At the same time Rebecca and Kai’s spectacle played out, another tense scene was unfolding in the office of a teacher at the School of Gifts and Curses.

Seated behind the desk was none other than Mr. Wyatt, his sharp gaze fixed on the figure sitting across from him—Damian.

“I assume you know why I’m here, sir,” Damian said, his voice laced with forced respect, though his expression showed nothing but contempt."

Damian’s eyes narrowed. "You told me you’d do everything in your power to make sure I’d be the leader in the special exam. You said it was sealed in stone." His voice grew sharper with each word. "So you can imagine my...frustration when I found out that red-haired wench was chosen instead."

Mr. Wyatt’s lips tightened ever so slightly, He leaned back, letting Damian’s words hang in the air for a moment. "I said I’d support your case, Damian. I didn’t say the decision was entirely mine."

"Don’t give me that," Damian snapped, stepping closer to the desk. "My father made it very clear to you, didn’t he? As long as you’re here, your job is to make sure the Knight family name stands above all others. But lately, it seems like you’ve been failing at that."

He leaned in, his voice low and threatening. "I wonder what he’ll think when he finds out you’ve been...slacking."

Mr. Wyatt’s eyes flickered briefly, the weight of the secret arrangement between him and Damian’s father hanging in the silence. He was a man who had his own debts to pay, and though he loathed the idea of being anyone’s puppet, the Knight family had leverage he couldn’t ignore. But even with that influence, there were limits to what he could push without drawing unwanted attention.

"I did what I could," Wyatt finally said, his voice measured. "But the decision wasn’t mine alone. The school board had the final say. They chose her."

Damian’s fists clenched at his sides

"Why her?."

Mr. Wyatt hesitated, glancing at the papers on his desk as if they held the answer. Then, with a sigh, he began. "Well....

*********

Five days ago

A secret meeting was called to decide the leaders for the upcoming Special Exams. It was held behind closed doors in the school’s boardroom, dimly lit except for the soft glow of a projector displaying the school’s crest on the wall. Around the table sat a few of the school’s most influential teachers.

Miss Eris, battle and strategy teacher sat at a round table. Her sharp features and no-nonsense attitude made her presence impossible to ignore. She was in her early thirties, her hair tightly pulled back, her expression as steely as ever.

To her right sat Mr. Yu, the calm and composed homeroom teacher for class A9

On her left Mr. Gustav, the Mechanics and Weaponization teacher, with grease-stained hands and a scruffy look, seemed only half interested, as though he’d rather be back in his workshop.

At the far end of the table was Mrs. Lien, the Summoning Instructor, her flowing dark hair framing a serene smile, though her eyes were sharp and observant.

The room was filled with the quiet hum of conversation, the various teachers gathered around the long table. Among them was Mr. Wyatt, seated with his arms crossed, already engaged in what had quickly become a mildly heated debate.

"I really don’t see why we’re even having this discussion," Mr. Wyatt said, his tone bordering on dismissive. "The only logical choices for leaders are Isaiah and Damian. It’s obvious. They’re our most promising students—not to mention the most powerful."

Professor Thawne, the Monster Physiology teacher, raised an eyebrow before responding with a wry smile. "Oh, come on, Wyatt. We’ve been doing that same song and dance for years. I’ve never understood the obsession with ‘the strongest should lead.’ Aren’t you tired of it?"

Wyatt’s expression hardened as he leaned forward. "That’s how the world works, Thawne. Strength is the only thing that unites people. Without a strong leader to rally behind, society crumbles into chaos. A leader needs to command respect, but also—when necessary—fear."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Thawne chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Fear and admiration are not the same thing, Wyatt. You can lead people through respect and intelligence, not just brute force. Maybe it’s time we start considering more than just raw power."

"I’ve got to side with Wyatt on this," Mr. Gustav chimed in, leaning back in his chair. "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Isaiah and Damian are the top-ranked students in their year. At the very least, we should recognize their efforts, right?"

Ms. Eris raised an eyebrow, her sharp gaze cutting through the room. "Rankings aren’t everything, Gustav," she said coolly. "If we’re going by that logic, then why not make Malakai a leader? I saw him defeat Damian on his first day at the school. Doesn’t that count for something?"

Mr. Wyatt let out a sharp laugh. "Kai? You can’t be serious. The kid with the black crown? Don't be Ridiculous, That win was a complete fluke, and you know it."

"Are you sure about that?"

Wyatt’s grin faltered as he turned toward the voice. Sitting calmly at the far end of the room was none other than Mr. Yu, the homeroom teacher for both candidates.

"Of course, you would be biased towards him, that much is obvious at this point"

Mr. Yu, unbothered by the jab, met Wyatt's stare with his usual calm demeanor. The tension between them thickened

"Bias? Hardly." He replied "But I will admit, I’ve been having private sparring sessions with both Malakai Blackwell and Michael Balogun."

Wyatt raised an eyebrow. "And why would you do something like that?"

Mr. Yu glanced briefly at Ms. Eris before responding. "Let’s just say... curiosity got the better of me."

He stepped toward the projector, pulling a small device from his pocket. "I brought clips from our recent training sessions. I thought it might be worth discussing their progress."

