---
Back at Astraea, Kaito and the misfits returned to their training routine, but unease lingered from their encounter at the northern circle. During a morning sparring session, Elara stumbled upon a strange, jagged shard glowing faintly with dark energy in the training grounds. She hesitated before calling Kaito over.
“This... this doesn’t feel right,” Elara says, holding the shard out with trembling hands. “It looks like it came from the summoning circle.”
Kaito examines it with Appraisal, his expression darkening. "Residual energy... and something else. There's a memory embedded in this."
The group exchanges uneasy glances. Yumi steps closer. "Can you access it?"
---
With reluctance, Kaito channels his essence into the shard. A wave of energy ripples through him, pulling him into a fragmented vision.
Kaito finds himself in a desolate landscape, surrounded by jagged cliffs and an eerie, blood-red sky. The ground is scorched, and in the distance, towering shadowy figures loom over a massive summoning circle, larger and more intricate than the one they encountered.
Voices echo around him, sharp and guttural, speaking in a language he doesn’t recognize. Yet, fragments of meaning pierce through:
“The nexus... still dormant... awaken it... consume the chains of creation.”
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A cloaked figure steps forward, their features obscured. They reach out toward the circle, their voice rising. “With this, we summon our master’s wrath. The mortal world will kneel.”
As the vision fades, Kaito is left with a single, chilling image: the central summoning circle, surrounded by chained figures radiating immense power, fueling the ritual.
---
Kaito snaps back to reality, his breathing ragged. The shard crumbles to dust in his hand. Yumi steadies him as he struggles to process what he’s seen.
“What did you see?” Toru asks, his grip tightening on his sword.
“A glimpse of their endgame,” Kaito says, his voice low. “The summoning circles are connected to something far bigger—something designed to awaken an ancient force. And... it’s tied to this ‘nexus’.”
The group’s unease deepens. Damon scowls. “Then we need to destroy them all.”
Kaito shakes his head. “It’s not that simple. These aren’t just summoning circles. They’re powered by living sacrifices—people who’ve been chained to them. If we rush in without a plan, we’ll be walking into a trap.”
Rian narrows his eyes. “So what’s the plan?”
“We need to find the central circle and disrupt the entire network,” Kaito replies. “But first, we need more information. And that means someone who knows what these demons are planning.”
---
Later that evening, a scout from the academy’s intelligence division visits the misfit class. They bring news of a surviving villager rescued near the northern circle—a person who might have witnessed the demons’ plans firsthand.
The group is summoned to the infirmary as Elara's healing magic was recognised since she had improved a lot, they meet the survivor—a young woman named Kaelith, her eyes hollow from trauma. She hesitates before speaking but eventually reveals a vital clue:
“They... they spoke of a ‘heart of power’... something buried deep beneath the academy itself.”
The revelation leaves the misfits stunned. Kaito’s mind races. “The academy? Then the nexus...”
Kaelith nods, tears streaming down her face. “They said Astraea holds the key to awakening their master.”
---
The group reconvenes in the dormitory, their resolve hardening.
“They’ve been targeting Astraea all along,” Yumi says. “But why hide it behind these distractions?”
“To divide our forces,” Kaito replies. “And to ensure we’d never suspect the truth. But now we know.”
The misfits share a determined glance. Despite their fears, they know they must act. Their mission is no longer just about survival—it’s about protecting the academy and unraveling the mystery of the nexus.
As the chapter ends, Kaito gazes out at the darkened horizon, his thoughts heavy. “Whatever they’re planning,” he mutters, “it won’t happen on my watch.”
---
[A/N]: Sorry for the short chapter
Should I give the misfits development or just leave them be since in future arcs they won't be needed? S