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Chapter 42 - Manner of Madness

It was time.

Everything was ready, and the school was busier than ever. The students could feel the pressure in the air, it was thick and heavy, almost like they could touch it. The War Games had finally arrived.

All the students were gathered in a huge hall filled with thousands of Vpods. They stood in separate groups, waiting for things to begin.

Leaning against a wall was Michael, looking serious. He was still thinking about what Isaiah had said. Isaiah didn't seem like someone who would lie. why would he?

Michael didn't like it. He didn't want to lose his friend. He contemplated every possible way he could help, but he also weighed the risks. Would he really go as far as to betray his own team just to help Kai? And even if he did… would it change anything? Kai might still be expelled, and everyone in Vanguard would hate him.

Sigh… being a good friend is way too much work, he thought.

His train of thought was interrupted when someone leaned casually against the wall beside him. He turned and saw a familiar face—silver hair, calm eyes.

It was Rebecca Chronoa.

He didn't say anything at first. Just stared at her, mouth slightly open.

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"…Why are you here?" he finally asked.

"Am I not allowed to come talk to a friend?" she replied

"Hell no. We're not friends."

She smirked. "Well… I figured that you being the friend of my boyfriend would make you mine as well but I guess that i was wrong."

"Anyway, I'm not here to argue with you. I know you want to help Kai today, and I want to help, too ."

Michael blinked. "Huh? What about all the stuff you said yesterday?"

Rebecca shrugged. "Let's just say your confidence yesterday changed my mind. Not many people would've done what you did. You've earned my respect."

Michael rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh... thanks. But even if I wanted to help, I don't think it'd make a difference."

"Why not?" she asked.

Michael quickly explained what Isaiah had told him. Rebecca fell quiet, clearly thinking hard.

"So... what do you think?" Michael asked.

"If what you're saying is true, then things are even worse than I imagined."

"You think he's telling the truth?" Michael asked, watching her closely.

"I don't know, to be honest. The reason God's Eyes hasn't been properly recorded is because no one really understands how it works. The more you think you know it, the more you realize you actually don't."

"Eventually, people just stopped trying."

" He says he saw the future but I think what he saw was just one possible future."

"Possible?… Meaning it can still be changed, right?" Michael asked.

"Yes," Rebecca nodded, "but the problem is, we don't know what sequence of actions will lead to that change. Maybe helping Kai will change things… or maybe not helping him is what keeps him alive in the end. I don't know. There are just too many unknowns."

A determined look was etched on Micheal's face.

"But… we're still going to help him, right?"

"What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't?"

"You're never going to stop calling yourself that, are you?"

"Nope."

Michael's eye twitched slightly. He was starting to understand how she got under Kai's skin so easily.

"Where is he anyway?" Rebecca asked, glancing at the time. "It's almost starting."

"I'm not sure," Michael replied. "He said he wanted to be alone before things kicked off."

Rebecca frowned. Maybe the pressure had finally caught up to Kai. Maybe he was realizing just how serious this all was. what he had to do to win, and who he had to fight to do it. A question suddenly popped into her head.

"Hey… did he ever tell you why he made that bet?"

"I've tried to figure it out," she continued while shaking her head. " But I just can't."

Michael laughed a little. "He didn't tell me anything either… but knowing him, he probably did it for the silliest reason in the world."

-----

While Michael and Rebecca were talking, Kai was sitting alone at the center of the secret training ground he used to practice in with Michael and Mr. Yu. It had been a while since Mr. Yu was at the school, and in that moment, Kai realized he kind of missed him.

After every sparring session, Mr. Yu would point out what they did wrong and help them learn from it. That kind of guidance was exactly what Kai needed right now.

And if Mr. Yu were here. He probably would've told Kai that what he was about to try was incredibly stupid.

Staring at the dark katana known as Bane, Kai made up his mind

He was going to try Augmentation again.

All curse energy comes from the soul core, which acts like a container for it. The soul core is located somewhere near the heart. Just like the heart pumps blood, the soul core can send curse energy through the body when needed. This energy can be used to boost physical strength, power up weapons, or activate a curse in a special way. Its uses are nearly endless.

Kai took a deep breath and placed Bane across his lap.

"Alright… here goes nothing," he muttered.

Kai closed his eyes and focused.

He tried to feel the flow of curse energy from his soul core, that invisible source buried deep near his heart. Just like he was taught, he imagined the energy spreading pushing out from the core, through his chest, into his arms, and finally reaching his hands.

His breathing slowed.

His fingers twitched.

Suddenly, he felt a painful jolt.

His body shivered and his vision blurred.

His soul core was still damaged, and the pain from the curse energy pouring out of it was unbearable.

"No—stay focused," he told himself, grinding his teeth.

His eyes started to bleed, but he didn't stop. Every part of his body was in agony, but he pushed through. Then, his arms gave out.

Clang!

Bane dropped to the ground beside him as he gasped for air.

