Sei.
Sei acted innocent, bowing down and apologizing, "Sorry, it was hard to control."
Instructor Shin cut in between, "Go back to your seat," he firmly told Sei.
Sei walked back to his seat, sticking his tongue out in amusement. Navi's lips tugged into a faint smile.
The instructor called out other students, and the class ended after every student had been examined.
"This is it for this class. The next class will start after the break." Announcing this, the instructor left.
The class was filled with chatters, the students discussing the events of the day.
Sei and Navi went out to the garden. The garden was bursting with students from all the years, the trees stood tall in the sun, casting soothing shadows.
Sei and Navi found an empty place and sat there with the food they brought from the cafeteria.
A rice ball, filled with pickles and seaweed, Sei took a bite, and his eyes glew brighter with amazement.
"This thing is amazing. I can eat it every day," he spoke, his mouth full.
Navi laughed lightly. "Thanks," she spoke, looking down. "I am a failure after all."
The look in Sei's eyes softened. "Don't be like that. You just need to learn how to channel energy properly," he spoke, trying to comfort her. "I will teach you," he added after a pause.
Navi looked up, shocked. "Really?"
"Yes, you are my friend." Sei smiled.
Sei was just 8 years old at this point. On the other hand, all the other students were 10, but he had faked about his age, and now he successfully faked the identity of his core.
They both ate the food quietly, but Sei's mind pondered far away, the mystery of the voice growing larger by the second.
Sei narrowed his eyes. 'Who was that? Why help me? And the biggest question is how did they know about me? I need to be careful.'
Suddenly, a commotion nearby brought him back to reality. Nearby, behind a wall, a small boy—his brown hair ruffled up, eyes wide with shock—lay against the wall.
Two big guys towered over him, clearly looking stronger. They wore the same uniform.
They were bullying the weak boy.
"Pathetic, this is all you got?" one of them sneered. "You are a noble; there is no way you don't have more Cryts," the other one grinned.
Cryts was the currency used for exchange in this world. 1 Cryts were worth 10 gold coin or 50 silver coins.
Sei stood up, brushing crumbs from his hands, his gaze locked onto the scene unfolding near the wall
Navi froze. "Hey, wait what—"
Before she could complete, Sei intercepted, "Let's see what's going on."
Navi hesitated. She opened her mouth to stop him but couldn't speak.
Sei moved, his steps slow and hard on the soft rustling grass below. "Hey, what are you guys doing?" he called out, raising his voice.
One of the bullies—a tall boy with slicked-back hair and a grin that reeked of arrogance—turned lazily toward him, his gaze narrowing. "Huh? Who are you supposed to be?"
"What are you guys doing with the boy? You need to stop," Sei spoke, his voice unmoving.
The other boy, who was fixed on the boy, now turned. He met Sei's gaze. Sei's heartbeat fastened; a realization seeped over his chest. He already knew who it was when he saw from far away. The boy was none other than Rudo—he just didn't want to believe it.
Rudo's smirk spread slow, like a snake uncoiling. "Oh, my... look who it is," he drawled, half-laughing, voice thick with mockery.
Sei stood there frozen, but he jolted back. "What are you doing, Rudo?"
"What does it look like I am doing, huh?" Rudo snapped. "I am just asking a friend for money."
"This is not how you ask a friend," Sei spoke slowly, clenching his fist. "You are threatening him."
Rudo walked a little closer, his breath was warm against Sei's ear as he leaned in, voice a low whisper. "An eight-year-old brat shouldn't meddle in grown-up business."
Sei's eyes widened, his heart banged against his ribs, his face a hue of red. He knew exactly what Rudo meant.
Though Rudo was trying to be smart, he properly knew he couldn't do that—after all, why would the teachers or the staff listen to a random boy?
Rudo straightened and turned back to the boy, slamming a foot against the wall beside the kid's head with a heavy _thud_. "Now, hand over the Cryts. Three. Don't make me repeat myself."
Navi watched from behind, her breath shallow, hands gripping her skirt tightly. She opened her mouth—but the words caught in her throat, swallowed by the weight of fear.
"I'll give it to you," Sei's voice cut through the tension.
Rudo's head snapped back, a flicker of frustration flashing across his face before it twisted into a smirk. He stepped toward Sei,
"You?" he scoffed, a dry laugh. "You want to pay up instead of this noble brat? Hah! Don't make me laugh." His grin curled wider. "Do you even have that luxury after your father died?"
The words hit like a punch to the gut.
Sei's face flushed, breath ragged, rage boiling over. His fists shook, until they turned pale. Without hesitating, he lunged forward, fury blazing in his chest.