"Acquainted… Is that what we're calling it now?"
Ezekiel's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.
"Would you prefer 'childhood nuisance'?"
The casual back-and-forth between them was like watching two veteran swordsmen testing each other with blades—familiar, measured, yet carrying the weight of years of shared history.
Rean's face had gone pale at this point, even though no one knew of Julian they didn't have the slightest idea of how these two had ever met.
He tugged at Tylo's sleeve with growing urgency, his voice dropping to a terrified whisper.
"Tylo... do you realize who he is?"
Tylo nodded quietly, his own complexion ashen as the full implications crashed over them like a tidal wave.
"Ezekiel Ventus," Rean continued, his voice trembling.
"The same Ezekiel Ventus who took down fifteen applicants single-handedly during the combat portion of the admission exam."
"They say he didn't even break a sweat," Tylo murmured, his eyes wide as dinner plates.
