"If you don't believe me" Ryker said softly, "you can leave now."

His words hung in the air like a gentle challenge. Not angry. Not accusing. Just calm. Like he already knew Lucas's answer.

Lucas's felt his throat drying. He swallowed hard and looked away for a second then he turned his gaze back to Ryker.

"I… I believe you," he said, his voice was barely above a whisper.

Ryker chuckled when he heard it.

"Really?" he leaned back, as he rested his chin on his hand, "Then how about this?"

He paused, then began to speak again.

"You used to bite your nails when you were anxious. But not anymore. Now, you scratch your thumb with your index finger instead"

Lucas froze hearing it.

"You can't sleep properly unless your feet are covered. Even if it is in summer. And every morning after you wake up you check the mirror not for how you look... but to remind yourself who you were once"

Ryker's smile sharpened just slightly then…

"Lucas, Or should I say… Noah"

Hearing his previous name Lucas stood up so fast that the coffee cup in his hand slipped and crashed onto the floor. Shards scattered. The warm liquid stained the carpet beneath them.

He didn't even look down.

He was staring at Ryker. His eyes were wide, his face was pale. His lips parted but no words came out. He was panicking inside,

'He knows….He knows everything….How much more does he know?'

Ryker stood slowly, his hands raised in a calming gesture.

"Relax. Sit down, Lucas. I told you before, I am not your enemy"

Lucas didn't move even after hearing it.

Ryker's voice softened once again, "If I wanted to hurt you. I would have done it long ago. I am only here to talk"

After a few seconds, Lucas calmed himself and sat back down. His hands trembled slightly but he tried to hide it. He took a deep breath and forced himself to look Ryker in the eyes.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

Ryker smiled again. This time less playfully. It was more sincere.

"I want the same thing you do"

Lucas narrowed his eyes, "And what is that?"

"Survival," Ryker answered without pause, "For both of us"

Lucas blinked.

Ryker leaned forward.

"I don't care what you have done in the past. Whether you rewrote events, avoided people, or stayed hidden. That doesn't matter now. What matters… is what is coming."

Lucas hesitated. Then he asked in a whisper, "You don't mean…"

Ryker nodded and finished the sentence for him.

"The One in the Boiling Abyss"

Lucas sucked in a sharp breath, "So you do know about him"

Ryker's eyes gleamed. "I know more than I should but not as much as I would like."

Lucas looked down. His fingers clenched around his knees, "Then what do you want from me?" he asked again.

Ryker sipped the last of his coffee then set the cup aside.

"An alliance," he said simply.

Lucas looked up.

"I have been watching and preparing," Ryker continued "The simulation incident. The demon cult's appearance during the midterm. Both of those weren't supposed to happen, were they?"

Lucas shook his head. "No… That was supposed to be years from now. One or two at least."

Ryker nodded, "Exactly. Things are moving faster than they should. We both know why."

Lucas was silent.

Ryker's voice dropped a little.

"The butterfly effect," he said. "That's what we have started."

He stood up walking slowly to the window with his hands in his pockets.

"You and I… We changed things just by being here. One action led to another and now we are in uncharted territory"

He turned and looked at Lucas.

"We can't rely on the 'original timeline' anymore. That version of the future? It's gone."

Lucas closed his eyes for a moment. The truth of those words settled deep in his chest. It was heavy and uncomfortable.

Then he nodded slowly, "You are right."

He opened his eyes. "But… 'The One in the Boiling Abyss' isn't the only threat. There were other events. Other… incidents. That led to his arrival."

Ryker smiled again hearing it.

"You mean the Apostles of the Seven Deadly Sins."

Lucas looked surprised. "You know about them too?"

"I told you I have seen enough to understand the weight they carry," Ryker said. "And I have already started making preparations for it"

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Preparations? What do you mean? How do you plan to deal with them?"

Ryker didn't answer directly. He simply smiled and took a step closer towards Lucas.

"From your version of the future," Ryker said carefully, "you should ask yourself. Among all the apostles, who was the most dangerous?"

Lucas paused. His thoughts wandered through the names. The chaos they caused. The destruction they left behind.

Finally, he said the one that was the most troublesome, "The Apostle of Gluttony."

"She was the most problematic," Ryker added.

Lucas frowned. "You are still avoiding the question. How are you planning to stop her?"

Ryker shrugged with a casual smile. "Let's just say… I have already taken the first step"

Lucas stared at him for a few seconds, then leaned back in his seat.

"He is hiding something. But he sure has a plan…"

Ryker leaned forward again.

"How many apostles do you think are currently in the Nexus Academy?"

Lucas didn't need long to answer. "Two. Apostle of Gluttony and Apostle of Pride. Both of them are in their third year."

Ryker laughed and shook his head slowly.

Lucas blinked. "Wait… don't tell me…'

"There is a third," Ryker said. "At first, I thought there were only two. But in a vision I received… There were three. All third years."

Lucas's face turned serious. "Do you know which sin?"

Ryker sighed. "Unfortunately… I don't."

Lucas looked down, he was deep in thought,

"Three apostles in the Academy? Who? Which sin?"

Ryker watched him silently and smirked to himself.

'He will figure it out. He always does. That's the perk of being the protagonist'

"What do you plan to do next?" Lucas finally asked.

Ryker walked back to the table and picked up a towel to clean the spilled coffee.

"I will be leaving the Academy for a while."

Lucas blinked. "How?"

Ryker looked back over his shoulder and smiled. "Remember? I am becoming someone's squire"

Lucas frowned. "You are serious?"

"I already made the arrangements," Ryker said, "But you… you need to prepare too."

Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"Call your mother," Ryker said. "Ask her to pull some strings again. Get yourself a mentor. Someone who will accept you as their squire. Before the Final Examination."

Lucas frowned again, "Why before the Final Exam?"

Ryker stopped wiping and looked at him.

"Because something big is coming," he said. "And we need to be ready."

"Can't you tell me what it is?"

Ryker smiled gently.

"Remember what I said… about the butterfly effect?"

"Oh….hhh"

Lucas exhaled slowly, rubbing his forehead. "This is a lot… all at once"

Ryker nodded and advised him, "Go back to your room. Clear your head. Think everything through."

Lucas stood up and walked toward the door. He paused as he noticed the shattered cup on the floor.

"I am… sorry about that," he said quietly.

Ryker waved a hand. "It's just a cup."

He walked with Lucas to the door.

As he opened it for him. Ryker said one last thing.

"Get ready, Lucas. A War is coming."

Lucas nodded silently and stepped out into the hall.

Ryker watched his back as he walked away then he smirked.

And quietly, he closed the door.

******

Lucas walked through the dim hallway, each step echoing faintly behind him.

His thoughts were louder than his footsteps.

'He knows. He knew about Noah. About me. About everything'

Ryker Case, a supporting character, a healer. But he was now someone else entirely. Someone who had seen far too much.

"If he is a seer… then everything makes sense."

The way he acted. The way he planned. The way he moved through every situation with precision.

"But can I trust him?"

Lucas wasn't sure.

"For now… maybe. But I will keep my eyes open."

Because whether ally or enemy, one thing was clear,

Ryker was no longer a piece on the board.

He was the one flipping the table.

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