HUNTERS ALLIANCE - CHAPTER NINE: DISTANCE

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The classroom was louder than usual.

Voices bounced off the stone walls while students dragged chairs across the floor, laughed with each other, and argued over who cheated during yesterday’s combat simulation.

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The morning sunlight poured through the tall windows of the academy tower, stretching across rows of wooden desks marked with scratches, initials, and old knife cuts from previous trainees.

Roshan Ryn stepped into the room quietly.

Too quietly.

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Normally Daren would yell something stupid the moment he entered.

Lira would complain about how late he was.

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Miko would wave at him while pretending not to.

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Today?

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Nothing.

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Roshan’s eyes immediately found them near the far side of the room.

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Daren leaned against the wall with his arms crossed while speaking to Miko. Lira sat on top of one of the desks nearby, flipping through her notebook. They looked serious.

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Not angry.

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Worse.

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Distant.

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Roshan swallowed slightly before walking toward them.

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“Morning,” he said casually.

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Lira glanced at him for barely a second before looking back at her notes.

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Miko shifted awkwardly.

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Daren didn’t answer at all.

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The silence hit harder than Roshan expected.

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“…Right,” Roshan muttered.

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Before he could say anything else, Daren grabbed a chair and pulled it toward another row.

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Lira followed him.

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Then Miko hesitated for a moment before quietly taking her bag and joining them.

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Roshan stood there awkwardly while several nearby students noticed immediately.

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Whispers started.

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“That’s awkward…”

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“Didn’t they used to sit together?”

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“I heard they fought after the exam.”

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“No, I heard Roshan almost got Miko killed.”

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“That’s not what happened.”

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“Still… something definitely happened.”

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Roshan clenched his jaw.

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Great.

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Now the entire class was turning into gossip addicts.

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A chair suddenly scraped beside him.

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“You look like someone stole your favorite food.”

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Roshan looked sideways.

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Sorrow dropped into the seat beside him carelessly, stretching her arms behind her head.

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Her black eyes lazily scanned the room.

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“You want me to stab someone?” she asked casually.

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Roshan blinked.

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“…What?”

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“You’re making that face.”

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“What face?”

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“The ‘I’m one inconvenience away from becoming a criminal’ face.”

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Roshan snorted despite himself.

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“You say weird things.”

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“And yet I’m still your favorite person in this room.”

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“That’s a low competition.”

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“Exactly.”

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Several students stared at Sorrow nervously.

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Most trainees still didn’t fully understand her.

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Some thought she was dangerous.

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Others thought she was insane.

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Both were technically correct.

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Suddenly—

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The classroom door slammed open so hard it hit the wall.

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The entire class flinched.

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A tall man stepped inside wearing a dark academy coat with gloves covering his hands.

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Instructor Garrick.

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The room instantly died.

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Unlike most instructors, Garrick never needed to yell to scare people.

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His presence alone did the work.

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A long scar stretched from the side of his jaw to his neck, and his sharp eyes scanned the students like he was deciding who would survive the year.

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Behind him walked Professor Velric.

Velric looked exhausted.

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His coat hung loosely over his shoulders while faint shadows rested beneath his eyes.

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Roshan noticed it immediately.

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Something happened.

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Velric rarely looked tired.

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Garrick dropped several heavy books onto the desk.

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The loud thud made one student jump.

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Garrick noticed.

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“…Pathetic,” he muttered.

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The student immediately looked down.

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A nervous silence filled the room.

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Then Garrick slowly looked around the class.

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“Good morning, disappointments.”

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A few students groaned quietly.

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“Ah,” Garrick said dryly, “some of you still have enough energy to complain.

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Wonderful.”

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Nobody answered.

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Nobody ever answered Garrick.

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Because somehow he always turned conversations into threats.

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Garrick crossed his arms.

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“Today we’ll be learning survival theory and recovery procedures after monster encounters.”

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Several students sighed.

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One boy near the back raised his hand hesitantly.

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“T-Teacher… can’t we do combat training instead?”

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Garrick stared at him for a long moment.

