Nixxin stands in front of the mirror in the boys' bathroom. He does not notice the students behind him. In the reflection, his own face seems to speak.
"You… you are nothing but a useless piece of shit. You could have won that fight, but you messed up. You do not even understand contracts. How do you expect to win your tournament if you are just a child hiding behind someone who took you in? You are pitiful."
He flinches at the words, though they are only coming from his own mind. The devil inside him twists every thought, amplifying his doubts, feeding on his insecurities.
Kael shakes his head. "Hey man, what happened to you? Let's go to the court and eat. Lira is there, and her friend group is also around."
Nixxin glances at Kael, then looks back at the faucet. "I do not want to eat with them. Where are Drei and Oniu?"
Kael lowers his head and sighs. "Too bad. They are also eating with Lira. You will not believe this, but Drei is actually dating Lira's friend, and Oniu… he is Lira's boyfriend's brother."
Kael and Nixxin walk out and follow the line in the canteen. Nixxin orders Yellow Rice with Adobo because the teacher said he needs turmeric to heal faster.
As they walk, Nixxin thinks: What? Drei's boyfriend is the school president? He looks like the main character, and she is the school queen.
Kael leans closer and whispers, "Man, do not worry about it. There are plenty of girls in this school. And if you look at Drei and his girlfriend… yes, they are corny as hell. But maybe that is because we are single."
They sit together with the group. Oniu's brother asks, "What happened in the scrimmage?"
The three of them glance at Drei. "Why are you all staring at me? It is not my fault. That attack was actually that strong."
Nixxin takes a bite of his food and swallows. "Drei, do you think we will face them in the tournament?"
Drei looks at Nixxin, sensing his unease after the previous battle. "I think so. They might qualify for the quarter finals."
Oniu pulls out his phone and scans the tournament bracket while the others talk among themselves. "Have you guys already seen the bracket?"
His brother waves him off. "Come on. You can discuss it later."
In class, the teacher lectures about sin. "Pride, envy, wrath… understanding these is important. They shape your actions and your decisions."
But in Nixxin's mind, the words warp. He hears the teacher differently, as if mocking him personally. "You are weak. You are nothing. You could not even win the fight. You are a child hiding behind others wealth, useless and pitiful."
He feels his stomach tighten. Every word the teacher speaks becomes heavier, crueler, as if someone else, something dark, is whispering inside his head. The devil's influence twists his perception, amplifying his self-doubt and anger.
The teacher calls his name. "Nixxin… Nixxin… Nixxin. I am asking you, what is the highest point of pride, and why?"
Nixxin stands. His eyes are blank, shadowed by the devil's whispering, but he answers firmly "The highest point of pride is blasphemy. It is the sin that makes someone feel superior to God."
Even though the teacher intended only to teach about sin, Nixxin feels the words as judgment, as if the entire class, the lesson, and the world itself were against him.
After school, Nixxin walks home with his new friend group. Are they really my friends? I have only known them for three months, and I do not know them that well.
A car honks beside them. Distracted, Nixxin bumps into Oniu's brother. "Hey man, are you okay? Your uncle has been following us for a while."
Nixxin stands and nods. "Yeah, I am fine."
Uncle Welp asks, "Are you going with your friends or heading home?"
Nixxin tries to open the car door, but Uncle Welp shuts it. "I am going ho—" then leaves before Nixxin can finish speaking.
Later, they arrive at a restaurant. A group of delinquents enters, causing a disturbance. Drei reacts quickly, withdrawing blood from one hand and unleashing "Aircut."
He copies the technique Aeolous used, but it only slices the delinquent's shirt without harming them. The delinquents laugh. Drei feels embarrassed. Even Onoe, normally the kindest in the group, chuckles at him.
Angered, Drei takes a stick, places a single drop of blood on it, and uses a skill he learned from Ardent. He throws the stick, and all the delinquents are pinned in place, knocked out instantly.
Kael leans toward Nixxin and Oniu. "Hey… you should not do that." Drei's girlfriend says to him, then Kael almost "They are so corny."
Afterward, they continue eating. When Onoe asks about the prices, the staff explains that a man has paid for their meals, giving them seven days of free service.
"Guys, we are lucky! Everything here is free," Kael says happily.
After eating, Kael can barely move. They head to a video arcade. Kael and Nixxin play a shooting game together.
Kael asks, "I have been wondering… are you envious of them?"
Nixxin loses the game. "I think so. In class, the lesson was about sins. When the teacher gave me that key… I realized something about myself."
After leaving the mall, they say goodbye. Uncle Welp waits for Nixxin.
"Kid, learn how to have friends. You look like a loser with them," Welp says.