David looked at Han with a gaze that carried both indifference and pity. At that moment, Ryan approached him.
"Today has been full of unexpected events. Han wasn't himself — he was being impersonated by Sakuragawe Sai. Despite that, David managed to win. But for everything he has done, Sakuragawe Sai will face punishment. The victory goes to David."
The stadium erupted in cheers. The crowd roared David's name. Some were shocked to learn that it had been Sai fighting instead of Han, but most didn't care. What mattered was simple: Sai would be punished, and the winner was clear.
Joseph kept his eyes fixed on David, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"So, what do you think, Kai?"
Kai clicked his tongue, his expression cold.
"And what if he won?"
Joseph didn't answer — his smile only deepened.
Lucas remained silent, his face like stone, but in his heart he noted: David… I see.
In the stands, May tugged at her brother's sleeve with excitement.
"Look, he won!"
Kevin only nodded, saying nothing.
Meanwhile, on the arena floor, David could feel his strength slipping away. His head spun, his body trembled, as if tearing itself apart from the inside.
Damn… I pushed past the limit of my eye's power. On top of that, I used techniques I haven't even mastered yet. My brain feels like it's about to burst…
As Ryan finished his speech and people began to leave, Emma's eyes stayed locked on David. She noticed how unsteady he was. Vincent saw it too. He remembered the first time David used the power of his eyes — he had collapsed instantly.
Ryan glanced at David, his eyes darkening.
Is he… about to pass out?
Placing a hand on David's shoulder, Ryan vanished with him in an instant. Vincent followed right after. Lucas caught sight of this and frowned.
"Where did they go?"
Sai, having seen everything, turned back toward the academy. David's trio of friends followed soon after.
Inside the academy, Ryan and Vincent brought David straight to the infirmary. After handing him over to the nurse, they left.
When David opened his eyes, he realized he was inside his own subconscious again. Everything looked the same as before — except for one thing. The massive tree had grown even larger, now towering nearly six hundred meters tall and just as wide.
Walking closer, he knelt at its roots and pressed his palm against the rough bark.
"What are you… Why do you feel like you're haunting me?"
There was no reply. No sound, no movement. Only silence.
A dull ringing filled his ears. David leaned his head against the tree, staring upward, searching for even the faintest sign of an answer. But he found nothing — no vision, no whisper. Closing his eyes, he sank into the void and woke up.
He was back in the infirmary. The nurse noticed him stirring and came over.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," David answered.
"Good. Then you're free to go. By the way, some of your friends came by earlier."
"Friends…" he repeated quietly, a hint of surprise crossing his face. "Alright. I'll head out."
Leaving the infirmary, he made his way toward his room. Thoughts swirled in his mind, but there was at least one thing to be glad about: the limit of his eye's power had increased. Now he could hold out for ten minutes instead of five. But crossing that line even by a second would be devastating.
"Twelve minutes… Just two over, and I collapsed from the pain. Not a pleasant feeling."
Finally reaching his room, he lay on the bed and closed his eyes. Sleep took him instantly. When he woke an hour later, he glanced at the time — half past five. No classes today. That was fine by him. It meant he could train.
He knew that using techniques without proper control over his energy was dangerous, especially for his brain. He was lucky he had used only two. Any more, and the damage could have been irreversible.
After resting, David headed for the lower training grounds. Taking the elevator down, he stepped into the wide hall. Someone was already waiting for him.
Leo sat there, as if he had predicted David's arrival. Seeing him, Leo smiled in his usual way.
As David walked toward him, one thought echoed in his mind:
Soon, there'll be an exchange with the Chinese academy. I need to be ready…