Next Morning
Alex floated in a dream buffet — smells of roasted meat, soft clinking of silverware — until a sharp voice yanked him back to reality.
"Hey! Wake up, kid! We gotta train!"
Alex shot up like a rocket launch.
He looked at Tory, groaned, and said, "I'm injured! I can't come to training!"
"I'm injured. Can't train today," Alex groaned again.
" We are not going for a cage fight !" Tory flung a pillow, hitting him square in the face. "Drama queen. Move it."
Alex sighed but pushed himself up, pulling on his clothes. "Alright, alright... I'm coming."
As they stepped outside, Alex noticed something.
"Where's the old man?"
"He got summoned by the military for some crap," Tory said, stretching.
Alex sighed. "I can't train. I'm weak."
Tory snorted. "You're not training. You're just doing yin-yang breathing and chilling at the beach. I'm the one breaking bones."
Alex nodded, curious. "Did anyone talk to the old man about me?"
Tory nodded seriously. "Yeah. Some strange old man. He told me not to face him… said he was your grandfather."
Alex looked confused. "Why is everyone so scared of him?"
Tory laughed. "Every family has one terrifying elder. Yours just happens to be a god-tier one."
Alex grinned faintly. "Yeah… maybe that's one of the reasons."
They reached the beach. Alex practiced yin and yang movements for half an hour before sitting in the water, letting it wash over him. Tory finished her intense training
Ace Squad members rushed in to help the unconscious seniors. Medics were called. Injuries were serious.
Alex tossed the towel in a bin and walked into class. Avery stared at him.
"What happened?"
Alex shrugged. "Heard some seniors were threatening kids. I think they ran off when I showed up."
Avery narrowed her eyes. Tension crackled in the air.
"I believe he was cornered in the boys' washroom. By fire-magic seniors," she said.
Alex bowed slightly and took his seat. Gwen leaned over.
"What happened, Alex?"
"Just some bugs trying to annoy me," he muttered.
Ben leaned in. "Remember, if we remove our limiters, we can fight. Just say the word."
Alex nodded. "They're not worth the attention."
Gwen chuckled. "Actually, we caught one of them. He confessed everything."
Alex turned to her. "You didn't kill him, did you?"
Athina laughed. "Nope. We just dragged him to near-death and delivered him to your sister Dora."
Alex laughed. "You're supposed to hold back, idiots."
Avery looked up and glanced at Alex. "Bethany, collect the assignments."
Alex turned to Gwen. "Did you bring yours?"
Gwen pulled out her paper. "Yep! I wrote it clearly!"
Alex shouted, "Hey, class representative here!"
Bethany walked over and scolded, "We're at school, idiot! Do you know how messed up this is?"
Ben, Gwen, and Athina stared, confused.
Alex laughed. "They started it — a gang trying to use fireballs on me!"
Bethany slapped the paper into his hand. "Can't you hold back?
Alex smirked. "What do you want me to do? Ask them to hit me on the chest?"
She put the paper in Alex's hand and shouted, "Give me your assignments."
Ben stepped in. "Alex's hand hurts. Can you request it for him?"
She softened. "Okay, Benjamin. I'll manage it."
Alex grinned. "Okay, Benjamin, I'll manage it," mimicking her voice.
Ben grumbled. "You're acting weird."
Athina glared. "She's a girl, Alex. You're being crooked."
As Bethany walked away, Alex unfolded the paper. Scribbled across the bottom in red ink:
No longer pawns. They're trying to make a move with horses.
His jaw tightened.
"Guys," he said, voice low. "When the fighting starts — don't kill them. Cut them down if you have to, but leave them breathing."
They all nodded. After class, they gathered in the canteen.
Gwen was feeding Alex.
One of the Ace Squad's earlier taunts rang in his head.
"Hey Princess! You think anyone's jealous of this?"
Athina giggled. Ben nodded. "Finally noticing the stares, huh?"
Ben whispered, "Alex, 10 o'clock, — don't look directly. Act like you're searching."
