Payback

The next morning, Kyle woke early—clear-headed and unusually energised. As he stretched and glanced around, he noticed Eddie's bed empty again. This time, Jake's was, too.

He checked the time: still well before breakfast. Dawn had only just broken.

Where the hell would they be at this hour?

He dismissed the thought quickly. It wasn't worth overanalysing. Instead, he got up, freshened himself, and began dressing earlier than usual.

As he adjusted his uniform, his thoughts drifted back to the previous day's encounter with Reign. A sharp mind, no doubt. Yet the Ashen Sect remained disorganised, thinly structured, and generally obscure. Almost like their current state was intentional.

His mind briefly circled back to the insignia—the black dagger encased in a broken ring.

Could it represent rebellion? A sect that intentionally breaks away from order, structure, or control?

'That would be foolish and immature, though.'

He set the idea aside. Thrre was no use speculating now. He wanted his mind idle for a while.

Then, another thought surged up like a punch to the gut—the beast crystal.

The one from the Rank D Gorgewar. The system had prompted him to sell it for experience points. But in the chaos of his evolution—and the agony that came with it—he'd dropped it. Worse still, he'd forgotten entirely until now.

He cursed under his breath. Not that he had anywhere to store it, given his lack of inventory at the time. Even after levelling up, the system didn't fulfil its promise until just yesterday.

And now, to top it all off, he still hadn't received payment for the raid.

'How many losses did I stack that day?'

"Shit. Worked my arse off for nothing."

He sighed.

"Well... at least I levelled up. In pain. And got a new skill. Yay."

Once dressed, he headed out. By now, it was officially morning—time for breakfast. Still no sign of Eddie or Jake.

With no reason to wait, he made his way alone to the canteen.

Kyle arrived at the canteen and immediately noticed the chaos. Trays were scattered, chairs overturned, and one student lay unconscious near the door. He stepped over him without a word and walked straight toward the source of the commotion.

At the centre, Eddie stood over two boys, fists clenched and ready to continue. Jack had one arm across his chest, trying to hold him back.

The two boys on the ground weren't unfamiliar. Kyle recognised them at once—Bryan's underlings. Nathan and Troy. Known for being loud, petty, and always moving in packs.

Jack looked over as Kyle approached. "It's getting out of hand. I can't stop him."

"Eddie," Kyle said, firmly.

Eddie stopped mid-swing and turned slightly. His breathing was heavy.

"Ugh ~ they touched Jake again," he said with a grimace. "I warned them."

Nathan groaned on the floor, blood on his lip.

"Fu*k. We didn't even do anything—"

"Shut up," Eddie snapped. "You're the same two that cornered him days ago. He nearly died because of you."

Troy tried to sit up, clutching his side. "It wasn't like that. We didn't know the fool had a weak heart or whatever—"

"Stop talking," Kyle said flatly.

He glanced down at Jake, who now stood to one side, eyes wide, hands clenched. He was now silent but clearly shaken.

Kyle exhaled. "Eddie, they're not worth it. It wasn't the good time and place to do this."

"They're going to keep doing it if someone doesn't step in," Eddie replied.

"Maybe," Kyle said. "But next time, don't do it in front of more than seventy people eating breakfast."

Eddie pulled back fully, standing straight. His knuckles were red. He looked around and noticed the crowd for the first time. His jaw tightened.

Jack muttered, "Great timing."

A few students dragged Nathan and Troy away towards the health bay. Meanwhile, throughout the commotion, no teacher or staff appeared to step in. The matter seemed left alone—probably intentionally. No one wanted this incident escalating to the second-years. Once it did, Eddie would become a target.

Kyle watched the two limping bullies disappear around the corridor and taking their unconscious buddy, then looked at Jake.

"You alright?"

Jake nodded once. "I didn't expect him to..."

Eddie gave a small shrug. "You're my roommate. That's enough reason."

Kyle frowned slightly. "Just don't make it a pattern. Not unless you want trouble."

'This two fools are going to be a big problem in my plan due to their immaturity, especially Eddie. What do I do now?'

The crowd began to scatter. Most lost interest as soon as fists stopped flying.

Kyle walked over to an empty table and sat down. He looked at his food that he had just ordered, then pushed the tray forward slightly before pulling it back.

'My appetite keeps dying every damn morning.'

Eventually, Eddie and Jake joined him. None of them said anything. They just ate—silent and stiff. There was no forced conversation. No need to address what had already been said.

From the other side of the hall, Anna watched them. She noted the mood immediately. It was a sure fallout.

'Blah. I shouldn't give a damn about their matters anymore.'

___

A few minutes later, the three of them made their way to class. The halls were noticeably more crowded than usual—students moving with purpose, likely due to the importance of the day's lecture.

It was time for their first Magical Construct class—designed to teach students how to access multiple magical channels and unlock greater potential through structured training and consistency.

Kyle was particularly interested in this one. He had no intention of depending on the system; it was never something he fully trusted in the first place.