Shadow stepped toward the door.
Stopped.
Bell’s heartbeat stuttered.
Silence.
The air thickened.
His hand slowly touched the handle.
Outside, Clay and the new girl waited for the door to open.
“I hope he’s alright…” Clay said, worry clear on his face.
The girl stood beside him, nervous.
“I came to say sorry… if I bothered him. I hope he isn’t mad.”
But suddenly—
Something moved.
Cold.
Heavy.
It slipped through the door before it even opened.
The handle turned.
Click.
The door opened slowly.
Their breathing grew heavier.
And when it fully opened—
Shadow stood there in Zaraf’s body.
Behind him, Bell stood frozen.
Her face had lost all color.
Shock.
Before they could understand what was happening—
Before Bell could intervene—
Shadow spoke.
“Hello. What brings you here?”
His voice was polite.
Calm.
Too calm.
Bell stiffened. She had expected him to attack.
But he didn’t.
Clay and the girl didn’t notice the shift in Zaraf’s tone.
“H-hello… we came to check on you because you didn’t show up for training…” Clay said hesitantly.
A slight smile appeared on Shadow’s lips.
“How devoted.”
Clay took it as a compliment.
Shadow continued, his voice smooth.
“I hear you want to train so badly… isn’t that right?”
Silence.
The new girl lowered her gaze, unable to speak.
Clay stepped forward.
“Yes, we want to train… but not that badly. Your health comes first.”
Shadow stepped closer to him.
Clay paused.
The distance between them felt smaller than it should.
“Don’t worry,” Shadow said lightly. “Let’s see how much potential you all have to become strong.”
Clay blinked.
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“Does that mean you’re going to start training?”
Shadow tilted his head slightly.
A small pause.
“Yes. In one minute.”
Relief crossed Clay’s face.
He nodded quickly.
“We’ll call Hussen.”
Clay and the girl hurried away.
The moment they were gone—
Silence returned.
Bell looked at him.
Fear trembled in her voice.
“What are you going to do?”
Shadow turned toward her.
Slowly.
He stepped closer.
Too close.
He lifted his hand and gently touched the edge of her hair.
A sudden cold spread through her body.
Heavy.
Her breath caught.
Her fingers trembled.
He leaned in.
His face inches from hers.
“As I said,” he murmured softly, “he can’t do a thing.”
A faint smile curved his lips.
“But I can.”
His eyes darkened.
“Just watch how I turn them into warriors.”
Bell couldn’t speak.
Her body refused to move.
This isn’t Zaraf…
Shadow stepped back calmly.
Then turned.
And walked out of the house toward the training ground.
The training ground was quiet.
Shadow sat on a large rock at its center.
Still.
Watching.
Behind him, Bell stood helplessly. Her hands were clenched at her sides. She didn’t know what to do.
She only knew one thing.
Something was wrong.
Footsteps approached.
Hussen, Clay, and the new girl walked into the clearing.
Hussen glanced at Shadow.
(So it’s finally time… I was waiting for him to start the training so I could finish this and leave.)
Before anything could begin, the girl stepped forward nervously.
“Um… I just wanted to say my name. I didn’t tell you last time… It’s Nihara.”
Silence.
Shadow didn’t respond.
He didn’t even acknowledge her name.
Instead—
He stood up.
Slowly.
And walked toward them.
His gaze studied each of them carefully.
Too carefully.
Hussen felt it again.
That same feeling from before.
Cold.
Heavy.
It pressed against his chest.
Instinctively, he took a step back.
Shadow noticed.
A slight smile appeared on his lips.
Silence fell.
Shadow stepped back and began walking in a slow circle around them.
They didn’t know what was about to happen.
Behind him, Bell was ready to intervene if he tried to hurt them.
Shadow suddenly stopped.
Turned.
Looked at them again.
Silence stretched.
“Tell me,” he said calmly, “what kind of strength do you want?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“Strength to fight… or strength to protect?”
The question hung in the air.
Clay hesitated.
“I… I think it’s to protect.”
Nihara nodded quietly in agreement.
Hussen remained silent.
(What kind of question is that?)
Shadow’s smile widened.
“If you seek power to protect… then the one you want to protect becomes your weakness.”
Silence.
The wind seemed to stop.
Bell felt her chest tighten.
This was going somewhere dangerous.
Clay and Nihara couldn’t respond.
But Hussen stepped forward.
“Then… should we choose strength for fighting?”
Shadow’s eyes sharpened.
He walked toward Hussen.
Step.
Step.
Silence.
A strange sensation crawled up Hussen’s spine.
Cold.
Heavy.
But this time—
He didn’t step back.
Shadow stopped in front of him.
Smiled faintly.
“You want to know the truth?”
A pause.
“Real strength comes from within.”
Another pause.
“It begins when you let go of what you call bonds.”
Hussen’s eyes narrowed.
“What kind of bonds? And what kind of strength would we gain?”
Clay looked uneasy.
Nihara had gone completely silent.
Shadow’s voice became colder.
“What kind of bonds?”
He chuckled softly.
“If you don’t need anyone… you become the strongest.”
“When you stop caring… when you stop feeling… then you can achieve true strength.”
He slowly walked past them.
“People only disappoint. Friends, lovers, even family.”
“Relationships exist because of expectations.”
“You give something… you expect something in return.”
He turned to face them again.
“If those expectations are not met, what happens?”
A pause.
“Respect fades.”
“Arguments begin.”
“And bonds break.”
His gaze sharpened.
“To maintain relationships, you must meet their expectations.”
“So tell me…”
“Why bother?”
“Let them go.”
Silence.
Clay swallowed.
“I… I don’t think that’s right.”
He stepped forward.
“We should show kindness. We should build bonds and trust each other.”
Shadow’s expression hardened.
He walked toward Clay.
“Kindness?”
His tone sharpened.
“That’s just a label for the weak.”
“There is no such thing as unconditional kindness.”
“People help others because they expect help in return.”
“You say ‘each other.’”
“What if one day he doesn’t help you?”
“Will you still help him?”
His eyes locked onto Clay’s.
“Without resentment?”
Clay couldn’t answer.
Hussen spoke again.
“If we let go of bonds… how do we become stronger?”
Shadow’s voice softened again.
“When you expect nothing from anyone… you stand alone.”
“You act without waiting for rescue.”
“You fight without hoping someone will save you.”
“You stop being distracted.”
“And when you stop caring about the world…”
A faint smile appeared.
“The world begins to fear you.”
Hussen inhaled sharply.
“And to become like that… what do we have to do?”
Shadow turned fully toward them.
“Let go of kindness.”
“Let go of bonds.”
“Awaken your survival instinct.”
He stepped forward.
“Survival alone carries you through hardship.”
He paused.
Then—
“Let’s begin your first training.”
All three of them froze.
Clay forced his voice to work.
“What kind of training?”
Nihara remained silent.
Hussen stood firm, ready.
Bell’s eyes widened.
Her face turned pale.
Shadow stood in front of them.
Took a slow breath.
The air felt suffocating.
“To become stronger,” he said calmly, “you must awaken your instinct for survival.”
Another pause.
“And survival awakens…”
His smile deepened.
“…when you kill.”
Silence fell over the field.
“Kill your opponent.”
The wind moved again.
Cold.
Heavy.
“Let’s see,” Shadow said softly,
“…how you handle that.”
