Lost In Chaos

Kaz stepped out of the classroom, his mind a tangled mess of thoughts.

Three great clans.

One secret clan.

That one clan was feared—even by the strongest.

And Axion was part of it.

Kaz exhaled slowly, his hands slipping into his pockets as he walked. Was that why his sister had tried to push him into marrying Axion?

His sister…

Half the time, it felt like she forgot he existed. Not just ignored him—actually forgot.

Never spoke about him. Never acknowledged him.

It wasn't normal.

And now, between Cell, the big clans, and his sister's strange behavior… it was too much.

The setting sun painted the academy in shades of gold and deep violet.

Kaz wasn't paying attention.

His mind drifted—to his mother.

He missed her the most at times like these.

She had been different. Bipolar. Unpredictable. Drawn to the wrong things.

And in a way, he was just like her.

Kaz sighed, shaking his head. His mind needed to focus.

And then there was Ryuma.

He had been acting strange today. Angrier than usual. Frustrated.

Because he didn't get to finish his fight?

Kaz ran a hand through his hair.

And then there was me.

He had been acting weird, too. Stressed. Scared of his Chaos Counter.

And yet…

A part of him had wanted it to continue.

That thought sent a shiver down his spine.

Kaz reached his dorm, the automatic doors scanning him before sliding open.

A solid slab of metal reinforced with beast and earth alloys.

Sturdy. Secure.

With a soft hiss, the door closed behind him.

Kaz didn't think much after stepping inside.

He collapsed onto his bed, exhaustion dragging him under.

Morning.

Kaz woke up feeling fine.

No headache. No heaviness.

His first instinct was to check his Sanctuary scripts.

Chaos Counter: 0.

A relieved breath escaped his lips.

No Frenzied Chaos today.

But something else caught his eye.

A new talisman.

Thorny Fist—Lesser Aberration Rank.

It forms gauntlets around the hands, transforming into gloves when needed.

A weapon.

Kaz summoned it.

The gloves materialized, snug and comfortable. Dark purple. They matched his suit.

Not bad.

He flexed his fingers, testing the material. Strong. Durable. A solid addition to his arsenal.

Satisfied, he left the dorm.

Just as he stepped outside—

He bumped into Ryuma.

"Hey, Kaz." Ryuma grinned, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Did you hear about the Night Devil?"

Kaz frowned. "Who?"

Ryuma smirked. "You should've seen it. He wore this black mask—oval-shaped, with a star carved in purple and white."

Kaz raised a brow.

Somehow, that sounded… familiar.

Ryuma continued. "A few students tried to bully him. They saw his trait rank—Novice."

Kaz blinked. "Novice? Wait—you changed my watch to the lowest rank, didn't you?"

Ryuma grinned. "Yeah. That's what I thought too. But this guy? He was insane."

Kaz crossed his arms. "What did he do?"

Ryuma's smirk widened.

"He was way better with a sword than you."

Kaz narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?"

"I'm serious. Not just that—he beat Axion."

Kaz stilled.

Axion?

The guy who was part of the feared secret clan?

Defeated?

Ryuma wasn't done. "His sword technique was chaotic. But here's the crazy part—when he saw Axion's technique, he copied it."

Kaz's breath hitched. "Copied it?"

"Yeah. Perfectly."

"Then he decided he didn't like it."

Kaz's eyes widened.

Ryuma smirked, enjoying the shock on Kaz's face.

"So, you know what he did next? He lifted Axion into the air. Wrapped him in purple tendrils."

Kaz's stomach dropped.

Purple tendrils.

That wasn't just anyone.

Ryuma grinned. "And then he walked up to Axion, placed his hand on his back—and took one of his talismans."

Kaz's fingers twitched.

No way.

The Night Devil…

was him.