Nori stood, scanning the battlefield as his plans began to unravel. "If I can take out the king… we might still have a chance," he thought, refocusing on Ryuji. He flexed his hand back into the finger-gun position, gathering particles once more.

Ryuji noticed the movement, despite Nori's careful attempts to hide it. With a swift motion, he flung his hand aside and summoned his blade from shadow storage, drawing it quickly from its sheath.

Nori fired a bullet at Ryuji, but Ryuji sliced it midair, sending the fragments flying in two directions until they lost momentum and fell to the ground. The counterattack was intense, sending shockwaves through Ryuji's body and rattling his senses.

"This guy's magic… he's strong," Ryuji thought.

"Say, you're quite powerful… why are you helping them?" Ryuji asked calmly, relaxing his fighting stance. "I'd say your magic is far stronger than Riki's… what do you hope to gain from this?"

Nori hesitated for a moment.

"I gain nothing… I'm honor-bound to protect Riki," he admitted quietly.

"I see… Yuki did tell me about you. Your family is famous for its unbroken loyalty and ability to protect others. Is it some sort of contract between you and Riki?" Ryuji asked, studying Nori carefully.

"It's not a contract between us specifically. My family has always served the Shibatani family. Riki and I go way back. I've been tasked with protecting him since childhood," Nori replied softly.

"I see… quite unfortunate that you ended up stuck protecting that spoiled brat. Your powers would be far better used elsewhere," Ryuji said, his eyes locked on his opponent.

Nori glanced around and saw the Queen and Jack of the school tearing through his remaining allies. Only a handful still stood, and they would fall quickly. He realized victory was impossible, but he would not go down without a fight.

Quickly gathering particles once more, he fired at Ryuji. Each shot was met with a dodge or a counter, sending shockwaves through the floor. Ryuji weaved through the barrage, the sound of whizzing bullets rushing past his ears as he closed in on his opponent.

When he reached Nori, Ryuji swung his blade swiftly at his neck.

Nori summoned a small torrent of water in the path of Ryuji's blade. The water dampened the strike, slowing its momentum and giving Nori the chance to deliver an unarmed counter. His blow connected, pushing Ryuji a few feet back.

Nori wasted no time. He fired another bullet that was smaller, more compressed, and far faster than the previous ones. As it neared Ryuji, the young man phased out of existence, teleporting effortlessly behind his enemy.

Nori, remembering Ryuji's ability, tried to quickly retaliate behind him with a backward sweeping fist. However, Ryuji quickly ducked down and delivered a leg sweep, knocking him flat on his back.

He then stood up swiftly and placed his blade close to Nori's neck.

"It's over," Ryuji said while staring menacingly at his enemy.

"Is it?!" Nori responded, gritting his teeth with his finger gun pointing towards Ryuji's liver.

"Well then, let us see who's faster?! My gun or your blade!" Nori threatened, his water bullet spinning balefully.

Ryuji watched as his enemy's bullet began to spin faster and faster.

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings," Ryuji said calmly.

The moment he finished speaking, Nori fired. The bullet tore through Ryuji's body without leaving a mark. Just as Ryuji had warned, Nori had failed to notice his surroundings. The battlefield was silent; his fallen allies were scattered across the ground. He was the last one standing, which meant Ryuji's puppets were now free to join the fight.

In an instant, Ryuji dissipated one of his puppets and resummoned it beside Nori just as he was about to fire again. The shot went straight through the puppet's chest. Before Nori could react, Ryuji switched places with it, appearing right in front of him.

Ryuji's leg shot out with devastating force, striking Nori in the ribs and sending him flying toward his friends. The impact forced a sharp gasp from his lungs. Mid-flight, Nori fired a quick burst of magic, propelling himself into a spin to regain control. He then conjured a medium-sized bubble of water beneath him to absorb the fall.

"Yuki!" Ryuji shouted.

To Nori's surprise, the soft landing he expected from his water bubble never came. Instead, his magic froze solid in an instant as Yuki raised his hand. The bubble became an icy prison, and Nori crashed into it with a painful thud.

Before he could recover, Sawano charged in, her movements swift and fierce. She pinned his arms against the frozen surface, trapping him completely.

Nori tried to lift his hands to form his finger guns, hoping to fight back, but Yuki's magic sealed his fate. A layer of frost climbed up his wrists, freezing them in place. The once-stealthy baron now hung helplessly from the frozen bubble, his breath visible in the cold air.

Realizing the futility of his struggle, Nori stopped resisting and lowered his head in defeat.

Behind them, the ice cage that had shielded Michika began to crack and crumble away. She stepped out, her eyes widening in disbelief at the scene before her. The courtyard was littered with fallen nobles, their bodies motionless, their arrogance shattered. And at the center stood Ryuji, Yuki, and Sawano—unshaken, composed, and victorious.

"A-Are you all okay?!" Michika asked, worry glimmering in her eyes.

"We're fine! That was hardly a challenge!" Sawano replied, grinning, while the king's focus remained elsewhere.

"You fought well, Nori," Ryuji said quietly. "It's a shame things had to end like this. I would've liked to call you a friend, not an enemy."

"I… I'm bound to Riki," Nori muttered. "He's my friend… my duty is to protect him."

"I saw what happened," Ryuji said, his tone softening. "While the others tormented that poor girl, you didn't lay a hand on her. I know you despise their cruelty, but your loyalty kept you silent."

