Inside the private training hall of Alexander Vane's villa, the atmosphere was tense.
A massive Cyanobear stood on one side of the hall, its blue-tinted fur bristling as it stared forward. Opposite it, Alexander adjusted his stance calmly, his glasses already placed on a nearby table.
Watching from the side, Tae Jin looked completely confused. "Wait… you're seriously going to fight that thing?"
Alexander simply smiled.
The Cyanobear moved first. With terrifying speed, the huge creature lunged forward, its claws cutting through the air. Alexander stepped aside just in time, redirecting the attack with precise movement and striking the bear's shoulder.
The impact echoed through the hall.
The bear growled and charged again, forcing Alexander to block and slide several steps across the floor.
Tae Jin's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me…?"
For several moments the hall filled with fast exchanges—dodges, counters, and heavy blows shaking the training floor.
Finally, both of them stopped.
Alexander straightened his posture while the Cyanobear slowly lowered itself to the ground.
The sparring had ended.
Tae Jin stared at the scene in disbelief.
"You just fought a bear… and kept up with it." Alexander calmly picked up his glasses.
"It's a draw," he said.
The Cyanobear huffed slightly as if disagreeing.
Alexander chuckled.
"…Though Master Cyanobear clearly had the upper hand."
Tae Jin folded his arms. "Then who could actually beat that monster?"
Alexander didn't hesitate.
"Master Akshat could."
Tae Jin blinked.
Alexander looked completely serious.
"Master Akshat would've finished this fight much earlier."
He put his glasses back on and added calmly, "Compared to him, this was just training."
Tae Jin stared at him. "…You hype that guy too much,even say him as your master."
Alexander shook his head. "No."
His voice became quieter.
"If anything… I'm still underestimating him."
Before Tae Jin could respond, the training hall door suddenly opened. Thomas stepped inside.
His expression was grim.
"Get ready," he said.
Alexander immediately understood.
"For what?"
Thomas looked at both of them.
"War."
The room fell silent.
"The hostels are moving," Thomas continued. "It could start anytime."
Alexander slowly adjusted his glasses again.
_______
The headquarters of Hostel 1 was far different from the chaotic halls of Hostel 6.
The building was quiet, organized, and heavily guarded. Students who walked through its corridors moved with confidence, knowing they belonged to the strongest faction inside Aryavarta Union Medical College.
Inside a private room on the upper floor, Ryuki stood across from the person who ruled this entire hostel.
The leader of Hostel 1.
The man sat behind a large desk, his expression tense as he read several documents. His usual arrogance was gone, replaced by something Ryuki noticed immediately.
Fear.
Ryuki narrowed her eyes slightly.
It was subtle, but she could see it clearly.
The leader looked up at her after a moment.
"Ryuki," he said coldly, "I've heard about the protest in Hostel 6."
"I will deal with it," Ryuki replied calmly.
The leader nodded, but his expression remained irritated.
"There is something else."
His tone suddenly hardened.
"When the conflict starts… do not take the lives of anyone connected to Alexander Vane."
Ryuki frowned slightly.
"That wasn't part of the earlier plan."
"I know," the leader snapped.
His voice carried clear frustration.
"You can beat them. You can injure them. Break bones if you want."
His eyes sharpened.
"But do not kill them."
The room went silent.
Ryuki stared at him for a moment.
This was strange.
Earlier, Hostel 1 had shown no hesitation about eliminating threats entirely.
So why the sudden change?
Ryuki crossed her arms.
"…Why?"
The leader didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he stood up slowly from his chair and walked toward the window overlooking the campus.
For a moment he remained silent.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Because Alexander isn't just another rich student, you can call him my direct competition in something big."
Ryuki's eyes narrowed slightly.
The leader continued.
"There are powerful forces backing him."
He glanced back at her.
"Forces you don't want to provoke."
Ryuki said nothing.
Then the leader added something even more surprising.
"…The same forces that I work under."
The words hung heavily in the air.
For the first time in the conversation, Ryuki's calm expression shifted slightly.
If even the leader of Hostel 1 answered to someone else…
Then the structure of power inside AUMC was far deeper than it appeared.
But after a moment, Ryuki simply turned toward the door.
"Understood."
Her voice was cold again.
"I won't kill them."
She paused briefly before leaving the room.
"But Akshat Aether…"
Her eyes sharpened.
"…is not part of that restriction."
The leader didn't respond.
He simply watched silently as Ryuki left the room with her katana.
Because he knew something she didn't.
The storm forming around Akshat Aether, Alexander Vane, and the hidden forces behind them was already far larger than the conflicts between hostels.
And once it began…
End of ch 37
To be continue...
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