His thoughts spiraled, a strange emptiness clouding his mind. He cleared his throat and launched into a speech full of self-praise and bravado—his words hollow, his tone desperate for validation.
Seraphina's eyes narrowed sharply, her glare cutting through the air like ice. With an audible sigh dripping in annoyance, she made her disdain clear. Noah's words fell flat, echoing into the void.
Realization dawned on him slowly—he was speaking into silence. His face paled with embarrassment, but stubbornness fueled him to keep adding fuel to the fire, trying to regain control of the moment. Instead, Seraphina's expression grew colder, more piercing.
Then, with chilling calmness, she finally spoke, "Are you done with your poetry?" Her voice was razor-sharp, merciless.
Noah snapped. The last shreds of his restraint shattered as fury ignited within. Without warning, he stormed forward and forcefully kicked down Alex's door.
Inside, Alex lay calm and collected on his bed, legs crossed casually. The serene image of Alex infuriated Noah further, his blood boiling with uncontrollable rage. Every fiber of his being screamed to lash out, to tear down the facade of calm and order.
He felt as if he could strangle the entire crew with his bare hands.
The room crackled with tension, two opposing forces on the brink of collision, their past grievances threatening to explode into violence once more.
Suddenly, Alex pushed himself up from the bed, a confident smile spreading across his face like a rising sun. The smile wasn't just a sign of calm—it was a statement. At that very moment, Noah's eyes widened in shock, the realization hitting him like a thunderclap. They had been playing him—like a baby, like a fool.
"You…" Noah hissed through clenched teeth, seething with barely contained rage.
"What?" Alex's smile widened, lips curling with a mix of amusement and challenge.
"So, you lied. Said you had something urgent to do, but you were just taking a nap!" Noah accused, his voice dripping with venom.
Alex chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with mischief. "No, don't get confused," he said, gesturing broadly with one hand as if addressing a simple misunderstanding. "When I said I had something to take care of, you never asked what it was. So that's on you, not me."
The words stung like a whip. An intense surge of fury exploded inside Noah's chest, scorching every nerve and muscle. With a roar, he lunged at Alex, a wild flame driving his attack. But Alex moved with the fluid grace of a seasoned hunter—a faint, barely noticeable sidestep—and Noah's momentum betrayed him. He crashed hard onto the floor, groaning miserably as pain blossomed through his body.
"Hmmmmmm," Noah grunted, breath ragged, his heart burning with bitter fire. "You!" he shouted, finger shaking in accusation. "You will pay for this."
Noah's anger ignited into a vicious assault. With a brutal swing, he aimed to seize Alex's head, intending to slam it mercilessly against the floor. A cruel smile stretched across his face, hungry for revenge and dominance. But Alex, anticipating the strike, lunged forward with deadly precision and struck Noah's stomach with a force that echoed sharply through the room.
The sickening crack of fractured ribs reverberated in the silence. Noah coughed violently, blood splattering from his mouth, his eyes wide with stunned disbelief. He's so strong… his mind raced, I couldn't even read his movements.
Then, shockingly, Alex extended a hand toward him—not out of mercy, but as a calculated move. "You!" Noah groaned, utterly baffled by the gesture. But Alex's faint, sly smile betrayed the truth: this was no offer of kindness—it was a trap to humiliate him further.
Rage flared wildly within Noah's veins, consuming him like a wildfire racing through dry brush. This isn't over, he promised himself, breath trembling with fury. I will make him pay. No matter what, I have more influence than he could ever imagine right now.
A faint, venomous smile curled his lips as hope flickered within him. He would rise again.
The tense storm finally began to settle. The group composed themselves and resumed their journey toward the generals' meeting.
As they passed through the bustling city streets, whispers and pointed fingers followed in their wake. "Look at that weakling—the one square patch among hundreds." "What a joke." Murmurs of scorn rippled through the crowd like cold wind.
Noah's smile deepened, cruel and satisfied. "I hope he knows his place," he muttered under his breath. "No one will want to associate with a loser like him." Yet beneath the mask of scorn, a reluctant truth gnawed at him—Alex had truly defeated him. He must be hiding some secret trick, Noah pondered darkly.
On the way to the Hunter Corps East Region base, Noah's eyes burned with bitter jealousy as he watched Alex and Seraphina sharing jokes and smiles. Silent curses spilled from his lips, venom laced with envy.
Beside them, Zeke maintained a calm, low-key presence, moving alongside without drawing attention, engaging only when necessary, the steady balance to the brewing storm.
After a long journey, Alex and his comrades finally stood before the Hunter Corps East Region base. The massive building loomed tall, alive with relentless movement. Hunters passed through its gates, swords clashing sharply in the crisp air. Alex tilted his head up, eyes wide with awe.
"Wow, it's really this huge…" he whispered, the reality sinking in. He had admired the base from afar many times before, but now, standing this close, the scale was overwhelming.
Noah's sharp voice cut through the moment. "Hey, don't slow me down. I've got important things to do," he snapped, a frown creasing his brow.
Alex exchanged a glance with his comrades and nodded. "No trouble this time," they said quietly, following Noah's lead.
Inside, the grand hall was decorated with ancient swords and intricate antiques. The generals were deep in discussion when a hunter's voice echoed sharply, announcing their arrival.
"General, I have delivered your message. They are here with me. May we enter?" Noah asked, his tone crisp.
"Come in," came the firm reply.
Noah pushed the heavy door open. Alex and his comrades stepped inside, jaws slightly dropped at the grandeur around them.
A general cleared his throat—General Julius Modrigon—catching their expressions of wonder.
With measured steps, Alex and his comrades approached the generals and saluted in unison—left hands rising sharply to their heads, then lowered smoothly.
One by one, they introduced themselves with calm conviction.
"My name is Zeke Ashenveile," came the firm voice first.
"My name is Seraphina," she followed, steady and poised.
Finally, Alex spoke, his voice carrying quiet strength, "My name is Alex Morgan."
Their introductions filled the room as the generals' sharp eyes studied them closely—each word weighed, each presence noted.