Ashen stormed through the corridors of the second-year building, his face twisted in anger and frustration. The news of Rivet's failure—how he'd not only lost but come back without an arm—left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was disgraceful. Despite all the planning, the Apex weapons, the numbers on their side—they had failed.
Utterly.
He wanted to scream. He wanted to break something. But most of all, he wanted to understand how everything had gone so wrong.
At first, he was furious with Rivet and the others. But then he saw the video.
A summon—one that grew stronger by consuming beasts.
Ashen had to replay the footage three times before he could even begin to process what he was seeing. It wasn't just a fluke, it wasn't luck—it was overwhelming, monstrous power. The kind of power that twisted the rules of battle itself.
Kairos.
Ashen couldn't even fathom how strong that bastard had become. It was no longer just about getting revenge—because now, it seemed... impossible.
