Ren stood at the front of the academy he hadn't seen for weeks.

The massive buildings gleamed under the sun, the emblem of Aether High Academy engraved at the top. For a moment, he just stared at it — the place where everything had begun, and where too many things had gone wrong.

Then a familiar voice shouted from across the courtyard.

"REN!"

He barely turned before two figures sprinted toward him — Kaito and Greg. Both of them were panting, their uniforms slightly wrinkled, eyes wide as if they'd seen a ghost.

Kaito reached him first, grabbing Ren by the shoulders. "You idiot! You're really here!"

Greg didn't even say anything before wrapping his arms around Ren. His voice trembled. "We thought you weren't coming back… not after what happened."

Ren chuckled softly, the same calm smile on his face as always. "It's nice to see you two after a while."

Kaito wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, trying to act cool. "Yeah, well… so are we, Ren. So are we."

The warmth of their reunion lasted only a moment before Ren spoke again. "So, anything interesting going on around the academy?"

Kaito and Greg exchanged a look. Then both sighed at the same time.

"Not really," Greg said first. "Security's insane now. You can't even get through the front gate without two ID scans and a full bag check."

"They cranked it up to a thousand," Kaito added. "They even have drones patrolling at night. Guess they don't want another 'incident.'"

Ren nodded slightly. "That's to be expected, I guess."

The air grew a little heavy after that. Everyone remembered the attack, the chaos, the people lost.

Kaito finally asked, almost carefully, "So… are you coming back to school, Ren?"

Ren gave them a small, mysterious smile. "I'll tell you after I talk with the new principal. We'll catch up later."

As he walked toward the administrative building, he could still feel his friends' eyes on his back. The place was quieter than he remembered — no laughter in the hallways, no footsteps echoing down the marble floor and clearly academy was under tight control. Only the sound of humming security systems and the faint sounds coming fron classrom remained.

When he reached the office at the end of the corridor, he stopped.

A polished wooden plaque read: Principal Judith Harrington

He raised his hand to knock. But before his knuckles touched the door—

"Come in."

A calm, feminine voice called from the other side.

Ren froze for a second. "…How familiar," he muttered. The same thing had happened the last time he visited this room — back when the previous principal was still alive.

And she had been brutally killed only days after that meeting.

Ren opened the door.

The woman sitting behind the desk wasn't what most would imagine when they thought "principal." Mid-30s, hair tied neatly into a bun, thin glasses glinting under the sunlight, and an air of absolute authority that could silence a room also a mature beauty unlike the last principal.

Her eyes were narrow, sharp, and calculating. She wasn't just watching Ren — she was analyzing him.

Ren immediately recognized her. Judith Harrington.

He had heard plenty about her long before she ever came here.

The Goddess's Eye.

That's what people called her. A rare ability, as mysterious and respected as Imperial Qi — the kind of gift that only appeared once in a generation.

Ren's instincts prickled. What's someone like her doing in a position like this?

She didn't belong here — at least, not in a mere academy. Someone with that level of ability should be in the capital, working under the government or one of the Great Families.

Ren's thoughts drifted. Harrington… that's a Western family name. Hotels, influence, trade routes — they are one of the main business families in western Norbata.

Families like Asashi and Lans ruled the eastern half, just like how Harrigntons were doing the same in west.

So why was she sitting here, of all places?

"Ren Arakawa," Judith said without looking up. "You can sit."

Ren took the chair across from her desk. "Principal, I'm here to submit my leave request. I'm quitting the academy."

Judith finally looked at him. No surprise, no emotion. Just quiet acknowledgment. "I see."

Her voice was calm — too calm.

"What will you do after you leave?" she asked.

Ren crossed his arms. "I plan to become a private hunter. It gives me more freedom than being stuck under a guild. Less politics, more control."

For a moment, Judith didn't respond. Then she took the paper from him, signed it immediately, and slid it back across the desk.

Ren blinked. "That's it?"

She smiled faintly. "It might be the best choice for you right now. Guilds are collapsing faster than ever. Even private hunters are faring better these days."

Ren leaned back slightly. "So… Valkyria Fang and Sirius are really on their way down, huh?"

Judith folded her hands. "They are. Sirius still has influence depending on Xinyue, but Valkyria? They're done. Blackmoon Drop's stopped following NDA protocols entirely. They're acting independently — and dangerously."

Ren frowned, lowering his gaze. "So no matter where I go… it's not safe in this country anymore."

