(Kill's POV)
 
I continued walking forward, not sparing a glance behind me or at the people surrounding me. My gaze remained fixated straight ahead, my eyes devoid of any spark of life.
 
After thirty minutes of walking, I arrived at Zentobia Academy. Standing before the Academy, I tilted my head back and looked up at the towering fence enclosing it.
 
My eyes narrowed into sleepy slits, and I took a deep, heaving breath.
 
A sudden, powerful gust of wind swept through, leaving an eerie stillness blanketing the surroundings. Even the gate stood silent.
 
It was evident they had all ventured out to the event they called the Festival. I levitated, soaring over the fence, and once above, leaped down into the Academy grounds.
 
I began walking, and as I approached the first-year building, I ascended the stairs. With each step, my aura erased any footprints left behind.
 
All the CCTVs in that building shut down and shattered, automatically destroyed by the force of my aura.
 
Upon reaching the top floor, I turned left, each footfall resonating with a sound that seemed to echo through the deathly quiet hallway.
 
Within moments, I reached the door leading to the rooftop of the building. I opened the door and it was unlocked.
 
I stepped out onto the rooftop and there was another door there to go outside, which I also opened.
 
Again, an extremely powerful wind gusted, the temperature perfectly balanced between hot and cold. I walked forward until I reached the end of the rooftop. I looked out at the entire useless academy. No matter how large it was, it was filled with inequality, teachers who only favored one side.
 
Only the popular and wealthy had any hope of graduating. I wanted to start killing people right then and there.
 
The wind remained strong, and I walked back. I jumped up to the mini-rooftop of that larger rooftop area - that mini-rooftop was the storage room on that rooftop, quite sizeable itself.
 
I remained standing, allowing the wind to buffet my entire body. My hair and coat were also whipping wildly in the gusts.
 
After that, I sat down and lay back, using my palms as a pillow. Within moments, I had fallen asleep.
 
And suddenly my memories came flooding back from two years ago. From when I was captured by those from Oquilonia - Kairos Silentblade and Luna Shadowbane.
 
My former comrades in the White Room. When I awoke after they captured me, I was bound in unbreakable chains that even the strongest could not destroy or damage.
 
It was a powerful spell. Both my hands were chained above me, and my feet were bound as well.
 
My entire body was covered in wounds from the battle against Kairos and Luna.
With every ounce of my strength, I strained against the unbreakable bonds restraining me, but to no avail. The chains refused to yield.
 
Then, without warning, a guard approached and unceremoniously doused me in frigid water. The icy deluge lashed my skin, causing my entire body to convulse in violent shivers from the bitter cold. I grit my teeth, determined not to allow them to see me break, even as the chill seeped into my very bones.
"Wake up, a general will be arriving shortly. Show some respect and you need to be presentable. That's why this - bathe," said one of the guards.
 
He doused me again with freezing water, causing my body to shudder violently once more.
 
"HAHAHA, you alright?" he mocked.
 
Another guard arrived, joining in the taunts. "HAHAHA, don't go easy on the prisoner! HAHAHA, Pathetic, isn't he? HAHAHAHA," the second guard jeered cruelly.
The cold was unbearable, I was nearly losing consciousness - it felt like more than I could endure. What had happened? They doused me again with freezing water.
 
The shock jolted me awake, my body continuing to shudder uncontrollably. The wounds covering me began to sting fiercely.
 
Before I could fully regain my senses, I blacked out once more. Moments later, searing pain exploded in my legs as something pierced into them. I snapped back to awareness, letting out a guttural scream of agony.
 
"AAAAGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!"
My scream echoed powerfully through the chamber. "Oh calm down, quite the set of lungs you've got there, huh Kill?" a male voice rang out in front of me.
 
I continued howling in pain as the man wrenched the knife he had plunged into my leg, intensifying the searing agony. Another guttural cry tore from my throat.
 
"I'll be back later, when you're ready to talk. If you still won't cooperate, I may just have to kill you," the man stated flatly before turning and exiting.
Hours passed before a woman began tending to the wounds covering my body. She had navy blue hair and piercing golden eyes, possessing an undeniable beauty.
 
Her hair was tied back in two long tresses. She gently cleaned each of my wounds, and after that she washed me with soapy water to keep my body fresh and prevent any foul odors from festering wounds.
"It seems you're awake now," a sweet feminine voice reached my ears, a familiar tone.
 
I turned to look at the woman, studying her closely. Yes, it was Luna, one of my former comrades from the White Room.
 
"What...are you...doing?" I asked in a strained, halting voice. "Didn't you capture me? Why are you doing this for me? Why are you taking care of me?"
"The General will be coming back here later. You need to look presentable for him, or else he might kill you," she responded while dipping the sponge into the bucket of soapy water.
 
I remained silent and allowed her to continue washing me. Yes, my wounds stung, but I had to endure it.
 
After she finished, she gathered her supplies to leave. "It's an order, from above. We have no choice but to follow it. I'm sorry, Kill," Luna suddenly spoke, answering my earlier question, before exiting the room.
Once she had left, I let out a deep sigh, but my wounds still stung fiercely and painfully.
 
Before long, the General arrived again - a man around my brother Ren's age. His hair was a mix of colors - yellow, black, red, and blue, though mostly black.
 
His body was muscular, and he had piercing yellow eyes that fixed me with a sharp gaze.
"It seems we've gotten you looking presentable now, but what's the point? No matter, by the way...are you Kill? From the cowardly Ravenshroud clan of the Blood Demon clan who knows nothing but running away? How pathetic...you worthless Ravenshrouds," he said to me.
 
I was provoked by his words and was about to attack him, but I was pulled back by the chains binding me.
 
"Oh, take it easy...How is Ren by the way? Is he still alive?" I was surprised by his question because he knew my brother.
 
"How do you know him?" I asked in a loud voice.
 
"Wow, your voice doesn't match your wounded body. Quite something."
 
"You beast, release me from here and let's fight right now."
 
"Be quiet, Kill. You couldn't even handle my brother...let alone me."
 
"Your brother?"
 
"Kairos Silentblade, I'm also from the Silentblade clan and Kairos' brother...I'm Herman Silentblade."
 
"Release me from here right now!!!"
 
"Ohhh?? I thought...the Ravenshrouds were not noisy, calm in all situations, and emotionless. You're showing that you're not a Ravenshroud."
 
"What...did you say!!!"
 
"I won't beat around the bush anymore, you know...the reason we captured you is an invitation. Join Oquilonia's military forces, you have a chance to become truly strong. If you want, we'll provide you with a pro-assassin to personally train you. You'll learn the ways of an assassin, like Kairos. We'll gladly welcome you here in Oquilonia."
 
"Why would they need to take me if you're already so strong and have your military?"
 
"You know, we just want you to become strong, Kill."
 
"HA...HAHA...WHAAAHAHAHAHAHA!! And who are you fooling? You want me to join you to increase your forces because you want to conquer all of Celestria, don't you? I don't think I'm that stupid not to see through this."
 
"As expected, we knew you'd be stubborn." He walked over to a spear and picked it up, then approached me.
 
He then stabbed the spear into my leg, the same one he stabbed earlier. The entire spear pierced through to the other side of my leg.
 
"AAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!" I screamed loudly, the scream of pain and agony echoing throughout the room.
 
"I'll still wait for your answer, Kill." Herman left again and locked the door behind him.