On our way to the lecture hall for our tech classes, the same sun—the same one that watched me get my ass beaten that morning—peeked through the swaying palms and followed us into the shade.
"Hmm… very nostalgic," I muttered. "Not in a good way."
"What are you muttering under your breath, you weirdo?" Hadal said,eyeing me like I'd finally lost it.
"It's nothing. Let's change the topic—what are we learning today?"I forced a grin. "Please let it be something that won't put me to sleep."
Hadal pulled out his phone, his face twisting in surprise.
"Dude… flight technology."
My eyes lit up.
Well… at least I won't be bored.
As we reached the lecture hall, the same atmosphere wrapped around us—students chatting, ivy crawling across the walls, beams of sunlight slicing through the air.
And of course… dust. Enough to make anyone sneeze.
"Come on, let's find a seat—"
"I found a girl," Hadal cut in immediately. "I'm making my move."
"Of course you are." I sighed. "Go ahead. I actually want to focus today."
He grinned, patted my shoulder, and disappeared into the crowd.
I took my usual seat at the front.
Around me, whispers floated—people talking about Rose.Whether she'd come back.
If only they knew what Lance Corp actually had her doing.
The room snapped to attention as the professor walked in.
Even without focusing my flow, I could tell—he was exhausted. Drained.
"Good," he said, scanning the room. "Better than your first week."
He began pacing slowly.
"You've seen injustice. You've seen power that can crush you without warning.This isn't a playground."
Silence fell.
Some students looked down. Others straightened.
"We are human," he continued. "And that means we are fragile."
"Now… let's move on."
He placed a glowing flow stone into the projector.
A beam shot upward.
FLIGHT TECHNOLOGY
My chest tightened slightly.
Zachary Adebayo… this was his field.
"As you know," the professor began, "flow users serve many roles—defense, law enforcement, infiltration…"
He paused.
"But above all… they aspire to become explorers."
I raised my hand.
"Explorers? Why?"
He nodded.
"Because every flow user desires greatness. Legacy. Meaning."
He continued pacing.
"The great families built their names exploring the Lost Continent—bringing back medicine, energy sources… power."
More hands went up.
But before I could speak again—
"Flight technology was lost ten thousand years ago."
The voice cut clean through the room.
Calm. Sharp.
Familiar.
I turned, enhancing my vision with flow.
My chest tightened.
Tajudeen Sankoré.
The class erupted into whispers.
The professor exhaled slowly.
"…Correct. And the closest substitute we have is hover technology."
He hesitated.
"Would you like to explain, Mr. Sankoré?"
Tajudeen let out a quiet laugh.
"You may be a professor," he said, rising slowly,"but next time you address me… use proper etiquette."
The room froze.
"Or suffer the consequences."
A cold silence followed.
Even I felt it.
Not just arrogance—
Authority.
"Apologies," the professor said quickly. "I'll continue."
Something twisted in my chest.
All these years… and he still had to bow his head.
"Hover technology uses microscopic particles—gravite—from a Reverse Gravitational Stone…"
He steadied his voice.
"They repel gravity rather than submit to it."
"Reversium," he added. "A molecular structure that inverts force."
I raised my hand again—
But—
Clack.
Clack.
Clack.
Tajudeen was already moving.
Each step down the stairs echoed louder than it should have.
He didn't even look at the professor.
He walked straight to the lab door.
Opened it.
"Let's skip the boring part," he said."Show me something worth my time."
The professor's jaw tightened.
For a moment—just a moment—I thought he'd refuse.
Then—
"…Of course."
The class poured into the lab.
Some laughing.
Some whispering.
Some impressed.
I wasn't.
Something felt… wrong.
Cold.
"Yo, Joseph… what's his problem?" Hadal whispered.
"I don't know," I said quietly. "But I can feel it."
"Ill intent."
Hadal frowned. "I don't feel anything."
"…Might be a Challenger of Fate thing."
Inside the lab, displays glowed under bright lights.
Hover boots. Gauntlets. Plates.
All perfect.
All precise.
Then I saw it.
A ring.
Thin. Silver. Ancient.
Perfect.
"That," the professor said softly, stepping beside me,"is a relic from early flight technology."
"We borrowed it from the State Museum."
"It's beautiful…" I muttered.
"It hovers behind the spine," he explained."With enough flow energy… it manifests wings."
"So it scales with the user…" I said.
"…Interesting."
"Very interesting."
The voice came from behind us.
Tajudeen.
"Move."
He shoved past us.
Hard.
His hand reached for the case.
Something snapped in me.
He disrupted the class.
Humiliated the professor.
And now—
This?
"Please—" the professor dropped to his knees."Mr. Sankoré, don't open it. We'll get in trouble—"
Spit.
It landed on his glasses.
"We?" Tajudeen sneered.
"Don't mistake yourself for my equal."
Hadal grabbed my arm.
"Joseph… don't."
But I couldn't look away.
The professor was shaking.
Crying.
And Tajudeen…
Was smiling.
He pulled his fist back.
Flow energy coiling around it.
"This relic deserves a worthy owner," he said.
That was it.
"Take your hand off it," I said, voice low.
"Apologize."
The room went silent.
Tajudeen turned slowly.
"…Why would I listen to you?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Rose Mensah's dog."
Hadal tightened his grip.
"Don't fall for it—"
"SHUT UP."
Even he froze.
Tajudeen chuckled and turned back to the professor.
"Apologize?" he said, stepping closer to him.
"…No."
His foot lifted, charged with flow.
"Instead—"
That was the moment.
A single thought cut through everything.
If I don't move… he dies.
I moved.
The world snapped.
Flow surged through my body—
And my fist slammed into his face.
The impact cracked the air.
Glass shattered.
Tajudeen's body flew—through the window—into the courtyard.
Silence.
"JOSEPH!"
Hadal rushed me—
And punched me across the face.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO?!"
I didn't respond immediately.
I just pointed.
At the professor.
"I saved him."
My voice was quiet.
Steady.
Hadal stared at me like he didn't recognize me.
"That… was reckless."
"Maybe."
I exhaled slowly.
"But when someone can't defend themselves…"
I clenched my fist.
"You step in."
"No matter who they are."
I looked at the shattered glass.
At the blood.
At what I'd just done.
"We're not weak anymore, Hadal."
"We don't stand on the sidelines."
"If I have the power to stop something wrong…"
My voice hardened.
"Then I will."
"Always."