The next student to step forward was a Level 4.5.
He was already well-known among the higher-level students. The scythe in his hands wasn't just for show. The way he held it, the angle of his grip, the relaxed confidence in his stance showed that he knew how to use it.
"Well," the boy said calmly, eyes fixed on Raze, "looks like a Level One who's good at hand-to-hand combat." A faint smirk crossed his face. "But we both know you'd lose the moment Ray allows awakenings."
Raze didn't argue.
He knew that much was true. If awakenings were allowed, the earlier fights wouldn't have gone the same way.
Before Raze could fully settle into a stance, the boy moved.
His speed was noticeably higher than the previous two opponents. He closed the distance in a heartbeat and swung the scythe in a clean, controlled arc.
Raze raised his arms to block.
The impact landed.
A sharp jolt ran through his arms as the blade dragged across his gauntlets, carving a deep, jagged gash along the metal.
[Draco Gauntlets Damaged]
[70% Stat Decrease]
[Strength: +0.9]
Raze's eyes widened.
Not because of the pain but because of what that meant.
Beast weapons weren't supposed to break like that.
Equal-tier beast weapons didn't break each other, it's like diamond striking diamond, neither side gave away. Only beast weapons at a higher tier could do real harm.
Which meant that the scythe the boy was wielding was at a—
'Higher tier,' Raze thought, tightening his jaw.
This fight just changed.
The boy smirked. "What's wrong?" he said mockingly. "Did that actually hurt? I thought I held back."
Raze recovered quickly and drove a strike toward the boy's shoulder.
The scythe snapped up.
The blade intercepted his arm cleanly.
Before Raze could pull back, the boy caught his wrist, twisted, and stepped past him in one smooth motion.
Raze felt the shift too late.
The scythe's blade pressed against his neck.
Cold. Sharp.
Everything had happened so fast that Raze hadn't even had time to react.
"It's over," the boy whispered near his ear. "I don't know how the hell you ended up in a team with two of the strongest students in our class." His voice dipped lower. "You… and that boy, Liam."
The blade pressed closer, grazing Raze's skin.
"Raze," the boy continued quietly, "if the second-years ever find out you're hanging around people stronger than you, they'll target them." His tone turned colder. "They'll show everyone what happens when higher levels associate with trash."
His grip tightened slightly.
"My older brother was here four years ago," he added. "He had to learn that the hard way."
"Winner stays," Ray said.
But his attention wasn't on the victor.
It was on Raze.
'Looks like your luck ran out, huh,' Ray thought.
The Level 4.5 pulled the scythe away and stepped back, wearing that same mocking grin.
Raze wanted nothing more than to punch it off his face.
But after what had just happened, he knew he couldn't.
He walked off the sparring floor and returned the gauntlets to the rack. When he turned, he noticed the damaged-weapon section and placed them there instead.
The boy's warning lingered.
'That's the second warning I've gotten,' Raze thought. 'First that cold girl… now him.'
They were starting to make the second-years sound like monsters.
And the worst part was—
He knew it was true.
If the second-years got involved, he wouldn't be able to protect anyone.
By the time afternoon classes finally ended, Raze was already feeling the weight of the day settle into his bones.
He made his way back to the dorm in silence, the academy halls quieter now, most students scattered between training rooms, markets, or the canteen. When he reached the door, he paused for half a second before unlocking it.
He pushed the door open.
Inside, Beatrix and Liam were already there.
Liam stood near the center of the room, arms slightly raised, sweat beading along his temples. Small currents of wind swirled around his hands, uneven and wavering, like they couldn't decide which direction to obey.
"No, don't force it," Beatrix said calmly. She stood a few steps away, arms crossed. "You're pushing the output before stabilizing the flow. Let it settle first."
Liam grimaced and tried again. The wind pulsed once, then sputtered out.
"I am letting it settle," he muttered. "I think."
Beatrix sighed quietly. "You're thinking too much. Wind responds better when you guide it, not when you argue with it."
Raze closed the door behind him, the sound finally catching their attention.
Liam turned first. "Oh—hey, Raze."
Beatrix glanced over her shoulder, her eyes briefly scanning him. She didn't say anything, but Raze could tell she noticed the way his posture was slightly off, like his body hadn't fully recovered from earlier.
