The Rift

Lu Shueng was running through the dimly lit streets, his body aching and his mind racing. His injuries from the fight with Remond and Master Ho Dieng were severe, and his options for escape were dwindling. The faint sound of approaching footsteps sent chills down his spine. He turned a corner, only to find himself face-to-face with a group of men in dark suits, their faces expressionless under the pale glow of the streetlights.

"Finally," Lu Shueng muttered, forcing a smirk despite his exhaustion. "I assume Lopart sent you to get me out of here."

The men didn't respond. Instead, one of them stepped forward and raised a tranquilizer gun.

Lu Shueng's smirk faltered. "Wait, what are you—"

Before he could finish, a dart pierced his neck. His vision blurred, and the world around him spun as he crumpled to the ground. The last thing he saw was the cold, impassive faces of Lopart's men as they carried him away.

---

When Lu Shueng's eyes fluttered open, he found himself in a dimly lit cell. The walls were lined with steel, and the faint hum of machinery echoed in the background. His arms and legs were shackled to the chair he sat on, and his head throbbed with a dull ache.

"Comfortable?" a cold, detached voice asked.

Lu Shueng turned his head to see Lopart standing on the other side of the cell's thick glass wall. The man's sharp suit and calculating gaze made him look more like a businessman than a scientist, but Lu Shueng knew better.

"What's the meaning of this?" Lu Shueng growled, his voice rough.

Lopart smiled thinly. "I've been watching your little escapade. That fight with the old man—what's his name? Ho Dieng?—was… enlightening. You're strong, Lu Shueng, but not strong enough. If you want to win, you'll need more than brute strength."

"I don't need your help," Lu Shueng spat. "I'll deal with him on my own."

Lopart's smile didn't waver. "Perhaps. But why struggle when you can have an edge?"

With a flick of his wrist, Lopart signaled to one of his men, who entered the room holding a syringe filled with a strange gray serum.

"What's that?" Lu Shueng demanded, his muscles tensing against the restraints.

"An improvement," Lopart said. "A gift, if you will."

Before Lu Shueng could protest, the man plunged the syringe into his arm, pressing down the plunger. The serum entered his bloodstream, and a burning sensation spread through his veins.

---

The experiment began almost immediately. Lu Shueng's screams echoed through the facility as the serum coursed through his body, rewriting his very cells. His muscles convulsed, his veins darkened, and his vision blurred with flashes of light and shadow.

Lopart watched from behind the glass, his expression one of cold fascination. "You'll thank me for this someday," he murmured to himself.

The agony seemed to stretch on for hours, and by the end, Lu Shueng's screams had faded into ragged gasps. His body slumped in the chair, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

"Take him to recovery," Lopart ordered. "We'll see the results soon enough."

---

A Normal Morning at School

The next day, the atmosphere at school was unusually subdued. Students moved through the halls, chattering about upcoming exams and the latest gossip.

Hayato walked into the classroom with Yuki by his side, his left arm in a plaster cast. His injuries from the fight were still evident in the bruises on his face and the stiffness of his movements, but he managed a small smile as he greeted his classmates.

"Hayato!" one of the students exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

"Ah, just an accident," Hayato said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with his good hand.

Yuki, however, wasn't letting him off so easily. "Accident, my foot," she said with a smirk. "You're lucky I'm here to make sure you don't break the other arm."

Hayato rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the faint blush on his cheeks. "Yeah, yeah, thanks, Mom."

The class laughed, and for a moment, the tension seemed to lift. But it didn't last long.

---

Remond entered the classroom shortly after, his usual confident stride replaced by a tense, guarded demeanor. He glanced briefly at Hayato and Yuki before taking his seat, his expression unreadable.

Sid was already at his desk, staring intently at his notebook but not writing anything. The distance between him and Remond was palpable, a chasm that the other students couldn't ignore.

"Hey, what's up with them?" one student whispered.

"Did they have a fight or something?" another asked.

"They've been like this all morning," someone else replied. "It's weird. They're usually inseparable."

Hayato noticed the tension as well and leaned over to Yuki. "What's going on with those two? Are they still on that topic?"

Yuki sighed, her expression troubled. "It's… complicated. Let's just say they're not on the best terms right now."

Hayato frowned, his worry deepening. "They'll work it out. They always do."

---

The Announcement

As the class settled in, the teacher entered the room, a stack of papers in hand. "Good morning, everyone," she said. "I have an important announcement to make."

The students sat up, their curiosity piqued.

"The end-term exams are coming up," the teacher continued. "They'll begin in two weeks, so I suggest you start preparing. This will be your chance to show how much you've learned this semester."

A collective groan filled the room, but the teacher ignored it. "I'll be handing out the syllabus after class. Make sure to review it thoroughly."

Hayato sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Great. Just what I needed."

Yuki smirked, nudging him with her elbow. "Don't worry, I'll help you study. With that arm of yours, you'll need all the help you can get."

Hayato chuckled, though his thoughts drifted to the tension between Remond and Sid. The exams were the least of his worries.

---

As the day went on, the weight of recent events lingered over the group. Remond and Sid avoided each other, their silence speaking volumes. Hayato, despite his injuries, tried to keep things light, but even he couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was brewing.

In the background, the world moved on, unaware of the battles fought in the shadows and the scars they left behind. But for Remond, Sid, Hayato, and the others, those battles were far from over.

And somewhere in a darkened facility, Lu Shueng stirred, his body changed in ways even he couldn't yet comprehend.