Summer had been going well.
Too well, according to Kaien.
He had expected the Veiled Crown to be nothing but missions and training.
Instead, he'd somehow ended up spending most of his days surrounded by people who were slowly changing him.
Not dramatically.
Just enough to notice.
Kaien was still Kaien.
He still thought before acting.
Still cared about his friends.
Still preferred keeping his plans to himself.
But his mouth?
That was becoming a problem.
"Bro, who left these here?"
Kaien stood in the middle of the training room, staring at several weapons scattered across the floor.
Darius looked over.
"Probably you."
Kaien paused.
"...Nah."
Darius raised an eyebrow.
Kaien looked at the weapons again.
"...Okay, yeah. Probably me."
Selene laughed.
"You're getting worse."
"How?"
"You used to speak normally."
Kaien picked up one of the knives.
"I still speak normally."
Lucien looked up from his chair.
"You called me a thief yesterday."
"You were trying to take my knife."
"I was inspecting it."
"You had it in your pocket."
Lucien smiled.
"Details."
Kaien shook his head.
"Bro, you're actually shameless."
Selene laughed again.
Nyra watched them from across the room.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"You're definitely changing."
Kaien looked at her.
"How?"
"You talk like them now."
Kaien frowned.
"...That's unfortunate."
Noah, lying across the couch, spoke without opening his eyes.
"You're becoming one of us."
Kaien stared at him.
"That's somehow worse."
Later that afternoon, Kaien entered MSG.
His room had changed considerably since the beginning of summer.
The desk was covered with notes.
Weapons lined the walls.
Monster materials were stored in labeled containers.
And in the center of the room sat several pieces of black armor.
Kaien picked one up.
The first version.
He put it on.
The chest plate was too restrictive.
He moved his arms.
"Too stiff."
He removed it.
The second version was lighter.
Better.
But the shoulder armor caught against his weapon whenever he raised his pistol.
"Trash."
Into the pile it went.
The third version was almost perfect.
Almost.
Kaien crouched.
The armor around his knees restricted his movement.
He sighed.
"Back to the drawing board."
He sat at his desk.
His armor couldn't be heavy.
His fighting style depended on movement, positioning and precision.
If something hit him, he wanted the armor to reduce the damage.
Not turn him into a walking wall.
He began sketching again.
This time, he knew exactly what he wanted.
A fitted black combat suit.
Light armor over his chest and abdomen.
Reinforced forearms.
Minimal shoulder protection.
Armored thighs.
Reinforced boots.
A high collar.
And most importantly—
space for his weapons.
Kaien added two sheaths along his thighs.
Then several smaller slots around his waist.
Finally, he drew a diagonal harness across his chest.
He paused.
Then added several compact grenades along it.
"Yeah."
He leaned back.
"That's better."
Two days later, the armor was finished.
Kaien stood in front of the mirror.
The black combat suit hugged his body without restricting his movement.
Thin armored plates protected his chest, abdomen and forearms.
A pair of combat knives rested against his thighs.
Several throwing knives were secured around his waist.
Across his chest ran a dark tactical harness, holding several compact grenades in individual loops.
They sat diagonally from his shoulder toward his opposite side, secured tightly enough that they wouldn't swing around while he moved.
His pistol rested against his hip.
His boots were reinforced but light.
Finally, Kaien pulled the high collar into place.
Then he lowered the half-mask over his face.
The reflection staring back at him looked nothing like a normal academy student.
Black clothing.
Blades.
Grenades across his chest.
A firearm at his side.
Every piece of equipment had a purpose.
Kaien tilted his head.
"...Damn."
He turned slightly.
"That actually looks clean."
A knock came from the door.
Kaien looked up.
Nyra stood there.
She stared at him.
Then at the grenades.
Then back at him.
"...You're carrying explosives?"
Kaien looked down.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"In case things get annoying."
Nyra stared.
"That's your explanation?"
"Pretty much."
She sighed.
"You've been spending too much time with the Crown."
Kaien smirked.
"Probably."
She stepped inside and looked over the armor.
"Still, it suits you."
Kaien adjusted one of the straps.
"That's the goal."
That night, all seven Sins gathered in the main hall.
Kaien entered wearing his new armor.
Everyone looked toward him.
Lucien raised an eyebrow.
"Well."
Darius nodded.
"Practical."
Selene smiled.
"Very Gluttony."
Noah opened one eye.
"Too much effort."
Kaien pointed at him.
"Bro, you wear the same shirt for three days."
Noah closed his eye again.
"Comfortable."
Nyra looked at Kaien for a moment.
Then nodded.
"It suits you."
Seraphina studied the armor carefully.
Her eyes moved across the blades, the pistol, and finally the grenades strapped across his chest.
"You designed this yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Why the grenades?"
Kaien shrugged.
"Options."
Seraphina smiled slightly.
"Fair."
Kaien looked around the room.
For the first time, he didn't feel like he was wearing someone else's symbol.
The mark beneath his ribs belonged to Gluttony.
But this?
This was his own creation.
His own fighting style.
His own identity.
Kaien adjusted his gloves.
"Alright."
He looked toward Seraphina.
"Who's got an assignment?"
Seraphina smiled.
"Actually..."
She placed a folder on the table.
"I do."
Kaien walked over.
Summer had officially begun.
And Gluttony was ready.