Evening — Midnight sun Courtyard
The sky had turned a deep violet. A faint breeze rustled the trees in the courtyard, where Ryker stood alone, staring up at the stars, hands in his pockets.
Footsteps approached behind him.
"You surprised everyone today," came a smooth, composed voice.
Ryker didn't turn around. "Aria-sensei."
Beside Aria, Ms. Sakamoto walked calmly, arms folded.
"You stopped an S-rank hero's sword with your bare hand," Ms. Sakamoto said, her eyes sharp. "And then defeated Shidou Shiranui with dual swords you've never once drawn in class."
Ryker remained silent, the wind brushing through his black hair.
"You've been holding back," Aria-sensei said, smiling slightly. "Why?"
Ryker finally turned to face them. His gaze was quiet, unreadable.
"Because I'm not ready," he said. "If I show too much… things will change."
"Things have already changed," Ms. Sakamoto replied, stepping forward. "Aisa could've been killed today. If you hadn't stepped in—"
Aria's gaze narrowed slightly. "You did something with Aisa's shoe, didn't you?"
Ryker's eyes didn't flinch, but he exhaled softly through his nose. "What makes you think that?"
"I'm not guessing," Aria said, walking closer. "You waited until the last possible second to intervene. Not too early to raise suspicion, not too late to let her die. But just enough to be a hero. The perfect moment."
He paused.
"Aisa's leg didn't just give out. Something small… but planned. I saw you walking near her locker before the trial."
Ryker's eyes finally turned toward him. Calm. Cold.
Aria smiled. "So tell me. Was it to test her strength—or was it to test your timing?"
Ryker looked away.
"She would've died," Aria said quietly.
"I would never let that happen," Ryker replied, his voice low. "But they needed to see something. And she… needed to awaken."
Aria tilted his head. "You're playing a dangerous game, Ryker."
Ryker looked up, eyes glowing faintly beneath the moonlight streaming through the hallway window.
"I'm not playing," he said. "I'm preparing."
Silence stretched between them like the tension before a battle.
Then Aria let out a quiet chuckle. "Well… at least now I know. The most dangerous person in this school… isn't a teacher."
He turned away.
"Be careful, Ryker. You're walking a path only monsters and gods dare follow."
And with that, Aria disappeared down the hallway, leaving Ryker alone once more—half in shadow, half in light.
Infirmary Room, Late Night
The moonlight spilled in through the thin curtains, casting a pale glow across the quiet infirmary. Most of the others had gone to rest, but Aisa remained awake—her leg bandaged, the pain dulled by medicine.
She stared at the door.
She knew he'd come.
And he did.
The door creaked open, and Ryker stepped in silently, his expression unreadable.
"You're awake," he said.
"I've been waiting," Aisa replied, sitting up slowly. "Close the door."
He obeyed.
A tense silence hung between them.
Then Aisa spoke.
"My shoe… it was tampered with."
Ryker didn't answer.
"I thought it was weird at first. But when Jasmine struck, I felt it give out before the attack even landed." Her eyes locked onto his. "You knew, didn't you?"
Ryker said nothing for a long moment.
Then he finally walked to her bedside and sat on the chair beside her.
"Yes," he said quietly.
Aisa's hands clenched the blanket. "Why?"
"I needed you to face fear. Real fear. Not sparring, not training. The kind that shakes your soul." His voice was calm, almost emotionless. "Only then would you understand what it means to survive on instinct."
Tears welled in her eyes—not from anger, but something else.
"You didn't trust me to be strong enough without… that?"
Ryker looked at her, his voice softer now. "No. I believed you were strong enough… and I needed them to see it."
She looked down, struggling with her thoughts.
"I almost died, Ryker."
"I would've never let that happen."
"How do I know that?" she snapped.
He leaned forward, his eyes intense.
"Because I was watching every second. Because the moment it went too far, I moved. Because even if the world turned against you… I wouldn't."
Aisa blinked, stunned.
Ryker stood up, the moonlight casting his shadow over her.
"I'm sorry," he said, genuinely. "But in the world we're going into… there are no fair fights. I need you ready."
She looked up at him.
Then, slowly, she nodded—still hurt, but understanding.
"I'll forgive you… but only if you promise to never do it again without telling me."
Ryker offered the faintest smile.
"I promise."
He turned to leave—but paused.
"Rest well, Aisa. You were incredible out there."
And then he was gone, like a ghost in the moonlight.
Aisa leaned back, whispering to herself, "You always do things your own way… Ryker Tensai."
Flashback – Earlier That Morning, Horizon Academy Dormitory
The hallway was silent.
Not even the birds had begun their morning songs.
Ryker moved like a shadow, every step calculated. He wore a simple hoodie, his face hidden beneath the hood, hands tucked into his sleeves. He passed the common room, the classrooms—then turned toward the girls' locker room.
The code to the maintenance access panel? He already had it. Aria-sensei had used it once in front of him. He memorized it in seconds.
Click.
He entered.
Inside, the rows of lockers stood cold and metallic in the dim light. He knew exactly where to go.
Aisa Nakamura. Locker 07.
He opened it quietly.
Her gear was neatly packed—just like her. Polished sword. Balanced boots. Gloves, spotless. She always took training seriously.
He crouched and picked up her right shoe.
From his sleeve, he pulled a tiny vial of condensed binding-softener gel. Invisible to the eye. Activates only when it absorbs a specific amount of heat from friction.
He smeared a tiny amount inside the sole. Just enough to weaken the material, not destroy it.
It would hold during basic movement—but under intense pressure? Like dodging a fast S-Rank attack?
It would buckle. Just for a moment.
He replaced the shoe, locked the locker again, and stepped back.
Standing in the doorway, he stared at the row of lockers one last time.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Then he turned and vanished into the corridor before anyone woke.
Guild leader room
Tanaka Kai stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides, his eyes locked on the man who had just acknowledged Ryker Tensai's strength.
"Sir…" Kai said, his voice steady. "Can I fight that boy?"
Shidou Shiranui didn't turn around immediately. His eyes still lingered on Ryker, who stood calmly with his swords fading into sparks of light.
Then, slowly, Shidou spoke—his tone flat but sharp.
"Hmm… Can you defeat me, Kai?"
Tanaka Kai's expression shifted. His lips parted, then closed again. After a brief pause, he answered honestly.
"…No, sir."
Shidou smirked slightly, finally turning to face him.
"Then forget it," he said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
Kai lowered his head, his jaw clenched in frustration.
"Ahh…" he exhaled, his pride wounded but his fire still burning.