The days following Rey's unexpected win in his combat session with Aya were a whirlwind. Despite his exhaustion, the sense of accomplishment kept him energized. Titanium Academy was no longer just a place of uncertainty, it had become a battleground for him to prove himself. He hadn't expected to last even a week, but now, with his rank slowly starting to shift, Rey felt like he might just belong.
It was still early in the semester, and there was a long way to go. While most students reveled in their success, Rey couldn't shake the feeling that the fight with Aya wasn't the real challenge he would face here. Something lingered in the air, something beyond the constant training, the stiff competition, the rivalry. A shadow that followed every student, every teacher, every inch of the academy's gleaming corridors.
As he walked back to his dorm room, Rey tried to push those thoughts aside. His mind kept drifting back to the incident during the fight, the moment when he'd unlocked something deeper in his ability. Unshackled Ascension wasn't just a power boost; it was a connection to something beyond his comprehension. The warmth that had flooded his body, the clarity that had flooded his mind… it was more than just raw strength. It felt like he was tapping into something ancient, something primal. A part of him wondered whether he was really in control, or if something darker was at work beneath the surface.
"Rey."
He stopped in his tracks. The voice was soft but unmistakable. Aya stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. The silver hair that fell around her face seemed to shimmer in the light of the setting sun, almost ethereal.
Rey didn't know how to respond at first. Despite their brief exchange in the arena, there was something unnerving about Aya. She wasn't just powerful, there was an air of mystery surrounding her. And it wasn't just her abilities. It was something in the way she carried herself, the way her eyes seemed to always be calculating, always observing. She wasn't a person you could easily figure out.
"Hey," Rey said, forcing a smile, though he felt uneasy.
Aya didn't smile back, but she didn't look hostile either. "You did well in the arena," she said, her voice smooth and detached. "You're different from the others. Most students would have crumbled under the pressure of my wind manipulation. But you… you adapted."
Rey blinked. "Thanks, I guess. I didn't know what I was doing, honestly. I just moved."
Aya tilted her head slightly. "That's the problem. You don't think. You just act, and that's dangerous." Her gaze hardened for a moment. "But it works for you. You're not bound by the normal rules. That's why you were able to land a blow on me."
Rey felt his chest tighten. The words were both a compliment and a warning. "I don't know what you mean by that," he said cautiously, but Aya only shook her head.
"You'll figure it out soon enough," she said cryptically, before turning on her heel and walking away without another word.
Rey watched her go, his heart still pounding from the brief conversation. There was a coldness in her tone that unsettled him, but there was also something else, a hint of curiosity, maybe even respect. Yet, it was her final words that lingered in his mind: You'll figure it out soon enough.
What exactly was he supposed to figure out? His ability was still a mystery, and after that moment in the arena, Rey couldn't help but feel like there was something hidden within him, something not entirely his own.
Shaking off the thought, Rey entered his dorm room. The walls were bare, the floors unpolished. It was a stark contrast to the grandeur of the academy outside. But it was his space, and for now, that was enough. He threw himself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as he tried to relax. But the unease wouldn't leave him.
There was a knock at the door, breaking his thoughts.
"Yeah?" Rey called out, sitting up.
The door creaked open, and his roommate, Riel, stepped inside. Riel was a student Rey had met only a few days ago. Tall, with dark eyes and a slightly nervous disposition, Riel was a C-Rank student who had yet to show any real potential. He was the kind of person who struggled to stand out, always in the shadow of those with more impressive abilities. Rey had sympathized with him from the start, though he hadn't expected Riel to be the type to start a conversation after hours.
"Got a minute?" Riel asked, hesitating at the threshold.
"Sure," Rey said, motioning for him to come in.
Riel stepped forward, holding a tablet in his hand. He looked uncomfortable, his eyes darting to the floor, then back up to Rey's face. "I saw your fight with Aya," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "That was… incredible. No one's ever managed to land a hit on her before. Not like that."
Rey rubbed the back of his neck, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I didn't mean to make it a big deal. It just happened."
Riel shook his head. "No, that's the thing. It didn't just happen. You're not like the rest of us. You've got something different about you. And I know that people are already starting to talk about you. They're calling you the 'wild card.'"
Rey stiffened. "I don't care about that. Let them talk."
But Riel seemed insistent, lowering his voice. "It's not just talk. You're a threat now. People are going to start noticing. And not all of them will be friendly."
Rey narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Riel hesitated again, as if weighing whether or not to speak further. "I'm just saying… there are people at this academy who don't take kindly to someone like you. You're too unpredictable. You're not following the same pattern that everyone else is supposed to follow. That makes you dangerous in their eyes. They'll come after you."
Rey felt a chill run through him. He had suspected that there were darker forces at play here, Titanium Academy wasn't exactly a paradise, after all. But to hear it from Riel, someone who had no reason to lie, sent a wave of anxiety through his chest.
"What do I do about it?" Rey asked, his voice tinged with frustration. He didn't want to play politics. He didn't want to get involved in some underground web of manipulation and deceit.
Riel shrugged. "Keep your head down. Don't give anyone a reason to target you. But… if you want to survive here, you might want to make some alliances. You can't fight everyone alone. Not in a place like this."
Rey didn't respond immediately. Alliances? He hadn't even considered it. He had come to Titanium Academy with only one goal in mind: to prove himself. But now, Riel's words echoed in his mind. If what he said was true, there were others here with their own agendas, students, instructors, maybe even factions, that would stop at nothing to control the flow of power. And Rey was a part of that flow now, whether he liked it or not.
"Thanks," Rey muttered after a long pause. "I'll think about it."
Riel gave him a tight-lipped smile and left, leaving Rey alone with his thoughts once more. The feeling of being watched, of being hunted, was starting to creep in. This wasn't just an academy. It was a game. And in a game of this magnitude, there were no winners without enemies.
The door clicked shut behind Riel, and Rey sank back onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The weight of his situation settled over him like a heavy cloak. He had made his mark, but now the question was: who would come after him first?
It seemed like Aya's cryptic warning wasn't the only one he'd have to pay attention to. The real fight was just beginning.