Rose narrowed her eyes, irritation simmering beneath her usually cheerful gaze. The tension between Vibe and Nagant was beginning to boil over, even though the match had been called off.
With a sharp flick of her wrist, she snapped her fingers, the sound echoing like a crack through the still air.
> "Guys, we're not even on the field anymore," she said, her tone cutting through the tension like a blade. "So quit it, will you?"
The spark in her voice was firm—authoritative—but not unkind. Her rose-pink pupils shimmered faintly, a reminder that she wasn't just class candy; she was power wrapped in grace.
Nagant, arms folded, clicked his tongue and turned his head with a scoff. The breeze caught his hair as he stepped back, annoyance painted clearly across his sharp features.
> "Tch… What a waste of my time," he muttered arrogantly, brushing past the group like they were beneath his notice.
But his gaze lingered—just for a second—on Vibe.
There was something in her presence that grated on him. Not because she was weak…
But because she wasn't.
And that unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
The cafeteria buzzed with life, students chattering over trays of vibrant meals and exotic juices from the nine tribes. Sunlight poured through the crystalline windows, casting multicolored reflections onto the polished floor.
Vibe sat at one of the side tables, her tray steaming with a Fasue-style meal—dark rice laced with shadow spices and an iridescent soundfruit stew. Just as she was about to lift her spoon, Rose, Miree, and Jin-nah slid into the seats beside her with synchronized excitement.
> "Did you hear the latest gist?" Rose beamed, practically bouncing with joy. "It's all over the academy!"
Vibe glanced up, spoon still midair. "Hmm?"
> "The Crowned Prince of the Cosmos clan is transferring here!" Rose leaned in dramatically, eyes sparkling. "He's coming next week!"
> "I heard he's devastatingly handsome," Miree said, fanning herself with her napkin.
> "And strong. Like, legendary-tier," Jin-nah added. "People say his energy control is so perfect, it harmonizes with starlight."
Vibe blinked slowly, clearly uninterested. She tilted her head with a blank expression, then muttered:
> "Uhhh… oh? Is he now?"
Her friends burst into a wave of laughter at her tone, but it was clear Vibe's disinterest wasn't from ignorance—it was something deeper.
> "Rumor has it," Miree continued, "that he holds Divine Power with grace. And girls are literally lining up for him."
But before anyone could respond, a sudden hush fell across the cafeteria.
A figure had just entered—tall, cloaked in a deep blue mantle etched with constellation runes, his aura like compressed galaxies. His presence alone warped the air, like gravity was adjusting to him.
Gasps rippled across the room.
> "Is that…?" Rose whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.
The figure pulled back his hood. Golden hair, eyes that shimmered like nebulae, and an expression that spoke of nobility born of stars.
> "He's already here?!"
But it wasn't the prince's presence that stunned Vibe.
It was the moment his eyes met hers—and froze. The food tray in her hands began to hum faintly. Something cosmic vibrated in the air between them.
He walked straight toward her table, ignoring every stare and whisper.
And when he stopped before her, his voice—smooth as moonlight but edged with confusion—cut through the silence.
> "It's you… Isn't it?"
Vibe's brows drew together. "…Do I know you?"
The entire table looked between the two, dumbfounded.
The prince nodded slowly, eyes searching hers.
> "You're the girl from my dreams. The one standing before the Abyss."
A silence far heavier than before settled. The starlight in his aura began to flicker unnaturally.
And then, in the far distance, a shudder ran through the dimensional boundaries of Zoom.
Somewhere… something woke up.