After receiving training from Cain yesterday, his team, Abel, Rika, Peter, Louise, and him gathered at the training field as usual. At first, the four were struggling even to visualize the abstract form of its power.
However, with constant tutoring from Cain's half-assed knowledge and the team's rapid progression. As they gave each other pointers at every chance. They managed to grasp the power residing within them, Ether.
Cain and his other group line up in the dirt field. A blazing orb in the east cast its warm glow over the land, giving it a blessing of life. He stared at the podium where General Dosh stood, yet the man was nowhere to be seen.
That fact caused murmurs to spread like wildfire in the camp, and the cadets exchanged glances in the hope of finding news regarding their late instructor.
The boy's brows twitched as he saw several shadows walking from a distance. They approached their side, prompting the other cadets to shut their mouths.
Once the shadow was revealed, their expressions brightened at seeing the man in command, though it was a bit miserable as they were happy to see someone who kept tormenting them with rigorous training every day.
Yet no cadets ever hate the training. They actually loved it. Because after all this time, the boys and girls appreciated what General Dosh was doing for them, and thanks to that, they could grasp just how much they had grown over the past months.
Cain's face hardened upon witnessing several figures behind the man. He also noticed Dosh's expression was more stern than usual.
It was evident when he stepped onto the podium: the cadets who stood in the front line gulped, their breath choked by the pressure emanating from the man.
He knitted his brows, then glanced at the five people behind him. They stood several meters behind the podium, their posture straight and all wearing the same uniform corps.
'Who are they?'
The grey-haired boy accidentally locked eyes with one of the girls in the group. She had a pair of amethyst eyes and shoulder-length violet hair. The girl parted her lips in a gleeful smirk, baring her canines as she shot him a wink.
Yet instead of receiving comfort, Cain's heart thumped. He held his breath for a moment when a chilling sensation wrapped around his neck.
'That was!?'
Both stared for a couple of seconds before Dosh's deep voice snapped him out of his reverie.
"Everyone, I have an announcement to make."
Hearing the tense voice from the man, the atmosphere in the field thickened. Cain and the cadets around him gulped. He widened his eyes upon making contact with Dosh, although for a brief moment.
Yet in that moment, the boy could feel the strain that was coiled around the man's throat.
'What is happening here?'
Without minding his surroundings, General Dosh opened his mouth; his voice boomed over the open place.
"Behind me, they are your seniors who just returned from their expedition on the Eastern Border."
Upon mentioning the name, some cadets gaped, their eyes widened in shock. Some of them, including Cain, who didn't have any general knowledge about the geography of the world, kept their mouths shut and focused their ears.
"As you may know..."
General Dosh stopped, he peeked over his shoulder, and hesitantly continued his speech.
"After a bit of talk between us. These people who just returned from the trip are willing to open their schedules for everyone here."
A silence descended upon the place, and a second later, a cheer erupted. Most of them come from the cadets who were too oblivious to the pressure exerted by General Dosh. They were only entertained and excited to see what kind of shows their seniors would give.
However, in the midst of the festive mood, Cain shifted his attention to Dosh. His pupils shrink when he sees the man throw his gaze far away while gritting his teeth.
'Is he being cornered or something?'
It was the first time Cain witnessed the man's composure crack. He glanced at his teammates, but they all gazed back at him. Their eyes conveyed what had transpired in their mind.
'Something is not right.'
But what kind of trouble could breach Dosh's honed mentality?
Cain shook his head. He didn't know, and a part of him didn't want to know. His thought seemed a bit cold and distant despite what the man had given him, but the boy's instinct kept blaring an alarm that he must sit out of the trouble.
Not because he was afraid, but worried that his comrade would get tangled in it.
General Dosh cleared his throat, then turned his attention toward the kids in his class.
"Our training was being held today. Everyone moves toward the arena, where you will have a chance to receive teaching from your seniors."
The man swept his sharp eyes through the cadets before opening his mouth.
"Follow me, and your senior behind!"
After he said those words, the cadets and seniors put their hands to their left chests and shouted; their thunderous voices shook the air. It ignited the slumbering ambers in their hearts.
"As you command."
Ever since he made contact with his comrade, Cain never opened his mouth once. He twisted his neck sideways, enduring the tingling gaze that drilled a hole into his skull.
'Tch, that woman!'
Cain clicked his tongue. The gaze was coming from the violet woman who locked her gaze on him as they looked at each other. He waited for his comrades to gather. The boy looked at each of his teammates and nodded before following the line of cadets trailing after their senior.
"Listen, I felt something wrong with the general's mood, so don't do anything and see things to the end."
The four exchanged glances, and they returned to Cain, nodding.
Without further ado, Cain turned his back on them and jogged toward the back of the duckling and followed them, sauntering over the field, entering the straight path that led them into the massive training building in front.
Yet upon walking, his gaze was drawn to two individuals who stood on the side of the road. Cain's expression twisted in displeasure when seeing one of the figures.
"Heya."
She was the violet girl, raising one hand to greet his team. Her tone was casual, or too lax, but her every action made the hair in his body stand to no end.
Cain barely shook his head vertically. Then resumed his walk, bypassing her, which made the girl's smile twitch. However, before the violet girl opened her mouth, the person beside him, who hid his face behind a hood, spoke. His voice was calm, yet laced with venom.
"Well, well, well, look who it is."
"Eh?"
Upon hearing the young man's voice, Louise, who had been walking behind him, halted. That act drew Cain and the other three's attention to her.
"Louise, it's been a while."
The young man stepped closer, his slanted eyes narrowed as if mocking the existence of the brown haired girl in Cain's team.
"S-Senior Adler."
Louise's voice stammered, seemingly terrified to speak the name. Cain and the others furrowed their brows, noticing Louise's changing demeanor. He witnessed the brown haired girl step back, her whole body shuddering for some unknown reason.
When the man almost approached Louise's side, a looming shadow came to block them. It came from a blue-haired boy; his towering physique cooked tension within the group into a boiling state.
"Senior, would you please step back. Our comrade seemed troubled by your advance."
Peter's voice was calm, but it rang like a distant echo, hollow and cold. Behind those calm faces, the blue-haired boy hid a sharpened intent, poised like a dagger ready to slit the man's throat.