Chapter 10 The Wind Shifts
933 Words
Three days after the Gray Zone battle.
The central screens of Raven City replayed the trial footage on loop.
The B-class Gray King’s defeat had been edited into a highlight reel.
But one segment—
Was deliberately slowed down.
Leon, failing repeatedly under extreme pressure.
And then—
A visible rise in energy output.
A caption appeared beneath the frame:
[Abnormal Growth Curve]
The city forums exploded.
“Is that even possible?”
“Growth mid-combat? Not just a one-time burst?”
“What exactly is an Evolutionary type?”
The Council did not deny it.
Nor did they explain.
That silence—
Was more unsettling than any statement.
—
Inside the academy.
The combat ranking refreshed again.
Rank 18 — Leon Black.
A new note beneath his name:
[Growth Rate: Continuously Rising]
Damian stood in front of the screen.
His fingernails dug into his palm.
He was born into a Hunter family.
Raised to believe that rank determined everything.
But now—
Someone who began at F-rank
Was growing outside the rules.
That was harder to accept than losing once.
“If talent can grow…”
he muttered.
“Then what was all my effort worth?”
A low voice sounded behind him.
“Do you want to beat him?”
Damian turned.
A young man in an academy jacket stood there.
Calm. Composed.
His rank unreadable.
“Who are you?”
The young man smiled faintly.
“Someone who dislikes variables.”
“I can help you.”
Damian said nothing.
But his eyes wavered.
—
Special Observation Class.
Leon sat by the window.
The wound on his arm had already scabbed.
The system interface surfaced.
[Failure Catalyst: 20%]
After the Gray Zone fight, he hadn’t rushed to stack more.
He had realized something—
Too obvious a growth curve would invite heavier suppression.
Lucas walked over.
“The city forums are all talking about you.”
“How does it feel?”
“No feeling.”
“Lie.”
Lucas grinned.
“You’re holding back.”
Leon didn’t deny it.
He was holding back.
Not power—
But pace.
Ava entered quietly.
She was more silent than usual.
“The Council is advancing Phase Three of the trial,” she said.
“Early.”
Lucas frowned.
“Wasn’t that scheduled for next month?”
“Yes.”
Her gaze settled on Leon.
“They want to see where your limit is.”
The air stilled.
Leon asked softly,
“Will people die?”
Ava paused for a second.
“Possibly.”
Lucas smirked.
“Now that’s exciting.”
But Ava didn’t smile.
For the first time—
Her expression was complicated.
“If you lose control,” she said quietly,
“They will eliminate you.”
Not a threat.
A fact.
—
Night.
Academy rooftop.
Leon stood alone.
City lights shimmered below.
The system interface appeared again.
[20%]
He murmured to himself,
“Still not enough.”
He recalled his father’s footage.
The missing final three minutes.
And suddenly—
He understood.
Maybe his father hadn’t lost control.
Maybe—
He had been defined as losing control.
Wind swept across the rooftop.
Footsteps approached.
Ava.
She stopped beside him.
Silence lingered.
“I checked the accident report from that year,” she said softly.
“Three minutes of footage are missing.”
Leon wasn’t surprised.
“I know.”
“You’re not angry?”
“Would anger change anything?”
She studied him.
“You’re calmer than I expected.”
Leon let out a quiet laugh.
“I’m not calm.”
“I just know flipping the table now won’t win.”
For the first time, Ava smiled faintly.
“You don’t trust the Council.”
“But you’re not rebelling either.”
“I will,” he said.
He looked toward the distant city tower.
“Just when they won’t have time to react.”
Silence stretched between them.
After a moment, Ava asked quietly,
“If one day they order me to fight you…”
It was the first time she placed herself on the opposite side.
Leon didn’t avoid her gaze.
“Then fight.”
She froze.
“You wouldn’t hate me?”
“I wouldn’t hate you.”
He held her eyes steadily.
“But I would win.”
There was no emotion in his voice.
And that made it heavier.
Ava felt something shift in her chest.
He wasn’t reckless.
He wasn’t driven by anger.
He was—
Extremely clear-headed.
—
Elsewhere in the city.
High-rise conference room.
The gray-haired man studied Leon’s growth curve.
“Twenty percent is only the beginning.”
“Introduce the Night Domain Node.”
An assistant hesitated.
“That’s a semi-sealed zone.”
“Exactly.”
The man’s tone was calm.
“We need confirmation.”
“Will he become the next Arthur?”
The screen dimmed.
—
Academy dormitory.
Damian sat alone in the dark.
The unfamiliar young man handed him a black energy chip.
“Short-term amplification.”
“Side effects?”
“There’s always a cost.”
Damian stared at the chip.
Several seconds passed.
He took it.
“I just need to win once.”
The young man smiled.
“That will be enough.”
—
On the rooftop, the wind grew stronger.
Leon’s system interface flickered faintly.
He lifted his head.
In the distant Gray Zone—
A dark energy pillar rose slowly.
Not part of any normal node.
Phase Three—
Advanced.
A faint smile touched his lips.
“Come.”
[Failure Catalyst: 20%]
“I can still afford many more failures.”
- Writer
