The academy had not recovered.
Not fully.
Even after three days, the air still carried the weight of what had happened.
Broken grounds.
Collapsed training zones.
Cracks that hadn't disappeared.
And fear—
Unspoken.
But present everywhere.
Students whispered in corners.
Teachers remained alert at all times.
No one said it openly…
But everyone knew.
Something beyond their world had arrived.
And it had come for Leo.
Leo stood alone on the edge of the training field.
The damaged land stretched before him.
Silent.
Still.
His eyes scanned the ground—
Not seeing destruction…
But remembering it.
Every movement.
Every moment.
Every mistake.
"…Too slow."
His voice was low.
Calm.
Behind him—
Footsteps approached.
Luna.
"You shouldn't be out yet."
Leo didn't turn.
"I'm fine."
"…You said that before collapsing."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Leo spoke again.
"…I felt something."
Luna's expression changed slightly.
"…What kind of something?"
Leo's gaze lifted toward the sky.
"…Not the hunter."
A pause.
"…Something above it."
The wind moved faintly.
Cold.
Unnatural.
Luna stepped closer.
"…Watching?"
Leo nodded once.
"…Yeah."
Silence settled between them.
Then—
"…It's still watching."
Luna didn't speak.
But her eyes sharpened.
Because she believed him.
Not blindly—
But instinctively.
Somewhere far beyond the sky…
Beyond clouds.
Beyond space itself—
Three figures stood in silence.
Not physical.
Not entirely present.
But real.
Observers.
Their forms flickered like unstable reflections.
"…The hunter has fallen."
One spoke.
Its voice echoed like a distant signal.
"…Confirmed."
Another responded.
"…Erased."
A pause followed.
Then—
"…By the subject."
Silence again.
Heavy.
Measured.
"…This was not expected."
"…No."
"…It was not."
The third figure finally moved.
Its presence slightly different.
More focused.
More interested.
"…He is accelerating."
"…Beyond projections."
"…Beyond control."
Below—
On Earth—
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…They're talking."
Luna looked at him sharply,
"…You can feel them?"
"…Not clearly."
A pause.
"…But enough."
The air around him shifted slightly.
Not violently.
But unnaturally.
The observers above paused.
"…He senses us."
"…Partial awareness confirmed."
"…That should not be possible."
The third figure spoke again.
"…It is now."
Silence.
Then—
"…Send another?"
"…No."
"…Not yet."
A pause.
"…We observe."
Back on the ground—
Leo exhaled slowly.
The pressure faded slightly.
"…They stopped."
Luna crossed her arms.
"…That's not comforting."
Leo almost smiled.
"…It shouldn't be."
Footsteps approached again.
Kai, Ryu, and Milan joined them.
Kai stretched his arms,
"…So? You out here training or just looking cool?"
Leo glanced at him,
"…Thinking."
Ryu looked around at the destroyed field.
"…About that thing?"
"…No."
A pause.
"…About the next one."
Milan adjusted his glasses,
"…You're sure there will be another?"
Leo didn't hesitate.
"…Yes."
Silence.
Kai scratched his head nervously,
"…Great. Love that."
Luna looked at Leo again.
"…Then we need to prepare."
Leo nodded.
"…We will."
But his eyes—
Were still on the sky.
Because deep down…
He knew something they didn't.
The next enemy…
Wouldn't be like the last one.
Far above—
The observers began to fade.
Their forms dissolving into nothingness.
But before disappearing completely—
One final statement echoed.
"…Notify the higher domain."
"…The bearer has awakened."
"…Phase two will begin."
Their presence vanished.
Gone.
But not absent.
Never absent.
Back on Earth—
The wind moved again.
Normal this time.
Almost.
Leo turned away from the sky.
"…It's starting."
Kai frowned,
"…What is?"
Leo's voice was quiet.
But certain.
"…The real war."
No one laughed.
No one questioned.
Because after everything they had seen—
They knew.
This was only the beginning.