Whisper of Rivalry

The cafeteria was alive with noise and activity as students gathered in their cliques, sharing stories of their recent missions and accomplishments.

Kael's team occupied a table near the edge, enjoying a hard-earned meal after their recent triumph.

The buzz of conversations around them, however, was hard to ignore.

"Did you hear? The Cream fillers cleared an A-rank mission."

"Yeah, and they didn't even lose a member. That's insane!"

"They're definitely going to draw attention now…"

The Cream fillers exchanged glances, some amused, others a bit uneasy.

"Well, looks like we're the talk of the academy," Ren said with a grin, biting into his bread.

"We've earned it," Lira replied, "But attention like this isn't always a good thing."

Before anyone could respond, a familiar figure approached their table.

"Mind if I join you for a moment?"

Kael looked up to see Shirone standing there, his expression calm but focused.