The silver Knight

Heads turned. The sound came from behind the instructor. A figure emerged, stepping out of the shadows. A boy. His red eyes glowed like embers, sharp against his battered black clothes, the tattered edges swaying faintly as he walked. His bright green hair caught the icy light, giving him an almost otherworldly presence. He stopped beside the instructor, his posture calm, composed.

"I assume you already know you're eliminated," the instructor said, his voice edged with a strange, unreadable tone.

Kaizen's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, his eyes locked on the boy. "It's him again."

Rai's gaze sharpened, piecing together what the others were already beginning to suspect. "So, he's number three," Rai said, his voice low, the realization sinking in like a slow, cold weight.

"Everyone!" The boy's voice rang out, hoarse but defiant, cutting through the icy tension in the air. He swayed slightly, his battered frame barely upright. "I know I lost. I'm barely standing... thanks to him." His hand lifted, trembling, to point at Kaizen.

Kaizen stood motionless, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his fists betrayed a lingering animosity.

"What a twist!" Zane's voice broke in, slick and mocking, his smirk deepening. "The big guy took him down, huh?"

The boy ignored him, his gaze sweeping the gathered crowd. "I came here to warn you!" His words carried a desperate urgency now, each syllable a strain. "All of you here—you cleared the exam. But do you know what that really means?" He hesitated, his chest heaving with effort, then continued, voice cracking. "You gave your veil to Number One... during the coffee incident!"

A ripple of unease swept through the crowd, murmurs breaking out like cracks in the ice.

"It's a trap!" the boy shouted, his voice rising. "Every single one of you... your lives are in danger!" He doubled over, coughing violently, blood flecking his lips. But he straightened, forcing out his final words. "Watch out... when you leave Penta!"

With that, he staggered away, his silhouette dissolving into the icy mist.

For a moment, silence reigned, the crowd frozen in place. Then, like a fragile web breaking under its own weight, the group began to disperse. Some muttered nervously, others stared into the distance, their faces pale with the weight of unspoken fears.

Kaizen watched the boy disappear, his fists still clenched tight. Whatever was coming next, it was clear—this was far from over.