The laughter from breakfast hadn't fully faded—
but the air had changed.
Subtly.
Quietly.
Dangerously.
Raphael didn't say anything immediately.
He didn't need to.
He just… watched.
Jay noticed it first.
That shift.
That silence behind the noise.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her glass.
Keifer noticed her noticing.
"Don't look," he murmured under his breath.
"Too late," she replied.
Across the table—
Raphael placed his cup down.
A soft clink.
And suddenly—
it felt louder than all the chaos before.
His gaze lifted.
Straight to Jay.
Then—
to Keifer.
A pause.
Long enough to be uncomfortable.
"Balcony."
One word.
Flat.
Controlled.
But heavy.
The entire table froze.
Percy blinked.
"…oh we're dead."
Aries leaned back slowly.
"Yep."
Yuri didn't even react—just watched.
Jay exhaled.
Slow.
Steady.
Then stood.
"If you're accusing—"
"I'm not accusing."
Raphael cut her off.
Calm.
Worse than shouting.
"I'm stating."
Silence stretched again.
Keifer stepped forward slightly—
not in front of her,
but enough.
Subtle.
Protective.
"It wasn't what you think."
Raphael's eyes shifted to him.
Sharp.
"And what do I think?"
A pause.
Keifer didn't answer.
Jay did.
"It was nothing."
Raphael looked back at her.
"And you expect me to believe that?"
Jay held his gaze.
Didn't flinch.
"Yes."
That made it worse.
Because she wasn't scared.
And Raphael didn't like that.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"You're a leader."
His voice dropped.
"You know the rules."
The room felt smaller.
Jay stepped forward now.
"You think I don't?"
"No," Raphael said, sharper this time, "I think you're ignoring them."
That hit.
Keifer's expression shifted—
just slightly.
Dangerous.
But Jay raised a hand—
stopping him before he could speak.
"I didn't break anything."
Her voice was steady.
Too steady.
"And even if I did—"
She tilted her head slightly.
"I'll handle it."
A pause.
"Trust me."
The words hung there.
Not soft.
Not pleading.
Confident.
Raphael stared at her for a long second.
fine just because i trust you
The clock struck 1:47 PM, and the training wing of Watson Estate seemed to breathe in at once.
Shoes hit the polished floor, gloves tightened, weapons clicked into place—and at the center stood
Raphael, still as ever, arms crossed, his presence alone enough to silence the room."League is at 4 PM," he said, calm but absolute."Training starts at 2."No one argued.No one ever did.
Jay, of course, was the exception—at least on the surface.
She leaned against a pillar, spinning a knife between her fingers, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else."Do we have to go full war mode?" she muttered.
Raphael didn't even glance at her."Yes."
She groaned, but the moment he said her name—just "Jay"—she straightened.No resistance.Just a quiet "…fine."That was their rhythm.Not control.Something deeper.
By 2:03 PM, the training grounds were alive—not chaotic, but sharp, precise, controlled.
Section E spread out, each pair falling into rhythm,showing exactly why they were feared without actually hurting each other.
Across the arena, Keifer stepped into the ring with Percy.
Boxing suited him—direct, powerful, confident.Every punch carried weight but never crossed the line.Percy countered smoothly, reading him, adapting.
Nearby, josh and Yuri blended speed and strategy—instinct and calculation working as one.
Cin moved first.
A blur.
His martial arts flowed like water—smooth transitions, controlled impact,every strike stopping an inch before contact.
Not hesitation.
Control.
Mayo followed.
Lighter steps.
Faster recovery.
Her movements almost playful—
until you realizedevery angle she hit…
was lethal.
Edrix stepped in.
Sharper.
More aggressive.
His hits carried pressure—
but never crossed the line.
Power without losing control.
Jay watched.
"…damn."
Across the arena—
Keifer entered the ring.
Gloves tight.
Boxing stance perfect.
His punches landed heavy—
not wild.
Measured.
Intentional.
Percy blocked.
Countered.
Read him like a book.
"You're predictable," Percy smirked.
"Say that again," Keifer shot back—
and hit faster.
Nearby—
Aries and Yuri.
Aries moved first—
instinct.
Fast.
Explosive.
Yuri followed—
calculated.
Precise.
Together?
Unfair.
Jay watched, quieter than usual, eyes sharper than she let on."…they're good," she murmured.
Raphael didn't reply—but he didn't need to.
"Jay."
She sighed."Why always me?"
"Because you avoid."
She rolled her eyes but pushed herself off the pillar."Fine. Who am I destroying first?"
"Adam. Shooting range."
She blinked."Oh come on—"
"Now."
At the range, Adam stood ready, confidence clear."Don't cry when I win," he said.Jay tilted her head."…you first."
His shot rang out—clean, perfect, dead center.A few nods followed.
Then Jay lifted her gun, barely pausing.Bang.Her bullet split his clean through the middle.
Silence.
Adam stared."…okay what the hell."
Jay smirked."You were saying?"
