"Y-you…"

Sen wasn't sure, but he thought he detected a slight quiver in Hana's voice as she confronted the man.

"You're just acting all strong and mighty, huh? You're so much stronger and cooler than us, huh?" Hana mocked with a bitter tone. "When you said we passed, I actually believed it. I—I," words seemed to catch in Hana's throat, "I was really happy…"

"Hmph," Gyro snorted heartlessly. "I'm sorry, young lady, but this is reality. Some people just don't have what it takes to pass the challenge. Just give up."

"It's not fair! You're already a Knight! It's easy for you to say!" she protested.

Gyro shook his head with disappointment before ambling closer to Hana, facing her resentful expression from mere inches away. His dead eyes forcefully made contact with hers.

"The world isn't fair…" he growled in a low tone. "Just give up and go home."

"You really expect us to do that? Do you understand how hard it was to get to this point? You're just frustrated that my brother was able to see through your plan! YOU DISGUST ME!" she spat.

Gyro dully looked at her, wiping off mucus that landed on his face while Hana continued to vent.

"You're a selfish shithead who wants to destroy everyone's dream to become a Knight–"

"What does it mean to be a Knight?..." he asked with a shadow covering his eyes, disregarding her previous insults.

Hana blinked. "To be strong and protect those in need," she confidently replied.

Gyro snorted. "Do you honestly think being strong and protecting those in danger is all there is to be a Knight? Please... dont make me laugh."

"It is! You're just trying to trick me into thinking it's not! You adults always think you're better than us–"

"To be a Knight..." Gyro leaned close to Hana's face, with the eyes of a killer, "means you need to throw your humanity away."

Sen caught a glance at Gyro's expression. It was the face of someone who'd lived through hell and survived.

"Do you think I wanted to watch my comrades die in battle?" Gyro clutched up his fists. "Do you think I enjoyed ripping open an enemy's skull while he screamed in agony, saying he had a wife and kids? Is that the life you truly want? This isn't a game you fool! We are no better than monsters! We killed people... I… killed people. I watched houses burn down as children and mothers screamed on the battlefield. And you know what? I had no choice but to kill them too." Gyro's became distant and cold.

"You know nothing about this world. You know nothing of its cruelty. The moment you step into this hell, there's no turning back. The moment you kill the enemy's innocent children with your own hands, it will forever be ingrained in your pitiful little brain. Now tell me you fucking fools!" he bellowed, "is this the life you want?"

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…

It started with a small droplet of water, but soon, Sen could hear it continuously patter on the wooden floors as his sister fought the urge to cry. Hana didn't want them to hear her sniffles, so she bit her tongue. Unfortunately, the small splashes of her tears dropping against the ground were audible to everyone.

"Hana…" Kaiyo murmured softly with concern as the room fell silent, the only sound being Hana's tears meeting the floors.

Sen sighed. "I'm just doing it because I heard you get free food and a dorm." Huh? Sen recalled Hana's words when he first asked if they were joining the academy. He wondered how true that was. Perhaps she herself underestimated how much she wanted this. I have no interest, so I can't relate. I'm just doing this as a last resort to find information about my father. And her logic for wanting something this much is a mystery, but one thing I do know is:

I don't like seeing my family cry…

…

"MOMMY! Don't cry, what's wrong?" Sen conjured a vivid memory before his eyes. His mother knelt on the ground, sobbing with terror and grief, while Hana clutched at her mother's clothes, desperate for an answer. Despite Hana's efforts, she couldn't elicit a response from their mother. Only after minutes of harrowing cries did she finally utter,

"Oh, my dear children, I'm so sorry…"

"Mom, please don't cry!" Holding Hana in her arms, Sen's mother looked at him with unsubsiding tears.

"My dears, I don't think Dad will be coming home tonight…"

...

That's right, Sen reminded himself. I don't like seeing my family suffer.

… Maybe deep down, that was why he refused to believe his father was dead.

… Maybe deep down, he just wanted things to be as they used to.

Chuckling at the irony, Sen thought to himself– I find unnecessary emotions distracting and often catch myself judging those who display them, yet… perhaps I understand them on some level. I'm not sure how, but it's there, somewhere. I'm sorry, Hana, it doesn't look like I'll be able to find Dad this time. The academy might be out of my league for now. But I'll figure out something else. I always do—

"3 minutes…" Baru stated abruptly, interrupting Sen's train of thought.

"Hmm?" Gyro frowned at him suspiciously. "What do you mean by 3 minutes, muscle boy?"

Baru groaned in pain as though he were internally battling his own body. Despite being paralyzed by Gyro's pressure point technique, Baru let out a series of harsh wheezes, struggling to act.

Now that I think about it, Sen realized Baru has been unusually quiet. He usually would've made some comments by now. Is he—

"GRRRRRRRAAA!!!!" Baru roared.

Is he breaking free from Gyro's pressure point paralysis? The painful groans made that the only logical assumption for Sen.

"HA! You, sir, are a bi*ch," Baru laughed. "Making a girl cry like that! Have you no shame? Only weak men do that. I might crack an occasional sexist joke, but this? This is pathetic."

That hit a nerve with Gyro. A vein throbbed on his forehead. "Watch your mouth, boy. Who do you think you're speaking t…" His voice suddenly trailed off as Gyro's eyes widened in disbelief.

Sen couldn't see what was happening to Baru, but judging from Gyro's reaction, it was likely what he had predicted.

"What I meant to say is…" Baru grunted, struggling, his body trembling as his right foot inched forward.

"What?…" Gyro whispered in shock. "He's breaking free from the paralysis?"

Finally, Baru's body convulsed one last time in defiance before he launched himself at the muscular knight, breaking free from the paralysis!

"What I meant to say was…" Baru grinned, "3 minutes until I kick your ass!"