Teacher’s tendrils shoot out at the true enemy.

The Dictator’s scarf moves on its own, slicing the tendrils and then coiling around them. “I’m not here for you.” His scarf moves in a flash, slicing Teacher in two.

My hands are tied. Help me!

Blood! Thirsty!

Fine.

I bite my lip and the Black Seed consumes enough blood for a single swipe that cuts the thread suspending me.

The Dictator turns to me while his scarf deflects Teacher’s bladed assault. “Oh my. Neither RiftRipper, nor human. Teetering on the edge between two realities. Ah, such a wonderful metaphor for youth.”

I grab my knife and slice my arm.

Slurp!

The Black Seed consumes the blood as it pours out and then thrusts at the Dictator.

He grabs the tendril, turning it to stone. “It’s impolite to try and kill someone before a proper introduction. Though I suppose you’re an assassin, so it can’t be helped.” He sighs and grabs my tendril, freezing it along with my body.

Only my face is free from the stone curse.

“My enemies know me as the Love Dictator, but my true name is Flam. Do you have a name?”

“I am Weech. I won’t let you kill Teacher.” I try to summon up my Black Seed, but nothing happens.

“You’re just darling. Didn’t know they had such cute boys with cute names. It would be an absolute crime to allow this baby face to be swallowed up by the darkness.” Flam pats my cheeks.

Teacher slices Flam’s back. “Stay away from my student.”

“Both of you assume the worst of me. I didn’t come here to kill anyone.” Flam grips his heart as his scarf unravels into a barrier of ultra-sharp threads. “I’m here to visit my family.”

Can’t you eat the stone?

Not tasty.

Do it anyway!

The rock around me is dissolved and I whisk blades at Flam.

The Love Dictator catches one and uses it to deflect the others. “Don’t assume I’m not a warrior just because I’m fabulous. Look, I’m very busy so…” He tosses one of my daggers at a suspended student.

The blade cuts their head clean off.

Flam blushes and puts his hand to his mouth. “That was meant to be a slow death. Blood gushing from the lungs as life’s regrets gnaw at the mind. Whoopsie. I guess I just don’t know my own strength.”

Teacher slices the air repeatedly to create a trap for Flam.

“Too obvious.” Flam clenches his fist, pulling Teacher into the slices he had planted.

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My eye glimpses his core tumble out into the puddle of his black muck.

He’s going to kill Teacher.

I grip my father’s dagger and plunge it into Flam’s back.

“That won’t be enough to kill me.”

Kill! Kill!

My sight leaves me as darkness takes over. My tendrils shoot out and fly in all directions.

My awareness splinters into several students before they are cut into slabs of flesh by my rampage.

No more death…please.

“Stop!” yells StarBorne.

Flam slices my tendrils and holds me down with his threads.

My vision returns to me but my mind is in a jumble.

Flam nearly trips as he makes his way to StarBorne. “You have your mother’s cheeks.” His voice loses all intensity and softens like a pillow. “Is she safe?”

“Grandfather, please. Just tell me what you want.”

“Isekai sought to turn you into a weapon against me.” He embraces StarBorne. “I’m here to rescue you, of course.”

Flam breaks the embrace and steps away. “If I go with you, they’ll kill my sister.”

Didn’t Starborne kill his sister? Is she lying?

“Well if you don’t, then I’ll have your friend kill everyone here.” Flam smiles warmly.

WarWolf steps in front of StarBorne. “You’re not taking our leader.”

Flam smiles. “I already have your sister back at my castle, safe and sound. They have nothing to threaten you with.”

“Every word you say is a lie.” WarWolf bars her teeth at Flam.

StarBorne places a hand on her and looks into her eyes. “This is my only option.” She pulls out a dagger with grace. He clenches it with power. “If I stay, I’ll only be a tool a tool for the guild. I want to die paving the path for your future. Find a way to stop the madness of this exam.”

“He’ll kill you.”

“There’s a chance. But I’m willing to take that chance.”

Flam smiles. “If anyone destroys me, I want it to be you.” He grabs StarBorne’s cheeks and kisses her forehead gently.

RiftRippers appear in a circle around the Love Dictator.

Guru is here! I hope he can save us.

Flam looks at all them and grins. “Now this is a proper welcome. What took you all so long to greet me?”

“Step away from the Shining Star,” says the Principal.

“You must be the leader of this cruel establishment. Was it your decision to take my grandson away from his peaceful life?”

“We will cut down the Star if it means your death.”

“Oh, that’s quite the gamble.” Flam giggles and then turns StarBorne into stone. He flings him into the air.

The RiftRippers all reach for him at once, leaving them all open to attack.

Flam’s scarf unravels itself, slicing all the tendrils. He then leaps into the air, grabbing his grandson.

The RiftRippers try to slice his body, but the scarf redirects the attacks toward the RiftRippers who initiate them.

“I must take my leave but not before a quick song!” Flam creates a harp by combing strands of fabric and strums it. He dances around, gracefully dodging the onslaught of RiftRipper attacks.

♪ “The children of assassins blood must be shed!

Till all but one seed succumbs to death.

This is the song. The wondrous song.

That carves the future with blood.

The red stain.

Makes all in vain.

Become what must be done.

Let your inner seeds.

Stretch themselves and sing.

But if black must cover red.

Then all traitors end.

Without treason, sin or vice.

There exists nothing but lies.

Virtue and vice.

Sought to bring new life.

By sacking the black.

And spreading the red.

Secretly the rebellion spread.

This is the song. The wondrous song.

That one can hear only once!”

Flam slides into a portal along with StarBorne. “Hope you enjoy my gift.”

I understand now. With StarBorne’s ability, he or she could predict Flam’s movements. Our leader truly is the key to killing the Love Dictator. But now, StarBorne is gone.

BloodBlade looks at Guru curiously. “Why were you mentioned in that song?”

“You actually understood the lyrics? I just heard malicious gibberish,” says Guru.

The Principal turns to Guru with blades at the ready. “I saw it…you created that portal! Kill the traitor!”

Why would Guru do that? Flam is his enemy too.

Guru defends himself from all angels with his vibrating blades. The blades eventually are overpowered. He flees into the portal before closing it.

With Flam gone, I can move and so can the other students.

What are they doing?

The students who were determined to end the Assailants a moment ago, were now slaughtering each other.

“You have to save them! That song drove them mad!” I exclaim, running to the Principal.

“No point. The red pool you all bathed in was poisoned. There’s no antidote. The only survivors will be those who become RiftRippers.”

The students were doomed before the exam even began.