Those words were like a key, leading to the tight hold on her hands relaxing.
White released her hands and stood after, preparing to leave.
"Iâm sorry."
She said to him, and he paused.
"I guess anyone would have been mad from hearing that."
"But you know what, Nova?"
White said, turning to her.
"I truly donât trust you."
He said, and even though she already knew that, it still brought a stinging pain to her heart on hearing it.
"I try to keep you from harm. Try to make sure youâre safe from any of us, but not because I promised you loyalty, nor is it because I was trying to create a good impression. I donât wish to be loved."
"Itâs because I told myself I would try...and not doing so will be a betrayal to myself."
White said before he turned back.
His last words echoed clearly through the valley:
"So in the end, itâs safe to say...I only trust myself."
____
Nova watched him leave. Though he wasnât running, he moved fast.
So fast he was only in her view for less than five seconds before his silhouette completely disappeared.
She could lie to herself that his words didnât affect her, but her body knew the truth.
Her hands reached up, and she wiped her cheeks, a wetness hitting her fingers.
His words had made her cry, though she could swear it wasnât because she was mad at him.
Perhaps it was due to the coldness, but she had heard more painful words, and none ever brought her close to sadness, speak less of tears.
But she didnât dwell in her sadness for long.
She rose to her feet, the clouds shifting away in that moment and allowing the moonâs rays of light to shine down below, illuminating her figure.
It was the only one who bore the testament she made:
"That wonât stop me from trying to earn your trust. Itâs not nearly enough."
____
[So, a good outing, no?]
The system panel flashed at the corner of his gaze as White slipped underneath his bed sheet, preparing to sleep.
"I donât wish to speak about it."
He said, zipping his eyes shut, but sleep didnât come.
His mind just kept drifting all over, and eventually, he tried to get it off by grabbing his device by the side.
Heading to the Cyberanking challenges, he accepted three challenges, scheduling all of them to happen tomorrow.
[What the? Hey, you sure you want to take on three of the strongest students, including the strongest, all on the same day?]
The system panel flashed as White returned the phone to the wardrobe, drifting back to the sheets.
âIâve played it safe enough. Itâs time I get back on track.â
[White. Youâre on the proper track, and youâve got to take this one at a time. You canât rush through it.]
"From now..."
[Yes?]
"Call me MadWhite."
_____
"No way in hell this is happening."
"Tell me this is a lie."
"Gustav, Rukun, Shogun, Inumaki, Morgaine, Aster, Davinci, Alisson, Sunless, and even the new Rank 10, Novaelia, are all here."
"All top 10 here in the stadium."
"All on the same day."
"Why are they all here! Is it because of Gustav?"
"You didnât see the Challenge leaks?"
"Challenge leaks?"
"Yes. White had issued a Challenge to take on Gustav, Rukun, and Davinci, all today!"
"WHAT!?"
"I know, right? Talk of disrespect."
The entire stadium was buzzing with incredible fervor, murmurs filling the arena.
All of the students were in attendance, filling it to the brim, but it wasnât just the students.
On the higher arena situated behind the glass, one could see a glass hall which was protected with an anti-gaze covering.
And within it, oblivious to most of the students,
A total of 12 Instructors were sitting on chairs, looking down at the arena with quiet amusement.
"Surprised one little kidâs decision drove you all out of your desks. Tsk, are all of your lives so boring?"
The words resounded within the barrier coming from an exceptionally tall man, about three meters tall, who had his leg on the table as he reclined, both hands placed behind the back of his head.
He gave a cursory eye glance to the rest of the instructors, leaving some of them chuckling.
"Vice Rohan. Youâre also here, too."
A female instructor said, loud laughter filling the room.
"As a Vice responsible for the Newcomers. Itâs part of my job to be there when a disturbance is in the air."
"Safe to say, Iâm just doing my job."
He denied as the rest rolled their eyes.
"Whoâs this White anyway?"
Another teacher asked, he was a chubby teacher who just happened to have a huge bag of snacks in his hands, his hand dipping in and chewing more.
