CHAPTER 59: KILL

The buses provided by the president rolled out one by one, carrying the groups of students toward the southern edge of Velmordop, where some of the Winter Cold Guild’s private gates were stationed.

Their specific Tier 1 Gate sat far across the city, a completely different district from their usual stomping grounds in Velmordop East.

The ride was not fast, but steady, the kind of inoffensive speed that made the city blur by in pieces rather than streaks.

Through the bus windows, the usual life of Velmordop drifted past them — rows of apartment buildings, corner restaurants with plastic chairs stacked outside, the tall mall with bright signs flashing promotions, and patches of green parks that broke up the cement.

The world kept moving normally while they — packed into these buses — were headed somewhere that felt entirely separate from everything beyond the glass.

In Bus 2C, Kenji, Hiro, and Leo had claimed seats together, their voices carrying low but distinct.

"Dude, I wish Lanz could’ve participated..." Kenji said suddenly. His hand propped up his chin while his eyes stayed fixed on the window, following the scenery without really seeing it.

Leo, leaning lazily against the seat, didn’t hesitate to agree. "Yeah... it definitely would’ve been more fun with him here. Just feels like something’s missing."

The air dipped into that heavy, unspoken quiet where everyone felt the same thing but no one wanted to admit it out loud.

Hiro, wedged in the middle between the two of them, caught the shift in mood and, in true Hiro fashion, decided he wasn’t going to let it sit like that.

"Well then," Hiro said, grinning as he threw his arms over both their shoulders in one clumsy motion, "why don’t we win this sh*t for Lanz?" His voice was lighter, more determined than usual, as if saying it would push away the gloom hanging in the air.

Kenji blinked at him, the corner of his mouth twitching upward before breaking into a grin. "Yeah... you know what! Yeah! You’re right! Let’s win this sh*t for Lanz!" His own hand clapped onto Hiro’s shoulder with firm energy, squeezing like he needed to make it official.

Hiro turned his head toward Leo, keeping his arm hooked across him too. "What about you? You in on this or what?"

Leo rolled his eyes as if the question didn’t even need to be asked, but he didn’t pull away.

Instead, he placed his own hand firmly on Hiro’s other shoulder, the chain now complete. "Do you really need to ask me? Of course I’m in. If we’re doing this, then yeah, let’s do it for him."

It was all going well, that was when a sudden laugh broke out from the seat in front of them.

The sound was sharp, deliberate, and carried just enough mockery to drag attention.

Slowly, two students leaned into view, one with striking white hair and a smirk plastered across his face, and the other broader, built like someone who lived for weight training more than studying.

"Man, did I hear that sh*t right?" the white-haired student said, still chuckling as if the whole bus had turned into his personal comedy club.

"I don’t know, maybe we’re just hearing things," the broad-shouldered one replied, his tone low and dismissive.

Kenji’s arm slipped away from Hiro’s shoulder as his posture straightened.

His voice came out flat but edged with steel. "What do you want?" His eyes locked onto the white-haired guy like he was waiting for an excuse.

"Relax. Nothing. Nothing at all. We just found it funny, that’s all," the white-haired student replied, his grin widening as if he was enjoying himself more with every second.

Leo leaned forward in his seat, his usual calm nowhere to be found.

His voice cut through the air sharper than anyone expected. "And what the hell do you find funny, huh?"

The white-haired student turned his head lazily toward Leo, his smirk deepening before it cracked into quiet laughter.

He actually wiped a tear from the corner of his eye as if this was some private joke between him and himself.

"It’s just the thought that you guys actually think you can win. That’s what’s funny to me."

Kenji shot up from his seat, standing face to face with him without hesitation.

His glare burned down into the other’s eyes, his voice steady but carrying clear venom. "What do you care?"

The white-haired guy didn’t flinch. His eyes stayed calm, his expression almost bored, as he leaned back slightly. "Because it’s already my prize. So why bother struggling when you’ll only end up behind me?"

Kenji’s jaw tightened, his fists curling at his sides. "The f*ck do you mean by that?" he hissed, his tone dropping lower, dangerous.

"You’ll see," came the simple reply. No fear or tension, just casual arrogance spilling out of the white-haired student as he and his broad-shouldered friend slowly turned back and sank into their seats, dismissing Kenji like the conversation had already ended.

Kenji’s entire body leaned forward, his fist already pulling back. "Motherf*cke—"

Hiro and Leo reacted instantly, both of them pushing off their seats to grab at him before he launched the punch.

Their hands clamped onto his arms, voices overlapping as they hissed for him to stop.

But before they could restrain him fully, that’s because Kenji actually froze.

He stood there for a moment, his fist trembling, before he let out a sharp exhale and dropped his hand to his side.

He forced himself back into his seat, the anger still blazing in his eyes but contained, for now.

Hiro and Leo both let out audible sighs of relief, though neither of them loosened their posture completely.

They knew how close that had been to turning into something that would have consequences far beyond this bus ride.

Kenji didn’t look at either of them at first.

His glare was still fixed firmly on the back of the white-haired student’s head.

Slowly, though, he turned his head toward Hiro and Leo, his lips moving silently as he mouthed the words, "Let’s kill these motherfckers." His hand jerked slightly forward to point at the seat in front of them, just to make it clear.

Hiro and Leo met his look, their own expressions sharpening.

They mouthed their reply in perfect sync, "Our thoughts exactly."

A dark grin spread across Kenji’s face, mirrored by the faint smirks tugging at Hiro and Leo’s lips.

And as the bus rumbled on towards the gate, their low, sinister laughter filled their little corner, promising a rivalry that was already set in stone.

And yes, they won’t be killing them literally, which is a shame. 😔

End of Chapter 59.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

ALT SYSTEM — USER PROFILE: ZERO

Level: 15

EXP: 39 / 150

Next Reward: Quick Sever

Global System Tracking: DISABLED

World Rank Association: UNLINKED

Stats:

STR: 20 | AGI: 10 (Affinity) | VIT: 5 | DEX: 5 | INT: 17 | WIS: 5

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Derived Stat — MANA: 90 / 90]

Skills:

[Crimson Slash Lv. 1]

[Phantom Stride Lv. 2]

[Instinctive Blade Lv.1]

[Predictive Guard Lv.1]

[Skill Fusion Menu: Active]

[Dev Tree: Tier 0 Access Granted]

[Developer Node – Fusion Core Anchor: Active]

[Skill Slot Available — Unassigned]

Equipment:

Aged Blade Fragment (??? Rarity) (Bound)

Training Ring (+1 VIT)

Bag :)

Ring of Genorya - ???