Natasha opened her eyes, gasping. She blinked, confused to find herself still alive.
"What… happened? Are we… safe?"
Shaumin looked around in disbelief. "Are we dead?"
Sabastian exhaled shakily. "No. We're alive. But… how?"
Shaun stirred at last, his eyelids fluttering open. His vision swam, the world spinning in light and shadow—until his gaze locked onto the two standing figures before him.
"No…" he whispered hoarsely. "They… saved us."
All three turned toward the mysterious pair—one boy with midnight-black hair, the other with snow-white strands glinting in the fading stormlight. Both stood silently before Shaun and his friends, facing Vince head-on.
Vince's glare darkened, his voice dripping with venom.
"Chuck… Aiden… and Akshay… you two again."
The black-haired boy—Aiden Flamesaber—folded his arms calmly, while the white-haired boy—Akshay Himaira—stood beside him, his gaze sharp as frost while adjusting his glasses.
The moment the crowd recognized them, panic shifted to awe.
"Thank the heavens… it's them!" a disciple whispered.
Relief and admiration spread through the disciples like wildfire. But Vince only scowled deeper, his aura flaring.
"You two. How dare you interfere in my fight?!" His voice thundered across the courtyard. "This time, I'll finish you along with that worthless commoner!"
He thrust his hand upward, gathering mana in his palm—but before he could strike, another figure appeared beside him in a flash of motion, catching his arm mid-swing.
Vince's eyes widened. "Kevin? You're here too?"
The newcomer—a handsome brown-haired boy—smiled casually, still holding Vince's wrist.
"Hello, Vince. Did you miss me already? Nice to see you again, buddy."
**********
The courtyard tensed further. Even while Kevin maintained a playful grin, his grip on Vince's arm didn't budge an inch.
Before Vince could react, Aiden and Akshay vanished from where they stood—reappearing before him in an instant. Flames flickered at Aiden's fingertips, frost glimmered at Akshay's.
Their auras collided with Vince's like a silent storm. The disciples around them felt the pressure immediately—an invisible weight that crushed the air itself. Many dropped to their knees, unable to breathe under the intensity of Vince's fury clashing with the twin powers of flame and ice.
The courtyard trembled. Power howled between them, and yet—Aiden and Akshay didn't flinch. Their gazes alone pressed Vince back. Behind the chaos, Shaumin's expression twisted in confusion.
"Hey… isn't that the guy who gave the welcome speech on the first day?" he muttered, eyes fixed on Akshay.
"That's Akshay Himaira—the President of the Disciplinary Knights," came a clear voice from behind them.
Everyone turned. A brown-haired girl stepped forward, her long hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders, her eyes calm but confident.
Sabastian blinked. "You… know them?"
She nodded with a faint smile. "Of course. The white-haired one is Akshay Himaira, President of the Disciplinary Knights. The one holding Vince's arm is Kevin Fairywind, the Vice President."
Almost on cue, two more girls approached—each strikingly similar, like mirrored reflections. One had long black hair and square glasses; the other, short hair and a sharper expression. Both wore the same silver insignia on their hanfus.
"Are you all right?" asked the short-haired girl urgently. "Did they hurt you?"
Natasha shook her head quickly. "We're fine… but Shaun—he's badly hurt!"
"Let me see," said the girl with glasses, kneeling beside him.
"But wait—who are you?" Natasha asked warily, instinctively shielding Shaun.
"My name is Kurumi Elliebrock," she replied. "And this is my sister, Kiara. We're both from the Disciplinary Knights—and we're here to help."
Kurumi examined Shaun's wounds with gentle precision. After a moment, she exhaled.
"He's bruised all over, but nothing life-threatening. With a little healing, he'll recover. Don't worry."
She turned toward the disciples behind her. "You heard me—first aid, now!"
Several healer mages rushed forward, weaving spells that shimmered across Shaun and his friends, mending their burns and bruises. Sabastian glanced toward the battlefront, unease flickering in his eyes.
"But… what about him?" He nodded toward Vince. "Can anyone even stop that guy?"
Kiara chuckled, brushing her bangs aside.
"Oh, him? Don't worry. Our President and Vice President have it handled. And with Prince Aiden here too…" She smiled confidently. "That arrogant Dragonblade won't be roaring for long."
Shaumin frowned, curiosity sparking beneath his exhaustion. He leaned closer.
"They seem pretty famous around here. Who exactly are those two?"
Before Kiara could reply, the brown-haired girl behind them answered, her tone serious.
"Everyone in Silver Heaven Academy knows their names. The Snow Knight Akshay… and the Flame Prince Aiden."
Her gaze lifted toward the two standing before Vince.
"They're not just any disciples. They're the strongest disciples in the entire academy."
"The strongest?" Shaumin and Sabastian echoed in disbelief. Even Natasha and Shaun looked stunned.
The girl nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yes. And if they've stepped in… then for Vince Dragonblade—things are only about to get worse."
**********
The atmosphere across Silver Heaven Academy grew heavier with each passing heartbeat. The air itself seemed to quiver under the weight of the three powerful auras pressing against one another.
Every disciple watching could feel it—the sheer presence of power that separated ordinary disciples from legends. No one spoke. No one dared to move. Before them stood the academy's strongest.
Vince Dragonblade's eyes burned with fury as he glared at the two standing before him. Aiden Flamesaber's calm, unreadable expression was a mirror of quiet dominance, while Akshay Himaira's faint, collected smile carried the sharp edge of command.