Next was Samuel.
Jay already looked annoyed, picking up the sword lazily."I still don't get this.We're in the new generation—guns exist, technology exists,you being old doesn't mean we go medieval—"
Samuel attacked.
Fast.Sharp.
And instantly—she changed.
The laziness disappeared.Her stance shifted, grip tightening, eyes locking in.Steel clashed, movements quick and precise,Jay blocking and countering like she'd done it forever.
She still looked uninterested—but her body said otherwise.
Within seconds, her blade rested at his throat.
She raised an eyebrow."Still think I need motivation?"
Samuel exhaled, half amused."…you're annoying."
She grinned."I've been told."
Then came Raphael.
She stepped into the ring—
already annoyed.
"…if you start a lecture mid-fight, I'm leaving."
Raphael didn't react.
"Focus."
The bell rang.
He moved first.
Fast.
Sharp.
She blocked—barely.
Took a step back.
"…okay, aggressive today."
"Guard higher."
She blinked.
"What—"
Second strike.
Faster.
It slipped past her defense—
just enough to prove the point.
She clicked her tongue.
"…fine."
Adjusted.
He attacked again.
This time—
she blocked clean.
"Late."
"Oh my god—"
"Again."
He didn't slow down.
Didn't give her time to argue.
Strike.
Block.
Turn.
"Don't meet force with force."
She pushed back anyway—
he overpowered instantly.
She stumbled.
"…okay RUDE."
"Redirect."
He came again—
same angle.
She caught it—
shifted sideways—
used his momentum instead.
Cleaner.
"…better."
She smirked.
"Say that again."
"Don't get comfortable."
She rolled her eyes—
but her movements sharpened.
He circled her now.
Slow.
Watching.
"Your left side opens when you joke."
She froze for half a second.
"…you track that?"
He attacked instantly.
Left side.
She barely blocked.
"See?"
"…I hate you."
"Focus."
She exhaled.
Reset.
Now—
she watched him.
His shoulders.His stance.His breathing.
Next attack—
she moved before he did.
Blocked early.
Countered.
He stopped it—
but slower this time.
A flicker in his eyes.
"There."
She grinned.
"I learn fast."
"Not fast enough."
He used that move.
The one no one counters.
Section E went still.
Jay stepped forward—
not back.
"Don't rush it," he said—
calm, even mid-attack.
She adjusted mid-motion.
Caught the angle.
Shifted her weight.
"Use the pivot."
She turned—
not fully—
just enough.
And suddenly—
the move broke.
Gasps from outside.
"…she almost—"
"Again," Raphael said.
"…seriously?"
"Again."
This time—
he went faster.
She reacted faster.
"Breathe."
She inhaled—
timed it—
moved smoother.
"Don't think."
"I am thinking—"
"Then you're slow."
That annoyed her.
Good.
She stopped overthinking.
Next exchange—
clean.
Effortless.
She slipped past him—
hit his blind spot—
stopped just short.
"…oh?"
A pause.
He looked at her.
Properly.
"Again."
This time—
no instructions.
Just movement.
She attacked.
He countered.
She adapted.
He adjusted.
Equal.
At one point—
she misstepped.
He caught her arm—
pulled her forward—
stabilized her instantly.
"…footwork," he muttered.
She didn't pull away immediately.
"…you could say that without throwing me."
"You remember better this way."
She huffed.
"…annoying."
But her next step—
perfect.
The fight slowed.
Not weaker—
controlled.
Then stopped.
Silence.
"…she improved mid-fight," Percy whispered.
Yuri's gaze stayed on them.
"He taught her mid-fight."
Jay stepped back.
Rolling her wrist.
"…so this was a training session?"
Raphael's voice stayed calm.
"It's always training."
A pause.
"…you didn't miss a single correction," he added.
That—
was rare.
Jay looked at him for a second.
Then smirked slightly.
"…don't get used to it."
A faint shift in his expression.
Almost a smile.
"I already have."
And somehow—
that felt more dangerous than the fight.
Raphael looked at her—really looked this time.Not angry.Not surprised.Just aware.
Jay shrugged lightly."You repeat patterns," she said."I notice."
For a moment, he almost smiled.
Then it ended.
Not a win.Not a loss.
Just understanding.
After training, Jay stepped forward again—not joking now, not avoiding.
A leader.
"Listen," she said, voice sharp, clear.
Everyone looked at her.
"In the League—we don't exist as a team."
Silence.
"No connections.No names.No reactions."
"If you see me—you don't know me.If you see him—"
she glanced at Raphael,
"—same thing."
Adam nodded first.Then Samuel.Then the rest.
Jay crossed her arms.
"Play your own game. protect anyone.Don't hesitate.And don't be stupid."
A faint smirk returned.
"We're not here to participate."
Her eyes moved across all of them.
"We're here to win."
Across from her, Raphael watched—quiet, steady.
Not interrupting.Not correcting.
Just letting her lead.
And somehow—
That said more than anything else.