Lucas’s fingers tightened around the edge of the classroom door.
His breathing slowed.
The pleading voice was no longer distant.
It was right beyond the door.
“…Please…”
“…Just give me a little more time…”
Silence answered.
Lucas slowly leaned forward, peering through the narrow opening.
His pupils contracted.
Billy.
The skinny boy knelt on the classroom floor, barely able to keep himself upright.
His glasses had shattered.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
One sleeve of his uniform had been ripped completely open.
Around him…
Five upperclassmen stood in a loose circle.
Watching.
Smiling.
One of them stepped forward.
He was taller than the others.
Calm.
Well-groomed.
If someone had seen him outside this room, they would have mistaken him for an outstanding student.
Only his eyes betrayed him.
There was no warmth in them.
Only amusement.
He bent down and grabbed Billy by the collar.
“So…”
His voice was almost gentle.
“Where’s my present?”
Billy’s body trembled.
“I…”
“I already sent the invitation…”
“S-She’ll come…”
“I promise…”
The young man’s smile faded.
“You’ve been saying that since yesterday.”
He slowly pulled Billy closer.
“So tell me…”
“How much longer do I have to wait?”
Billy couldn’t answer.
His lips shook uncontrollably.
“P-Please…”
“Just…”
“…a little more time…”
The upperclassman stared at him for several seconds.
Then-
THUD!
His knee crashed into Billy’s stomach.
Billy folded instantly.
A strangled cough escaped his throat as he collapsed to both knees.
The classroom exploded with laughter.
“What a joke.”
“I think he’s about to cry.”
“He already is.”
Another burst of laughter echoed through the empty room.
Lucas’s jaw slowly tightened.
His nails dug into his palms.
The upperclassman crouched once more.
This time…
His smile was gone.
“If she doesn’t come…”
“…I’ll keep breaking your bones.”
“…One by one.”
Billy’s shoulders shook.
“I swear…”
“I invited her…”
“She’ll come…”
Lucas frowned.
Her…?
Who are they talking about?
The name never came.
Only-
She.
Whoever she was…
Billy was risking everything for her.
Or perhaps…
He simply had no choice.
The young man stood.
He sighed in disappointment.
“It seems our messenger still hasn’t learned.”
One of the others chuckled.
“Want me to teach him?”
“No.”
The leader slowly raised his right hand.
“I will.”
Billy’s eyes widened.
“N-No…”
“Please…”
“I already did everything-”
Blue sparks danced across the young man’s fingertips.
Crack…
Crack…
Tiny arcs of electricity crawled across his arm.
The classroom dimmed beneath the eerie blue light.
Lucas stopped breathing.
Lightning…?
The energy continued growing.
Wild.
Violent.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Billy instinctively threw both arms over his head.
“PLEASE!”
The young man smiled.
Then extended his hand.
CRAAAAACK!!
A bolt of lightning exploded through the classroom.
The blast struck the wall inches from Billy’s face.
BOOOOOOM!!
Concrete burst apart.
Chunks of stone scattered across the floor.
Smoke swallowed half the room.
Billy screamed.
The others laughed.
Lucas remained frozen.
An awakened ability…
Inside the school…?
His pulse hammered against his ribs.
Jackson Newman isn’t the only awakened student…
How many more are hiding here?
His thoughts raced.
Without realizing it…
Creeeaaak…
The old hinge groaned.
Every sound stopped.
The laughter vanished.
Even the smoke seemed to stand still.
Five pairs of eyes turned toward the entrance.
The upperclassman’s smile slowly returned.
“…Interesting.”
His voice echoed through the silent classroom.
“We have an audience.”
Lucas’s heart nearly stopped.
He immediately stepped away from the doorway, pressing his back against the cold wall outside.
Not a sound.
Not a breath.
Inside…
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Each one echoed through the abandoned classroom.
Then they stopped.
Only a few steps from the shattered doorway.
“I know you’re there.”
Silence.
Lucas clenched his teeth.
His heartbeat sounded deafening inside his ears.
Don’t move…
Don’t breathe…
Several seconds passed.
Then…
The upperclassman sighed.
“If you insist.”
Blue lightning burst across his arm once more.
Lucas’s eyes widened.
No-
The young man thrust his hand toward the entrance.
BOOOOOOOOM!!
The classroom door exploded into splinters.
A torrent of lightning and shattered wood ripped through the hallway.
Lucas threw himself backward.
The blast missed him by less than a meter.
Wood fragments rained across the corridor.
Smoke poured from the ruined entrance.
Lucas hit the floor hard.
His ears rang.
His chest rose and fell violently.
“…That…”
“…was too close.”
Then-
Footsteps.
Not from the classroom.
From the opposite end of the hallway.
Slow.
Steady..
Someone…
Was walking toward the explosion.
Lucas lifted his head.
A shadow appeared at the far end of the corridor.
He couldn’t see the person’s face.
Only the silhouette.
His heartbeat quickened.
Who is that…?