Mei replied, "She's confused. Doesn't want to say you're dead but can't move on. I'll cheer her up."
"Thanks. She'll be certain about it soon."
"Don't worry, she won't tell anyone."
We left.
Then I passed by Rajin, Yosuke, Taeyang, David, Dante, and my old friend Sayaka.
They were all talking at a table.
As I walked past, they said, "For real, is that really him?"
I returned to Zephyr. The principal was talking a lot until he saw me.
He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide.
Three memories flashed in his head:
1. Me at the mana draining tower when we first met.
2. Alpha kicking his ass.
3. Beta almost killing him.
He muttered, "He really looks like them..."
Then the principal gave his speech. We voted for the class representative.
As expected, a lot chose Rowan—one of the 8 who wasn't with us at the mana drainer because he had been taken away.
His voice was chosen, and a girl from his group too
Her Name is Tiana, and then Theo came and sat with us and said, "Let's get to know each other," looking for trouble.
After what happened, we just silently ignored him.
He touched Lyra's hand, and I just couldn't stand him.
He even tried to hug her, and then I said, "Hey, you mind putting your hand off of her?"
He said, "It's none of your business."
Then she slapped him and said, "Who do you think you are? Get out of my way."
He said, "What? Come now—" and she slapped him again.
He stood up and said, "Huh, so you think you can get away with slapping me? I'll show you who I am."
She bowed her head and looked away. He came back to grab her, and me and Kai stood out of nowhere.
We said, "You got a problem?"
Then he was like, "She clearly wanted it, so buzz off."
I said, "Hey, if you wanna die, then ask."
He said, "And who's gonna kill me? You?"
Kai said, "Nah, some random 13-year-old kid." They laughed.
He said, "You guys can't even use magic, and you think I'm gonna be scared?"
I said, "Well, at least we don't use our grandmas as excuses to bully people."
Everyone laughed and began rumors, saying he uses the vice principal—his grandma—to get away with everything.
Then he said, "Why you—" and was about to attack me.
Suddenly, he began to suffocate.
He knelt down and said, "What the hell is going on?"
David came walking in and said, "It's forbidden to use magic on school grounds—at least not grandma's."
Everyone laughed.
He seriously said sorry to us, then introduced himself.
This time, his body grew bigger, he had a low taper fade and twisted hair.
He said, "Sit, everyone, sit down. It's okay. I'm just doing my job as a committee member."
He sat and naturally began to talk to us. I was unbothered—that's just me.
He said, "Good to see you're all doing alright. I'm planning something.
When we get to school tomorrow, we'll rearrange our places randomly.
We've already gotten 45 numbers. You guys choose one.
By the time they clean our class, they'll place the numbers randomly, and we sit that way to make more connections."
I said, "That's a lot of fun, sure, why not." I pulled a number—31. "Not bad. We'll just have to see where I'll sit."
Then Hana and Faysal came.
I said, "Hana, yooo, goodie! How are you? Sup brother?"
Faysal said, "Trying to chill out here, but it's f***ing nuts."
Zephyr heard him from afar and laughed his ass off. Then Rim came and joined.
Faysal said, "She is Rim. She's our leader. Despite how she looks, she's really strong."
I said, "Yeah, I can see that."
Faysal said, "Who's your leader?"
I said, "Faysal."
He laughed and said, "That airheaded boy is your leader? You guys are cooked."
I said, "Damn, bro. Why'd you kill the mood? We spent hours motivating him."
Kai said, "As if he still believes in us."
We joined a normal chat. Everyone began to talk. I introduced Kai to them.
I said, "These are the two."
Kai said, "So you guys had a legendary fight with them? That's good, that's good."
Just like that, we continued. Sayaka was so shocked, saying, "I never really believed them when they said he kinda looks like him, but they are complete copies of each other.
I must talk to him and make sure soon."
Yosuke and Rajin didn't even bother about me. They understood.
Even if I am Kurai, I can't show it's me because Rajin already knows that Alistair is the problem—and that as long as Alistair is alive, Kurai won't come.
So they're training hard to be useful.
Wise ones are like that.
As for Dante, he already accepted my death and is really feeling bad about it.
That's the more reason to keep a low profile.
While I was sitting, Rowan came and sat next to me.
He said, "I don't like your attitude."
Lyra, Talia, and Kai heard him. In my place, I feel like he's going to kill me, and is doing it now.
His words, whispering and the sense he's making, make me wanna run.
But I stood my ground.
I said, "I'm not here to entertain you."
He said, "Well, you should."
Low key was so irritated that he said
You better know what the hell is going to happen to those who don't obey my orders.
I said, "Listen, still a beginner hehe.
You need to know how to threaten people." I used my aura and glowing eyes.
He said, "Mark my words—" but I cut him off and said, "Get the fuck outta here.
No man, if you can't even do this properly, I won't consider you a worthy opponent.
Maybe next time, if you do it right."
I left him mid-talk. He was angry but saw how threatening I was.
He didn't want to admit it, but he knew I wasn't bad either.
He tried to act like he was just playing weak to assess things, but deep down, he knew.
He had no guts—just talk, for now.
But I couldn't just stand there and listen to his empty threats.
Then I left the banquet and got to my dorm. I slipped in without anyone noticing—except Lyra. She was watching me from the window. I went inside and fell asleep.
About an hour later, Zephyr and Kai barged in, screaming to wake me up. Then Kazuki came and joined them. I shouted, "Shut the hell up, guys! I'm trying to sleep!" Jian chimed in, "Yeah guys, stop screaming, it's annoying."
I blinked, "When did you get here? What the hell are you doing in my room?"
Dorms were designed like houses, with five rooms for five people. Jian answered, "This is my room."
"You're saying I was sleeping in the air or what?" I asked.
He replied, "Whatever, why didn't you tell me?"
I said, "I came not too long ago, and I figured I'd meditate and sleep. It gets hard when you're falling and could land on someone—just to avoid misunderstandings."
He said, "Misunderstandings? Whatever." Then he said, "Delta, wait a sec."
"What, bro?"
The others slammed themselves in shock.
"How does he know you?"
I replied, "Have you guys heard of 'The 8'? I'm number 9."
They were confused.
I pointed at Jian and said, "This guy here is one of the strongest people I know.
Honestly, I don't know if we'd ever beat him, even if we all teamed up against him."
Jia
n said, "Nah, you overestimate me."
I replied, "Even in the mana drainage, you were the strongest.
You hid it all and acted like it didn't matter.
You just watched from the sidelines.
I awakened from the 4, and you from the 8—that makes you even stronger.
Know why?
Because you awakened spiritual and water magic.
That takes consistent martial arts training and soul understanding.
You were a prodigy at 7.
All that's left for you now is to learn how to channel mana into your attacks."