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The room became painfully quiet.

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Then Garrick nodded slowly.

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“Excellent idea.”

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The student brightened slightly.

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Garrick continued.

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“Next time a monster rips your stomach open, you can fight your own organs back into your body.”

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The class burst into nervous laughter while the boy immediately lowered his hand.

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Sorrow leaned toward Roshan slightly.

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“I like him.”

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Roshan stared at her.

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“Of course you do.”

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“He speaks like a villain. It’s inspiring.”

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Garrick began writing several medical procedures onto the board with sharp aggressive strokes.

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“Most hunters do not die because monsters are strong,” he said flatly.

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He turned toward the class.

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“They die because they panic. Because they hesitate. Because they overestimate themselves.”

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For a brief moment…

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His eyes landed directly on Roshan.

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Roshan stiffened slightly.

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Then Garrick continued speaking like nothing happened.

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“Or because they’re idiots.”

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A few students laughed nervously.

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Meanwhile, Roshan barely focused.

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His eyes kept drifting toward his friends.

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Toward the empty space between them.

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Miko quietly listened while writing notes.

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Lira occasionally answered Garrick’s questions correctly.

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Daren leaned back in his chair but still paid attention.

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None of them looked at Roshan once.

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Not once.

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The irritation slowly returned to his chest.

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He still didn’t fully understand why they were acting like this.

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Yes, things went wrong during the practical exam.

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Yes, Miko got hurt.

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But he saved everyone in the end, didn’t he?

Why were they treating him like the villain?

Beside him, Sorrow suddenly spoke quietly.

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“You keep staring at them like you’re waiting for them to explode.”

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Roshan sighed.

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“They’re being ridiculous.”

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“Maybe.”

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“You saw what happened.”

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“I did.”

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Roshan crossed his arms.

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“They’re acting like everything was my fault.”

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Sorrow tilted her head slightly but didn’t answer immediately.

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And for some reason…

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That annoyed him more.

—

After class ended, students immediately flooded out into the hallways.

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Some rushed toward lunch.

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Others headed for training sessions.

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The academy quickly returned to its usual chaos.

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Roshan moved quickly through the crowd.

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“Daren!”

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His friend kept walking.

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Roshan caught up and grabbed his shoulder lightly.

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“Can we talk?”

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Daren pulled away.

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“About what?”

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Roshan frowned.

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“What’s your problem?”

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“My problem?” Daren laughed humorlessly.

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“Seriously?”

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Lira stopped walking ahead of them while Miko looked uncomfortable nearby.

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Roshan exhaled sharply.

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“You guys have been ignoring me for days.”

“Maybe there’s a reason,” Lira replied coldly.

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Roshan stared at her.

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“You too?”

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“You almost got Miko killed.”

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“I saved her!”

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“You endangered her first!”

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Several nearby students slowed down slightly, pretending not to listen.

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Roshan noticed immediately.

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His embarrassment turned into irritation.

“I was trying to win.”

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“And that mattered more than your team?” Daren snapped.

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Roshan stepped forward.

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“You think I wanted anyone hurt?”

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“No,” Miko finally spoke softly.

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Everyone looked at her.

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She lowered her eyes.

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“But you stopped listening to us.”

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The hallway became quiet around them.

Roshan opened his mouth—

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Then closed it again.

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Because deep down…

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Some part of him knew she wasn’t completely wrong.

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But his pride refused to accept it.

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“So what?” he muttered. “You’re all just abandoning me now?”

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Lira scoffed.

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“Stop acting like you’re the victim here.”

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That one hit harder than Roshan expected.

For a second, nobody spoke.

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Then Daren sighed tiredly.

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“We need space, Roshan."

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The words felt like a punch straight to the chest.

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Before Roshan could respond, the three of them walked away together.

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Leaving him standing alone in the hallway while students whispered around him.

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Roshan stared at the floor silently.

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Then he turned and left without another word.

—

Inside the academy’s administrative tower, Velric stood near the window of Reese’s office.

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Rain clouds slowly gathered outside in the distance.

