Riku delved into his research, meticulously studying his opponent's strengths and weaknesses. He scoured through every available piece of information, analyzing their past fights and tactics.

As he immersed himself in his studies, he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that there was more to the sudden schedule change than meets the eye.

Unable to ignore his curiosity any longer, Riku decided to investigate. He knew that information was often exchanged among students, and if something significant had happened, there might be rumors circulating.

Afterall if there was one thing these students were talented at, it was spreading rumors, and although most of the time it wasn’t completely true it was always something near the truth.

Riku made his way to the common area of the dormitory, hoping to overhear conversations or catch snippets of information.

The atmosphere was tense, and students gathered in small groups, speaking in hushed tones. Riku discreetly approached one such group, pretending to be occupied with his own thoughts.

"...rumor has it that there was an incident near the school grounds," whispered one student.

"I heard some teachers were involved," another added.

Riku's ears perked up, and he leaned in closer, straining to catch every word.

"But nobody knows for sure. The school administration has been tight-lipped about it," said a third student, frustration evident in their voice.

Riku's mind raced with questions. What incident had occurred? Why were the teachers involved? And why was the administration keeping it under wraps? Determined to find answers, he decided to approach the source directly.

He spotted an acquaintance, one of his classmates by the name Kyle. Kayle was one of those students who always seemed to be well-informed about the school's happenings. Kyle was known for having his ear to the ground, picking up on rumors and gossip.

"Hey, Kyle. I heard there was some kind of incident near the school. Do you know anything about it?" Riku asked, trying to sound casual.

Kyle looked around cautiously before leaning closer to Riku.

"Listen, Riku, I can't say much, but there was indeed an incident,"

he whispered.

"It happened early this morning. Some unknown assailants tried to breach the school's perimeter."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Riku's eyes widened with surprise and concern. The security of the school had always been a priority, and any breach was a serious matter.

"Did they succeed?"

Riku asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No, thankfully,"

Kyle replied.

"The school's defenses held strong, and the intruders were repelled. But it was a close call."

“School defenses? Do you mean like they attacked with tanks and rocket launchers?”

Riku was a little puzzled at the choice of words by Kyle since an attack similar to what he imagined would definitely draw the attention of multiple students.

Riku's thoughts raced as he tried to process the information.

“Heavens no.

Unofficially, I heard it was just ten guys in a mask. All I know is they ran straight into Grand Master Sherr and you know what that means.”

Kyle sighed in relief as he explained the situation. But Riku looked at Kyle with a puzzled expression since he didn’t know who Grand Master Sherr was.

Klye looked at Riku with a look of frustration.

“Let’s just say of all the persons they could run into they basically ran into death incarnated.”

Riku was a little taken aback by the diction but he was a little more intrigued by the brazen nature of the assailants.

Who were these intruders, and what did they want? And why was the administration keeping it a secret from the students?

"Is there any word on who they were or why they targeted the school?" Riku inquired, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Kyle hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"There are rumors floating around, but nothing concrete. Some say it could be rival organizations trying to gain access to the school's resources or information. Others believe it might be connected to the 'Ghost killers' we've been hearing about lately,"

Kyle explained.

Riku's mind spun with possibilities. The mention of the "Ghost killers" only added to the mystery. Who were they, and what role did they play in this incident?

"I appreciate the information, Kyle," Riku said, grateful for the insight. "If you hear anything more, please let me know."

Kyle nodded and gave Riku a cautious smile.

"Stay safe, Riku. Things are getting tense around here. Keep an eye out."

Riku thanked Kyle once again and left the common area, his mind consumed by thoughts of the recent events.

The revelation of the breach and the possible connection to the "Ghost killers" had heightened his awareness of the dangers lurking in the shadows.

Riku was heading back to his dorm when a familiar voice stopped him.

“Riku Saito!”

“I was going to drop this off at your dorm but you weren’t there.

This is the target package for your end of term mission.”

Riku looked at Miss Debeers and bowed slightly out of respect while collecting the documents.

“I would advise that you make sure you are familiar with the information.”

Riku nodded as he watched Miss Debeers leave, her facial expression today wasn’t her usual haughty and domineering nature, if Riku had to guess it almost looked as though she held a look of concern.

Riku tried to not pay much mind and looked at the documents now in his hand as walked to the dorm.

The moment Riku opened the first page the documents fell to the floor. When he saw the picture of the target his jaw dropped and he was paralyzed by rage and contempt.