The cavern bent under Veyron's presence.
Not physically at first—
but instinctively, like the space itself remembered fear.
Kael stood still.
Riven stood beside him.
For once—no jokes.
Just focus.
Veyron lowered his hand slightly.
Dark energy condensed around his fingers like restrained judgment.
"…Let's see what Eclipse abandoned."
Riven exhaled slowly.
"…I'm really starting to hate how everyone here talks like a final exam."
Kael didn't respond.
His eyes were locked on Veyron.
Analyzing.
Waiting.
Veyron moved first.
No warning.
No buildup.
Just disappearance.
Riven reacted instantly.
"…Left!"
Kael had already moved.
Steel met darkness mid-air—
a sharp impact exploded outward.
The cavern shook.
Riven slid back slightly.
"…Okay, he's fast."
Veyron reappeared above them.
Calm.
Controlled.
Almost bored.
"…Predictable."
A downward strike came instantly.
Kael blocked it—but the force pushed him half a step back.
That was rare.
Riven's eyes narrowed.
"…Okay, I don't like that. I don't like that at all."
Veyron glanced at him mid-fight.
"…You are still alive."
"…Annoying."
Riven tilted his head.
"…You know what else is annoying? Your entire personality."
Kael snapped quietly.
"…Riven. Focus."
Riven muttered.
"…I am focused. This is my focused face."
Another attack came.
Faster.
Heavier.
More precise.
Kael stepped in front instantly.
Blocking.
Redirecting.
But even he felt it—
this wasn't a normal opponent.
Veyron spoke mid-strike.
"…Kael, your growth is stagnating."
Kael didn't respond.
"…You left Eclipse," Veyron continued.
"…But Eclipse never left you."
Riven moved in from the side.
Fast.
Unpredictable.
A clean strike aimed at Veyron's blind angle.
Veyron didn't even turn.
He caught Riven's wrist mid-motion.
Silence.
Riven blinked.
"…Oh. That's new."
Veyron looked at him closely.
Cold.
Dismissive.
"…Too slow."
And with a single motion—
he threw Riven across the cavern.
Riven crashed into a stone pillar.
The impact shattered it.
He groaned slightly.
"…Okay… that one had effort behind it."
Kael's eyes darkened.
Veyron sighed.
"…You rely on this one?"
He nodded slightly toward Riven.
"…How disappointing."
Kael moved.
No hesitation now.
The air around him sharpened.
Pressure condensed into killing intent.
"…Don't talk about him."
Veyron smiled faintly.
"…Or what?"
Kael vanished.
A direct clash.
Steel versus authority.
Impact after impact—
faster than sight.
Riven slowly stood up from the rubble.
Wiped blood from his lip.
"…Okay," he muttered.
"…Now I'm actually annoyed."
He looked at Veyron.
No humor.
No sarcasm.
Just intent.
"…You like talking down to people, huh?"
Veyron didn't even glance at him.
"…You are irrelevant."
That line hit harder than any attack.
Riven paused.
Then smiled slowly.
Not playful.
Something else.
"…Yeah?"
He stepped forward.
Dust falling off his shoulders.
"…Say that again when I'm standing in front of you properly."
Kael noticed immediately.
"…Riven, don't—"
But Riven moved anyway.
This time—
clean.
controlled.
serious.
Veyron finally turned slightly.
"…So the insect wants to be noticed."
Riven exhaled.
"…No."
A pause.
"…I just got tired of being called irrelevant."
The air shifted.
Kael sensed it instantly.
"…Riven… stop."
But it was too late.
Riven rushed forward.
No jokes.
No hesitation.
Just raw intent.
Veyron raised a hand—
ready to erase him instantly—
But something changed.
Riven didn't attack blindly.
He predicted.
A clean feint.
A sharp strike.
Not power—
timing.
Veyron's expression shifted slightly.
For the first time.
"…Hoh."
Kael appeared instantly beside Veyron.
Perfect synchronization.
Two directions.
One moment.
Riven + Kael.
The cavern lit up with impact.
Veyron was pushed back half a step.
Just half.
But it happened.
Silence.
Riven exhaled.
"…There."
He smiled faintly.
"…Now I'm slightly relevant."
Kael didn't look at him.
But his voice dropped.
"…Good."
Veyron straightened slowly.
Dust falling from his armor.
And then—
he smiled wider.
"…Interesting."
A pause.
"…Maybe Eclipse didn't make a mistake abandoning you two."
The air darkened further.
"…Maybe it created something worse."