The group stood there in silence long after Mono disappeared down the corridor. No one spoke. The tension still hung in the air, heavy and sharp like a blade. The seconds dragged on until finally, it was Vorden who broke it.
"…We need to play this smart," he said quietly, glancing around to make sure they were alone. "At least for now."
Erin crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "So we pretend."
"Exactly," Peter added, his voice low and serious for once. "We act like we got the message. Act like we're backing off. That we're scared."
Quinn glanced at the others, uneasy. "You really think they'll believe it?"
"They'll believe what they want to believe," Ken said. His voice was calm, but the way his fists clenched at his sides betrayed the fire underneath. "If we want a chance to stand against them in the future, we need time. Time to train, and time to get stronger."
Vorden gave a small smirk. "So, fake submission it is. Let the bastards think they've won."
Layla spoke up next, keeping her voice just above a whisper. "How about we meet up at night. After curfew at Room 19."
"Alright then," Ken said. "But we have to be careful."
The group nodded silently, a pact formed in the quiet space between them.
"Let's get back before we're late," Peter muttered.
They turned and headed back toward Del's classroom. Break was nearly over.
As they walked, the three who had fought the upperclassman—Ken, Vorden, and Erin—couldn't help but remember the terrifying pressure of Ray's soul weapon. That electric armor. The way he had laughed while mercilessly beating them down. Even now, the memory made Erin's jaw clench and Vorden's smile falter.
Ken's thoughts were darker. Ray held back. That was what Mono had said. If that beating was someone holding back…
A chill ran down his spine.
But he didn't speak it aloud. He just kept walking.
The hallway buzzed faintly with the sounds of students returning to class. The group moved together, but their steps were slower now, heavier. The usual banter was gone—replaced by silence and sidelong glances. They were back in Del's classroom just as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the break.
Del stood at the front, casually adjusting a holographic display. His back was turned as the group quietly slipped into their seats near the back. The rest of the class barely acknowledged them, though a few students threw curious glances their way—perhaps expecting to see the six of them looking more beaten, more humbled.
But instead, Ken and the others wore composed expressions. As if nothing had happened. As if they hadn't just been dragged off by the group of second-years and threatened under the shadow of something much worse than a scolding.
Del finally turned to face the class.
"Now that everyone's back, let's continue," he said, activating the holographic board with a swipe of his hand. "Today, we will begin reviewing the fundamentals of beast crystals and their role to make beast weapons or beast armor."
As Del launched into his lecture, Ken stared ahead, but his mind wandered. The memory of Ray's soul weapon still haunted him. The crackle of electricity. The cold look in Ray's eyes. Mono's warning echoed in his head, "And when that day comes, I won't hold back like Ray did."
Beside him, Vorden leaned forward with his elbows on the desk, pretending to be attentive, though his foot tapped anxiously under the table. Erin, meanwhile, kept her hands folded on her lap, her focus sharp. She wasn't letting her guard down again—not after what happened earlier.
They weren't the same as they were that morning.
They had learned something about the real structure of the academy, the danger behind the polished walls.
Hours later..night had fallen over the academy, casting long shadows across the dorm courtyard. The school's sleek white walls, which were so blindingly clean during the day, now looked cold and distant in the moonlight. Inside Room 19, the atmosphere was hushed and tense.
Ken stood by the window, his arms folded, watching the glow of security drones hover silently in the distance. Behind him, the others had started to arrive one by one, just as they had agreed.
Vorden came first, knocking three times in rhythm before slipping in. Erin followed shortly after, her steps light, almost ghostlike. Quinn and Peter snuck in last, with Layla keeping watch outside for a few seconds before sliding the door shut and locking it behind them.
No one spoke at first.
They all stood in silence, the memory of Mono's words hanging heavy in the air like a storm that hadn't passed.
Ken finally turned around, his gaze steady as it swept over his friends. "We have to play this smart," he said quietly. "For now… we pretend."
Vorden leaned against the wall. "You mean we act like we've learned our lesson? Tails between our legs, play the good little first-years?"
Ken nodded. "Exactly. At least until we're strong enough to do something about it."
Erin crossed her arms. "And when will that be? Because the gap between us and them… it's not just about training. It's years, experience, and Soul weapons."
"Mono said Ray was holding back," Quinn added. "And Ray was already scary enough."
Ken's jaw tightened. "That's why we can't let them see us coming. They expect us to crawl away and disappear. Fine—we'll let them think that. But we'll train, study, and get stronger together."
Layla looked over, concerned in her eyes. "And what if they come after us again? What if they go after someone else to make a point?"
Ken met her gaze. "Then we'll be ready. Or at least more ready than we are now."
Peter shifted nervously. "So what's the plan? Hide during breaks? Keep our distance in public?"
"Exactly," Ken said. "We keep our heads down. No group lunches. No hanging around the dorms in big numbers."
"But we meet here, at night," Vorden said, catching on. "To plan. To train."
Ken nodded in response. "Every night if we have to. We don't let them break us. Not now. Not ever."
The group exchanged looks, the weight of the decision settling into each of them. They were scared—Ken could see it in their eyes. But beneath that fear.
Erin stepped forward and extended her hand. "Then let's do this."
Vorden stopped leaning against the wall and slapped his hand on top of hers. "Yeah. About time we stopped being the underdogs."
One by one, the others joined in. Quinn, Layla, Peter, and finally Ken, placing his hand on top of the stack.
"This isn't about revenge," Ken said. "It's about proving we belong. About standing up for each other."
They nodded. And for the first time since the canteen fight, there was something real in their eyes.
Hope