The academy did not return to normal.
Not after the Rift.
Not after the word God Killer echoed through its halls.
Something had changed.
Not just outside…
But inside the people who witnessed it.
The Research Hall buzzed with tension. Holographic projections floated in layered streams of data — energy signatures, dimensional fracture patterns, ancient script fragments pulled from forgotten ruins across Earth.
Kai stood silently beside Ryo and Elias, watching.
Listening.
Thinking.
A researcher adjusted one of the displays.
"We've confirmed the Rift was not natural," she said. "It was opened."
Ryo frowned.
"Opened? By what?"
"No confirmed source yet," she replied. "But the energy frequency… doesn't originate from Earth."
Elias crossed his arms, eyes sharp.
"Extraterrestrial."
The researcher hesitated — then nodded.
Kai's gaze didn't move from the hologram.
He already knew.
Deep down… he had always known.
A new voice joined them.
"You three were at the center of the Rift event."
They turned.
A tall student approached — composed, confident, wearing the insignia of Upper Division Combat Rank A.
Name: Kael Varion.
One of the academy's top fighters.
Calm, observant, powerful.
His eyes stopped on Kai.
"…Your energy during the incident destabilized the Rift for 2.3 seconds."
Ryo smirked slightly.
"You watching us now?"
Kael ignored him.
"I'm watching the anomaly."
His gaze never left Kai.
Elias spoke quietly.
"You felt it too."
Kael nodded once.
"…Something far beyond standard Aetherion."
Kai said nothing.
But he didn't deny it.
Another voice cut in — louder, sharp, slightly irritated.
"Move aside, you're blocking the readings."
A girl stepped forward, adjusting a floating console rapidly.
Name: Mira Solen.
Research Division prodigy. Not a frontline fighter — but brilliant with energy analysis and dimensional theory.
She glanced at Kai once.
Then again.
"…You're the one the Rift reacted to."
Ryo grinned.
"Yeah, he gets that a lot."
Mira ignored him, eyes narrowing slightly.
"…Your energy pattern doesn't behave like human Aetherion."
Silence.
Kai met her gaze calmly.
"…I know."
That was the first time he admitted it out loud.
Elias shifted the discussion.
"What exactly are Riftborn?"
The main researcher activated a deeper projection.
Fragments of ancient text appeared.
"Riftborn are classified as Dimensional Predators. They do not originate from stable worlds. They exist in fractured layers between realities."
Ryo blinked.
"…So basically… monsters from nowhere."
"Not nowhere," Elias corrected quietly. "From somewhere we don't understand."
The researcher continued:
"They are drawn to high-density energy sources."
Everyone looked at Kai.
Ryo exhaled.
"Yeah… figured."
Mira zoomed in on the Rift energy scan.
"…There's more."
The display shifted — showing faint, distant signal echoes hidden beneath the Rift frequency.
"Something was watching through it," she said.
The room went silent.
Ryo muttered, "Don't say that like it's normal."
Mira didn't smile.
"It wasn't observing randomly. It was searching."
Kai's chest tightened slightly.
"…For me."
No one argued.
Kael stepped forward slightly.
"If that 'God Killer' exists… and if it hunts energy like yours… then this Rift was a probe."
Elias nodded slowly.
"Testing Earth."
Ryo cracked his knuckles.
"Then next time we hit back harder."
Kai spoke quietly—
"It won't be that simple."
They looked at him.
Kai's voice was calm… but heavier than before.
"That Riftborn knew something. It recognized something."
Ryo frowned.
"You still thinking about that?"
Kai nodded once.
"…It wasn't afraid of us."
He paused.
"…It was afraid of what's inside me."
Later — Training Grounds
The trio stood alone under the fading light of evening.
Ryo stretched his arms, energy flickering faintly around his fists.
"So," he said, glancing at Kai, "you gonna explain how you stopped that thing mid-air?"
Kai shook his head slightly.
"I don't fully understand it myself."
Ryo smirked.
"Then figure it out faster. Next time I don't want to get launched across the courtyard."
Elias stepped forward calmly.
"We need to improve — all of us."
He raised one hand.
Space warped slightly.
A stone lifted from the ground, suspended in invisible force.
"But not recklessly."
Ryo's aura ignited faintly.
"Speak for yourself."
Kai watched them both.
His voice quiet.
"We train together."
Ryo grinned.
"Now you're talking."
Elias nodded once.
"Then we begin now."
High above the academy…
Unseen.
The hooded figure watched once more.
Eyes calm.
Knowing.
"…The seal has begun to fracture."
The figure turned, stepping back into shadow.
"…But not yet."
And vanished into the night.