"You donât know him, and yet here you are."
Another teacher asked, but he defended.
"Actually, I donât. And it was Ulyss that dragged me here, promising itâll be fun."
He said, pointing at a green-haired Instructor by the side.
"Who is White? Well, heâs a student."
Ulyss said, and they clapped their forehead.
"Of course, heâs a student. What else could he be?"
"A Limitless Boy?"
Another Instructor answered.
"Wait, are we all here attending the everlasting beef of the Limitless and Malevolent Bloodline?"
"No. Rukun Malevolent is just one of the students that he would be dueling. And right now, I think he might actually be the weakest of them."
A teacher said.
"Whoâs the real deal amongst all three?"
"Gustav obviously."
Another instructor said but then,
"No."
The words cut through the silence as all eyes turned back to him.
Vice Rohan.
"Gustav isnât the real deal."
Vice Rohan repeated,
"Are you saying?"
He asked.
"Yes. Itâs Davinci."
He said.
Seeing the Instructorsâ debatable expression, he further asked,
"Do any of you know his full name?"
He asked, and all the instructors looked blankly before all quickly checking their runic watches.
"Davinci...Nietzsche?"
"Wait, Nietzsche?"
"Like the Lost Nietzsche Family!?"
An instructor called out, eyes widened in shock.
"Thereâs an Original Heir amongst the Newcomers!?"
________
Normally, there would have been a lot more challenges happening today, and things would have slowly progressed until they reached Whiteâs and the rest of the challenge.
But the arena was completely free, and that was because all other fights had been postponed, leaving it all fully for the three main fights.
Time passed, the murmur lowering as it did.
"Itâs already 15 minutes past the first fight schedule. If he isnât here in the next five minutes, it will be an automatic cancel."
"Just where is he?"
"Donât tell me he challenged all three just to dip?"
"If that happens, then youâve gotta admit. It was a pretty good ragebait."
Some students joked amongst themselves, but every word all of a sudden fell to a chilling crawl when an aura suddenly descended onto the arena.
"What the hell is this?"
It was something that hit every single student in unison, and all snapped their gaze to the entrance where a figure could be seen calmly walking forward, both hands folded behind his back.
STEP!
STEP!
It was like a drum echoing through their chest, making their heart pound to the same rhythm as his legs hit the ground.
When he fully stepped out of the shadows and looked up to the arena, most of the studentsâ hearts spiraled out of control.
"Whatâs...whatâs wrong with his eyes?"
Whiteâs eyes, usually dark, had taken on a different color.
They were crimson, full crimson with a vertical, black colored, serpentine mark in the center.
It was almost like looking at an awakened serpentine beast, gazing lifelessly at every student in the arena.
It eventually locked on the glass, which had a clear anti-gaze covering that should have prevented even an awakener from seeing through, yet every instructor could feel Whiteâs gaze landing on them.
"Now thatâs interesting."
Vice Rohan said, his smile widening.
Taking his eyes away from them, White walked straight to the center of the arena and waited.
The instructor responsible for the fight finally focused, calling out,
"First Challenge!"
"Rukun Malevolent Vs White Sinclaw?"
BOOOOM!
The arena shook straight after that as a crimson-haired young man landed right on the stage.
It was none other than Rukun Malevolent who rose to his feet, turning at White with a callous grin.
"READY!"
The instructor shouted out as Rukun cracked his neck and shoulders.
"Ready? Iâve been waiting for this moment since forever."
Whiteâs eye change didnât bother Rukun, not even one bit.
Today, he will do one thing to the one who had stolen his prey from him and now mocked him by challenging him along with three others as if he could be easily dispatched:
Drag down hell upon him!
"BEGIN!"
The instructor said, and Rukun cackled evilly, both hands raised as the air began to shake.
"We finally meet White! Hope..."
The words froze in Rukunâs lips, his widening to saucers as he watched Whiteâs image ten meters away from him, suddenly dispersed into motes of light.
A chill spread in his spine as he looked down and saw a shadow cast in front of him, from someone behind him.
"Iâm MadWhite."