"I can't, I can't do it." He admitted to himself

His soul core still needed a lot of time to fully heal, and until then, he couldn't learn Augmentation. The gap between him and the other students would keep growing, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"This is your fault," he muttered.

"If it wasn't for that stupid gas, I'd be fine! Why am I the one suffering because you guys couldn't do your damn jobs?!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty training hall.

He blamed the order.

He blamed Azrael for not helping him

He blamed everything, and everyone

And in the end… he blamed himself.

Lying there in the quiet, Kai finally started to calm down. He cleared his head and got ready to leave. But just as he reached for Bane, a thought suddenly popped into his mind:

"Wait... did I ever scan Bane?"

His watch had a scanner built into it. He had used it once to scan the weapons hanging on the walls in battle class. He always meant to scan Bane too, but it always slipped his mind

Now, he grabbed Bane and started the scan. Minutes passed with no result… until suddenly

[Unknown material detected]

[Weapon contains curse energy of the Fallen King]

"The Fallen King… Azrael Immortalia," he said quietly.

He already knew this. Ever since Kai awakened, their souls had been linked.

Dark Forgers never really died. Their souls waited until a new one appeared. And that new dark forger… was him.

Kai stared at Bane again. He couldn't use Augmentation like the other students. His soul core was still damaged, and until it healed, he couldn't send energy into his sword.

But… what if he tried the opposite?

If his soul core couldn't send out curse energy then why don't he try receiving Curse energy from another?

Normally, that shouldn't work. A person's soul core couldn't absorb curse energy from someone else—especially not during Augmentation. The energy had to match perfectly, or it would tear the body apart.

But the energy inside Bane wasn't just from someone else.

It was Azrael's.

And Azrael… was Kai

Coming to this realization. He sat down and held Bane tightly. This time, instead of pushing energy into the sword, he pulled.

It wasn't wild or out of control, it moved like it had a purpose. Like something... or someone was guiding it.

As soon as Kai's energy mixed with Azrael's, a flood of memories hit him all at once. It was overwhelming. There were so many of them, but the one thing that kept repeating was darkness. Endless, complete darkness.

And the sound of a katana being swung... again and again and again.

When the visions finally faded, Kai gasped for air and opened his eyes wide. His breathing was heavy, his heart pounding.

This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. And the last time it did…

He immediately looked down at his watch to confirm his suspicion

Seal fragment 1 has been released]

[Ability unlocked: Severance.]

[Seal fragment 2 has been released]

[Ability unlocked:Veil.]

He stood still for a moment, breathing hard, staring at the watch

Kai had unlocked all three powers hidden inside Bane, a small smile appeared on his face. He didn't have augmentation like the others… but now, he had something else. Something powerful.

Blur, Severance, and Veil...

"I know you're there," Kai said suddenly

"I know you're watching."

"You always are."

"Don't you think the silent treatment has gone on long enough?" he asked, looking up into the air like speaking to a ghost.

At first, nothing.

Then suddenly, the air grew colder. The light in the hall dimmed, and the shadows around Kai twisted unnaturally. A low, heavy voice echoed through the room.

"Is there anything to say?"

Kai froze. The voice sounded as if it came from every wall at once.

He turned slowly, and there he was.

A tall, dark figure standing just at the edge of the shadows.

Kai didn't speak right away. He just stared.

Azrael stepped forward, but his movements were more like gliding.

"What do you want, boy?" Azrael asked

"I just... wanted to say thank you," Kai replied. "For helping me do... whatever that was. I don't even know what to call it."

"It's called Resonance," Azrael said. "It's when two curse energies become one."

"Uh..yeah..that" Kai said awkwardly

He looked at Kai with narrowed eyes.

"And if I hadn't stepped in, you would've shattered every bone in your body and died on the spot. Do you even realize how stupid that was?"

Kai looked down at his hands. They were still shaking, the feeling of power slowly fading.

"…It felt like it was worth the risk," he said quietly.

Azrael didn't answer right away. He just watched him.

"He came here alone" Azrael thought. To a place where very few people know about just to try Augmentation again, knowing full well it might kill him. And when that didn't work, he attempted Resonance without even knowing what he was doing. He didn't care about the danger. He did it for one reason."

"Because deep down, without doubt or fear, he believed I would save him."

Azrael shook his head slightly. "There's a madness in you, boy."

Kai smirked. "Since when is that a bad thing?"

Azrael grinned as well.

"It never was," he said. "Long ago, someone told me… in a world full of gods and monsters, the ones who survive are the ones mad enough to want everything."

"Pick up that blade and get out of here or else you'll miss the exam you won't shut up about"

"You pushed me into breaking the seals earlier than I planned. Just those three abilities alone… you could level a small nation."

"I expect nothing less than a win today. Don't disappoint me."

Kai clenched his knuckles tightly.

The storm in his chest didn't show in his voice, but it roared behind his eyes.

"I won't," he said quietly. without another word, he slowly reached down, picked up the blade, and left

The War Games had begun

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