The infirmary was quiet. Too quiet.
Kaito sat on the edge of his bed, Dex curled at his feet, watching him carefully. Bandages still wrapped his chest, arms, and legs. Every movement sent stabs of pain through his body, but he forced himself upright. He had promised himself he would get stronger. He had to.
Aria stood nearby, arms crossed, watching him carefully. "Don't push too far," she warned. "Even the smallest strain could set you back."
"I know," Kaito muttered through gritted teeth, trying to lift his spear from its resting place. Pain shot through his shoulder, but he clenched his jaw. "I need to see how much I can do. I need to know what I'm capable of now."
Dex growled low, sensing something beyond the room. Kaito paused, narrowing his eyes.
The air shifted.
Not a hallucination. Not a warning from the medics.
Something else—something deliberate.
A figure emerged in the courtyard below the window. Dark. Agile. Calmly observing the academy as if taking notes.
Kaito froze.
Aria noticed it too. "Who—what—?" she whispered, voice tight.
The figure stepped into a shaft of moonlight. A long coat, shadowed face, nothing visible beneath the hood except cold eyes that reflected a calculating intelligence.
Kaito's body tensed, muscles screaming in protest. He had not fully recovered. Every joint, every rib reminded him of the last fight, the near-death, the blue aura that had almost consumed him.
But the instinct to protect—the Circle, the academy, the civilians—overrode the pain.
He gritted his teeth. "I'm not ready," he muttered. "But I… have to try."
Dex growled, hackles raised.
The figure moved with precise, fluid steps, circling the courtyard. It wasn't attacking yet. Just testing. Watching. Measuring.
Kaito lifted the spear, shaking slightly. His hands trembled with both fatigue and determination.
The figure's first move was subtle—a volley of blades launched from the rooftop, aimed to force Kaito to dodge. Not to kill, just to see how fast he could react.
Kaito's reflexes were slower than usual. His body protested, but he dodged, narrowly avoiding the strike. Pain shot through his side, ribs compressing painfully, but he stayed on his feet.
The second volley came faster, and Kaito blocked with his spear, wincing as the impact reverberated up his arms. Blue energy twitched inside him—something he could barely control. He clenched his jaw and forced it down.
The figure stepped closer, calm, almost taunting. Every strike was calculated to wear him down.
Kaito gritted his teeth. "I… won't fail again," he whispered, staggering slightly as he deflected another strike. Dex barked sharply and lunged toward the intruder, only to be deflected harmlessly by an unseen barrier.
The message was clear. This was not a fight for victory. It was a test.
And Kaito was exhausted, still recovering.
Pain and determination clashed inside him. Every movement hurt. Every breath burned. But the instinct to fight, to protect, refused to let him fall.
"Come on…" he muttered. "I can still do this."
The intruder paused for a moment, watching him, assessing him, knowing full well how close Kaito was to breaking. Then, without warning, the figure vanished into the shadows, leaving only a faint mark on the courtyard—a signal that this was not over.
Dex growled low, ears pinned back. Kaito sank to his knees, gripping the spear tightly, sweat and blood mixing with exhaustion.
Aria knelt beside him, brushing a damp strand of hair from his face. "That… that wasn't just a test," she said quietly. "They'll be back."
Kaito nodded, still breathing heavily. Pain wracked his body, but beneath it, a spark of determination flared. "I… have to be ready," he whispered.
Dex nudged him gently. Kaito managed a weak smile, wincing at the effort. "Yeah… I'll be ready."
The shadowed figure watching from afar smiled faintly, unseen. The real test had just begun.