The moment hung heavy in the air, as Sei lunged forward. He clenched his fist so tightly the skin on his knuckles turned pale. He soared through the distance between him and Rudo.
**BANG!**
His fist connected squarely with Rudo's cheek, snapping his head to the side. For a brief second, the world seemed to freeze—the whispers of the garden faded, the chirping birds silenced.
Then Rudo seeped back to reality, holding his cheek as blood trickled from the side of his lips. He stumbled a step backwards.
"You… you dare hit me?" Rudo snarled, his voice desperate.
Sei's chest felt heavy, adrenaline rushed. His mind was a whirlwind of foreign thoughts, yet his expression was calm. "Leave him alone, Rudo. This is the last time I'll tell you," he spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, yet it cut through the tension.
Rudo's face twisted, a storm of rage boiling inside. He wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and advanced, step by step. The air around him seemed to ripple, a faint pulse of Pyro energy turning into an amber as his anger flared.
Sei's pulse quickened. He was not a fool. He knew if Rudo fought him with Pyro energy, he was finished. He couldn't use any other form of energy inside the school premises.
Rudo raised his fist, covered with flame. But before his punch could land, a shadow appeared between them. Grabbing Rudo's fist with his bare hands.
"Enough!" Instructor Shin's voice boomed like thunder. His eyes narrowed with authority, the nature energy around him coiling like a snake of water ready to strike.
Sei and Rudo froze, neither daring to move. Shin's gaze swept over them, cold and sharp. "Both of you, step away. Now."
Rudo glared at Sei with anger-filled eyes, gritting his teeth, but backed off.
Sei stood still, his breathing ragged, fists still trembling. He stood his ground, though his legs felt like they might give out any second.
_'Shit, I am saved. This could have turned real bad.'_
Shin's gaze shifted to Sei. "Explain," his voice was calm yet it carried weight.
Sei hesitated for a breath, then gulped and spoke. "Rudo was bullying that boy down for Cryts. I couldn't stand by and watch."
Shin's eyes narrowed on Rudo. "Is that true?"
Rudo's lips curled in a sneer, but he couldn't deny it under Shin's piercing gaze. He mumbled, "He is my friend, I was just joking around."
The boy Sei had protected, still trembling, looked up, eyes wide with gratitude but also fear.
Shin sighed, his expression hardening. "This academy does not tolerate such things. Rudo, you'll report to the disciplinary office after class."
Rudo's face twisted in frustration, but he just backed off and turned to leave, the tension in his posture visible even as he melted away, with the other boy who followed him.
Shin turned to Sei, his expression unreadable. "And you, Sei… you can't pick a fight with the seniors like this. Come to my office after the next class."
Sei bowed his head, sweat trickling down his forehead. "Understood."
Shin nodded and walked away slowly.
Navi finally unfroze, rushing to Sei's side. "Sei… what were you thinking?" Her voice trembled, her eyes glistening with worry.
Sei let out a breath with relief, his body finally catching up to the moment. "I wasn't thinking," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just… couldn't let it slide."
The boy he saved approached quietly, holding the Cryts in his hand. He hesitated, then extended them toward Sei. "Thank you… I'm Miyo."
Sei waved it off. "Keep it. Just stay away from guys like that."
Miyo's eyes widened, and he nodded, moving off nervously.
Sei and Navi went back under the tree they sat, the two of them watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky. The tension slowly melted away, replaced by a strange sense of calm.
"You're reckless, Sei," Navi murmured, her voice soft.
Sei didn't reply, he was lost in thoughts of another event—the voice in his head. Who was it? And why did it help him through the core test? And most importantly, how does it know about Sei? These questions clouded his mind with a strange unease.
Suddenly, Sei nudged her lightly. "Don't let that earlier thing get to you, okay?" His voice was gentle, like a breeze in the midday sun.
Navi forced a small smile. "Yeah… thanks, Sei. You are a good person."
The two sat in silence for a moment, watching the garden fill with laughter and chatter as students relaxed before the next class.
Suddenly, a faint shuffle of footsteps behind them caught Sei's attention. He turned, noticing the small boy from earlier, the one Rudo had been bullying, standing half-hidden behind a tree. His brown hair was still messy, his uniform a little rumpled. His hands trembling nervously, his eyes darting away the moment Sei's gaze met his.
Sei raised an eyebrow. "Hello?" he asked, voice calm but firm.
The boy flinched, taking a step back, but Sei waved him closer. "Come on, we're not gonna bite you."
Navi turned too, her expression softening. "Isn't he the boy from earlier?"
The boy hesitated, clutching at the hem of his shirt. Then he walked a few steps forward and spoke. His voice came out small, almost a whisper. "I… I just wanted to say thank you. For… for standing up for me."
Sei blinked. "That? That was nothing. Just a little breeze," he grinned, brushing it off.
Sei stretched, arms wide, then sighed. "Well, if you're here, you might as well sit down." He patted the grass next to him.
Miyo hesitated, then slowly sat down, folding his legs awkwardly, unsure if he belonged.
A few moments passed in quiet, the breeze brushing past them. Sei watched the leaves sway, feeling the strange calm settle around them.
But that calm didn't last long.
"Hey, Sei," Navi whispered, leaning closer, her voice barely audible. "What are you going to do about Rudo? He will not leave it at that."
Sei's jaw clenched. He stared ahead, his fingers curling into fists on the grass.
"I don't know. But I won't let him do that again."
Miyo glanced between them nervously.
"You… you know Rudo?"
Sei's eyes flickered to Miyo, and for a moment, his usual light demeanor darkened.
"Yeah. I know him from a long time."
Before anyone could say further, the bell chimed, marking the end of the break.
"Guess that's it." Sei stood up, brushing off his clothes, and moved towards the crowd. Navi and Miyo also followed back.
Sei stopped midway between the crowd of students passing by. He narrowed his eyes and looked back. "Found you," he whispered slowly.
But the figure standing in the shadows smiled, a grin spreading across the darkness that hid his face.