The pressure radiating from all three warped the air, equal in strength yet opposite in nature. Vince broke the silence first.
"So, Akshay… the Disciplinary Knights still enjoy meddling in my personal affairs, I see."
Akshay's calm smile didn't waver.
"We intervene only when a 'personal affair' endangers lives and disgraces the academy's name. Unfortunately for you, both apply here."
A few gasps rippled through the onlookers. Akshay's tone was polite, but every word cut like glass.
Vince's jaw tightened, but instead of answering, he turned toward Aiden.
"And what about you, Aiden Flamesaber? I thought you preferred staying out of other people's business. What changed?"
A cruel grin twisted his face.
"Don't tell me you're here because of that commoner. Worried about your little Commoner friend? Then tell him to stay away from my Nina."
Aiden's gaze didn't shift. His tone was low, cold, and precise.
"First of all, he's not my friend. And second—your love drama doesn't interest me in the slightest."
"Then why interfere?" Vince sneered, "You just said you don't care."
"Because rules exist for a reason," Aiden replied, his voice as calm as steel, "This academy is not your playground. Informal duels are forbidden—and if you've forgotten that, then you're one step away from expulsion. I'm sure your royal family would love that kind of publicity."
"Why waste breath on him, Aiden?" came Garland's voice as he appeared beside his friend, cracking his knuckles with a grin, "He's too dense to understand words. Maybe a solid lesson would work better."
Vince's expression darkened, but for a brief moment, reason overtook rage. Surrounded by the strongest magus in the academy, even his arrogance faltered. Still, his pride wouldn't allow silence.
"I don't need a lesson from the likes of you," he snapped, "I am a Dragonblade—descendant of royals, discipline and power in our blood! My grandfather is a Supreme Magus, and my father—the Emperor of this entire region. Don't presume to lecture me."
Aiden's smirk turned razor-sharp.
"Then perhaps it's time you learned the truth."
He folded his arms.
"Your father is a temporary emperor—a caretaker of a throne that doesn't belong to him. That throne is reserved for the Heavenstar heir. You understand that name, don't you, Vince?"
Vince's teeth clenched. "Aiden… you bastard…"
The insult struck harder than a spell. For a moment, the air crackled again—but then Vince drew a slow, measured breath, tamping down his fury. He glanced at his followers, who were just beginning to recover.
"Tch. Let's go," he muttered. "There's nothing left here worth my time."
His companions quickly rose and followed. But before leaving, Vince halted beside Shaun, who still sat weakly supported by his friends. He looked down, eyes burning with malice.
"Commoner boy," he said coldly, "consider yourself lucky today. You may have survived, but one day—I'll remind you where filth like you truly belongs. Stay away from my Nina. Next time, neither Aiden nor Akshay will be there to save you."
With that, he turned and strode off with his entourage, the remnants of his royal aura trailing like smoke in the air.
Up on the first-floor balcony, Princess Nina Heavenstar stood frozen, tears glimmering in her eyes. Guilt twisted inside her chest, heavy and bitter.
Because of me… he suffered because of me.
Unable to hold it any longer, she turned and fled the balcony. Her friends—Natsumi, Julia, and Reina—called out her name and hurried after her as the storm clouds above finally began to break.
**********
The courtyard gradually began to breathe again. Worry and shock gave way to nervous laughter and low conversations as the crowd around Shaun and his friends slowly thinned. Healers moved in; the worst of the panic eased.
Natasha kept one hand wrapped around Shaun's. She turned him onto his side and asked, voice trembling with relief, "Shaun, are you okay? You're not hurt, are you? I was so scared—if anything had happened to you, I would—"
A small smile softened Shaun's bruised face. He lifted a finger and pressed it gently to Natasha's lips.
"Don't worry, Natasha. I'm fine. Just a few scratches. I'll be up in no time."
"Man, I was sure we were dead for a second," Shaumin said, forcing a laugh. "Guess we survived our trip to heaven."
"Definitely lucky," Sabastian agreed, letting out a breath that showed how much tension he'd been holding.
Natasha shot them a mock glare, then softened when Shaun thanked them. "Don't joke like that," she scolded, but her voice was gentle.
Shaun's smile widened at the sight of her feigned indignation.
"It's okay," he said, sincere. "Friends have to lighten the mood sometimes. Thank you—both of you."
Natasha's irritation melted into a relieved smile at his thanks. Sabastian's gaze, however, drifted back toward the place where Vince had stood.
"That guy earlier… who was he? His magic—was—terrifying" he trailed off.
Shaumin's jaw tightened and his fist clenched. "Tch. I hate that guy. Wanted to sock him."
"Forget it, Shaumin," Shaun said, pushing himself up slowly.
"We're all right, and that's what matters. We should thank Aiden and Akshay for stepping in." He nodded toward Aiden and Akshay, moving carefully in their direction.
Aiden stood motionless as Shaun and his friends approached. His expression was unreadable—calm, detached, as if nothing that had just happened concerned him in the slightest. Shaun, still unsteady on his feet but wearing a grateful smile, stepped forward.
"Thanks for saving us, Aiden," he said earnestly, extending his hand. "I'm Shaun Thunderhawk. Nice to meet you."
For a moment, Aiden's gaze dropped to the offered hand—then slowly rose to meet Shaun's eyes. Silence stretched. Then his voice cut through the air like a blade.
"You're pathetic."
Shaun froze, the smile fading from his face. "...What?"
Aiden's tone didn't change, but his words carried the weight of scorn.
**********