The door closed behind them with a sharp sound.
Not metallic.
Not threatening.
Final.
A luminous display lit up above the entrance.
REMAINING TIME: 02:59:58
Someone swallowed.
"Okay…" said a short-haired girl, sitting down neatly. "Three hours. No physical trials. Just talking. Let's stay calm."
Kael adjusted himself on his chair, slightly angled.
Not at the center.
Not on the sidelines.
A neutral position.
He observed the micro-movements:
intertwined fingers, uneven breathing, eyes searching for reassurance.
They don't know where to start, he thought.
Perfect.
FIRST HOUR – FALSE ORGANIZATION
"I suggest we introduce ourselves," said a tall boy in a confident tone. "Name, class, why we're here."
"We know why we're here," someone snapped back. "Why should we trust what you say?"
Silence.
Kael lowered his gaze, as if thinking.
"We don't need to trust," he finally said quietly.
Everyone turned toward him.
It was the first time he spoke.
"We just need to remember what is said."
Nothing more.
The tall boy resumed, "Alright. I'm—"
Kael stopped listening to the words.
He listened to the reactions.
Who interrupted.
Who avoided eye contact.
Who smiled too much.
A girl sitting two seats away moved often.
Not nervous. Impatient.
She wants to lead, Kael thought.
But she's afraid of being seen as aggressive.
SECOND HOUR – FIRST SUSPICIONS
After about ninety minutes, the atmosphere shifted.
"Wait," one of the students said. "You said earlier you were in Class D, right? But now you said Class C."
The boy stammered. "No, I—"
"You did say it," another insisted. "I heard you."
Kael tilted his head.
"Maybe he just made a mistake," he said softly.
"It happens when people are tense."
He was defending him.
The result was immediate.
Now the suspicion wasn't only on the boy.
It was also on Kael.
That's how they see me, he thought.
A possible ally. Or an accomplice.
Perfect.
THIRD HOUR – THE CRACK
A heavy silence settled over the room.
The timer showed 00:47:12.
That was when Kael struck.
Not by accusing.
Not by lying.
By asking a question.
"If you were Disruptors," he said, looking at the group,
"would it be more useful to seem aggressive… or reasonable?"
"What kind of question is that?" someone snapped.
Kael shrugged. "Just curious."
The impatient girl spoke.
"Reasonable. That way no one suspects you."
Another shook his head.
"No. Aggressive. That way you polarize people."
Kael nodded slowly.
"Interesting that you all have such different answers."
He didn't explain further.
But in everyone's mind, an unspoken thought remained:
Which one of them is acting right now?
AFTER THE THREE HOURS
The door opened.
The air felt different—colder.
They exited one by one.
Kael deliberately stayed behind.
His bracelet vibrated.
NO POINT VARIATION
Kael smiled faintly.
Good, he thought.
Now they're really starting to watch each other.
As he walked down the corridor toward the dormitories, he heard two students whispering.
"I don't trust that quiet guy."
"The one who barely talked?"
"Yeah. Too controlled."
Kael didn't turn around.
It's working, he thought.
But only if I slow down.
Tomorrow, he would do something different.
He would let them start the attack.
End of Episode 19.