Ken sat silently for a moment, scrolling through the list of available combat classes on his wristwatch. Most of them felt too structured, too tailored for abilities he didn't yet fully understand. But then, one particular listing caught his attention:
Beast Weapons Combat Class
Focus: Training in the use, maintenance, and synergy of beast weapons. Ideal for students who wish to enhance their physical combat or work in tandem with beast gear, regardless of ability level.
Ken's eyes lit up slightly. Beast weapons… that might actually work. It was practical, skill-based, and didn't rely solely on ability levels. Most importantly, it might give him and the others an edge they desperately needed.
He leaned slightly toward Vorden. "Hey," Ken said in a hushed tone, tapping his wristwatch screen. "Want to try out the Beast Weapons class?"
Vorden peered over and read the description. He gave a short, amused nod. "Why not? Sounds better than getting our heads kicked in again."
Ken chuckled quietly but quickly grew thoughtful. His gaze drifted toward the back of the classroom—toward Quinn, Peter, and Layla. They're still behind... and if Quinn doesn't get an ability book soon... maybe this class could help them hold his own without one.
Pulling out a small piece of paper from his notebook, Ken scribbled a quick message:
> Join the Beast Weapons Combat Class.
> —Ken
Without causing a scene, Ken stood and casually made his way toward the back where the others were seated. Layla looked up first, her brow slightly raised in curiosity.
Ken didn't say anything. He just handed the paper to Quinn.
Quinn opened it and read it quietly. He looked up at Ken with a faint glimmer of understanding in his eyes. He gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
Ken nodded back and returned to his seat beside Vorden and Erin, the quiet exchange unnoticed by most of the class.
As Ken walked away, Quinn sat quietly for a moment, still holding the note.
"What was that about?" Peter leaned in, lowering his voice.
Quinn glanced at him, then at Layla. "Ken wants me to join the Beast Weapons Combat Class," he said simply, handing the note over for them to see. "He thinks it might help me keep up, since… y'know." He gestured vaguely, implying the lack of an ability.
Peter skimmed the note and raised an eyebrow. "That's not a bad idea, actually," he muttered. "Especially for someone without an ability."
Quinn turned to him. "You could come too. You haven't learned the Earth ability yet, right?"
Peter leaned back in his seat with a shrug. "Yeah, and I don't plan to." His tone hardened slightly. "That ability book came from the military. They act like they're giving it for free, but we both know what they want in return. I'm not planning on being their puppet."
Layla, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "I'm sticking with Enhancement," she said. "I still need to work on controlling my Telekinesis better. If I can manage that, maybe I can get my hands on a level 3 Telekinesis book."
Peter smirked. "Trying to go full-on mind mage, huh?"
Layla rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "You'd be surprised how versatile telekinesis can be once you have precision."
Quinn gave a thoughtful nod, looking down at the note again. "I'll register for Beast Weapons, then. I don't want to drag anyone down."
Peter gave him a playful nudge. "You're not dragging anyone down, man. Just gotta find your own path. Maybe swinging around some beast gear will suit you."
****
Hours after Del's class, it was now night. The dorm was quiet. The soft hum of the overhead lights was the only sound as the others had already drifted off to sleep. Ken sat on his bed, staring out the small window beside him, the moonlight casting silver streaks across the floor. Multiple events played in his mind—Mono's warning, the combat class assignments, and the look on Quinn's face when he gave him the note.
But even with all that, his thoughts kept circling back to one thing: the Talen family.
He leaned back, folding his arms behind his head, trying to recall something he hadn't thought about in years. A string of numbers… a private line his mother once whispered to him late at night when he was only twelve.
"This is only for emergencies, Ken. Only use it if you're truly ready."
At the time, everyone in the Talen family had believed Ken would awaken the family's legendary ability—the shadow ability, passed down through generations like a sacred heirloom. But that day never came. Not the way they expected.
Unknown to them, Ken already had an ability… but his was something different. Something original.
It hadn't awakened until he was fifteen, and by then, the Talens had labeled him a disappointment—an empty vessel unworthy of their legacy.
Ken sat up and reached for his wristwatch. He slowly entered the numbers from memory, his fingers hesitating only briefly. The secret code blinked for a second—*Valid access confirmed*—before rerouting the call through a private line.
As the connection buzzed in his ear, he exhaled slowly, steadying his nerves.
"I need that book for Quinn" he thought. *"But if I ask for it, they'll shut me down immediately."
The line clicked. A distorted voice answered—someone from the Talen household's internal security.
"This line is only for family emergencies. Who is this?"
Ken straightened up. "Ken Talen."
There was a brief pause. Even the silence felt judgmental.
"…We weren't expecting to hear from you."
"I'm not here to beg for anything," Ken said firmly. "I just wanted to say… I've awakened my own ability. It's not the shadow ability. It's something original. And I've been training."
"You called to brag?" the distorted voice on the other end said.
"I called to say I'm coming home during summer break," Ken continued. "I want to challenge one of the family members. Someone low on the hierarchy. Just a glimpse—to show you what I've become."
The voice was silent for a long moment before replying, "You'll do as you wish. But don't expect the same family welcome."
And with that the line was cut off.
Ken let out a breath. He wasn't sure if they'd actually let him in—or if this challenge would even lead to what he needed. But it was a start. He had a goal now.
By summer break… I'll be stronger. Strong enough to get my hands on the shadow ability book.