"Hahaha!" Loud laughter echoed in his ears.
"Keep laughing. Who will have the last laugh?" he thought through clenched teeth.
"Hahaha!"
"I'll laugh louder."
"Hahaha!"
"The louder you laugh now, the louder you'll cry later."
He kept responding to the laughter in his head, not letting it take over.
... The girl sat quietly next to him, her head slightly bowed but still looking at his face.
She didn't know how to help him. Although she had spent most of her life making people happy, she couldn't cheer him up.
Now, it seemed that he had lost the ability to react to her jokes, and her intrusive tactility didn't annoy him. He didn't care. He didn't notice her.
Sitting in the dark corner with him, engulfed in darkness, she involuntarily remembered her own dark moment.
A not-so-cheerful smile appeared on Noel's face.
Remembering her painful past, she also remembered what had helped her cope during the most difficult times:
It was the song her mother loved to sing loudly in the early morning and whisper quietly late at night.
As usual, she began to hum it softly.
"I just live."
I live day by day, fighting demons.
My stomach hurts and I feel nauseous from fear.
My head is filled with nightmares that no one can escape.
My hands are shaking, but only I can defeat them.
I'm alone here, and my feet rush along the path.
Caught by the wind, I keep going.
I walk with those I cannot escape.
Running with those I cannot defeat.
I want to be with the one I cannot live without.
Noel sang a little louder and more melodically:
"Demons are everywhere; they surround me.
Please don't leave me; let me lean on you.
Demons are everywhere; I can't defeat them.
I keep remembering your kindness.
Demons are everywhere; I'm afraid I'll forget you.
I remember your warmth.
Evil thoughts have taken hold of me; they're pulling me into the darkness.
I think about you constantly; I miss you so much.
I'm afraid I'll drown in these evil thoughts.
I can't stop thinking about you; I love you so much.
Demons are everywhere; they've surrounded me.
Please don't leave me alone.
The girl's pleasant voice grew louder in his head, drowning out the insane laughter. Soon, the song completely replaced it.
Elion's face relaxed. Closing his eyes, he immersed himself in memories and allowed the song to guide him.
Noelle closed her eyes and continued singing.
The two sat side by side with their eyes closed, listening to the same song.
Each was thinking their own thoughts, but surprisingly, their thoughts were similar.
...
The last sparring match ended in a matter of seconds. The guy with blue eyes and black bangs swept to the side and finished everything so quickly with one swift sword strike that the audience didn't have time to react.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, the audience erupted in cheers and applause.
"Wow!"
"What was that?"
"Amazing!"
"Wow!"
By this time, Elion and Noel had already returned. After waiting a moment, they began to gather with the others near the instructor.
The instructor sat in his chair with the same relaxed expression on his face. Closing his eyes slightly, he looked at his students.
"Comrade instructor, all the sparring is over," one of the students reported.
"Hmmm. Good. It goes without saying that it wasn't perfect, but there's no need to worry. Over the next two months, there will be sparring and training almost every day, so everyone will be able to reach a new level. Some of you did better than others, but we're not here to compete; we're here to learn. So don't compare yourselves to others; compare yourselves to yourselves," the instructor said calmly.
"My name is Blake Smith, but you can continue to call me Instructor. I will personally help many of you with your training. Some of you will be taught by personal mentors, and we will decide who gets which mentor tomorrow. Your introductory lecture will also take place tomorrow. For now, you can get changed and go home."
With that, many began to disperse, discussing the past matches. A little later, the instructor rose from his comfortable chair and said,
"Elion Efistion."
The guy stopped and turned his head toward the instructor. Many had already left, so almost no one heard him.
Your style is not quite accessible to the average person. It's worth mentioning that you dodged perfectly, even with your back to your opponent.
"I think you should understand what that means."
"... Elion blinked a couple of times, turned around, and walked away. The instructor called to another student, but Elion didn't hear.
"Isn't it weird that I can dodge like that?" the guy wondered.
"With my back turned, I can kind of sense what might be there. I feel an invisible space if I concentrate a little. Is this part of the power of 'Mystery'? But how is it related to jokes and humor? Not directly, that's for sure. Maybe it's something auxiliary or passive. I won't be able to determine that unless I know the full extent of the 'Secret's' abilities," Elion thought as he entered the locker room.
Many men were cheerfully chatting among themselves, sharing their impressions of the previous lesson. Some approached others, asking questions enthusiastically or praising them for an interesting duel. Several people approached Elion as well, but he ignored them, lost in thought as he changed his clothes.
One guy, surrounded by people, calmly watched Elion but did not approach him. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking from his expression.
After getting dressed, Elion left without wasting time on conversation like the others.
Realizing it was time to leave, he thought about his future plans.
"Wouldn't it be nice to grab a bite to eat? Maybe we could stop at a restaurant on the way to the dorm?" a clear voice sounded next to him.
"Yes, that would be nice," he thought. After thinking about it for a moment, he decided to do just that and headed for the exit.
*Tap, tap*
Tap, tap.
Two pairs of shoes tapped nearby, bringing Elion back to his senses a little. He turned his head toward his uninvited companion.
"...
"Hmmm... What is it?" Noel smiled sweetly, tilting her head as she asked.
Elion remained silent, but his mind was filled with panic.
"How did she get here?! How can we escape her if we live in the same building?" the guy thought with horror.