Alex casually glanced in each direction.
All the stares. All the eyes.
Gwen smiled. "Hey Prince! Yeah… they're watching. So? Interested?"
Alex shook his head. "Nah. Just… confirming something."
Alex looked around and then said,
"Ben, 7:30!"
Ben turned and locked eyes with a girl eating alone.
"No way! She's not into me," he mumbled.
Athina's grip tightened until her fork bent. Her smile didn't waver, but her eyes flared with silent fury.
Alex looked at Gwen. "Feed me fast — I need to talk to someone."
Gwen wiped his mouth and fed him one last bite.
Alex heard a strange sound — a crack of tension — and whispered, "That was scary. I wish I was like you, Ben."
Athina chuckled. "You're fine as long as you're with us."
Alex saw James by the coffee machine and stood up.
"Where are you going?" Gwen asked.
Alex smirked. "Just getting some iced banana cream."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"
"Damn, she won't let me go! I have to do something."
"How about I take you out?" he offered with a wink.
Athina and Ben were speechless.
"Promise me first," Gwen said.
Alex took her hand. "Even if I'm late, I'll take you out."
Ben looked worried. "Alex… do you even know what that means?"
Gwen released his hand. Alex dragged Ben by the collar. Ben dropped his spoon and followed.
At the coffee machine, Alex asked James, "What's going on?"
"They're making moves. Every senior knows you're a threat now," James replied.
Ben snorted. "Doesn't matter. We removed our limiters. The captain told us not to kill, just cut 'em up."
James frowned. "You know how dangerous that is, right?"
A senior walked up, staring Alex down. "Follow me, gold spoon. Or I'll kick you into pulp."
Alex tried to hold Ben back — but too late. Ben slammed him across the canteen.
"I'm just following orders, Cap," Ben said.
Alex grinned. "James — do what you can. I'll do what I can. Knights and Maze won't let a scratch land."
James nodded. "I'll back you up. Be careful."
The disciplinary committee burst in. "What's going on here?!"
Someone shouted, "He hit him!"
Ben shrugged. "He flew into the wall. For fun."
Alex stepped forward. "Pass this on. You messed with the wrong squad, in the wrong school."
A spark of golden fire crackled between them.
"Are you threatening us?" asked the committee captain.
Alex took a sip. "No. Just letting you know — I hate fighting. But if I'm dragged in, I won't hold back. My team has restrictions. I don't."
They tried to walk him off, but they started burning out. He was screaming with pain and fear.
Alex stopped the flame and said, "It was no ordinary fire! It was a golden flame! That burns every impure thing in the world and hurts no pure one!"
They all walked away from the canteen. Alex drank juice and chilled at the counter. The server looked at Alex and said, "Do you think they'll let you live?"
Alex laughed and said, "Before that, I won't let them survive here! If something happens, this school will be destroyed to ashes!"
The server stared in confusion.
"My name is Alexander Brave Light Author! My father is Xander Brave Light Author! Somehow I hate that name! I'm good with Alexander Foster Cane! And we won't hold back when someone tries to destroy people's lives for fun and money!"
Ben walked to him and checked his pocket. He found a black pill. He brought it to Alex. Alex opened the pack and saw a red pill trying to get into Alex's body but was slowly vibrating.
Everyone stared. Alex slid the thing back into its cover. A golden flame danced along his hand—holy, precise.The cover hissed. Then crackled. Then ignited.
Black smoke burst out like a demon's breath, screeching, twisting, clawing at the air.Something crawled from the smoke. Screaming—not human. Not even close. A voice soaked in agony, hate, and hell."I will kill you! I will destroy it! I will see bloody pain!"
Alex didn't flinch. His eyes were stone."You? You're already dead."His other hand lit with fire—hotter, brighter, merciless.He grabbed the thing. No struggle. No mercy.It turned to ash in seconds.
He let the ashes fall like dead snow.Turned to the stunned server."When they clean up…" Alex said, brushing his hands,"…tell them to mop this spot at least five times."