The lunch break was in full swing in the Academy courtyard. Nameless had isolated himself under an old oak tree, seeking a moment of peace—but peace was a luxury he no longer possessed.
Three second-year students, hulking figures who followed Prince Alaric like shadows, surrounded him. The leader, a boy with cruel eyes named Marcus, pointed at Nameless's hands.
"So, is this the little wild beast? They say your gloves hide the hands of a demon. We're going to verify that for ourselves."
Before Nameless could react, Leo surged from nowhere, interposing himself with his eternal—though slightly trembling—smile.
"Whoa, guys! Let's relax. These gloves are just a new fashion trend, very retro. You should try it before judging!"
"Move, you failure," Marcus spat.
With a brutal backhand, Marcus sent Leo crashing to the ground. The other two set upon him with their boots. Leo didn't strike back; he curled into a ball to protect his face, but he kept shouting: "Run, Nameless! Don't let them...!"
A dull thud resonated in Nameless's chest. It wasn't his heart; it was the seal. Seeing the only person who had treated him like a human being getting trampled triggered something dark. His vision blurred. The world turned grey, then heavy. Extremely heavy.
"GRAVITATIONAL PRESSURE."
The words didn't come from his mouth; they seemed to vibrate from the ground itself.
Suddenly, Marcus and his lackeys were slammed into the floor by an invisible force. Their bones creaked under unbearable pressure. The courtyard marble cracked beneath their bodies, sinking several centimeters. Students nearby fell to their knees, unable to withstand the sudden increase in atmospheric density.
"Stop... mercy... I... I can't breathe!" Marcus screamed, his face turning purple as his lungs collapsed under the weight of the air.
Nameless stood still, his gaze void, his right hand extended toward the earth. His shadow had stretched, becoming immense, covering the entire combat zone. He no longer saw students; he saw insects that needed to be crushed.
"Nameless... stop..."
A bloodied hand touched his shoe. Leo, on the ground, looked up at him with pain. "It's okay... they've learned... don't become... what they say you are..."
Leo's voice acted like a cold shower. The pressure vanished instantly. Marcus and the others took ragged gasps of air, crawling away from Nameless as if death itself had just brushed past them.
The Sword of Damocles
As the gravitational pressure subsided, the heavy doors of the Academy swung open. A squad of the Royal Guard, armor clanking and spears lowered, surrounded Nameless.
"By order of the King, the subject known as Nameless is declared out of control!" roared the captain of the guards. "Immediate execution for the attempted murder of citizens of Solis!"
The collar around Nameless's neck began to glow a violent red, ready to release its deadly charge. Nameless, still in shock, didn't move. That was when Isolde cut through the crowd, her icy voice freezing the guards in their tracks.
"Put that steel away, Captain. Unless you wish to explain to my father why you ignored the facts."
She pointed at Marcus. "They attacked first. Nameless only protected another student. If you execute him here, you kill an innocent under the eyes of the Crown Princess. That is an act of treason, is it not?"
The captain hesitated, sweat beading under his helmet. Faced with Isolde's resolve, he ordered a retreat—but his eyes promised that this was far from over.