Rivet could still recall the exact words Rodrics had spat at him that day. They were sharp and unforgiving, carved into his mory like a blade against bone. He had told him he was useless—a disgrace. A direct descendant of the prestigious Thorne bloodline, reduced to such a pitiful, broken state. Not only had he lost to an Abyssal-ranked beast, but also to a person who had no na, no family, and no allegiance. A ghost.
’That day still burns,’ Rivet thought bitterly.
Rivet never desired responsibility. He had no ambitions to claim the seat of the Thorne Head. That title, that burden, had never appealed to him. And yet... the weight of expectation crushed him still. Forced to chase after a legacy he never wanted.
He could only imagine how Rodrics and perhaps the rest of his siblings viewed him now. Disdain, hatred—feelings he was certain they bore against him. His very presence felt like a stain upon the Thorne na.
But whenever he thought about responsibility, the sa person always crept into his thoughts—Kairos.
’Why does he always co to mind?’
Rivet hated Kairos. He didn’t know why, not fully. But it was the kind of hate that wasn’t born from jealousy or rivalry, but from sha. Because of Kairos, Rivet had dragged himself back into rigorous training. Because of him, he’d pushed his body to its limits, trying to overco the shadow he cast.
And now... the academy had been attacked.
But this ti, Rivet hadn’t grovelled like a coward. He hadn’t hesitated. He hadn’t broken.
As soon as he was teleported into the settlent, he had moved with urgency. He rembered that mont vividly—it was when he’d seen his first vision.
A vision of the battlefield. Of destruction. Of pain.
That was why he had taken Rayla with him. That was why he had sought out Ashen.
Just for this mont.
The teeth worm had struck again, vicious and wild. But before the others could react, Rivet had already moved. With all the force his body could generate, he launched himself forward and drove a brutal kick into the side of the beast.
His training had paid off. The kick was devastating. The worm-like creature was hurled several ters away, its body tumbling across the ground until it collided with the edge of a nearby building. Blood spilled from its grotesque form, soaking the pavent in thick globs of green and red.
Though it wasn’t dead yet, Rivet clenched his fists.
’Tis like this, I wish I had my core weapon.’
"Kairos!"
The na was shouted with a surprising note of excitent. Kairos stood up fully, muscles tensed, his gaze locking onto the newcors.
He spotted Rayla first, then his eyes flicked to Ashen.
Seeing Ashen stirred sothing bitter in Kairos. A searing mory. A temptation. The urge to lunge at him, to rip out his throat for what had happened that day—it overwheld him for a brief mont.
But he held back.
’If he’s here with Rayla and Rivet... then logically, they’re on our side... at least for now.’
"Sorry for interrupting you two," Rayla said with a playful giggle. Her tone was teasing, her voice laced with mischief. It clearly left a mark on both of their faces.
She was dressed for combat—tight black trousers and a cropped top. Her outfit was simple, practical. Free.
It was a blessing the incident had occurred before the event ball. Otherwise, they’d be fighting in tight-fitting dresses.
’Well... luckily.’
anwhile, Ravin observed from a distance, his sharp eyes scanning the new arrivals. He took note of each person—analyzing, predicting.
Two faction direct descendants.
His throat tightened.
’This is bad.’
His carefully woven plan was beginning to unravel, and he could feel it slipping beyond his control.
The beasts, on the other hand, appeared far more composed. All but the Monarch-ranked one had begun to move, taking slow, asured steps toward the group. They didn’t rush in recklessly, but they were certainly aggressive—calculating.
The inevitable clash was monts away.
Kairos couldn’t see how they would survive this.
"We’re outnumbered," he muttered, walking up beside Rivet. He ca to a halt, standing just ahead of the group. "You have any ideas, Rivet?"
"If we can’t win, we hold out. Just long enough for help to arrive," Rivet answered calmly.
His voice was steady. Confident.
Kairos nodded. He took the words seriously and responded by tightening his fists, dropping into a wide stance built for speed.
Then it began.
The beasts broke into a coordinated sprint.
The teeth worm and two other Abyssal-ranked monsters raced toward Kairos and Rivet with bloodlust in their eyes.
Two others charged toward Rayla and Ashen.
The final two aid for Kaela.
But all of them rembered Rivet’s command.
Don’t try to win. Survive.
A massive Abyssal beast, shaped like a bull with antlers curved like reindeer horns, reached Kairos first.
Rivet moved even before it struck—he was already sidestepping, his battle IQ guiding his body with instinct.
Kairos, a second slower, recognized the movent and quickly jumped back. The bull beast thundered past, missing him by a breath.
Then ca the teeth worm.
It lunged with terrifying power, a blur of teeth and sinew.
Kairos t the charge with gritted teeth and a tight fist. He pivoted and delivered an uppercut straight into the beast’s lower jaw.
The impact sent the worm flying over his head, the montum breaking its trajectory.
Ding!
[Teeth Worm: Avoid its secreted sweat. It will make you drowsy.]
Kairos’s eyes widened.
’Drowsy? Just great.’
Thankfully, he was wearing armor. Only his face and a bit of his hands were exposed. The worm’s sweat wouldn’t touch much skin.
’This could work. This might actually be a good matchup.’
anwhile, Rivet was dealing with the bull beast and another nightmare.
The second was unlike anything he’d seen before—an octopus-like creature with the legs of a gorilla and a torso that pulsed and rippled like seawater.
The bull would charge in short bursts while the octopus swung its tentacles in erratic, whip-like motions.
It was chaos.
But Rivet, ever agile, moved like the wind. His breath was tight. His heart pounded. But this—this kind of battle—this was sothing he was good at.
The only question was: how long before exhaustion claid him?
A soft clatter echoed from behind Ravin. Heavy breathing followed.
He didn’t turn. He didn’t need to.
He already knew who it was.
"You’re late," Ravin said.
"You didn’t tell you changed the building plans," Mike replied, a frown etched on his face.
Ravin shrugged. Then, casually, he raised a finger and pointed toward Kairos—still struggling to dodge the worm’s frenzied assaults.
"That’s your target. And don’t worry... since you don’t have a beast or integration yet, I made sure each creature here has an ability that makes anyone drowsy upon contact. So... be patient."
Mike’s breath caught in his throat. His hand fell to the scabbard at his side, gripping the hilt of a regular sword Ravin had given him.
"When the ti cos... I should kill him?"
His voice trembled.
Despite everything, the thought of murder still weighed on him. Revenge was one thing. But to kill—truly kill—was sothing else entirely.
Ravin’s expression darkened. His voice grew cold.
"Don’t forget, Mike. This is the sa person who took your life. What’s the cri in giving him back the sa pain?"
Mike’s chest tightened.
He saw her face—his sister’s smile. Her tears. Her blood.
The mories surged like fire through his veins.
He clenched his jaw.
Even if he didn’t have the heart to kill Kairos... for her, he would burn the world down.
"For the one that caused to despair... I owe you nothing less than hell!" he scread.
***Author’s note***
There might be mass release on the first
Reviews
All reviews (0)