Tragedy

As soon as they settled in the ship, Aksel was surrounded by recruiters from multiple universities. They were eager to exchange contact and, ask him questions about his future career plans. Very quickly Nioh was forgotten which allowed him to sneak out the encirclement and settle in a quiet spot.

He took out his communication device, which was finally online to check his messages. It had been more than a month since he had been to the orphanage. He was not sure if the big fish he had been hooking this whole time had bitten the bait.

Anyways he wasn't in hurry he just wanted to go back and rest.

"Are you not jealous?" Lieutnant X who had sneaked next to Nioh asked discretly.

Nioh who could not hear the words reactived his hearing aid, And took a military salute.

"Student Nioh! I apologize I am deaf sir! I could not hear what you instructed."

"At ease! I forgot about that. I asked are you not jealous of your teammate getting all the attention?"

"Why should I be? We have different objective."

"What is your objective?"

"I am sorry sir, It is personal"

"Are you sure, you don't want to talk I can change your life with a phone call" he said feeling shocked that the cadet refuted him.

** chuckle ** " What is so funny student Nioh?"

"I come from the outer city, where nothing is ever given for free. I have never met you and you want to make me believe you are this charitable ? I don't buy it. Unless you are going to use your rank to coerce a response out of me. This is my response."

Lieutnant X face was twitching in annoyance. When Nioh continued "Even then, I haven't join the army yet until further notice, I am still a civilian your rank can't coerce me. So unless you are planning to use force, I don't see your proposal."

A grin appeared on X's face " You are quite daring."

"I need to be for the kind of ambition I have"

"Very good. Decline all the University admission requests you will receive these coming days. My offer will be worth your while."

"I am looking forward to it" Nioh said with his pretty face illuminating.

--

 The rest of the day passed uneventfully as the 24h for the examination have been concluded.

The announcement of the leaderboard hit like a thunderclap.

"First Place: Aksel and Nioh – 140 Points."

The training hall fell silent as every head turned toward the screen. For a brief moment, no one spoke, their minds trying to process the absurd number. Then, the noise exploded.

"How in the hell did they get 140 points?" someone exclaimed, their voice tinged with disbelief. "That's almost double the second place!"

"It doesn't make sense," a girl muttered, her hands gripping the edge of the table. "We've been here for twenty-four hours, pushing to our limits, and they finished in eight? What did we miss?"

Some of the students tried to reason it out, recounting what they'd seen during the examination.

"Tch." Eric, sneered. "They must've cheated. Aksel's nothing without Nioh, and even Nioh's just a flashy showoff. There's no way they earned that score legit." His words found eager ears, and others began to echo his sentiment.

"They probably exploited a loophole," another student growled. "The instructors are just trying to stir up drama by letting those losers take first."

Denial and disdain rippled through the crowd like wildfire. Accusations filled the air, each louder than the last, as the room began to boil over with frustration. Some called for a recount; others whispered about filing complaints. The disbelief was palpable, the atmosphere electric with hostility.

At the back of the room, Aksel and Nioh stood apart, watching the chaos unfold with contrasting expressions. Aksel grinned, the corner of his lip twitching upward in amusement. "Looks like we broke them."

Nioh's face remained stoic as he replied, "They'll get over it.."

"Maybe," Aksel mused, crossing his arms. "Where are you going?" he asked seeing his partner leave.

"It was a pleasure to work with you, good luck on your future endeavors." Nioh concluded as he walked away.

Aksel could only look in away as the boy walked away, he was certain that his ascension was just starting. Their fate probably ended here he thought looking at the heroic figure.

After collecting his things and cleaning his dorm, Nioh gave the academy a last look, before heading towards the orphanage.

Nioh walked down the eerily quiet streets, his usual stoic demeanor giving way to a subtle unease as he approached the orphanage. Something felt wrong. The building, which was usually alive with laughter and chaos, now stood silent, shrouded in darkness. The warm glow of life had vanished, replaced by an oppressive stillness that made his skin crawl.

His pulse quickened as he pushed the creaking gate open. The sound echoed unnaturally in the quiet, setting his teeth on edge. He stepped inside cautiously, his hand instinctively hovering near the weaponized modules of his suit.

"Granny Leah?" he called out, his voice steady but low. "Kids? It's me."

No response.

He moved through the hall, his boots crunching on broken glass he didn't remember being there before. The faint metallic scent in the air was unmistakable—blood. Nioh's sharp eyes darted to the floor, where faint smears of red led deeper into the orphanage.

Every step felt heavier than the last as he followed the trail. His eyes scanned the shadows, the corners, looking for any sign of life. He found none. The silence was suffocating, but then his foot caught on something soft.

Looking down, his breath hitched. A small body lay crumpled on the floor, the child's features frozen in an expression of terror. A neat, precise shot marked the back of their skull. Nioh's jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists as he took in the gruesome scene around him.

He stepped further into the room, his sharp senses piecing together the carnage. The children had been lined up, executed one by one. Their small forms lay scattered in pools of blood, each one a silent testament to the horror that had unfolded here.

At the far end of the room, Nioh's gaze fell upon Granny Leah. Her frail body was tied to a chair, her head slumped forward. Her eyes were wide open, glassy with the residue of unimaginable pain and grief. It was clear she had been forced to watch the massacre, powerless to stop it.

Nioh's knees felt weak, but he forced himself forward, kneeling before her. "Granny," he whispered, his voice breaking for the first time in years. He reached out a trembling hand, touching her lifeless arm.

The silence of the orphanage was shattered by the sound of heavy boots stomping against the bloodstained floors. A group of enforcement officers rushed in, their armored figures casting long shadows against the flickering hallway lights. The scene before them froze them in their tracks.

"Hands up!" one of the officers barked, his voice firm but tinged with disbelief as his eyes scanned the room.

Their breaths hitched at the sight of the lifeless bodies sprawled across the floor—small, innocent forms lying in unnatural stillness. Pools of blood reflected the dim light, painting a horrifying tableau of carnage. At the center of it all knelt a boy, motionless and silent.

"Good lord… what happened here?" another officer murmured, his voice cracking under the weight of the scene before him.

Nioh remained on his knees, his body locked in place as if rooted to the ground. His gaze was fixed on Granny Leah, her lifeless form slumped in the chair. The sight of her hollow, unblinking eyes seemed to strip him of all awareness, his mind spiraling into a void where time and sound ceased to exist.

"Hey! I said, hands up!" the lead officer shouted again, stepping closer, his weapon raised cautiously.

When Nioh didn't respond, two officers moved in swiftly, gripping his arms to hoist him to his feet. The sudden touch jolted Nioh from his trance, and he blinked, his disoriented gaze shifting to the enforcers.

"Wait!" one of the younger officers hesitated, his eyes darting between Nioh and the carnage. "Are we sure he's the one? He looks…"

"Protocol is protocol," the lead officer interrupted, gesturing sharply. "This boy's the only one here, and until we know what happened, he's coming with us."

The officers began securing Nioh's wrists with cuffs, their actions methodical but uneasy. The boy didn't resist, his movements mechanical as if his body no longer belonged to him.

As they dragged him toward the exit, Nioh's head turned slightly, his green-highlighted mech suit gleaming faintly in the dim light. His eyes, cold and vacant, remained fixed on Granny Leah's lifeless form until the orphanage disappeared from view.