"Hey Yukie, I've gotta use the bathroom," Davonte said.

"Go straight down that hallway and take a left," she replied, half asleep.

Davonte stood up and walked down the corridor quietly.

As he moved, a thought formed in his mind.

This is probably a good chance to get away from these people.

The hallway was dimly lit, the kind of silence that made every step feel louder than it should've been.

Then-

Voices.

Davonte slowed down instantly.

Two drunk men were talking somewhere ahead.

"I heard the commander is planning on recruiting the Hybrid they found in the forest."

"Well, I guess it's better if he doesn't become an enemy."

"Yeah, totally. We've already been dealing with too much lately."

Davonte pressed himself behind a pillar, listening carefully.

Their voices got clearer.

"I wonder how they'll put him in the Archive since he wasn't born here."

"What Archive?"

"You clearly weren't paying attention during training. The Archive is a book that contains the names of every soul here. King Gaw ordered one of his Wizards to create it so he can track everyone-who is alive and who is dead."

"But why though?"

"During the 67 Bandits Attack, many souls were kidnapped and killed. The King was devastated. The original purpose of the Archive was to let him share the senses of everyone inside the kingdom... but the Death Presence required was too much. So instead, it evolved into something else."

"The book now automatically erases the name of those who die. That way, if someone disappears, the King knows where they used to be and can send Cleaners immediately."

"Oh... that makes sense."

The two men walked past Davonte without noticing him.

Silence returned.

Davonte slowly stepped out from behind the pillar.

His eyes were sharp.

If there's a book with everyone's names and locations...

Then maybe I can find her.

He turned and walked back to his room.

Yukie glanced at him lazily.

"You're back."

"Yeah."

"For a second I thought you were gonna run."

"You would've caught me anyway," Davonte replied casually.

He sat down on his bed.

Then added silently in his mind.

I'll stick around... until I find her.

Present Day - Third Stop of the Cleaners Trial

Davonte stood in the center of the training arena.

Across from him-

Tama.

Tama looked at him with a slight smirk.

"Commander really did set me up," he said. "I thought I was training some rookie... but you? This is better."

He cracked his neck slightly.

"Now I don't have to hold back."

Davonte didn't answer.

He simply raised his stance.

No words.

No hesitation.

Just readiness.

Tama's grey eyes sharpened.

Two metal balls appeared in his hands.

A thin string of light connected them instantly.

Then-

He moved.

Fast.

Tama dashed forward and flicked one of the balls straight at Davonte's head.

Davonte twisted his body just barely, the ball grazing past him.

He clenched his fist.

At the same time, he pulled the light-thread toward him using Tama's own momentum-

But Tama vanished.

"-!"

Davonte's eyes widened slightly.

He looked up.

Too late.

Tama was already falling from above.

A strike came down-

Davonte stepped aside, but-

BANG!

A second ball hit him mid-dodge and sent him flying across the ground.

He crashed, rolled, then barely stabilized himself.

Tama landed smoothly.

And immediately-

Threw the second ball again.

Davonte saw it mid-air.

He flipped backward, slowing his fall, landing near a metal pole.

He grabbed it instantly.

And swung.

CLANG!

Both incoming balls were deflected at once.

For a brief moment-

They stopped.

Both stood still.

Staring at each other.

Tama tilted his head.

"...I'm confused."

Davonte wiped dust from his face.

"Didn't that old man teach you about Presence of Death?"

"Yeah," Davonte replied. "I was just trying to see how it amplifies physical strength."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Tama's expression darkened.

"...Are you seriously not fighting for your life right now?"

His tone sharpened.

"People like you piss me off."

The air dropped.

Pressure exploded outward.

Davonte felt it immediately.

A dense, crushing Presence of Death.

He instinctively closed his eyes.

Then-

He released his own.

His eyes lit up blue.

The surrounding energy responded violently.

He infused it into the metal pole.

CRACK-!

Electricity surged across it.

Tama's eyes narrowed.

"...So you do have it."

His two balls transformed.

Now short blades.

Sharp.

Deadly.

Tama stepped forward.

"It's time I teach you the true meaning of strength."

Davonte didn't move.

"...Come."

Tama vanished.

A sharp pain exploded in Davonte's side.

Too fast.

A barrage followed instantly-

Left.

Right.

Up.

Down.

Every angle.

Blood splattered across the ground.

Davonte gritted his teeth.

Then swung the pole blindly-

CLANG!

It connected.

Tama staggered slightly.

A small cut appeared on his head.

"...Tch."

His mood changed instantly.

"You made me bleed."

The air tightened further.

Now Tama was serious.

He rushed again.

This time-

Stabbing motion after stabbing motion.

Davonte blocked, but more wounds opened across his body.

Then-

"Fuck it... I'm going all out!"

Davonte exploded forward.

Now the fight became chaos.

No structure.

No rhythm.

Just raw speed and violence.

Left. Right. Clash. Impact.

Martial instincts collided.

Davonte grabbed Tama's head and slammed a headbutt into him.

Tama slid back-

Then instantly dashed forward again.

A metal ball slammed into Davonte's guard.

BOOM!

Both were thrown back.

For a moment-

Silence.

Then both smiled slightly.

They were enjoying it.

Tama exhaled.

"Listen carefully, otherworlder."

His tone became heavier.

"Strength isn't about who's stronger... or what you have to live for."

His aura surged.

"It's about why you fight."

He vanished again.

Another barrage.

His voice cut through the air.

"And whether you value your life enough to protect it."

Davonte blocked, barely.

Tama continued.

"I hate people who don't fight to live."

A pause.

"...Because they're selfish enough to leave others behind."

Then-

The two balls fused.

One massive sphere formed.

It expanded.

Compressed.

Then launched forward like a cannon.

BOOOOM-

It struck Davonte directly.

He was launched through the arena wall into rubble.

Silence returned.

Tama deactivated his power and turned away.

"...That should be enough."

He started walking.

"...Maybe now you'll understand."

But-

Cough.

From the rubble.

Tama stopped.

"...Still alive?"

Davonte crawled out slowly.

Wounds healing slightly.

"...Oh... we're not done yet, pretty boy."

Tama sighed.

"You idiot."

"You're gonna be the idiot when I kick your ass."

Tama glanced back.

"...Your nose is bleeding."

Davonte blinked.

Then blood started leaking from his ears and mouth too.

His body finally gave out.

He dropped to his knees.

Tama walked over slowly.

"You're still weak."

He crouched slightly.

"Self-healing is dumb in a fight like this. It drains you faster than you think."

He tapped his chest lightly.

"Presence of Death doesn't run out due to it's natural abundance, but your body Becomes unable to cotrol it."

He stood up.

"Ten years of training... and maybe you'll be close to me."

Davonte stared up at him.

Frustration boiling.

His lip bled as he bit down hard.

But he didn't respond.

Only stared.

Tama turned away.

And the fight... ended.

End.