The teachers exchanged glances—some intrigued, others dubious. Professor Thawne leaned back in his chair, waving a hand. "Well then, no point in dragging this out. Show us what you've got."

He played the clip, immediately pulling everyone’s attention. It opened with Michael and Kai locked in combat with Mr. Yu. At first, the students were clearly outmatched, struggling against Mr. Yu’s relentless offense. Despite the older man's obvious restraint, the gap in skill was glaring. Michael, with the help of his curse ability, managed to hold his own better than Kai, though both were clearly fighting an uphill battle.

But then, something happened.After a few exchange of words with Kai, Michael stepped off the stage, Kai’s demeanor changed. His movements slowed, his posture shifted—and there was a tangible tension in the air. And then, he used it: Blackout.

As soon as Kai entered Blackout, the atmosphere in the room changed. His previously deliberate, methodical movements became erratic and unpredictable. The once-restrained student now transformed into the epitome of raw aggression and speed, seemingly oblivious to pain or fatigue.

The teachers watching the clip tensed, their expressions hardening. Miss Eris leaned forward, her eyes narrowing with interest, while Mr. Gustav raised an eyebrow, momentarily pausing from his disinterested slouch. Even Mrs. Lien, usually so composed, glanced sideways at the other teachers, her serene expression faltering slightly.

In the clip, Mr. Yu’s calm defense began to shift into a more serious stance. It was clear that Kai, under the influence of Blackout, was becoming increasingly difficult to predict. His attacks were wild yet precise, as if some unhinged part of his mind had taken over, allowing him to move without fear, doubt, or hesitation.

Mr. Yu’s voice began to narrate softly over the footage. "This trance-like state that enhances focus, but at a cost. His sense of self-preservation diminishes, and his desire to inflict harm becomes... his only driving force."

"In this case at least" he added

The footage showed Mr. Yu, now fully engaged, fending off a barrage of attacks from Kai. Each strike was faster than the last, and while Mr. Yu expertly parried or dodged them.

Then, as if the chaos wasn’t enough, the moment came. Kai muttered something under his breath, and suddenly he dashed forward with blinding speed

Professor Thawne sat up straight, eyes wide. "Wait, did he just—?"

Kai reappeared just inches from Mr. Yu, his katana slicing through the air with all the strength he could summon. The sharp clang of metal rang out as Mr. Yu’s golden energy-reinforced arms intercepted the blow, halting Kai’s attack in its tracks.

As the sparring session drew to a close, Mr. Yu began playing clips from their subsequent training. Each time, Kai entered Blackout again, but something had changed. Gone was the reckless fury they had seen before. This time, his approach was more cautious, calculated, and, most of all, observant.

Kai was no longer a mindless attacker. He was adapting, learning, and growing more attuned to his battle. His coordination with Michael had improved, their attacks now flowing together in a synchronized effort to overwhelm Mr. Yu. Kai defended more, choosing his moments carefully, rather than charging in headlong.

Ms. Eris was the first to catch on. "He’s learning," she muttered under her breath. "Learning how to beat you."

Mr. Yu glanced her way and gave a slight nod of agreement.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Wyatt asked, confused.

"Watch closely," Mr. Yu said.As the footage continued, it became clear to the others. Every tactic Mr. Yu had used against Kai in the earlier sessions no longer worked. Kai had adapted—fast. Mr. Yu couldn’t repeat the same move twice without facing immediate retaliation.

Kai’s growth was undeniable. He had evolved from an unpredictable fighter into a formidable strategist, forcing Mr. Yu to constantly shift his own approach. The battle between teacher and student had become a game of mental chess, each side adjusting to the other.

Not long after Mr Yu's clip ended and the screen went black, silence filled the room as the teachers began to process what they had just watched.

"Is that… normal?" Mrs. Lien finally asked, breaking the silence

"No," Mr. Yu said quietly. "It’s not."

In essence, Blackout amplifies whatever goal is driving Kai in that moment. When his only desire was to hurt Mr Yu, Blackout manifested a Berserker-like state, reckless and relentless, focusing solely on harm. But once Kai realised brute force wasn't enough, his objective shifted, the objective was no longer hurting Mr Yu, it became learning how to hurt Mr Yu. And Blackout instantly adapted to that purpose.

Blackout, a state of mind Azrael himself had achieved on his journey to becoming the greatest swordsman that has ever walked the earth, was now in the hands of Malakai blackwell

The room was heavy with contemplation. Most of the teachers were lost in thought, but one in particular—Ms. Eris—looked utterly stunned. She had overseen Kai’s battle training for months and had never seen him use Blackout.

"Unless..." she thought, "He’s been saving it. For the special exam."

Breaking the silence, Mr. Yu turned to Mr. Wyatt, his voice calm yet pointed. "Do you still believe it was a fluke that Kai defeated Damian?"

Mr. Wyatt opened his mouth to respond but faltered, struggling to find words. The overwhelming evidence in the clips had left him momentarily speechless.

Finally, Wyatt found his voice. "So, what’s your point with all this? Do You want us to make Kai one of the leaders for the special exam? Is that it?"

Mr. Yu shook his head firmly. "No. Absolutely not."

"What?" Wyatt's brow furrowed in confusion. "Then why go through all this trouble? Why sho

w us these videos?"

Mr. Yu leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "Because I have a request—a proposition, if you will."