Judith chuckled — a low, dangerous sound. "Exactly, Ren Arakawa."

Her tone shifted — sharper, colder. "A man with your ability… no matter where you go, you won't be safe."

Ren's eyes narrowed instantly. That wasn't just a warning. It felt personal.

"Are you threatening me, Principal?"

She stood up slowly. Her heels clicked against the marble floor.

"Not at all," Judith said with a grin that didn't reach her eyes. "Just stating a fact."

The atmosphere in the room shifted. The air itself felt heavier, pressing down on him. Ren could sense her presence. A natural dominance that came from both power and awareness.

Judith circled around the desk and stopped behind him. "It's no secret anymore, is it? My ability."

Ren didn't move. "The Goddess's Eye," he muttered.

She nodded. "Good. Then you know that when I look at someone, I see more than just their surface."

Ren's instincts told him to leave. Every muscle in his body tightened.

He asked carefully, "If you're so powerful… what are you doing in a mere academy?"

Judith chuckled. "Because education, Ren, is where the roots of a nation grow. If someone wanted to destroy a country, they'd start here — by corrupting its foundation. I don't intend to let that happen."

Her explanation was too neat. Too rehearsed.

Ren looked at her over his shoulder. "You don't believe that yourself, do you?"

She tilted her head, amused. "Sharp boy."

Then her voice dropped a tone. "Now that you've quit the academy, you're not my student anymore. Which means…"

She stepped closer.

In one motion, she placed her hand on the chair's backrest, pinning Ren between her and the wooden frame.

Her face was only inches away now, her eyes glowing faintly with blue.

"…I don't have to be formal with you."

Ren didn't flinch. He met her gaze directly, though his pulse quickened. The faint hum of energy radiating from her was unmistakable — an ability activating.

"What are you going to do," she whispered, "with that power of yours… the one named Heartsteal?"

Ren's eyes widened slightly.

So she did know.

Few people even knew the name of his ability — fewer still had survived after finding out.

His voice was calm, but low. "Why does that matter to you?"

Judith smiled faintly. "Ohhh it does matter because depending on your answer...I'll decide who you will be when you leave this door."

***

Anna sat cross-legged in the corner armchair, a thick comic book open on her lap, but the words blurred. Every few seconds her gaze drifted to the empty air above the table, and a soft giggle escaped her lips.

Ren's voice echoed in her head—sharp, fearless, cutting through her mother's icy lecture like a blade. "You don't get to talk to her like that."

No one did that. Not the board members who bowed and scraped. Not the partners who smiled through clenched teeth. But Ren—some random boy whom she met because she lost her wallet had stepped between them without hesitation.

Heat crawled up her neck. The memory shifted.

Ren's hand had cupped her head, voice low: "You're so beautiful, Anna." The words melted her. She lunged, kissing him hard, clumsy, hungry. Their tongues met—hers shy, his guiding—until she gripped his hair and devoured his mouth like she'd die without it.

He stripped. Shirt gone, pants gone. Her eyes locked on his cock, thick and straining. "Your turn." She tore off her uniform, skin slick with sweat, small breasts heaving, the dark curls between her legs soaked.

"I'm yours. Do whatever you want."

She dropped to her knees. Hands explored—shaft, balls, every inch. She sniffed, licked, sucked. "You taste good." Her mouth bobbed faster when he groaned, pride flaring.

He stopped her before he came. Lifted her to the bed, spread her legs. "On the pill?" A frantic nod. His cock teased her slit, then pushed in—slow, tight, breaking through with one firm thrust. She gasped, no shame, just need.

He found her spot, circled, pounded. She screamed "Fill me! Fuck my pussy!" cumming hard, squirting, lost in bliss. He kept going until he exploded inside her, hot and deep.

Anna's breath hitched in the library, thighs clenching.

Anna's breath hitched. The book slipped lower. Her free hand moved without thinking, sliding beneath the pleats of her uniform skirt, fingertips brushing warm skin. She bit her lip, eyes fluttering shut as she was ready to feel what it felt like to be fucked by that handsome boy.

But suddenly a shadow fell across the page.

She froze. Heart slamming, she whipped around—hand yanking free, book tumbling to the rug.

Hiyori stood there, arms crossed, dark hair tied in a loose ponytail.

Anna's face burned. "Ren's little sister?"

The girl tilted her head. "Can we talk?" she muttered, voice low, almost lost in the hush of the library.

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