Chapter 13: The Vengeful Executioner

The night was thick with an oppressive silence, broken only by the distant howl of the wind. The moon hung low, casting long, jagged shadows across the cobblestone streets of the city. Somewhere in the labyrinth of alleys near the prestigious academy, a nobleman stumbled, his breath ragged and uneven. His fine silk shirt was torn, and blood seeped through the fabric, staining it a deep crimson. He clutched his shoulder, his face pale with terror as he backed away from the figure before him.

She was a shadow given form, her presence as cold and unyielding as the steel in her hand. Her hood obscured her face, but her eyes burned like twin embers, glowing with an unnatural crimson light. The sword she held was slick with blood, each droplet falling to the ground with a soft plink that echoed in the narrow alley.

"W-Wait!" the nobleman stammered, his voice trembling. "I don't even know who this Tyrant is! Please, you've got the wrong man!"

The woman tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. Her voice, when it came, was low and icy, carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken grievances.

"Then you are useless to me."

In one fluid motion, she swung her blade. The nobleman's pleas were cut short as he collapsed to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring up at the starless sky. Valeria stepped over his body without a second glance, her crimson gaze fixed on the towering silhouette of the academy in the distance. The faint glow of its windows seemed to mock her, a beacon of false peace in a world steeped in betrayal and bloodshed.

"I've found you, Tyrant," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "And this time, you won't escape."

Cain's day had been uneventful, yet a gnawing unease had settled deep in his chest. It was a feeling he couldn't shake, no matter how hard he tried. He sat in the academy's grand library, surrounded by towering shelves of ancient tomes, but his focus was elsewhere. His fingers drummed restlessly against the wooden table, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't quite articulate.

Something was wrong.

It wasn't Selene's relentless training sessions, which left him bruised and exhausted. It wasn't Victoria's unnerving obsession with his every move, her piercing gaze always lingering a little too long. No, this was different. It was a primal instinct, a deep-seated awareness that something or someone was watching him. Waiting.

[System Notice: "Hostile Presence Detected."]

The sudden notification from his system jolted him out of his thoughts. Cain froze, his breath catching in his throat. His eyes darted around the library, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. The other students were engrossed in their studies, oblivious to the tension that had gripped him.

"What?" he muttered under his breath, his heart pounding.

Selene, seated across from him, noticed his sudden stillness. Her sharp eyes flickered with concern as she leaned forward slightly.

"Something wrong?" she asked, her voice low.

Cain hesitated, his mind racing. He couldn't explain the system's warning, not without revealing secrets he wasn't ready to share. Forcing a calm he didn't feel, he shook his head.

"...Nothing," he replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.

But he knew it wasn't 'nothing.' The system's warnings were never wrong. Something was coming something dangerous. And as much as he tried to convince himself otherwise, he knew he wasn't ready.

The rooftop offered a perfect vantage point, its height providing a clear view of the academy's sprawling grounds. Valeria stood in the shadows, her figure blending seamlessly with the darkness. Her crimson eyes were locked on a single figure below: Cain. He was walking across the courtyard, his posture relaxed, his expression unguarded. To anyone else, he would have seemed like an ordinary student, nothing more.

But Valeria saw through the facade. She saw the faint tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes occasionally flicked to the shadows as if sensing her presence. He was different now softer, weaker. The fire that had once burned within him seemed dimmed, almost extinguished. It disgusted her.

"No matter what face you wear..." she murmured, her voice a venomous whisper, "...I will be your executioner."

Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword, the leather creaking under the pressure. Memories flashed before her eyes, her master's lifeless body, the betrayal that had shattered her world, the vow she had made to avenge him. Cain had taken everything from her. And now, he would pay.

With a final, lingering glance, she turned and vanished into the night, her presence dissolving like smoke on the wind.

The dormitory was quiet when Cain returned, the halls empty save for the faint hum of magical lights lining the walls. He was exhausted, his body aching from the day's training, but his mind was still restless. The system's warning lingered in his thoughts, a constant reminder that danger was near.

As he approached his door, he froze. Embedded in the wood was a dagger, its blade buried deep. A single note was attached to the hilt, the parchment crisp and unblemished. Cain's heart pounded as he reached for it, his fingers trembling slightly as he unfolded the message.

"Your past awaits you, Tyrant."

The words were simple, but their impact was devastating. Cain's blood ran cold, his breath catching in his throat. He glanced around the hallway, half-expecting to see a figure lurking in the shadows, but there was no one. The dagger, however, was proof enough. His nightmare had begun.

He stepped inside his room, the door closing softly behind him. The dagger and note lay on his desk, their presence a grim reminder of the life he had tried to leave behind. Cain sank into his chair, his mind racing. He had known this day would come, but he had hoped foolishly that it wouldn't be so soon.

As the weight of his past settled over him, Cain realized one thing with absolute certainty: the hunt had begun. And this time, there would be no escape.