"This is betrayal!"

The next morning, the dorm was alive with Kieran's dramatic whining as he paced the room in his "Ranged Fighters" uniform.

"This is betrayal! Absolute betrayal!" Kieran lamented, flopping onto the couch like his entire world had crumbled.

"It's not that deep," Visconti said, brushing lint off his uniform. "You'll survive without us."

"Will I, though?" Kieran shot back, throwing his arm over his face. "What if I make new friends, and they're not as cool as you guys? What if they're boring? What if they don't understand my genius?"

Elijah chuckled as he tied his boots. "If anything, I think they'll be relieved not to deal with your antics."

Kieran sat up, pointing dramatically at Elijah. "Et tu, Elijah?"

Kieran was practically dragging his feet across the dorm's floor. "I still can't believe I'm stuck in a different class! Why would they separate us? Do they not understand the power of teamwork?"

"You mean the power of you annoying us during lectures?" Visconti shot back, adjusting his uniform.

"Rude!l Kieran exclaimed, crossing his arms. "You'll miss me, just admit it."

"Sure, Kieran," Elijah said dryly, throwing his bag over his shoulder. "We'll cry ourselves to sleep every night without you.l

"You better," Kieran said with mock seriousness.

"Stop being so dramatic," Elijah said, rolling his eyes but smiling. "It's just one class."

"You're leaving me to fend for myself with strangers!" Kieran exclaimed, clutching his chest like he'd been mortally wounded.

Visconti patted Kieran's shoulder as he headed for the door. "You'll be fine. Don't forget your arrows."

As Elijah and Visconti stepped out, Kieran yelled after them, "If I die, it's on you two!"

The pair laughed as they made their way to the Melee Fighters building.

The melee class building was larger than Elijah expected, with an open training ground surrounded by observation decks and a row of weapon racks.

As they stepped inside, the energy in the room buzzed with anticipation, cadets talking about the upcoming lessons and their future roles.

Elijah's eyes scanned the room and landed on Laurent, who waved at them.

"You're here too?" Visconti asked as they joined him.

"Yeah," Laurent said. "Melee's where the action is. Can't imagine being anywhere else."

Elijah smiled faintly, but his focus shifted when he felt someone's gaze.

Turning slightly, he locked eyes with Adelaide across the room.

She was leaning against a wall, arms crossed, looking at no one in particular—until their eyes met.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Adelaide quickly looked away, her expression unreadable.

Elijah scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, feeling the weight of the previous day's confrontation settle on his shoulders again.

Visconti noticed and smirked. "Looks like someone's still upset with you."

"Or embarrassed," Laurent added thoughtfully. "You did kind of call her out in front of everyone."

"I wasn't trying to embarrass her," Elijah muttered, glancing at her again.

She was now pretending to be deeply interested in the contents of her pocket device.

"Well, you succeeded," Visconti said with a chuckle. "Think she'll try to get back at you?"

"No," Laurent said after a moment, studying Adelaide. "She doesn't strike me as vengeful. I think she's just… uncomfortable."

On the other side of the room, Adelaide was far from angry.

Her mind was replaying their conversation in the cafeteria.

She didn't fully agree with Elijah, but she couldn't shake the way his words had made her feel. It wasn't often that someone challenged her like that, and it left her feeling... awkward.

Adelaide, was fidgeting with her pocket, her thoughts swirling.

'What do I even say to him? Should I apologize? No, he'll think I'm weak. But... was I wrong?'

She frowned, unsure of herself for the first time in a long time. No one's ever called me out like that. It was so… direct.

She glanced at Elijah again, quickly looking away when she realized he was still watching her. Her face flushed slightly. What's wrong with me?

Elijah noticed her second glance and sighed inwardly. He wasn't sure how to approach her either, or if he even should.

"Looks like this is gonna be an interesting class," Visconti muttered under his breath.

Elijah groaned. "Let's just get through it."

The instructor entered the room, immediately commanding attention. "Alright, cadets! Welcome to Melee Class. Today, we'll be focusing on adaptability and close-range combat tactics. Pair up and grab your weapons

As the room burst into activity, Elijah found himself paired with Visconti, while Laurent ended up with another swordsman.

Across the room, Adelaide silently grabbed her staff and squared off with a girl from another squad.

The instructor stepped forward, holding a sleek, black metallic hook with a faintly glowing rope attached to it.

The cadets leaned in, their curiosity piqued as the instructor held the tool aloft for everyone to see.

"This," the instructor began, "is the Skygrappler."

The name alone was enough to make a few cadets murmur in awe.

The instructor continued, "The glowing rope you see is no ordinary rope. It's forged from Linelith Silk, an advanced synthetic material that's thinner than a strand of hair yet stronger than the thickest industrial cables. In other words, the chance of it breaking is as close to zero as humanly possible."

He gave the Skygrappler a small tug, the rope extending smoothly. "This tool allows you to scale high surfaces effortlessly. But paired with it, we have these."

The instructor gestured to a nearby table, where a sleek pair of black combat boots sat. Unlike ordinary boots, they had a faintly shimmering sole and a small control panel embedded near the ankle.

"These are called the Airstep Boots. When activated, it allows you to create artificial footholds in mid-air. With each step, an Ethereal Stair forms beneath you. However," he emphasized, "controlling these steps is tricky, especially when you're in motion. That's why the Skygrappler and the Airstep Boots are used together. While the Skygrappler ensures stability, the Airstep Boots provide mobility and maneuverability in mid-air. Together, they're a game-changer for melee fighters in high-stakes combat."