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━─────── Kayden and Jiwoo returned home a few hours later. When they got home, Kayden in his cat form wasn't at all happy as he complained, "Damn that Kartein. He didn't even wait for──"
However, he immediately cut himself off when he felt the pressure in the air. His face changed drastically as he felt the palpable force enveloped the house, prickling at his skin like static electricity. Kayden's breath caught in his throat as he turned toward the second floor, the intensity of Kartein's force control crashing over him like a tidal wave.
Even Jiwoo could feel it, the younger awakener felt like he's having a hard time breathing with the pressure. What is this intense feeling?
"Kayden...something's wrong. What is this...It's like..." Jiwoo's voice was barely above a whisper, wide eyes darting toward the house. The unease in his tone set Kayden's heart racing, the earlier frustration forgotten as adrenaline surged through him.
"Use your force control to counter it." Kayden instructed sharply as he ran straight to the stairs, "It's Kartein's force control overflowing the house."
Hearing that, Jiwoo's eyes widened as he immediately ran after his mentor. The two of them sprinted toward the room, footsteps pounding against the floor. As they burst through the door, the scene that met them stole the breath from Kayden's lungs.
"Kartein! Are you crazy!? Control your──" Kayden's shouting immediately stopped when he saw the scene inside.
Kartein was crouched over Chiye, the air around him shimmering with healing energy, his brow furrowed in concentration. But there was something else in his eyes──an edge of desperation that sent a chill racing down Kayden's spine.
"...What the hell?" Kayden asked in shock, a flicker of worry that he immediately hid bleeding into his tone as he took in the sight of Chiye, pale and trembling, her features drawn in pain. "What's going on?"
Jiwoo stood frozen for a moment, shock rippling across his face as he clutched the doorframe, worry etched deep into his expression. "Chiye?" he murmured, his voice barely audible, the concern for his friend tightening his chest like a vice.
Kartein looked up, his expression shifting from concentration to alarm, the intensity of his focus momentarily shattered. Seeing Jiwoo's state, he snapped out of his dazed state and immediately stopped using his force control. "I... I don't know," he admitted, a weight of uncertainty in his voice. "She just──" He hesitated, his gaze flickering back to Chiye, who was still obviously in pain despite being unconscious with the way her brows were furrowed.
Jiwoo's heart raced, and panic rose up like a tide within him. He didn't even feel the changes and the way Kartein's force control had already stopped putting pressure on him. It felt the same. He couldn't focus on breathing, "Chiye!" he stepped closer, ready to do whatever it took to alleviate her suffering. His hands hovered to the unconscious girl, unsure of how to support her but Kayden was quick enough to pull him back.
"Jiwoo don't." Kayden said sternly, but Jiwoo shrugged his mentor off.
"What happened, Kartein? She was fine earlier!"
"I said I don't know!" Kartein snapped, causing the younger awakener to flinched and instinctively step back, shock filling his features as this was the first time Kartein snapped like this. However, Kartein paid them no mind.
Kartein's eyes were sharp, filled with a mix of determination and dread. "Stay back for now," he instructed, voice steady despite the chaos swirling around them. "I need to focus."
The air crackled with tension as they stood there, the room heavy with unspoken fears and the urgency of the situation pressing down upon them like a lead weight. Kayden could feel the weight of the moment bearing down on them, the dread of the unknown lingering just beyond their grasp.
"Jiwoo, let's go." Kayden wordlessly pulled his student out without another word even when Jiwoo tried to protest, leaving Kartein and Chiye alone.
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A few hours later...
The evening air was thick with an uneasy silence as Jiwoo and Kayden sat outside on the balcony, the last remnants of daylight fading into a deep indigo. The soft chirping of crickets filled the space around them, a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling in their minds. Kayden leaned back, propping himself on his elbows, attempting to project an air of nonchalance, but the subtle tension in his jaw betrayed him.
"Come on, Jiwoo, the kid ain't dead yet," Kayden said, trying to inject some lightness into the heavy atmosphere. He glanced sideways at Jiwoo, who was staring blankly at the ground, his usually bright eyes clouded with worry. "Kartein's there, she's gonna be fine. You should be training instead of moping around like this."
Jiwoo didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the dirt-stained ground, where small stones were scattered like forgotten thoughts. He hugged his injured arm, the bandage wrapped around it a stark reminder of the chaos from earlier. The pain throbbed faintly, but it paled in comparison to the weight in his chest──the memory of Chiye, her face twisted in pain as she struggled against an unseen force, haunted him.
"Seriously, Jiwoo," Kayden pressed, forcing a light chuckle that sounded hollow even to his own ears. "We can't just sit here doing nothing. Let's hit the training yard; we can't be wasting time like this, not after you defeated Vermont's grandkid."
"Training isn't going to help Chiye," Jiwoo murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, the weight of his thoughts muffling the vibrant spirit that usually characterized him. He rested his chin on his knee, the warmth of the setting sun slowly giving way to the cool night air.
That made Kayden stunned, unsure how to answer to that. What the fuck is he supposed to say? With Jiwoo like this, nothing he say will probably not work. With a sigh, Kayden decided to just leave him alone, his green eyes flicker to the second floor sharply as he frowned.
Just what the hell happened?
─────── · ·End of Chapter 110· · ─────── ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Follow for more stories and update announcements✧˖°.
