Martian Archer

A tense silence hung in the air as Klein's sharp gaze locked onto Leon. The night wind rustled through the academy's outer corridors, but neither moved.

Leon clenched his fists.

"You're working with the terrorists."

Klein's smirk deepened.

"Terrorists?" he repeated, shaking his head. "That's what they call us, huh?"

Leon gritted his teeth.

"Don't play games. You planned the attack on the exam, didn't you?"

Klein exhaled and crossed his arms.

"You want answers? Fine. Tell me, Leon—what do you think soldiers are for?"

Leon narrowed his eyes.

"To protect people."

Klein chuckled.

"That's what they tell you. But the truth? Soldiers exist for one thing—war."

He took a step closer.

"But the world is peaceful, right?"

Leon didn't answer.

Klein's smirk twisted.

"Wrong."

His voice dripped with disdain.

"Peace is an illusion. Look at Mars. Do you think they're treated as equals? Do you think Earth sees them as anything more than second-class citizens?"

Leon's hands trembled.

"He's not wrong about that… but this doesn't justify murder."

Klein's expression darkened.

"The Utopia Project? It failed. The old world was better. That's why we're bringing it back—with firearms."

Leon's heart pounded.

Klein wasn't just a traitor.

He was a fanatic.

A believer in war.

"So that's it?" Leon snapped. "You'd rather burn everything down just because you think peace is fake?"

Klein sighed.

"You're young. You don't understand yet."

His hand suddenly moved to his coat.

Leon's instincts screamed at him

Danger!

A flash of silver

Klein lunged, drawing a hidden blade.

Leon barely dodged, stumbling back.

Klein was fast. Too fast.

Leon's training kicked in.

He pivoted—then ran.

Klein's footsteps thundered behind him.

"Running, Leon? That's smart."

Leon's breath burned in his lungs.

If he stayed, he'd die.

Klein was a trained killer.

Leon wasn't ready for this fight.

Ducking into a side corridor, he sprinted toward the main campus.

Klein's voice echoed behind him.

"You can't stop us."

Leon gritted his teeth and pushed forward.

He had to reach Hugo.

Leon burst into Hugo's dorm, slamming the door behind him.

Hugo, startled, jumped up.

"What the hell—"

Leon's chest heaved.

"It's Klein."

Hugo's eyes sharpened.

"What?"

Leon told him everything.

The hidden communicator.

Klein's words about war.

The attack on the academy.

When he finished, Hugo was silent.

Then

"…We have a serious problem."

Leon nodded.

Klein was more than a traitor.

He was the enemy.