Roy followed the Guardian through the underground passage.
The tunnel was narrow, and the walls were covered with old metal panels. Most of them had stopped working a long time ago, but a few still gave off a weak blue light.
Roy walked quietly for a while.
Then he looked at the sword in his hand.
"Are you going to explain anything?"
The Guardian didn't turn around.
"Explain what?"
"Everything."
"That isn't very specific."
Roy frowned.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
The Guardian smiled slightly.
Roy continued walking.
"The hunters called me the Heir."
Silence.
"They said my father was one of the strongest Nexis users ever."
Still nothing.
"They know Raijin."
The Guardian finally stopped.
Roy nearly walked into him.
The old man turned around.
"You ask too many questions."
"That's because everyone keeps giving me half answers."
The Guardian looked at him for a moment.
"You aren't ready."
Roy sighed.
"That's what everyone says."
"Because it's true."
Roy looked away.
He didn't like that answer.
But he knew there was no point arguing.
They continued walking.
After several minutes, the tunnel opened into a large underground room.
At the center was a circular platform.
The Guardian walked onto it.
"Stand there."
Roy stepped onto the platform.
"What is this?"
"A transportation gate."
Roy looked around.
"Another portal?"
"Something like that."
The Guardian placed his hand on the platform.
The machine immediately came to life.
Blue light spread across the floor.
Roy felt the Nexis around him begin to move.
Then he noticed something.
The pendant around his neck had started glowing.
Roy grabbed it.
"Again?"
The Guardian looked at the pendant.
His expression changed for a brief moment.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Roy didn't believe him.
Before he could ask anything else, the platform activated.
The world around them blurred.
A second later, they were standing inside an abandoned storage room.
Roy looked around.
"This is the academy?"
"Yes."
Roy opened the door.
The familiar halls of the academy appeared before him.
Students were walking around as usual.
Some were talking.
Some were carrying books.
Others were heading toward training grounds.
Nobody seemed to have noticed what had happened outside.
Roy stepped into the hallway.
It felt strange.
Only a few hours ago, he had been fighting masked hunters in an underground facility.
Now students were arguing about homework.
One student walked past him while complaining about a teacher.
Another was laughing with his friends.
Roy stared at them.
How can everything look so normal?
"Roy!"
Roy turned.
Leo was running toward him.
He stopped in front of Roy and looked him over.
"Where have you been?"
Roy blinked.
"Out."
Leo stared at him.
"That doesn't answer anything."
"I went for a walk."
"A walk?"
"Yeah."
"For half the night?"
Roy paused.
"Long walk."
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"You're terrible at lying."
Roy smiled.
"I know."
Leo looked behind him.
Then he noticed the Guardian.
His expression immediately became more respectful.
"Sir."
The Guardian nodded.
"Leo."
Roy looked at Leo.
"You know him?"
"Of course. He's one of the academy's old instructors."
Leo looked back at Roy.
"Wait. Why are you with him?"
"It's complicated."
Leo sighed.
"Everything with you is complicated."
Roy laughed.
"Fair."
Before Leo could ask another question, a familiar voice came from down the hall.
"Roy."
Roy turned.
Kenneth Void was walking toward them.
The principal stopped when he saw Raijin.
His eyes immediately focused on the sword.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Roy noticed.
"You know this sword?"
Kenneth looked at him.
"Where did you get it?"
"Someone gave it to me."
"Who?"
Roy hesitated.
"The Guardian."
Kenneth's eyes moved toward the old man.
The two exchanged a look.
It lasted only a second.
But Roy noticed it.
"You two know each other?"
Neither answered.
Roy frowned.
"Seriously?"
Kenneth ignored the question.
"Roy, come with me."
"Why?"
"I need to speak with you."
Roy looked at Leo.
Leo shrugged.
"Good luck."
Roy followed Kenneth.
They walked through several corridors before entering the principal's office.
Kenneth closed the door.
Roy sat down.
Kenneth remained standing.
"Tell me what happened."
Roy looked at him.
"Which part?"
"All of it."
Roy leaned back.
He considered telling him everything.
The Northern Hall.
The hidden chamber.
The hunters.
Raijin.
His father's name being mentioned.
The word Heir.
But something stopped him.
He remembered the Guardian's warning.
You aren't ready.
Roy decided to leave some things out.
"I found an underground room beneath the Northern Hall."
Kenneth's expression remained calm.
"What did you find?"
"Old machines."
"Anything else?"
"A few people."
"Who?"
"Hunters."
Kenneth's eyes narrowed.
"How many?"
"Five at first."
"And?"
"More came later."
Kenneth walked toward his desk.
"Did they attack you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Roy shrugged.
"They were looking for me."
"For what reason?"
"They called me the Heir."
Kenneth stopped.
The room became quiet.
Roy watched him carefully.
"You know what that means."
Kenneth didn't answer.
Roy leaned forward.
"Don't tell me you're going to say I'm not ready."
Kenneth looked at him.
"You aren't."
Roy groaned.
"Of course."
"But that doesn't mean I won't tell you anything."
Roy looked up.
Kenneth walked back toward him.
"There are things about your past that you don't remember."
Roy's expression changed.
"My memories?"
"Yes."
Roy touched his pendant.
"Someone sealed them."
Kenneth nodded.
"That's what it appears to be."
"Who?"
"We don't know."
Roy stared at him.
"You don't know?"
Kenneth shook his head.
"Your records are incomplete."
"That's convenient."
Kenneth ignored the sarcasm.
"Roy, listen carefully. Whatever happened before you came to this academy is connected to people who are still searching for you."
Roy became quiet.
"Are they dangerous?"
"Yes."
"How dangerous?"
Kenneth looked at Raijin.
"Dangerous enough that you shouldn't face them alone."
Roy nodded slowly.
That answer was enough.
For now.
Kenneth walked toward the window.
"There's something else."
Roy waited.
"Your current Nexis level is no longer accurate."
Roy raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"After your recent battles, your Nexis has changed."
Roy looked at his hands.
He had noticed something.
His body felt lighter.
His Nexis moved more naturally than before.
Kenneth continued.
"You've been sitting at the edge of Spark for some time."
Roy frowned.
"So?"
"You're close to becoming Awakened."
Roy's eyes widened slightly.
"Already?"
"You've experienced several battles that forced your Nexis to evolve."
Roy smiled.
"That's good, right?"
"It can be."
Kenneth turned toward him.
"If you rush it, you could damage your Nexis pathways."
Roy's smile disappeared.
"So I should train?"
"Exactly."
Roy stood.
"Then I'll train."
Kenneth nodded.
"But not today."
Roy frowned.
"Why?"
"Because you haven't slept."
Roy opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
He hadn't realized how tired he was.
Kenneth pointed toward the door.
"Go back to your dorm."
Roy sighed.
"Fine."
He walked toward the door.
Then stopped.
"One more thing."
Kenneth looked at him.
"Raijin."
Roy looked down at the sword.
"What exactly is it?"
Kenneth was silent.
Then he answered.
"A weapon that shouldn't have returned."
Roy frowned.
"Returned?"
But Kenneth had already turned away.
"Go sleep, Roy."
Roy stared at him for several seconds.
Then left the office.
Outside, Leo was still waiting.
He looked at Roy.
"So?"
Roy walked past him.
"Apparently I'm going to sleep."
Leo blinked.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Leo followed him.
"Something definitely happened."
Roy smiled.
"You have no idea."
As they walked toward the dormitory, Roy glanced at Raijin again.
The sword was quiet now.
But deep inside, Roy could still feel it.
Something had changed.
And he knew this was only the beginning.