Nori's eyes widened. The gentle understanding in Ryuji's voice hit him harder than any blade could.

"You said you were his friend," Ryuji said quietly. "But a real friend doesn't stay silent when the people they care about lose their way."

His gaze shifted to Yuki and Sawano. They had done the same for him once, standing beside him even when he didn't deserve it.

"If you ever wish to stand with us, Nori," Ryuji continued, placing a hand on the young baron's shoulder, "then do so because you want to, not because someone ordered you to. And if we ever stray from what's right… don't hesitate to knock some sense into us."

Nori said nothing. His eyes trembled faintly, reflecting the conflict within him.

"I'll… think about it," he finally whispered, his voice small, head bowed.

Ryuji nodded to Yuki, signaling him to release Nori from his icy bonds. With a wave of Yuki's hand, the frozen bubble shattered into mist, and Nori landed on his feet. Ryuji gave him a brief nod before turning to walk away with his friends.

Nori stared after them, awe and disbelief written across his face. He glanced at the mess around him, at his friend's ruined coup and the fallen nobles, and felt the weight of what he now had to do.

Soon, the professors arrived at the scene, their expressions a mix of shock and anger as they took in the sight of students sprawled across the floor. Only one remained standing: Nori.

The professors demanded an explanation, and Nori knew there was no point in hiding the truth. He took a deep breath, pointed at Riki and Sophia, and recounted the events, leaving the blame squarely on their shoulders.

Claiming that the nobles had planned an unsanctioned fight against the reigning king and his followers, Nori explained how they intended to overwhelm them with sheer numbers, only to be thoroughly defeated. He recounted everything he knew before walking away.

The professors could hardly believe the recklessness of the students involved. Yet, because many of the nobles came from high-ranking families, they escaped severe punishment. A group of nobles ganging up on a commoner and losing would have caused an immense scandal. In the end, they received only a stern warning before being dismissed.

Ryuji and his friends were summoned to the faculty room and received a similar, though much milder, talking-to since their actions had been purely in self-defense. By the time they left, it was nearly curfew. The trio decided to return to their rooms, ready to rest after the day's chaotic events.

Ryuji lay on his bed, his mind replaying everything that had happened, how his actions had hurt others, the nobles' hatred toward him, and his friends' unwavering loyalty. Thoughts swirled as his eyes grew heavy. As his vision blurred, the edges of the room softened and melted away, replaced by the familiar shadows of a dream.

Visions of the same cyan, silky-haired woman appeared in his sleep. She lay flat on her back, her chest torn by a mortal wound, dark blood spreading across the floor like ink in water. His hands were soaked in it, slick and heavy, leaving red streaks where they had touched.

The beautiful woman lifted a trembling hand and gently stroked his cheek. She tried to speak again, her voice raspy and fragile, a whisper that scraped at his heart. This time, the words reached him, the ones he knew all too well, the ones that still haunted him.

"It's okay… do not blame yourself," she murmured. Her hand went limp, and Ryuji's tears fell onto her motionless body, each drop mingling with blood, heavy with grief and helplessness.

The visions shifted. A towering man emerged, his blood-red eyes burning with anger and hate, as inky black liquid seeped like water from the back of his head, staining the whites of his eyes a dark grey. He stood motionless, glaring at Ryuji with a malice so pure it seemed to thicken the air around him. Yet beneath the murderous stare, Ryuji sensed an immense desperation that lingered like a shadow.

Fear gripped Ryuji as the figure took one swift, heavy step toward him. The movement was enough to wrench him from the nightmare.

Ryuji bolted upright in bed, sweating and panting. Tears filled his eyes and spilled onto the sheets. His heart raced, his face was pale, and his hands shook uncontrollably. His eyes darted around the room, searching for familiar shapes, trying to find something real to hold onto.

Fear and guilt had completely taken over the young man. It took him a few minutes to realize it was only a dream while he tried to steady his breath. Around him, the night remained deep and silent, moonless and calm. The stillness helped soothe his nerves, but his sadness lingered.

"Why… why this dream… why now…" The thoughts kept circling in his mind.

"I miss you…" He whispered, sobbing quietly in his empty room.

Far away on the outskirts, in a well-lit room warmed by a crackling fireplace, a tall man sat in a chair, absorbed in his book. He leaned back slightly, letting the heat wash over him as he read.

A young girl entered the room, carrying a tray with a silver teapot and two cups. She set it down on the end table beside the tall man, then picked up the pot and began pouring tea into his cup.

The tall man inhaled the warm, fragrant aroma of the freshly brewed tea and thanked the girl for her constant help as he lifted the cup. She smiled in response to his kind words.

Suddenly, he flinched, wincing in pain. The cup slipped from his grasp and shattered on the floor. His suit sleeve tore open, revealing an inky black tattoo on his arm that glowed red, like steel being heated in a roaring fire.

The tattoo depicting black roses with thorns began sending unimaginable searing pain into his arm. It felt like a branding iron was stuck to his flesh, melting his skin completely.

Before long, the pain dissipates.

The anonymous man breathes a sigh of relief, clenching and relaxing his fist. He looks up at the young girl and says,

"It's time… Let's go," he spoke menacingly.

"Where to…?" the young girl asked, her voice hesitant.

"Where else… to Ryuji." His eyes flared red, the hue burning with a menacing intensity.