The Weakest Link

I reached our room and pushed the door open, letting out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. My footsteps were slow, but purposeful, as I moved toward the bed. A small, satisfied smirk tugged at my lips as I sank into the mattress. For the first time today, I felt a fleeting sense of control.

"You did well. I can see myself in you now."

The voice that echoed in my mind wasn't my own. It wasn't even Liaine's. I froze, my heart skipping a beat. It was the same voice I had heard before—distinct, eerie, as though it had always been there, lingering just below the surface of my thoughts. I had dismissed it before, convincing myself it was just my imagination, but now it was back.

I jerked my head around, scanning the room for any sign of what had spoken.

"Who are you?!" I demanded, my voice sharp, but the room remained still, silent. There was no answer.

The air grew heavier, the silence more suffocating, until the door suddenly creaked open. I snapped my attention to the entrance, my eyes narrowing as the figures stepped into the room—Dante, Zaden, Ashton, and Nantos. The last people I wanted to see right now.

I didn't move, didn't flinch. I simply held my ground, maintaining the small smirk that was the only armor I had left. They all stared at me, their expressions unreadable, but I could sense the quiet judgment in their eyes.

My gaze lingered on Zaden, who stood at the forefront, his posture tall and confident, as always. For the first time today, I felt an overwhelming urge to challenge him, to push back, even though every part of me screamed to stay silent.

"Why are you looking so proud after getting beaten and losing?" Zaden's voice broke the silence, thick with smugness. He stepped closer, his words dripping with condescension.

I suppressed the urge to scoff, reminding myself not to give him the satisfaction. Instead, I leaned back against the bed, pretending as though his words didn't hit me, didn't sting.

"You think beating the weakest guy in the whole damn Academy is something to be proud of?" I said, my voice cold but sharp, my smirk never wavering.

It wasn't a lie. I was the weakest, the outcast, the one everyone would step on without a second thought. And they all knew it. So why was Zaden acting like this was some monumental victory?

The room grew tense as they waited for me to say something, but I didn't need to. The silence spoke for itself.

"You sure are still cocky for someone who just got beaten to a pulp."Zaden said as he dropped onto his bed. "Next time, I'll make sure to fix that attitude of yours."

The others laughed, like it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard.

I didn't react. Instead, my gaze settled on Dante—the only one who wasn't laughing. He just sat there, watching me, expression unreadable.

I rolled my eyes. What was he trying to prove? That he was the better man? The 'good guy' in all of this?

You're wrong, Dante Ashbourne. Dead wrong.

I know exactly who you are. I created you—the overpowered hero with a hollow personality, the character people only worshiped. The fans loved you, adored you and the haters? They only loathed the villain, Elias.

And yet, despite everything, I had to wonder… was I truly any better?

Because if there was one thing I'd come to realize, it was that my greatest mistake wasn't just making Dante too strong. It was thinking I had control over this world at all.

A voice chuckled in my head. Low. Amused.

"You're finally starting to understand."

I looked around, but the room remained unchanged—Zaden and the others still caught up in their amusement. No one else had heard it.

What was this voice? I didn't understand, but I knew one thing— for the first time since I'd been thrown into this world, I didn't feel alone.

Because it was there. Watching. Waiting. Guiding me.

This wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about strength. And right now, I wasn't just surviving—I was learning.

Learning how to make them question everything they thought they knew about me.

And soon, they wouldn't know whether to fear me, hate me, or kneel before me.