"Where's Felix?" Raze asked, breaking the silence.
"He said he was heading to the nearby market," Beatrix replied. "Something about restocking supplies."
Liam raised a hand. "I also told him to grab one of my favorite snacks. The sweet protein bars. The ones with the blue wrapping."
Beatrix shot him a look. "You didn't tell him. You begged."
"They're really good," Liam said defensively.
Raze nodded absently, letting the conversation wash over him. He moved further into the room and sat down on his bed. His eyes drifted toward the empty space where Felix usually lounged.
Felix being gone felt… strange.
Normally, he was the loudest presence in the room. The one who filled silence without effort. Without him, the dorm felt quieter than it should have.
Beatrix turned back to Liam. "Try again. Smaller output. Focus on control."
Liam inhaled slowly, closing his eyes this time. The air shifted.
The wind reformed, steadier now. It curled around his forearms in a controlled loop before dispersing cleanly.
Liam's eyes snapped open. "I—I did it!"
Beatrix gave a short nod. "Better. Still sloppy, but better."
Liam grinned anyway.
Raze watched quietly from the side.
He couldn't help but think about what the Level 4.5 student had said earlier. About teams. About attention. About how people stronger than you could become targets just by association.
His gaze flicked briefly to Liam. To Beatrix.
'If second-years really are like that…' Raze thought, his jaw tightening. 'Then I'm not just weak. I'm a liability.'
Beatrix seemed to sense his stare. She turned her head slightly. "You're quiet."
Raze looked away. "Just tired."
She studied him for a moment longer, then let it go. "You should rest. It looks like your mental health needs it."
Liam nodded in agreement. "Yeah. You've been awfully strange and quiet lately."
Raze let out a slow breath and leaned back against the wall. "Yeah, just tired."
Liam lowered his arms and stretched, the last traces of wind fading completely. "Makes sense. Today was rough."
Beatrix didn't answer immediately. She turned toward Raze, arms crossed, studying him for a brief moment. "You've been tense since you got back," she said. "Not just tired. Distracted."
Raze shrugged lightly. "Long day."
"That's everyone," she replied. "Yet you look like you're bracing for something."
Raze frowned. "Are you reading minds now?"
"I don't need to," Beatrix said calmly. "People carry stress differently. You carry it in your shoulders."
Liam blinked, sensing the shift in tone. "Uh… I'm gonna grab a shower," he said quickly. "Before my legs give out."
He slipped into the bathroom, the door sliding shut behind him.
Silence settled over the dorm.
Beatrix uncrossed her arms and sat down on the edge of her bed. Her posture relaxed slightly, less rigid than usual.
"You rely on instinct," she said suddenly.
Raze glanced at her. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Not always," she replied. "But instinct without structure only takes you so far."
He didn't respond.
She looked up at him. "Have you ever had proper hand-to-hand training?"
Raze hesitated. "Not really. Just… basics. Whatever I manage to pick up."
"That explains it," she said, more matter-of-fact than critical.
"Explains what?" he responded.
"Your movement," Beatrix replied. "You react well, but you don't transition well. You recover slower than you should."
Raze stiffened slightly. "You've been watching me train now?"
She shook her head. "I've been watching our team."
That word again.
Team.
She stood and stepped closer, stopping a few feet from him.
"I'm offering to train you," she said. "Hand-to-hand. No awakenings. No weapons. Just fundamentals."
Raze blinked. "You?"
"Yes."
"You don't strike me as the teaching type."
"I'm not," Beatrix said flatly. "But I don't like weaknesses I can fix."
That landed cleanly.
Raze looked down at his hands. "Then why bother?"
"Because we're going into portals soon," she replied. "And things don't always go according to plan."
He stayed quiet.
She met his eyes. "When things go wrong, technique matters more than power."
After a moment, she added, quieter, "And I don't intend to lose teammates."
Raze exhaled slowly. He hadn't expected that.
"…When?" he asked.
Beatrix glanced toward the bathroom door, then back at him.
"Now," she said. "If you're not too tired."
Raze nodded slowly, taking this into consideration. He'd never been properly taught hand-to-hand combat and now was an opportunity to improve his combat skills.
"Alright," he said. "Let's start."