You're not a monster

Sebastian could no longer stand. Blood dripped from every part of his body, his face an unrecognizable mess—split lips, a torn ear, and a once white sash now stained red.

The fight was over.

Ray didn't stick around. Using his Black Night skills, he disappeared into the crowd, vanishing before anyone could follow.

His roommates were still in shock. Even Sylvia and Ian, who never believed Ray was weak, were surprised. They knew he was strong, but this was different. He had fought on another level—as if a Master Knight had been schooling a student.

"Wow, the Black Knight skills are too OP," Dan muttered. "How are we supposed to stop an attack like that?"

Monk replayed the moment Ray had used Phantom Strike in his head.

"No," he said. "None of us can do what he just did."

Kyle crossed his arms. "Has he been hiding his strength from us this whole time?"

Dan suddenly grinned. "Wait, does this mean Ray and Gary are gonna fight for the number one spot?"

People nearby overheard Dan and moved closer, eager to listen in.

Gary sighed, waving them off. "He's already beaten me before. There's no need for a second fight. I know I have no chance."

His words shocked the crowd. When had they fought? It had to have been before the ranking matches.

Gary's statement wasn't just an admission of defeat—it was confirmation.

They had all seen how easily Ray had defeated Sebastian. While no one would say Gary was weaker than Sebastian, there was no way he could have bullied him like Ray just had.

Word spread quickly throughout the academy.

On one of the top floors in the central building, the Master Knights had gathered for a meeting.

Delbert slammed his fist on the table.

"He should be given the death punishment!" he shouted.

"You're letting blood ties cloud your judgment," Sir K responded. "Think like a knight, not a father. The boy broke no rules."

Delbert's face twisted in rage. "Did you see the state of my son?! His face will be scarred for weeks! No normal child could torture someone like that. He's as evil as Sen himself!"

Rose nodded in agreement. "I agree. He could become the destroyer of the kingdom, just as the prophecy foretold."

Bernardo leaned back in his chair. "May I remind you," he said, "the prophecy also stated that a red-haired boy would be our savior. Trying to kill or expel him might be the doom of us all."

Wilfred sighed. "We'll cast a vote. Those in favor of expelling the boy, raise your hand."

Delbert and Rose raised theirs.

Bernardo and Sir K kept their hands down.

Wilfred looked at them all. "Then I have the deciding vote," he said.

His gaze settled on Delbert. "The boy shall remain at Avrion Academy. There will be no punishment."

Delbert's fists clenched as he slammed the table again, but he said nothing.

He couldn't overturn the decision, no matter how much he wanted to. Even he respected the rules of Avrion Academy.

But a new thought came to his mind. If he couldn't do anything to harm the boy…Perhaps someone else could.

That night, Ray was exhausted. The moment he returned to his room, Ian and Dan bombarded him with questions.

"Have you always been this strong?"

"How did you do that Phantom Strike?"

Ray shrugged off their curiosity. "I don't like being in the spotlight," he said. "I prefer to stay low."

As for Phantom Strike? That was a Black Sash secret. He couldn't tell them, even if he wanted to.

Monk approached him later. "Thanks," he said.

Ray stared at him, unsure what he meant.

Was it because he had gotten revenge for him? Or because he had stopped attacking Sebastian when Monk asked him to?

Either way, the whole thing left him confused. Later that night, Ray sat on the roof, staring up at the sky. This was his place to think—his place to be alone. Then, he heard the door creak open behind him.

Turning, he was surprised to see Sylvia standing there.

"I thought I'd find you up here," she said.

Ray turned back to the sky. "I think better up here."

Sylvia walked over and leaned on the ledge beside him. The wind caught her silver hair, making it shimmer under the moonlight. Ray had never found humans beautiful, but in that moment, she looked… different.

"You're thinking about Monk, right?" she asked. "About why he asked you to stop?"

Ray frowned. "How did you know?"

Sylvia sighed. "Ray, you're strange. You've never been good at talking to people—it's like you don't understand emotions."

Ray looked away.

"You don't understand why people get sad or happy," she continued. "When I look at you, I see someone angry and confused." She turned to face him.

"When I see you, I want to help you." Ray met her gaze.

"Are you scared of me, Sylvia?" She hesitated.

"Sometimes," she admitted. "But I don't think you're a bad person."

Ray activated Dragon Eyes. Sylvia stepped back in shock.

"Your eyes…"

At night, his Dragon Eyes didn't stay hidden. They glowed bright yellow, piercing through the darkness. He had expected this reaction. Humans feared anything different from them.

But then, Sylvia stepped forward.

"They're beautiful, Ray," she whispered. "They suit you."

She turned toward the exit. Just before she left, she spoke one last time.

"You're not a monster, Ray."

Then, she was gone. Ray sat there in silence. Humans were difficult to understand. Just when he thought he was starting to figure them out, they surprised him. Gary had saved him when he was younger. Monk had seen him as family. And Sylvia… wasn't afraid of him.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening again. Expecting Sylvia to return, he turned—

But this time, it was someone else.

A tall, silver-haired man stepped onto the roof, walking toward him with a calm, calculated air. Ray had never seen him before.

"You are Ray, correct?" the man said.

His voice was cold.

"I'm here to teach you a lesson."