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The atmosphere inside the room felt heavy.

Reese leaned against her desk while listening carefully.

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“…They actually said that?” she asked finally.

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Velric nodded slowly.

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“The Alliance leadership wants expansion.”

Reese looked disgusted immediately.

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“You mean conquest.”

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“They call it protection.”

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“They always do.”

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Velric sighed tiredly.

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“The northern territories are unstable after the last monster wave. The council believes this is the perfect opportunity to expand Alliance authority across the continent.”

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Reese folded her arms tightly.

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“And if those territories refuse?”

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Velric looked at her quietly.

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“That’s the part that concerns me.”

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Reese cursed under her breath.

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“That’s insanity. The Hunters Alliance was created to protect humanity from monsters—not rule over kingdoms.”

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Velric nodded once.

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“I argued the same thing.”

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“And?”

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A bitter smile appeared on his face.

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“You already know how those meetings go.”

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Reese looked away angrily.

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Of course she knew.

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The higher officials only listened when power benefited them.

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Morality came second.

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Sometimes third.

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Sometimes never.

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After a long silence, Velric finally asked,

“How is Roshan?”

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Reese raised an eyebrow.

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“You’re worried about him?”

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“I’m worried about what he might become.”

That answer lingered heavily in the room.

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Reese walked toward the window slowly.

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“He’s talented,” she admitted. “Too talented.”

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“But?”

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“He’s starting to enjoy attention too much.”

Velric closed his eyes briefly.

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That was exactly what he feared.

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Reese sighed.

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“I still have things under control for now.”

“For now,” Velric repeated quietly.

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Neither of them sounded convinced.

—

The open training grounds stretched across the southern side of the academy.

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Large stone arenas stood beneath the cloudy sky while trainees practiced sword forms, spear drills, and hand-to-hand combat nearby.

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The sound of clashing metal echoed endlessly.

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Roshan sat alone on the edge of one arena while spinning a practice dagger through his fingers.

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Sorrow sat beside him lazily eating something that looked suspiciously stolen.

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“You know,” she said between bites, “normal people usually apologize when their friends are angry."

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Roshan frowned.

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“I didn’t do anything unforgivable.”

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“Mhm.”

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“You don’t agree?”

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Sorrow shrugged.

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“I think both sides are stupid.”

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Roshan blinked.

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“That’s not helpful.”

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“You want helpful or honest?”

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“…Fair point.”

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Sorrow leaned back against the stone railing.

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“Your friends are hurt because they think you cared more about winning than them.”

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“I was trying to protect us.”

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“You were trying to prove yourself."

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Roshan immediately looked away.

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Because that part was true.

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Sorrow watched him quietly.

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“You hate feeling weak,” she continued.

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Roshan stayed silent.

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“And now that people finally notice you…” she smirked slightly, “…you don’t want to lose that feeling.”

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The words irritated him because they sounded too accurate.

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Roshan stood suddenly.

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“They’re overreacting.”

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Sorrow sighed dramatically.

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“There it is again.”

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“What?”

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“That thing where you only hear yourself.”

Roshan looked frustrated now.

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“So I’m just supposed to let them blame me for everything?”

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“No.”

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“Then what?”

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Sorrow tossed the remains of her snack aside carelessly.

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“You listen.”

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Roshan laughed bitterly.

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“They won’t even talk to me.”

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“Because every time they try, you defend yourself instead of understanding them.”

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Roshan opened his mouth—

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Then stopped.

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The training grounds suddenly grew quieter.

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Several trainees nearby turned toward the main gate.

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A strange tension spread through the air.

Roshan frowned.

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“What’s happening?”

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Sorrow slowly stood.

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For the first time all day…

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Her playful expression disappeared completely.

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At the entrance of the training grounds stood three figures wearing long black coats marked with the silver crest of the central Hunters Alliance.

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Elite officials.

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Even the instructors nearby looked uneasy.

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One of the officials stepped forward slowly.

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Then his cold eyes locked directly onto Roshan.

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And smiled.

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“We’ve finally found him.”

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