Karim
I look up into his arrogant face. Instead of a smug expression, he looks... apologetic?
What is it about Ace that makes people as lethal as this guy fear him? What did he do to warrant such fear?
"He can control the air in objects - expansion, compression and decompression. He can kill people by sucking out all the air in their bodies, compressing the pressure in their thorax until they collapse".
My eyes are literally bulging.
What if Ace hadn't interfered?
More importantly, if he knew what Praisch was doing to , why did he wait so long before he stopped him?
My hand instinctively rests on my chest.
I hate the way I've beco powerless in the presence of such entities.
I was once revered. People trembled when they knew they were on my target list -because they were aware I would hunt them down to their last breath.
Now, I am a test subject for powered students to showcase their powers.
Ace doesn't even bother to help up - not that I would accept his assistance if he did offer it.
"I don't like him. Arrogance is one thing I can't tolerate. Soone that wants his na on the lips of every student would turn our mission into a quest for fa".
Praisch winces, as though he has been slapped.
Ace finally draws his headphones down to his neck.
"I can strip his arrogance away, if it bothers you."
Praisch and I turn wide eyes on him.
He has the nerve to smile at us.
"One thing about knowing the Presence is," he pulls his hands out of the comfort of his pockets and twists them together in an intimidating gesture. "there are easy ways to break a man. It all starts with the mind - which happens to be my area of expertise".
Praisch shifts in his chair.
"No need. I'm as good as a mber of whatever group you are talking about. Just tell when and where you et. I'll be there... punctual".
I glance at Ace. Furuno and I never planned that far ahead. We never even dread of having willing volunteers - Ace had killed all our hope with his mocking refusal.
"We can et right here. All etings would be held in my Domain for privacy." As an afterthought, he adds, "Don't read too much into the gesture, I'm still not a mber".
"There's no way I'm letting myself get dragged into your mind-trap! Why can't we et in the field?"
"Or the Dungeons". Ace adds, dragging the words out deliberately.
It has the intended effect on Praisch, I notice.
"Why the heck does he have to be involved? I'd advise you to careful with him". Praisch says and walks away quickly. Too quickly.
Ace turns to .
"See? Trust , when you see the amount of trust he inspires from people, you'll learn a thing or two - and probably admire him".
I scoff.
"How can soone so arrogant inspire loyalty?"
"Watch and see."
With that, he puts back his headphones and leaves standing there, gaping.
I let soone else set the ball rolling for , what next?
If Arya were here, she would be perfectly in charge. But funnily, I won't be here if she were still with - I'd be at ho, not suffering incessant attacks to my pride.
I leave as well, determined to find Furuno and the rest of the girls.
My entire evening is to be spent in the Dungeons until the two-week duration expires.
Classes are still holding, but I doubt Furuno is attending.
I enter his dorm building.
Just as I am about to climb the stairs, I spot him struggling with one of the doors along the hall.
His attention is completely devoted to the task such that my presence goes unnoticed.
I clear my throat noisily.
He spins on his heels like a child caught with his hand in a candy jar.
His expression softens from alard to sothing more subtle.
"It's just you." He breathes out.
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be attending a class?"
"I should be asking you the sa thing. What are you looking for in there?"
His eyes flicker to the knob.
"Nothing. Just curious about the locked door".
I narrow my eyes at him, but say nothing.
"What do you want, though?" I notice he is trying to change the subject.
"What did you an when you said you might not leave this place?"
His face betrays nothing under my scrutiny.
"I was just talking nonsense".
"Is soone threatening your life? A staff? Is that what last night was about?"
Sothing flickers in his eyes.
I'm close. I can feel it.
"What gives you that impression? Besides, I'm a grown man, I can handle myself just fine. There's no need to worry about ".
"I think there is, and I'll find out eventually."
A vein bulges on his forehead - he's nervous about sothing.
"Good luck, then."
He makes to walk past , but I block him.
His eyes et mine with a gaze sharp enough to cut through glass.
For a second, I'm sure grey eyes are staring back at , but it vanishes all too quickly.
Was it real or am I imagining things?
I blink.
"You okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost".
I nod absently, grappling in my mind for the reality of what I'd just seen.
"We... are having a eting. We have to find all the girls. Praisch, a third year sorcerer, is our newest mber".
"Another whim?"
"You won't be thinking that when the air in your lungs is being brutally sucked out".
His brows arch up curiously.
"Cool. But I quit, rember?"
"It's impossible for you to quit. Whatever you're going through can't co in between, Furuno. There's no guarantee of success, but with all the sorcerers we could recruit, we'd give those monsters sothing else to pick on. You are the reason we're here. You're the true leader, not ".
Furuno's gaze softens.
"Thank you for such words, Toshiro. But, like you suspect, I wasn't bluffing when I said I might not make it out of here".
I tense, my hands forming fists as I await his explanation.
"I'm dying already. It's only a matter of ti before that happens".
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