Chapter 25: The Monster Within

Kaden walked alone on the academy grounds late into the night. The air was alive with the distant chirping of crickets, and the soft rustle of leaves swayed with the gentle breeze. The full moon hung high above, casting an ethereal glow across the pathways, illuminating every detail of the roses lining the walkways. The academy looked serene under the moonlight, but Kaden's mind was far from calm.

Jace had told him everything.

Ever since the ranking test, the academy had devolved into a battlefield of hierarchies. The upper ranks bullied the middle ranks, while the middle ranks took their frustrations out on the lower ranks. It was a cruel cycle, fueled by the mandatory rank tags that each student was required to wear at all times. Jace, though reluctant, had named his attackers—a group of five: one middle-rank student and four lower ranks.

As Kaden wandered further into the academy grounds, he heard muffled voices, followed by the sound of a punch landing. His sharp eyes caught the scene ahead—a group of five surrounding a boy, beating him to the ground. The boy whimpered in pain as the leader, the middle-rank student, kicked him again.

Kaden's blood boiled. Not tonight.

He strode forward, his footsteps heavy yet eerily quiet. The group was too focused on their victim to notice him until it was too late.

"Hey," Kaden's voice rang out, cold and sharp. The group turned, startled by his sudden appearance. "Pick on someone your own size."

The middle-rank student sneered. "This isn't your business, lower rank. Leave, before you regret it."

Kaden smirked darkly. "Oh, there'll be regret, just not from me."

The fight was brutal.

Kaden lunged forward with terrifying speed, his fist connecting with the first lower-rank bully's jaw. The sickening crunch of bone breaking echoed through the night as the boy crumpled to the ground, clutching his face. Before the others could react, Kaden spun, slamming his knee into another boy's stomach with enough force to lift him off the ground. The boy gasped, the air knocked from his lungs as he collapsed.

The third bully tried to rush him from behind, but Kaden anticipated it. He turned, grabbing the boy's arm and twisting it at an unnatural angle. The boy screamed in agony as Kaden shoved him backward, sending him sprawling onto the dirt.

The last lower-rank student froze, trembling. Kaden's eyes locked onto him, and the boy's face turned pale. "P-please... I'm sorry..." the boy stammered.

Kaden didn't care. He grabbed the boy by the collar, lifting him off the ground, and slammed him against a nearby tree. The sound of his body hitting the bark reverberated in the quiet night. Black veins pulsed under Kaden's skin, creeping up his arms and hands. His grip tightened, and the boy whimpered in fear, his legs dangling uselessly.

The middle-rank leader stood frozen, fear flickering across his face. When Kaden finally turned to him, he tried to act tough, stepping forward and raising his fists. But Kaden's expression—cold, detached, and filled with something almost inhuman—sent a shiver down his spine.

"Your turn," Kaden growled.

The middle-rank student threw a desperate punch, but Kaden dodged easily. He retaliated with a devastating blow to the gut, then another to the side of the boy's face. The boy stumbled, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. Kaden didn't stop. He grabbed the student by the hair, forcing him to his knees, and delivered a merciless barrage of punches. Each hit sent a shockwave of pain through the boy's body, and with each strike, Kaden felt himself losing control.

Black veins darkened further, spreading like wildfire across his arms. His breathing was ragged, his vision tinged with red. He raised his fist one last time, ready to end it—to kill.

But something stopped him.

The middle-rank student had surrendered, hands raised weakly in front of him, his face a swollen mess of blood and bruises. Kaden blinked, the haze of rage lifting slightly. His fist hovered in the air, trembling. No... Not like this.

He stepped back, fists unclenching, and the veins on his hands faded. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

The boy they had been bullying earlier sat frozen, staring at Kaden in horror. "S-stay away from me, monster!" he cried.

Kaden said nothing. He didn't look back.

When Kaden entered the dorm room, Jace was sitting on his bed, his face pale and anxious. He had been chewing his lip, worrying that Kaden might have confronted the bullies and gotten hurt—or worse. When he saw Kaden walk in unscathed, he let out a shaky sigh of relief.

"You're okay," Jace said softly. "I thought... never mind. I'm glad you didn't do anything stupid."

Kaden didn't respond. He went straight to his bed and sat down, his fists still clenched. His mind replayed the fight, the way his control had slipped, the way he had almost... No. He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. But the feeling lingered.

Elsewhere, in the principal's office, a guard stepped inside and saluted. The principal, a tall man with sharp features and an unreadable expression, looked up from his desk. "How is the situation with the bullying?" he asked.

The guard hesitated. "It's started, sir. And it's increasing as expected."

The principal nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Good. That's the purpose of the ranking system, after all. Students need to experience cruelty to grow strong. The weak must either endure or rise."

The guard shifted uncomfortably. "Should we intervene?"

The principal waved a hand dismissively. "Not unless things go too far. Install CCTV cameras in the usual places—the corridors, toilets, anywhere fights are likely to break out. We encourage bullying, but we can't have students killing each other. Not yet."

The guard nodded. "Understood, sir."

As the guard left, the principal leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "This academy isn't for the weak," he murmured to himself, a cruel glint in his eye. "And soon, neither will the world be."